Well, this is something new. Although I once wrote a Saturday Rundown, I have never penned a Friday Rundown before. Because yesterday’s birthday post preempted my usual five-topic bonanza, I want to stay on the good side of my readers and still offer a rundown, even if it is a day late. I don’t like writing on Fridays so let’s get this over with…

Social Distance Trick-or-Treating – While taking the kids for a walk in my parents’ neighborhood last Saturday, I came across a home with this nifty contraption in its yard. There is no doubt that trick-or-treating will look different this year and there is already a lot of talk about what can be done to properly social distance. These homeowners definitely had a solution…a six-foot candy drop! The text in the bottom righthand corner of the board reads “Place your bag at the end of the chute for prewrapped candy.”

I came across this 6-foot candy drop in my parents’ neighborhood.

Birthday Gifts – I wanted to quickly highlight a couple birthday gifts I received yesterday. My sister and brother-in-law gave me a snazzy new Washington State University hat. I have worn my old one since high school and was in desperate need of a non-stained, vibrant version. My wife gave me this Hydrapeak water bottle. I specifically asked for it, and in the future I will explain why, but I have already filled it up a couple times today and love it.

I have already put my birthday gifts to use.

A Scare – Yesterday, my birthday got off to a great start. I couldn’t say the same a year ago. That morning, I left the gym feeling totally defeated. I had lost my wedding ring and my effort to cover every square inch of Iron Legacy Gym turned up fruitless. The sadness and shame I felt was intense. Luckily, I received an early birthday present when I found my ring on my car’s floorboard once I arrived home. You can relive my anxiety-ridden morning in 2019 by reading this blog post.

The studio at Iron Legacy Gym was one of the places I frantically searched for my ring.

Chick-fil-A Growth – While in north Spokane this past weekend, I drove by what will be the area’s first Chick-fil-A location. For someone who really came to understand the magic of Chick-fil-A while living in South Carolina, I am following the construction like a hawk. Another reason why I am obsessing over the progress is because I know how bad Spokane wants a Chick-fil-A and how it has had its heart broken before with false hope. Fortunately, I can report that the northside location is the real deal and that it will be serving spicy chicken sandwiches by December.

It is actually starting to look like a Chick-fil-A!

Laundry for Days – I had to rip off another meme from my friend’s Instagram Story for tonight’s rundown. Anyone else feel this way? I know Sid and I do, but it goes beyond just clothes—towels too! I can use the same shower towel for a week but the mountain continues to grow. Despite dirty clothes and towels that seem to grow exponentially, my wife keeps everything manageable because of her efficient laundry system that includes labeled hampers for whites, darks, and towels.

Does this meme resonate?

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Not trying to be rude, but it is the weekend! Peace. Don’t Blink.

One year ago today, before I even closed the book on my first day as a 33-year-old, I was already looking ahead to turning 34. This is what I wrote: I can’t stop thinking that next birthday will be so much different. Yes, turning 34 isn’t a “sexy” number so to speak, but it will be the first birthday that I will have TWO children helping me celebrate it.

It wasn’t just the two children thing that made today different.

When I blew out the candles on this cake last year, little did I know the changes that would come by my next birthday.

When blowing out the candles on last year’s cake, the thought of making a wish that would find me soaking up a gorgeous northwest October evening surrounded by my wife, two kids, my parents, my siblings, and their families never crossed my mind. If it had, I would have dismissed it as impossible and not wasted my wish on it.

But life happens and things become, well, different. Working at Washington State University, living near my parents/siblings, and being a father of two are all blessings I didn’t have when I turned 33 but I have now as I turn 34.

Our decorations are the same but a lot of other stuff has changed.

Of course I have to take the good with the bad. The term “COVID birthday” wasn’t in our lexicon a year ago. Remind me, what did I say turning 34 would be like? Oh yeah…So. Much. Different.

Although life as a new 34-year-old is waaaaaay different than life as a new 33-year-old, my attitude about inching deeper into my 30s is still the same—I’m not sweating it. There was a time in my late 20s when I felt anxiety about getting older but that sentiment has been replaced with contentment. There is no need to be anything but happy when you have a loving family, strong faith, and rewarding career—no matter how many trips around the sun you have taken.

So thankful that I got to stand next to this woman for another birthday tonight.

There is also no need to be anything but happy when you get to eat pizza. The whole family came over to our house tonight for a celebration. I was 18 the last time I spent a birthday in Spokane so you better believe I savored every moment of this evening’s festivities.

Sloan watching closely as Sid lit the candles on the cake.

As I spend my last year in the coveted 18-34 age demographic, I do have a wish that I hope comes to fruition before my next birthday: that our world is back to normal and an effective vaccine is widely available. That would be the best “35” birthday present of all. Don’t Blink.

Past Birthday Posts
Turning 33
Turning 32
Turning 31
Turning 30

Last month, I wrote about an activity that my dad did with Sloan. They planted tomatoes together in early June and then watched them grow over the summer. Early last month, they picked them together.

Some of the progression photos of Sloan and her tomato plant.

What I didn’t mention in that blog post is that they planted more than tomatoes. As a matter of fact, they planted potatoes too. Around the same time in June, Sloan and her papa planted seed potatoes in a large pot with rich soil.

My dad and Sloan preparing the pot for planting potatoes.

My dad let Sloan drop the bottom layer of the soil in the pot and then place the seed potatoes on top of that. My dad then dumped the majority of the soil into the pot, burying the seed potatoes. Over the weeks that followed, the two would monitor and water the potatoes.

Sloan planting the seed potatoes.

Exactly four months later, my dad and Sloan went back out to the pot. Both grandfather and granddaughter worked together to dump the pot over. My dad removed the pot revealing a neat mound of dirt.

Sloan and my dad dumping over the pot.

With potatoes already exposed in the soil, Sloan lived out every toddler’s dream and sifted through the dirt to find them all. After a couple minutes of using her hands, my dad gave Sloan a hand shovel that allowed her to find even more of the treasure.

Sloan finding potatoes.

The harvest was bountiful. Although most of the potatoes were on the smaller side, Sloan discovered some large ones as well. After she had found them all, we pretty much had to pull her away from the remaining dirt because she was still holding out hope that a couple more would surface in the dirt.

Sloan and my dad grew more than 50 potatoes.

In the end, my dad and Sloan grew more than 50 potatoes. Being the guy that my dad is, he wanted to give us them all. We won’t let that happen, but we do look forward to cooking with some of them. As I mentioned before, this type of activity is perfect for a grandpa and granddaughter to do AND it is a great lesson in horticulture. Make sure to read future Thursday Rundowns to learn how we end up using the potatoes. Don’t Blink.