Uncle Cries

2020 continues to bestow its largesse on everyone and it seems to have taken a special interest in me this week. I’ve been away from Frail Deeds for a couple days as I dealt with those attentions. I normally write the blog posts at home and then post them at my desk around noon time during the lunch hour. I haven’t had time to do any of that over the past few days. I know my problems are microscopic compared to those more seriously affected by the pandemic, not to mention police brutality. At least there is some light at the ends of the tunnel. The brightest light being a trip up to New Hampshire tomorrow to meet BR3 for the very first time!

BRS Gets Some Abuela Time Over the Next Two Weeks

My Favorite Panamanian is going up there to assist my son and the ABFA over the next two weeks. Since I’m the transportation coordinator for the house I appointed myself as her driver. I’ll have to be distanced and wearing a mask but I will get to see granddaughter #3 in the flesh for the first time, color me extremely excited.  I spent part of the week meeting various contractors who wanted to bid on the new driveway the house really needs. They had me charging around after work as I started on yet another garden retaining wall (I know – crazy).

The biggest curveball thrown my way occurred yesterday though. Wednesday night I noticed the refrigerator was leaking water out of hate ice/water dispenser in the door. I opened it up to find the ice was melting. I turned it off, emptied the ice tray and cursed my luck; figuring I would eventually get it repaired. Yesterday morning my wife called to frantically report all the food in the freezer was thawing out. In the midst of a pandemic with two weeks’ worth of food at risk – this was not good news.

Google came to the rescue as I did a search for appliance repair and sent in a request to the first agency that popped up. They actually called me back within ten minutes and had a repair guy at the house before 1pm. His news wasn’t reassuring as the compressor is gone and it’ll be next week before the parts can come in. He said since the compressor was still under warranty I could arrange to have that part installed by an authorized dealer. Since I had this guy in the house I asked some questions like, how much would the labor cost for that course of action. It came within a couple hundred dollars of what this guy was going to charge me and since I’d already sunk a tidy sum having him come to the house and he was actually there I told him to arrange to come back next week to fix it.

Bright, Shiny & Non-Functional

This all begs the question as to what I’m supposed to do with the aforementioned two weeks’ worth of food. We have a venerable old fridge sitting unplugged in the basement. I bought it cheap in Kansas in 1995 and it made the last nine house moves with us since then. It was last plugged in just before we moved out of Charlton in 2015. Over the last couple years I’ve thought about the state program where they’ll come and dispose of unwanted old fridges for free but never got around to doing it. I crossed my fingers and told my wife to give it shot.

My New Hero

The venerable old dog started right up and the food was saved. That turned out to be the best $200 I ever spent. You never know until you need it. Meals will add a new exercise function as we’ll have to tramp up and down the stairs to the fridge until the bright, shiny, broken one is fixed. On the upside the old fridge is right outside the entrance to the Man Cave where I’ve been spending so much pandemic time so snacks will be closer for a while.

Wingman Exploring his Roots

The pandemic attacks in different ways. Wingman’s new nemesis is his backyard. They are going to install a playground and a sprinkler system but Wingman has spent the last couple weeks wrestling significant tree roots out of the ground. I’m not saying the pandemic is responsible but it does make you go “Hmmm”. In reality the prior owners had let the back yard go back to nature for a really long time which resulted in number of weed tress setting up shop. Good luck Wingman.

You Deserved So Much Better

I don’t usually comment on the latest social issue of the day but the death of George Floyd is as inexplicable as it is despicable. I usually wait to hear more about the catalyzing situation but there is no explanation for why the policeman had to keep his knee on Floyd’s neck until he died. The image of a white police officer kneeling on a black man’s neck will be seared into the nation’s consciousness forever. If anyone doubts the existence of evil in the world take a look at that image.

