Tradition Ends but Endures

If you’ve read anything on Frail Deeds, you’ll know I am a fervent supporter of honoring the First Friday of each week, a tradition that extends back to my Army days where I was first indoctrinated in that ritual. One of the coolest things, really the only cool thing, about the pandemic was the start of a First Friday family Facetime call. We had not missed a single week since we started conducting the call when the bars were closed for yours truly last year to continue my personal quest to honor each First Friday as it arrived. It became a true highlight of the week as both my kids, their families, Great Aunt, Soxfather and, of course, my Favorite Panamanian gathered around our iPads to imbibe and also laugh together. It was absolutely medicinal in a time of true isolation. Well, 2021 continues to break down the barriers erected by the pandemic. Sadly, to an extent, the family Facetime call ended last evening when my daughter was unavailable due to a fun filled time away from the house with her family. I had my own gathering as a bunch of former work colleagues, including Keene Friend, showed up for a Deckzilla First Friday celebration. I was unwilling to let the entire experience go though and fielded separate FaceTime calls from my son as well as the Soxfather/Great Aunt tandem. I guess I’m going to have to wean myself off the call. Small steps.

The Deckzilla Gang Yesterday

July continued its weird weather ride. I thought I was safe to have the gathering on Deckzilla since it was a beautiful Friday all day long. I was just emerging from the Man Cave to set up for their arrival when it started to sprinkle. I rushed inside to get a tarp to cover the seating area. I was about half way though that effort when the sprinkle turned into a deluge. My former assistant arrived early and joined in the effort. By the time I had the tarp secured in place the rain was starting to slack off and it stopped just before the rest of the guests arrived. It turned out to be a complete success. Celebrating the First Friday of a week with excellent people in person just cannot be enjoyed enough and I had some really excellent people to celebrate with yesterday. The chicken wings an beer didn't hurt either.

Our Houseguest Joined us Later

I may, however, have damaged the intellectual development of students back in Panama. Our house guest is an English teacher and is conducting her classes remotely during her stay. I was charging upstairs to change out of my completely soaked clothes after getting the tarp set up and used some very colorful language to describe what I thought of the weather as I passed our guest’s room. My Favorite Panamanian emerged from our room with a stricken look on her face and whispered that the class was going on and that they probably heard my outburst. I tried to make the best of it by saying you can never underestimate the importance, while learning a language, to hear a native speaker. That was all I could muster.

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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