Adams Express... I deserve this... The kids love Adams Express... Didgis no watch dog but he can sense that their service is slow

this day was like so many other days...

yesterday and the day before were virtual carbon copies of the other

that is just the way life goes

Groundhog Day then Groundhog Day again!

Adams Express

carry out dinner from Adams Express after a long day

Adams Express... what is in a name?

I am not sure who, what, or where "Adam" is

I am not sure if the owners of Adams Express understand the meaning of the  word "Express"

yet this little Asian carry out joint in Mount Pleasant is called Adams Express

the service is.... well... the food is cooked fresh on the spot

these things take time

even instant coffee is not instant

Adams Express is a bit shy wjhen it comes to express

but I have come to expect this and accept this

it only elevates my heart rate a little to wait a few minutes longer than eternity to get my food from Adams Express

I did not feel like cooking and definitely did not feel like cleaning

even without cooking I am behind on the cleaning

so I need to clean even without cooking

in a house with two young boys the need to clean is ever present

in a house with two growing boys there is the never ending need to be cooking

so... since I did not feel like cooking or cleaning after cooking I walked the dog up to the Mount Pleasant strip to grab some Korean\Chinese\Japanese carry out from Adams Express

it was deserved

and yes

I was feeling a little lazy

it had been a long day

Lisa is away so I got to handle the boys with zone defense instead of man to man

I had to handle the full court press without any chance of subsitution

no tag team here

this is me against them

the morning came with the alarm on the iPhone

first Rites of Spring and then Madonna

I woke slowly with the dog by my side... trying to steal an extra minute that is not there to spare

trying to snuggle with a dog who does not care much for snuggling

up and out of bed... feet on the floor

I hate mornings as much as the next guy

these things need to be done

and well... it is not about me

up out of bed and on upstairs

the boys were sound asleep

with a little effort they started to stir

I got the boys up and out of bed... having their feet on the floor allowed me to move forward and shuffle them through my morning routine

every morning comes with the same set of demands

it is important that I remain focused

any deviation from the basic core of what MUST be done puts me and everyone else in the house at risk of being late

as I brush my teeth I look down at the little fish pond in the backyard

it is nearly dry

there are more wet leaves in the pond than water

it looks like the raccoons got to feast on my 29 cent feeder goldfish

not sure how or why the pond went dry

no time to trouble shoot this now

need to focus

need to keep the momentum forward

the kids need to get dressed... but they are old enough to dress themselves

the kids need to eat something for breakfast... the kids are old enough to feed themselves

but...

none of this happens without coaxing

some coaxing and an occasional crack of the whip

in the kitchen I make some coffee as I start to prepare lunches for the boys

the lunch boxes need to be emptied and cleaned from the day before

guess I should have done that last night... oh well

uneaten food gets sorted

what can be saved... what can be composted... what needs to be put in the trash

the boys are now downstairs on the couch

they are more interested in the Mac laptop and the iPad than putting on socks and shoes

Dean is dressed for a day on the beach

I bark some orders to get more clothes and get dressed head to toe

lunches packed... 

sure... not the love filled Copernica that mom makes

just lunch

some variety

some quantity

just lunch

with coffee in hand I check on the  boys

time is ticking

I avoid the temptation to pop the lid open on the laptop

that tmeptation is strong

two minutes on the computer quickly becomes 15 minutes

I lack 2 minutes to spare

15 minutes is out of the question

there is so much to distract me from getting out the door

while putting water and food in the dog's bowls I see that the glue traps have caught another mouse... tis the season

so... I get down on all fours and pull the glue trap out from under the radiator
the mouse is still alive

alive or dead
it is no concern of mine

I just want the mouse out of the house

this mouse goes into a plastic bag and then out to the trash

focus... need to stay focused

need to finish the tasks of the morning and get into work

there is dirty laundry everywhere

I gather the kids dirty socks etc... but I resist starting a load

leash in one hand and coffee in the other I head out the door
a final barking of orders as I step outside

