Off Routine, Lisa Scores A Goal?

The thing about this upcoming week is that although it is a full week, it is the Monday before the first 3-day weekend in months. That would be the Memorial Day weekend of course, the timemarker for the beginning of summer and this morning, it sure did feel like it was around the corner. It was already warm first thing and although I reminded myself that this was the time a year ago when I basically got tired, I still pushed myself to try to continue the 15.000+ steps on a Monday streak. I mean why not? It wasn't like I felt really tired or anything. In fact, I also reminded myself that this being the week before Memorial Day, folks at work were sure to be tanking most of the week, if not taking at least Friday off altogether. I remember last year's Memorial Day for the fact that it wasn't memorable at all. It was just another day because we were all right in the middle of the pandemic. Hopefully I get to do something a little more fun and relaxing this time around, if just to go to the beach or something. Anyway I did think about what I wanted to experience this upcoming week. I wanted to experience an eezy-peezy week with little out of the ordinary and off-routine for Johnnie and I. I mean I do know I have to be at a meeting at E3 tomorrow morning at 8 AM but I could easily get there if I drop off Johnnie on time at 8 AM right on the button, which I always have. And so it was that I got to 5000+ steps by mid-morning like I had for many months now, I got to shower and have a nice, relaxed breakfast, AND I got through the Business Continuity meeting uneventfully. Even made myself some ground pork bolognese on top of the leftover penne pasta I had from Johnnie's lunch last Saturday LOL. The wildcard today was whether I was supposed to help Lisa out by picking up Johnnie at school. She had yet another Monday appointment for her supposed infection/condition and this one is all the way in Hollywood. Even if she got done by 2:30, LA traffic is back and there would be no way she could pick up Johnnie by 3 PM. And so I volunteered to do it. I mean what do I have to do Mondays except the Covid vaccination reports stuff... it would be a nice break in fact.

And so true enough, she texted me by 1 PM that there would be no way she could get to Johnnie by 3 PM and that I should pick him up. He wasn't surprised that I picked him up. He WAS surprised that we headed to the apartment. He knows it's not yet time. He asked for lunch of course and so I had to give him some more penne pasta (chicken noodle soup) and then a half hour later, Lisa did come to pick him up. She asked if I would be interested in bringing Johnnie to her soccer game tonight. It seems that like yesterday, all the soccer leagues are back and that she is back as well, playing on Mondays. I was ok with that. She did not spend any time with him at all today and I am sensitive to that. It would give mom and son another couple of hours together. And so i bought myself a pizza for dinner, brought half of it over to Lisa's by 6:30 PM and off we went to the Santa Monica Airport field. It had been more than a year obviously since I had even come to this field, let alone to watch soccer. This time, we had to bring the dog obviously and I couldn't bring him on the field. What was a tad surprising was that it was the same old teammates. There was Chris and her sister, Jen and Paul and he in fact gave me a hug. It was nice to see the old faces and though Lisa and I were almost totally distanced, they at least interacted with me just like the old days. I can remember when this was my way of life too on weeknights and that I would bring Johnnie when he could barely run. Now he's much bigger and he's doing warmups with his mom on the field. And when the game started, Johnnie and I and the dog went up to the upper parking lot to watch. Chris looked thicker and slower, Jen was her attacking self, and Lisa? She scored the first goal of the game. This is what surprises you about her. She looks so unathletic out there, as if she doesn't even belong. Yet, when given the opportunity, she will contribute. She will score. And that is all you can ask as a teammate. Back in the day I would have been whooping and hollering right along with them. Not anymore. I felt like an outsider and that's ok. Johnnie cheered his mom on and then later on yelled goodbye and "see you Thursday". The new normal. Off we went to my apartment after halftime of their game. And we snapped back into Arnel routine mode. Of course Johnnie would watch some Wild Kratts. Of course Claire would sink into her pillow. This is their home too now.  And it's all good. If not somewhat surreal from the soccer hour. That was not planned at all. But it was ok.