Somehow
it’s already Thursday. I’m not averse to reaching weekend eve but it seems to have
snuck up on me this week. I became used to the laborious progress of time
through the worst of the pandemic which means the more enlightened 2021 is
returning to pre-pandemic speeds. I’m not sure I like that totally but, I’ll
take anything to escape the clutches of pandemic restrictions. The week is also
progressing at nearly normal speed because I’ve spent part of the time
assisting my Favorite Panamanian with the annual ritual of spring plantings in
her vast garden complex. She shows up almost daily with more plants and I’m
confused about where there is room for them but the lady has a plan. I complain
but she always has the place looking fantastic which short fuses any of my complaints.
She seems to take an unhealthy amount of pleasure in proving my complaints trivial.
Speaking
of trivialities, I spent a good portion of the last couple days hooking and jabbing
with my medical insurance company. I’ve been with them, a sub-contractor for
retired military medical insurance, for over ten years. Up to this point I could
not have been happier with them. They were easy to work with and always responsive.
That is until I started getting bills I shouldn’t have from medical
appointments that should have been covered. It all stems back to 2020 which
means I have another crime to lay at that benighted year’s feet. When I came on
board they said as long as the care was within the “network” I didn’t have to
worry about referrals. Some clerk must have changed that rule last year and I
spent the last couple days trying to convince my primary care physician to
issues referrals for appointments within the network, even though that had never
been required. They were as confused as I was.
There
are signs that something big is coming our way in terms of street excavation.
The dig safe dudes have been all over the street and sidewalks in front of the
house all week. They even marked up my freshly sealed driveway!!! I’m now
praying this is due to an abundance of caution but I have a sneaking suspicion,
since all our utilities run underground here, that we’re about to undergo some
serious digging. Our internet has been popping off and on al week which may be
a sign of something going on further down the line. On the upside I’ve become
semi-expert on rebooting my router. I also had an eintersting experience yesterday when I returned to the office I used to work at. While it was great seeing so many old familiar faces I realized I didn't miss the drive into (short as it was) or being tied down to my old office. I'm guessing this means I am so ready for retirement. Still great seeing those people though.
I’m
sneaking in a lot of the movies that came out over my pandemically forced exile
from the movie theaters. This week’s entry was Unhinged. Russel Crowe, greatly
expanded from his Maximus days, plays a psychotic road rage perpetrator. Crowe
plays a scarily effective villain as rage bubbles effectually just below the
surface as he cuts a swath through the life of a woman who made the mistake of blowing
her horn at him when he doesn’t move for a green light. If nothing else this movie
might improve driver courtesy as you can’t see it and then not have second thoughts
in a situation we’ve all faced. There is almost constant tension from the opening
scene, a double murder using a hammer. Crowe exudes screen presence even as a
reprehensible, totally evil character. I left the movie wishing I owned the franchise
for whatever donut shop he frequented to prepare for this role.
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| FBR Holding Court With her Neighborhood Gang |
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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; Kindergarten
Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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 3rd 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
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