Favorite Sonning

At Wild Wings Yesterday

Someone just told me it is August. Somehow – that seems impossible. I was back on a rainy Route 2 yesterday but at a decidedly more sedate pace as we headed north to New Hampshire to link up with the Favorite Son in recognition of his recently passed birthday. The ABFA was absent, as she had been for most of the week and was wending her way home from Nashville from a business conference. We found a significantly grown Riggins in full greeting mode when we arrived. Buddy, who seems to have no patience with young canine relatives, tried to shrug off the persistent attention. He eventually gave up and hid out in his cage to avoid the youthful harassment.

A Very Happy Mom

As part of our small attempt to celebrate his birthday we planned on lunch at a sports bar and then an action movie (he did breed extremely true in some regards). This was my first experience at a Buffalo Wild Wings and I was extremely impressed. Any place with dozens of screens devoted to every sport imaginable, including a thirty foot one, will have my undying admiration. The lunch was a stinging reminder of how much I miss the weekly lunches he and I used to share when he worked closer to Worcester.

Riggins trying to Get Buddy to Come Out

Buddy Thinking - I've Seen This Show Before

Riggins Closing the Door Since He Wouldn't Come Out

We made a tactical error in that the restaurant was located in a shopping mall. My wife’s shopping spirit, always enhanced when exposed to the New Hampshire tax free environment, kicked in. When the first attempt at the movies failed due to overcrowding she quickly “convinced” us we should swing by the odd Macy’s and Home Depot while we waited for the next show (she’s devious that way).

A Rare Sight - My Wife Seated in a Mall

We went to see Jason Bourne, the latest installment in the Ludlum assassin journey. The movie had all the elements you expect from a Bourne film: action, locales, and a seedy CIA official; Tommy Lee Jones this time out. Matt Damon continues to fully inhabit the character showing the pain, wear, and tear of post-assassin life. He’s drawn back into the CIA web by an old girlfriend (don’t you hate when that happens) and is soon on the run again. Although this time he’s running towards the chasers which made for a very exciting confrontation in Las Vegas. Damon’s well known leftist political bent is a little exposed as the movie gets preachy at times but Bourne is such a compelling character this just slides by. A well-crafted, exciting political thriller that didn’t disappoint, well except for the annoying guy down the row from us that kept getting up and trampling over us to address what I’m sure was some kind of gastro-intestinal issue (get an end seat next time dude!).

So Glad to Have Momma Home

Ice Cream - Much to ABFA's Delight

After the movie we received intel that the ABFA had returned home and she linked up with us for a very fun dinner. Our “go to” place from my son’s college years, Bugaboo Creek in Newington, has closed its doors (yesterday apparently) so we made do with a nearby steakhouse (still uncomfortably close to shopping opportunities). There was also a nearby Coldstone Creamery where we adjourned to after dinner so they could properly practice their arcane arts of ice cream upon us. It was too much fun. I’m going to try and include two videos today, one of Riggins and I getting reacquainted and another from California.

Granddaughter at the Red Sox Angels Game

Welcome to Red Sox Nation

There was a simultaneously momentous event taking place in far off California. My sister and brother in law (got to come up with an apt nickname for him) were taking my daughter along to commence indoctrinating my granddaughter into Red Sox nation. We received updates as my granddaughter thought the point of the exercise was to wave at everyone. We thought she was going to end up being a loser as the Sox were terrible for most of the game. We listened to the game as we headed back to my son’s house and were high fiving as the Sox, down to their last strike, rallied for five runs to win. My granddaughter had already left the game for an overdue nap but my sister and brother in law had no such excuse. I’m told there was a considerable amount of profanity in play as they listened to the end of the game in their car as they drove home from the game. Oops.

Reports are also leaking out about the fun I missed out on Saturday up in Keene. Scores once again played host to the remnants of Keene High Class of 1973 as my Pittsburgh College Roommate blew into town for a hasty get together. It looks like Keene Friends 1 and 2 amply held up their end of the bargain and sent an appropriate amount of beer downrange. The Pittsburgians spent yesterday with the Stanley Cup as one of the champion Penguins (hate saying that) invited them along for the day. This is in line with what the Roommate has been trying to convince us of for years – that he’s kind of a big deal in Pittsburgh.

Saturday at Scores

Sunday with the Cup

Meanwhile Wingman is Somewhere in the Mid-West Farewelling