Soxfather Serenade

Last night was pretty special and I’m not talking about the oppressive 90 degree April heat either. Other than having to file taxes, last night’s event to honor Soxfather was the reason we returned from Panama when we did. So worth it. They’re establishing a scholarship in Soxfather’s name and last night was a fund raiser for that effort. It featured Sean McAdam and Tom Curran who spoke poignantly about their former boss. It also featured a dream team at our table where we joined Great Aunt. My daughter along with the FBR (a true Soxfather disciple), my son, the ABFA, Keene Friend and Cantankerous Friend. We gathered at the Cranston Country Club for a cocktail hour followed by a dinner with the speeches.

Great Aunt with FBR and Daughter Last Night

Great Aunt was very nervous about the speech she had to give but she nailed it, after reaching the podium with a standing ovation. She was followed by a niece, and then the two sports personalities. Each of the tables was furnished with books from Soxfather’s sports library to take home if you wanted to. The FBR behaved very well after an initial and uncontrollable urge to perform cartwheels on the dance floor between all the tables. The amount of time Great Aunt allowed her to play games on her phone also helped but I was proud of the granddaughter as she listened to the speeches and joined in the ovations. She also led her abuela on a personalized tour of rock formations she discovered outside the country club.

It was so nice seeing all the gathered members of Soxfather’s incredible family. I realized how much a part of our lives they have become and was another thing our time in Panama denied us. I captured my requisite photos of Soxfather’s Sister despite her best efforts to avoid. I think she wishes I was still in Panama. I’m sure Soxfather would have loved the gathering, not for the speeches about him, but because there was nonstop laughter around the table which brought back the memories of so many similar tables we’d sit with him at over the years. A great night to honor a great man.

FBR Arrives at House With Means A Present

And an Easter Egg Hunt

Keene & Cantankerous Friends, ABFA, Son and Daughter

A Lot of Hugging Took Place, Wife with Son

A Very Happy Wife

The Fam Reunited

Seated Next to my Partner in Crime

Rest of that Special Table

FBR Hung her Purse Around my Neck

The added benefit was all members of that exceptional table, except for Great Aunt, spent the night at our house. This meant we had to go to the spare mattresses for the occupants of the Man Cave. The FBR enjoyed that since it added what she called her own personal trampoline to the cave. It was another special time as we gathered around the breakfast table. I felt recharged after being away from these special people for so long. It’s been a busy few days since our return.

FBR Stole my Camera

So Glad to See her Again

A Toothless Selfie

Great Aunt Speech

Namesake Nephew Surprises his Mom with Flowers

Tom Curran Speech

Son and Keene Friend Confer

Rare Photographic Evidence of Soxfather Sister

Ducked Out of Way Too Late

Breakfast This Morning

Earlier my Favorite Panamanian and I took in a movie at the theater with Dungeons and Dragons, Honor Among Thieves. When you hear the title, you automatically think this would be a geek fest of the highest order. While there is a bit of that, this was a very good movie in its own right.  A lot of the credit for that goes to Chris Pine who plays against type as the least capable member of a team assembled to fight, what else, the ultimate evil. There is non-stop action livened up with incredibly funny dialogue. There’s also great brother/sister chemistry between Pine and Michele Rodriguez. A lively story moves the action right along, stopping by for a truly iconic, if short, cameo by a major film star which I won’t ruin by explaining here. Thoroughly enjoyable, one of my favorite movies of the year so far.

Three movies fell in my A-Z watch, all keepers, Dazed and Confused, great look back at the 70s with a host of future stars; Iron Man, where it all started, sort of; and Ant Man and the Wasp, Paul Ruud, one of funniest men alive. You’ll notice I’ve meandered from the A-Z scenario. I finally used some accumulated Amazon cards to upgrade some favorite movies where I had only the basic DVD version of. I’ll make my way through this accumulation of new blu rays and 4Ks before I get back to the D’s.

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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; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during him 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; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; 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