Last Mayday

The Flower Whisperer Caught in the Act

I find it unconscionable that today is the last day in May. Where the hell did the month go? I know I’ve been busy but I find it hard to credit that tomorrow is June, especially given the March like weather we’ve been “blessed” with lately. I heard we had three days in the 90s but that was while I was in Panama enjoying a constant stream of that type weather. Since I returned with the Panamanians we’ve had temps hovering in the 50s which they kind of like since it’s so far outside their normal operating temperatures. The living room fireplace is certainly getting a workout to combat these atrociously cold times.

Wife and Her Mom on the Hunt

I am going to truly miss my wife’s uncle when he leaves, especially during grass mowing time, like last night. He’s appointed himself cord wrangler for the electric lawn mower so I don’t have to worry about running it over. I came home to find Deckzilla once again home to a bevy of new flowers as my wife went shopping for party supplies and somehow, against all odds, bought a bunch of flowers instead, go figure. I’m a bit exasperated because she still hasn’t planted the last rendition yet. I told her no new flowers until all of the ones sitting on the deck and surrounding territory are planted. I have no real expectation of any success with that admonition.

We did sneak in our date night and saw Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Men Tell No Tales which had the lavish CGI work the series is famous for as well as a very tired Johnny Depp. He used to be the reason you wanted to see one of these movies but that day has certainly passed. He adds nothing to his Jack Sparrow character and I found myself cringing every time he came on screen. He’s become a caricature of himself. The next gen characters were very good as was old stalwart Geoffrey Rush. Javier Bardem does evil so well and dominates whenever his zombiefied character slithers onscreen. There were some very scary zombie sharks as Disney is obviously trying to tap into the zombie craze but this felt like a story on its last breath. I guess it’s a zombie shark getting jumped this time. There was a very nice moment involving a couple of the original characters in a well done cameo. Unless you’re truly invested in this series I’d avoid this, nothing new to see here.

Abuela Seems to Have passed her Love of gardening Down

Hasty Pub Crawl Forced Upon Me

Yesterday at Scores

Yesterday saw a mid-day run up to New Hampshire to check in on Keene Friend who reported the return of some of those troubling lung symptoms. There was also the possibility of tax free shopping for my Panamanian contingent so we all know – that happened. After all the felines were properly herded we left for New Hampshire only 90 minutes after we planned but there wasn’t an iron clad schedule to maintain. I was happy to make the drive through winding back roads to give my wife’s uncle a view of small town New England as.

We arrived at Keene Friend’s house where my wife immediately began her “in your face” grilling of Keene Friend about his health condition. I think this may explain my good luck in that department. I wouldn’t want to face this type of questioning. Fortunately Keene Friend had all the right answers for her although the return of his persistent cough is troubling. My wife had him fully diagnosed within minutes and demanded he quit his job since, in her opinion, that’s what  is causing his issues. Blessedly his company’s HR department was closed yesterday for the holiday which kept her from contacting them.

Applebee Lunch

We settled for a very enjoyable lunch at Applebee’s which my wife’s uncle found exotic. I’m still not sure why. The Keene Applebee’s sits in close proximity to that sun source of my wife’s shopping world, TJ Maxx, and I could tell the siren call of shopping was drowning out all other concerns. As we finished up lunch she decreed I was being left in Keene Friend’s care while she and the other Panamanians descended on Keene” shopping establishments.

She’d forgotten her cell phone (suspiciously) so I couldn’t summon her at the agreed upon time for dinner. We established a firm 5:30pm rendezvous time in central Keene. Keene Friend and I grabbed another friend that is staying with him and made a bee line for Scores. Alas, our favorite sports bar was shuttered when we arrived, as was the nearby Lab ‘n Lager. This was quickly turning into a reverse pub crawl out of some Hitchcockian nightmare before we spotted an inviting “OPEN” sign in the window of the nearby Cobblestone Ale House. We quickly established a presence there and met the new owner, a young guy who really seemed to have a good head on his shoulders.

