Weekend Optimization

I have become justifiably proud of my retirement weekends which, given that they are indistinguishable (in terms of responsibilities) from any other day of the week. You just got to love retirement, where every day is a Saturday. The only problem with this equation is how much faster those days go by. That being said, sometimes we have to adjust to actual weekends since some of the people we socialize with are still working stiffs. It’s nice to see that neither my Favorite Panamanian nor I haven’t forgotten how to properly celebrate weekends.

Saturday Lunch with BRS and BR3

Standardization of weekend celebrations begin with a healthy respect in recognizing the First Friday of the Week. For the second week in a row, I was able to mark that auspicious date by gathering with my former co-workers as I attempt to restart their lagging recognitions of Fridays. My departure from the scene seems to have had an impact in that area. Go figure. Anyways, we shifted our celebration away from the nasty Park Avenue traffic to gather in a former garage on Shrewsbury Street. It was a cool bar with the garage doors fully open given the unseasonably hot weather (New England weather paradigm kicking in). Apparently, the gospel of Frist Friday is not kicking in with new employees yet but the stalwart four that did assemble did the day proud.

First Friday Observation

With the weekend kicked off in genuine fashion, Saturday called for a road trip up to New Hampshire. It’s been exactly one year since we traveled to Portugal/Spain/France and met some new friends from my son’s church, which sponsored the trip. We’ve hung out with them several times since then and Sunday was the next one up. When we called my son a couple weeks ago to arrange a crash pad for the weekend, he laughed. He was just about to call us to see if we could babysit for the BRS and BR3 since he and the ABFA were headed for a surprise birthday party in Nashville, TN. While that was a great opportunity, we had already cemented the plans with our friends so we agreed to share babysitting duty with the ABFA’s parents who are also a lot of fun to hang out with.

Rare Calm Moment at the Soccer Gam with Wife and BR3

With the first weekend in a while with good (check that – fantastic) weather, a lot of people were on the road heading north along with us. Our good friend Waze redirected us through an alternate route to avoid my hated nemesis, I-495. Our later arrival meant we had to meet our co-grandparents at the BRS’ Saturday soccer game. A truly fabulous day produced a big crowd, but we quickly linked up with the ABFA’s parents. While the BRS was on the field, I found BR3 working on her upper body strength (freakishly strong granddaughters continue) at a nearby playground. As soon as I received the obligatory granddaughter hug she set off to ambush her abuela, a recurring theme with these two.

Wife was Equipped with a Lighted Headband During Cleaning Exercise

After the game we treated the granddaughters to lunch while the ABFA’s parents got a break, having been on duty since the previous day. After lunch we returned home where the granddaughters set about entertaining us. Somehow, and I’m still trying to figure how this happened, my Favorite Panamanian and the two granddaughters assembled in the girls’ playroom and decided to establish order where it was definitely lacking as a surprise for their parents. The BRS was a more than willing participant while BR3 had to be constantly reminded to contribute. I assisted by assuming couch potato position to watch college football. C’mon, someone’s gotta do it. The girls were great and I was touched that they wanted to do this to help out their parents and since they were the dedicated authors of the disarray in the first place, justice.

BR3 Being Typically Serious

In case you were worried I wasn’t getting the full granddaughter experience, don’t. The FBR went through a phase where she saw me lounging on a couch as a bona fide target. The BRS is going through the same phase and decided I needed more exercise. She and BR3 would sit next to me and claim there was no way I could catch them. I was then required to reach over and grab either their leg or hand which would set off a cacophony of noise as they tried to effect an escape, usually calling upon their sister to aid them. They thought it was a high adventure and provided their grandfather with a bit of a workout. They therefore performed their usual role of energy vampires as they got stronger in direct proportion as I lost same. My Favorite Panamanian perfumed another miracle by distracting them long enough to herd them in for showers. They emerged wearing their new towel caps and were beyond cute, although I also suffered the usual pangs of thinking they are growing up too fast. BR3 set up behind a non-working computer and played at being a working lady. Her work outfit included the towel, headphones, and a pair of goggles. It made sense to her.

