Recon Report

I survived the dangers involved in a forward recon of the November birthday pub crawl due to the stalwart assistance of my fellow reckoners, the Keene Friend and Kindergarten Friend. Okay it wasn’t as dangerous as it was fun, but someone had to do it. Well, if the truth be told, it wasn’t actually required but it was a valuable glimpse into the future, capturing the minor changes each year brings to the Downtown Keene, New Hampshire pub scene. Luckily the Kindergarten Friend is an internationally recognized expert on that scene, so we were in good hands. I tried to follow the agenda we will explore on November 16^th which meant a pre-crawl lunch at 5 Guys.

The Intrepid Recon Team at Penuche's

Kindergarten Friend and I Stepped out of the Nuche 
The Kindergarten Where we Met 64 years ago is Behind Us

After the essential text tormenting my kids about passing by the location of the kindergarten I attended (my son’s response, “this is the worst!”) Keene Friend and I linked up with the Kindergarten Friend at Penuche’s Ale House, the first stop of the crawl. In the past year we learned that one of our dedicated crawlers, despite being a lifelong resident of Keene had never been to this auspicious location, always joining us later. You know who you are! I anticipate severe peer pressure over the next month to get her there for the crawl. Hopefully they’ll mop the sticky floor and get the flies eradicated from the rest room by then, but of course, this is part of the charm of the ‘Nuche.

The Lab

Modestman

Then we ambled up to Main Street for the Lab ‘n Lager. Here the Kindergarten Friend proposed adding an optional stop 2A in addition to the Lab. Across Main Street a cigar bar resides. Since I have never and will never smoke a cigar, I’ve never explored the location. We agreed that some of our fellow crawlers might not be so biased and could break off to smoke a cigar while the main group occupies the Lab. Moving down the street, we arrived at the Modestman Brewery which features the only craft beer offerings on the crawl. In other words, another location I may have unwarranted biases against. We will still keep it as Stop #3 because the Kolsch was pretty good.

At the Pour House, Meant to Take a Picture at Every Bar
Couldn't Find the One form Kilkenny's
I Took One. Honest.

We walked out the back door of Modestman to arrive at one of my favorite stops on the crawl, Kilkenny’s Pub. They still don’t accept credit cards but had new cheap t-shirts, which I ended up carrying for the rest of the recon. The next planned stop was fraught with danger. Walking around to Railroad Square we approached Madame Sherri’s, a new bar. It occupies the former location of the fabled beer towers of Scores, the well-remembered final stop of the first few crawls. It’s had three different bars in that location since Scores lamentably closed. The newest one, named after a famous house of ill repute from the 1930s in the western hills above Keene, the ruins of which served as a party location for my generation in the 1970s. This new bar is LBGTQ friendly which I guess is what used to be called a gay bar. I hadn’t been in one of those since 1979 in Frankfurt, Germany when a friend and I thought we were doing really well with a couple gals when they invited us to their favorite bar. We entered to find ourselves the only males in a very crowded and decidedly unfriendly (towards us) bar; but that’s a story for another day.

Madame Sherri's

I was interested to see what old Scores had evolved to but when we entered, the staff said the bar didn’t open until 4PM. With only three of us we were moving faster than the crawl will so that timing will work on the 16^th. We decided to return after checking out the Pour House. While enroute there we noted that Local Burger, which we usually stopped in for a mid-crawl snack has closed. There was a sign saying it would re-open on July 18^th but it didn’t list a year. I love reaching the Pour House as it is located on Central Square and offers awesome views of the city, including the rotary around the common where Keene kids learn how to drive and are therefore never intimidated by traffic circles, having survived the crucible of Keene’s Central Square. Our group was momentarily distracted by well-endowed neighbors before concluding our recon of this, the final stop. We added to the momentous finish of the crawl path by making the traditional inebriated call to the PCR. We caught him in his car, but he deigned to speak with us and proclaimed he would not be making the trip north to join us for the crawl this year. We demanded to speak with his wife, the real brains of the operation, but he claimed to be a long way from home. After we hung up with him, we called her directly only to have him walk in from the garage, putting his long-distance assertions in doubt. He will become another target of peer pressure over the next month as we hope to get them back where they belong on November 16^th.

