Tragedy, Tunnel Light and Fast Labs

Chris Roy, Hero

It’s been a sad week in Worcester as yet another firefighter lost his life this past weekend. It’s also sad that we don’t know these heroes well enough until tragedy strikes. We all know the inner workings of some of the most nonsensical people in the world through celebrity media but a guy like this and his brother/sister fire fighters are actually doing something vitally important each day without an infinitesimal fraction of the recognition. Please take a moment today to remember Christopher Roy, a single father devoted to his young daughter. He and his fellow firefighters ran towards danger instead of away to protect us and he was called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. Honor him.

Wife Last Night Protecting her Brood

Deckzilla Dude finally finished his tiling extravaganza in the new bathroom so I was able to coordinate the shower glass contractor for what should be the final large muscle movement of the renovation project. I don’t think the Dude is going to make his promised October 2017 completion date. The glass guy will be in on Monday to measure the needed enclosure and said it would be five weeks before installation so we’re talking late January for that faintly beckoning light at the end of our construction tunnel. The best news is we’ll still be able to move in well before Christmas which is when we’ll need the expanded bed spaces.

This is a Target Rich Environment

I was applying primer paint to the new upstairs hallway last night because I despaired of waiting for my Favorite Panamanian to accomplish this. Despair is the wrong word because I wholly endorse her chosen method of avoidance. She’s making her annual batch of Christmas cookies – so – God’s work. This is a strong link back to my youth as she prepares the same cookies that my mother used to make. This was one of the few bonds these two ladies ever made and I remember the good times with my mother whenever I see a peanut butter blossom or spritz cookie. Granted, they taste so good which usually impacts directly on the lifespan of said confectionaries. She was up late at night baking because she was distracted during the afternoon reconnecting with a high school friend she hadn’t seen in decades. They were video chatting for a couple hours catching up on lost time.

My Wife (center) and her Friend (left)

I was out on Deckzilla earlier this week and saw the international space station speed by. I heard on the news it was scheduled for a fly by and happened to glance up at the right time.  Finally the dermatology lab was working faster than anticipated as my dermatologist called yesterday with the results of Tuesday’s biopsies. All three turned out to be cancerous (basal – so that’s good) One was completely excised by the biopsy and another can be treated with chemotherapy cream. The final one however will require another session of Mohs Surgery and of course it was the one on my face. I’m going to look like an incompetent knife fighter by adding another scar to this already challenged visage. At least the surgery will be after my vacation to Panama although I’ll be a little embarrassed to show up in that office with a tan in late February.

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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 3^rdmusquetera (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