Framed and Home

Both my Favorite Panamanian and I are into day two of serious recovery operations after a fun filled but exhausting week with my Favorite Son and his family. We drove home yesterday in some of the most intense rain I’ve driven through in a long time. I say exhausting because apparently my wife and I aren’t as young as we used to be and after being tag teamed by the BRS and BR3 all week we were just that. That being said I wouldn’t trade the time for anything because of the time spent with not only the precocious granddaughters but also my son and the ABFA.

Riggins Doing his Part

ABFA and Son Friday Night

My son and I finished up framing all the walls for his future Man Cave and home theater in the basement. We even created what my son assures me is called a soffit. There was a serious amount of discovery learning for a certain senior citizen. Luckily my construction savvy son was on the job and the finished product looked almost professional. As I told my son as I was leaving, I treasured the week down in the basement with him. As happens when you reach my age, thoughts of mortality creep into your reflections. It made me feel good that long after I’m gone my son will look at those walls and remember we put them up together. I’m not trying to be morbid but realistic, my bid for a small slice of familial immortality

BR3 Painting with Abuela

ABFA and BRS

Abuela and BRS Made a Gingerbread House

Photos from some of the other Crafting Times with Abuela

My Favorite Panamanian had the much tougher job, riding herd on the granddaughters. My son and I could hear the almost continuous pitter patter of small footsteps crisscrossing the floor above us as we worked in the basement. My wife had a variety of crafts and other activities trying to keep them engaged throughout the day. She had planned on starting work on her annual Christmas cookie baking but that was before we learned the granddaughters wouldn’t be going to their day care. That facility was closed by a flood from a broken water heater the weekend before we arrived. I marvel at my wife’s ability to manage these two young dynamos. But, as I said, yesterday we agreed we needed a break.

BRS with Santa

BR3 Less Happy

The Famous FBR Photo

We stayed over Friday night because my son’s company was throwing their annual Christmas party. My son and the ABFA looked fantastic as they headed out the door. As usually happens when the actual parents depart, the granddaughters were extremely well behaved at bed time. In the BRS’ case, for the first time all week. A couple hours later both my wife and I smelled gas which seemed to be emanating from the gas fireplace. A concerned call to my son had them return a bit early to confirm it wasn’t a serious problem. One of the funniest moments of the week was the granddaughters’ trip to see Santa Claus. The pictures tell the story as the BRS was fully comfortable with the bearded gentleman. The same could not be said for BR3 which brought back memories of her older cousin’s first St Nick encounter which has entered family lore through the accompanying photo. I didn’t escape the week unscathed as BR3 bequeathed me a small head cold she had been dealing with. This was the price I paid for sharing my breakfast each morning with that noted bacon thief. In a not so funny development, since we’ve all been so healthy during the pandemic, my wife recently threw away all the cold medicine we had in the house because it had expired a long time ago.  

A Fashion Show of Former FBR Dresses Handed Down

Happy Abuela

FBR Down a Tooth

Speaking of the FBR. We spoke with her a couple times through the week and learned she had her first ever loose tooth. This yet another sign she’s getting older was tough to take but at the same time it was fun to see her marvel at the development. We received news this morning that the tooth had fallen out, at 5am. This prompted an exciting run into her parents’ bedroom to announce the news. My daughter who had a late Saturday night singing karaoke with a visiting friend wasn’t thrilled with the early morning wakeup but, parenthood.

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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