Marian Escape

How did it get to be the end of September already? It seems mildly unethical as far as to how time is speeding up. Anyways, that’s my last “I’m an aging curmudgeon” observation for the day.  I have a lot to be excited about. I just watched the Red Sox steal game one from the Evil Empire. I purposely haven’t written about the Sox this year because, as with any self-respecting Sox fan, I am superstitious. I figured if I was too expansive, good or bad, it could derail the season. This was a fun team to watch as their youngsters finally starting to make an impact. Today’s game was a perfect example. I’m so glad Aaron Boone is the Yankee’s manager and didn’t put a fast guy on third with the bases loaded in the ninth. My blood pressure was all over the pace in the ninth. My Favorite Panamanian couldn’t stand the pressure and walked out of the room until she heard me yelling in triumph. I then had to re-wind the game so she could see the final out. It’s probably a good thing I won’t be able to see any more games over the next ten days.

Yeah Baby!!

In way of explanation, I’m heading across the Atlantic again for a tour of Portugal, Spain, and France. I guess I’m technically qualified as a pilgrim as the purpose of our trip is to visit the Marian shrines in Fatima, Portugal and Lourdes, France. There’ll be a bunch of other places we’ll see but those are the two biggest destinations. This trip is, of course, aimed squarely at the true Catholic in the family, which we all know isn’t me. She’s tried all marriage long to make me a better Catholic, which has led to friction at times. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to a Catholic priest in Virginia some years back. He counseled my Favorite Panamanian that it wasn’t up to her to make me a better Catholic and it might have the opposite effect. Smart man. Life has been a lot more bearable in that area ever since.

One of Our Destinations

The last couple days have involved getting everything organized for our multi-day absence. The house sitter is in play and my wife’s vast garden complex is set up. She’s been packed for the better part of two weeks but that doesn’t mean the packing isn’t still going on as I write this. I truly think she enjoys packing. I’m not overly excited about the trip. The same cannot be said for my wife who is realizing a lifelong dream. For that reason, I’m excited for her, to see her so happy. So, I have a very good reason not to have my blood pressure elevated over the next couple weeks by baseball. I’ll be doing a lot of praying over those weeks and some of them might be headed the Red Sox to have them still playing when I get back. Shhh, don’t tell my wife. You as a reader of Frail Deeds have an additional benefit. You will be spared from my fractured prose for the time I am overseas. I’m sure I’ll be too busy praying to write. Enjoy.

Before we head overseas I coaxed my Favorite Panamanian away from the suitcases long enough to take in a movie this afternoon, One Battle After Another. I’m not a huge fan of Paul Anderson but he certainly delivers here with some amazing acting performances from the talented cast. Sean Penn stands out as the personification of evil and Benicio Del Toro is up to his usual stealing of every scene he’s in. DiCaprio plays against type as a bumbling, drug addicted ex-revolutionary trying to protect his daughter from Penn. While there are some laugh out loud moments, the movie is more of a showcase of come of the finest actors around, telling a memorable story with style. A great film.

Five movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers and all new additions to the library: Fight or Flight – Harnett channeling his inner John Wick onboard a trans-Pacific flight; The Accountant 2 – perfect role for Affleck, liked this much better on second viewing;  Novacaine – hilarious action/comedy as pain free action hero slowly dissolves while pursuing his lady love; Thunderbolts – a welcome return to Marvel standard for superhero action, Pugh is dynamite; Den of Thieves Pantera – Butler rules in action flicks

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); 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