Unheard of Activities

It’s been a fairly quiet week, outside of what’s happening outside Kabul, here at the ole homestead. That explains the lack of activity here on Frail Deeds (you are welcome). I’ve been left pretty much to my own devices because my Favorite Panamanian is in final prep for the arrival of her mother tonight for a two month stay with us. I love her mom and as the years have advanced, I’ve really looked forward to her visits and not only for the attendant effect on my wife’s moods. Over the years, during my military career we always tried to find a way for her to come visit us, usually while I was gone on some long deployment to help out with the kids. Her visits have become part of the family traditions, another which was sacrificed last year.

Soaked Favorite Panamanian

We’re in the middle of a real gutter washer of a rainstorm, the remnants of a hurricane that’s suppose to dump a few inches of rain upon us today. It was therefore with unbridled amazement early today when I emerged from the Man Cave and asked the resident PanaGal where my Favorite Panamanian was. She pointed outside and herein lies the amazement. I’ve written before that my wife, despite coming from one of the rainiest countries on earth, absolutely refuses to expose herself to the least bit of falling moisture. It’s actually become part of family lore; she will not allow herself to get wet. Yet there she was, out in the middle of a deluge picking plants out of her herb garden. I rushed to get a camera to capture this all too rare moment only to find her running for the garage to escape the rain. When I, dumbfounded, asked how she survived, she blithely responded that she needed some herbs for the soup she was preparing for her mom. She looked like she had jumped into a pool in her clothes. I’m going to have to tell her mom about this episode so she’ll realize the full depth of my wife’s devotion to her.

We stepped out to the cinema earlier this week and saw Free Guy which was partially shot in Worcester. I’m not a gamer by any stretch of anyone’s imagination so I wasn’t sure I would get all the inside jokes in this flick about a game character that achieves self-awareness. I shouldn’t have worried because Ryan Reynolds is perfect for the part of making us first like the guy and then root for him in his hopeless quest. He’s ably supported by a fun cast of supporting actors, especially Jodie Comer as the female lead. It’s an entertaining ride with some really sweet characters and I found myself laughing almost constantly. It was also a funny jab at gaming and gamers in general, encouraging us to find the joy in real life, because we have it. This was well worth the watch, Reynolds’ winning streak continues.

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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; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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