Central Square

The Kindergarten Friend had to return home while Keene Friend and I retraced our route to check out Madame Sherri’s. Madame Sherri’s will definitely be the cleanest stop on the crawl, and we were warmly welcomed by the staff. It was a little jarring to see the former televisions playing sports removed and to have table clothes in place, but it was still the place I remembered so well. The bar staff was warned of our planned November 16^th arrival and were pleased to hear they had made the cut. After finishing our beverages there, we made our way across the street to Margarita’s, the last recon objective. This is where the post crawl party usually forms up after declaring victory at the Pour House. They were removed from the crawl itself for poor bar service during an earlier event but serves perfectly as a final dinner destination for the crawlers. We were able to coax the Favorite Panamanian from her shopping spree at this point to join us form dinner.

Dinner Time

We returned to Keene Friend’s house  after dinner to watch some college football. At least that was the plan. An afternoon long recon, however, can be physically taxing as the photo below demonstrates. My wife was amused enough to take this photo while my friend and I conducted an inner eyelid inspection. We had a really fun and productive day. This morning we breakfasted at The Pub and then walked up the street to catch the annual Fireman’s Parade, a well-remembered event from our youths. Seeing the Keene High marching band was entirely nostalgic. I now consider the battlefield for November 16th properly shaped for a successful crawl.

Recon Recovery

Waiting for the Parade

KHS Marching Band

Two movies fell in the A-Z watch, both keepers: The Marine, John Cena’s first movie and an agreeable action/comedy combo and Marley and Me, schlocky but endearing look at canine love.

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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 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

Recon Saturday

Tomorrow is an important day. My Favorite Panamanian and our children are rolling their eyes at that last statement. My career in the infantry taught me the absolute importance of an effective recon before attacking an objective. Since 2013 I’ve done a birthday pub crawl in my hometown, always accompanied by my son and assorted friends and family. What, in all seriousness, can those last two statements be related, you might rightly ask. Well, the birthday rolls around again (as they seem to increasingly do with disturbing speed) in a little over a month. Every weekend after this before that time is spoken for, so, the much-needed recon to confirm the correct sequence of bars is required.

Tomorrow, with the dedicated assistance of Keene Friend and Kindergarten Friend, we will follow the projected path to confirm the pubs in question are up to the challenge. The reason for this involves the number of people involved. While the first crawl involved only a few people, it has grown over the years as the stalwart member of my high school class have decided to join the festivities. It resembles a mini reunion at times, which, of course, only adds to the fun. While I usually don’t have to buy a single beer during the crawl, being my birthday celebration, it is still one of the most expensive days of the year for me. That’s because my Favorite Panamanian isn’t much for the pub crawling so she devotes her time to tax free shopping and joins us at the end when I’m in too good a mood to object to her purchasing spree. So. Important day tomorrow up in Keene. If any high school buddies want to join us, I’ll be posting from each bar as we progress.

Three movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: Man Who Invented Christmas, very fun look at Dickens writing the Christmas Carol; The Man Who Knew Too Much, Stewart and Hitchcock together again, with Doris Day singing Que Sera; and The Man Who Would be King, arguably the best buddy film ever made, Caine an Connery were perfect for their parts.

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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 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

Choppers

I’ll start this out by saying although we technically live in Worcester, our neighborhood is incredibly quiet. Yesterday afternoon I was out on Deckzilla, minding my own business (sort of), when I noticed there were a bunch of helicopters circling our hill.  It was almost like being back at Fort Campbell with the omnipresent choppers passing by. These, however, were news helicopters which meant something newsworthy was happening nearby. I figured it was some sort of traffic accident on I-190 which is just down the street. I was almost right. I checked the news channels and there was nothing on so I figured it wasn’t that sensational. I was wrong.

House Where First Shooting Took Place

I-190 Completely Snarled

It turned out there weas a shooting down the hill, on the same street that eventually becomes the one we live on. The news alert said there was now a guy seen brandishing a pistol on I-190. I didn’t mention this to my Favorite Panamanian because she would have had me filling sandbags to fortify the house; I did lock a couple doors though. Eventually we heard that I-190 was closed in both directions at the height of the rush hour. I told my wife at that point that someone had to be dead because that extreme measure would only be taken in the event of a fatal incident requiring thorough investigation. The Neighborhood Mafioso stopped by with the update. She is wired into the neighborhood as few people are. She related that a guy had been shot just down the street and the assailant had run onto I-190 where he had been shot by police.

