A distracted mind

Yes, kiddies, this is the classic update post, the post I write when I haven't written for a while and have been busy/preoccupied with other things.

So, in brief: Work. Stanley Cup playoff games. Special editions (that work ended this week). One morning last week, I covered a special meeting for news at 7:30 a.m. The usual sports stuff this time of year, mostly track meets. And, during a break in the hockey playoffs (no games between Sunday and Thursday), my wife and I watched movies several nights.

Yeah, one other thing. Late at night, the time I usually write, I have been playing a mahjong game on the upstairs computer. The ancient Chinese tile-matching game, only with the other three players disguised as the computer and no tiles for the cat to play with.

We have a tulip next to the house--just one--that has slowly been developing in our chilly spring weather. It opened over the weekend. Our tulip garden is in its full glory; the one and only flower has bloomed.

Also, the grass is growing again in the back yard, and I will have to get the lawnmower out this week. No sign of dandelions yet, but their happy leaves are turning dark green. Soon, I'm sure, I will see the stalks starting to rise.

Last Sunday night--I don't think I wrote about it--the hockey game went into the 4th overtime and finally ended at 1:25 a.m. local time. I watched it to the end from the couch, with Charlie next to me. She's my hockey-watching buddy--she stays around because I rub her tummy while watching the game. After the first overtime ended, I went off to the kitchen in search of goodies to sustain me for who knows how long. Eventually I wound up with a Propel and a few crackers. Charlie was still on the couch when I got back. And we watched the second overtime. And the third. I walked around again, to wake myself up a little. I was nearing the point when I'd have to call it quits--but then the Stars scored the winning goal, ending the eighth longest game in NHL history, and I went to bed.

Today was Mother's Day, of course. We went down to visit my mom on Saturday--the forecast called for rain and cooler weather on Sunday (though the rain never came this far north). I ordered flowers for both my wife and mom and got cards. For me, frankly, it's one of those check-all-the-little-boxes days--make sure you do all the things you ought to so nobody feels ignored or hurt. Flowers: check. Dinner: check. Card: check.

But it all got done, wrapping up with a broasted chicken dinner tonight.

(Father's Day? It gets ignored at home. That's just the way it is. I observe it by getting photos of the car show that is held in town that day every year. Nobody else will do it.)

Since the Chicago trip, I haven't been getting around much, except for track meets and visiting my mom. With the price of gas locally at $3.84/gallon, I've been cutting back a little here and there. Thank goodness my car is rather thrifty.

Otherwise, I'm still here. I'm not feeling the blog blahs that others have been talking about ... but at the same time, it's been hard to find spare time to write this month with so many other things claiming my attention. Like mahjong and playoff hockey games that extend into the wee hours. (OK, it was just one night.)

My mind is distracted. When it's as small as mine, it doesn't take much.