Long Day’s Journey to Happiness

First Sighting of the Favorite Panamanian

Yesterday was a very long day but I consider it more than well spent since I ended up with a certain Favorite Panamanian in my lap. I still can’t believe it was in the mid-fifties when I left Worcester at 4:30am. It was strange to wake up in a Buddy-less house but that did make leaving infinitely easier. I owe a huge debt to my sister who loves having him as a guest member of her wolf pack.

The First Atlas

Yesterday was the first time in the many trips I’ve made on Copa Airlines that I was disappointed in them. I did the web check and already had my boarding pass but it still took nearly an hour to through the check in process. The people who didn’t do the web check in moved much faster. When I finally reached the counter and asked the guy what the problem was he didn’t have a good answer. I think the problem was in personnel because I was watching one ticket agent who only processed three people during that hour. I hope this isn’t a new trend. The service on the airplane was the usual top notch I’ve come to expect from Copa. I was seated next to a lady who lives a couple streets away from my sister; I love the small world moments life occasionally throws your way.

Brother in Law and His Wife Welcoming me Back

I had a two hour layover in Panama City where I availed myself of the first Atlas of the trip. There’s kind of a strange arrangement for domestic flights in Panama which have to use a different entrance point than the vast majority of flights (all international) for reasons I don’t understand. They put you on a bus that brings you out onto the tarmac and drops you at one of the gates of the main terminal, again, I’m sure there’s a good reason but I can’t figure it out. We were supposed to board at 4:44 but we still hadn’t moved to the bus at 5:10 so I assumed there was no way we were going to make it. Somehow everyone got on the bus and on the plane so we only left fifteen minutes late. They chopped more time off on the forty minute flight to David. This is eminently more agreeable than the old eight hour bus ride.

Arms Happily Full

While waiting for the luggage in David I got my first glimpse of my Favorite Panamanian and the long day suddenly was more than worth it. It was so cool to be in that familiar presence again; we’ve been apart way too much this year. She had already cycled through two rental cars since the first one was infested with ants. She was accompanied by her younger sister, the leader of the PanaGals. We followed her home where the entire family had gathered to welcome me back.

Leader of the PanaGals - Finally Behind Bars

A number of Atlas’ later the laughter had still not ebbed. We had a FaceTime call with my Cali-Daughter which allowed her grandmother and aunts some extended “cooing” time. They have determined that based on her preference for her left hand that she's going to be a lefty. This made her great-grandmother, the only true southpaw in the family, very happy.  There had to be a break in the festivities when all the ladies gathered around the TV to watch a critical episode in the tele-novella they’re all watching. Somehow they’ve made a novella about the Ottoman Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent; some things just don’t make sense.

A Screen Capture From my Face Time Call with Granddaughter Wednesday Night

It was so good to be around my wife’s lively family again. I cherish these times when I get immersed in their love of life. My father in law even purchased a huge supply of gingerbread bars which he knows I love. It only gets better this weekend when the ABFA and Favorite Son join us on Saturday followed by the California contingent (granddaughter included!) on Sunday. The word “better” fails to adequately address the emotions involved. Oh, and I just heard Worcester is getting 8-10 inches of snow today!

Turnover Maneuvers Continue Apace

The Stay Puff Marshmallow Baby - Who Ya Goin to Call?

Deployment Day

A very early post today because by the time most of you are reading this I hope to be in the air headed towards my favorite Panamanian. A very nice change this year as I don’t have to dodge snow storms which delayed vacation last year by a couple days. It’s a very early February morning and the temperature outside is still in the 50’s, a very nice switch. I had to do the usual rushing around on the last day of work before vacation. Since it rained most of the day yesterday (and I hate driving at night in the rain) I took a long lunch to drive Buddy down to his vacation home in Rhode Island. He loves going to dog paradise or as it’s known in other circles, my sister’s house. His cousin Remy was overjoyed to have Buddy to torment into playing with him again. We tried to get them to stop for a second to take a picture with my sister and that proved impossible; too much going on in the canine greeting rituals which were being strictly adhered to.

The Closest We got to a Group Photo

I finally had the follow up appointment yesterday with a neurologist about the scary headaches of the month past. She put me through a battery of tests and after reviewing the CT scan diagnosed the headaches as exertion related. She said these should not be a problem going forward and since there’s been no reoccurrences in the past month I should be fine. A huge weight lifted off my mind and I now feel a little silly for worrying about them as much as I did. At least I know now, I’ll just add it as yet another chapter in why getting old sucks.

