Separate Valentines

My wife and I are usually separated during Hallmark Day, whoops, I mean Valentine’s Day and this year is no exception. The reason for this year’s separation and the distance involved are a whole lot more welcome (except for the jacked up prices for roses during early February). My wife continues her sojourn up in New Hampshire assisting my Favorite Son and the ABFA in their first week as parents. That seems to be getter better each day as they and the BRS adjust to each other’s new presence. They also seem uniformly grateful for my wife’s presence which makes her feel truly appreciated.

My Valentine Doing What She Loves Best

I was talking with my daughter and Wingman the other day and they revealed their own consternation during the FBR’s first week at home. Wingman admitted they looked at each other and said, “What have we done?!” This surprised me because at the time they seemed supremely confident and assured. They certainly figured it out with the FBR as Exhibit A+. Their counterparts up in New Hampshire are doing the same. I’ve told them the first few nights are the worst and it only gets progressively better (at least until she’s a teenager – but that’s another story)

Roses Were Provided

I asked my son how he was doing and he happily reported getting four continuous hours of sleep the night before. He thought this was a major accomplishment based on the prior nights’ experience. He then groused that he wanted his usual eight hours (he’s been a conscientious sleeper – since he was as old as the BRS is now). I laughed and said he would have to wait a bit longer for that. The BRS is doing her part. My wife claims you could set a clock by her feeding times and she will defiantly require a speedy diaper change if it is needed. She has a somewhat imperious stare when these requirements are not addressed as quickly as she deems necessary.

The FBR Contemplating her Next Move

I had possibly the most fun ever on a FaceTime call last night with the FBR. I think she sensed my loneliness and decided to help. Wingman gave her control of the video screen and I soon found myself transported to her ball tent where we engaged in a game of hide and seek. She’d hide the phone under the balls and then act delighted when she found me, again and again. We took a break for dinner which I talked to her throughout as she negotiated with Wingman. She refused to terminate the call as we had promised each other to return to the ball tent after dinner. It was the longest FaceTime call I’ve ever had and more fun than imaginable. As she’s gotten older these calls have gotten progressively less interesting for her but last night was a welcome throwback.

She Seems to Like the Swing

On dateless date night I went to see The 15:17 to Paris which was Clint Eastwood’s film on the thwarted Thalys train terrorist attack in 2015. I was interested because Eastwood cast the real life heroes from the attack as the lead actors. That went pretty much as you would expect. It was painfully obvious whenever they appeared on screen with real actors. That should in no way diminish the sublime courage they displayed during the attack. One of my biggest problems with films about real life events is Hollywood’s attempt to embellish and that certainly was not the case here. The story is told in Eastwood’s typical straight forward style and I thought that was a problem for the first half of the film since there was nothing truly remarkable about the backstory of the three heroes. I then realized that was the whole point. These were just three typical guys thrust into an impossible situation and rising to the occasion and that’s a great story and message. We all owe this to each other when confronted by the darkness.