Shooting was at Where Heroult Road is Pointed At
Our House is on Same Street near Bottom of Map

That turned out to be almost correct. The only difference being the guy had aimed the pistol at cars on the highway and tried to carjack a couple. I’m thinking he wasn’t much a brain surgeon because trying to jack speeding cars on an interstate isn’t exactly brilliant. He exchanged some shots with police and eventually shot himself. The road was closed because of the police involved shooting. So. Excitement. The guy shot down the street eventually died from his wounds. It was kind of surreal as the local news channels started broadcasting about the incident and we saw our house a couple times as they panned back. We always watch the 6pm news (I know, we’re dinosaurs) but there was the trusty Channel 5 news lady broadcasting live about quarter mile down the street. They’re still there today.

Mary Saladna just Down the Street

The Neighborhood Mafioso said the people who live in the house just moved in a couple months ago. It’s strange because that’s the route I always take when leaving the house and pass by it at least two or three times a day. Again, a really quiet neighborhood where you nod to the people as you pass by, never thinking this kind of violence would take place. Worcester has its share of problems, but they are, for the most part, centered around the downtown area of Main Street South and the public housing neighborhoods. I’m psyched because I believe in the law of averages. This is the kind of thing that happens in this neighborhood maybe once in a generation, so, we’re all set for the foreseeable future. I still love living in Worcester.

Two movies fell in the A-Z watch, both keepers: Man with the Iron Fists, RZA may not be able to act but this is a great homage to kung fu movies and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Guy Ritchie does a credible job capturing the cool of the 60’s TV show.

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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 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

Dude Abiding

I am at an age where sad news inserts itself into life with increasing and unwelcome frequency. That happened again yesterday when I learned our handyman, the venerable Deckzilla Dude, passed away after a short illness. He was a true character and an artist when it came to his profession. I christened him Deckzilla Dude because he built our immense deck from scratch in just a week and threw in a back door to our garage at the same time which has made our life so much easier over the years. I was surprised at how deeply this latest loss cut, despite not having spoken to him in months. I was walking around the house performing our semi-annual window washing. I do this because of my Favorite Panamanian’s unfortunate history with window mechanisms precludes her involvement (outside of pointing out how poorly I’m doing it).

R.I.P. my Friend, You Will be Missed

Creating Deckzilla in 2015

As I walked around thinking about the Dude, I realized there is very little about our home that he wasn’t involved in. In addition to the deck, he replaced all the floors with hardwood, installed the kitchen sink, and constructed the new master bedroom addition over our garage. That last, immense project was probably too much for him at the time, but he refused to stop and we couldn’t be happier with the results. We found him through his lifelong friendship with the Neighborhood Mafioso’s husband. We walked over to their house after dinner to share some laughs and memories of the Dude with them. I’m going to miss his devilish smile and sheer artistry with carpentry, a good man and a significant loss to those who were fortunate enough to know him.

Finished in Just a Week, Along with new Door on the Left

The Addition he Created

I was channeling my own version of handman earlier yesterday when I received my latest Amazon acquisition, a set of battery powered, motion sensor lights. The stairs down to the basement have never been adequately lit, which is bad news for someone who’s getting into what some describe as his senior years. After I put them in, I was astounded that they worked as advertised. I walked up and down the stairs a couple times just to see check them out. My wife wasn’t as impressed as I was but agreed it was a valuable addition.

The New Lights

Knocked out a couple movies this week. I know. Huge surprise. We saw It Ends with Us on Sunday. I was a little distracted by Blake Lively’s out of control hairdo for a lot of the movie but other than that it was an excellent look at abusive relationships. What made the message so powerful was the understated way it manifested. This wasn’t one of those Lifetime movies where the abuser is the epitome of evil. Justin Baldoni, late of Jane the Virgin, has an almost too nice a screen presence for that part, but, again, that actually adds to the message as well. It was also shot in nearby Boston which is always a treat. Lively doesn’t get enough credit for how good an actress she is, and she proves it once again here, despite the hairdo.

