Killin’ It

The Other Great Project My Son Competed Over the Past year

As I write this the Red Sox victory parade is gearing up so I may be a bit distracted. The expression “Cue the Duckboats” has entered the lexicon of Boston sports fans to mark another championship and today those duckboats are wending their way through the streets of Boston celebrating the World Series title. I’m decisively engaged at work and trying to find some needed components for the future closet in the addition. I went shopping after work last night with my wife and to her credit she was not overly hard to keep focused on what we were actually shopping for.

Today's Ribbon Cutting

I’m so proud of my Favorite Son today and not just because he and the ABFA created such a beautiful daughter. For the past year he’s been in charge of a major construction project in Portsmouth, NH, his first time as a project manager. Today they held the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new garage, delivered as promised. I know he’s stressed a lot over the past year as the inevitable challenges arose but he met and conquered each as they rose. I don’t think he realizes just how big a job this was and how well he did or how proud his dad is of him. While that feeling of pride is not abnormal he somehow has taken it to a new level.

Dad's Side of the Family

Staying in the family lane my big project of transferring my family tree to a spreadsheet has reached a critical point. I’ve finished just my father’s side of the family which was important because it’s something I want to show my cousins from that side of the family at the upcoming Thanksgiving. It was a lot bigger job than I thought. I now have 113 legal sized pages to organize and draw appropriate lines through. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but I still find it fascinating. I owe a huge debt of thanks to my daughter who was able to transpose the PDF files into something I could cut and paste into the spreadsheet. If nothing else this project is redeeming a belief I’ve long held – we’re all related if you take it back far enough. All the insidiousness of believing one set of people is better than another is absolute hogwash. (I can’t believe I just used the word “hogwash” – what am I, 90 years old!)

Need my Garage Back - Not in Habit of Scraping ice Like I had to This Morning

Keene Friend accompanied us to the date night movie last evening. We first had to wish the Pittsburgh Roommate a happy birthday. He reported he had injured himself on the golf course after only one swing, getting old is a dangerous proposition but so much better than the alternate. We went to see Hunter Killer which gets Gerard Butler out of his secret service gig to confront the Russians as a nuclear sub commander. The concept was so outlandish and totally impossible that it should be labeled as pure science fiction but this was still a lot of fun, even with my wife constantly whispering in my ear asking if what they showed the military doing was possible (a lot wasn’t). Butler still oozes screen presence and makes this watchable despite the trite and extremely predictable dialogue he’s forced to utter and endure. The Russian military has staged a coup and want to start a war for some unrevealed reason. Butler commands a sub running around underneath the ice while a Seal team infiltrates a nearby Russian base so the powers in Washington can watch everything going on. The only miss in the cast was Gary Oldman who plays a CJCS in his unhinged mode and it doesn’t work. Common is startling good as a navy admiral countering Oldman’s over the top delivery. This won’t win any critical acclaim but it was a great popcorn ride of an action flick.

BRS is a Smiling Machine

And Wants to Stand up in the Worst Way

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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 involed in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (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 Latino 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

Generational

FBR Sharing her Technicolor Rabbit with the Front Yard Cat

I firmly believe the Patriots and the Red Sox conspired to rob New England of the much needed rest after the World Series triumph. The Patriots were up in the miasma known as Buffalo for a Monday night game. The Patriots won in a very ugly game which more than represented the location and the fan base therein. Even my Favorite Panamanian who knows very little about football outside what the yellow line means asked me why this game seemed so boring. The Bills played not to lose by too much which meant a slow, grinding game bereft of much entertainment value. Add the grating commentary by someone named “Booger” and it was a serious let down from the euphoria of the previous night spent with the Red Sox. The only redeeming feature, other than my wife’s company, was the inevitable Patriots win.

I’m heading back to Panama next week as the residency paperwork has reached what I’m told is the final step. I will believe that when I actually experience it because I’m convinced the bureaucrats are not ready to release their hold on my life. We will spend the entire time in Panama City so no condo time which is a definite downer. We fly down on Monday and back on Friday in order to make it down to New Jersey the next day for the FBR’s third birthday party. So at least there is a definite high point at the end of what promises to be a very long week.

FBR on Harmonica

The FBR was absolutely charming last night when we caught with her and her dad. Wingman said the FBR has discovered her dad used to be in a rock band and they were watching some old videos of the band. There might have even been some head bobbing involved as the FBR was transfixed at seeing her dad in a completely new light. I thing Wingman was also sneakily pleased to show his daughter how cool he used to be. I mean, not that he’s not still cool.

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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 involed in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (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 Latino 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

FREEDOM!!!!!

The best Red Sox team of any generation finally put me out of my nocturnal misery by winning the World Series last night in convincing fashion. There were a number of story lines but the best was the culmination of the redemption tour for highly priced David Price. He’d failed miserably in all of his previous playoff efforts including the first round this year. He finally reached down and found whatever it is that separates the truly great from the mundane and dominated over his final three starts. He was absolute nails last night and should have won the MVP although no one, other than Price, would resent the prize going to the journeyman Red Sox fan Steve Pearce who delivered so many critical hits.

This was a thoroughly likable Sox team that finally began believing in themselves with the arrivals of Alex Cora as manager and JD Martinez as masher. You could tell they liked each other and there was none of the histrionics that surround so many of today’s professional athletes. This was a true “team”. They cared about each other and winning. Although my wife and I watched the game in the depths of the Man Cave I felt like we were sharing it with my kids in New Jersey and New Hampshire along with Great Aunt and Soxfather down in Rhode Island.

Throughout the game we were sharing gifs (included here) and some of my Favorite Panamanian’s primordial screams whenever something good happened. I assumed my Favorite Son retired to bed immediately after the game so we didn’t bother him but we did reach out to share the moment with my daughter and Wingman in New Jersey.  They were contemplating (only very briefly) awakening the FBR to join in the whooping but reason reasserted itself. As I’ve told them over and over again they are blessed to have been born into this renaissance of Boston professional sports which is diametrically opposed to what my friends and I grew up with. I cannot fathom this is the 11^th world championship over the past two decades and four of them for my beloved Sox. Freedom, indeed!

FBR Discovered Silly Putty

Before Taking a Face plant

Looking Much Better this Morning

The FBR wasn’t feeling in too celebratory a mood ahead of the game because of a nasty spill she took. She has a habit of trying to achieve speed of light velocity whenever she moves from one point to another and that caught up with her yesterday. She was rushing from the car to see the newly installed front yard inflatable Halloween cat when she fell face first onto the driveway. An indication of how fast she was moving was the cut is on her forehead while her nose is untouched. She proudly claimed to only cry a little bit. She had an ice pack and a popsicle to stem the pain while we were talking with her. She recovered enough to treat us to a concert with her play guitar as Wingman’s genetics seem to be kicking in. She’s a tough little nut. Another kid would probably cry for hours. The cut looks much better this morning and her parents report no issues.

BRS Contemplating Pumkin

Not Impressed

You’ll forgive me as I continue to bask in the reflected glory of yet another Red Sox world championship. I’m going to have to go find the several Yankee fans that work for me. It is going to be a good day. The BRS also seems happy, as usual.

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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 involed in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (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 Latino 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

Incarceration

The True Incredibles

I am imprisoned. I am being held hostage by the Boston Red Sox. Whatever free will I thought I possessed was eradicated after First Friday celebrations. My wife and I returned home to watch the Red Sox game only expecting to see a single game. Since the Sox picked the absolute worst time to become offensively challenged it turned into two complete games, eighteen innings of almost no scoring, remaining me of my early high school social career. It was almost a microcosm of the Sox season. Just when I thought they were done for the day Jackie Bradley launched another of his improbable home runs to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Big Mitch Finally Connects

Over three hours later I was still watching. For those of you counting, the game went into extra innings after midnight. The Sox should have won in the 13^th but a very Sox like demon bit with an unconventional run to tie the game. I finally fell asleep sometime after 330am so I didn’t see the final indignity of the Dodgers winning on a walk off home run. The loss did nothing to dim the herculean and courageous effort of Nate Evoldi who pitched almost all of the extra innings.

This meant Saturday was a little foggy and not just because the remnants of a tropical hurricane blew through as the region’s first Nor-Easter of the season. Deckzilla Dude and the electrician were flitting around the new addition and I saw lights lit up for the first time there. The rest of the time was passed in a semi-conscious state in the Man Cave riding out the storm.

FBR in Bounce Mode

Such a Smarty

We are biding time until Saturday’s Red Sox game where once again we sacrificed all on the altar of Fenway fanaticism. Once again the Sox looked to be heading for a loss when the completely improbable happened. Alex Cora started pushing his buttons which I’m convinced are connected to some sort of Nostradamus. He sent up Mitch Moreland and he finally connected with one of the massive swings he always takes and the ball nearly went into orbit, had to be one of the longest more runs I’ve seen all year. That was followed by a further three innings of the Sox returning to their usual hijinks and they hung on through another Craig Kimbrell thrill ride to seize a 3-1 advantage. They can close the series out tonight and my freedom might be within sight.

