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| One Very Happy Grandpa |
No blogging this weekend because I was
held in complete thrall by my younger granddaughter, the BRS. I awoke Saturday morning
to find the streets encased in ice and snow which was not what I expected but I
started out anyways to find that it was just my hilltop that was thus affected.
I made it up to New Hampshire in plenty of time to join the BRS and her parents
for the weekly swim lessons.
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| What Greeted me Saturday Morning |
It’s impossible for me to walk into a
YMCA and not be bombarded by memories. I pretty much grew up in the Keene YMCA
pool from the age of seven until I left for college. The Portsmouth YMCA is not
the same one I competed in (scarily more than fifty years ago) way back in the
day but there were still grounds for some serious reminiscing. It was my Favorite
Son’s turn to join the BRS in the pool this week. Much like she did in Panama the
BRS really enjoys splashing around. My son confirmed the water in the New Hampshire
YMCA pool was significantly colder than he’d experienced at our Panamanian condo
(go figure).
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| Son and BRS in Pool |
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| BRS Loved It |
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| Dad Thought it was a little Chilly |
After swim lessons the BRS and I go
re-acquainted. She was a little reticent at first. She may have been thrown off
by the beard. Once she realized I was willing to get down in the dog hair
(thanks Riggins) with her we got along swimmingly (J). She is starting to assert some real
personality and a bit of a devilish streak. She also inherited the same gene as
her cousin, the FBR, which requires the immediate toppling of any Lego tower constructed
within range. She would knock it over and then give me a directing look to stand
it up again so she could go Godzilla once more.
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| Lionized Diaper Changing |
During her mid-day nap I got to do one
of my other favorite activities in the world – hanging out with my son. We perused
March madness and he hooked me into another series – Jack Ryan on Amazon prime.
I’d loved all the Tom Clancy books and most of the movies so it was an easy
sell. I was so thoroughly hooked that I spent the better part of Sunday
afternoon upon my return binge watching the rest of it. John Krasinski was impressive
as a young Ryan but I was most impressed with Dina Shihabi, an Arab actress who
I think we’ll hear a lot more from. She stole every scene she appeared in.
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| BRS Has a Game She Plays with her Dad |
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| On the Staircase |
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| Such an Entertainer |
I took the gang out for dinner to a restaurant
the ABFA had noted during her weekly commute through the nearby town of Newmarket,
the Riverworks. In a small historical note the Cantankerous Friend had lived
just across the street for a few years (no historical marker was noted). The restaurant,
on the second floor, was very cool with a lot of exposed beams and sloping
floors noting the age of the place. We were soon surrounded, due to the nearby
campus, by the usual crowd of UNH students and their visiting parents.
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| Where we Ate |
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| My All Too Excellent Dinner Companions |
The BRS certainly rose to the occasion
once she realized she had a significant audience. She had the entire room under
her spell in short order. She recently learned to wave and spent the entire time
we were there exchanging waves with the father of a group of UNH students at a
nearby table. I’m sure that made his daughter a little nervous. It was a great
meal and better company. Even her parents marveled at the BRS for her behavior which
the ABFA graded as A+. I’ve already noted in prior visits how much the BRS
likes to dine out, could be an expensive proposition for her parents in the out
years.
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| Loves to be Wheeled Around in one of her Doll's Strollers |
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| Good Workout for Dad |
I tried to share as much as possible
of our times together with a very jealous Favorite Panamanian who was out and
about during her last weekend in the tropics. Her crazy younger sister was up from
Panama City and the home town feria was in its final days but they all took a
break from that whenever the chance came to coo at the video screen. The BRS seemed
to revel in the homage paid.
I had to return home for the usual
Sunday drudgery in preparation for the work week. Around laundry, grocery
shopping, and pot roast simmering I finally heard from the other granddaughter
who returned from California. Both my daughter and the FBR were exhausted from
their trip to reunite with the three other gals that were all born within days
of each other to my daughter and her close friends. They hadn’t been back
together since my daughter returned to the right coast.
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| FBR Flying Home |
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| Reunited with Wingman |
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| Easier to Carry if you get out of it Sweetheart |
My daughter reported the FBR and her best
friend from back in the day were like an old married couple, either best friends
or mortal enemies, all within the space of a couple minutes. I found it interesting
that my daughter chose to use that description. The FBR was obviously a little punchy
since she got up at 430am for the trip to the airport and the only thing she
wanted to report was the exotic taxi ride to the airport. My daughter, though
equally punchy, was a little more informative. Wingman was seriously happy to
have his girls back under the same roof.
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Wingman Just Sent this
This is How the FBR Wanted to Watch TV This Morning
I Think she Missed her Dad |
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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
