Getting Physical

I am required to keep Great Aunt specifically informed about all my medical comings and goings which of course have been legion over the past twelve months.. She requires this after a failure, on my part, to keep her up to date as she is the family medical expert. So, here goes; I had my annual physical yesterday and passed with semi-flying colors. This was the first physical since I joined the prostate-less so there was no bending over the table for the first time in decades. Win. There were the other usual indignities which I guess are needed but it seems most of the results he wanted to talk about came from the blood tests. I’m kicking ass and taking names in the cholesterol department which qualifies as nothing short of a miracle considering my eating habits. The only downer was my old friend – the skin. I saw my dermatologist back in February and she pronounced me good to go until my next screening in September. The doc yesterday said there was something in my left ear he wants looked at before then. So it goes. This is the same ear I had my first and most extensive Mohs surgery on. Fingers firmly crossed.

Wife and BR3 - Hojaldra Buddies

I was walking back to Deckzilla yesterday after raising the flags when I was buzzed by a low flying bird. I thought it was the Deckzilla robin protecting his nest but it was one of the baby birds taking his first flight. He made it to the beauty challenged fireplace with dad right alongside. After a short rest he took off and disappeared into the trees. I’m amazed at how fast these little buggers develop as when we got back from Panama a couple weeks ago, they had barely hatched. I checked out the nest and all three babies were gone. It felt a little sad, weird, huh? The second order effects of the robins’ departures means my air force is gone from my ongoing battles with the backyard squirrels. The robins had been divebombing them if they came near the deck and the bird feeders. It didn’t take long; I came down this morning to find three clustered around the bird feeder. At least they remembered the door opening on Deckzilla meant grave danger because they were gone before I could arm myself.

BRS on Sunday

I’m getting back to my outdoor protects now that the very full social schedule following our return has slowed down. I power washed the driveway in preparation for applying sealant tomorrow. That should be interesting. It’s the first time I’ve ever done it and I’m a world class slob. There’s no telling where some of this stuff will end up, I may require supervision. Speaking of my Favorite Panamanian, she volunteered me to build a hillside terrace garden wall for our next door neighbors. I launch on that next week. I’m not complaining (too much) because they’re good neighbors and pick up our mail during our repeated absences. It will be a good prep mission as I plan on putting in another such wall on our hill later this summer.

FBR Assisting her Mom with BR3 Horsemanship

I’ve included some more pictures from this past weekend because I truly do not want to let go of the feelings it generated. The inseparable cousins, now separated by four states, have maintained contact through Facetime with the BRS being promoted ahead of her grandparents in priority by the FBR. I’m excited about the upcoming weekend as it will include a thunder run up to my hometown. I haven’t been able to be up there over the past pandemicized year except for the birthday pub crawl. I’m hoping a couple high school friends can join Keen Friend and the Cantankerous One while we knock the rust off our “beer drinking in pubs” abilities. What can I say, it’s a profession.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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