Reunification

Together Again

One of the sweetest moments, which is saying a lot considering the saccharine soaked experiences with the FBR, happened on Deckzilla last night. We were conducing First Friday operations on Deckzilla when the FBR’s parents walked around the corner and surprised her. While she knew they were coming she had spent the last couple hours playing to the assembled crowd so she was taken by surprise. It took her a moment to process what she was seeing before she launched herself at her parents for what she called a family together hug.

I could tell how much my daughter and Wingman had missed the FBR and was so glad they were able to sneak out of New Jersey in time to join us out on Deckzilla. We had been thwarted on several occasions to have one of our trademark Deckzilla parties this summer but it always rained. There weren’t any Rhode Islanders this time out which seemed to do the trick. After an oppressive week of heat and humidity we had a perfect new England summer night for the festivities. My work colleagues left after a while to be replaced by the Worcester Chapter of the Panamanian mafia and we partied into the night as this was my mother in law’s last Friday in country before returning to Panama tomorrow.

A Deckzilla First Friday

Any peak is inevitably followed by a valley and that was this morning when I had to say goodbye to the entire New Jersey contingent as the FBR returned home after her week long stay with us. I immediately noticed how preternaturally quiet the house became after her departure. I’m going to miss her more than I can adequately explain. Luckily I have a three week tour back to Panama myself to distract. I wish it was for another reason other than dealing with the residency application bureaucrats but that’s my fate.

Panamanians=Dancing

Neighborhood Mafia Joined in

Since this is September now, hard to credit that, this marks the start of my eighth year writing Frail Deeds. It’s certainly evolved and for the past few years I’ve spent a lot of time chronicling the early lives of my two granddaughters, hoping they’ll read it at some point in the future when I’m probably just a hopefully cherished memory. I wanted them to know both me and my wife from this time, a time they won’t remember. I guess I’ll keep going in the hopes a grandson appears at some point to carry on the family name (no pressure son).

Early Morning Game of Catch with mom

I’ve fallen completely under thrall to the Ancestry.com site as I continue to add branches to my family tree. I now have 3078 ancestors identified to the point it’s becoming frustrating that there are so many. As I follow each line back I become upset when the ancestor turns out to be of the nobility because there’s always more records and hence more names to add with them. Still it’s a hell of a lot of fun when leavened with my imagination of the lives these great-grandparents forged. I’m not sure how often I’ll get to blog from Panama but I may need to in order to deal with the ingrained frustration.

Deckzilla Dude's Progress - Roof is Gone (for now)

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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