Monday, Monday

The Escape Artist Next to His Cage

I had a strange moment driving in to work yesterday.  If you read the blog regularly you’ll know that I suggested the best thing we could do about the idiot responsible for the Aurora massacre was to deny him his sought after notoriety.  We have all been subjected to the exact opposite since Friday with the television press competing against each other to discover the minutest details of this scumbag’s life.  I have no doubt that by the end of this we’ll know his second cousin’s shoe size.  As I was driving in to work I changed radio stations from my normal sports talk station so I wouldn’t be re-victimized by the latest Red Sox news and tuned in a news radio station.  Just as I changed stations one of my favorite commentators, John Keller, came on for his normal spot.  He said almost word for word what I had written on Friday.  I am not yet pretentious enough to think he read the blog but it was an indication that someone else, in this case, someone I respect, agreed with my point.  He referenced the brother of one of the victims as saying the same thing – don’t sully the rest of our lives and the memory of the victims by providing this evil douche bag with the slightest scintilla of fame.  He said it a lot better than I just did.  My wife keeps the house immaculate despite my and Buddy’s best efforts to corrupt that tendency.  One of her friends is coming to visit for a few days so that meant she was into overdrive all day yesterday – you could literally eat off the floors now.  She was exhausted when I came home from work.  Luckily she got into a truly amusing video chat with virtually her entire family back in Panama.  This really lifted her spirits and distracted her from thinking up something I should be cleaning.  She did get me to mop the floor before heading upstairs.  I’m into the fourth season of The Wire which I’m still not crazy about and this season they focus on politicians which will make the drug criminals of the earlier seasons seem likable in comparison.  We had a thunderstorm pass through over night and when I came down this morning I found that Buddy had somehow escaped from his cage even though the door was still locked.  He had moved the entire cage across the room and then forced his way out by bending the steel enough to slither out.  I was worried he had injured himself but he seemed fine.  He also seemed moderately proud of himself but did insist I move the cage back to its normal spot.  That dog is descending into insanity when it comes to thunderstorms.

Wife's Family In Panama Last Night
Our Nephew Really Needs to Re-Think the Hairdo

See What I Mean
Wife's 2 Sisters and Niece as Well



Wife's Slightly Crazed Sister and Her Mother
Niece Hiding Behind

Sunday Travels

The Dining Room Table

Yesterday I woke up in New Hampshire despite the assault on my central nervous system the previous day.  Buddy demanded and received his obligatory walk around Keene from my friend before we loaded the car and headed home for church and then the supermarket.  We were scheduled to drive down to Rhode Island for the annual St Mary’s Feast.  My sister married into an Italian family and this is one of the biggest celebrations of the year for them.  My wife and I were not exactly “chipper” following Saturday’s adventures but there was no way I was not going to make the trip after repeatedly pillorying my sister’s sister in law, AKA “The Genius” for her consistent failures to travel to our house.  I never fail to have a good time with my sister’s in-laws who make me feel like family.  The party was at my sister’s mother in law’s house and was as much fun as expected.  We were just starting out for Rhode Island when I received a call from my sister who said her husband was very concerned because we were not there yet.  My sister and her in laws are somewhat infamous for their lack of “timeliness” when arriving at a party or anywhere else for that matter.  We have agreed that if we arrive late that we are on “M****-Time”, using their last name as reason enough to explain tardiness.  This obviously has come up against my own predilection to arrive exactly at the appointed hour.  Due to our New Hampshire adventures we were running about an hour behind schedule and this was enough to raise serious concerns for my brother in law who expected me to walk through the door exactly at the appointed hour.  I told him since this was a gathering of his family I anticipated that being fashionably late was expected.  The party was a fabulous time although I was challenged to resist the urge to indulge in the “hair of the dog” but I had to work on Monday so that was not an option.  The house was full of people ranging in age from the 80’s down to toddlers.  The older generation was firmly seated around the dining room table and it was cool that I didn’t qualify for seating there for this party.  As usual there was enough food to feed several small armies, all of it decidedly delicious; I was once again amazed at my sister’s mother in law, who cooked most of it.  We had a great time.  “The Genius” had recovered from her epic journey of the previous weekend to the furthest reaches of the known world – our house.  For some reason everybody was out in the back yard smoking cigars – still don’t understand the attraction of that but it was a lot of fun to observe.  The 22 year old son of “The Genius” was operating on two hours of sleep and a lot of beer which led to some truly comic moments.  We reluctantly made our way home, glad we had made the trip because of the wonderful people we got to spend the afternoon with.  Woke up in New Hampshire, went to church in Massachusetts, and partied in Rhode Island – great way to end a truly memorable weekend. 

