Deep Blue

The New Garb

I had a weird day yesterday that was mildly concerning. I’ve been blessed with general good health – except for the whole basal skin cancer situation. Yesterday afternoon something hit me that drained me of energy and inserted a general state of malaise that was, as I said, concerning. My usual tactic in these type situations is to ignore it and drive on; believing anything else would be tantamount to being a wimp.

Shower Finally Finished

This was hard to ignore however. I was dealing with it when I received a call from our long lost plumber who said he was finally available to come in and mount the shower bracket – literally the last thing remaining on the big remodeling project. I’ve been trying to acquire his services for the past two weeks with a number of broken promises on his end. He came in and knocked out the requirement and I then immediately got into bed.

At the Condo Yesterday

My View this Morning - Wife Wins

I was knocked out for about two hours and when I got up I was shivering almost uncontrollably. This was definitely weird. I thought the nap was going to solve all my problems but that turned out to be a pipe dream. I finished the last round of chemotherapy cream for my back on Sunday and thought this might be a reaction to that, as farfetched as that might sound. I surmised that I may have poisoned myself with my lunch meal, refusing to believe it could be anything serious. I may have to be a little more prudent when it comes to food preparation. We’ll see because I’ve got food from the same batch for lunch today.

Favorite Panamanian with Newly Painted Walls

I made the mistake of telling my wife during our evening phone call. My kids know this is a recipe for intense over-reaction. She was insisting I go to the doctor immediately and failing that she was going to call the neighborhood Mafioso to come over and take my blood pressure. That was enough to snap me out of the doldrums as I told her in no uncertain terms that I did not want that and would not open the door if she arranged it. She grudgingly accepted this but was not happy. There is no medical situation she’s not prepared to react excessively to – I surprised not to hear a Medflight helicopter hovering over the house after we finished the call. She had been busy all day painting the walls of our condo. I’m not sure it was needed but I only get 49% of that vote.

Dark Blue it is

The FBR was in fine fettle when I caught up with her. She modeled her brand new gymnastics leotard along with showing me some of her more exotic, frog based exercises. Dark blue has become her favorite color and she was excited to obtain her new garb in that hue. When she heard about the upcoming birthday party in Panama she requested my wife order a birthday cake with the flavor of dark blue. We’ll have to see about that. She was just back from reconning a new day care option, more of a structured pre-school situation than her current setting.

I thought the best therapy for my condition was a movie on dateless date night and went to see Serenity. The most surprising thing about this was the sheer challenge to make a bad movie that stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane, Jason Clarke, and Djimon Hounsou. The director was up to the challenge. There’s a huge plot twist that explains some of the more nonsensical issues from the first half of the movie. Instead of using that twist to elevate the plot it just contributes to the downward spiral. McConaughey plays a fishing boat skipper on an idyllic island who’s obsessed with an overlarge tuna and no, I’m not kidding. There were extensive McConaughey skinny dipping scenes aimed squarely at the ladies I’m sure. The biggest disappointment for me was the lack of chagrin I felt should have been evident from these fine actors for this trash. Oh and the complete underuse of Diane Lane, that rises to criminal level failure.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; 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; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues

Time Passages

Birthday Girl with her Parents

I haven’t written in a while due to granddaughter induced delight which is becoming a recurring weekend event, to my intense satisfaction. Taking a page out of her father’s book the BRS is celebrating multiple birthday parties for her initial effort in that arena. Her father accomplished this because his July birthday usually coincided with one of our many summer household moves during my military service. He would have a birthday party at the place we were leaving, the place were going to and usually one each at his two grandparent locations visited during the move. The BRS is steadily approaching her February date of birth and Saturday marked the first party to commemorate that momentous occasion.

Great Aunt, Soxfather, ABFA Mom, and my Son

Keene Friend Couldn't Figure Out how to Keep His Finger out of Photo

We’ll be celebrating again down in Panama in a couple weeks and I’m  sure there’ll be additional events over the next couple weeks as the actual day passes. My Favorite Panamanian is marshaling the familial forces in Panama to have a big fête to mark not only the BRS’ first birthday but also her own as well as (obviously) her twin sister’s. The BRS followed in the FBR’s footsteps by arriving four days before one of her grandparent’s birthday. The FBR did this for mine and the BRS for my wife. It’ll make remembering birthdays so much easier as we ease into dotage.

See What I Mean

Sent him to Back Rank on Left

Our Gang

Here was a great turnout for this first party up at the BRS homestead. Great Aunt, Soxfather, Keene Friend, and many of the parents’’ college friends were on hand as well as the accompanying peer generation for the BRS. One of the coolest thing about the day was seeing the remarkable group of friends both my Favorite Son and the ABFA developed over the years now appearing with kids of their own.

