Catchup

I was in the august company of the Cantankerous Friend last night who took me to task for not writing more regularly here. Not unexpectedly, he did not buy my excuse of recovering from shepherding the grandkids around for two weeks. He’s very strict in that regard, probably because he’s never been assigned that mission. The real reason I haven’t written. I’m lazy, but hear me out. I’ve earned the right. Nah, didn’t think you’d buy it. Doesn’t work on my Favorite Panamanian either. I hereby pledge to be more punctual with my fractured view of my life as it unfolds.

Dinner Last Night

I have been busy in one aspect of recovering form the grandkids visit. I put on nearly twelve pounds during their stay. That was a combination of not being able to do my daily workouts and following the grandkids’ diet selections. That meant a lot more pizza and especially ice cream than my battered old body is used to. A stronger man would have been able to resist, but what can I say. I considered that all the work I put in staying in shape should allow me these hedonistic periods where I can enjoy some dippin dots with the granddaughters. I mean, I could have gone for a small or even medium size serving, but that’s water under the bridge. The business I referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph was taking off that gained weight. I’ve taken out ten, so I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get back behind the keyboard.

Birthday Cake and Bonecrusher Appear

Earlier this week, I voyaged to the accursed land of Natick where my Favorite Panamanian wanted to take advantage of the remnants of Labor Day sales. I agreed only if we could coincide the trip with movie times at the adjacent theater. I think she got the better of the deal since the movie wasn’t great and I actually fell asleep a couple times in the theater (something I never do). It could have been the reclining seats and the two hours on the bike earlier in the day. Anyways. She had a good time shopping and I earned some hero points for being her chauffer without complaining (too much).

Fully Appreciating our Rendition of Happy Birthday

Bonecrusher Gets to Sundering

Yesterday was much more entertaining. We journeyed north up to my hometown to take Keene Friend and his lady out to celebrate his upcoming birthday. That was every bit as much fun as anticipated. They are both great dinner companions and his dry humor was flying as abundantly as ever. After dinner he and I returned to his house where he was charged with babysitting me while my Favorite Panamanian undertook her requisite foray into the morass known locally as TJ Maxx.At Keene Friend’s house we encountered the Cantankerous Friend who came over to watch first the Red Sox and then the Patriots (season opener).  He regaled us with tales from his recent bike around the Emerald Isle. That included a couple crashes of his rented bike and a full-on view of a showering naked Irishman. He claimed to have a great time though. It was good for my soul to hang out with these two old friends. We also further celebrated Keene Friend’s birthday with a small cake, appropriately sundered by Bonecrusher. My shopped out (hopefully) wife and I set out for home at half time of the Pats game, which turned out to be a very good thing, considering the 4^th quarter.

The Birthday Girl Today

It’s certainly birthday season because today also marks the 94^th birthday of my mother-in-law. My Favorite Panamanian and her sisters have been conspiring for the past couple weeks to put together a special day for this very special lady. Early this morning, the neighbors took her to mass where the priest singled her out for praise, given her lifelong service to the church, and even sprinkled some holy water on her. (I smiled at that because I’m currently re-watching the Supernatural series, my son will understand). I was dragged out this afternoon to assist in the loading up the car with my wife’s annual acquisition of mums. While she was in her prolonged decision process (which I waited out in the shade), she received a video call from home where her mom’s whole family, including her surviving sister, had joined together for a birthday feast. The surprise Mariachi band is showing up later. I was glad to see how delighted the birthday girl was. Happy birthday Mami!!

Meanwhile in New Jersey The FBR with her Minions
Capturing the Effect of a Breakfast Sausage

I’ve seen two movies this week. The first was an Apple TV premier. I was surprised this didn’t make it to the big screen given that it starred Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh. Reynolds stars as a 1980s spy plane pilot shot down in the Soviet Union in the throes of glasnost. He links up with Branagh as an American-loving ex-KGB agent (weird that) living as a hermit near the crash site. They spend the movie making their away across the USSR in search of escape, with Reynolds at the top of his snarky one-liner game. This was very entertaining and they make a very interesting duo, with unexpected chemistry. A good watch.

The Coyote vs. Acme was a must see for a guy that grew up in the 1960s loving the eternal chase of the coyote for a roadrunner dinner. He depended on Acme products which always failed, spectacularly, at the worst possible moment. This film featured the animated characters living alongside humans and the coyote, after sixty years, finally decides Acme should be sued. He finds a hapless lawyer to take his case, eventually to Congress. While that is certainly fertile ground for a great movie, it was only okay. It stumbles badly whenever the focus is taken off the animated characters. The humans just can’t keep up. It was fun for this child of the 60s to see virtually every looney tunes character find their way to the big screen. A fun watch.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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