Day 10 of Rummaging Photos & Mass Return

The FBR wasn’t the only one getting her face painted this past weekend. The BSR also partook of that trend as my son and the ABFA enjoyed a weekend stroll with the ABFA’s parents and our granddaughters through a haunted event. I’m sure the ABFA wasn’t the selector of this particular venue as the surest way to get her to leave a room is to start a horror movie. Come to think of it, the same thing happens with my Favorite Panamanian. We all know my Favorite Son is a horror enthusiast and it looks like the two granddaughters are chips off that particular block. It also looks like they had a really special time. The upside is that we get to spend the weekend with them coming up.

Son, ABFA, BRS & BR3

Happy Girls

BRS Face Paint

I had a less than special time yesterday since my itinerary called for a drive through my least favorite quagmire – the state of Connecticut. Wingman finally instructed me enough to be comfortable using my iPhone connected to the car’s navigation system. That system was telling me my usual two paths were much slower than that interstate nightmares are made – I-95. I decided to throw caution to the wind and took 95 and, in a major surprise, it went fine. I’m not sure where all this talk about a supply chain issue came from because there had to be at least two semi’s for every car on the road.

On the Haunted Trail

BR3 Always knows Where the Camera Is

ABFA's Parents Along for the Scare

BRS with her Nana

Our last full day in New Jersey went fine as we passed the getting the FBR to school and picking her up test. I’m not sure why my daughter was so nervous about our abilities in that area. I mean, we did it with her for twelve years. Okay, that might explain a lot. There’s a special kind of pleasure picking up the granddaughter as she gets off the bus. One of those small delights life offers that make the whole shooting match worthwhile. The FBR then tried to teach me how to play video games (since she cleaned her room) and failed miserably. I don’t know how they manage to use so many buttons and still keep their eyes on the screen. It was fun though.

Successful Bus Pickup

Let’s plunge into today’s continuation the memory rummaging with photos mined from the basement storage bins. You’ll notice we’re finally starting to run short as we’re down to just pictures of the kids, but any parent will tell you that was to be expected:

FAVORITE SON

Receiving High School Track Award, Fairfax, VA 2003

Dropped Off for 1st Day of College, Durham, NH 2003

With Panamanian Cousin in Panama, Late 90s

High School Graduation Day, Fairfax, VA 2003

Same day with Namesake Nephew

Learning Folklorico Dancing with his Mom Instructing
Hawaii, 1994

Beautiful Baby, Annandale, VA mid-80s

That Salute, Learned from Watching MPs Salute me
when we Went on Post, Annandale, VA mid-80s

York Beach, ME Vacation, mid-80s

I Think my Wife "Lost" That Shirt for Me, 1987

Always a Cake Buff, 1988

Birthday with Skyla and Estrella, 1998

Christmas, 1998 Great Aunt's House, Cranston, RI

With Namesake Nephew, Christmas 1998

Soccer Pose, Ft Leavenworth, KS 1996

FAVORITE DAUGHTER

Dress is Way Too Short, Ft Leavenworth Home, 1996

Spreading Terror, Mid-80s, Annandale, VA Home

Elegant Young Lady, Early 2000s Fairfax, VA Home

In Front of Grandma's House, Keene NH mid-80s

Another Beautiful Baby, 1986, Annandale, VA

A Few Years Later, Great Aunt's Home 

Rare Cooking Shot, Ft Leavenworth, 1996

With Her High School Buddies, Ft Campbell, KY 1998

Behind Namesake Nephew, Grandma's House, Mid-90s

Checking Out the New Car, Annandale, VA, Mid-80s

Birthday, Ft Leavenworth, KS 1996

In Her High School Play, Ft Campbell, KY 1998

With a Cutout of her Childhood Heart Throb, Jonathan T.T., 1995

The Christmas Sweater, Grandma's House, Early 2000s

Neighbor's New Years Eve Party, Fairfax, VA 2003

SON AND DAUGHTER TOGETHER

Climbing Trees with Namesake Nephew and Soxfather
I Think This is Ft Campbell 1997

With Me in our Annandale, VA Home, Late 80s

With Cranston, RI Friends Early 90s

Popsicles at Grandma's House, Late 80s

Pestering her Brother, A Lifelong Obsession
Ft Campbell, KY 1997

Hawaii Birthday 1994

Christmas Pose at Grandma's House, Keene, NH
Last Year the Ladies Cooked Christmas Dinner Late 80s

1st & Only Time Great Aunt & Soxfather Went Camping, 1995

Grandma's House 1988

Our Haunted Home on Ft McNair, Washington, DC 1987

With Namesake Nephew Late 90s

With Mom at Niagara Falls, Late 90s

Paired up for Folklorico Dance Recital, Hawaii 1994

In Panama City, Panama for Cousin's Quinceañera, 2000
With a Rhode Island Friend That Tagged Along

After Yet Another Robin Hood Park "Adventure' With Great Aunt
and Katie-Pup Keene, NH Early 90s

Three movies fell in my A-Z effort, all keepers, Blind Date (Willis when he was funny), The Blind Side (forgot what a heartwarming movie this was) and Blood Diamond (Leonardo straining for an Oscar but Djimon Hounsou dominates this movie)   

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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; Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; 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