Pioneer Valley Peering

Okay, lots of photos today as I try to recapture our leaf peeping adventures yesterday.  My wife and I do this every year for the Columbus Day holiday and were joined this year by our daughter and the Wing Man.  I got the impression the Wing Man would rather undergo a frontal lobotomy without anesthesia instead of riding around in a car all day looking at trees but he was a good sport nonetheless. 

Daughter and Wing Man

Since we had to end the day in Southern Connecticut to get them on a NYC bound train we modified our usual itinerary to Western Massachusetts and eschewed Vermont and New Hampshire.  We even thought about getting them to a train in upper New York state since we’d be right next door but opted for Connecticut (because we love sitting in traffic so much). 

It was kind of a gloomy day but the trees were in rare form due to the dry summer.  We wandered through some back roads on our way west and were blessed with some great views except for the twenty minutes spent trailing an overloaded semi.  There were numerous spots where passing was allowed on the winding roads but since my death wish hasn’t fully emerged we spent the twenty minutes in trail formation.

I mapped out a route that would take us on a fairly straight line towards North Adams and a favorite restaurant but at a certain point I realized I was heading south when I should have been going west.  My daughter had been interviewing me for an author friend who is writing a book and asked her to get me to answer some background questions.  Apparently I was so totally impressed with myself as I waxed eloquent that I missed a critical turn.  We survived this geographic embarrassment with a map hastily purchased from some Pakistanis (do they own every convenience store in the Western world yet?) and some fine back road navigation assisted by the wife, daughter, and Wing Man. 

I’m kind of strange in that I love travelling on roads that I’ve never been on before and this episode provided the opportunity to do that.  I also learned there are certain parts of Western Massachusetts that are remote enough to bring back memories of the very deep South, real Foxworthy country.  We emerged back on track and arrived at the Golden Eagle restraint which is perched on a hair pin turn high above North Adams.  The view is truly memorable and the food is always outstanding.  We braved the long lines for the miniature rest rooms with some hot cider and chowder.  I like the Eagle because it reminds me of the family restaurants of my youth that used to be so prevalent before succumbing to today's tidal wave of franchised eateries.

The Golden Eagle 

Inside the Eagle

My Lunch Date

We made our way back east along the Mohawk Trail (boasting some really tacky wooden statues) and stopped in at Shelburne Falls.  My wife and I stumbled upon this picturesque town on an earlier Columbus Day jaunt and wanted to show our companions the Bridge of Flowers.  The side trip was totally worth it when we happened upon Mo’s Fudge Factor right at the end of the bridge.  I’m now adding Mo’s dark chocolate and orange fudge to my personal culinary hall of fame.  I almost turned the car around and went back for more after I finished a huge piece.  According to my wife the piece was supposed to last several days (pardon me while I laugh uproariously).

The Bridge of Flowers - An Old Railroad Bridge Turned into a Garden

The Crew on the Bridge

My Daughter Looking Down River

Daughter on the Bridge - Mo's is Right About Where the Flag in the Background is

Wife Photographing Every Single Flower

The last part of the day was decidedly sub-par.  Not only did we have to relinquish the company of the daughter and Wing Man but Connecticut reared its ugly traffic head again.  The last thing I needed after six hours of driving was to sit in traffic.  Connecticut’s traffic engineers must have been dropping some serious acid during their design phases.  My daughter tried to help by monitoring police positioning for the times we were actually moving and stumping me with musical movie trivia.  It was tough dropping them off and returning to the empty house.

Wife Outside Golden Eagle - She Spent a Lot of the Day Texting Pictures to Panama

Some would call is strange that I travel so far to see leaves that are spectacular but not any better than I am surrounded with each day near my home.  If you haven’t guessed already, it really isn’t about looking at leaves as much as it is spending a day with people I love.

So Cute

Less Cute

Great Travelling Companions

One Very Lucky Guy

Fantasy Footballs Judged

The inevitable valley yesterday whilst descending from the peak experience of Saturday.  The Keene Friend performed one of his early morning departure routines and was gone by the time the sane people in the house arose.  Our ranks were soon depleted even more when the ABFA and son were summoned back to their life in Portsmouth.  These cruel blows would have been really tough to endure if not for the continued presence of my daughter and the Wing Man.

