Water Balloons, Lion Roar and Found Cheese

Today marks the end of our alone time with the FBR as her parents are currently enroute from New Jersey to eventually return her home. We’ve certainly tried to make the most of the last couple days as summer finally decided to make an appearance in July. The April-like rain we’ve received has been a real boon for the lawn but its been raining so much its been hard to find a dry spell to mow; well that, and having two granddaughters to entertain. Wednesday, after returning from New Hampshire, I finally got out there to mow and, as I said above, summer returned with all its attendant humidity, so that was a lot of fun.

Lunchtime at the Zoo

The FBR volunteered to help mow but we decided her best efforts were serving  as water bearer. She felt the excellent fashion she accomplished that task should result in some sort of prize. Her chosen avenue was a water balloon fight with grandpa. I was so drenched in sweat that I was all in. The FBR had been crowing about the water balloons her parents had bought for her and I was shortly to learn why. It was a prepacked set that you attach to the garden hose and it simultaneously fills a couple dozen water balloons and when filled they pop off the stem and are sealed with a rubber band (so incredibly cool). This meant the FBR was shortly armed with nearly fifty water balloons! The carnage began immediately.

Helping me Mow

My Personal Gunga Din

It turns out I’m a fairly large target to hit. She was delighted whenever one of her throws made it through my defense to soak me. I was able to catch a few (to be honest, I had less than a 5% success rate) and return fire but the FBR claimed this was unfair. I pointed out she was the only one wearing a bathing suit. We had so much fun. The FBR did take exception when I, completely outgunned, resorted to using first a bucket and then the garden hose to return fire. She enlisted the help of her abuela to seize control of the hose. My Favorite Panamanian was only too happy to help with my continued saturating. It’s been two days and my boots still haven’t dried out, but I wouldn’t trade the FBR laughter this whole episode elicited for anything.

The Water Balloon Fight

I Mean Massacre

A Very Soaked Grandpa

The fun continued yesterday with the first completely dry day in July and a trip to the Southwick Zoo. We wanted to go earlier with both the BRS and FBR but that wasn’t possible because of the aforementioned rain. I’d never been to Southwick before but I can now highly recommend it. Like most venues aimed at young children, they firmly attach a vacuum to your wallet upon entering but we got more than we paid for; again, that laughter. She was literally bouncing when we first walked in. From her vast experience she stated that her favorite animal to see was going to be a beaver. Unfortunately, there were no beavers, but she didn’t stop smiling the entire time we were there.

With Abuela at the Zoo

Goat Petting

She was tall enough to take the sky ride, a ski lift type ride that circles the zoo, which she pronounced was officially, “the best ride ever”. There were some cool animal exhibits. Unexpectedly the FBR’s favorite animals of the day were the prairie dogs, which were pretty cute. It was a stifling hot day but the zoo offered plenty of shade and cooling stations that made it tolerable. The animals, of course, were not inclined to exercise during the heat. I took great pains to point out where the lion was sleeping to the FBR, she was not impressed. Later, we were walking back past the lion enclosure when the lion woke up, climbed his rock, and roared repeatedly at the top of his lungs, a real Simba moment. It was my favorite moment of the day as he seemed to be informing the rest of the zoo residents, as well as the mere humans, who the king was.

Goat Feeding Frenzy

Flamingoes

Camel Sighting

Prairie Dog Village

Sleeping Cheetahs

The FBR and I paid a visit to the cheetah enclosure in homage to her my mother, my daughter. The cheetah was her mom’s favorite animal so the FBR felt this was important. The pair of cheetahs were enjoying a sustained nap but chose unwisely to sleep near the fence where a determined FBR tried to awaken them from their slumbers. One eventually deigned to lift his head and acknowledge her pleas. The FBR nodded and we headed off for more adventures. The FBR Was beside her self in the petting zoo where she bonded with several dozen goats. We were by the machines that dispense food which she certainly wanted to be part of but we had no quarters. A nearby zoo worker heard her pleas and gave her a handful of food to dispense. The FBR has that kind of effect on people.

Camel Riding

Photogenic

FBR Loving the Zoo

Chipmunk Time

Running to the Next Cage

One Last Visit to the Goats

The goats immediately swarmed her which had her laughing almost uncontrollably. She made real efforts to insure the smallest goats got their fair share despite the head butting of the larger goats. As we made our way around the zoo we came across camel rides. The FBR has learned to play the granddaughter card excellently and she was soon mounted on the beast for a short ride. We had such a fun day but the FBR insisted on another sky ride before we departed. She’s also learned her abuela is deathly afraid of snakes and neve failed to point out imaginary snakes throughout the ride.

Sky Ride

Also a Train Ride

Deer Below

The Cheetahs Finally Woke Up

Warthogs

The FBR and I Also Did a Maze

Where the FBR Immediately Abandoned Me

Until My Wife, Watching from Above, Told her to Go Back for Me

We had a very full day but our adventures were not over. The FBR had bonded with my Czech Shadow during an earlier visit. When the Czechs heard that the FBR was returning we received a dinner invite which fell last night. Even though they hadn’t seen each other in nearly two years they picked up the friendship as if a day hadn’t’ passed. The FBR disappeared at a full run as soon as the car door closed. She and the shadow were in a constant state of motion when they weren’t chasing down the cat. We had a fun dinner out on the deck with friends while all this was going on. We eventually pleaded bedtime and returned home with a very tired FBR. I won’t even begin to describe the grandparent exhaustion quota.

Swinging with the Shadow

Dessert Time

Purple Homemade Ice Cream 

Made by These Two

I finally solved the mystery of my missing cheese this morning. I keep cheese slices in my Man Cave fridge for late night TV watching snacks. The last two nights I went to the fridge thinking I’d left some in there only to find the fridge empty. This morning the lightbulb finally went off remembering the FBR had spent extended time in the Man Cave while I worked and it rained outside. I went back to the fridge and discovered the freezer now held two packages of cheese slices. When I asked the FBR about this, she had a devilish glint to her eye and said she thought she was being funny. She was as I had a good laugh, partially in relief that I wasn’t going senile in the cheese remembering department. I’m going to miss her so.

And She Looks So Innocent in the Man Cave

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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