My Once and Always Hero

Finally, because, to steal a line from John Krasinski, there is some good news in the world, yesterday was Soxfather’s birthday. There is no better news than having met my brother for the first time way back in 1979 as I returned home for Christmas from Germany. He’s been a warm and decidedly welcome (I grew up with three sisters) addition to the family ever since. He’s someone I’ve come to rely on at some of the most important times in my life and one of the best people I’ve ever met. Happy Birthday Soxfather – you are the verified best.  

Started my Trek through LOTR

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Pandemic Holiday Weekend

Usually holiday weekends are entirely too short, wafting by without a regard to how much fun they are for participants. They are immediately missed. As with most things the pandemic changes heretofore norms. This past Memorial Day weekend seeped by as the in house confinement continued with no prospect of driving to visit either sets of granddaughters. I found myself actually looking forward to escape the house and go to work. The Man Cave, my quarantine refuge, is starting to lose its luster after so much time there over the past weeks.

My Sunday Dinner Date

Of course I was back down there working on another jigsaw puzzle as well as the next in the series of movies but with the weather turned I was ready to get out and wander. I miss being able to make the granddaughter visits as well as my regular thunder runs up to my hometown to hang with high school friends. I’ve found my designation as an essential worker a Godsend because it gets me out of the house.

The Neighborhood Block Party
House Being Sold is on Left

There was some entertainment this weekend. On Sunday the neighbor across the street held another open house. There wasn’t as much traffic as the day prior. My Favorite Panamanian and I burned some dead animal flesh on the grill and had dinner out on Deckzilla for the first time in 2020. This was followed by a socially distanced neighborhood block party in our front yard.

FBR Armed with a Power Washer

The neighbors selling their house fired up their grill and hosted the event. We set up chairs on our side of the street and were able to easily converse with other sets of neighbors as they gathered. It’s lucky there is virtually no traffic on our street and it was an indicators how everybody else is aching to become social again. I was able to talk with the Neighborhood Mafioso’s husband for the first time in months which I really enjoyed. It was a farewell event for the hosts who accepted a very generous offer for their house late in the event. Apparently home sales are skyrocketing. I’m guessing quarantining in an apartment must be even worse.

Very Trusting Parents

Just some hurried calls with the granddaughters this weekend. The BRS is starting to emote which my Favorite Son ties to the arrival of BR3. The BRS will melt down immediately upon being thwarted in any endeavor; something that only started when her sister arrived. She remains completely devoted to the BR3 but where before she would accept scolding or being told she couldn’t do something with grace, those days are gone. My son warned my wife who will be heading up there on Saturday to assume grandma (abuela) role for a couple weeks. My wife’s eyes actually glittered with the possibility of spending time with two granddaughters.

Into Wingman's Arms to Dry Off

Hard Work requires Food

I was back out on Deckzilla, applying a second coat of sealer, because well, there was nothing else to do. I wasn’t the only one on deck patrol. We received these photos which showed the FBR, armed with both a leaf blower and a power washer (two of my favorite implements), at work down in New Jersey. My daughter and Wingman are brave indeed to trust her with the power washer. I’m still making strides about trusting my Favorite Panamanian with that tool. Decks are great, we spend so much time out on ours in the summer, but they’re like owning a boat – consistent and required maintenance if they going to endure.  

Finished Hobbit on to LOTR

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Between a Rock and

More correctly it should be called a boulder. I spent yesterday morning finishing up the latest retaining wall for my wife’s vast garden complex. As usual I ran across a large percentage of small rocks that made determined shovel pushes fraught with wrist pain, this is New England after all. I reached the point where I was turning the wall into the hill and ran across another rock, at least until I tried moving it. I kept digging around the edges and down until I uncovered the true size of the damnable thing. My Favorite Panamanian, attracted by my liberal use of some of the more profane words in both the English and German languages, came out to find what all the fuss was about.

BRS Took Charge of the Cooking Yesterday

She immediately began instructing me on how I should get it out and although I am loath to admit it she had some very good ideas. I had to excavate around the entire thing because it was locked into the ground with clay and roots. I eventually got it out and she then decided she would find a place for it somewhere in her exterior design plans. I was just glad to get it out of the way because it was in the single most critical part of the wall path.

While her Sister, BR3, Continued to Get her Beauty Sleep
Not that it is Truly Needed

Work on the wall had taken a  Friday hiatus because it was the First Friday of the Week which required yet another group FaceTime call with the family. This is truly the one good thing to come out of the pandemic. I stayed on the call with Great Aunt and Soxfather after the young’uns signed off to administer to the FBR, BRS, and BR3. It’s amazing how therapeutic it remains to connect with the people you love, even if from a distance.

Finding my Nemesis

It Finally Moved

Got it Out, This is the Position it was in the Ground

The Finished Wall

My wife and I spent the afternoon out on Deckzilla enjoying the spectacular (finally) weather. The neighbors across the street are selling and had an open house yesterday afternoon. We assessed each of the potential buyers for neighbor potential as they came by. It turned out to be a very fun afternoon hanging with my Favorite Panamanian.

FBR, Self-Appointed Inspector of Puddles

I eventually retired to the Man Cave to finish yet another jigsaw puzzle and watch movies. Over the past two nights I knocked out the first two extended versions of the Hobbit movies. We also had our nightly calls with granddaughter contingent. The FBR practiced her latent magical abilities in which she said “abracadabra” and I was required to do whatever she order “Grandpa” to do. It involved a lot of freezing in position. Wingman also commiserated with me about my rock issue as he faced a number of the same situations while removing the root network under his back yard recently. While we were talking my Favorite Son called in and my daughter was able to figure out how to add his screen to our conversation. The BRS was delighted to see her cousin.

Latest Puzzle to Fall
I Do Love Christmas

It’s a three day weekend so I may be back out on Deckzilla again this afternoon as a new batch of potential neighbors will be attending another open house across the street. Coors Lite, as it turns out, is a contributing factor in the lucidity of my assessment process. The sellers are then hosting a socially distanced farewell barbecue. Like I said, I get the day off tomorrow.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

First Ever Three Shower Day

I know there are friends and family who think this development is long overdue but yesterday, for the first time in my life, I took three complete showers. This after maintaining a steady two showers a day record since the return of my Favorite Panamanian. One of her pandemic response actions is, since I still go into work every day, requiring me to disrobe when I get home and immediately shower. Add to the normal early morning shower I was feeling fairly pristine lately. I returned home last night from work and started in again on the newest retaining wall for my wife’s vast garden complex.

1 Week Old!!!!

After a couple hours I ran out of bricks so I made an early evening trip to Home Depot for more. Since I had ventured out into the wide contaminated world my supervisor required another shower. Following some debate she agreed it could wait until I finished my work outside. That turned out to be good call because I would have been looking at a fourth shower. Cutting turf and digging in typically rock laden New England dirt can cause a sweat not to mention a generous helping of back pain. I’m about two thirds of the way.

Wall Progress

Yesterday was also marked one week since BR3 arrived on the scene. During our call last night I heard her make a noise for the first time. Granted it was only an indignant squawk but I’m counting it. For the other six calls she was always sound asleep. I have it on good authority from her parents that her vocal range is profound. The very toughest part of this pandemic mess, is not being able to hold my granddaughter for the first time as well as visit her two cousins and their parental units. Meanwhile in New Jersey the FBR is already demonstrating she inherited her mother’s and abuela’s fashion sense. My daughter told her to choose her own outfit and this photo captures what resulted. The gal has style and luckily avoided acquiring my complete lack thereof.

The FBR - a True Fashion Explosion!

Neighbors are Selling their House and Got This Drone Photo Taken of Our Neighborhood

I finished my march through the Jason Bourne movies last night and was reminded just how good an action series this is. It was also interesting to watch directly after watching all of the James Bond movies. Jason compares very favorably. I never thought Matt Damon could pull off the part but he’s magnificent, totally believable, and maintains the everyman quality that’s defined his career. This is my ranking for the films even though I would recommend any for a watch. They lost serious points in Supremacy for killing off Franka Potente.

1 – The Bourne Identity

2 – The Bourne Ultimatum

3 – Jason Bourne

4 – The Bourne Supremacy

5 – The Bourne Legacy

My next adventure will be the extended versions of the entire Lord of the Rings saga, starting with the 4 Hobbit movies and then the revered, by me at least, trilogy.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Preempted

Yet another day wading through the dismal swamp that is the coronavirus pandemic although there does seem to be definite signs of that proverbial tunnel light. I was back out in the Favorite Panamanian’s vast garden complex starting work on the next retaining wall after work last night. It was a glorious spring day (finally) and even my wife wandered out a couple times which tells you the temperatures have definitely improved.

BR3 - Already Pristinely Photogenic

My excavation work was interrupted by the nightly call from the FBR and her parental units. We can now take these calls out on Deckzilla since my son and daughter upgraded our Wi-Fi coverage at Christmas time. We were enjoying the call when the FBR noticed that they were receiving an incoming call from my Favorite Son. Apparently the lure of talking with her cousins greatly outweighed grandparent time because we were summarily dismissed. In reality I love that these remarkable young ladies are establishing a bond. The FBR’s name was one of the first words the BRS learned and she always brightens up whenever the FBR is online. I hope I’m around long enough to watch them grow up together.

The Newest Wall Started

We talked later with my son and he said they got along great during the call. The BRS was developing a new pizza eating technique while we talked. She was dipping her pizza into a glass of ice water. My son tried to get her to stop, to no avail. After a short while she told her dad she didn’t like the taste of the pizza after she dunked it and seemed to blame him for this development. BR3 was awake during our call and is developing quite an appetite. She had her first doctor’s appointment this week and has already started putting on weight. They are also transitioning her to the basinet to sleep as she initially refused to sleep lying flat. It’s fun to see the obvious confidence the ABFA and my son have with their second child; nowhere near as scary as the first.

The Two Trees From Yesterday's Post
The New Front Yard Tree

The Former Front Yard Tree

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Musical Trees

My plan after work last night was to start on my Favorite Panamanian’s newest garden retaining wall project. As she is wont to do, that selfsame project manager redirected my efforts. Some will recall my recitation of a visit to New Jersey last year where my wife acquired a tree I told her wouldn’t survive in New England due to colder temps here. She was undeterred despite both Wingman and I trying to convince her. This was followed with an epic drive back from New Jersey with the branches literally stuck in my ear. We planted the tree in the front yard.

Proud Dad - Said he Noticed How Big the BRS was
After the Arrival of BR3

While all the other trees are now fully bloomed this tree looked like we had four bare sticks stuck in the ground this spring. In a rare admission my wife acknowledged she might have been wrong but had a solution. She loves an eight foot tall Japanese maple tree in the back yard that was growing on a steep hillside. My mission, which I had no option of not accepting, was to transplant that tree to the front yard. The first step was removing the dead one, or so I thought.

As I was removing it I noticed there were some actual buds on the very bottom of the tree. Since I’d already gone through the exercise (significant) of removing it, I toted it around back where I would put it in the hole generated by the removal of the maple tree. My Favorite Panamanian took a break from mask sewing and came out to observe/supervise. She also noticed the growth and concurred (what?!) with my plan. I next learned that digging a tree out of a steep hillside while preserving the roots is not the easiest task. My airborne training on how to fall/land safely came in handy a couple times during unplanned tumbles down the hill.

Still Happens Automatically

I eventually got both trees into their new homes but it took a lot longer than planned. When I told my supervisor that I still had a half hour before sunset to start the wall she graciously directed me to wait until today. Now we’ll just have to see if the trees survive my generous application of brute force and ignorance. Man Cave time saw the penultimate film in the Bourne series along with the start of a new, Christmas themed (because, why not?) jigsaw puzzle.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                            

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Canine Departure

I know there are people out there who roll their eyes in disdain when someone agonizes over the loss of a beloved pet. They just don’t get it and probably never will, something missing in their souls. The family saw the departure of another of its long time fixtures with the passing of Great Aunt and Soxfather’s dog, Bailey, yesterday. I know those two are suffering through this loss and my heart reaches out to them. I’m still not over the death of Buddy nearly three years ago. At least Buddy and Bailey’s predecessor, Katie Pup, are now hanging out together as a black dog clique over that rainbow bridge. Bailey was a rescue dog and must have done something fine in former lives because he landed in canine heaven falling under the care of Great Aunt who literally cannot deny her pets anything. He was well loved.

Sweet Bailey
Have Fun with Katie and Buddy

Soxfather, eloquent as always eulogized Bailey the best: “Fourteen years ago you came into our life, sweet and gentle and oh-so-good natured. We put you through a lot (psychotic cats, the rambunctious and fun-loving teenage years of a high-spirited young man, a hyperactive puppy at a time in life when you probably would have appreciated a little peace and quiet), and you accepted it all with your customary patience and good grace. You were somewhat baffled when, with me off at work, Great Aunt designated you as her good-luck charm during three Red Sox World Series and three Patriots Super Bowl championships; yet as nervous as her shrieks of delight made you, you were a terrific celebration partner. Even now at the end -- unable to eat, your liver and kidneys failing, shedding weight so rapidly your ribs were showing through that once-lustrous coat -- you'd lift your head and wag that stumpy tail at the sight of us, as if our very presence would make things all right. If only. So today we let you go. Godspeed, sweet Bailey. There are tears in our eyes now, but the joy and love you brought us will live in our hearts forever.”

FBR - Getting So Big!

I stopped off at Home Depot on my way home from work yesterday to pick up a load of retaining wall stone. I learned loading thirty of these things with a mask on is not an appropriate activity for someone my age. I’ll be using the stones to start yet another wall to encircle an addition to my Favorite Panamanian’s vast garden complex. That effort will start after work tonight. While I was lugging the bricks the neighbors across the street informed me they would be hosting a neighborhood block party this weekend. They’re in the process of selling their house and wanted a chance to say goodbye to everyone. We’ll each set up chairs in our front yards, distanced from each other. I’m guessing some beer will be consumed in this event.

We caught up with the New Hampshire bunch last evening as they were in a walk around the neighborhood with the BRS while the ABFA’s mom looked after BR3. The BRS had some very definite ideas about when the appropriate time to return to the house was and blithely ignored parental wishes in that direction. The one manifestation of her feelings about her new sister’s arrival (whom she loves desperately) is being a little overly sensitive when balked.

The FBR was on her best behavior when we called last night. I think her parents read her the riot act about ignoring her grandparents when they call. It’s scary how fast she’s growing up as we can now have full, almost mature conversations. While on the call my daughter recommended I check out yet another Korean movie, The Train to Busan. Since she was eminently correct earlier in the year about Parasite I watched it last night in the Man Cave. I was left breathless at certain parts of this movie. This is by far the best zombie movie ever made (is that even a category?). It grabs you from the very first with, of all things, a zombified road kill deer; beyond creepy. The plot revolves around a group of passengers on a train from Seoul to Busan as a zombie apocalypse explodes around them. Some really well defined characters explore class struggle and basic humanity as the group is whittled down. It also provides an excellent comment on courage and sacrifice. This isn’t just a great zombie movie, it’s a great movie, technically on par with anything Hollywood puts out. It scared the hell out of me. I also knocked out the next in the Bourne series. It was a late night in the Man Cave.

I’m also providing this week’s collection of Covid pandemic funnies:

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn