I am safely back in the warm (almost too warm) confines of the Man Cave with the attendant sore muscles from another morning burrowing into my back hill for the future patio (significant progress there for just one day). I was worried about the balky knee but the power of Advil still compels it into behaving, even for the uphill lugging of all those buckets of dirt. I’ve started extending the retaining wall into the hill and have reached the point where it starts curving towards the fireplace, hence the sore muscles.
Departure Dinner
Our
last night in New Jersey was a lot of fun. We picked up the FBR from day camp
and, almost as if planned (which I wouldn’t put past her), the ice crem truck pulled
into the parking lot as we walked to the car. There ensued a race against time
for the FBR to finish off her soft serve ice cream cone before the blistering heat
rendered it into soup. Once she had eaten all the sprinkles I was summoned to
assist. As I’ve said before, I cannot deny her anything. We returned home for
yet another viewing of Lightyear while we waited for my daughter to finish work
upstairs.
Day 14
Race to Finish Ice Cream in the Heat with Abuela 
Schooling Granddad in Cards 
Watching the Golf Behind our Table
We
all, including Wingmom, piled into the car for dinner out at the FBR’s favorite
Maplewood restaurant. My daughter likes it because there is seating outside and
usually a number of other families the FBR ends up scurrying around the area
with. The FBR took it upon herself to brief me on what was expected and just
how the process worked at this restaurant. She was very specific and used small
words to insure I understood. She
pulled a card game out of her bag of tricks and soon was trouncing me in a game
as I struggled to understand the rules. She assured me I would eventually
figure it out. The food was good but the company was great. Despite the heat we
were very comfortable under the tent with a golf course directly behind us. In telling
evidence that she had a very busy day at camp, the FBR ate all of her meal
without question despite the earlier foray with the ice cream cone. She
followed up dinner with a dessert of, you guessed it, more ice cream. At least
I know she comes by this ice cream loving trait honestly. She has certainly
inherited the love of ice cream from a certain grandfather.
Even More Ice Cream!
Last Walk to Day Camp
I
made one last walk to day camp drop off on Friday morning with the FBR, my
daughter, and their neighbor’s twins. Talking with fellow six-year-olds immediately
trumps any uncool conversations with grandfather. I still relished the time watching
this sprite prepare for her adventures of the day. We also had to didge while
trying to assassinate any Asian Lantern Flies we came upon. There were a lot
and the little buggers can seriously jump. 
Saying Goodbye to the FBR
Meanwhile in New Hampshire 
BRS and BR3 are Gearing up For 2 Weeks at the Beach 
BR3 is Ready!
My
Favorite Panamanian and I hit the road after breakfast, trying to shoot the gap
between morning rush hour and the inevitable crush of a summer Friday afternoon
on the roads. We made great time even though Connecticut made its usual effort
to snag us up a couple times. We made a quick trip to the Depot to acquire
bricks for the aforementioned retaining wall. The Red Sox greeted us home last
night with possibly the worst game of their long history, giving up 28 runs! It
wasn’t bad enough I was bereft of the company of my daughter and the FBR and
they went and did that to me. Spirits will rebound this evening with a dash to
Rhode Island to hang with Great Aunt and the incredible Soxfather family
Beating the Heat with Popsicles
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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 3rd 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
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