Birthday Girl

With her Dad

Party Chaos

Those crazy kids who played beer pong in our backyard in Charlton seemingly yesterday were now responsible adults chasing after their own kids. While it did bring some immediate notice of how old I was getting it left me with a profound sense of generational passage. Here was my youngest child celebrating his own child’s birthday surrounded by these all too excellent friends with their own children. If nothing else it gave me optimism about the future as this next gen bunch is singularly blessed with their parents.

Next Gen Excellence

The BRS exhibited her usual social aplomb while surrounded by the seething mass of humanity assembled to honor her. She stayed awake for the entire day and was in a great mood for the duration. She handled the birthday cake with a tentative first dip and then dove in when the sweet taste registered. The parents decreed she was a little too young to wield Bonecrusher so the family broadsword had the day off. I was able to live stream the cake immersion to my wife down in Panama where my Favorite Panamanian engaged in serial cooing.

Ready for her Closeup

Whoah! That Tatses Good!!!

The Subsequent Dive

Briefly Came up for Air

Riggins reveled in all the attention he received although he also took advantage of the screen all the people offered. He set about pillaging the ball pit since so many of the balls were exiting the pit and rendered several hors de combat. His biggest moment came when, for the first time in his life, he went counter climbing and tasted his first ever piece of pizza. Somewhere over the rainbow bridge Buddy the Wonder Pooch smiled down at his antics. If Riggins wants to survive to attend future events (given my son’s reaction to this) he should be a little more stealthy.

Time with Nana

Riggins Sizing up the Target Rich Environs
Keen Friend and I Along with ABFA Parents on Couch

The party wound down later in the afternoon as those charged with young‘uns of their own fell victim to scheduled nap times and sundry other child rearing requirements. This left a very nice spell for those attendees from my generation, thoroughly unencumbered in that area for the past few decades, to spend a much quieter time with the BRS, her parents, and each other.  Since all good things eventually have to end this august group eventually had to leave for their own homes and I was the sole remaining party guest.

Dad Hangs

Late Night Audience

My son and the ABFA handled that fate with a predictable amount of grace. I really enjoyed the opportunity to hang out with them on a more personal level. I ended up binge watching with my son a new NETFLIX series he was anxious for me to see, called You. It was a very dark comedy that take you into the mind of a very capable stalker who evolves into a serial killer (I did say very dark). I enjoyed it so much that I promptly spent all of Sunday afternoon back home watching the rest of the series.

Two Beautiful Ladies

And Two More

Walking with Grandpa on Sunday

Breaking Fast

Happy Girl

Happier Grandpa

Before I made that Sunday drive home though I spent breakfast with the rejuvenated BRS straight off her successful initial birthday experience. We all thought/hoped the exhaustion from the party would render a full night of uninterrupted sleep but she was demanded a forty minute audience with her parents around 1am. She was still chipper for breakfast though. I held her hands and she walked completely around the first floor which leads me to believe she could be walking on her own by the time she arrives in Panama in a couple weeks.

FBR Nails

The FBR was pursuing her own devices down in New Jersey over the weekend. She got her nails done which I’m sure made a certain Panamanian very happy as they could compare notes on yet another subject. My daughter and Wingman took her to Wingman’s new restaurant for Sunday brunch where the FBR promptly took over a cubby next to the bar as her own personal kitchen and began taking orders for everyone present at her usual pell-mell speed.

Peeking from her Cubby

Slowly Emerging

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; 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; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues

Ant Conversion Therapy

The wildly weird New England weather continued. The photo above showed what my front yard looked like Thursday morning (left) and what it looks like today, one day later. When the snow fell and encapsulated everything I figured I’d seen last of the front yard grass until early March. It was kind of stunning that it was all gone within one day.

My Favorite Panamanian is facing a different kind of natural challenge down at our beach condo. The last couple trips there the bedroom air conditioners haven’t been working right. She finally arranged to have the air conditioning dude show up today and he found that the local ants had set up shop on the mother boards for both external units. Apparently there is an inverter that is a little warmer that the surroundings and the ants are attracted to it and build their castle out of mud upon it. At least I hope that is mud.

I know from my lieutenant days spent wandering the jungles of Panama that the insect life, especially the ants, are worthy of respect but this is a little ridiculous. It will all be fixed by tomorrow with replacement features that aren’t as attractive to our industrious and unwanted tenants.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; 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; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues