ER Hero, Closed Park, and Back to the Chasm

I expect an extremely elevated amount of chaos during the annual granddaughter sojourn with us, but this year it’s being amped up to the heavens. I feel terrible for my Favorite Panamanian because she puts so much into getting ready for this two-week time but she can’t fully participate this year because of the injured knee. The knee has been the big story around the house for the past couple days. She was in so much pain Sunday night that she didn’t get any sleep at all. I was concerned it was a more serious injury than I first thought because the area around the knee was very tender and I feared a break. We decided she needed to go to the Emergency Room on Monday. The only complication being the FBR was in residence and we didn’t want her to hang around a Worcester ER with all the denizens that lurk there.

Lunch on the Slanted Rock

If you’ve followed this blog at all you’ll remember the 28 hours we spent in the ER last year without ever seeing a doctor, so we’re qualified to make a judgement on the ER environment. We went to the other UMASS Memorial ER this time. One of the Mafia members, the birthday girl from the past weekend, volunteered to come into Worcester and keep my Favorite Panamanian company. Based on how much time that entailed and that she did it without question says volumes about what a great person she is. She is a certified hero. It turned out to be “only” eight hours this time and x-rays revealed no break or dislocation which lifted a huge worry off our shoulders. She’s still ambling around on crutches but some serious drugs they gave her provided a good night’s sleep.

MRI Waiting Room Photo

We had an early wakeup this morning and not only because of the two granddaughters (the ABFA delivered the BRS yesterday afternoon). My Favorite Panamanian had a previously scheduled MRI early this morning for that knee so we all jumbled into the car for the ride to the MRI facility. I was shocked when we passed by my former favorite watering hole, Brew City, to find it is closed and up for sale, but I digress. The girls were so cute in the car as we waited outside where we could see my wife waiting to be called in from the waiting room. We texted her the attached photo to insure she knew were were out there. The scheduled event for the day after the MRI was a drive up to Canobie Lake Park. Luckily, I checked out their website yesterday and found the park was closed today. No explanation, just closed.

The First Large Rock Photo

Stepping on Only Rocks and Roots

More Rocks

Snack Time

We had to pivot from that plan, obviously, and we decided a hike through Purgatory Chasm (one of the kids’ favorites), a playground, and a movie were an adequate replacement. Needless to say, my Favorite Panamanian would not be participating as crutches and a rocky New England trail are not compatible. This week’s rain meant the main chasm trail was closed while we were there, which my own balky knee thanked the gods for. We made the most of the loop trails that travel along the rim of the chasm and had a great time. The granddaughters invented a couple games including trying to walk the entire trail without touching the ground by stepping only on roots or protruding stones. When we reached the other side of the chasm, we veered towards the rim so they could climb through the Devil’s Corn Crib and Fat Man’s Misery, which they thought was extremely cool.

More Rocks

Fat Man's Misery

Emerging from the Other End

The Corn Crib

They thought I should take a picture of them at every large rock we came across. There were a lot of large rocks. We ended the trek back at the visitors’ center which had the other element of the day’s plan, playgrounds. This provided a willing test of their seemingly endless supply of energy for which I was gratefully excluded, since my reservoirs were already tapped. After the playground, we walked back into the park to have lunch at what they called (and chanted in loud voices as we walked towards them) “Slanted Rocks”. The FBR had prepared sandwiches along with a huge assortment of snacks and liquids which I had been carrying for the entire hike. It was a great vantage point to enjoy lunch and the girls took up sliding down the rock a few times.

Slanted Rock Time

Making a Heart

Dueling Swings

Slanted Rock Sliding

After the rock sliding we remounted the car and drove home since my Favorite Panamanian said she wanted to join us for the movie. Her morning enthusiasm had waned by the afternoon and I was sent out alone again with the two granddaughters. I thought we had saved a lot of money by skipping the amusement park but the cinema, especially the snack bar, eroded any gains, mainly because they have a grandfather who is incapable of saying no to them. As far as movie selection, I was hoping for the new Aliens movie but was outvoted, 2-1, for Harold and the Purple Crayon.

At The Cinema, a New Beetlejuice Movie is Coming

I surprised myself by thoroughly enjoying this. Zach Levi is spot on as a cartoon Harold brought innocently into the real world. He personifies a complete lack of guile as he maneuvers through greater Providence, Rhode Island in search of his creator. He runs into Zooey Deschanel which qualifies as incredible good luck. Harold uses his purple crayon to create whatever he needs, accompanied by his two best friends, one played hilariously by Lil Rel Howery as a sometimes moose. A totally harmless flick that I enjoyed with my granddaughters and includes a couple truly spit out the popcorn moment laughs. A fun ride.

Two movies fell in the A-Z watch, one keeper and one not so much: Lawrence of Arabia, God this was long, watched over three nights, still one of the best movies ever made; and Laws of Attraction, great actors but asinine plot, eliminate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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; 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