We were all looking forward to an afternoon on the couch while our respective fantasy football teams vied on the incomparable Red Zone.  We first had to get through the Patriots game where they faced a suddenly relevant, or so they thought, Buffalo team.  In the end they were still the Bills and the Patriots handled them like little children who’d wandered off the reservation and needed to be reminded of the proper food chain.  A couple of what looked like serious injuries to key players was the only downers.

This Guy is Definitely Back

Our fantasy team rallied from it debacle last week and sits atop a comfortable lead heading into today’s final game.  It did help that our opponent, the ABFA’s parents, had a player on their team who didn’t even suit up this week.  The ABFA also handily beat her husband, our son, to prove that victory last week over us was no fluke.  My daughter and the Wing Man were juggling several teams in different leagues and as we neared seven PM were in high voice when several unfortunate plays crushed their chances.  I don’t think the Washington Redskins quarterback will be invited to any of the Wing Man’s parties.

The Fantasy Football Field Yesterday

As the sun set we were forced to hit Ronnie’s one more time for ice cream since my daughter missed out on Saturday.  These are the type of sacrifices that prove our dedication as parents.  Since everyone except the Wing Man could care less about the baseball playoffs we left him at home while we went to see a late night showing of The Judge.  This is a legal drama that couldn’t really make up its mind what kind of movie it wanted to be and strayed into the melodramatic when it didn’t have to.  All that being said the acting craft displayed lifted the mundane material.

Robert Downey Jr. plays a big city lawyer called home to defend his estranged father, Robert Duvall, from a murder charge.  The supporting cast is similarly talented and the scenes between the two leads were worth the price of admission.  Downey is a much better actor than demonstrated in Iron Man and he more than holds his own with the legendary Duvall.  It’s a shame that neither of the lead characters were very likable because there’s no one to root for.

Today is a day off from work (Thanks Chris!) so we’ll be taking our annual Columbus Day leaf peeping tour through Western Massachusetts.  For the second year in a row our daughter will be with us although this will be the Wing Man’s first such trip.  We’ll be answering the age old question, “Can a rock musician truly enjoy a day spent looking at colorful leaves?”  I’ll report on the answer tomorrow.

Fired Up Birthday Celebration

The ABFA and Daughter at Breakfast Being Counseled by my Wife in Her Swami Getup

Every now and then, if you’re lucky enough, a day like yesterday rolls around.  I knew a certain level of serious contentment permeated the household because for the first time in years I slept until 9am.  I usually wake up and am out of bed by 7am at the latest.  I blame Uncle Sam and 27 years in the infantry for that failure to enjoy a morning bed.  Both of our “kids” as well as their significant others – Wing Man and the ABFA were under our roof so the sense of contentment was understanding and palatable.

Buddy Leading a Planning Session

By late morning we had all descended to the kitchen where a breakfast that could be more accurately described as brunch was undertaken. The big event for the day was a late celebration of my daughter’s September birthday.  This required the attendant grocery and liquor store runs which the guys handled, more to get out from under foot of the taskmaster than anything else.  Before the party kicked off though, we had an obligatory trip to Ronnie’s for the ABFA.  It would be criminal if a world class level ice cream devotee had to pass an entire season without a Ronnie’s fix.  Ronnie’s is closing for the season today.  Balance was restored to the universe with a healthy serving of the cold stuff before the party.

ABFA, Wife and Son at Ronnie's

My brother in law couldn’t attend the party but did stop in for an entire six minutes before he sped off to attend the Bruins game (we definitely got a better deal than he did).  We were all touched that he came all the extra way just to pop in and say hi – my kids have that effect on people.  His wife, my sister, showed up fashionably late and was spending the night as well – score!

Party Time

In short order both the ABFA’s parents and Keene Friend showed up and the retinue was complete.  We immediately gathered around the kitchen island and laughter ensued.  I’ve said it before but it bears repeating – being around these people is medicinal in terms of spiritual health.  I then attempted to burn down the deck by igniting a huge conflagration in the grill.  Kind of a sick feeling when you look out the window and see massive flames leaping from the location of your dinner.  Luckily it was noticed in time to quell the flames and rescue the steaks, thanks to my son for that.  It didn’t happen in time to quell the rather sharp observations of a certain spousal unit about my lack of attention.

Such Great People

Dinner continued the fun and laughter with Buddy circling ominously around the table trying to pick off stray bits of food that left the safety of the surface.  He spent most of his time near my sister, having quickly identified the weak link.  Fantasy football was the subject of choice since we had all eight teams of the league represented.  The ABFA parents learned they were in first place and the ABFA mother immediately started talking smack – so funny.

Daughter With her Cake

The obligatory ice cream birthday cake followed (ABFA approved I might add) which involved my daughter once again wielding the family sword of power.  She sundered the cake apart we all dove in despite already full stomachs.  The ABFA’s parents had to depart after cake in order to return home and plot their next fantasy football ploys.

Wielding the Sword of Power
The Guys Seem Nervously Calm 

Since I did not want to fall captive to the couch I proclaimed that a bon fire and marshmallows were called for and endeavored to make this so.  We moved the chimena off the back deck out onto the lawn which reduced the chance of immolating the residence.  It was a great fall night with the stars bearing witness to the continued laughter.  A thick mist descended over the course of the evening and our fire created a center of warmth inside a cocoon of cold, wet fog.  Adult beverages were involved of course and as the both the wood and beverage supply dwindled the laughter increased. 

Group Picture 

At one point I avenged many of the childhood indignities inflicted upon me by Miss Oh So Perfect – older sister by “accidently” dowsing her over the head with a full glass of wine.  The official story is that I was handing her a glass of wine and incorrectly thought she had it.  The ABFA looked on horrified as the wine inundated my unfortunate sister.  My sister wore her wine well though and this will just add to the legendary status of the day.  The Keene Friend spent the entire time goading confrontations and then sitting back to watch the carnage he had wrought.  The decibel level of the laughter increased to the point I was starting to expect the police to show up asking us to quiet down (bringing back other childhood memories).  Our neighbors are much cooler than that though and allowed us full throat until the wood was gone and we’d made a serious dent in the world’s supply of chardonnay.

The Fire, Sister on the Left Before her Wine Shampoo

We ended the night in the family room with various members drifting off to sleep and then deciding to go to bed.  It was a heroic day which is fitting because we were celebrating the birth of a truly epic person.

And It Feels So Good

Reunited with both “kids” last night as well as the ABFA and Wing Man; yesterday definitely goes down in the win column.  It was one of those days that seemed to crawl by at work because I knew what was waiting for me at the end of a long trip to Connecticut.  I made the obligatory First Friday stop at Brew City and stunned the wait staff when I limited myself to one beer.  I left them in a shocked state to make my way south through the apocalyptic holiday weekend traffic of the Nutmeg State.

The evil masterminds behind Connecticut traffic woes must have been a  little overwhelmed with the volume yesterday and didn’t notice us because we snuck down without a problem.  Both coming and going there was serious traffic jams but they were on the other side of the highway each time.  After my recent highway adventures I was a little nervous but I’m convinced Someone is looking out for me. 

My daughter and Wing Man missed an early train so we pulled into a rest area to wait for a half hour.  During that time a very bad accident took place behind us that we saw on our trip back.  Sometimes it just pays to be lucky.  Since we were now equipped with my daughter’s “spot a cop” app which pinpoints speed traps we made the trip home at a fairly legendary pace.

We were also speaking with my son and the ABFA who had arrived and they became the quartering party at Zorbas.  The pizzas were cooking when we arrived and the group was together for the first time in all too long (even though it had only been a month).  The table immediately descended into a maelstrom of conversation that only a family can produce as condensed catching up was required. 

Family Together at Zorba's Last Night
From Left, Wing Man, Daughter, ABFA, Son & Wife

The conversation and laughter continued at home where we gathered around the kitchen island.  A couple times I took a step back and just basked in the feeling of family that is all too fleeting considering the fast paced lives of the young‘uns.  At some point stupid cat videos were brought up on the omnipresent computers and the laughter went to another level.  People started drifting off to bed around midnight as we had all traveled a long way over the course of the day.

The Wing Man and I (because this is what wing men do) decided to check out the end of the baseball playoff game.  We saw the Royals go ahead in the tenth inning.  I woke up just as the last out of the game was made and looked over to find the Wing Man similarly consciousness challenged.  We declared victory and headed upstairs.  Yep, definitely a win on any scoreboard.

Explosive Lunch Gone

Back in the Saddle Again - Wife and I Yesterday

My wife recovered enough to attend my weekly luncheon with her son yesterday.  She felt that she owed this to her public due to the numerous phone calls she received from friends inquiring about her health.  Every time she had to field a call I would get one of the patented withering looks along with a demand that I stop writing about her in the blog.  Yeah, right, like that’s going to happen.  I gently remind her each time that for all intents and purposes she is the breakout star of the blog.  Well her, Buddy and the ABFA.

Lunch Selfie With Son

The ABFA’s less physically gifted spouse (talk bad about my fantasy football team will ya!) was a great lunch companion.  The addition of his mother to the mix geometrically increased the length of time spent at lunch though.  The term “laconic” will never be used in describing my wife, his mother.  She can cram one minute’s worth of information into a ten minute story with ease and do so charmingly every time.  My son and I are a little more terse in our communication so she was a welcome addition to the mix.

I am seriously considering giving up driving on the interstate highways.  A couple weeks ago I was fortunate enough to drive directly under a semi-trailer accident on an overpass (see September 13 post) that cost me a flat tire and additional gray hair (despite my abundant assemblage already).  We were driving back from lunch yesterday a couple lanes over from and behind a semi towing dual trailers when one of the tires on the trailer literally exploded.  The truck started weaving trying to maintain control while the rest of us were dodging the debris raining down as well as the semi; dammit – more gray hair.

We finally got to see Gone Girl last night and it did not disappoint.  Fincher can do so much with a crime story and he brings a character here that will enter the cinema hall of fame for villains.  The mystery is removed fairly early but that just permits the exploration of the depth of pure evil in this character.  I won’t ruin it for you by saying more other than you’ve got to see this movie.

It’s the best thing Affleck ever done acting wise and Pike certainly left her Bond girl status well behind.  The story revolves around Affleck’s missing wife (Pike) and whether he killed her or not.  Fincher offers a withering indictment of America’s penchant of rushing to judgment with empty headed, big mouthed “legal experts” assaulting the air waves with their theories.  Definitely one of the best movies of the year, there were several gasp out load moments as well as nearly continuous tension.  You’re almost out of breath by the end – don’t miss this one.  Neil Patrick Harris is definitely going to stick to dudes after this experience.

As my wife likes to describe it, we get to be parents again this weekend.  Both "kids" and their significant others - Wing Man and the ABFA - are coming in tonight.  Frivolity shall ensue.

Bruin Recovery Strained

Back Yard This Morning - Bright Moon over the Pine Tree

My wife recovered well enough from her cold yesterday to host a surprise dinner guest as one of the Latin Mafia showed up unexpectedly to compare the last throes of the flower gardens.  This amped up the decibel level in the kitchen to the point that ear phones were required in Couch Potato Position #1 as I wandered through all the blu ray extras for Edge of Tomorrow which was even better when I watched it for the second time. 

Buddy and I Last Night

Buddy shared my concern for the auditory level (loudest one gets to talk) and joined me on the couch.  He’s picked up a new habit of sitting down next to me and then leaning back until he falls on his spine next to me.  This leaves his belly in prime rubbing position which he graciously allows me to administer.  Yesterday he enjoyed it so much that he didn’t bother to get up and actually fell asleep.  My wife thought we both looked ridiculous enough to snap a few photos.  Buddy earnestly believes he is human.

