Yeah, that old postal saying was in play over the last couple days. Yesterday marked the 40th birthday of our eldest child and there was no way my Favorite Panamanian and I were going to let it pass unrecognized; at least by ourselves. She’s already done a more than credible job of celebrating the milestone with an epic trip to Scandinavia with Wingman last month and this weekend the Curbside Girls are renting a party bus to re-haunt Brooklyn for a night. With my wife’s malady earlier in the week, we thought we would be unable to make the planned, surprise visit to New Jersey to deliver her birthday card. With the able assistance of Wingmom we accomplished the surprise when my Favorite Panamanian woke up yesterday feeling better. We didn’t let the FBR know about our plans because she is a certifiable operational security risk, much like her mother was at the same age.
With the Birthday Girl and FBR Yesterday
We
had to contend with my old nemesis, the Connecticut traffic system, to reach
our objective though and it was more than ready for us yesterday. Apparently,
you need to close down the interstate to one lane when you’re cutting trees
down fifty meters off the road. I had a full half hour to contemplate that
idiocy as we waited for the traffic to move again. We arrived upstairs to reach
my daughter’s work from home office in the attic. She was confused by the noise
in the middle of her work day and was totally surprised when we appeared
bearing balloons and an ice cream cake (her favorite). I also surprised her
with an appearance at her thirtieth birthday at a Connecticut (that state
again) wedding of a friend of hers. 
Shortly After our Surprise Arrival with Wingmom
The Moment we Surprised the FBR at School Pickup 
Birthday Hugs with Wingman Supplied Flowers
Wingmom
had arranged a special birthday dinner for my daughter, prepared by the chef at
the restaurant Wingman works as a manager. We picked up the food after totally surprising
our little security risk at her school pickup. My wife and I hid behind some
bushes and jumped out as Wingmom escorted the FBR to the car. She was stunned
and then launched into her signature hugs, which was worth the trip (even with
Connecticut involved). We arrived back at my daughter’s house for the birthday meal,
followed by the ice cream cake. The FBR pointedly reminded me that I had forgotten
to bring Bonecrusher to cut the cake (the girl forgets nothing!). Wingman
joined us via video call for the singing; he’s out on the wrong coast in the midst
of another reunion tour. 
Wingman Joins via Video Call
Cake Time! 
FBR Offered her "Expert" Assistance
The
FBR provided the post dinner entertainment demonstrating some of the dances she
learned from her summer camp counselors. It certainly appears that she’s
inherited the dancing gene from both her mother and abuela. The event culminated
with a rendition of the macarena performed by the FBR and her abuela, proving despite
the absolute necessity of some cases, certain songs never die. After the FBR
went to bed, my daughter did some prep work for this weekend’s festivities. After
that she and I watched an obscure French movie from the 1960s. It’s the only condition
under which I would watch such a movie but I thoroughly enjoyed it because I was
sitting next my fellow cinephile, the daughter. I loved it. 
FBR with her Mom and Both Grandmas
Post Dinner Dance Recital 
Joined by her Mom
We
took our daughter out to breakfast after seeing FBR off to school at the bus
stop. She was campaigning for us to stay for Friday movie night but the
daughter had friends inbound for her weekend spectacular so our plan was to hit
the road after breakfast. I have a bone to pick with the weather forecasters (again).
I was monitoring the situation earlier in the week and there was general
agreement that there would be some scattered showers today which would thicken
later tonight into solid rain. Therefore, I didn’t expect to be confronted with
Noah level rain as soon as we crossed the Hudson River. Connecticut sucks bad
enough but you factor in near biblical rain and we’re talking a serious worst
case scenario. Note to self, the Saw Mill Parkway is not for the faint of heart
during a serious rain storm. Despite the apocalyptic weather we made it home
safe, if a little frayed by the four hours of very attentive driving. Totally worth
it though to see the look on my daughter’s face when we surprised her. She
knows she is loved (not that it was in doubt or anything). Happy birthday
Heart!!!!
The Semi-Epic Macarena
Two movies fell in my A-Z watch, both keepers:
Geostorm, Gerard Butler once again saving the world, this time from space; and
Gettysburg, incredibly long but faithful to the epic battle, love it.
Breakfast This Morning
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 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; 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
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