All of you snowbound friends and family in New England had to know this was coming. After a couple year wait, I can finally lord the difference between our respective weather situations. I know I do this fairly regularly anyways but yesterday offered a remarkable opportunity to explore that juxtaposition. I checked this morning and Worcester received 15.5 inches of snow yesterday, while at the same time, true dry season weather has bloomed here in Las Lajas over the past few days. That means instead of shoveling snow I was basking in 85 degree temps and a gentle off shore breezes. I know Great Aunt is gnashing her teeth at my temerity to fully explore this situation, but she’ll be here in a few weeks to assuage her frustration at my remarkable luck.
Photo I sent to the Fam While it was Snowing 
View From our Front Door Back Home Halfway Through Storm
My
two snow bird granddaughters, the BRS and BR3, predictably enjoyed the snow.
Their faithful companion, Riggins, is starting to show his years and wasn’t up
to cavorting as much as he used to. He still kept a close eye on his charges as
they careened around the back yard. I enjoyed talking with my son later in the
day as he had both gals resting in his lap while he tried to watch football. He
said the snow was so deep BR3 was freaking out because she couldn’t move once
she sunk in. Their abuela’s only comment on the unfolding major winter storm was
“Gracias a Dios”. I’m fairly certain that meant she was happy she was enjoying our
luck here on the beach. They didn’t receive as much snow in New Jersey but the
stalwart FBR was heading out to play in what did arrive. My daughter, who channels
her mother when it comes to cold weather, stayed safely inside. 
BRS and Riggins Yesterday
Son Rescuing BR3 From Snow 
Dad, You're Staying with Me
Speaking
of someone happy, I’m fairly certain that describes my Namesake Nephew right
about now. Today is his 30th birthday and I’m sure he’s celebrating it
in appropriate fashion with his lady and their family. I don’t think I’ve ever
seen so many photos of him smiling. He’s a well known scowler and I can address
responsibility for this change of visage to his lady. I’m glad he’s so happy
which is what life is truly about, finding that special person. Instead of
asking for presents, he asked for donations to fight the disease that claimed
his dad with such shocking speed. If you have a chance, check out his Facebook
page and donate to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation. Somewhere above us,
Soxfather is smiling.
FBR Heading Out
Birthday Boy and his Gal
It
hasn’t been all boogie boarding and beach time here in paradise (although there
has been a fair amount of that). The elevator still hasn’t been fixed, so we
have to walk up two flights of stairs (I can hear my big sister, “oh poor baby!”).
The corollary effect was that my new stationary bike remained downstairs in the
caretaker’s cottage while we awaited the elevator to come back on line. My Favorite
Panamanian had specifically forbidden me from trying to carry it up the stairs.
I’m a big enough idiot to realize (after four decades) that sometimes, she’s
right. I had planned on sneaking it up but my courage to defy her evaporated.
When the latest attempt to repair the elevator failed, she allowed me to bring
it up as long as the caretaker assisted me. 
A Happy Man, Smiling!!
Bigger (and Heavier than I Thought) 
Fully Assembled 
We Have a Guy Down the Beach with a Motorized Parachute
He Freaks Out the Local Parrots When he Buzzes by
We
got it up but I had a definitive moment of clarity about halfway up that I
would have failed miserably if I had tried to do this by myself. It’s called a
moment of clarity for a reason. In a sign of my developing (yet still nascent) maturity
I admitted to my Favorite Panamanian that she had been right. I received, in
answer, one of her patented wifely looks of superiority. I counted the carrying
up and then assembly of the bike as my daily workout. We had one of the PanaGals
staying with us for the weekend so my wife wasn’t able to focus solely on my tropical
sloth. 
Friday Night Pizza with Upstairs Neighbors
Las Lajas Waves Are Back!!!
They've Only Been Adequate Until Yesterday
Sunset Ceremony Joined by PanaGal 
This Little Bird Has Visited Each of the Last Few Days During Sunset 
Which Set my Wife to Dancing
I
was engaged to hang all the new framed pictures she’d used a large percentage
of our luggage for. It isn’t perfect but I was a little bit impressed with the
result. I even received a rare compliment from the spouse on my effort. I did
this while the last (thank God) Patriots’ game of the year was playing on the
TV. Sad to see them go out this way if this is truly Belichick’s last game. In other
news, we’ve established a new First Friday tradition with our upstairs neighbors
which calls for a trip into town (after the sunset ceremony) for pizza. This
morning I was chilling on the beach after my workout when the caretaker approached
me. The caretakers change on Monday and the outgoing guy (our Favorite) said my
Favorite Panamanian had asked for a couple coconuts to extract water from. So, there
I was catching the coconuts as he harvested them. I thought I was doing well
catching 14 out of 14 until I realized I was going to have to carry all of
these upstairs. Note to the uninitiated, coconuts are heavy. 14 are really
heavy. I know. I know. Poor baby. 
The New Picture Wall
Coconut Lineup 
You Knew You Were Going to Get Some Sunsets
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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