T-Day Extended

I’m sitting down here in the Man Cave awaiting a supposedly impressive first winter storm of the season contemplating a requisite early morning drive into Boston. That cannot deter in any way from the fun encountered over the past few days. The house is eerily quiet since the FBR has departed for her home range. That ended a really fun run with us as she had been in residence since the birthday pub crawl – her longest stay with us ever.

Part of What Made the Weekend So Special

Her parents arrived Wednesday night after their drive up from New Jersey and the Thanksgiving fun immediately commenced. Our first stop was Hancock, New Hampshire on Thursday for the traditional gathering of my father’s family. It’s been going on for nearly a hundred years now and sadly for the first time I got a sense of winding down. It’s still a fabulous gathering of cousins but the FBR was the only child there and the next generation after mine is not supporting the gathering in the same manner. I hope this was only a blip in the history of this assembly because it occupies such a firm place in my childhood memories of the magical brothers and sisters that were my father’s siblings.

Wingman, FBR and Daughter on Thanksgiving Day

Cousins Milling

Daughter Captured Actually Doing Dishes - Her Mother Was Impressed 

Wingman and Cousins

The lack of youngsters meant no football game which my knee was incredibly grateful for. Nothing could diminish the quality of the time I got to spend with my cousins though – that truly is priceless and Thanksgiving is defined for me by those conversations. The FBR was getting a little antsy as the only game in town until some toys were brought out of storage. My memories of these get-togethers always included virtual herds of both children and dogs. There was only one, ill-tempered dog present which added to the sense of fading. Still, any day I get to spend with my cousins counts as a clean win.

Friday Morning Mother-Daughter Time

Goofy Time with Abuela

Impressively Garbed Cook

Friday was a completely different story as we continued our tradition of a second Thanksgiving at my sister’s house in Rhode Island. This tradition arose from my parent’s divorce since my mother needed a Thanksgiving assembly as well. We’ve kept it up and it’s turned into a genuine party over the past few years. The added bonus this time out was the presence all day of Soxfather. Since he’s now retired he didn’t have to miss the afternoon dinner. The FBR demanded his total thralldom. Great Aunt always looks to this dinner prep as her super bowl since we kid her mercilessly about any shortcomings.

BRS is in the House

Along with the FBR

2d Thanksgiving Dinner

I Even Make an Appearance

FBR With Parental Units

BRS and Hers

She looked to be on top of things right up to the turkey carving time. Electric knives had always been a weak spot for her but she was uncharacteristically confident in this area since a recent Soxfather kitchen cleaning had produced no less than five of the items. Unfortunately none of the located blades fit the located handles until my son finally united one set but that knife wouldn’t cut butter much less a turkey so Great Aunt’s hope of a perfect prep were crushed. The meal itself was a triumph as I looked around the table to see both FBR and the BRS holding court. Namesake Nephew was right next to me as the family banter flowed back and forth.

4 Beautiful Ladies

Party Time

The eating evolved directly into the post dinner party with various elements of Soxfather’s family arriving. This is one of the true highlights of the Thanksgiving weekend as we sat around the new dining room table and laughed almost non-stop. Soxfather’s sister has serious qualms about my photographic abilities which only encouraged me to relentless pursue photos of her. My Favorite Panamanian was dragooned into driving the FBR, BRS, and accompanying mothers back to Worcester in order to make bed times. Keene Friend accompanied us and was drafted as designated driver for the guys which enabled us to continue the fun well into the night. If Coors Lite ever needs a group to sell their product they should examine the debris following this annual gathering – a serious endorsement.

Soxfather Sister Photo Montage

She Eventually Capitulated

Unfortunately these weekends always have to end with the departure homewards of the kids and their families. After an hojaldra filled breakfast on Saturday morning cars were loaded and the house emptied. My Favorite Panamanian and I were both faced with an emptier house than usual since we’d become used to the very singular presence of the FBR. I had a surprise in store for my wife though. I’d made a reservation for us in a hotel back in my hometown. This would get us out of the house where the short term memories of the fun over the past few days were so present. It would also give us some much needed alone time together.

I'll Miss the Lunch Time Piggy Back Rides

She Fills up a House

They Both Do

We walked across the street from the hotel to have a fun dinner at Margarita’s. It was decidedly lower key than our last time there as part of the pub crawl. During dinner my wife discovered there was still time to shop. We ran into one of my high school classmates and pub crawl vet manning the bar as we walked out which was very nice. As we walked back to the car my wife noticed that the previously closed Scores had an open sign blinking in the window. After she left to go shopping I wandered around the center of Keene taking in the Christmas lights before checking out the re-opened former favorite pub. It is now called the Traxx Club and was decidedly not ready for prime time yet. None of the TVs were on and all the staff were wearing coats since they hadn’t figured out how to turn the heat on. It was a pale shadow of its former self but a nice sign that it might come back in some new form. The hotel stay was a big win in my husband game – serious points. That was the definition of this weekend – just winning on every level.

Loved to Work on Makeup with Abuela

Inseparable

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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; 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 involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); 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 Latino 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; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; 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