Guy’s Day

Guy's Flick!

Yesterday was something I hadn’t had in a very long time – a true “guy’s day.”  We had planned a Worcester Thunder Run but those plans were thwarted by a dutiful (if cantankerous) son.  My Keene Friend and I made a fun day though. 

I woke up to snow covered driveway and thankfully the snow blower was back in top form and the snow was soon displaced to the appropriate sidelines.  We headed down for a diner breakfast – something forbidden when certain calorie conscious Panamanians are around.  We went to our usual diner only to find that it had closed to be replaced by a bakery.  We continued on to Route 20 and went into the Yankee Diner.

I’ve driven by this diner literally hundreds of times and never gone in.  I love diners and the Yankee Diner had diner ambiance to spare.  In an old diner car with some of the original seating and a counter (gotta have a counter).  It also had the most important diner aspect of great service and awesome food.  I’ll definitely be back.

We received phone updates from my wife – at a mall in Panama (huge surprise) and my daughter from a ski lodge in the Catskills (no skiing involved – mother’s daughter).

Buddy had his annual visit to the vet at noon and he handled it with his typical aplomb.  He was fascinated with the smells of the vet’s office and tried to make closer acquaintances with a couple dogs and one very disinterested cat.  It turns out he’s broken one of his teeth off (probably during one of his daring cage escapes).  The dentist asked if I wanted to invest in a crown.  He took my heartfelt laughter as answer enough.  Buddy got his shots and assumed he would be in every car ride for the rest of the day.

We then went out to hit the latest Die Hard movie; It’s a Good Day to Die Hard.  This series has definitely started to lose some steam as this one tried to focus too much on McClain’s somewhat unlikable son.  He and Dad get together to create typical Die Hard mayhem throughout Moscow before the fiery climax in Chernobyl, of all places. The Russian authorities were surprisingly absent throughout as the McClain boys shot various and sundry villains and blew up whole blocks of buildings.  While you never expect any deep message from a Die Hard movie – you do expect likable heroes.  All that being said, the carnage was awesome and I loved the movie.

After watching some more guy type programming back home we headed out for the evening.  Our plan was to hit a restaurant with a bar for dinner and libations.  It seems Saturday night is a fairly popular night for dining out (who knew).  We hit four different restaurants to find them all with significant waiting lines as well as full bars.  After passing by it twice we ended up back at Zorba’s which was also packed but two seats opened at the bar as we walked in, almost like it was meant to be. 

Under the genteel care of the fabulous bar tenders we passed a very interesting evening.  These very young lasses adopt me during my annual spousal sabbatical (old uncle type – nothing untoward).  I ordered the prime rib and was rewarded with a truly epic slice of dead animal flesh.  I think the bar actually sunk a little when this heroic slab of beef was deposited in front of me.  

We ended the night watching another movie – a favorite of both of us from the distant past – The Swiss Family Robinson.  While watching we received a couple of desperate calls from my son returning from Panama who was irate at the slow pace of the passport control people at the Houston Airport.  He was convinced he would not make his connecting flight to Boston and needed someone to vent to (he gets his lack of patience from his father).  When I told him there were no further flights out of Houston that night I advised making every attempt to get ot he gate.  I received a call twenty minutes later from a very out of breath son who said they made the flight after a dead sprint from the security line.  He made it back to Boston although his baggage was not as lucky.

So yesterday involved a lot less running with thunder it turned out to be a fantastic day of guy stuff.  Stuff that is usually precluded by too many x chromo’s in the crowd.  Fun day.

Woke up this morning to another snow storm with some hellacious winds blowing – less fun.

Front Yard Yesterday Morning - Unexpected Snowfall

True Buddies - Just Back from their Obligatory Morning Walk

The Yankee Diner!

Internal Yankee Diner Atmosphere - Loved It

Buddy at the Doc's - How Do I get Out of Here?

What is She Doing with Those Long Needles?

Come On - Get Me Out of Here!

My Heroic Hunk of Beef!