Beyond Cute

Sunday morning saw the usual riotous breakfast experience, with the requisite hojaldras and corn muffins. We were scheduled to meet our friends at the 11 o’clock mass but my wife wanted to accompany the BRS to her 11 o’clock Spanish lesson because the teacher is a fellow Panamanian. She was thwarted as the teacher was late and we had to leave. As we were pulling away, she muttered about a typical Panamanian being late to her own class. I wisely kept my mouth shut at this point as I don’t believe she was seeking my honest opinion on the subject.

The Outfit

We linked up with our friends after mass and convoyed to Newmarket where we had reservations for lunch at the Riverworks Tavern. I hadn’t been to Newmarket since 2007 when the Cantankerous Friend allowed us to stay at his first post-retirement home which was across the street from the tavern. Newmarket is close to Durham where I, my son, and the ABFA had all gone to college so there were some attendant memories. Newmarket seems to have re-invented itself and could almost be classified as upscale which is a definite departure from my undergraduate days. Lunch was so much fun as we validated the friendship we forged across the ocean a year ago. We relived the memories including discovering the worst Irish Pub in the world, in Lourdes, France.

Great Friends at Sunday Lunch

It was a great afternoon with non-stop conversation and constant laughter. At some point an idea was broached about an upcoming concert in Bethlehem, NH which we committed to attending. I probably should have looked at a map ahead of time, not realizing how far north it is, but I love going to places I’ve never been before and this certainly qualifies. I’ve discovered one of the traps of getting old is being too tied to and being overly comfortable at just staying at home (I put part of that blame on my Man Cave). Having opportunities like this past weekend and the many similar ones associated with my hometown are the best medicine for that affliction and, of course, being parried to who I am is also a boon.

Son and ABFA (r) in Nashville with Friends

We returned after lunch to find the Patriots winning an exciting game as we waited for my son and the ABFA to return from their trip. They arrived to an appropriate welcome from their kids and Riggins. My Favorite Panamanian had prepared the requested meal of “albondigas” (one of my favorite words in Spanish). They recounted their adventures in music city and I got to sit on the couch with my son catching up on just about everything. A great weekend prepping me for future adventures and a really busy October/November. This coming weekend involves the reconnaissance operation for the November pub crawl! Psyched!!!

Albondigas with Some of Best People in the World

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

Firsting Once Again

One of the more welcome results of last week’s retirement luncheon with my old office mates was a determination to revive the tradition I started there of celebrating the First Friday of Each Week. I made the tactical error of choosing Peppercorns which is a great bar but requires the transition on Park Avenue in the late afternoon which is not for the weak of heart. Rookie mistake. I allowed the half hour needed to make it and arrived on time to find my former work buddies already ensconced. We proceeded to renew the bond that First Fridays were created for, catching up on the goings on and telling new stories while embellishing former ones. It’s what we do. It was a great interlude with these great people and we committed to maintaining the tradition. I chastised the guy who replaced me when we left for not realizing that our former dedicated bar, Brew City, had closed over a year ago.

Bond Renewed

Meanwhile a massive Nor’easter is blowing into New England this weekend which put a serious strain on our planned celebration of my daughter’s birthday. She and the FBR journeyed through the teeth of the storm last night in order to be in place today to go to Hartford to see someone named Olivia Rodrigo. I guess that’s a big deal but I’m clueless when it comes to music. While they await that time we are going to celebrate. My Favorite Son and his bunch are enroute and we also have my daughter’s two cats, Walnut and Pistachio, in residence which is always entertaining. Well, at least after the point early this morning when the FBR charged into our bedroom with Walnut and dumped him on me. It brought back memories of Grandpa and Abuela’s summer camp. So, no more writing because, fun is to be had, one floor above me.

Intrepid Travelers

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Walnut Sets up Shop

Who You Looking At!!!

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

Going Back Again

Yesterday was a very full day. It featured contacts from across the spectrum. It included, of course, the Favorite Panamanian who has been on one of her patented decorating booms. She mildly re-arranged the living room and then decided she needed a sewing room. Her sewing machine has been set up in the corner of our master bedroom for the last couple of years. Out of the blue, she decided the walk-in closet of one of our spare bedrooms would make an excellent location. That closet is large and has digested much of the spare blankets, quilts, sheets, and anything else that needs to be moved out of the mainstream. Come on, we all have a place like that, be honest. Anyways. She spent a couple days burrowing into that accumulation and I felt okay standing on the sidelines, one, because she never asked for help and, two, she’d put all that stuff in there to begin with. I was called upon to remove everything that didn’t make the cut, either to be donated or thrown away. She now has a sewing room, so there.