"get your socks and shoes on... eat something... pack your backpacks for school"

sipped my coffee as I walked the dog

it is a beautiful fall morning
the last days of fall and its colorful glory

brown leaves coat the earth at my feet

many trees are barren

a fraction of the trees in the woods still have colorful leaves on them

it is beautiful but past its glorious peak

drank more coffee as I drove Grant to school

it is a short cross town drive

almost walkable... but not quite

the short drive across town reminds me of the self centered approach to life here in Washington DC

people are idiots or assholes

there is no logic to their approach to their actions

Dean was dressed and out the door with back pack and packed lunch to catch the bus to school

not an orange school bus

but a DC Metro bus that runs a route to Alice Deal Middle School

this bus only picks up kids going to school

the bus is filled several blocks before this point in the route

Didg comes along for the ride as we cross town to get Grant to school

once in Cleveland Park I park my Honda Element a few blocks away and get out and walk with Grant to school

it is only a few blocks... but it is enough for Grant to complain

it is also enough for me to walk and talk with my son for a few steps

communication is different on foot than it is in the car

and we move faster on foot than the car traffic on 34th Street

then on top of that.... there is no looping for a space

getting blocked in

not being able to back up to get the space

all that car parking hassle

forget about it

Grant gets walked down the block... there is a hug... a kiss on the head... I love you and I love you back.... then we walk our separate ways

not a bad way to start the day

back to the car... no time to take Didg to Rosedale

I love Rosedale.... but I do not have time for Rosedale

I am already scheduled to be late for work

back to the car... then back home

Didg got his walk an hour earlier as the boys were still stirring about

before they were hit with the cattle prod to get out of bed... get dressed.... and get downstairs

Didg could use more time in the woods but I need to get into work

my bag was already packed with clothing for the day

all I had to do was get out of street clothes and into bike clothes

then I was over pedaling my single speed 29er geared for dirt on the streets of DC

a slow gear out racing the train in Rush Hour traffic 

ah... the standard frustration on the way into work

the camera is around my neck

there are people and bikes

but there is no time... need to get into work

there may be more bikes on the streets

but there are no fewer cars 

into work and I spend my day doing my computer contract thing

not my dream job

a job

not my actual job

a fraction of my job for a fraction of what I used to make job

but... I knocked the day out and had to rush home to get Grant from school

this is where it gets good

no... there is nothing exciting about my short fast hustle from the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall back up to Mount Pleasant

in fact... the ride is incident free

no conflict

no need to issue the bird

no need to spit on anyone's windshield

a few maybes

but no need to follow through

on the bike... the most direct route home... no time for a spin on the river

no so much as a second to stall to se what may be the most amazing sunset that Washington DC has ever seen

no... my time is not my time

I need to get Grant from after care and then onto Karate.... Tae Kwon Do actually

I arrive at after can in the car

at home I grabbed his karate uniform and a snack

just a juice box and an energy bar

nothing fancy but something more than nothing

I wait patiently as the cars around the school do the things that force me to park blocks away

a parent does a three point turn and then takes the parking space I was pointing towards

I know this father

but it does not make me feel any better about his three point turn in front of me

I am out of the car and into the school signing Grant out

I have his backpack and I send him to get his jacket

mention of Karate brings up immediate objection

first... there is no snack

then there is something about class being canceled

we drive back towards home and I am getting attitude all the way

by the time we get to Karate class Grant has calmed down

he agrees that the snack was good and we go our separate ways

he still leans towards the notion that class was canceled

I wait in the car to see if he enters the building

Grant enters the building... I wait two seconds... then I head for home

once home I repeat the routine of the morning by walking the dog

on the walk I am feeling the cold of the evening

as much as I feel the dog needs a longer walk I feel that I best get home to pass a hat and gloves off to Dean so that Grant does not march back in the cold without a hat

I get home and find Grant is already home

WHAT?!?!?!

I keep my cool

there is something about there not being an instructor

how he waited then left

I tell him to suit up and head to Karate with his older brother Dean

I feel that Grant's story is suspect

but I want to believe him

yet I sense something is a miss

Grant objects to the idea of heading up to watch Dean's class

he is given no choice

I send the boys up together then I walk the dog up to Adam's Express

the food takes a while... but you know this

then I head by to get Grant from Karate

on the way home we discuss things
Grant admits that there was class and that he just skipped out

we discuss his motivation and that I caught him in his lie

there is some talk about whether or not he wants to continue karate

then we discuss who he is cheating when he tries to trick me in situations like this

it is frustrating, but not that big of a deal

just something I need to watch out for in the future