Coming home to a Buddy-less home after work reinforced how much I count on the beast for companionship during these lonely months. There were also  calls from both of my kids coordinating our link up plans for the weekend which helped immensely. I’m almost in the giddy zone having all of them, including the ABFA and Wingman, not to mention the star of the show – the First Blog Reader – all under the same roof for the first time. By late Sunday morning that eventuality will be realized – like I said – giddy zone.

I Get to Hang Out with this Vision all Next Week!

In a huge win for those of you upon whom I inflict these daily musings I may not be able to blog each day while I’m down in Panama. You are most welcome. I’m not sure the Wi-Fi in the house we are renting is up to the task so it is not a sure thing that you all will be blessed with my absence from Frail Deeds. I also have it on good authority that I will be fully immersed with the august personages outlined in the previous paragraph. Time with them will certainly trump (I shudder even using that word as an adjective) any time spent writing. You can expect a full rundown of my vacation not later than February 15^th when I return. Consider yourself warned.

Day Filled

California Super-Star

Yesterday was a very full day for a number of reasons. The least of which was probably the annual recognition of Punxsutawney Phil. I normally wouldn’t even mention it except this past October the Keene Friend and I stopped by that patch of Pennsylvania. It was strange to see the isolated spot so full of people yesterday in comparison to the deserted October viewing. At least Phil did better this year and predicted an early spring. I can deal with that, even if it comes from a rodent.

Keene Friend and I in October

A little More Crowded yesterday 

I also had my semi-annual appointment with the dermatologist. I was able to dodge any additional excavation work although she did draw out her frozen nitrogen for a little facial burning. Apparently my wife got to her at some point in the past because I got a stern lecture about using moisturizing lotion on my lower legs, something the wife has been semi-carping on for a long time. The doctor said I was a very young 60 (cool!) but followed that up with a description of what the skin on my legs was going to look like in ten years if I didn’t start taking better care. They always win.

My Future Office

I spent the afternoon touring the inside of our future work location. The construction has progressed to the point where I could really see how operations will take place. The building is huge! You could fit our current building inside the bus garage alone. I even get my very own conference room next to my office. We’re scheduled to move in August. That’ll be fun.

The Storage Area

Maintenance

The Rooftop

Dateless Date Night involved seeing The Finest Hours which was really good, when it stayed at sea. The Coast Guard does a fantastic job day in and out and rarely gets recognized in film this well. While they don’t blow anything up I dare say their job is infinitely more dangerous that most others in the military. The plot tells the story of what is called the greatest rescue in US Coast Guard history and took place in nearby Chatham, Massachusetts in the early 1950s.

Chris Pine is very good as the skipper of the small boat tasked with the rescue, underplaying the hero and therefore seeming more real. Casey Affleck is equally good as the disliked leader trying to keep his half ship floating long enough to be rescued. This all happens in the midst of a huge winter storm off Cape Cod that split Affleck’s ship in half. That’s enough drama for a really good movie which this would have been if not for the nonsensical time spent ashore. The awkward love story of Pine’s character is shoe horned into the action scenes which did nothing other than confuse and bring the pace to a chest crushing halt. A very good movie remains, but it could have been so much better if it had stayed at sea and left the shore bound silliness out.

Turnover Technique

Finally I received reports from California that the First Blog Reader is making ardent attempts to turn over. As with any new parents the Cali-Daughter and Wingman were suitably impressed with her efforts; crawling should be just around the corner. Time to think about baby proofing the kitchen! It’s so fun to watch, albeit from a much too far distance, the three of them growing into a family.

I'm Good

Let Me Tell You About the Maneuver

Mom Keep Adding Obstacles

And What is This?

Let's Talk Mom

Alright - So This is Kinda Cool

Digitized

My Movie Downloading Operation Last Night

If you’ve read the blog at all you know I’m a little bit of a movie fan. Alright I’m a downright fanatic. One area I’ve never expanded into was the digital copy of them that comes with virtually every blu ray that I buy (and I’ve bought a few – another vast understatement). When I received an IPad for Christmas I knew that deficiency would be extirpated at some point. I’ve always been jealous on long plane rides to see someone power up their IPad to watch a really good, uncut movie while I’ve been relegated to the “safe” movie the airlines have butchered to the point it wouldn’t offend anyone. At the risk of going on a viral rant I think the younger generation has gone more than a bit overboard in the politically correct arena. Get over yourselves.