Today we went to see Megalopolis. This is supposed to be Francis Ford Coppola’s magnus opus, so there was no way I was going to miss it. He renames NYC as New Rome with a heavy sci fi themed plot, including one of the character’s ability to freeze time. I liked the sometimes-subtle references back to the Roman Republic and the obvious lesson for our society facing challenges that could send us towards fascism as the Republic eventually did. I know this was conceived decades ago but there was a very clear connection to Trump’s Maga movement with film’s worst villains. The movie was a glorious mess, jumping around, but I loved it and I’m not sure I can adequately explain why. Beautifully shot with Adam Driver proving more than adequate to carry the movie as the leading man despite being surrounded by an all star cast. I loved it but too many will dismiss it as a vanity project. I saw a lot more substance in it than I was prepared to encounter. A good movie.

Three movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: Manchester by the Sea, gut wrenching with so much humanity; Man of La Mancha, O’Toole could do anything and then there’s Sophia in her prime, Yikes!; Man on Fire, Denzel carving up the screen as Creasy, avenging a kidnapped girl in Mexico.

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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 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

Birthday Memory Delving

Today marks the birth, some four decades ago, of my eldest and still most favorite daughter. We were too late in coordinating with her, and she already had made plans for the weekend so we’re staying home. I’m fairly certain she’ll have a lot more fun attending a music festival in NYC with the Curbside Girls than hanging out with her parents. We’ll see her in a couple weeks when her schedule opens up. My Favorite Panamanian and I were reminiscing this morning about that, longest of all days in both our lives (more than twenty hours of labor will do that), when she arrived to bless our lives. I’m still amazed at the adults both of my kids have evolved into while saddled with me as their dad. My daughter has steadily risen in the corporate ranks while remaining loyal to her first love of writing. Along the way she’s also more than successfully accomplished the role of mom to the FBR and wife to Wingman. I stand in awe. Happy birthday Heart, your grandmother would be so proud of the woman you’ve become, I know your mom and I are.

The Birthday Girl

We had a fun Worcester adventure last evening. My Favorite Panamanian violated a house rule by agreeing to a social engagement during the scheduled time of our weekly First Friday Family Facetime call. I accepted it since it meant spending some time hanging out with the Worcester Chapter of the Panamanian Mafia, including the Neighborhood Mafioso and her husband. Those last two worthies volunteered to drive, and we set out to eat at a new place, for me. This is not an easy thing, and I was steeling myself for a challenging menu when I learned we were eating at a Cuban restaurant. The menu was challenging but only because it was one of those QR codes to access an internet menu. It didn’t help that our waitress was only on her fourth day and the small restaurant was also hosting a wedding reception. This all added to the atmosphere, very entertaining, as is the case whenever this group of friends get together. In a development that will have my Cantankerous Friend smiling, the menu offered a ribeye steak which he thinks is my go-to option in Panama or any place with an overly ethnic bent.

Fun Crowd Last Night

Now, as to that titular delving, with a rare free weekend on our hands, my Favorite Panamanian and I decided to address a long standing and neglected task. One of the benefits of military life was the requirement to move constantly, at least every couple years. I know. That doesn’t stick out as a benefit. It was in one aspect. It forced us to jettison all the needless junk everyone seems to acquire over time, to meet the mover’s requirements. Well, with our transition to civilian life that no longer happened. I’ve mentioned before that my Favorite Panamanian is quite an accomplished shopper. Check that, a Hall of Fame level shopper. All this means the storage area of our basement was overburdened with a lot of junk that hadn’t seen the light for years, some since our last military move.

Wife Wading into the Morass

That all ended today with a determined effort by the two of us to burrow into the boxes and decide what needed to be either kept, donated, or jettisoned. Seven hours later, we ended our effort after a nostalgic trip through so many memories and not a little bit of mildew. We found those missing beach towels which my wife was convinced I had lost at some point. We also found a bunch of my Army uniforms and accoutrement. My dog tags now grace the large map in front of my computer. There was so much technology related times that are now obsolete. It was exhausting but also a lot of fun as we relived so many memories, including letters I’d written to the wife and kids while deployed; a real snapshot into our life from thirty years ago. Rubbish day this coming week will be a real challenge.

