Hollow Return

Keys to the Condo!

The passing of the Wonder Pooch was brought into bright and uncertain terms with our Saturday return from Panama. All the hundreds of minor details in our daily lives he was involved in came and went with a wave of accompanying sadness. I dropped something on the floor in the kitchen and had to remind myself that it wasn’t going to be vacuumed up by the fiendishly attentive canine police that was Buddy around anything food related. I missed him most this morning preparing for my first day back at work where we shared so many activities together over the past eight years.

Aerial Views of Condo From Last Week

Our last couple days in Panama were filled with family and fun, well mostly fun. My wife and the window consultant who’ll be installing blinds in the condo met for interminable hours as both seem culturally averse to making decisions. You might have heard that it gets mildly sunny in Panama and the condo has more than its share of windows so he blinds are important – and expensive. While these obscure discussions meandered I excused myself for some time in the surf and the pool.

Friday at Condo with Wife's Family

We took possession of the keys to the condo which was a big moment after so many years watching it grow from a concept we took off a Las Lajas billboard to actual construction. We stormed an appliance store on Friday and ordered a refrigerator, washer/dryer, microwave, two televisions, and two Blu-ray players (please) that will be delivered to the condo on our October visit to Panama. We plan on staying that week in the condo. We also met with our lawyer regarding the sale of our land down there and hope to make that sale final in October.

Thursday in Boquete

Lunch at this Place

We topped off the visit with a family dinner at our “go to” place – El Fogon. This took place after attending mass at the central church since this was the monthly anniversary of my father’s in law death and he is remembered at that day’s mass each month. There was an added bonus of having the Red Sox-Yankees game on the televisions with the Red Sox wining well into the late innings. The influx of Atlas beer may have had my wife and I lording over the Yankee fan infested gathering a little too much; especially when the Red Sox bullpen blew the game in excruciating fashion.

Friday night Dinner

Serial Laughter

The trip back to the USA was going swimmingly as we approached the gate for our connecting flight from Panama City to Boston. We were momentarily held up when the gate agent told us we had been summarily upgraded to First Class!  I’ve never flown in the first class cabin before and spent a few minutes processing what had just happened. The many trips we’ve made to Panama over the past few years apparently came home to roost. There was a little bit of angst as we felt like interlopers but that was soon vanquished when the three course meal, free drinks, and warm towels started appearing. The best part were the very wide seats. My wife slept for most of the flight but I refused since I wanted to enjoy this novel experience as much as possible. I never claimed to be highly intelligent. When the flight landed and we were waiting for the doors to open I looked back into the normal chaos of coach which cemented my opinion – best flight ever.

How Did We End up Here?

Kept Waiting to Get Kicked out

We arrived home to find the Maine Musquetera had just pulled into the driveway as well. She and my wife left at 3am on Sunday morning to support the Virginia Musquetera at yesterday’s wake and today’s funeral for her husband. Incredibly they made the trip and showed up on time for the 1pm wake in Northern Virginia. There was no doubt these sisters of the heart needed to be together on this sad day.

Keene Freind and I Toasting Buddy Yesterday

This left me with an even emptier house which I tried to address by staying very busy. There was no shortage of tasks including the sad removal of Buddy’s basement paraphernalia. Keene Friend, because this is the kind of friend he is, volunteered to come down and quaff a few beverages in memory of our mutual friend Buddy. We adjourned to the local bar and paid appropriate respect to him. When I got home I poured a little bit of beer on the back deck which he would have loved and summarily sucked up. Life is different.

Meanwhile in New Jersey

Granddaughter is Now Attending Street Parties