Decomping with Marvel

I wrote last time about the yawning void left in our house with the departure of the FBR. She, apparently, also felt a little down about the separation. Her goodbye was a little perfunctory since she was getting into the car and knew she had a solid three hours of time on her iPad which she treasures. Her arrival back home brought that to a close though and my daughter called with a sobbing FBR stating how much she missed us (the FBR not the daughter). I assured the FBR that as soon as she realizes she was back with her own friends and started having fun everything would be okay.

My Pictish Warrior

That was the case yesterday as she reunited with one of her best buddies and they both took to wearing popsicles while trying to eat them. I complimented the FBR on her blue chin. She looked like an ancient Pict warrior. The best, the smile. That was followed by today’s breakfast call where she was literally bouncing with excitement. Her parents had promised her a big surprise and she learned this morning that one of her favorite teachers from Day Care would be babysitting over the next two days for both her and her friends. It’s obvious this teacher made a great impression. I can’t imagine being excited about spending extra time with any of my elementary school teachers at that age.

Back with her Buddy

Our personal household void was supposed to be filled yesterday with the arrival of a visiting PanaGal but she missed her connecting flight out of Ft Lauderdale and will arrive today. We continued our granddaughter decompression efforts by filling the afternoon up with yet another trip to the movie theater, this time to see Marvel’s latest romp, Black Widow. Our arrival at the theater brought another pang as I remembered how excited both the FBR and BRS were when we brought them to the movies last week. My Favorite Panamanian just doesn’t get as excited.

Black Widow was more than up to Marvel’s usual very high standard. Johansson in what I assume is her swan song for this character easily carries the movie. The plot offers great details in her early, heretofore, mysterious background. The best addition though was Florence Pugh as her “sister”. I’d heard about Pugh but never saw what all the accolades were for, until now. She has real screen presence and more than held her own with the veteran actors she was surrounded by. The stunts were otherworldly and there were some sly comic threads as well. It’s a long movie but it carries you along at a relentless pace leaving you wanting more of the characters. Luckily it looks like this was a handoff from Johansson to Pugh and if that is the case then we are in good hands. A very good flick.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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