Puzzling Success

Tomorrow is graduation day from physical therapy which marks another milestone in the recovery game. As I’ve written before, this is the first time I’ve ever truly enjoyed working with a physical therapist because every other time was extremely painful. The difference being this was not orthopedic, although she did work wonders on the bad knee as part of the process. This will be followed up next Monday with a visit to the surgeon as we approach the six month mark. Progress has been made. Tomorrow I receive my first Covid 19 vaccination dose in the same week the US passed over 500,000 deaths from that infernal beast. I still haunt the internets constantly trying to acquire an appointment for my Favorite Panamanian. Wingman, to his immense credit, is also trying and experiencing the same frustration I feel win dealing with the MA roll out.

The Eye Batter

Because of someone’s close contact, the FBR is spending the week at home as her school went to zoom classes. I’m sure this is not what her parents had in mind for the week. The FBR has keyed into the fact we’re getting our shots and she interprets this as being done so we can come visit her. I’m not sure how she acquired that notion but a certain grandfather may have been involved. My daughter and Wingman purchased one of those high-speed Peloton bikes which arrived over the past weekend. Since it has a screen the FBR is intensely interested in it, although her parents have firmly forbidden her from logging on to the device. This is not a girl to allow such restriction from halting her efforts though. In a truly hilarious moment, she tried to charm her mother by batting her eyes at her. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw this because her abuela has been using the same technique on me for nearly four decades.

Totally Innocent (Right?!)

I’ve been knocking out the 1000-piece puzzles at a fairly brisk pace over the past year in Pandemia. That came to a screeching halt in November when my daughter and the FBR gifted me with a puzzle of the night sky that may be responsible for certain frustration induced holes in the Man Cave walls. As the owner of a truly devious mind, Keene Friend picked up on the frustration and searched out a puzzle he thought was equally as onerous to gift me for Christmas. He did this with a completely innocent face, although I know he was cackling in delight on the inside. It was basically monochrome night sky (again!) except for the lightning bolt and tree and all the pieces were of the same type, exactly the same formula for the night puzzle. I left this puzzle for the last of my Christmas puzzles to attempt. Although it took longer than the usual few days I finally drove a stake into the heart of it over the past weekend. So there.

Keene Friend's Dastardly Gift

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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; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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