Projectless Weekend

This past weekend was a first for me during the pandemic. I didn’t have any missions to complete around the house. I guess that’s a comment on what my weekends have been like during the past few months because everything I hoped to get done, especially in the yard, is finished. This includes the stuff I was saving for post-retirement time. This followed the Friday triumph of receiving and programming (without technical support from the children) my new Kindle. I was left to my own devices which is never a good idea. I actually found myself sitting on the front lawn pulling out clover patches. My Favorite Panamanian was so intrigued she came over and joined me.

The Budding New Jersey Puzzle Master

We received a couple of early FaceTime calls from the FBR which were exceedingly welcome. She apparently misses seeing us almost as much as we miss seeing her and her parents. A good portion of my weekend was spent in the Man Cave (duh) where I knocked out the latest jigsaw puzzle. The FBR undeterred by the standard I was setting pulled out her own box of 100-piece puzzles and precociously put a number of those together. Jigsaw puzzles are excellent time killers which the pandemic certainly calls for.

Puzzle I Completed

Sunday was a bit more eventful. We were invited down the street to the Neighborhood Mafioso’s home for a celebration of her granddaughter’s confirmation. We joined a group of the Panamanian Mafia on the back deck. It was so much fun catching up with these good friends for the first time in months. It was a little disconcerting that the party was separated into three groups with a large group of teenagers dominating the inside, while their parents were on a lower part of the deck and the seniors were on the upper part. We of course were rightfully consigned to the senior population but it was still a reminder, as if I needed one, that time had certainly stolen a march on me.

FBR Neighbor's had a Unicorn Sprinkler

We learned that teenagers do not like to socially distance from each other. I know, something for the blinding flash of obvious hall of fame, in terms of observational acuity. This, predictably, terrified my Favorite Panamanian. I tried to calm her down by spilling some of her red wine on her white pants. This did not have the desired effect but at least I was not murdered in my sleep which was my immediate concern upon spilling the wine. Unfortunately, we had to leave the party just ahead of a fairly robust thunderstorm delivering some much-needed rain. Still I cherished the time spent with those friends, even if we are seniors. That’s the ticket, own it.

Which the FBR Christened

Brushing Teeth inexplicably in a Bledsoe Era Pat's Jersey

There was a memorable event in the Man Cave last night. My Favorite Panamanian actually sat down and watched a horror movie with me. Unheard of. She was upstairs in the kitchen and accidently watched part of Doctor Sleep, the well-done sequel to the Shining, on cable. She must have caught the tamest sections because she was intrigued and asked me if I had heard of the film. I told her not only did I know about it but we owned a 4K copy of the movie. She may have regretted her decision when the first of the Overlook’s ghosts showed up but she hung with it and enjoyed the watch; although I had to deal with her running commentary on what should be happening. It was fun. I also started my newest film collection watch. I’m going to watch the Christopher Nolan movies that I own. It started with Memento which remains a true cinematic experience. One of the best movies ever made.

"Am I Chasing him? No, He's chasing me!"

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn