New friends

The twins went to Ike's old school, and played on one of his early baseball teams.  As it turns out, they moved and now live two blocks away.  Here they are at the bus stop, the first day of school.

Basement drywall gets done today. Hawkeye's play today in 90 degree temps.  Is rather be hanging rock.

At some point, someone will have to travel to Cedar Falls to pick up or fugitive dog. Now that our most recent crisis has passed, Buddha can come home under very tight security.

Looking ahead. .. three trips to DSM to recruit and work. Teaching goes into full swing.

Started training this week in prep for a marathon in October? One more week of base, then intense speed work   and up-tempo work.  Maybe some hills or, more positively labeled inclines. 

Steady as she goes with patience,  endurance, and eyes on the goal. .. And so it goes...

Winds of Change

Things are finally hunkering down into a quiet hmmm... kids in school, students back on campus, and Woofables ramping up for the soon-to-arrive fall holidays.  In ultra distance running this would be called steady as she goes. 

Don't eat too much or too little. Stay hydrated. Don't be a hero and think you can win it all if you pick up your pace. Always remember that in a matter of minutes things can change, and all the best plans of mice and men can experience a reversal of fortune (a stolen phrase from competitive eating).

All I know in late miles of a long run, a wall awaits. This wall of doom, is crushing and demoralizing. It can take an abled body person down for the count.   For me, the running wall is between miles 70 and 80.  I've been halted in my tracks, dropped once, and managed to forge through three times.

Lately, I've been thinking about this Wall. I suppose like any obstacles in life there are things we can do to barrel through and get results.  One thing for sure, if you wait for it, the wall will rend you helpless. The best thing to do is to take charge of the situation and manage the obstacles before they manage/ruin you.

With that in mind, there are three mantras that I've used and am rolling them around my head:  Beware the chair (meaning don't sit down, or you'll never get back up). Keep moving forward no matter what (inertia can be hard to gain once you start moving). Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.... and it won't hurt much more if you continue to jog. Then REPEAT!

I have an uneasy feeling a Wall looms near, so here we go:  Beware the chair; Keep moving forward no matter what; pain is inevitable.... and so it goes....

Fall Ball '13

Fall Ball! That is the smile of a 10-year-old who ended his drought against 13-year-olds with an RBI single to help his team pull away from a 6-6 tie in the final inning of the game. There is joy in Muddville tonight!

Make Room

So the Maggot's room is coming along nicely.  All drywall will be up by the end of the week!  Whew.

Residency week for 1st and 2nd year EMBA students is done and schedules should be settling into something more normalized and predictable.  Welcome relieve after a very chaotic summer.

Beaner officially started classes today at KU. Maggie and Addy are already swamped with activities and studying for a range of AP and Honors classess at West High.

Big Dawg really likes his new school and teachers.

Summer heat finally arrived just when
I start ramping up for 26.2 miles of bandit running in Oct. Ugh.  So hot the ICCSD schools are on early release.

And so it goes. ...

First Day

I suppose I could say this was the first day of the rest of our lives, but that might be too dramatic.

So how about the first day of class for the delinquents?  Big Dawg, Chalupa, Peanut, and Beaner (in abstentia).

So they're off like a herd of turtles, or scholars. .. I sometimes get turtles and scholars confused. Meanwhile IC EMBA students (1st and 2nd years) enter day three.

Soon, a new normal will beset out house. Just a bit lonelier I suppose.  Easy come, but not so easy it goes.  And so it goes. ..

Day two. .

Second day of residency week went smoother than the first. But somehow along the way, I think I ate something bad. 
Maybe a good night's sleep will help?  But for now, this cat is in very, very sad shape. That's what I get, I suppose.

Please forgive me. .. for not posting a picture with this one.  And so it goes. .. sigh. .. :(

EMBA Banquet

You know when Iowa City's population is about to double in size when the Exec MBA students begin Residency Week.  While our students are orienting, and I'm various stages of business simulation excersizes, the rest of the world is defending on campus to load kids into residence halls, apartments, and rental houses. Let the games begin!

Maggot, Batty, and Ick begin Iowa City/Coralville schools tomorrow.  Th error summers are over. 

Next up: prep to teach E-commerce Strategies starting next Tuesday.  In two weeks, the cadence for the next several months will be established. And so it goes...

They grow up fast

Just moved Ellie into her house at KU. Only one minor incident:  her box spring matress flew off the top of the van only eight miles into the journey from Iowa City.  

For the record, I was not the one who strapped it down. 

Thankfully, no one was behind us. After recovery efforts, it was determined the box spring was unsalvageable. 

As luck would have it, a mattress store in Lawrence was having a going-out-of-business sale.  We scored a new box spring without missing a beat. 

Maggie made it back to IC from camp.  Sidetrack is in MN with Big Dawg for a couple of days. I should arrive back by 11:00 pm if I don't stop between here and there?

Sigh. . "Eleven hours in a tin can, Lord there's got to be a better way." P. Townsend

And so it goes. . .

Worse things can happen

I got to spend the afternoon participating in the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commrce Golf outing. My partner was None other than Jim T. From HRB. We did better than last year,  not two over past was not quite enough to bring home the bacon.

Tomorrow, Lawrence, KS or bust for Beaner and me. Twin Cities or bust for Sidetrack, Gumpa and Ick, and Coralville for Maggie. The coming and goings . . . Crazy.

Sunday,  I'm in the shop baking biscuits.  Monday, Two different EMBA classes begin respective residency weeks. A busy time of year.

A week from today, the population of Iowa City will double. How it's it possible to be lonely in a crowd?   And so it goes. .. and so it goes. ...

Summer in Iowa City

Summer evening in downtown Iowa City. There is nothing like it.  Ten days before the population doubles and all he'll break loose.  The lull before the storm.

Ellie leaves Saturday for KS with Padre. Gumpa, and Big Dawg head north with Sidetrack. Maggot gets back from camp.  And Batty will hold down the first with the help of dogs, cats, birds,  and a fish.

And so it goes. ..

Fall Ball '13

Practice for fall ball. Ike is now an Oriole turning the double play. And so it goes. ..

Family

Gumpa and kids in front of an Iowa City institution, Paglias Pizza!

Uncle Brinz is coming down today to hang two doors in Maggies emerging room. Meanwhile. .. I'm off to the State Fair to work the Iowa Booth.

And so it goes....

Camp Heart Connection

Boone, Iowa.  Just dropped Maggie and Molly of at Camp Heart Connect. They are first year volunteer counselors for siblings of pediatric oncology patients. There will be a few oncology patients attending as well.

Now to DSM to drop off some Gourmet Dog Treats.

Meanwhile, I'm getting reports from parents moving kids onto campus and into apartments.  Good luck with all that.  It'll be my turn next weekend when I move Beaner back to KU on Saturday.

And so it goes...

Medic!

Thought I was going onto the Des Moines campus after today's luncheon.  Looks like I have other plans.  

I'd like to blame my discomfort on the Republican Congressman's presentation.  He would like to blame it on Obamacare.  The doctor will blame it on two very aggravated compressed disks.

Oh joy of joys. Oh pain of pains. Not sure I'll make this evening's banquet. The drive back to IC will be fun, fun, fun!

I'll simply believe there's an angel on my shoulder who will dish me appropriate crap with a vague hint of sympathy.  That, and some muscle relaxers and pain-killers and I'll be fine. 

Sigh. .. and so it goes. ...

Full House

A full house of bakers and decorators this morning!  Woofables is ramping up for the fall holidays... so all paws in deck. 

Electrician shows up tomorrow to wire Maggie's Room. The inspector shows up Friday to approve the work so I can proceed.  Saturday will be grunt-day work in the basement.

Looks like I'll be in Des Moines all day Sunday for the State Fair (working the University of Iowa booth).  I'll be offering fried EMBA on a stick?  Anyone?  Anyone? Bueller?  And so it goes....

Leadership University

As many of you know, I'm passionate about education and leadership. I just attended a reception for College students enrolled in Leadership University.  This program is sponsored by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.

If these students are any indication of future leadership in Iowa,  I will sleep easier tonight.  Wow!  An impressive group.

Ready to Ship

After a morning of Boggie Golf, the Go2Dog will spend the afternoon at the shop.  The treats (pictured here) Will be delivered this week.

Back at the hacienda, plants are being re-potted.

Chalupa put in 10 miles with Marpy as they continue their ramp up to Chicago. If any one wants to join me. .. I plan to be a bandit for about 26 if the miles.

Peanut is doing laundry.  Big Dawg is practicing piano and guitar.   Beaner is working.  As Sundays go. .. same ol' same ol'.  And so it goes....

Marcia Wegman...

... is in the house!   Sigh... it's beautiful. And so it goes...

To the dogs

After running errands, I took the grounds to the dog park.  Manna manna at the warring hole. 

Wiring, construction, assembly and of course she rock this afternoon. Oh yeah and some pick up/drop off of delinquents to a different swimming hole.

So what does a father do when he discovers a half finished liter of vodka in his oldest daughter's (19) car?   I'm thinking the car is taken away for a while.  Driving with an open container, underaged possession. It could be a lot worse.

Stay tuned...  Things will go as they go. And so it goes....

Quiet

Tonight. .. peace and quiet.  Beaner is ought with friends.  Ike playing in the front with new friends.  Chalupa in Cedsr Rapids for the night with camp friends.  Sidetrack in MN picking up Peanut and Gumpa.

Me, I'm on the back porch, with a glass of wine, and the screen door closed (to prevent owls from getting in), listening to crickets and dreaming of the possibilities.
After tonight, everyone will be back in the fold, chaos will once again rule,  and so it goes. ... 

Twenty eight

The inclines felt a bit more like hills today. And the only company I enjoyed were a few cardinals, a fawn, and some over-zealous deerflies. Otherwise, not a bad run.

I believe I'd rather be grilling supper, or dinner... or whatever. Or ice cream?

Sidetrack treks North tomorrow in a quest for daughter #2 leaving me and perhaps a delinquent or two to fend for ourselves.

I think she'll return with daughter and father (inlaw) in tow. No worries. ..it's all good.  And so it goes...