Since my Favorite Panamanian was decisively engaged with her friends for the entire weekend, I glommed on to the opportunity to head north for what will constitute my final thunder run of 2025. She was out with the Neighborhood Mafioso and other elements of the Panamanian Mafia on Friday night while the Maine Musquetera arrived Saturday for some dedicated shopping time. Obviously, I was not in high demand, and I think my wife was all too happy to see me ushering myself out of the way. I was also on a mission of mercy (my story and I’m sticking to it).
Keene Friend and I Surrounding Cantankerous
The
Cantankerous Friend had knee replacement surgery earlier in the week and was convalescing
at home. My Favorite Panamanian made a spaghetti dinner for him and I was
charged with delivering it to the patient. See. Mercy all over this drive
north. Keene Friend, as he is prone to do, rose to the occasion to serve as the
host for my overnight stay. The Cantankerous One shocked us both with a surprising
amount of mobility when we arrived. It had only been three days since his surgery,
but he was up and ambling about his home. He showed us the impressive surgery
scar but said there was very little pain so far. He’s a biking fanatic so I
know he’s jonesing to get going on his rehab. Since I have been threatened with
the possibility of eventually needing a knee replacement myself, it was
reassuring to see the technology has improved to the point it is now an
outpatient procedure. It was also good to see him in such excellent shape and spirits.
He really appreciated the Panamanian spaghetti as well.
The Mafia Out on Friday Night
I
had to get copies of keys to the new front door for the house sitters. Keene
still has actual hardware stores where they make the copies for you instead of
forcing you to try and do it yourself (looking steadily at you Home Depot). The
hardware store we stopped at is right next to my father’s family ancestral
home. It’s the home he grew up in. I have so many great memories of that house
although it’s in sad shape compared to those halcyon days of the 1960s. It used
to have a wraparound front porch and was painted green and yellow. I had Keene
Friend take a picture of me in front of the house which I sent to the remaining
cousins from that time. We all share those memories of what a special place it
was, especially when Gramma made a pot of her special spice cakes. 
In Front of my Grandparent's House
Then.
Somehow. We ended up at the Lab ‘n Lager (these things tend to happen). I mean,
a guy’s gotta eat. We set up shop at what has become our “usual” table as
downtown Keene’s Main Street foot traffic passed by. We were joined in short
order by the former CRC. He had just pulled into his driveway when he received
my text and dutifully turned around and made his way to the Lab. We made our usual,
well lubricated call to the PCR who was under supervision of his long-suffering
wife. It was hard to hear with the Lab’s vocal clientele in the background but
good to hear their voices. The former CRC had to depart before I could take the
usual picture, but he was replaced almost immediately by the Kindergarten
Friend who had been grandson babysitting while the female contingent shopped
(been there, done that). It was a very fun afternoon spent with my oldest friends.
This will be the last time in 2025 when it’ll be “just the guys” but it’s times
like this that will make me more than ready to come back from Panama (once the
snow melts). 
At the Lab with Kindergarten Friend
Reconnecting
with my hometown friends was one of my stated goals when I convinced my Favorite
Panamanian to return to New England after retiring from the military. Even I,
with my inflated hopes, could not have envisioned how much fun this turned out
to be. There’s a special bond between true friends which has a medicinal effect
on your soul. I’m glad to see both of my kids have indulged in the same practice.
It was a lot harder for them, as Army brats, but they both have special friends
they’ve stayed in contact with. Since I was in no shape to drive home, I spent
the night at Keene Friend’s where we almost watched the Heisman Ceremony. I
woke up in time to hear the end of the acceptance speech. 
Pangea (Before Continents Separated) Map
With Modern Countries Positioned - Interesting
On
Sunday I sought permission from the Commander in Chief to remain in Keene to watch
the Pat’s game with Keene Friend. Since she was deeply engrossed in the shared shopping
experience with the Maine Musquetera I received the necessary pass. While half
the game was a delight to watch I still count it as a win, the less said about
the second half, etc. etc. I got home to find a couple inches of snow had
fallen and the ladies, in strict violation of the rules, had repeatedly driven over
the snow in the driveway, creating an ice field. I was addressing this issue
when I realized that, somewhere in my Saturday/Sunday travels I had lost the
three keys I had made. If Keene Friend can’t find them, it looks like I’ll have
to make another trip up there (just to see how the Cantankerous is recovering,
don’tcha ya know). 
Man Cave Movie Shelves - Complete
I
have major news to report in the A-Z watch. I have completed the shelves in the
office portion of the Man Cave where most of the movies reside. I am firmly
into the V’s and have only the ones in the expansion shelves in the theater
side of the Cave. This has been a three-year effort since 2022 to remove the movies
that were taking up needed space but weren’t worthy of remaining. As you can
see from the photo, the space has been achieved. I figure I’ll finish shortly
after returning from Panama and my life will be my own again. 
What's Left
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 her single days in
Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends
along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); 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 (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca –
wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my
son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom,
of course
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