Moving Party

The House we Were Helping Move

Yesterday was a fun yet extremely hectic day.  We set off early (well it was early somewhere) for Rhode Island to help some friends move their parents into their new house and then an evening surprise anniversary party for my brother in law’s brother.  Buddy came along because of the extended time and we dropped him off so he could hang out at my sister’s house.  They have a new fenced in yard which Buddy appreciated almost as much as their new cat.  Apparently there were a couple of races throughout the day which thankfully the cat won.  We then headed over to our friend’s house.  My wife had told our friends about my recent adventures with my back because I got yelled at every time I tried to lift something.  They put me to work hanging shelves in the bathroom.  I was a little nervous after the first attempt failed and I was confronted with a large hole I created in the brand new wall.  Luckily the holes I made in the wall actually matched up with another fastening device and it looked good.  After a pizza lunch on the deck with the moving crew my wife and I were dispatched to buy hanging flowers for the porch.  Okay, it was my wife that was sent, I was merely the driver.  So I got to spend a couple of quality hours wandering through flower stands, win!  The dynamic back at the house was fairly dynamic.  Our friends are a Japanese guy married to a Portuguese lady and the cultures were on full display yesterday.  The guy was in charge of the moving crew, 4 young cousins who were handling all the heavy lifting.  The gal had a coterie of Portuguese girlfriends helping her organize the move in.  The guy had a color coded, extremely regimented move in plan which at times ran into delays caused by the fairly less organized Portuguese contingent.  This led to a couple of scenes where the Japanese guy was yelling at the top of his lungs at his wife’s friends.  I can only speculate as to the aftermath.  We escaped in time to arrive at the party which was organized by the couple’s children, turned out to be a semi-surprise, and spent the evening out on the deck talking with my sister and her fabulous in laws.  It was fun to have the next generation reaching an age when they could join the adult conversations.  They still were susceptible to adult wickedness though as three different ones came and asked me if I had had cake yet so I ended up with three pieces of cake – a true win!  My brother in law is the brother I never had and I don’t get enough time to hang out with my sister and he, so last night was very special.  He, his sister, and his brother are so funny to watch together.  They are perfect foils for each other and the night ended with the three of them sitting around debating who the favorite child was.  I, performing my designated role in the debate, was trying to throw gasoline on the fire.  It's a great testimony to the power of family and I was so grateful that we were allowed to bask in the reflected warmth.  This kind of thing is so important when our own kids are so far away and seldom present.  There were a thousand other things I experienced and felt last night but when my exhausted wife completed her designated drive home – I think an apt summary was made.  A good day.

The Portuguese Labor Following Japanese Direction

The Bathroom with Securely Placed Shelves

The Wife Perusing Flowers

House with my Wife's Additions

The Semi-Suprise Moment at the Party

The Three Siblings, My Brother In Law on the Right - The Favorite Child in the Middle