My Brown Eyed Girl

I often listen to a radio station that plays hits from the 1960’s and invariably the song “Brown Eyed Girl” shows up to remind me how lucky I’ve been to be married to my brown eyed girl for the last thirty-three years. Today’s her birthday and we’re going to celebrate by sneaking away from steamy David and spend a couple days at our favorite beach – Las Lajas. In prior years this was always a family gathering type of excursion but this time it will be just the two of us. I guess you could describe me as more than a little – PSYCHED!!!!

My Courageous Brown Eyed Girl

I’ve written before about the courage of this lady who left family and friends to follow me about the world during my military career. She didn’t speak English at first but her boundless ability to make friends and make the person she is trying to speak to feel important is why so many people cherish being around her. I don’t think I could have been as brave as she was setting out on what became our life together. She’s always thinking of others, invariably kind but would take on a pissed off velociraptor if anyone ever mistreated one of her kids. I love her.

Yesterday was spent hanging around my wife’s hometown of David and luxuriating in the heat and humidity. That was mostly me since everyone else was complaining about hot it was. I kept sneaking looks on the computer back at the weather in Worcester which showed snow showers and temps in the teens. Cue the happy feet dance!

Family Dinner At Gallardo's

We ventured out to secure our rental car for the week and that was the usual adventure since I had selected the wrong week when I made the reservations. The Budget Rental Car people were awesome though and we secured an even better deal. We then descended into the Panamanian governmental bureaucracy where we had to cross some “T’s” and dot some of those pesky “I’s”. As usual there was a long wait followed by a flurry of stamps and official seals and we escaped with our sanity mostly intact.

Seen from the Other End - Birthday Girls Closest To You

The family gathered last night to celebrate today’s birthdays of my wife and her twin sister. I took everyone out to dinner to Gallardo’s, which serves some amazing steaks and lethal Pina Coladas. My wife’s elderly parents also joined us which made the night special for everyone. They recounted the day the twins arrived, my wife first and feisty from the get go. There was apparently a significant amount of alcohol involved as well.

One of the Food Plates

The food was great but the company even that much better as the night succumbed to the celebration. We reluctantly adjourned to her parents’ home where my brother in law’s wife produced a cake like device. It looked like a cross between a flan and a cheesecake so I meticulously avoided it. Everyone else pronounced the birthday cake as delicious. It was created by the lady’s daughter who is studying to be a chef. If reactions last night are any indication her studies are going well.

The Cake Like Device

Well, I’ll leave you now as I get ready for the beach. Weather in Worcester right now – 16 degrees and snowing (yes!).

Because M Sister in Law is Kind of a Goof