There was one area I thought the tweeterer
in chief was actually competent and that was in his choice of General Mattis as
his Secretary of Defense. The Trumpster seemed to let Mattis run the defense
department as it should be and the assertive military actions of the first two
years of the administration seemed to bear that out. Afghanistan stabilized as
much as it ever seems and ISIS was dealt a nearly mortal blow after the hesitancy
that created and then embellished those idiots during the Obama years. Then yesterday
rolls around and Mattis is leaving as it seems the egomaniacal resident at 1600
can’t stomach having anyone in his administration receive any kind of accolades
other than himself.
The real hero in this situation is, predictably,
Mattis. The senior military leadership of the Vietnam era has always been taken
to task, within military circles, for not resigning in protest for the politicians’
directions in waging that conflict. Trump’s decision to pull out prematurely
from Syria or at least to loudly proclaim it in typical bombastic fashion was apparently
the proverbial last straw and Mattis did what those earlier generals failed to
do – he walked. He did it in a fashion that no one misunderstood the reason he
was doing it. It’s so rare to see someone with real, tangible power be willing
to give it up based on principle. We’re all the poorer for this and Trump’s ego
will cost American lives as adversaries will now just wait for the artificial
deadline he’s imposed. I can only hope Mattis considers a run for president in
a couple years – he’s got my vote.
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| BRS Enjoying Tunnel at Day Care |
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| She Didn't want to Leave So a Staff Member was sent in to Coax her Out |
On the decidedly more mundane and
enjoyable level, Christmas is bearing down on us with a delightful inevitability.
My daughter and the FBR are one day out and by Christmas Eve we’ll have all progeny
and their families under the roof (which Deckzilla Dude finally polished off
yesterday). The Christmas turkey is thawing in the refrigerator and we had a
marathon gift wrapping session in the Man Cave last night while watching Venom
(even funnier the second time watching it).
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| ABFA and the BRS |
Before that we had a charming shopping
session in two nearby Home Depots as my Favorite Panamanian and I chose the
window blinds for the new addition. You’ll notice how I diplomatically said “we”
chose. We all know where that decision authority rests. If all goes as it
should we will be moving our bed into the new addition tonight or tomorrow morning.
We caught up with the FBR at Wingman’s
new restaurant last evening where they were joined by Wingman’s dad. As soon as
the FBR heard we were on video she demanded the opportunity to demonstrate her
latest dance moves (seen above in a short video). That made a certain Panamanian abuela exceedingly happy.
The BRS was similarly disposed when we caught up with them as the BRS was
eating. She and her abuela were soon sharing laughing fits together as they seem
to be developing their own special mode of communication.
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RECURRING CHARACTERS
BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR
- First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA –
Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé
& MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son
in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school
from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great
Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since
grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to
attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school
friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla
– our backyard deck which
grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine
and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US
sisters, my wife is the 3rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA
the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died
in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy,
son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; PanaGals –
female relatives/friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia –
inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived
& their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close
friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife
(of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday
of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at
work; Deckzilla Dude – senior
citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth -
members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all
are on public assistance along with demeanor issues
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