You’ll
have noticed that writing while in the uninterrupted company of one of my
granddaughters is nearly impossible. Grandparents are expected to be at their
beck and call at a moment’s notice, to take part in whatever the latest adventure
is. I wouldn’t trade the time for anything. The FBR has been in complete
control of my social agenda since our arrival last Thursday. Since this past
weekend was something special for her parents (more on that below) my Favorite
Panamanian and I were the sole care takers while my daughter and Wingman spent
a romantic weekend in NYC. I’m sure the
FBR took more than advantage of the situation but that’s what grandparents were
created for.
 |
| Sunday Night Family Hug |
We
were supposed to visit her “secret place” on Saturday. This was delayed a day
when an AC repair guy took longer than expected leading to some significant
frustration for the FBR. She started to take this out on her abuela who laid
down a bright line, not to be crossed. If the behavior continued there would be
no trip to the special place. The behavior continued and the trip was canceled
which led to a complete melt down. It had been a while since I’d carried a
sobbing, almost hysterical child up to her room to “think about things” until
she was ready to talk calmly with me but I still remembered how to do it. She’s
a good kid though and eventually calmed down and acknowledged her malfeasance
and apologized to her abuela.
 |
| Friday Pick Up From Camp - Abuela and FBR Popsicling |
 |
| Trying to Defend my Goal Against FBR |
We
spent that afternoon cavorting in the pool, inventing games (that as mostly
her). Most of these games seemed to involve direct splashes to my face. Sunday dawned
with a well behaved FBR who jumped at the chance of walking down the block to
the Bread Stand to score some cinnamon rolls. Her grandfather forgot to check
hours of operation though and we arrived thirty minutes before they opened. Did
I mention the FBR tends to get up early? Especially with grandparents in
residence. We eventually returned when the shop was opened and scored her cinnamon
rolls.
 |
| There Are, Though Rare, Quiet Moments |
 |
| She Actually Volunteered to Help Abuela Clean |
We
dropped my Favorite Panamanian off at church and then continued on to the adventure
at the FBR’s secret place. It’s a series of trails in a park behind the town library.
My daughter had assured me that the FBR would navigate once on the ground to
the special place. This turned out to be true as we cut off the trail into the break
in the bushes and were standing on top of a five foot wall over a small stream.
I was required to lower the FBR down to the stream and then to follow her. I
was reminded almost immediately that this would have been much easier physically
just a few years ago.
 |
| FBR Swimming Under Water |
 |
| Dunking Grandpa |
 |
| Trying to make my Dermatologist Happy |
After
church my wife learned we had been to the secret place without her which meant
a return trip, this time with the FBR’s bicycle. This increased her separation speed
from her grandfather which was already formidable. There was a group of kids from
a single family at the river so the place isn’t as big a secret as projected.
The FBR, of course, wanted to do everything the much larger kids were doing
with their father. She pleaded to be allowed to wander into the middle of a
large stream along with them but I played the parent card and said I hadn’t been
specifically authorized to allow this by her parents as I envisioned myself slipping
in the middle of the fairly deep part of the stream. The FBR brought her full,
not inconsiderable, wheedling ability to bear which I somehow resisted (it was not
easy).
 |
| Sunday Cinnamon Rolls |
 |
| Entrance to the Secret Place |
She
found some discarded candy during her bike ride and was most put out when we didn’t
allow her to eat it. I even used the ole “a dog probably peed on it” ploy to absolutely
no effect. After a couple turns around the park we assuaged her hurt feelings
by wandering over to Maplewood Village which has a collection of shops. I
promised replacement candy for the ones she was denied but the FBR stated she knew
where the “Cookie Store” was. I was mildly intrigued and she unerringly navigated
us there. She decided she wanted the biggest cookie they had and we enjoyed a
coupe together while watching the village Sunday crowd of people wander by,
counting dogs of course.
 |
| Secret Place Revealed |
 |
| Biking with Abuela |
We
returned home for a grocery run (that was just me). It turned out to be a couple
grocery runs as I forgot one of the bags at the register. I must have made an
impression with the checkout gal because she saved the bag and spotted me hurriedly
returning in search of it. I survived the attendant lecture from my better half
before returning to the pool with the FBR. We followed this up with back yard playground
time where the FBR played me once again. She said she had to go inside to get a
ball and I waited for her outside since I thought my Favorite Panamanian was in
the kitchen. After ten minutes and no returning FBR I went into the house and
found the bottom floor empty. My wife was upstairs napping off the grandparental
exertions granddaughters always elicit. I eventually located the FBR in the basement
where she innocently claimed to be doing nothing wrong. This was not the case
as we were to learn later when a missing figurine was noted by Wingman. He said
if it wasn’t the FBR than it had to be either my wife or I and his money was on
the FBR. She claimed complete innocence while looking pleadingly at us. I go the
distinct impression she wanted me to cop a plea to cover her. Grandfather
loyalty doesn’t go that far.
 |
| Best Weekends Ever!!! |
I
had picked up Wingman and my Favorite Daughter at the train station where they were
returning from a weekend spent in New York celebrating the 12th
anniversary of the first Best Weekend Ever. Today marks the 7th anniversary of
the 2ed Best Weekend Ever where my Favorite Son and the ABFA tied the knot. As I
look back on the succeeding years after these two landmark weekends, I am so pleased
with the families that have sprouted because of them. As I’ve said before, time
speeds up as you get older and I’m amazed to see the three beautiful granddaughters
and the successful marriages surrounding them. It’s almost as if my Favorite Panamanian
and I did something right in raising these kids but I know better. This is
testament to the four fine adults involved. Just thinking about the pride and love
I feel for these four brings a tear to my eye.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 3rd 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
No comments:
Post a Comment