So, we made all the plans for this week with both the FBR and BRS in residence based on what we’ve experienced this summer. That meant we expected hot temperatures and no rain. We scheduled a trip down to Rhode Island for Monday to jump into Great Aunt’s pool. New England, being New England, decided to be New England again which meant a very rainy day, the first this summer. Great Aunt pool day was shifted to Thursday and we were left with two granddaughters who became very inquisitive what the grandparents had planned for them. We are a victim of our own history which spawned these expectations.
In
a move that will surprise no one that knows me, I went with one of my strengths
and checked out the local movie schedule. I questioned both granddaughters and neither
had seen DC League of Super-Pets. This movie had somehow eluded my viewing as
well. My Favorite Panamanian claimed her cooking dinner exception which left me
with escort duty. I chose the West Boylston theater as being closer and I
figured there would be less people there. We arrived to find a number of other people,
95% mothers, had the same strategy for the rainy day as I did. We did stand out
a bit in the sea of kids.
The Gang in the Chasm Today
BRS & her Boots 
FBR Nervous at Lover's Leap
As
we were standing in the long line for refreshments, the BRS revealed she had
seen this movie before. However, she is my granddaughter and had no problem
seeing it again. We had a very fun time with the movie which was actually
fairly entertaining with some side jokes aimed at adults. I forgot crotch
protection measures a couple times when one of the granddaughters decided the
view was better from my lap. They were both angels during the movie and we
discussed the plot holes in depth on our way home. Actually, we simulated a rocket
ship departure when entering the highway which was way more fun.
Break Time
Intrepid Hikers 
Playground Climber
Mountain Climbers 
Small Mountain
We
drove through some mist on our way to the Chasm and each time the BRS helpfully
pointed this out to my wife. I could feel the flashing eyes attempting to bore
into the side of my head from her seat. We pulled into the Chasm and found it
almost completely deserted which I thought was a good thing, until I saw that
the main trail through the chasm was closed due to slippery conditions. I
decided not to point this out to my Favorite Panamanian to stoke her “told you
so” mantra. There are several other trails available which we set out on. The
FBR was uncharacteristically tentative. While we were getting organized, she
had run up one of the granite slabs which, being as slippery as advertised,
quickly deposited her on her butt. 
Teeter Tottering
Abuela Gets Into the Act 
My Fashion Statement
I
wasn’t sure if it was the indignity or physical pain involved. She claimed she
was fine but she wasn’t her typical adventuresome self for the first twenty
minutes or so. She definitely got over it though and I found myself having to
rein her in several times near the end of our adventure. We had counseled the
BRS that she should wear sneakers for the trip but she adamantly insisted on wearing
her pink rain boots. To her credit, she didn’t complain once about the footwear
during our time there. My Favorite Panamanian had packed a bunch of snacks and
water bottles and the FBR allowed us to use her backpack for the day.
Into the Chasm
True Troopers 
FBR Acting as Point Man
This
meant I got to spend the day wearing a pink and purple mermaid backpack with a cute
stuffed bear hanging from the side. I was a definite fashion explosion. We made
it around the Kelly Loop Trail. Once I pointed out that the trail was marked
with yellow flash marks on the trees and rocks, the FBR loudly identified each
and every flash we ran across for the rest of our time there. She thought she
was doing a community service for me. It was cute for the first couple hundred
times. I was very proud of both granddaughters and my wife, this wasn’t her favorite
type of activity but we had a lot of fun kidding each other. 
Cousin Love
Lower Chasm 
Fat Man's Misery
We
completed the loop and as we returned to the visitor center, the eagle-eyed FBR
spotted a large playground in the woods where we spent the next half hour. As
we were returning to the car I noticed the park rangers removing the barrier and
re-opening the chasm trail. I knew the kids, but maybe not a certain Panamanian,
would love the short trip through the bottom of the chasm. They certainly did
as they were in serious clamber mode which kept their grandparents on their toes
when a guiding or restraining hand was needed, The FBR especially was back in
her highly adventurous mode. I thought we’d just go into the chasm and then
turn around. Neither granddaughter was having that and we ended up making
another entire loop. 
FBR Showing Grandpa How to Get Up
Eyeing the Finish Line 
Helping Grandpa Up the Hill
We
were all fairly tired by the end of the adventure, especially those of us “blessed”
with an abundance of years. I felt a bit vindicated as we didn’t get any rain
at all and the granddaughters were bouncing up and down from the excitement. I
can certainly count that as a win. I placed my ostentatious backpack between the
granddaughters in the back seat. When we got home, I noticed it was a little lighter
and bother the granddaughters had semi-evil grins on their faces. The FBR had
opened the backpack and extracted the excess candy snacks which were devoured during
the drive home. I was wondering why they had behaved so well on that drive. I
had forgotten one of the first lessons of parenthood – quiet kids require immediate
investigation. Luckily we’re grandparents and could just laugh at this.
Flex Time
Merry Go Round 
Some More Teetering 
They Took This Path - I Found Another 
A Truly Great Day 
Cousins Out Front 
Those Boots 
Holding Grandpa's Hands
One
movie fell in my A-Z effort, seen over three nights (granddaughter effect), a definite
keeper, Arrival (see a few times to completely understand).
A Walk I'll Remember Forever
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); 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
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