Excavating Times

Showing off her Rock and Roll Genes

Each time my wife abandons me for an extended time in Panama I look around for things to keep me busy and off the streets at night (like that’s still a possibility!). I didn’t have far to look this time because I’ve been haunted by the hillside behind our new house ever since we moved in. It’s a barren slope with only some sickly weeds festooned about. I look at each time I sit down for a meal and it bugs the hell out of me.

The Hillside

My wife’s absence allowed me the opportunity to embark on my landscaping efforts without supervision which means I could get started without the fear of sleeping on the couch for extended periods. First though I had to recover the Wonder Pooch from his sojourn with the kennel where he spent the last few days. He apparently handled his incarceration well and had charmed the ladies there. He was positively fragrant when I first saw him, something decidedly out of character. Baths evidently come with the hotel stay. Instead of the reluctance he showed when I dropped him off, his main concern as I led him out was trying to scarf up some of the treats laid out for sale on a nearby counter.

Reunited - Wonder Pooch Selfies - Not Easy 

He was to play a critical role as my sole supervisor for the backyard project. The first step in the project is to create a flat walkway behind the deck and then shore up the cut into the hill with a retaining wall. Deckzilla consumed all of the flat ground in the backyard during his growth phase. I first had to acquire the supplies needed. When I told my daughter about my planned efforts she, channeling her absent mother, cautioned me to be careful because “I’m not as young as I used to be”. I was more than well aware of that development but her comment only served to spur me on further (kind of dumb that way – male pride, you know).

The Initial Supply Load

I was thinking back to her comments when I finished loading the back of the car with the initial load of supplies. If I was this tired just loading the car maybe I was biting off more than, well you know. Buddy did not want to hear any cautionary tales though and sent me to work immediately and I actually enjoyed the work.

First Day's Effort - New Best Friend at End of Trench 

My photos from Panama yesterday and the walk down memory lane caused a few old airborne buddies to message me so per chance I was harking back to the halcyon days of youth. I do know that was the last time I used a pick axe but I’m once again an ardent fan of that implement. I don’t know why God in his infinite wisdom decided to “bless” New England soil with so many rocks and we shouldn’t question his plan but c’mon. I had a few less than saintly thoughts as I cut into the hillside.

Notice the Rocks

I know it doesn’t look like much in the photos but that was some hard work. Those airborne buddies will tell you constructing a fighting position in rocky soil is a stone cold bitch, so I’m a little proud of myself. I am extremely grateful for the presence of liberal quantities of Motrin available in the house. I hope to finish the pathway cut after work this week and start erecting the retaining wall this coming weekend. Invest in ibuprofen futures.

My Supervisor On Duty

I did hear from none other than the Cantankerous Friend yesterday who was calling to inquire as to the mortality of Great Aunt. A nefarious rumor was started by the forces of evil reporting her demise. I assured him that she had yet to shuffle off the mortal coil and had just texted me to inquire on Buddy’s viability for his first non-Great Aunt assisted vacation. She and I had a good laugh about the rumors later.

To escape the empty house I snuck down to the movies to see Mechanic: Resurrection. This is a sequel to a movie where Jason Statham played a Louisiana assassin for hire. In the sequel he’s transformed into an international man of mystery globetrotting around to arrange deaths for the villain holding his girlfriend hostage. Statham is in full Transporter mode and his stunts are worth the price of admission. Jessica Alba plays the love interest with absolutely no chemistry with Staham. I don’t know how someone as hot as Alba can come across as almost asexual on the screen. This is Staham back in his action personae which means bring a lot of body bags as the bad guy had a seemingly endless, target rich stream of cannon fodder to be mowed down. Tommy Lee Jones was criminally underused. I liked this for the action, exotic locales, and the occasional Alba bikini shot but I think it’s safe to say it will be assiduously ignored come Oscar time.

During my recent travels I finished off the latest CG Cooper Corps Justice book, with Papal Justice. Cooper has Cal Stokes and his merry band of special operators back in the field hooking and jabbing with the bad guys, this time out radical Muslim terrorists planning a devastating attack on the American southwest. Even the Pope himself gets involved as well as some gun toting monks. I really enjoyed the action and found it hard to put down as the plot neared the final confrontation.

Finally, here’s your daily ration of pictured perfection from California: