Sonny Weekend

Friday Night in the Zorba's Clone

I’m starting to get used to having simply fantastic weekends with my progeny. This probably causes some concern in certain New Hampshire and New Jersey quarters and a lively competition to foist me off on the other one. They have only themselves to blame because they are such great company. The Friday drive up to the New Hampshire seacoast was the stuff of nightmares though. The usual hour and a half trip took nearly three hours as people still seem headed towards Maine despite the arrival of autumn.

Our Intrepid hosts

That pain in the ass was more than recompensed with our arrival at our Favorite Son’s home. Long time readers of Frail Deeds will recall my devotion to Zorba’s during our time in Charlton. Their Friday night pizza approached a near religious experience. Using that theme our son and the ABFA located a Zorba’s-like establishment in nearby Exeter. Since I am back to swearing off non-beer carbs I can’t comment on the pizza which looked excellent. I really liked the atmosphere though and it did remind us all of Zorba’s.

My View for a Lot of the Weekend

The grandpuppy Riggins was especially happy to see us, especially my wife. He apparently has a “thing” for Panamanian women (don’t we all). I had a lot of fun wrestling with him over the weekend, getting my absent canine fix. I inadvertently called him Buddy on more than a few occasions. We returned home to watch the Red Sox finish off another win and creep closer to consecutive division championships.

Walk in the Park

We’d toyed with the idea of journeying into Durham for UNH Homecoming on Saturday since the ABFA, my son, and I are all graduates of that august institution but didn’t fancy trying to find friends in a mass of humanity. These things are always better when you go in with a plan. Instead we took a walk through woods in a local town park which Riggins really enjoyed. It was a little too hot to experience what a September walk through the New Hampshire woods should be but you couldn’t beat the company. We culminated at a tall fire tower which offered sweeping views of the seacoast and Great Bay area. There was a little excitement as we were leaving when I discovered I’d dropped my cell phone somewhere where along the trail. Luckily it was only about a quarter mile from where we ended and easily recovered.

Top of the Tower with my Son
Great Bay in the Background

My Favorite Panamanian Also Made the Climb

We took in a movie together at the Newington movie theater which had recently undergone a remodeling effort. All of the seats were now huge, electronically controlled reclining chairs. This was the first time I’d ever experienced something like this in a movie theater and if this is the way movie theaters are headed – I’m on board. We went to see Kingsman 2 (review below) which was a lot of senseless fun. We ended the day back at the homestead grilling a huge hunk of dead animal flesh and sampling the brewer’s art once again. We also checked in on another Sox win and some more stupid cinema. The best part was just hanging with my son and the ABFA – just bone deep good people. I also spent a lot of time nose to nose with Riggins who sensed the esteem I hold his species in.

ABFA Far Below with Riggins

Riggins Wondering why We Stopped

We tried to arrange a couple FaceTime calls with the New Jersey elements but they were deeply engaged with a block party. This was their first time experiencing what is an annual tradition in their neighborhood. Their street is blocked off and the entire neighborhood turns out to party in the street. The FBR was in the thick of it with her fellow toddlers. She even got to sit in a fire truck that showed up for the kids. The one time we connected with them the FBR was showing off her dance moves on the sidewalk.

FBR in Party Mode

Hanging with one of her Neighborhood Buds

Behind the Wheel of a Fire Truck

Raiding the Juice Pail

Something about Kids and Fire Trucks

Sunday came way too quickly, especially since I wanted to make the drive home in the morning before the Maine refugee stream picked up on the interstate combined with people headed south for the Patriots’ game. We finally did get that Facetime call in which might have been my favorite time of the weekend as I sat back and watched the most important people in my life talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company. The FBR only flitted through a couple times since we caught her during Daniel Tiger time but that allowed some adult conversations which, again, was so much fun to watch.

Double Whammy

We did get home in time to watch the Patriots’ game which was as thrilling as it was troubling, at least when it comes to the Patriots defense. Sir Thomas of Brady once again rode to the rescue in the final minutes to snatch victory from the yawning maw of defeat. I was switching back and forth with the Sox game and when they staged a similar late innings victory – it made for a truly satisfying afternoon. I’d rather have done it with the folks I left back in New Hampshire but it did help with the separation depression.

Sunday Morning Hojaldra Breakfast

I think this weekend provides a great example of what I was trying to say earlier about the medicinal effect of time spent around family. We didn’t do anything spectacular or experience some major event – we just hung out together. That, it turns out, has a quality in and off itself that is more than worth braving the dreaded Friday evening drives to the seacoast or any other type of obstruction to obtain.

The original Kingsman was one of my favorite movies over the past few years. I’m a huge fan of director Matthew Vaughn but he does seem to struggle with sequels. The Golden Circle had all of the trademark cheekiness of the original but it lacked some of the spark that made it so unique. Taron Edgerton still balances his suave secret agent personae with his lower class upbringing as the very challenged hero. He’s trying to maintain his romance with a Swedish princess while endeavoring to thwart a worldwide contamination of illegal drugs. Don’t worry – it’s not supposed to make sense. Two of my favorite characters were killed off this time but no one’s death seems permanent in this property, just ask Colin Firth. Juliann Moore camps it up as the villain running her nefarious plot from a diner in the jungles of Cambodia and her “go to” weapon – a meat grinder. Like I said – it doesn’t have to make sense as long as the action and gadgets keep coming at the relentless pace. So, not as enjoyable as the first Kingsman foray, but still a lot of senseless fun and chaos.

The Bad Cinema project count rises #13 out of 100 with Attack of the Monsters, one of those 1960s Japanese giant monster aberrations – worst film of the bunch so far and that’s saying something.