In this morning’s newspaper even old friend John Cleese, of Monty Python fame, decried the ridiculousness to which PC has invaded our culture. He’s now advised not to try performing at any college campus because inevitably someone would be offended by some joke. He boldly stated that this could be the end of comedy and people should be able to use intelligence to see the humor instead of automatically defaulting to being offended. I like John Cleese.

Anyway, back to my initiation into the digital movie age. My daughter, cognizant of my computer prowess or lack thereof, sent me detailed instructions how to download the digital copies of the movies onto my IPad. I am now a proud owner of a Flixster membership. I attempted the downloads last night and I didn’t have to call her for clarification at all, despite several bumps along the road. By the end of the evening I had downloaded 33 movies and this has only wetted my appetite for more.

The only major stumbling block I ran into was Disney/Marvel movies, predictably some of my favorites. While every other studios film downloaded flawlessly Disney made me jump through some additional hoops and at the end it still wouldn’t download. I guess I’ll have to wait for either the son or daughter to explain the process a little better. Anyways, I’m stoked that on the plane ride down to Panama later this week, I’ll be the one with the cool movies.

Courtesies Simply

Yesterday was definitely a recovery day, necessitated by the overly successful pub crawl of Saturday fame. The day did have to bow some of the usual Sunday exigencies like grocery shopping and laundry but there was also some serial inspection of the underside of eye lids in Couch Potato Position #1. I had breakfast with my fellow Saturday survivor, the favorite cousin, before he winged off to his better half. The day was elevated by several FaceTime calls with my Favorite Panamanian and one with this vision of beauty from California. She was in high voice when we talking which was decidedly entertaining. We’re all gearing up for the family reunion in Panama later this week.

The Californian Vision

I can’t believe its February already; especially when I look outside and see all the grass. Last year by this time we were under nearly 60 inches of snow with another 60 inbound over the next few weeks. In danger of having to relinquish my native New Englander credentials – I kind of like the lack of snow. Thank you El Nino. At least my flight plans look intact without having to dodge the storms a la the past year.

I sent myself an email in the midst of the pub crawl with only two words written – “simple courtesies”. I vaguely remember doing it but as the resultant fog begins to clear I know it was associated with a long held belief that the true measure of a person is whether he/she is capable of the simple courtesies that makes life more bearable as we all run around living. We experience them hundreds of times each day but they are background clutter because the rude usually call attention to themselves with their lack of same. People who are comfortable enough in their own skin to acknowledge the worth of other people through simple, often unspoken acts are what I’m talking about. It could be something as simple as holding a door for someone or a quick nod to thank someone for a small kindness. It’s the kind of people I like to hang out with.

Wife Rocking Some Plaid Pants

I received the accompanying picture from my wife yesterday that she discovered at her parents’ home. I don’t have many pictures of her from her teenaged years which is when this was taken, I’m guessing. She’s on the far left in some truly entertaining pants.

Part of my couch potato time was spent watching the movie Bone Tomahawk which was recommended by my daughter, of all people. It’s an independent western that tries to combine the Western with the Slasher genre. While it is a small movie in scope it boasts a truly amazing cast, including Kurt Russell who apparently got two films under his belt last year with his signature beard from The Hateful Eight. He plays a town sheriff in pursuit of a tribe of cannibalistic troglodytes (not your typical Wester yarn) who kidnapped Patrick Wilson’s wife. He leads a posse that includes Jack from Lost, Wilson with a recently/painfully broken leg, and Richard Jenkins in high disguise (didn’t recognize him for almost the entire movie). Jenkins is incredibly funny as the old, back-up, deputy sheriff who maintains an almost constant nonsensical riff during the chase. The ending confrontation is almost too brutal – I’ll confess to some averted eyes but this was highly entertaining.

I forced myself to finish reading the next in the series of Lars Emmerich’s books I recently bought, Balls Deep. This was not a very good read because there was no Samantha Jameson involved which was the only thing that made Peter Kittredge bearable in The Incident. This latest book is a thriller set in Germany involving a drug company’s manufactured health crisis to sell their latest wonder drug. There was literally no one to root for in the entire cast of characters. Certainly not Kittredge who raises his contemptibility to even higher levels and who’s only demonstrated ability is victimhood. Thankfully Sam returns in the next book which should help remove the Kittredge stain.