Return to Basics

I always wondered why my mom and dad thought parents night at school was a big deal, but they did. With four school age children at one point, that was not an easy thing to coordinate. Again, I wondered about this, until I had kids of my own which brought all kinds of understanding. I relished the opportunity to see where my children were bundled off to each day. This was important in a military family as each school year potentially brought yet another school to acclimate to. That’s what makes Army brats so special, adaptability. So why am I waxing, with very little eloquence, about this seemingly mundane activity? My eldest granddaughter, the buoyant FBR, is my first granddaughter in “official” school and is winding up her kindergarten year.

FBR and Some of her Artwork

Thanks to the seemingly endless Covid epidemic, parents’ night at school hadn’t been held all year, until last night. It brought back so many memories of the wide range of schools my Favorite Panamanian and I visited over those Army years. The pictures my daughter sent also made me feel really old but that happens on a daily, if not hourly basis, anyways. The FBR proudly displayed her art work and showed both her parents around her daily haunts. It also brought home the importance of these “mundane” activities; so many of which have been sacrificed on the altar of Covid 19.

Her Cubby

We’ve had yet another mass shooting, this one in Texas where an 18-year-old shot his grandmother and then over twenty people in a local elementary school. Nineteen of the ten-year-old kids were killed along with the cowardly gunman. I know there’s a special place in hell for the purveyor of this despicable act. Both sides of the gun debate rushed to politicize the event. I don’t think any gun control measure will end these events but a beefed-up mental health system just might, especially if it is tied to gun registration. A half century ago, it was much easier to send someone away, to “commit” them. I remember it being a joke with other kids as someone was being sent to the “funny farm”.

Showing Mom and Dad Around

That system was abused, of course, which meant the system and facilities were largely dismantled on the grounds of personal freedom. We are now paying the price. Push some of that DC money into creating a viable residential mental health program in each state. Give judges and police departments the power to commit people who need the help and conjunctly, take away any weapons they own or might have access to. Someone asked me how an 18-year-old could buy two assault weapons. I reminded him it was Texas and that just another Tuesday.

Finally, referring to yesterday’s post about the evil of whoopie pies. I learned last night that my Favorite Panamanian, who has always scoffed at my addiction to these sweet delicacies, is similarly afflicted. I noticed two of the pies were outside the box in the freezer and since she was the only viable suspect, I asked about it. She revealed she had been looking for something to snack on and had tried one. She said she couldn’t believe how good it was. I only nodded sagely at the tale of yet another to fall under the spell of this ultimate treat. She had taken the two out to take down to Man Cave as we planned to watch the Sox game together. During the game, she had to go upstairs for something and I wondered what took her so long. As she was sitting down I told her she’d had another whoopie pie while upstairs. She looked shocked and admitted to the act. When she asked how I knew I told her she was treading on a well-trod path.    

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RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                        

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; 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; Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Soxfather - my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course