Housekeeping

Father's Day Cards in the Kitchen
Funny how Both Kids Hit the Same Theme

The final, at least what I hope is the very final, aspect of the new master bedroom addition was completed yesterday with the installation of a mini-split air conditioning system. I had to sacrifice part of my back lawn for the platform which was done without a single qualm – less grass to mow. The house alarm system apparently didn’t appreciate the disruption the electrical install caused because it woke me from a very sound sleep at 2am when all the smoke alarms cooked off (again).

Son Provided Some New Action Shots of the BRS
- Out for a Stroll with all her Implements

Signature Hairdoo

Constant Motion

The only snag was the need to connect to the home Wi-Fi. As everyone knows there isn’t a single item in the world now that doesn’t require periodic updates. The snag came when I needed to add some additional security measures to my Wi-Fi router. Like I had a clue about how to do that. My New Jersey based IT consultants, daughter and Wingman, volunteered some information about how to go about it. Against all odds and to my intense surprise I was able to accomplish that this morning and the router did not melt down (at least not yet). Now I’ll have to go through the dozen or so items already linked with the Wi-Fi and update their log in credentials – isn’t modern living a gas.

Speaking of implied hilarity I was eager to see the new zombie movie, The Dead Don’t Die, since it starred Bill Murray along with an A-List cast. It didn’t dawn on me that Jarmusch was the director but even after learning that I figured it would be fun. If anyone predicted a zombie movie with Jarmusch at the helm would be weird, they would have been partially right, it was exquisitely weird on so many levels. Murray plays a small town police chief in Ohio with the world knocked off its axis and the dead arising to munch on the town inhabitants. There’s no hyper-reaction, just a kind weird acceptance and bemoaning that things will end badly. I’m guessing that’s a more than thinly veiled comment on modern life and societal values. The movie does answer the question as to who you should have at your side during a zombie apocalypse and the answer is, no big surprise here, Tilda Swinton, the town’s Scottish undertaker (like I said – exquisite). There aren’t any of the usual zombie themes of widespread panic but there is some sneaky fun as the 4^th wall is repeatedly assaulted.  In the end this seemed like a bunch of very talented actors got together and just hung out and didn’t try to make any sense.

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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 involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (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; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; 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