Game On

I’m sneaking a few minutes on the computer while Clifford the Big Red Dog is playing on my home theater. That is prima facie evidence that granddaughters are in the house. The fun began on Friday afternoon when my Favorite Son fought through some tough traffic with the BRS and BR3 Their goal was to drop off the BRS for the planned week together at our house with the FBR. We had a big surprise in the designated granddaughter room when we revealed the newly assembled bunkbed with trundle bed underneath. The goal, a wifely thang, is to have all three granddaughters in the same room for Christmas Eve and many other visits. It was the roundly held consensus within the family that BR3 has not reached the age where this is even remotely possible yet. Luckily she re-claimed as “her room” our master bedroom closet. Running up there upon arrival and declaring this is “my room”.

The FBR and BRS After One of their Many Pool Times

With the Obligatory Popsicles

Since Covid kept my Favorite Panamanian and I away from him on his birthday we seized upon this opportunity to properly recognize the passage of yet another year for our youngest child. His mother made a cake, frosted in his favorite green color (note – green is not a good color to have as your favorite in pastry – it masks evidence of mold, but I digress). The BRS remarked at his actual birthday that she was disappointed when a long sword was not used to cut the cake. We rectified that affront to family tradition when my son wielded Bonecrusher to properly sever the cake.

Frist Friday Pizza with Son, BRS & BR3

Grandpa and BR3

Pool time!

Showing Dad the Pool

BRS Helping Abuela with Garden

Saturday morning dawned with two granddaughters occupying our bed. My Favorite Panamanian said we had to let my son sleep in and since the granddaughters do not believe in such a thing, they ended up with us. Shortly after her eyes opened the BRS asked the first of the 48,642 times when the FBR would arrive. At least cousins are alike because I underwent a similar grueling interrogation when the FBR was waiting for the BRS last year. I used the same tactic I used with their parents and added an hour to the arrival time with each question. It worked as well as it did with the parents, hence the 48,642 iterations.

Early Saturday Morning

Birthday Cake!

Bonecrusher!

Cake Successfully Cleaved

Hojaldra Work Crew

Abuela Out to Walk with Granddaughters

Newest Toy Getting Field Tested

Shortly after noon, the questioning ended with the arrival of the FBR and her parental units. We did receive a nominal greeting from our oldest granddaughter but she and the BRS made a bee line towards each other and haven’t been more than two feet apart since. Unfortunately my son had to depart along with BR3, who seemed a bit jealous at the sudden focus of her older sister’s attentions. The two cousins spent most of the rest of the day flitting and out of the pool, newly positioned on the new patio. This gave the adults a very welcome opportunity to hang out and actually converse with each other. Eventually this was noticed by the younger generation and a makeup session was decreed. There might be a serious need for improvement in this area, at least based on the visual evidence.

Dynamic Duo Together

Abuela Gets the Makeover

Grandpa is Not So Sure

Tia Falls Victim

FBR Gets Grandpa

Tia Transformation

And Wingman

Back to the Pool

The Official Drying Station

Paw Patrol Break

Sunday morning brought the same number of granddaughters in our bed to start off the day as once again parents, but not grandparents, were allowed to sleep in. During breakfast it was decided we would attend today’s WooSox game and I was sent to the Man Cave to arrange tickets. My daughter and Wingman departed shortly before noon and we grandparents were left in charge, kind of. I think we can all agree that grandchildren assume a semi-official leadership role when left alone with their grandparents.

FBR Learns She's Going to Disneyworld in November!

Saturday Rainbow

New Friends at Polar Park

Polar Park Playground

Time to Push Abuela

Faster Abuela!

FBR at Polar Park

The game was a lot of fun but it was also very, very hot. I lucked into front row seats, right next to the visitors’ dugout. Unbeknownst, these tickets came with entrance to the DCU club which offered an air-conditioned place overlooking the park. We acquired some Coney Island (a Worcester institution) hotdogs which we ate in air-conditioned bliss. The BRS wasn’t too sure about hot dogs although she vigorously accepted the offer. My wife and I finally convinced her to take a bite and you could see the light go on behind her eyes, a new hot dog fan was born. The seats were fine except for the aforementioned heat. The girls lasted a whole inning before they asked to go somewhere in the shade.

Pre-Game Makeup Session

We're Going to See the Sox!

My Favorite Panamanian took one for the team and acted as their official squire as they wandered back into shaded territory. I was summoned occasionally to purchase additional treats, cotton candy at the top of that list. Since the WooSox were being no-hit through 5 innings there wasn’t a lot of game action. After a couple innings I went in search of them and found them back in the DCU club. They were anxious to return to the seats and they lasted almost three innings this time. By the end of the seventh inning we declared victory and dehydration and headed home where the granddaughters were in the pool three minutes after we arrived home. The FBR said they wanted to watch a specific movie (Clifford) during their quiet time. I told them I had not observed them quiet at any time when the two of them are together. The FBR patiently explained that was what it was called but they weren’t quiet because, duh, they’re cousins. Wise words.

Walking to the Park

In Our Seats

View from Seats

Back to the Pool Upon Return

No movies fell in my A-Z effort, granddaughters, need I say more.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; 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