Optimal Solutions

Best Way to End a Hot Day

I found possibly the best solution to a heavy summer day of oppressive humidity and heat. Shortly after I returned home yesterday I found myself immersed in a wading pool with the FBR. Although an incipient stomach cramp tried to interrupt the fun (part of the getting old sucks mantra) I was soon engaged with a series of games my granddaughter concocted to keep things interesting. Most of those games involved me serving as a target for various splash centric evolutions but as I said it was pretty damned hot outside.

My Favorite Panamanian and her mother sat on the opposite side of Deckzilla, well out of splashing range, and just shook their head in amusement at my seeming predicament. It was anything but that as we soon as a lively whirlpool circling and a multitude of bubbles descending from a strategically placed source. Date night was compromised by the need to monitor the FBR’s nocturnal ambitions so we settled for a trip to the local ice cream parlor where the FBR demolished a serving of ice cream. She fended off numerous attempts by her abuela to steal bites from her dish. It was a great spectator sport.

Ice Cream Adventures with Abuela

Disappearing Garage Roof

Deckzilla Dude continues to gnaw away at the garage roof despite the heat. Most of the back side has been excised and he assures me the rest will be gone today. He probably should have looked at the heat index before he made that assurance but we’ll see. In what is hopefully my last interaction with the dermatology department for a while my surgeon called yesterday and reported that everything they took out of my finger last week came back from the lab as benign – so good news.

The Great Smile She Sent me off to Work with Today

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RECURRING CHARACTERS

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got invole din planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; PanaGals – female relatives/friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latin friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues