Pre-Deployment Day

So, this will be the last post in October. This is happening not because I have writer’s block (you’re not that lucky). I’m boarding a plane for Italy to hang out with the Bishop of Rome for a few days. I’m really excited about the opportunity to attend mass every day (okay, that would be my Favorite Panamanian, not I, the accidental Catholic). We’ve been going through the last minute packing details as I try to address all the administrative details (read bill paying) that will happen during our absence. I’m a little sad to be leaving New England at my favorite time of year. The foliage colors have arrived here decisively and I doubt Rome will boast anything to rival it. One of those administrative tasks was denuding a large part of my wife’s vast garden complex as the plants have started their autumnal die off. I should be more excited about this trip since I am a lifelong super-fan of ancient Rome. I keep remining myself that I owe this trip to my wife for our earlier trip to Ireland and Scotland (my lifelong dream).

My Very Lucky Son with the Birthday Girl

The Lucky Granddaughters

All, So Photogenic

While we’re gone, (well tomorrow) we’ll miss celebrating the birthday of the family’s greatest athlete (my son just issued one of his trademark frustrated exhalations), the ABFA. We are so lucky to have acquired the ABFA as daughter in law. Of course, all the credit there goes to my Favorite Son. She’s balancing her athletic career with motherhood and business career, excelling at all. I don’t know how easy it is for an outsider to enter our family, but the ABFA has made it look easy, convincing us we’re the lucky ones. The BRS and BR3 are so fortunate to have such an excellent role model in their mom. She continues to score touchdowns each weekend as well for her flag football team as well as continuing her chocaholic ways.

In N.J. The FBR Wins a Doughnut Eating Contest

Scaled Down Garden Complex

Seven movies fell in the A-Z watch (!), all keepers: Maze Runner The Death Cure, satisfying conclusion of trilogy; McClintock, one of my favorite John Wayne movies; Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, pure sketch movie by the boys, some work, others not so much, still Python funny; The Mechanic, perfect vehicle for Staham; Mechanic Resurrection, still good with Alba in a bikini, what’s not to like; Meet Joe Black, for some reason just love this movie, feels almost lyrical to me; and Meet the Robinsons, Disney smile-a-lot animation, love the line about the big head and short arms,

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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 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 (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course