Decompression Begins

I have begun the process of mentally retreating from the paradise setting my mind has been on since our arrival in Panama. That involves treasuring every moment I have left here on the beach. Our redeployment begins on Saturday morning when we leave the condo to spend a couple days with my mother-in-law before our Monday departure for the States. We were talking with the FBR this morning when my Favorite Panamanian told her how sad we were to leave Panama. In a true “out of the mouths of babes” moment, she blithely responded, “Well, you get to see me!”. Spirits were immediately lifted on all sides.

The Monday Crowd on the Beach

We spent yesterday back in David most of the day taking care of a banking issues, getting new plates for our car, and taking a couple deserving ladies out for lunch. Before that though, on Monday, we hosted my wife’s aunt and her husband for a day on the beach. As with most seniors they’ve been virtual prisoners in their house for the past year. Life seemed almost ordinary as we hosted them. I also learned her aunt’s husband was an accomplished beer drinker. He’s the first Panamanian I’ve met that could keep up. That meant my wife had to drive us all back at the end of the day but that goes down as a small price to pay (at least in my book, not so much in hers).

Wife with her Aunt and Aunt's husband in Condo Pool

We were hoping for pizza upon our Monday night return to David but we learned upon arrival that Pizza Hut had closed it doors, another pandemic victim. We continued down the road to my favorite Panamanian steakhouse, Gallardo’s, and had a fantastic meal there. I had a real feeling of returning to civilization after all the time spent on the beach. Yesterday morning, after spending the night at my mother-in-law’s house, we were amongst the first customers at the bank where we had to update our phones to validate transactions. When we upgraded our phones last year, we were missing certain codes needed for the transactions. That turned out to be fairly easy and we then stopped by a lab where we confirmed we’d be able to get our pre-flight Covid tests there on Saturday.

The Sidewalk Conference in Boquete

I wanted to appropriately thank my wife’s twin sister and her friend for their yeoman work in getting the condo ready for our return. We were taking them out to lunch in recognition of their efforts. That increased to include my mother-in-law and niece since my wife reasoned that we couldn’t leave them behind. We chose the mountain town of Boquete, one of our favorite spots in Panama as the location. After the usual ear popping drive into the mountains, we arrived to find the usually bustling town very subdued.

Boquete Lunch with Tall Drinks

The line of restaurants we hoped to choose from were all closed, some permanently. The pandemic, the gift that just keeps giving. The discovered closures left the ladies conferring on the sidewalk about next steps. I wandered up hill a bit and noticed another restaurant that was obviously open which ended the debate. We finally got that pizza we missed out the night before while the ladies all had some very tall, exotic fruit shakes. After lunch, I thought we be free to return to the beach but the ladies started walking down hill in search of a bakery. Along the way we stopped off for some gelatos. I was walking back and relocating the car each time so my mother-in-law wouldn’t have a long walk. This happened three times before I was able to herd the cats back into the car.

Unusually Quiet Streets of Boquete

On the way down from the mountains we stopped off to pick up the license plate as well as yet another chair my Favorite Panamanian had purchased over the past couple weeks that had arrived. In the very late afternoon, we were finally back on the road to Las Lajas. We arrived back in time for Facetime calls with both the FBR and the New Hampshire bunch as well as another terrific sunset. BR3 showed some real athletic promise, no surprise given her parents. She was enthusiastically kicking a ball around. She then crawled over to the BRS’ play kitchen which quickly drew her sister in to supervise.

BR3 On FaceTime

Big Sister Supervising

My Favorite Panamanian and I set up on the beach to watch yet another fantastic sunset. This one was enhanced by the presence of two dogs which accompanied their owner down the beach for a sunset walk while they chased the ever present crabs. The dogs, not the owner. The condo caretaker told my wife that Panama was in effect closing all swimming on the beaches due to dangerously high surf and riptides. My wife happily passed this news on to me as we have a running debate about someone my age venturing into the waves as I do. They actually patrol the beach so my boogie boarding career might be over for 2021. I shall return!

Monday Morning on Beach - These Pelicans Cruise the Surf Each Morning

Horse and Rider Also Showed Up Monday Morning

Monday Sunset was Epic

Tuesday's Wasn't So Bad Either

The Crab Chasing Dogs

Hundreds of these Small crabs Inhabit Holes on Beach 

This Morning on Beach

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

RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – 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; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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