Saturday came around and I was up by 7 AM...without an alarm clock. I immediately brewed my coffee and then walked little man. I am not sure why, but I was up for the long walk with him (2 miles) even though we had one the night before. We (my wife and I plus the 2 lovable mutts) have been walking 2 miles every night for the past week or so and we still have found time to keep up with Law and Order (all three varieties) and Jericho. While I have not lost any weight yet, I feel better and that is almost as important.
While on my walk I had an idea for short story about 25 year old mostly friendless orphan who takes all the money he has ($2000.00) loads up his van with his meager possessions and heads to (insert 100,000 person city here). He convinces a retired couple to rent him a garage apartment they have even though he has no job, acquires a job in a warehouse which is only a short walk from his new home, and is befriended by a female "baby" (new) Christian who works as the assistant manager of a woman's fashion clothing store in a nearby mall. The crux of the story is the growing Christ centered relation ship between the orphan Tommy and the baby Christian Jess. Tommy is not a Christian but has a good heart. He has had it very tough at times but has never resorted to illegal means to keep himself afloat. Jess, the baby Christian, is on fire for Christ and wants to lead Tommy to him, but he mistakes her Christian love for the amorous kind of love and he has to learn that just because a person of the opposite sex is nice to you does not always mean they want to get intimate with you.
BoT (Back on Topic), I started my normal Saturday chores (dishes, vacuuming, strip/make the bed, laundry) and made it done by 3 PM or so. During that time my wife was able to help with a lot of laundry and groom/wash little man. After all that we got cleaned up and had dinner at a new restaurant, Sugar Babies BBQ. I had to admit after that meal I was impressed. It reminded me of a down home NC BBQ joint. My wife, the lover of all ribs (pork or beef, preferring beef) ordered a full rack (that was huge) of pork ribs while I decided on the 2 meat plate (hot links and pulled pork). The meat comes out "dry" meaning that you put on the type and amount of sauce you want from the fixin's bar in the center room. I opted for the "sweet" sauce over the mild because oddly enough, it had more kick. It was a smoky-sweet-spicy sauce and applied it liberally to my pulled pork and hot links. I was able to order two sides, so I ordered ranch beans and fried cabbage. While this may not be everyone's cup of tea, I was in heaven the entire time we were there. My wife opted for more traditional fare...mac and cheese and corn on the cob. She had no problems with either choice. While I was able to eat all my food (I am not sure how...the portions were huge) my wife ate about half of hers and we took that home so she can have it for lunch at work Tuesday, driving her boss crazy with the tantalizing smell. NOTHING smells quite as good as BBQ, Texas or NC style.
We got home and took a much needed 2 mile walk after we braved Super Target to go grocery shopping. Now, I love my wife, but grocery shopping for me is much quicker than it is when she gos, but then again, I am a guy. I know what I want and where it is and if I have to ask where it is, then I do not need it. Kapish?
Sunday started much as it normally does with the exception I spent too much time reading Knightmare's blog and commenting on it. Blogs are fun and can be a waste of time but it looks like he is doing a good job. He has a theme and is being diligent about keeping it updated so far, but I digress.
I got to church and talked to the guy teaching the class on Christian finance while I waited for my teacher (who is also my martial arts instructor, my care group leader, and all around good guy), "Jimmy". He was running a tad late (HORRORS!) so I at first waited for him in his classroom. When I first walked into it, I was hit full in the face with the most oppressive hot air I have felt in some time, outside a Texas summer, that is. The heat in his room was so high, I thought it was an object lesson on Hell. "OK, boys and girls, this is a sample of what you will face if you do not get you life together..." OK, that was not what was taught, but it could have been.
Jimmy shows up a few minutes later and we begin class, just me him and his wife. If I have not described Jimmy to you then let me do so now. He is a 50 year old, 5'8" 225 black man who looks like he may be 40 years old...tops. He is a 6th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art (as well as black belts in Kempo, and a few others). He can roundhouse kick above my head (I am 5'10"-ish) and his shoulders are hard as rocks. Patting him on the back is like slapping a brick wall. He is a message therapist by trade and knows so much about the human body it is amazing. He was born in Philly, was in the Air Force (based in Alaska) and has 3 kids of his own. He is one amazing guy. He is also very generous.
His generosity (as well as us receiving a financial blessing from my job) led my wife and I to take him, his wife "Collette" and her daughter "Sandra" to dinner at the Macaroni Grill today. Even though a trip there for me and my wife is something we cannot afford often, we wanted to show Jimmy and Collette how thankful we were that they are our friends. Needless to say that we all got our fill of very good Italian food. To be honest, the bill was a tad less than what I expected it to be considering that there was 5 of us. They did not order the most expensive items on the menu and Sandra was a incredibly mature 14 year old. How many 14 year olds do you know prefer Italian soda's over Coke, like to build their own pasta bowls with spinach, shrimp, tomato cream sauce and onions, enjoy coffee and tiramisu and can cook? The family is amazing, but they do put the "fun" in "dysfunctional", and I mean that as a complement.
After a great meal and some very good conversation, my wife and I headed to the mall to walk off lunch. After several laps, we went home and took a nap. I fed little man and decided to check my mail. Now you are up to speed.
One one other thing. On the way home last night, we got a text message from our son saying he made it back to the US from Kuwait last night but had not made it back to the base yet. He said he would text us when he got there but we never got it, so my wife left him a voice mail telling him to call us. There is my wife's phone now...it may be him.
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