Winged Birthday Romp

4 Generations of Ladies at the Party

Mondays, as they are wont to do, consumed a large portion of my attention which kept me from writing until now. I wanted the capacity for the telling of the past weekend with the reverence it is due and a slap dash effort would just not do. As I floated through Saturday and Sunday I kept saying to myself “Oh, I’ve got to remember that for Frail Deeds!” but as I sit here late on Monday I can fully re-capture only a few of those thoughts. Trust me, these were highly original and incisive looks at life which are lost to the ages due to the evils of demon alcohol and excessive Connecticut driving (both being mind-numbing experiences).

Birthday Boy and Party Organzier

I arranged for an early morning departure on Saturday for Wingman’s birthday celebration. I wanted to get to New Jersey in time to help with party prep and avoid the worst of Connecticut’s capabilities to stymie forward progress.  I’ve written eloquently (again, trust me) in the past about trying to get Panamanians anywhere on time. I thought I was doing really well Saturday morning as my wife seemed to be ready after our 5am wakeup aimed towards a 6am departure. At 545am as I finished packing the car I asked her where her mother was and the stricken face I’ve seen before in similar situations spoke volumes. She’d forgotten to wake up her mother but even with the glacial speed of prep thereafter we did get out of town by 7am which I considered a major victory.

Grampa - Let Me Make a Point

These Used to Be Your Glasses

We arrived in New Jersey a little after 9am for a raucous reunion with the First Blog Reader who immediately began summoning me to her presence whenever she sensed I wasn’t completely focused on her. I assisted Wingman with the adult beverage purchases and we all went on a quest to find a special melba toast kind of bread my wife forgot to bring for one of her many dips. Three stores later and nearing the end of sane pursuit Wingman found some pita bread squares that turned out to be one of the hits of the party. We were also required to find helium balloons because my granddaughter loves them and we all know I can deny her nothing. This provided a very interesting span of time in a Dollar store and the denizens thereof.

Party Deck with Great Aunt

The party kicked off and we were soon surrounded by a literal sea of toddlers ranging in ages from .5 to 6. It’s fascinating to see all the hip, young friends of my daughter and Wingman chasing after this group. The last time we attended one of their parties they were all just starting out on adulthood. I felt a surge of optimism for the next generation, based on watching them, because they did seem frightfully more informed than I can remember being at the same age. They’re also much more community oriented; certainly grounds for that optimism.

Wife Blocking Me Into Shady Spot

My wife, I and the Panamanians were the old stogies at the party until Great Aunt and Soxfather showed up a bit late (predictably). They admitted their flawed approach of not spending the night as the drive to New Jersey made for a long commute from Rhode Island. It was good to have them with us although Great Aunt teamed up with the sun Nazi I’m married to whenever I spent too much time in direct sunlight. I’m guessing its the whole skin cancer surgery they’ve both witnessed. The only thing missing from the party were the Favorite Son and ABFA. They had to bow out at the last minute as my son came down with a bad stomach bug, not the kind of virus you want distributed amongst the young ones.

Granddaughter Bending Bag Toss rules

I was entrusted with Wingman’s brand new grill which was high speed. I managed to not melt any of the siding on the house and if consumption rates are any indication the food produced was edible. Wingman set up his bag toss in the driveway with its prominent Red Sox logos. They are continuing their subversive efforts in the heart of the evil Yankee empire. My granddaughter had her own take on the game as she tried to climb into one of the holes on the board.

Playing Defense with Dad

Being surrounded by the swarm of children brought back so many memories of similar parties during my younger years in the military. Our granddaughter’s vast toy collection was thoroughly examined and employed throughout the day. Her newest favorite toy is a bouncing trampoline that her other grandmother supplied. The First Blog Reader is nothing if not springy. We brought along a new tunnel because, according to my wife, we cannot show up without a gift for our master. One of the times I was summoned to her presence we learned I am too large to fit into that tunnel. My wife was assigned bouncing duty next to her on the trampoline.

Deck Bouncing

Grampa - You Can Fit in Tunnel if you Really Try

Well, Maybe Not

Bouncing with Abuela

Needing a Rest Afterwards

Sunday should have been spent on recovery operations but my wife’s uncle had never seen New York City before so I was volunteered to show him around. The expression blind leading the etc., etc. Fortunately NYC and the surrounding environs have truly figured out mass transit. We took a commuter train into Penn Station and then wandered down to Times Square to take that novel experience in. We stopped off at an Irish Pub for lunch and then mounted one of the ubiquitous double decker tour buses. If you have a limited time it’s one of the best way to see as many NYC landmarks as possible but if it’s the n^th time you’ve done it, well, ‘nuff said. I was buoyed by how much my wife’s uncle was enjoying the experience. Oh and it rained for most of the trip as our nice but totally misinformed tour guide, made outlandish misrepresentations of historical facts. Luckily my partner couldn’t speak English so he didn’t understand her which was hard for the native English speakers as well.

Penn Station Arrival with King Kong Perch Behind Us

The Required Times Square Shot

In the Pub

Semi-Happy Campers

Union Square

We dried out on our train ride back to New Jersey in time for dinner and drive prep. In a move guaranteed to delve even further into my heart my granddaughter insisted on accompanying her mother to train station to pick me up. I got into the back seat with her, a very tight fit, and we had a grand time on the drive back home. At one point I was balancing four different stuffed animals on my shoulders and head.

Abuela Assisted Teeth

The drive home last night saw the depressed mood reflected in the weather and traffic. I had to drive through some substantial rain and a half hours’ worth of traffic delays which only further twisted the sword of putting more distance from where I had so much fun over the weekend. After a good night’s sleep I can now look back and smile. Of these type events are a full life constructed.

So Much Fun Working for this Young Lady

She Literally Stole the Shirt Off her Daddy's Back 

Catch-up Photos From Last Week - Botanical Garden Tour

Stair Construction