Milestone Reflection

I’m finally coming up for air after entering the recovery protocol required after two weeks chasing granddaughters around the reservation. I also noticed, with some guarded assistance from my Favorite Panamanian, that we’ve turned the page into September. While this marks the start of my favorite time of year as we ease into autumn, I still miss the non-stop noise associated with hosting the FBR, BRS, and BR3. The start of September also brings forth another, blog related, milestone. This marks the start of my 16^th year chronicling my life and adding the occasional nonsensical ramblings. I’m still not sure how much longer I’m going to continue writing here, but I still enjoy it, something I truly do not understand. The pictures below show what I looked like when I started, and the other is a more contemporary one.

Then and Now

I also decided to check in on the blog stats, which I do occasionally. I hadn’t done it in a while and was therefore surprised that I’m now comfortably over a million page views. That is a modest accumulation considering how long I’ve been doing this, considering some worthless influencer probably does that in an afternoon. Still, a little bit of sneaky pride. I can also see what country the page views are coming from. The United States is easily ahead, as you would expect, but I was anticipating Panama to be second, considering how much family I have down there. However, Panama came in 10^th with Singapore in second place. Strange, indeed. The photo below shows the first one in the blog of my Favorite Panamanian and I, taken during a memorable trip to visit the relatively newlywed daughter and Wingman.

Back in the Day

I had to say goodbye to an old friend this afternoon. While I was in Panama our house sitter reported that our venerable old snowblower had given up the ghost. I bought a new one in August, but it is still in its box awaiting the departure of the old one. I checked around but businesses wanted over  $100 to come and pick it up. Worcester has a program where, if you can transport it to their designated location, they will only charge you $5. I was sold but couldn’t get an appointment until today. In the interim I learned (thank you YouTube) how to drain the oil and gas out of it. I used a table to wheel it up into the Highlander and then removed the handle so it would fit. I had to edge it around a mound of melted chocolate and candy wrappers the FBR had left. The drop off was un-ceremonial and, as I was driving out, I felt bad that I hadn’t bid an appropriate farewell to my old friend, who accompanied me on so many cold nights out on the driveway (at least before I started escaping the winter down in Panama). If I was one to ascribe personalities to inanimate objects, that is.

My Old Friend on its Final Journey 

The granddaughters have been incredibly busy since they departed our location. The New Hampshire bunch started school on Monday, the BRS in 3^rd grade and BR3 the first. Since they still hadn’t fully recovered east coast timing from their extended west coast tour, getting them up in time for the bus was a challenge. Their parental units reported a successful start to their school year. In New Jersey, my daughter faced a similar challenge, getting the FBR up much earlier than she was used to in the summer. In this she was ably assisted by Walnut. The cat streaked into the room as soon as the door opened and launched onto the FBR’s chest where he commenced symphonic purring. The FBR, usually grouchy when awakened (inherited trait from her mother), could not be angry when confronted with Walnut. She’s had a good couple days to start the year as well, except for overlong bus rides.

Son's Family at the Monday Bus Stop

BRS and BR3 First Day of School

FBR's Frist Day of 5th Grade

Shy, As Usual

Since our time is our own once again, we’re trying to catch up on movies. We saw Mutiny featuring my wife’s designated boyfriend, Jason Statham. Mutiny is yet another in Statham’s latest action movie journey. This one is formulaic, as you would expect. Statham is typically excellent in the action mode but this movie lacked some of the heart he usually brings to his roles. He scowls throughout as the director doesn’t take advantage of his proven ability to actually act. He plays a bodyguard to a Thai billionaire and the plot has him seeking revenge for an attack on his subject. Most of the movie takes place at sea aboard a huge cargo ship. There are usual plot holes you can drive a bus through, but Statham’s action expertise saves the movie.

The Dog Stars could have been a special movie, it’s not. I was surprised Ridley Scott didn’t do a better job with this post-apocalyptic story. I know Jacob Elordi is the latest “big thing” but I lay most of the blame for this on him. He just isn’t that interesting as the lead and since most of the film revolves around his personal story, that’s a problem. He plays a mechanic/pilot who lives in an abandoned rural airport with Josh Brolin, a former Marine and deadly survivalist. Elordi is simply outmatched whenever he’s on the screen with Brolin and later with Margaret Qualley, who is once again, excellent. There are the usual rogue survivors attempting to overrun the decent folk and those action sequences are uniformly excellent. However, these are always followed with extended sequences of Elordi called upon to emote and for the most part, just look listless. This caused a screeching halt to momentum and made for a very uneven watch. They should have kept the dog around to help Elordi appear more sympathetic. A good flick, that could have been great.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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; Upstairs Neighbors – American couple and great friends who live in condo above us in Panama; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course