Ascension and Mongoso Lawn Ornaments

Yesterday marked a big day for BR3 as she moved up from the infant section of day care and is now officially a toddler. As with most things, BR3 took this with her usual sanguine attitude. My Favorite Son reported that she wasn’t a big fan of her first day as a toddler as it involved less cuddling time with the instructors. BR3 is nothing if not a cuddler. The BRS continues to thrive in her day care but in a much loftier status than her baby, excuse me, toddler sister.

Proud Dad with the New Toddler

Equally Proud Mom

And Big Sister

Our paved street and sidewalk have now completely disappeared. I will give this crew one compliment, despite stealing half my driveway, they get to work early. Of course, revving up multi-ton vehicles at 6am in a residential area where we have our windows open to enjoy the awesome September sleeping weather may not be the smartest tactic. They had a very cool machine that I found myself watching for an extended time yesterday in a fairly mesmerized manner. It ate the street and then ground up the residue to use as a base for the new street so nothing had to be trucked away. So, we’re ready for paving but there is no action going on today. They did get their usual early start though.

Curbs Were Taken Out Yesterday

End of the Day Yesterday

After their work yesterday they parked a huge machine in our front yard which has to qualify the largest lawn ornament we’ve ever had. The entire house shook when this thing was moving up and down the street yesterday. As I said, no action today but right at 6 they fired up our lawn ornament to move somewhere. The added benefit for this very loud wakeup was the machine was directly below my mother in law’s room so she had no problem waking up to accompany my Favorite Panamanian to church this morning.

Our Lawn Ornament

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was the chosen flick for our Tuesday movie date. I was a little leery going into this figuring it might be overly Asian-centric and overdoing political correctness. I shouldn’t have worried as this turned out to be the best movie I’ve seen so far this year, exceeding even Marvel’s usual lofty standards. A great deal of the credit goes to the cast who were prefect, charismatic and connective with the audience. The lead actor, Simu Liu, was very impressive both in the incredible physical requirements, which literally comes from nowhere, very suddenly, as well as the deep emotions the part required. Awkwafina is along bringing her usual quirky humor but she proves she can do so much more. It was an interesting, multilayered plot laden with Marvel’s usual state of the art special effects. A very complex family story where the two mildly super-human parents produce two very special children, a boy and a girl. The boy, as an adult, is hiding out in San Francisco, the very best place for a monumental car chase, which happens very early. He is drawn back to China for a confrontation with his father with the fate of the world in the balance (this is Marvel after all). I loved the movie and very early I forgot it was Asian focused, the story and the actors won me over utterly, much in the same fashion as Black Panther did for African-Americans. Good is good and this was better.

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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; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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