Cigars!  Why?
L-R: Husband of Genius, The Genius, Favorite Child, My Bro in Law



Great People!

Street Very Fair

My Friend and Wife Joining in the Fun

Yesterday was one of those epic days of comradeship that I did not want to end.  My wife and I traveled up to Keene, NH, my hometown.  The town had reinstituted a tradition from my youth – the street faire.  The town used to shut down Main Street (the widest paved Main Street in the world) and allow Main Street merchants to have sales and display their wares outside.  This rejuvenation didn’t have Main Street closed and there wasn’t the same feel but I just appreciated another chance to spend the day in Keene – my favorite place in the world.  Buddy was his usual apoplectic self as he anticipated a ride to visit his friend – my best friend who still lives in Keene.  My friend lives close enough to downtown that we walked up to the street faire.  My wife was less than impressed with the offered sales and she really was looking for a way to escape and get a pedicure.  We walked the entire circuit and the only memorable event was my first taste of a Beefalo burger – not too impressed – way too healthy for me.  We ended up at an ice cream place where we stopped and sampled.  While sitting outside eating ice cream I noticed a nearby sports bar and my friend acknowledged that it looked in need of patronage.  My wife took off for her pedicure and associated shopping while my friend and I took up positions at a table right by the front door.  Thus started a five hour experience that could not have been more fun.  The beers were only $1.75 each and were sliding down with an ease I could vaguely remember from my college days.  We kept up a running commentary on the denizens of the street faire passing by and even had a friend from our high school class stop by and say hi.  It was just such a good time.  There were a large number of Keene State College students who were returning to school and they provided a target rich source for our running commentary.  There was one large group which we spent a long time figuring out which of the young men would successfully woo the girl we crowned as the most deserving of attention.  We felt we had the case solved when this girl’s girlfriend walked up and took over (no one won that bet) but it provided yet another source of conjecture.  We were later joined by another high school friend who joined in the comradeship.  It’s so good to have a group of friends that can just slide right into a conversation.  The star of the day was a very overdressed young lady who gave enthusiastic hugs to everybody she met.  She really should have used better judgment in issuing these hugs due to what she was wearing but the rest of the bar thoroughly enjoyed her efforts.  It was harmless fun and we completely behaved ourselves – the best part was reminiscing with my friend.  Apparently we also called and left a message on my son’s phone – absolutely no memory of that.  My wife eventually arrived and bemusedly ferried the group up the street for dinner at Margarita’s which where the fun continued.  Eventually we made our way back to my friend’s home to watch the Red Sox implode.   My cantankerous friend finally caught up with us but as soon as my butt hit the couch I was unable to keep my eyes open.  The combination of the sun, walking, driving and, to a certain extent, the $1.75 libations had rendered me hors de combat.   I felt really like I had come home and could not have had a better day.

My Wife Negotiating Through the Faire

Main Street Keene Yesterday

My Wife Doing her Best

The Ice Cream Break

My Friend in Our Overwatch Position

The Three Amigos

Dinner at Margarita's

Rocky Mountain Low

We have experienced yet another of the senseless tragedies that seem to plague modern society.  All of the advocates on both sides of gun control are leaping to the chance to shrilly espouse their views.  Now is not the time for that; now is the time to offer whatever support and prayers we are capable of for the families affected by this evil.  That is what occurred, pure unadulterated evil, perpetrated against total innocents for reasons I have no interest in learning.  There will be the usual breathless coverage delving into the life of this agent of evil and that is of course exactly what he wants.  There should be a law preventing any type of notoriety for this type of scum.  The name and photos of filth such as this is something society can do without.  I think they should dwell in their own private hell until they make to their predestined rendezvous with the real one.  This guy is apparently some nerd (no offense, I am one myself) who’s fantasy life he bizarrely chose to make reality.  If there is justice his 1 minute of senseless idiocy will be paid for in prison where he meets some true human predators capable of achieving a similar level of evil and depravity.  One can hope.  My thoughts are with the families.

Welcome Home

Someone in the Distance

Target Confirmed

My Brown Eyed Girl

Smile Lighting Up Entire Airport

Camera Work Ends at This Point - More Important Things to Do

To say yesterday was a good day would be a grotesque understatement.  First off in the morning we had a board meeting where my boss and I were showered with praise for the contract negotiated with the union.  The big event though was the return of my wife.  You can never tell with Boston traffic so I left myself some extra time to get the airport.  I ended up cruising into the airport with almost forty minutes to spare and her plane was delayed 30 minutes on top of that.  Logan Airport is so much easier to get to since the “Big Dig” created the Ted Williams tunnel.  I think because it is so much easier the airport planners decided that patrons would miss the agonizing frustration of yore so they created the Central Parking Garage.  I’m sure people who fly all the time have figured it out but whoever designed the signage for this Rubik’s Cube should be summarily executed.  I finally gave up trying to find a spot near the terminal I needed (it had nothing to do with my subsequent sprint to find a rest room) and just pulled into a parking spot.  After consulting (very quickly) a couple of diagrams I found my way to the terminal and the sought after rest room (I’m sure everybody I passed at a dead run thought I was late for a flight – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).  I learned of the flight delay and made my way back to the garage since I had parked the car about as far from the terminal as physically possible due to the completely confusing signs.  After returning to the car at a much more leisurely pace I repositioned within twenty parking spaces of the terminal entrance.  I still had a bunch of time to kill so I wandered around the terminal book store which is something I’ve missed since being “Kindleized”.  The wife finally arrived and I felt complete again.  After my all too quiet trip to the airport she regaled me with tales of her trip and genuinely entertained me for the trip back to my office.  There is a lot of energy and vitality packed into someone as small as she is and it was good to have her back; my life is now considerably less boring.  We watched the sox together, she’s a big baseball fan, and were treated to a real pitcher’s duel.  We had resigned ourselves to a loss when the sox came up in the last inning trailing 1-0.  Unbelievably the Red Sox rallied and Cody Ross delivered a three run, walk off homerun.  These Red Sox who were so unlikable just a couple of weeks ago are starting to show a little life and character – this is what they do to you.  They look like they’re finally having fun again.  It was a great night, all the better because I got to spend it with my favorite Panamanian. 

2d Best Event of the Day

These Guys Are Showing Some Life!!!

Canine Terror

Today my bride returns from her sojourn in Northern Virginia.  I spent yesterday after work spot cleaning the house where the most noticeable evidences of her absence were present.  Buddy was of no help whatsoever.  There was a series of strong thunderstorms (that rain I was hoping for) and he is absolutely terrified of those.  Maybe he’ll think the thunder came because he was sitting on the couch too much (nah – too much to hope for).  The first storm came through before I arrived home and he had actually moved his cage a couple of feet with his frantic reactions to the storms.  Once he was released he immediately sought out the darkest corners to hide in.  I eventually convinced him to go outside since he had been confined for eight hours.  He rushed out and then back inside.  About fifteen minutes later he was sufficiently calmed down to realize he really had to get outside for a “comfort break”.  It was fairly entertaining to see the obvious relief on his face when he finally “did his business”.  After that strange interlude he seemed fine if a little on the skittish side.  He refused to leave my side for the rest of the evening which I kind of enjoyed.  The Red Sox won again as they finally figured out how to get Youklis out or maybe Youk's rage against the Red Sox has subsided a little bit.  I have a friend who always says, “Why can’t we get players like that?!”  A very appropriate comment this week given Youk’s depredations in his return to Fenway.  I also finished the next and painfully last book in the Nathan McBride series by Andrew Peterson, Forced to Kill.  It was every bit as good as the first book as McBride took on one of his biggest demons by hunting the Nicaraguan who tortured him decades ago while on a CIA mission.  The book was relentless in pace and McBride almost achieves Reacher status with the climatic duel with his tormentor.  I really liked this series and look forward to more books from this newly discovered (for me) author.  Now I’m in the heavy prayer mode that the house passes inspection; luckily the great young people did yeoman’s work on Sunday to clean up the worst of the party aftermath.  My daughter even vacuumed - I hadn't realized until that point that she knew how to turn it on (kidding!:))  The key point for my wife to remember – all the plants have survived her absence and disregard the black lab sitting contently on the couch. 