Then He Fell Asleep

Something decidedly not human is a TV series my son hooked me up with – The Strain.  I watched the season finale last night and it’s scary enough to only view during daylight hours.  A master vampire is slowly taking over NYC as legions of victims are turned.  If you haven’t seen this yet and enjoy the horror genre – check it out.

Speaking of horror shows, with the Red Sox season ending in July I missed my nightly sports watching outside of getting pummeled on Sunday in fantasy football.  That was corrected last night as the Bruins returned to action.  They still play in the slow, methodical, almost maddening manner which has the sole benefit of being extremely effective.  They won a thrilling game in the last two minutes over a tough Philly team.  I love the pace of hockey compared to other sports and the athletes actually seem to care about the fans which is nice departure.  The advent of high definition television has made it a lot more watchable as well. 

Kelly Scores Winning Goal Last Night
If he Returns to Form We Could be in for a Ride

Last Rapps

My wife continues to improve in her fight against a particularly nasty cold.  She’s returned to the phone lines which I take as a sign of significant improvement.  I did my part by surprising her with some roses – never underestimate the medical effects of floral arrangements in a marriage. She did not feel well enough to go the movies last night which turned out to be godsend.

Yesterday's Cold Remedy

I wasn’t so lucky.  She kicked me out of the house to allow her more quality phone time and knew I was jonesing a bit for my weekly cinema fix.  Since we’re saving Gone Girl until she’s well again I went to see Left Behind which I thought, from the previews, looked like a cool science fiction flick.  The word “cringe-worthy” leapt to mind less than ten minutes into this abomination and it only went down from there.  It is sad to see a once talented actor like Nicholas Cage sunk to this level.  Most of his stuff heads right to DVD now and he seems lost.

So Bad!

This is another one of those apocalyptic “rapture“ movies when millions of people suddenly disappear.  Cage plays a philandering airline pilot who’s trying to get back to his family in NYC with a panicked planeload after the mass disappearance.  There is absolutely nothing to recommend about this movie – the writing is awful although not as bad as the acting.  This may, in time, reach cult status for the stratospheric unintentional comedy level.  This is definitely a front runner for the worst movie of 2014 – a stinker on every level.

Yet another downer yesterday was finishing my last Mitch Rapp book, The Last Man by Vince Flynn.  I was dreading this because Mitch has definitely carved out a niche in my pantheon of literary action heroes joining the likes of Travis McGee, Jack Reacher, and Lucas Davenport.  Flynn tragically died last year at a very young age and I don’t want to say goodbye to Mitch and the surrounding characters which Flynn forced me to love.  Another and very heartfelt shout out to my secret 7th grade crush from Fitzy’s science class for bringing Flynn into my life, thank you very, very much.

Mitch is back in Afghanistan in the wake of the abduction of the CIA biggest asset.  He’s once again fighting the terrorists on one side and the progressive Washington politicians on the other.  The action is as unrelenting as the body count.  While the themes are the same I think Flynn knew this might be his last book because he brings back some old characters and puts Rapp in a good place by the end of the book.

The Kindle tells you how far, percentagewise, you are into the book.  I was filled with a little bit of anger as I reached the nineties and knew Mitch only had a few more pages to thrill on.  It was very much like saying goodbye to a very good friend.  I remember the same feeling when John D. MacDonald passed and I knew there would not be any more Travis McGees.   

I was surprised to learn this morning that the Flynn estate has commissioned another thriller writer, Kyle Mills, to continue the Rapp series so we haven’t seen the last on my redoubtable hero.  I’ll withhold judgment until I see his work – Flynn set the bar pretty high.  So, since I burned through all thirteen Rapp novels entirely too quickly I’m in search of another author to similarly abuse.  Anybody out there have any recommendations?  Maybe I’ll go back and re-read the McGee series.  It’s been nearly thirty years and I could use some time on the Busted Flush.

See You Soon Old Friend