Embracing the Melt

Baseball's Newest Fan?!

It actually stopped raining for five minutes yesterday and I charged outside after work. My Favorite Panamanian had acquired another rose bush (because you can never have enough) that I had to get into the ground and I also uprooted the dying pine tree and re-planted it uphill in what will probably be a vain effort to revive it after its water soaked spring. I also spread some zinnia and wild flower seeds along the top of the hill that will hopefully survive our plague of rabbits and squirrels. I may lodge a complaint with the local coyote council that not enough of those critters are ending up in the food chain.

While I was out excavating we took our nightly call from the BRS. My Favorite Son has taken a page out of his sister’s playbook by making the calls while the BRS is sitting down for dinner. It can be exhausting otherwise chasing the toddler around the house trying to keep her on screen. The BRS was doing some serious damage to the ketchup section of her plate. The ABFA sent out the picture above which should make a certain uncle down in Rhode Island happy. Soxfather must have had an effect because the BRS is sampling her first baseball prospectus.

Our call with the FBR was decidedly shorter, all of about 25 seconds. She was in full meltdown mode and my daughter was less than pleased with the situation after a tough day at work and the long commute home. Wingman was already at work so my daughter was left to deal with a very recalcitrant threenager. My wife and I felt badly for our daughter so we didn’t mention how many of these episodes she inflicted on us at a similar age. I hope the FBR survived the night because after we called back later to talk to our daughter that was not a sure bet. I suppose I could have offered some sage advice about embracing these times because this is the very small price you pay for the multitude of joy a child brings to a parent’s life. That’s easy to say from the grandparent perch (part of what makes it so delightful) but it’s still tough to see your own kid having to experience this very real part of parenting, especially after the FBR kind of ruined Mother’s Day by getting sick. Tough week.

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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^rd musquetera (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