Disassembling

It’s kind of cool having a house full of the newest edition of the PanaGals. As usual there is barely a pause in the constant conversation and laughter emanating from wherever they and my wife were located. Buddy has all but abandoned me, drawn to the social bonanza offered by gathered Panamanians. Dogs are pack animals and there’s always the chance (certainty) his brown eyed stares will result in a dropped treat. This ongoing high school reunion has removed me from my usual position directly in the cross hairs of my wife’s supervisory nature. Inexplicably I’ve not chosen to rebel. I’m even putting the seat down the toilet. Have I truly been tamed?

I returned from work to an empty house as, in a surprise of truly mythic proportions, my wife and the PanaGals were out shopping. I used the time to drag the old, replaced gas grill into the shade of the driveway for disassembly. Buddy accompanied me to yell at the occasional rabbit and defecate. I find an odd sense of peace taking things apart. I must have been a mechanic in a former life only to be reborn with no mechanical ability whatsoever. I still enjoy the disassembly process for some odd reason. Most of the bolts were still operational and I had to revert to brute force and ignorance on only a couple occasions. I was taking it apart and removing all the non-metal parts so I could recycle the metal. I took it way past the point I needed to, removing bolts that had been placed years ago by some Chinese worker I’m sure. What can I say, I’m weird. I had to do a detailed FOD walk on the driveway afterwards to insure I didn’t leave any of the bolts there to rupture tires.

The New Grill to Prove I did Get it Together
Some Smart Ass Commented on Yesterday's Post That There was No Proof I Succeeded

Part of my wife’s plan for the baby shower this weekend involves diapers. I’m not sure what her plan is to get them all out to California but I’m sure I will be involved. A former neighbor can’t make the shower and dropped by yesterday with a huge box of the tiny things. It’s sitting right by the front door and every time I walk by it I smile. It’s been over a quarter century now but I clearly remember the first time I went to the grocery store (commissary) and did not have to turn down the diaper aisle. It was a truly momentous event and now we’re preparing to send one of the contributors to those earlier trips on her own expedition down diaper alley, so cool.

The First of Many

A friend recently posted this video showing Panama City back near the time I was there as a young lieutenant. It was obviously taken from family films but provides a good view of what the Panama City was like at the time. I loved the city where so much of my future life was determined. It was a lot seedier than the current burgeoning megalopolis it has evolved into but I miss the old city. Today, whenever I return there, I’m hard-pressed to recognize familiar landmarks as the city continue to grow exponentially. I guess I’m starting to qualify as an old fart as I look back and fondly remember the way things used to be.