Inoculating Time

Since it’s September, that means it’s time for some vaccines. It’s evolved over the past few years that I get both the annual flu shot along with the latest Covid shot. Despite all the right-wing conspiracy theories circulated by fans of our former president, the covid shots seem to work great. I was struck by how much the world has changed since the gnarly days of 2020-21. We all remember what a cluster f, whoops, I mean difficult time those dark years were. The game online, trying to get an appointment to receive the shot is certainly one of the more frustrating aspects of those days. Today I walked into the pharmacy and asked when I could get an appointment to which the nice lady said, “How about now?” Ten minutes later I was walking out with an appropriately sore left arm. It could have been worse. I actually volunteered to get a tetanus short as well. They initially said they could but then leaner they had farmed out all their tetanus vaccine for the day. My right arm thanked them.

FBR Manning the Counter

The FBR has been active (huge surprise that) down in New Jersey. She reports that she really likes her third-grade teacher. After school earlier this week, she had to spend some time at Wingman’s new restaurant. Never one to stand by, she volunteered to work the counter and then do some cleaning. That last part was a bit of a surprise since she certainly didn’t get her abuela’s cleaning gene, the pictures were still cute. I’ll be getting an needed infusion of granddaughter exposure with the attendant morale boost this weekend as we’re heading up to the granite state to spend some time with my son’s family.

Rare Photos of the FBR Cleaning

Her Abuela was so Proud

Date night at the movies earlier this week where we saw The Killer’s Game. This was okay with some John Wickian type action and some funny moments as well. Strange to see Drax the Destroyer  facing off against Mantis. Bautista plays a word class assassin (who, of course, only kills bad guys) who receives a mis-diagnosis that gives him only a few months to live. He takes out a contract to have himself killed. As luck would have it, he’s just fallen in love with a diminutive French dancer, played by the always watchable Sofia Boutella. After he learns he isn’t going to die, he now has to take on a bevy of fellow assassins while trying to protect his girlfriend. That very interesting concept is fully explored and this could have been a lot of fun if Bautista had taken it more seriously. He seems almost detached and just taking a payday while the rest of the cast is awesome. This surprised me as I’m a big fan of Bautista. Still, a nice, if very bloody, watch.

Six movies fell in the A-Z watch (some late nights), all keepers (a couple close calls though): The Longest Day, or the longest movie, actually a factual look at D-Day, still a great watch; The Long Kiss Goodnight, a personal favorite, Samuel L. in his element and completely steals the movie; The Long Ships, a bad movie that hasn’t aged well but keeping it because I loved it as a kid; Long Shot, need to suspend disbelief that Rogen would ever have a chance with Theron but some very funny moments; Looper, superb sci fi, with Willis taking an argument with himself to an entirely new level; and Lost Boundaries, a Keene Friend gift, so I keep it, also a great story based on actual bi-racial doctor in my home town.

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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 (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course