The first full work week of the 2019
careens to a close today and I lucked upon some very good news. I was in dire
need of same since tomorrow I become a geographic bachelor again for the next
three months as my Favorite Panamanian heads for warmer climes as winter
descends upon us. The good news - I decided to see if I had enough miles built
up yet with my favorite airline to buy my own ticket with those miles. I’m
flying down to Panama for a couple weeks in mid-February for one of the most anticipated
vacations in recent memory as both the FBR and BRS will be coming down along
with their parental units.
If that wasn’t lofty enough to
maintain morale I had just enough miles to buy the needed round trip ticket. The
kicker is that when they provided the available flights it was the same “price”
for both coach and business class – talk about a no-brainer! So, if this trip wasn’t
enough joyful enough based on the people I’ll be spending time with, flying business
class both ways certainly helps send it into the stratosphere. With the final
bills from Christmas and the renovation coming due this month it also helps in
that area.
So, it seems all those flights to Panama
over the past few years to hook and jab with the bureaucrats finally generated a
silver lining. The very cool thing is Copa is one of the few airlines that
still treat passengers as valued customers instead of meat to be packed in and then
tolerated. Readers of Frail Deeds know that the First Friday of the Week
already packs a significant morale punch for yours truly so this may just be
enough not to send me too deep tomorrow as I send my better half off to sunny
Panama.
I took her out to dinner last night
and she’s coming by for lunch today before joining me for the ceremony marking
that First Friday of the Week at Brew City. We’ve both discussed how much more
difficult these separations have become with our advancing age (at least for me
– my wife never seems to age!). I think we’ve actually grown to like each other
as well as love. I always tell people going through a rough patch in a marriage
that, for me, it was really worth sticking it out because these past few years
have been some of the best of our marriage. This will hopefully be the last solo
winter she spends down in our new condo. If all goes according to plan I’ll be
on the same flight with her next year with a couple months of retirement
already under my belt. All depending on the good Lord willing and the river not
rising.
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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 3rdmusquetera (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
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