School Photo, Bad Hair Day

We also ran across a couple items from my daughter’s pre-adolescent times. It’s kind of a family tradition (really just me) to post embarrassing photos from their past on birthdays, so this was ready made. One photo is a school photo where she and her mother had argued about the state of her hairdo. My daughter won, going with what she wanted. I bet she hoped this photo had seen the last of the light, a true bad hair day. The second is a letter she penned to her pre-teen idol, the young actor, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, one of the sons on Home Improvement. Even back in those days, she did not approve of my musical choices, a trend that continues. The letter also shows her remarkable writing ability, even at that young age. I’ve done my duty and embarrassed one of my children. I’ve learned that is one of the critical responsibilities of grandfathers, keeping it real. I may have a character flaw, seeking disapproval from the most important ladies in my life. I still haven’t lived down posting the photo of my Favorite Panamanian in curlers from last weekend. I guess I like to live dangerously.

The Letter

Seven movies fell in the A-Z watch(!), all keepers: Mad Max the Road Warrior, may be the perfect action movie; Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, not as good but still eminently watchable, Mad Max Fury Road, I was wrong, this is the perfect action movie, has everything; The Magnificent Seven (1960), my favorite western from my youth, what a cast! McQueen, Brynner, Coburn, and Bronson; The Magnificent Seven (2014), credible remake while having to sacrifice to political correctness, Denzel can do anything; Major League, may be best sports comedy ever made, holds up well with some incredibly funny moments; and Maleficent, thought I would be jettisoning this but it captured me once again, whatever else Jolie may be, she can still carry a movie.

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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 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

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

Apple Time and Farewell to Friend

I was fortunate enough this past weekend to spend time with my son and his “energetic” family. Needless to say, most of that energy was supplied by the BRS and BR3. The time also rejuvenated some serious memories from my youth. Every year, before my parents divorced, we always spent a September Sunday driving to Vermont to do some apple picking. My son and the ABFA always schedule their kids for interesting family events which is where our good fortune asserted itself since they had planned an apple picking session. That took place on Sunday after our Friday night arrival. That meant we had to get through a Saturday which is always a lot of fun since these four people are incredibly fun to hang out with.

Son and his Family at the Orchard

We arrived Friday night after the granddaughters were safely past bedtimes. This allowed us to sit around the kitchen table and have an adult conversation with my son and the ABFA. This isn’t always possible when the BRS and BR3 are careening around. Saturday morning meant an hojaldra breakfast featuring the established family hojaldra queen, the BRS. Following this, the ABFA herded her young charges out the door for dual dance classes. They are adding tap dancing to their repertoire this year, which means two recitals each this coming June. Be still my heart. While they were out, my son and I accomplished another stated reason for our trip north, buying a new home computer for me.

Wife Decorated the Front Porch Before we Left

Mums the Word

BRS and BR3 Welcoming Crew

This is where we arrive at the friend farewell in the title. I spend a lot of time on the computer as evolving to at least a couple hours a day, so, we’re buddies. I believe this is a habit I acquired at work where all the work flowed through the electromagnetic spectrum for at least the past twenty years. I also blog occasionally (you may have heard about that). So, why do I need a new computer? Since it travels everywhere with me, it was bound to encounter danger. Two years ago, I traveled back from Panama for Soxfather’s funeral and thought it would be a good idea to bounce the computer off my driveway (side note – this is not a good idea). In my defense, I was not in a good frame of mind at the time. To my intense relief, the computer still worked, although, as the photo shows, the upper right conner was shattered and the screen cracked. I’m not all that devoted to the aesthetics, the computer still worked fine although I was also a bit nervous because it performs so many important tasks, especially when we’re down in Panama. My two kids were shocked I would continue to work with it and only shook their heads in disbelief when the see me seated behind it. A couple months ago it started to turn off by itself so I decided my tempting of fate was coming due. My son and I headed to Best Buy since it would be tax free in New Hampshire and I needed a member of my IT advisory council (consisting of my son, daughter, and their spouses) to accompany me.  I learned I had thwarted a conspiracy amongst my kids and my Favorite Panamanian. They had decided to take action into their own hands and planned on getting me a computer for my birthday in November.

