Weekend Report

I have to remind myself it was in fact a weekend because my mantra since retirement has been, “every day is Saturday”. It has led to some confusion as I now find myself checking the i-Phone to see what day of the week it is. Still a good problem to have. My Favorite Panamanian assists with the day recognition efforts be requiring church attendance which provides a defined benchmark, at least for me, for Sunday. She attends church three other days as well but I’m not that excited (or devout) about the whole day recognition as she apparently is, so I usually am just turning over in bed when the garage door opens below me as she heads out. It’s getting to “excited time” around the homestead with Mother’s Day inbound. That means we’ll have both kids and their families here, as well as the ABFA’s parents and Great Aunt, at the same time. Score!!! I arranged for the catered meal we’ll have on Saturday when we celebrate the holiday since my daughter has to return on New Jersey early on Sunday. The catering was at my wife’s request which was a very salient comment on my culinary exploits/abilities since I cooked the meal last year.

Friday Night at the Bar with the Mafiosos

Prior to the weekend, my Favorite Panamanian located the birthday present for BR3 who turns four this upcoming week. I was initially pleased when I unloaded the hefty box, a bicycle, secretly smiling at the task, not so fondly remembered, that my son would have assembling it. That was, until, my Favorite Panamanian informed me that I would be doing the assembly so we could provide the bike in ready condition to the birthday girl. My secret smile vanished at that instant. My son had the temerity to laugh at me later when I related this. I got it together and only skinned seven knuckles doing it, which is much better than my average. BR3 will get a functional bike next weekend.

Bike and Assorted Debris in the Man Cave

I don’t mean to insinuate that I didn’t have a bit of fun this past weekend, even sans the caloric intake. On Friday the Neighborhood Mafiosos invited us out to dinner at a new (for us) restaurant, the Mill, in West Boylston. I’ve driven by the place at least a hundred times (there’s a movie theater about a mile past it, in way of explanation). It was a great discovery as both my Favorite Panamanian and I loved the place. My wife loved the food and I loved the atmosphere. Yet another debt we owe our fantastic neighbors. Since the music was a single guy crooning away, we decided the night was too young to forego dancing. We set out for our favorite Friday night haunt, the Auburn Legion Post. The place was uncharacteristically packed so we ended up sitting at the bar (something I didn’t mind in the least – felt like going home, but I digress). As usual we were amongst the youngest people there which does wonder for the ego. We had a very fun night dancing to a band playing ‘70s hits. Yet another win.

At The Mill Friday Night

In the weight reduction effort, which I promised I would start after my last post, getting back to exercising is much easier said than done. Not because I didn’t do it but this battered old body reacting to a renewed level of physical effort. As promised, I will also report my progress. Today’s weigh-in showed a loss of a little over eight pounds since I started with the target of 25 pounds eventually. I’m thinking cutting out all the sweets I have been devouring helped the most. The Keto effect should start in a day or so as I body adjusts to the lack of carbs. Still, eight pounds in three days is a good start but I always knew the first 10 would be the easiest.

In my A-Z watch, four fell since I last posted, all keepers, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiney (new arrival), Ford still has it, with a fond farewell to this iconic character; Immortals, pre-superman Cavill cavorting as Theseus; The Marvels, much, much better seeing it this second time; and Inception, mind blowing film where I think I’m finally catching up with all the plot points.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during him her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; 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; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course