The weekend was a mix of big things and laying low. On Friday, once I was done with some work, Ash and I went to a BBQ place we’d not tried (it was pretty good) then we picked up a couple items to lay the high heat concrete layer in the fire pit. We ended up finishing that around 2ish then watched a movie until I had to pick Dakota up from school.

She got all ready for her first dance and I took pictures. Her two friends got dropped off here then I took them. There was quite the line to drop off kids! Seems like a lot of students went to this one. She had a ride home and then we packed a bag and I walked her to her friend’s house to sleep over.

Meanwhile, my son had his first shift at the new job. I’ll give him credit: he said he’d have a job by the end of the week and he did!

We went to sleep before he even got home that night, because we had to be up early for our 32 mile ride. It was an “official” one, through the local cycling group. Now, we’ve been long-time runners and have done probably a hundred races. The organizers are usually pretty good and you get things for the price you pay, like water stops, snacks, blocked traffic at times, etc. This wasn’t really worth it, to me. Yes, there was a spaghetti meal at the end but ew, no thanks. That’s legit my least favorite food. The water stops consisted of one old guy with a Gatorade cooler at a park. It just felt a little hobo. Either way, the ride itself was good!

It was COLD that morning (upper 40s when we started) so we both left our jackets on. The big thing is that we were not on road bikes so we didn’t try to “race” anyone, not that it was one. It was simply a ride. We were really just doing it to train and get mileage in. There were 30 and 60 mile options, paved and unpaved. For our paved 30, there were really only about 9 of us doing it and one guy was about 90 years old on an e-bike. I would fall behind on a big hill and here old buddy comes, just pedaling away like he’s fooling people. Yeah, I could get up this hilly easily too if I had a motor. Come on, bro.

But it was a good ride and I am glad we did it. I was gassed afterwards, for sure. On our drive home, a friend asked if we wanted to meet them at the Hub and I was all for it. So I got home, showered, then ran to the store for burger stuff, thinking we had to hurry. Turns out they didn’t want to go until 6. (Later we realized why: it was a special event we’d already opted out of before. I just didn’t put two and two together that’s why they were going.) No thanks. So we had burgers and drank some beer; watched a movie. Ell had work from 9-3 and originally, Isaac had an 11 am soccer game but he tweaked his Achilles in the Thursday game so he opted out of it.

Both Ash and I took naps in the afternoon. I slept almost 2 hours and he, almost 3! We were plum wore out from that ride, I tell you. When he finally woke up, we made our first fire in the pit. It wasn’t for fun, necessarily, but to cure the adhesive, paint, and concrete.

We didn’t stay out there, just let it do its thing. I am excited to actually have people over but we still have to adjust the ground around it and fill in some of the gaps. Maybe today.

Sunday, I had nothing to do at all, aside from cooking and laundry. So that is what I did. Went to the store early and got stuff for tacos. I made pico de gallo and guacamole, then the tacos around 11. We honestly didn’t do too much. I was in, what I felt was, a good mood but as the evening wore on, I felt annoyed that my children didn’t do some chores and I know I was mad at them and then I woke up this morning feeling bad. Ah, parenting.

Today, I have conferences with students from another school I teach for so that’s…annoying and time consuming. I am sort of dreading it but hey, I know eventually I will catch up on life. The question is when! Actually, I didn’t have a lot of people sign up for Wednesday so it’ll be then. This week, we have nothing tonight, then tomorrow night, Ash and I are going to dinner for our anniversary. We have EC for brew club Wednesday and we go to Jacksonville for a homebrew festival at which we are serving this weekend! Just gotta make it through this week…