ABFA and BRS

BRS Socializing at Party

Granddaughters were out in costume this weekend. The FBR was bounding around at gymnastics in a monkey costume. I think, but am not sure, this might be related to the monkeys jumping on a bed mantra. I wouldn’t learn because they were conspicuously off the air waves for the rest of the day. We did talk to the BRS who had just returned from her first ever Halloween party. The entire family dressed up as the Incredibles and looked fantastic. We joked with my son that he may have to beef up a little for the part of Mr. Incredible. The BRS was reportedly the only baby at the party not to cry and seemed to take the party atmosphere completely in stride. That has to be an inherited trait.

GO SOX!!  FREE THE DANCER!!!

House Progress

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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 involed in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (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 Latino 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

Building Up & Cinema Fail

BRS in Happy Mode

The Red Sox were traveling to L.A. last night so my Favorite Panamanian and I were available for a date night which was predictably spent at the movie theater and a colossal fail. More on that later, I returned home to find Deckzilla Dude working on the last stretch of siding on the rear of the house. I volunteered to clean the gutters which are going back up on the house today, hopefully. I should have checked the thermometer before but I’m willing to do anything to get this project to the finish line.

My Son's "Small" Construction Project
To Think it All Started with a Childhood Lego Fascination

We talked with my Favorite Son who was working late on his own little construction project which is reaching its culminating point. The huge parking garage in Portsmouth that he has overseen as project manager for the past year will have its grand opening next week. The myriad of small finishing details are being knocked out now which has had him in the high stress zone for the past couple weeks. Luckily he gets to go home to the ABFA and the BRS which more than makes any effort worthwhile.

In New Jersey Wingman is rocking into the Halloween spirit and surprised the FBR with a huge inflatable, moving black cat for the front lawn. He sent along a hilarious video when she first saw it. She wasn’t too sure what to make of it and asked if she could touch it. Upon confirming it as just plastic and wouldn’t attack her she jumped in joy with her signature move of rapidly shaking her hands. Unfortunately the video was too big to imbed here outside of this screen shot.

Now to the fail; do not, and I repeat, do not go see The Oath. This is billed as a dark comedy and since it had two comedic actors I really like in Ike Barinholtz and especially Tiffany Haddish I thought this would be a slam dunk. I could not have been more wrong. Haddish is marginalized into a small role while Barinholtz is one of the most grating movie personalities in cinema history. A dark comedy doesn’t work if it isn’t funny and this movie is not. It’s clearly aimed at the current polarization of politics which should have been fertile ground. Barinholtz plays a very liberal news junkie who becomes increasingly strident about a loyalty oath the federal government is promoting. He’s confronted by an equally grating official as far right as he is left, again fertile ground that is left completely fallow. Barinholtz’ family and the audience is caught up in the increasingly inane situation. I’m astounded they could make an unfunny movie with this cast yet somehow they managed. Avoid this at all costs.

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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 involed in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (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 Latino 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

Caverned Delight

FBR Birthday Invite with Pictures from 1st Two Birthdays
And Practice for the Upcoming Third

We’re back in the Red Sox imposed sleep deprivation cycle as the World Series kicked off this week with undeniably delightful results. It’s just plain inconvenient that employers expect productive work after the past couple nights. Those nights were spent in the Man Cave cheering on the Sox has they took the first two games from the posers from L.A. The inconvenient part was having to host a regional vice president from corporate yesterday. The hardest test was  trying to keep my eyes open during an overlong discussion with our customer.  The fact that we were discussing the extension of the contract here probably should have been important enough to render that a little easier. The good news being the Red Sox are winning and the contract is being to be extended.

the David Price Redemption Tour Continued Last Night

Special team

We’re in the home stretch, at least that’s what Deckzilla Dude claims, on the home renovation. Both the electrician and the plumber are ready for their initial inspections which is a needed step before the drywall can go up in the new addition. It can be frustrating at times at the glacial pace for some of the work, not to mention the cost, but I can see clearly what this new bedroom will be and it’s exciting. Whenever I get too depressed I walk into the new space and look out the windows which provide a spectacular view of the entire city laid out in autumnal colors.

New Closet in old Bedroom

Plumbing Roughed in for New Shower

Not much news from the granddaughter front. The FBR was much too busy hamming it up for a houseguest yesterday to devote any time to her grandparents. We did catch flashes of her as she sped by the camera playing a game of tickle – tag with Wingman. Wingman is very excited about a new job opportunity. He’s leaving the manager position he rose to in his current restaurant to be on the ground floor of a new one opening near their home. Meanwhile the BRS is fully recovered from her recent cold. Apparently one of the behaviors that carried over from her period of infirmity is realizing she can now crawl to one of her parents and demand to be cuddled with. I don’t think either of her parents mind this development. My only hope is that it carries over to grandparents’ presence.

Wingman and FBR This Past Weekend

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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 involed in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (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 Latino 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