Roots and Feet

Now that I have hopefully put the whole “Snarky-gate” controversy behind me I can report on some other issues. The biggest one being the arrival of my renewed passport. I paid (through the nose) to get expedited processing which was needed since it’s going to get a workout this year. It was going to expire in February 2025, when I will hopefully be back on the beach at Las Lajas, so I had to get it done this year. You start backing up from the requirement that some countries require an expiration date six months later than your arrival got me to worrying since we have a trip to Italy in October. In a rare flash of advance planning, I went about the renewal process as soon as the biggest bandages were off my face. Now, as to why I was worrying. My Favorite Panamanian has been making noises about wanting to travel more. My travel bug was more than sated by my time in the Army, although, granted, they weren’t always garden spots.

Passport Literally in Hand

When I broached the subject of visiting Ireland and Scotland, I thought she would balk. She didn’t. I hustled an appointment at AAA and we left with reservations on a tour of both countries at the end of June. Part of the registration for the tour required, of course, a valid passport. Hence the worry, since my current passport was residing in DC with a company I paid to expedite the process. It arrived last week and all was good. So since, according to the latest Ancestery.com DNA estimate, I am 20% Irish and 22% Scottish this is my version of roots, returning to the ancestral homes. This probably means we’re gong to Spain next year.

On Monday I’m back at the dermatology office to hopefully get cleared to start swimming again, which my weight reduction program currently needs. I’ve also got an appointment with the physical therapist coming up to hopefully address the right foot problems (lot of hope going on around here). That foot seems to be healing since I’m not boogie boarding twice a day any more, but I’m interested in what the therapist will recommend after the fairly worthless appointment with the podiatrist who diagnosed me with a high instep, something I’ve had for nearly seventy years now without problem. Remind me to cancel the follow-up appointment with that bozo.

Speaking of bozos, our former commander in chief was convicted of 34 felony counts this week. You all know I’m not a fan of our benighted former president but this is still a sad day for the country where the institution of the presidency is taken down a notch. As he is wont to do, he lashed out at the system he had played so thoroughly during his business career. He already devasted our electoral process so, why not. I am still mystified at how intelligent people still obediently line up behind him despite all of this and his bone deep flaws which he revels in. Oh and there’s a very real possibility he’s in Putin’s pocket. The sadness extends to our only other choice in the upcoming election, Joe Biden. The Unted States needs to overhaul a political party system where we are handed these two as our only valid choices. I can’t believe I’m gong to have to vote for Biden simply to keep the Felon in Chief out of the White House.

The sadness will not endure though. I’ve got a full slate of granddaughter activities lined up. We leave shortly for New Hampshire to see the BRS and BR3 perform in their annual dance recital tomorrow. While having to sit through the multiple other groups before the granddaughters is akin to a visit to the dentist, it will be fun. We come back tomorrow and then leave Monday evening for New Jersey to spend some time with my daughter’s family. We’ll get to see the FBR on the baseball diamond and she has all of Tuesday off from school. Sadness doesn’t stand a chance.

Today’s weigh-in, still at 23 pounds lost towards 25-pound goal, The last two pounds are putting up a fight, need to get back in the pool, hopefully this coming week.

In my A-Z watch, six fell since I last posted, all keepers: Jason and the Argonauts, a favorite from my youth, hasn’t aged well but the Harryhausen effects still play; Jeepers Creepers, so scary, especially the first half despite criminally stupid victims; Jeepers Creepers 2, not as scary as first but the victims fight back; Jeremiah Johnson, incredibly beautiful film about the singular mountain man; The Jerk, a young Steve Martin at top of his game, so funny; and Jerry Maguire, best combination of sports and romance ever, some of best lines ever.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during him her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; 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; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course