Unprecedented

The coronavirus response was brought home to me on a couple fronts this weekend. I traveled to New Jersey to visit my daughter’s family but the FBR was not allowed to deliver her usual running hug until Grandpa had taken off his shoes and washed his hands thoroughly. The hugs were then delivered in her usual neck popping style. I didn’t say anything but I could see the FBR glancing repeatedly at the gift bag I brought in with me. I finally put her out of her misery and asked if she wanted to see what was in the bag.

The Unicorn Princess in Full Regalia

Two seconds later she was the proud owner a unicorn princess ensemble which she immediately changed into. The gloves were a real challenge and my daughter was the only one who could manage to get them on the FBR. We had a really fun day which involved activities with no interaction with other people. We drove the short distance to a nature preserve and hiked down to a small river. The FBR loves to throw rocks into rivers, something we now know. Both Wingman and I quickly threw our arms out trying to skip rocks but the FBR displayed her usual boundless enthusiasm. It was a simple but profoundly enjoyable time.

Wingman and I with the FBR at the River Bank

Selecting the Perfect Rock

She Was a Natural

And Did not Want to Leave

Since the FBR had once again been a good girl all week in pre-school she was rewarded with a movie night. She took it upon herself to fill what was to her a yawning chasm in my movie going experience by choosing Wreck it Ralph. This was followed up on Sunday Ralph Breaks the Internet. The FBR also directly challenged my commitment to the keto diet by having two of my biggest sources of kryptonite literally right under my nose. The chocolate cake was bad enough but during the movies she sat in my lap with a very aromatic bowl of popcorn. Anybody who knows me at all realizes what that did to me.

Watching Ralph

Way Too Much Fun

So my lonely weekend was once again rescued by one of my “kids” and their peerless families. I had to beat feet home on Sunday to accomplish the myriad of tasks the work week calls for. A silver lining to the virus meant very little traffic and I made it home in less than three hours for the first time ever. Even Connecticut was acceptable, a rare feat indeed. That’s about the only good thing to come out of this situation though.

Out and About Again Yesterday

Repping the Pats with her Eyes Crossed

First Friday was weird because all of the televisions that usually have non-stop sports on now had infomercials or soap operas. Even worse the governor has closed all bars for a few weeks so I going to have to come up with field expedient First Friday celebrations. I went to the grocery store after it had been thoroughly pillaged over the weekend by panic shopping after the breathless media coverage of the virus. It was kind of jarring to see all the empty shelves. I ended up having to buy turkey thighs for the first time ever and trying to figure out how to cook them.

First Friday

Both of my kids now have to deal with closed day care centers with both parents working. Wingman is taking some time off while my daughter is also working from home. My son and the ABFA face a bigger challenge since their jobs are not as flexible. We will get through this because of who we are but it seems every day brings a new gut shot. My wife even thought she was being forcibly quarantined down at our condo in Panama. It turned out two Italian tourists had brought the virus with them to Las Lajas but there was no community wide quarantine needed. Luckily with two thousand or so movies I’m well equipped for de-socialization. I was pissed to arrive at the Y for my morning swim today only to find it closed for the foreseeable future. This kind of sucks.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – inbound granddaughter #3, 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; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn