friday night leading into an awesome weekend

out of work early
only a few minutes early... but early just the same
out of work

out on the bike
though the city streets of DC
through the crowded streets of Georgetown
bumper to bumper car traffic on M Street
sidewalks packed with shoppers
across Key Bridge and onto the bike path

out past the airport onto Old Town and back

across the 14th Street Bridge back into DC
back on the city streets
more bumper to bumper traffic

racing the train
dodging a bullet

over to a friend's house to buy some used wheels

for a hundred bucks I roll away with some slightly worn wheels with one broken spoke

then over to the bike shop to get a replacement spoke

the mechanic replaces the spoke and begins to true the wheel before I can cut in

turns out a six pack covers the cost of spoke and repair
guess that is better than me taking it home and not finding the time to make the repair myself

head for home

return home a few minutes late to join some friends for dinner

our kids playing with their kids

carry out menu on the table

I walk the dogs as they place an order

there is a party down the block
down the block in shifts

some stay with the kids

others go to the party down the block with the kids

at the party our friends are hosting an art show
some very cool stuff very well presented

after I stroll through the party/art showing I leave taking the artist's two son's with me

upon my return home I see that one set of toddlers have left with their parents
dinner is gone and so are they
bedtime for the weee oneees

I set up a couch pillow fort to keep the kids occupied

the lights go off

Petzel headlamps go on

the blankets seal things off turning the pillow fort into quite the little hide away

after returning the artist's son's I stay for a Burbon on the rocks

one burbon turns into two burbons

two burbons turns into too many
the clock strikes 2

I stumble down the block for a late night snack

the artist stumbles up to bed

later I learn he fell asleep with his clothes off and his glasses on

not sure if he usually sleeps with his clothes on

I suspect the glasses are usually off

the next morning comes on fast

not much sleep

lots of hang over

the boys join me to walk the dogs while lisa heads off to yoga

after our hike we go to a different neighbor's house

when it is time for me to head for yoga I leave the kids playing with the neighbor's kids

return from yoga feeling much better than before yoga

immediately from yoga I go to a fair at Dean's school

we have volunteered to work one of the booths

there are rides and games

dean is in all his glory and so am I

lots of shaking hands.... kissing babies.... and getting votes

a mayoral canidate tries shaking my hand... tries kissing my babies... and tries getting my vote

then we head back for home

there is grilling and playing out back

we eat in the club house

hot dogs all around

Roscoe steals the lion's share of brat and kiabassa

that night I go to bed at the same time as the boys

8PM

wake the next morning pleased with my decision to for the early bed time

after the usual routine of coffee, clothing the boys, and dog walking we plot our course for the day

it is our sixth wedding anniversary.... a kiss is shared

grab the family and head to Cox Farm for a Fall Festival

pumpkins and alpine slides

the battery for my new digital camera is charged

in a short time my card is filled with images of smiling children

four hours have passed and we have not ridden all the slides

nor have we done all the activities

cox farm gets my vote

we head home passing through the Wendy's drive through

kettle corn and granny smith apples had not been enough to satisfy my hunger

had lisa been driving I would have been asleep along side of Grant
Dean mimics Grant's nasal snore

we return

the grill gets fired up

more kids from neighboring houses racing up the ladder and down the slide

steaks on the grill

the kids are in bed a few minutes after 8

I consider some of the same

but there are things to do

I walk the dogs and go to the store

the day has given me a bit of a rush

on my walk I talk up various strangers

wake for the work week routine

walking the dogs

on the bike and off to work

rinse and repeat

a good weekend
there should be more weekends like this

Cox Farms