At The Game Last Night

Last night was a fun evening, laden with nostalgia, as I took in my last WooSox game of the year as their season winds down this week. I was joined by none other than, the Cantankerous Friend. He took time out of circling the globe on his bicycle long enough to join me for the game, that’s where the nostalgia came in, hanging with one of my best friends since the 3^rd grade. It had been a long time since it had just been him and I hanging out, so that made the conversation special as it offered a chance to catch up on each other’s lives without the usual attendant banter surrounding adult beverages. He also got a chance to ride in my sports car, something I don’t think he enjoyed as much as I. I may have showed off a bit when we hit the highway. A great evening, the WooSox won and he survived my driving.

The New Sewing Room

Earlier in the day, I swung by my old office as the guy who worked as my Maintenance Manager is retiring and they had a pizza lunch sendoff for him in the community room. He was one of my favorite people at work, and it was so good to see him for the first time in a few years. My Favorite Panamanian and I are attending his going away dinner tonight. As I walked up to the building I realized two things. I didn’t miss coming to work there at all, but I do miss most of the people I worked with there. I was only there for a few minutes, but I was able to catch up on some of the major events, including the high numbers of deaths that have occurred since, including the union business agent and a number of drivers. I was surprised at how much of an emotional impact that had. In the military, close working relationships usually only last a couple years but I’d worked with these guys for nearly twenty years.

Latest 1000 Piecer Finshed

Earlier in the week, on date night, my wife and I saw the movie, Runner. This features Alan Ritchson who seems to be everywhere nowadays, dominating as they finally got Reacher right. In this movie he plays a recovering alcoholic transporter in Australia who is charged with getting Owen Wilson (in full Wedding Crashers personality vibe) and a donated liver to a dying kid. The only problem being the head of a drug cartel needs the same, rare blood type liver for his mom. Setting off the predictable hijinks. The action is non-stop as the pair run through a gauntlet, not knowing who to trust. Ritchson is great as he Reachers his way through the bad guys. An underrated, but a very effective and enjoyable action flick with some unpredictable twists near the end.

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

Sub-Culturing

I was out and about today getting my wife’s car serviced and then mine inspected. These two efforts were sandwiched around a stop by the grocery store as my wife ramps up her cooking efforts with the grandkids on the agenda for next week. I’ll be looking to rent space in available freezers as she kicks that effort into high gear. I mention the errands because, as I was wandering around greater Worcester today, I realized I am now part of a sub-culture. It took me a while to realize I’m old, a bona fide senior citizen. The Cantankerous Friend was instrumental in making me come to grips with that reality when I claimed to be middle aged. Anyway, the sub-culture I’m talking about is senior citizenry.

Since I’m retired, I accomplished those errands in the middle of what used to be a work day. As I was going about, I noticed that most of the other people on the road, at the inspection station, grocery store, and the service center were all senior citizens as well (judging by the abundance of white hair in evidence). While this makes driving a bit more of an adventure than I would prefer, it brought home to me that a younger guy passing by would think the same thing about me.

While getting old comes with an abundance of issues (mostly health and memory related) there is an upside (who knew!). I can perform these errands at my leisure and avoid the crush of people when all the working stiffs get out of work. As my voyage of self-discovery continued, I realized I don’t even try to go to Home Depot on weekends any more and my obsession with the movies is addressed by weekday matinees. It turns out, between 10AM and 3PM, the seniors dominate the world. I could just be looking for an upside but what the hell, why not. Getting old is not all that bad and to once again quote my Cantankerous Friend – it certainly beats the alternative. I finished another puzzle, because, as a senior, I have the time for such mundane pleasures. Faux philosophy session ends.

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

Falling In

The house has undergone its annual transformation. I heard my Favorite Panamanian rooting around the storage area of the basement outside the Man Cave earlier today. I’m always concerned when her activities approach the Cave since our deal is, this place remains outside her sphere of control. It was a hard-fought concession, but she’s mostly kept away from trying to redesign my lair. This was not easy for her, especially given her very realistic assessment of my taste. It turned out she was just searching for her autumnal house decorations, consisting of a bevy of glass pumpkins, small gourds, and a bunch of other seasonally derived artifacts. I was immediately drafted to carry the items up the stairs while she continued to delve. I came back from the pool later to find the house transformed as only she can do it. She even had an apple spice candle lending further atmosphere.