Calm The F*** Down, Youk!
Take it Out on The Yankees Please

Great Book!

Table Topping

The Exercise I was In Yesterday - Good People

Yesterday I was lucky enough to spend the entire morning at a Table Top Exercise.  It was run by the city of Worcester to test the plan to evacuate a public housing facility in case of an emergency.  I was pleasantly surprised at how professionally run the exercise was and how dedicated the civil servants were that participated.  When I first became a civilian my boss sent me to some of the Emergency Preparedness Meetings and I was appalled by some of the attendees.  This was just a few years after 9-11 and the Federal government was cascading money down to local agencies.  The council comprised police and fire officials from a number of cities and towns and it was obvious they had not sent their best and brightest.  I had just left the Pentagon and was just flabbergasted that money was being given to these bozos for their totally inane projects.  They actually laughed at the ease with which they could get Federal dollars and the pet projects they dreamed up to get the money.  It was for this reason I was so pleasantly surprised that the exercise I took part in yesterday was so well done.  I was a little late in arriving due to some extensive plant watering responsibilities.  I knew my wife had a lot of garden space but I didn’t realize how long it takes to water them until she left town.  With the current heat wave all her plants would be dead if I don’t water them every day (not something I’m brave enough to chance0.  It’s weird – it’s the summer and I’m praying for rain.  As always I am amazed at just how much my wife does for me each day.  When she’s gone I find myself charging around trying to get places on time because I’ve had to do things that she usually does for me, usually without sufficient recognition.  The lost morning to the exercise severely damaged the routine for the rest of the day also as I had people lined up outside my office when I returned.  Tuesday is also DVD release day and I always sneak out to buy if there is a good one being released.  Yesterday was a real struggle to escape but I finally did get over to the Best Buy only to be thwarted by the totally incompetent staff there.  We have two Best Buys in Worcester and the one nearest my office is a disaster.  The people there seem put out when you ask a question and they are always days late stocking new items.  I had to show the guy they were supposed to have Lockout as a new release according to their own advertising circulation.  The guy made up a lame excuse and said there weren’t any in the Best Buy system for at least a couple days.  On my way home I stopped by the other Best Buy at the Blackstone Valley Shoppes and found the movie right away and was treated extremely well by the staff.  I’m sure there’s a box of the movies sitting in the other Best Buy’s stock room – losers.  This side trip delayed my return home for a few minutes which I’m sure Buddy did not appreciate.  With my wife gone he spends the entire day in his cage which he seems to handle really well.  The heat kept him from over extending outside when I let him out for cavorting time.  He quickly decided he preferred the air conditioning.  He’s also continuing his assault on the family room couch in my wife’s absence.  I predict pain in his future.  My wife continued to share her Virginia adventures with instant message photos.  She had dinner with a bunch of her “Latin Mafia” buddies which I’m truly sorry to have missed – they’re great people.  She also bemoaned the oppressive heat and traffic that is a staple of Northern Virginia living and the two biggest reasons we no longer live there.  She admitted she missed New England which I know was tough for her to admit.  I also had a nice conversation with my son who is on a business trip down in Virginia Beach.  He almost never calls anymore (Proper M.E.G. focus) so it was nice of him to remember I was alone and we had a great talk.  Well the wife’s back in a couple of days so I’ll have to polish off the rest of the brownies and start clean up planning.  Buddy is handling any food that falls on the floor or gets reasonably close the edge of the counter, his version of preemptory cleanliness.

Wife Instant Photo - Interactive Fountain in Fairfax
 We Used to Love Watching Kids There

Wife Instant Photo - Latin Mafia Dinner

Buddy Assault Position 1

Buddy Assault Position 2

Buddy Assault Position 3 - Pushing Me Off Couch

Buddy Assault Position 4 - Success!