Fleeting 11th

Poof, just like that I find myself at the end of November. Where the hell did that month go? In reality, we certainly made the most of it which probably explains the fleeting nature of the month. I mean, a trip to New Jersey for the FBR’s birthday, the annual hometown birthday pub crawl returning in all its glory, Thanksgiving followed by second Thanksgiving and a weekend with all three granddaughters assembled. I would be hard pressed to imagine a month better spent. The only problem, it has to end.

Best Part of November

Not to worry though, my absolute favorite time on the year in inbound with December. Since I am only partially employed, there will be fewer Christmas parties but today we’re heading out to buy our Christmas tree and my Favorite Panamanian has begun her annual transformation of the house into a holiday wonderland. You can’t beat that, with a stick. There is, as always, a price to pay for the past weeks of hedonistic pursuits, especially in the calorie intake department. I thought I would sink to the bottom of the pool yesterday with my first swim in a while but had achieved some buoyancy by the end of the workout. I’m figuring another seven pounds to knock off before I repeat the whole process for the Christmas holidays. A good problem to have but challenging with Christmas cookie preparation about to begin.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – 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; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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