Scenes from the House

I should mention at this point that I am writing this blog post on the new computer. As I alluded to in my last post, I was nervous about transferring all the programs and information from the old, damaged computer to this new one. I consider it no small point of pride that I was able to accomplish this without any assistance from my IT Section (my children and their spouses). It took about three hours, the length of the Red Sox game playing in the background. I was sorely tempted at certain points to reach out to the IT gurus, but I stumbled through the exercise, relying on their past lessons and from paying attention from days of employment when the IT guy would come to fix issues with my work computer. So, I am writing this with a fully intact computer screen for the first time in over two years, kind of weird, but I’ll take it. Thanks again to my Favorite Son for advising on the purchase.

We had an interesting road trip last night instead of our usual Date Night. We’re taking a trip to Italy in late October and last night there was a meeting of the tour group, held in our old church in Charlton. Since the traffic in Worcester was uncharacteristically cooperative, we reached Charlton with a lot of time to spare. We used that time to cruise by our old house which still has a special place in both our hearts. The trees I planted are now huge, a true indication of the nine years it's been since we left. On a whim (actually, the fervent guidance of my Favorite Panamanian) we pulled in to visit our former next-door neighbors. She was out in her back yard with her twin sons. They were newborns when we left and had grown even more than the trees. It was a great few minutes catching up with her although her husband and two older girls (who might even remember us) were not there.

Entering the church was equally nostalgic since it is the repository of so many memories as well, including my daughter’s wedding. The pastor, Father Bob, who officiated at that wedding, will be going on the tour with us and organized the meeting. We were supposed to take this trip last year when it included a trip to the Holy Land as well as Italy. The trip was postponed when the war with Hamas burst after the cowardly October 7 attacks. That war is still rumbling so the tour was modified to include a trip to the former Yugoslavia instead of Israel. We learned the specific itinerary yesterday and my wife is on Cloud 9. She is a very serious Catholic and we’re doing some extensive religious based tourism. We spend a couple days in the Vatican as well as a trip to Assisi. My wife was excited about the St Francis site but more so about the tomb of Carlo Acutis. She had regaled me, at length, a couple months ago about a young Italian who died young but is on the road to sainthood based on his deep faith and miracles associated with him. He died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, offering his suffering for the pope and for the Church. His body has not decomposed at all and is located in Assisi.

My Favorite Panamanian is also a big devotee of the Virgin Mary (I know, most of you are asking how she ended up with me). In 1981, six children and teenagers reported seeing visions of the Madonna on a hill in the village of Medjugorje, located in the wine-making region of southern Bosnia. That village has become a huge pilgrimage site and that’s where we’re headed after Italy. So, I’m finally getting to Bosnia. I was scheduled to do so in the late 1990s with a battalion of well-armed friends. I can’t say anything more about that other than it was canceled at the last minute. So, there’s that. It should be an interesting trip as we get to Bosnia by traveling through Switzerland and Croatia. Our return trip to the States will include a stop off in Amsterdam. I’m not as excited about the religious nature of this trip but I’m very happy my wife gets to experience this. She rangered her way through the weather of my dream trip of Ireland and Scotland earlier this year, so it’s only fair.

Four movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: Lucky Number Slevin, fantastic cast with fascinating black comedy plot; Lucy, awesome Luc Besson sci fi with Scarlett at her peak; Machete, very funny Robert Rodriguez action/comedy, how the hell did he get DeNiro to do this?; Mackenna’s Gold, old time, favorite western from the 60s, Peck was such a movie star and Julie Newmar, a childhood crush.

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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 (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

Trees and Memories

Well, the Christmas tree is up. After the kids left on Sunday, we returned to our old Charlton haunts to pick one up as anything surrounding Christmas was bound to lift spirits after the aforementioned departures. As usual, my involvement was getting the tree inside and standing with the lights on. After that point I am forbidden from participation in the decorating process. I think it has something to do with my absolute lack of any sense of style. Each year, when I see what my Favorite Panamanian renders, I understand. She has once again created a beautiful Christmas tree. Now, all we need are a few grandchildren careening around the house to herald the actual holiday.

Tree is Up, My Work is Done

So My Wife Could Do this

We awoke this morning to some really good news from Panama. The country has been in gridlock for months with most of the roads blocked in protest of a new contract the government signed with a Canadian mining company to open a huge open pit copper mine in the Panamanian rain forest. There was an outcry from the entire company as most people realized most of the money gleaned would end up in the politicians’ pickets while the environmental damage would be devastating. Yesterday the supreme court, bowing to the tidal wave of popular discontent, ruled the contract was unconstitutional and today the roads started opening up. My Favorite Panamanian was in tears upon hearing the news and spent most of the morning celebrating via Facetime with her family in Panama.

I know it’s hard to believe (based on how long the last post was) but I forgot to include one of the funniest moments from the past weekend. On Friday, at Great Aunt’s house, I was watching some football with Wingman when someone came in to tell me some horrible news. The ABFA had taken it upon herself to teach my Favorite Panamanian how to shop online. Anyone who knows my wife realizes she is an absolute savant when it comes to shopping but she has always been stymied when confronted with the electromagnetic spectrum, relying on me to make online purchases. I was happy with this brief respite from the relentless attack on financial resources my wife’s shopping usually entails. Upon hearing the news, I bellowed (loudly), “She did what!!!!” and set out for the table where the ABFA and my wife were sitting. The ABFA upon hearing my roar started sinking below table level cautioning everyone to be quiet. That’s where I found her when I came into the room and it was too funny. I love her and have no illusions about any of her lessons sticking. My Favorite Panamanian will never give up the primacy of grazing actual stores.

The ABFA, Hearing of my Approach

I heard of the passing of one of the biggest influences in my Army career today. Colonel Bill Williamson was my regimental commander in the Old Guard in the early 1980s and selected me for company command. I was thinking of getting out of the Army after command and he, more than anyone, convinced me to stay. He saw something in me and made sure my professional record noted that with phenomenal command performance reports. In a strange twist of fate, when I retired and began work in the transit industry we were reunited. He was a senior vice president in the company I went to work for and once again went out of his way to make sure I was being taken care of. He could never get me to stop calling him "Sir", even though we retired at the same rank. We exchanged emails over the past few years and when they stopped a month ago I began to wonder. I heard the news of his passing from one of my former transit contacts and it caused me to reflect on how much I owed him for my success in the Army. Tough, but a very fair commander, who taught me a lot.

R.I.P. Sir, Thanks for the Guidance

Two movies fell in my A-Z watch, both keepers: The Heat, so funny, with Bullock serving as able foil to hilarious McCarthy; and Heavy Metal, have always just loved this animated movie featuring everything an arrested adolescent would want in a move (is it possible to fall in love with a cartoon character(s)?).

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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; Soxfather - my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Two in a Row

For those of you still astounded that I completed a day of working on a do-it-yourself project without any donation of blood or other body parts to the effort, prepare to be further amazed. I was back at my next-door neighbor’s deck again yesterday where I completed the installation of the lattice work and once again my Favorite Panamanian is completely mystified because I emerged without bodily injury. She had to shelf the fully prepared first aid kit she had taken out. The neighbor was properly appreciative and gifted me with a case of beer afterwards.

The Gang Last Night

With the Maintenance Manager

There was also another mini-mini-reunion as several of my former co-workers came over for a Deckzilla First Friday celebration. Once again it was great to see these old friends, while I still miss the people, I certainly don’t miss the work. Especially after getting the latest run down of the challenges they face. One of them nonchalantly mentioned that her kidneys are failing, adding to a litany of other serious ailments she’s faced and conquered over the past decade. She’s like the energizer bunny and an object lesson to not go thirty years between doctor visits. I was especially pleased to hang with my former maintenance manager who had also faced a series of health issues as well as he looked spry and healthy once again. Speaking of reunions I received a couple more pictures from the official photographer, included below.

The Completed Project

With Keene Friend at old High School

Keene Friend 2 and the CRC

With Cantankerous in the Auto Shop

Three movies fell in my A-Z watch, all keepers: Gamer, non-stop violence in a future world of gaming gone amok; Gangster Squad, so much better than I remembered; and Gardens of Stone, of course I’m keeping it, I’m in it!

