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| FBR and Wingman Out to Eat |
My week in the third level of Hades
continued today as I charged between negotiations, remodeling tasks, and a doctor
recommended stress test. I only have one remaining doctor’s appointment to deal
with this week, some minor finger surgery on Friday. I did have a really funny,
somewhat poignant, moment the other morning. I came downstairs and as is my
custom I went to the door overlooking the backyard to pay my morning respects
to Buddy and his subterranean canine buddies, Skyla and Estrella. The picture
below shows what I saw. A very pert rabbit was standing astride the rock placed
over their grave. I laughed thinking my old friends were probably vigorously turning
over just below the bunny’s feet and in their honor chased the rabbit away. (I’m
no longer allowed to shoot at them.
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| The Temerity of Rabbits! |
The stress test was every bit as much
fun as I anticipated which wasn’t much. I was a little worried about my bad
knee but they didn’t ask so I didn’t say anything. I was surrounded by women
for the test with a doctor, imaging technician and nurse administering it so
male pride was a factor when it came to performance. They hooked me up to an
impressive collection of wires and then took some ultrasound pictures of my
heart which were cool to watch.
I was then sent to the treadmill which
was decidedly less cool. I was told I had to keep walking until I reached my
target heart rate and then keep going until I wanted to quit. The treadmill’s
pace and elevation would increase every three minutes. It wasn’t as hard on my
knee as I feared and I took it as a challenge to keep going, again that damned
male pride. After the fifth such increase I was beginning to wonder how long it
was going to take me to reach the target heartrate so I asked the doctor if I
was close yet. The doc told me I had done that in the first three minutes so the
ensuing thirteen minutes I had spent were all extra as I hadn’t heard her. I
asked because I got the impression they were wondering why I was still going. I
went another minute so they wouldn’t think I was a quitter and then, covered in
sweat, flopped down on the bed for the posttest ultrasound images. The good
news was that everything came out as completely normal or as close to normal as
I ever get.
The FBR is in one of her
non-communicative phases on our recent FaceTime calls. She thinks the
appropriate method of communication involves showing me how well masticated her
evening meal is despite the very verbal corrections launched her way by my
daughter and Wingman. Up in New Hampshire the BRS has a new chair suspended from
an archway that allows her to bounce which looks like it could become her favorite
activity.
I’ve been to the theater for the past
two nights watching movies both set in Southeast Asia but as far apart on the
estrogen scale as humanly possible. First up was Mile 22 which had Mark Wahlberg
in the manic mode last seen in The Departed. He plays a hyperactive leader of a
clandestine CIA team tracking down some dirty bomb ingredients in a mythical Asian
country also trying to stay a few steps ahead (and failing) of some pissed off
Russians. They are charged with transporting a key witness to the airport while
seemingly the entire country tries to kill them. Iko Uwais, the luminescent star
of the Raid movies, is the best thing about the movie especially when he gets
around to administer the obligatory beatings. Lauren Cohan, from the Walking Dead,
is also very good as a tough member of Wahlberg’s team. The action is almost non-stop
but I had a real problem with the editing which was so jumpy and flashing
between cameras that it was impossible to keep track of who was fighting who. The
director, Peter Berg, got a little too impressed with his artistic side because
this would have been a much better picture, even with the Raid homages, if he
hadn’t gotten carried away in the editing room.
At the other end of the spectrum was
Crazy Rich Asians which was one of the best movies I’ve seen all year. This could
resurrect the rom-com which I’m always a sucker for (don’t tell anyone). There
was some great comedic turns in this all Asian cast and the two leads were tone
perfect. An Asian-American gal is taken back to Singapore by her boyfriend who
she belatedly learns comes from one of the richest families on earth. Since Singapore
is “veddy British” they imported the whole idea of a class system from the mother
country which the American soon falls victim to. I really like the empowering
message of the movie as the gal stands up for herself in the face of the classless
upper crust. The supporting cast is a real strength as they all meld together
for a truly warm and funny movie. I can’t recommend this film highly enough.
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RECURRING CHARACTERS
BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR
- First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA –
Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé
& MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son
in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school
from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great
Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since
grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to
attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school
friend, also a “minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla
– our backyard deck which
grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got invole din planning; Maine and
Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters,
my wife is the 3rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA
the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died
in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy,
son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; PanaGals –
female relatives/friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia –
inevitable group of Latin friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived
& their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close
friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife
(of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday
of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at
work; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who
come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public
assistance along with demeanor issues
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