My Adviser on Timeliness Plans

We also ran into the sister of one of my oldest friends. That’s what I love about coming back to Keene – those nostalgia flows. Since we had to stand for the three rounds of beer and had become an item of interest of the drunken young man at the end of the bar I decided to check in on Scores and found it had now opened. We wandered down there for the rest of the afternoon to await that 5:30pm linkup. I immediately fell in love with the bar tendress, as I am wont to do. I think it was the yoga pants. It was a great afternoon surrounded by every conceivable televised sports contest. We watched the Red Sox blow another game but that and the subsequent arrival of the drunken dude from Cobblestone did nothing to dim the fun. Late in the afternoon Keene Friend 2 and his fiancé wandered in to add to the mix. We all immediately began offering advice on their impending nuptials. Somewhere around five o’clock, under the influence of numerous rounds of adult beverages, I devised a plan to test my wife’s timeliness, which is akin to our president’s common sense level in terms of acuity.

At a Recent Neighborhood Birthday Party

I told everyone present that I wasn’t going to the rendezvous until 6:15pm, betting on her failure to meet the agreed upon time. My friends tried to talk me down, warning me that I was taking on some unneeded risk. I know their concern was based on my tales of her legendary feats of bending me to her will. I will admit to an elevated heart rate but I’d had enough to drink that I willingly took the peril. I received a FaceTime call from my granddaughter during this discussion and I ran the plan by her. She was supportive of my efforts to test limits; something she’s becoming an expert on.

At any rate, 6:15pm arrived at Scores and there had been no incursions by irate Panamanian women so I scurried across the street to Margarita’s where I waited an additional fifteen minutes until they showed up. My wife was properly apologetic about the hour long wait I had endured and I let her suffer until after the meal when we stopped by Keene Friend’s house. We revealed the success of my plan which counted on her unpunctuality as a critical element. She took the news in stride after several light blows to my head and shoulders. A good day.

Aftermathing

Swing Time with Abuela

Tough day yesterday, at least the second half, after I was abandoned by both children as they surreptitiously went home to pursue their own lives. While this was expected and required – it didn’t make it any easier. The almost deafening silence following my granddaughter’s departure was the hard to take. I’m glad though that I wasn’t the only one exhausted by our time together. As I reported in yesterday’s blog the First Blog Reader was asleep before they were fully out of the confines of Worcester. They made it home to New Jersey quickly and the now awake granddaughter demanded a FaceTime call with us – so apparently we made a good impression.

Sound Asleep Five Minutes After Leaving

My wife took the senior Panamanians out for a drive past our old Charlton home and a Cracker Barrel lunch; shopping and food! She was a little depressed when she saw the state of her former gardens though; not everyone has her green thumb. I was left to my own devices for the first time in a long time so I launched into the next phase of my back hill project – the stairs. I was only in the concept phase as I used leftover blocks from the last terrace and experimented with a couple different looks before a frisky rain storm arrived and sent me scurrying for the Man Cave with its overladen DVR list.

First Two Stairs Complete

It was good that I was interrupted because when I went back outside following my wife’s return she decreed that I had to move the one step I had completed six inches to the right. The rain saved me from moving multiple steps. My wife’s uncle came out to help me as I finished up a second step before night fell. We then spent the evening watching movies in Spanish, first 007 and then Pearl Harbor which is appropriate given today’s Memorial Day holiday.

Growing up in the generation begotten by the survivors of World War 2, Memorial Day was a special holiday. There was not a single family that hadn’t been touched by that cataclysmic event. My father’s entire family served and a brother, Uncle Pete, was a marine killed at Guadalcanal. I remember Memorial Day as a bonding experience during that time as society remembered collectively the price paid to thwart tyranny. The overwrought issues today’s society face pale in comparison. So here’s to you Uncle Pete, or as he was officially known –  Private Norman S. Parker, 7th Marines, 1st Mar Division, killed In action October 15, 1942 - you are remembered.

Earlier last week I finished another book by the Master -  Stephen King, Gwendy’s Button Box, is really a novella but it held all of the Master’s usual flair even though he co-wrote it with another author. Gwendy is a young gal from Castle Rock, Maine who’s visited by a stranger as a young girl and entrusted with a mysterious box that turns her life around. We follow her through her decades long relationship with the box. It was a fascinating look at the delicate triggers in life, taking responsibility for yourself and dealing with tragedy because since this is Mr. King tragedy was certainly required for the heroine. Needless to say – I loved it and bow once again in the direction of Bangor, whoops I mean Derry, Maine.