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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; Soxfather - my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Never Forget

The words below are the same I publish each year on September 11 to remember that day in 2001. I was assigned to the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. I remember a beautifully clear day where the oppressive summer Washington, DC heat was finally gone. We had recently dropped off my daughter for her freshman year at Boston University, my son was a junior in high school, and my wife worked at an adult day care facility in Northern Virginia. I was actually in a satellite office in Crystal City while our Pentagon offices were refurbished. My morning routine was to head out for a run along the Potomac River where there was a nice running trail. I ran around the Pentagon and glanced over at the helipad where I had taken several trips out of and then wound my way down to the river. I had just reached the river, on the opposite side of the Pentagon from the helipad, and turned south when I heard a very loud bang. There was always a lot of construction going on in nearby Crystal City so I initially thought that someone had used a little too much explosive for a new roadway.

Red X is Where the Plane Went in, Blue Line is my Running Route that Day
Yellow X is Where I was When the Plane Hit

As I continued my run I heard police sirens blooming from every direction. I reached a gap in the trees and could see a column of smoke rising from the Pentagon. I had just about reached the point where the running trail nears National Airport and I was greeted by a truly surreal sight. The airport, in reaction to the earlier attacks in New York City, was being emptied. People, with their luggage in tow, were wandering down the running trail with no real sense of where they were going, only that they had been ordered to leave the terminal. I gave directions to the nearest hotel to some and then headed back to my office, by now the sirens were almost deafening and traffic had come to a complete stop in both directions on the nearby George Washington Parkway. When I reached my office I learned the true scope of the disaster and watched the towers fall on a TV someone had set up in their cubicle. There were a series of follow up explosions as transformers blew up in reaction to the Pentagon disaster. A couple guys and I made our way over to the Pentagon to see if we could help with any evacuation but the area was already cordoned off. We helped the rapidly growing casualty collection in the south parking lot; there were a lot of dazed civilian workers. The military, even those wounded, were trying to help out; we all realized we had just gone to war. Eventually we were ushered away as more of the professional emergency workers showed up. I returned to my office and decided it would be a good idea to let my family know I was alive. I called my wife who had heard and was just about to go into full blown panic mode. I called Boston University because I didn’t have my daughter’s dorm room number with me and when I explained where I was calling from the operator connected me directly, even though that wasn’t usually allowed. I spoke with my daughter’s roommate who promised to find my daughter and let her know. A similar call to my son’s high school followed by a call to my mother’s house. I had to leave a message there since she out shopping and she later told me that was the best phone message she ever received because she had convinced herself I had been killed after hearing the news on the car radio.

All buses, my normal way home, were shut down at the Pentagon. Washington DC was shutting down and everybody was released from work at the same time. I went to the Metro station and waited while five different trains, packed to the gills, went by until I was able to squeeze into one. I rode it as far as I could and then walked up to a nearby mall where I could wait for my wife to come pick me up. I sat in a bar and watched the day’s events unfold on TV. One of the other patrons claimed to have been driving on I-395 and saw the plane plow into the Pentagon. He said he would never forget seeing the airline lettering so clear and so close. The plane went right into the area near the helipad, where I had run ten minutes before. After an hour the entire mall closed and I had to go wait outside a bookstore, also closed, for about two hours before my wife was able to get me. One of the most memorable and cherished things from that horrible day were the phone calls we received all that night as friends and family from around the world, knowing I was assigned to the Pentagon, called to insure I was okay. My wife was a little shocked the next day when I told her I was going back to work but I needed to, I was so angry. It didn’t help when I arrived at the Pentagon, smoke still rising with bodies still unrecovered, that I was greeted by a group of protesters reveling in the destruction. It took a lot of self-restraint not to kick some serious ass at that point. I was so glad Clinton was out of office because I knew he would have been incapable of making the tough decisions required by this act. He would have thrown a few cruise missiles and called it a day. 

We, as a nation, learned that day that there are some people who cannot be reasoned with and needed to die; that was the only way to end the threat and that you couldn’t do it from a distance. I also remembered the way the country came together for a short time and I felt glad my kids were around to see it; to see what a united America was like. This eroded over time as the politicians felt safe enough to stop cooperating again, but it did happen. It was another object lesson for evil as well, don’t wake up the sleeping giant, when you do, be prepared to experience unprecedented wrath. These were my memories of the day when everything changed, but maybe not enough.

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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; Soxfather - my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course