Departure Day and Mountain of Disappointment

Yesterday dawned way too early, I know because I was on the road to Boston to when it happened. After spending the night before trying to impact the levels of beer available in the Ocean State to honor my brother in law, this wasn’t welcome. On the upside driving into Boston on a Saturday morning is decidedly easier than a weekday. We were headed for the airport once again but instead of picking up or depositing Panamanians I was saying goodbye to my Favorite Panamanian as she headed west to take up the Grandmother watch.

Mother (soon to be Gramma) and Daughter (soon to mommy) Together in LA Yesterday

We have become wholly too used to having each other around which makes this upcoming month long separation harder than some of its predecessors. Of course, the payoff, having her out there to assist our daughter into first time motherhood is worth more than any of my maudlin complaints. I could see just how happy she was to be California bound to perform a role she has anticipated (some, including my daughter, say for way too long) for so long. It brought back memories to a time back in Panama when a very young lieutenant saw his mother in law take up residence prior to the birth of the imminent mother herself. Life is kinda cool in its cyclical nature.

Yes The Weather Was Much Nicer There

My wife was justifiably happy to reach the balmy California weather as the temperatures here fell dramatically with her departure (cosmic scales at work?). We even had some snow flurries overnight and the first frost of the season. When I reported these cataclysmic events to my Cali-wife she tried to coax me out into the late night yard to cut back some of her flowers. Safely ensconced in a vegetative state (couch version) I was not venturing out into mid-twenties temperatures for midnight garden work.

And Of Course Shopping

It was also depressing on another level to realize yesterday should have been spent in Keene for the 25^th edition of the Keene Pumpkin Festival. That cherished event was run out of town by the local college kids who decided rioting was more important than enjoying their location in one of the true garden spots of the world. That fueled the cowardice of local politicians who refused to allow the pumpkin fest to continue this year, even though the fest itself was its usual serene joy. I think the city should have gone after the college a lot more enthusiastically than they did. Yeah, I’m still pissed.

A Year Ago, Where I SHOULD Have Been Yesterday

Keene Friend stayed over From Friday night’s Rhode Island adventure and accompanied me to the airport which helped the separation depression immensely. We stopped off at a diner on our way back from the airport and then caught up on some interrupted sleep while trying to watch sports and a movie. Just prior to his departure we took in Crimson Peak which looked like a kick ass horror movie from the trailers I’d seen.

The movie had the usual Guillermo del Torro rich and multi-layered textures. It was impossible not to be blown away with the set design, especially when they finally get to the haunted mansion sinking into a sea of blood red clay (yep). My only problem was the glacial pace of what I thought was a horror movie. Since I’m not afflicted with the female affliction of “Hiddlestonism” the mere presence of Loki on the scene didn’t elevate the film above its flaws. 

There were plenty of ghosts, scary looking as well, but they weren’t frightening because there was no tension or danger surrounding their appearance. They were simply vehicles to stock trailers to get guys like me to pay money to see a gothic love story. If taken strictly as that, with a love story told in the fashion of old film noir, than the movie really works. Mia Wasikoswki continues to impress as the leading lady combining some toughness to go along with her standard waif-ness. The movie was obviously made by people from the Southern Climes and/or California since they completely underappreciate how cold running around in snow is with bare feet. So, a bit of a disappointment because it didn’t scare me more but  a rich film for several other reasons.