Mom You Should Really Try This Ketchup thing

Bliss-ted

Deckzilla Saturday

I know it’s not a word but I cannot help try to invent something to capture the joy of the past two days surrounded by some of the most important people in my life. It speaks volumes as to the depth of the blessings that my life is replete with when I consider the quality of those same people. I haven’t written since they arrived which means there was incredibly more important tasks to be accomplished – such as wearing hair curlers for the first time, chasing a certain young lady around the house, reading the newspaper with the same lady in my lap (along with her stuffed duck), and too many other mundane yet sublime tasks.

First Friday

Grampa - I Get Kethup! 

So, What Kind of Boss is my Grampa?

The New Jersey contingent drove through the teeth of the Memorial Day weekend traffic and predictably ran afoul of that traffic quagmire known as Connecticut. The delay in their arrival time allowed them to pull in directly to Brew City when they made it to Worcester to join in First Friday celebrations. The First Blog Reader immediately set about charming the entire resident population.

Very Happy

She continued that exercise at home and Saturday morning breakfast was memorable as she performed her usual role as my assistant/supervisor for the preparation of eggs and bacon. With the senior Panamanians present we approached full capacity as my yielded the master bedroom to the family and my wife and I spent the night in the Man Cave where my abilities inflating our new air bed was called into question. Luckily my Favorite Son and the ABFA were inbound to provide the needed training in that area. They joined us bunking in the Man Cave on Saturday night along with Buddy and Riggins which is probably past legal occupancy rates.

First Comes the Opening of Presents, Of Course

Grampa - You Look Stunning

Happy Abuela at Breakfast

Before that memorable night unfolded though we had a Mother’s Day celebration to pursue as Deckzilla was unleashed for the first time this year. We were blessed with perfect weather for an afternoon barbecue as Soxfather and the ABFA’s parents also joined us. You remember I was talking about most excellent people surrounding me. The Great Aunt couldn’t get out of work on this holiday weekend but she sent along bouquets for all the mothers present. We were able to wish stalwart fellow, the Soxfather, his well derived birthday wishes which goes down today. Soxfather is appropriately with his beloved Red Sox for a game today. I count my life exponentially improved on the day we met. He is truly my brother.

Brother and I Yesterday

Presents from Absent Great Aunt

My granddaughter initiated the next phase of her charm offensive on Deckzilla as she demonstrated her improved vocabulary and mobility. Riggins seemed particularly impressed with her while Buddy finally behaved himself around her. He even acquiesced to a couple of hugs and kisses from her. I think that may be a result of all the food she drops during meals.

It was one of those afternoons that seemed to pass at light speed which I guess every afternoon does but you know what I mean. I tried unsuccessfully to keep the mothers unemployed but the guys did manage to accomplish most of the major muscle movements for the barbecue. We had a mountain of dead animal flesh to sear and required a beer resupply late in the afternoon which was surprising. Apparently my wife’s uncle is a bit of a wild card when it comes to beer.

Dueling Rollers

Mom with Son and ABFA

The evening found most of us down in the Man Cave where the youngun’s tried to educate me on some of the internet capabilities of my entertainment system. I’m still not sure how successful they were but it was a lot of fun just hanging out with them. Riggins did not handle the new sleeping arrangements with a lot of grace and made my son’s life semi-miserable overnight. We set up a room divider between the two jury rigged bedrooms and Riggins’ head was wedged underneath it for most of the night.

Reading the Paper Together

This morning’s breakfast was every bit as fun as the previous one with my granddaughter once again establishing her primacy in directing activities. My wife was making a Panamanian breakfast which meant I was the designated horse for my granddaughter, a task I readily assumed. After breakfast my granddaughter took me on a walk around the neighborhood. It’s hard to match her energy level, especially after all that Saturday beer. All too soon everybody had to hit the road which left me bereft of joy and time to write for which I apologize. We received an update from my daughter who reported my granddaughter was asleep before they left the confines of Worcester, so I guess I wasn’t the only one taxed by her seemingly endless energy supply.

Seeing Abuela's Mother's Day Gift

Breakfast Gathering

Center of Attention - Of Course

Bogarting Abuela's Slippers

Burrowing in Search of Toys

Very Happy Grampa

Holding Court

Such a Fashion Plate