Unintentional Sabbatical

Teeth Cutting in Progress

I didn’t intend to avoid blogging yesterday and earlier today. It was heinously forced upon me by events beyond my control. I know there are a significant portion of you relieved at the time away to avoid my inane ramblings but, the vacation is officially over! I spent the entire day yesterday in front of a computer working with the newly hired replacement for my old job as she learned some of the idiosyncrasies of the venerable scheduling software we use. To describe the day as painful would be a grotesque understatement. I even ordered in pizza when it became obvious we would be working through lunch. Ahh, the sacrifices I make.

Dinner Last Night with the Still  Excellent Boss

The day was fully redeemed later when I took two subordinate managers with me for dinner with my former excellent boss. He has eschewed contact after leaving here and finally felt up to some company so we jumped at the chance. We traveled to his hometown where we had too much fun reuniting. He hadn’t changed a bit which was a relief. At the same time it brought home to me how much I missed him. Sometimes it takes a reunion with an old friend to realize just how much they mean to you.

I Created a New Den for Buddy in his Favorite Spot under the Stairs

I was fully prepared in yesterday to recount here my epic battle with the pedestals from the last blog. You’ll remember how proud I was of my wife for arranging installation of the washer and dryer pedestals. The people she hired took one look at the project and said they would do it for $500 which was patently ridiculous and obviously either an attempt to extort money from a woman or a way to get out of doing the work. My wife summarily ordered them out of the house and recruited the neighborhood Mafioso to help me when I got out of work.

Me in mid-Contortion

When I looked at the back of the machines I noted there was sufficient play in the relevant hoses (particularly the gas line) that I wouldn’t have to disconnect them. The Mafioso and I lifted the machines and the ladies slid the pedestals into place. Then the real fun started where I had to contort my body into strange positions while lying on the floor to install the needed screws. Middle aged bodies, especially mine, were not meant for these type contortions without serial cramping (ahh the joys of aging). I certainly couldn’t have done it without the help of the Mafioso who once again demonstrated he’s possibly the best neighbor ever. Now I just hope the house doesn’t blow up the first time we use the dryer. If it does, you all know why.

Finally Done

The Mafioso and wife joined us for date night where we went to see Man Down. I didn’t know what to make of this for literally half the movie as it starts out with a typical military training situation which rang very true but kept switching to an undefined post-apocalyptic scenario. The viewer should stick with it though and not dismiss it out of hand as many critics seemed to have. It provides a real window into the hidden damage the stress of war can and does inflict. This is the first thing in a very long time that LaBeouf has done that I liked and he’s excellent as is Kate Mara as the military wife. The end is a bit contrived but heartbreaking nonetheless. An important movie for people who scoff at PTSD.

I was traveling back from dinner last night when the First Blog Reader called via FaceTime. It put a significant high on a day rapidly recovering from computer prison. She is in the final stages of cutting some new teeth which is never fun but she seemed remarkably poised if a little grouchy. Her vocabulary is currently stuck on using only the word “No” which was eerily reminiscent of her mother at the same (and teen) age. She thrilled the Favorite Panamanian later in the evening when she tried to say (and mostly succeeded ) “abuela”. I thought my wife was going to climb through the screen when she said that. So not a bad day at all.