Okay. The last couple posts have been about my re-acquiring my Stateside legs after our epic tour of the British Isles. You will remember, of course, that I was not alone on that trip and the past couple days have been devoted to my Favorite Panamanian’s preferred pastime. No, not shopping, although that would be an educated guess. She loves dancing and I promised her dad, when he consented to our engagement, that I would always take her dancing because that was her greatest love. So, fresh off a couple days on the back hill replacing stairs with concrete, I cleaned up and we headed to the Auburn Legion post on Friday night. The Neighborhood Mafioso was out of town and others likewise unavailable so we went by ourselves. It turned out to be a very fun night. As the place was crowded, we sat at the bar and had our dinner there. This turned out to be an excellent choice since the bartender was also the only waiter for the entire room. We got excellent service since he always had to return to our location. One of our favorite groups was playing and there was space on the dance floor. The room has large windows so it was weird to be celebrating Frist Friday and have sunlight still streaming in but we persevered. It was a very good night.
I was back on the hillside yesterday
when my Favorite Panamanian came outside to inform me we were going dancing again
that very night. It seems the Neighborhood Mafioso had returned and conspired
with my wife to accomplish this. They have a favorite band and found out they
were playing in nearby Leominster. The catch being, because the band is so
popular, that we had to arrive a couple hours early to secure seats. That accomplished,
the bar had the Red Sox game on a couple screens, so the long wait was tolerable
(except for the final outcome). Even more so, because we were hanging with the Neighborhood
Mafiosos, our best friends in Worcester. When the band came on, I realized I
had seen them before. A couple years ago I wrote about another night out
dancing with the Neighborhood Mafiosos where we saw this band with what I described
as a “legion of zombies” as groupies.
Last Night in Leominster
Friday Night at the Post
These dedicated fans, most of whom could
really use an exercise regimen, would flock to the dance floor and form ranks
only to stand there facing the band and swaying to the music, literally. No
dancing, just staring at the band in some form of rapt attention. It was weird.
If anything, it had gotten worse by last night. We enjoyed their first set when
actual dancing couples dominated the dance floor. However, at the start of the second
set the zombie legion took their places. I looked around at one point and we
and the Neighborhood Mafiosos were the only non-zombies on the dance floor
actually dancing. It was a shame because the band is really good but it felt
almost like a cult situation. I’m definitely not going to see this band again
but at least we got a chance to hang out with our good friends amid all the weirdness
and my Favorite Panamanian accomplished two consecutive nights of dancing. I considered
it a win that foot made it through unscathed.
This Time with her Eyes Open
I mentioned that I was out on the hill
this week. I’ve become a huge devotee of the personal fan my wife bought for me
that I wear around my neck. I don’t even notice it anymore and it does a great
job of cooling down the face. That’s important when you’re digging, mixing, and
pouring concrete on a hot summer day. My Commander in Chief came out to inspect
the work I was doing at her behest and thought my garb was hilarious. In
addition to the neck fan, I had on knee pads, a knee brace, my Army boots, and
shorts. Apparently, my sartorial choices were worthy of an immediate photo (see
below). My new career, fashion explosion.
First Set of the Band, Only One Rank of Zombies
I Think I look Kind of Elegant
I had a very funny Facebook experience
this week. I saw this cartoon and immediately thought of the woman I’m married
to and her love of TJ Maxx and Marshalls. I always kid her on the way to the airport
when we pass by the TJ Maxx corporate headquarters, asking her if she had
warned TJ Maxx that their profit margin would take a serious hit with her being
in Panama for four months. She doesn’t think this is funny. Anyways. Later that
same day the Cantankerous Friend messaged me after seeing the same cartoon and
asked me if this was how my Favorite Panamanian is greeted when entering TJ
Maxx. I had to laugh again and decided I should share it with you as well. 
Okay, Maybe Not
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; Seis Amigos
- two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; 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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