My Old Friend

I’m so glad he was with me at the store as I walked into a vast array of choices. He was able to guide me to the table that held the latest versions of my current “friend”. When the salesman arrived, my son had already made me comfortable with a choice. It turned out to be the cheapest one on the table but he agreed that I didn’t need all the bells and whistles that the expensive ones had since my use is, well, fairly normal for a guy approaching 70. In a very funny moment, the salesman demonstrated one of the new features, a virtually shatterproof screen. He scraped a key across the screen without doing any damage. My son and I burst into laughter and explained why I needed a new computer. I now face the daunting task of transferring all my apps, protections, and other requisite software to the new computer. My son offered to help me but, in a moment of either sheer bravery or intense idiocy, I told him I want to do it myself. Hopefully this is the last blog post from the cracked screen computer. Luckily, I have all members of my IT council on speed dial. We shall see, keep me in your prayers.

The Dancing Girls

Albondigas Prep

The Team

Yep, I'm in Trouble

Hojaldra Breakfast

While my son was guiding me through this purchase, my Favorite Panamanian remained back at their house preparing one of my son’s favorite meals, Panamanian meatballs. The Spanish word for meatballs, “albondigas”, is one of my favorite words, just sounds great. It became a family tradition when the kids were growing up that I would start bellowing “albondigas” whenever she was making them. The grandkids have picked up on this which made the house a fun place to be. BR3 had volunteered to help her abuela with the prep. It was cute watching them work together, although I will be in trouble when she sees I posted a photo of her with curlers in her hair. Nothing ventured, etc. etc. They apparently bonded in the effort because BR3 accompanied her abuela to mass while the BRS was attending another of the seemingly endless birthday parties.

FBR in Cheerleader Mode

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, another big event, as the FBR made her debut as a cheerleader. She was very excited after the first few practices which I understand because, as I observed this past summer, the girl loves to cartwheel. She was cheering for both teams at her elementary school which I guess makes sense. My daughter sent the attached photos which were a bit startling because she looks almost twice her actual age. A perpetual complaint on Frail Deeds, these granddaughters are emulating their parents by growing up way too fast.

Sunday brough the aforementioned apple picking expedition. Things have certainly changed over the past five decades and is now a big business. The Cider Hill Farm was packed. A huge, full, parking lot had us walking through a large picnic area with assorted food vendors and apple related products. My Favorite Panamanian, spying the apple orchard atop a distant hill, decided to wait for us in the picnic area. Her knee feels better but not enough to dare that terrain. It was a crisp autumnal day as we moved through the trees after a tractor ride to the top. The granddaughters were intrigued by the process and flitted from tree to tree as we filled a couple bags. Despite the large number of people present, it didn’t feel crowded. The nostalgia hit me a couple times, remembering the times I did this with my three sisters so many years ago.

In the Orchard, Picnic Area in the Distance

ABFA and BRS Picking

With my Son and Granddaughters

ABFA and her Girls

BR3 escorted me on the walk back down the hill to the picnic area. We joined my Favorite Panamanian in a virtual cloud of yellow jackets who were attracted to the sugar donuts, one of the favorite treats available. The BRS was not pleased, due to a recent, painful encounter with one of these dastardly creatures. My wife was poo pooing the concerns until she took a bite of her donut only to realize she had ingested a yellow jacket, who was not pleased finding itself in her mouth. She spit it out before serious damage was done. A mild swollen tongue was the only result. It did not quell her conversational abilities which she continued to demonstrate.

BR3 Walking me Back

Son and I

Back in Picnic Area

I spent the afternoon in my son’s home theater watching the NFL Red Zone with my son while all the ladies took off for shopping. My son and I were playing each in fantasy football. He is such a great sport because he showed me how to log in on my phone so I could make some needed roster changes, even though this hurt his chances of beating me. A true hero as his sensibilities as my IT advisor were more important than winning. It was so cool watching football on the huge screen with the players life sized. The best part though, quality time with the son.

BR3 Shopping with Abuela

While I Watched Football in the Theater

Three movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: The Losers, love this action, black comedy, fun to see Captain America as a wimp; Lost in Space, one of first DVDs I acquired, nostalgic feel from beloved 60’s sci fi show; Lost Souls, had to stop watching this at night because it was scaring me too much, finished in much safer daylight.

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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