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Wife and Her Mom on Deckzilla Party

Yep, been away from Frail Deeds for a while, you are most welcome. Some negotiations at work consumed virtually all of my attention/energy for most of last week and my Favorite Panamanian picked up the slack over the weekend to keep me fully engaged and away from the internets. The biggest and certainly most noteworthy of events that took place in the interim was the birthday of my Favorite Son. He had a busy day at work and squiring the BRS around. He was looking forward to nothing more than a restful evening but the ABFA surprised him with a dinner and movie. The BRS dismissed both her parents with hardly a look back as she seems to like having babysitters to charm.

Son and I Recently with the BRS

I annually rave about both of my kids on their birthdays and this will be no different. I am singularly blessed with a son who has exceeded my wildest expectations, not only as a son, but as a man and more importantly as a person. I’ve loved watching him form the inevitable father-daughter bond with the BRS. Fatherhood is something he’s destined to excel at despite having grown up around me. He’s expertly handled the stress of a challenging new job without sacrificing the time with the BRS. I stand in awe of the example he sets each and every day. I nicknamed him “Big Guy” when he was young and he has more than grown into that appellation on so many levels.

My Big Guy - Continues to Soar

I was hoping to sneak up to my hometown on Saturday for a dinner with high school classmates honoring the visit of the gal who was my first ever girlfriend – not that she ever knew about it. I worshipped her from afar in the 4^th grade. My Favorite Panamanian had other plans however as she had scheduled a Saturday happy hour on Deckzilla with the Latin Mafia. This meant early Saturday was devoted to party prep which is not a task lightly engaged in with my wife.

The Mafia Gathers

We dodged thunderstorms which flowed around our hill during the party which was a lot of fun, as usual when this group of friends gathers. We also had the Czech couple we met a couple weeks ago attend. They showed up on time which is unheard of from the rest of the party attendees and brought their nine year old daughter who for some reason adopted me as her personal charge for the entire party. This precocious young lady had a million questions and I definitely had to watch my language which was a first for me at one of these type parties. I think this was a result of what I call the “grandfather effect”.

My Czech Shadow

Bring on the Dancing Girl

Cup Stacking Games

Mother in Law Dancing

My wife planned a series of party games, most of them involving stacking large red plastic cups. It sounded silly when she first explained it to me but it turned into a lot of fun as everyone got into competition mode. Since we’re talking about the mafia, there was dancing involved, to include my mother in law who despite her accumulation of years was a steady participant.

FBR was Also Partying

In Princess Mode

And then Swimming

Decided she Wants to Learn Spanish

The granddaughters were also busy this past weekend. The FBR was garbed up for a princess themed birthday party early on Saturday which allowed her to don what she calls her Rapunzel dress. This was followed up with a swimming escape with some of her neighborhood buddies. My Czech party shadow met the FBR a couple weeks ago and insisted we contact her via FaceTime but the FBR was hosting the aforementioned buddies and had scant attention to spare us. Seems like everybody was busy this weekend.

BRS and the ABFA

Son Provided a Treasure Trove of BRS Photos

She's Mastered the Day Care Slide

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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; 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); 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; 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

Rainy Day Feeling

One of the true mysteries of my married life is how my Favorite Panamanian, who grew up in a country where the average annual rainfall rivals a submerged Atlantis, is so intimidated by rain. I’m married to an ombrophobic lady. I know part of the phobia of being outside with precipitation involves hairdos and the work that went into them but again, I’ve never been able to wrap my head around it. Monday was a good example as we planned on going to the grocery store since our weekend adventures precluded the usual Sunday trip. I came home from work and asked if she was ready to go and received one of her patented withering stares accompanied by a pointed look at the rain falling outside. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I spent way too much time living in the jungle as a young lieutenant, as infantrymen are wont to do, but most Panamanians never venture into that green morass. They are definitely smarter than I was. At least I was able to buy what I wanted at the grocery store during my solo trip there.

I try to read my hometown newspaper on line each day and I learned today that I was born way too late. My old high school starting in the upcoming year, will eliminate midterms and finals. Damn! Academic grades will be based entirely on “formative” and “summative” assessments. A set of competencies referred to as “work-study practices” will be rated separately from the academic letter grade. I guess I really am getting old if the touchy feely corps has seized control of a place like Keene High School.

I returned to the movies last night with my rain phobic better half and saw Stuber. There’s a lot better movie hiding somewhere in this violent comedy. Dave Bautista has shown a real flare for comedy in his Guardians’ role but he’s not allowed to pursue that here, consigned to playing a typecast mountain of a cop. It also hurts that he is virtually blind for the entire movie which makes no sense and is downright frustrating at times. His partner in this buddy flick saves the movie. Kumail Nanjiani again delivers the sly comedy he’s known for with some wicked one liners that had me doubled over a number of times. He plays an uptight uber driver who’s dragooned into service by the sight challenged Bautista. While I enjoyed the movie for the most part I couldn’t help feeling they just missed something that could have been epic. Where’s Drax when you need him.

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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; 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); 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; 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

One if by Land

Thursday Lunch

My wife and I are dealing with what seems to be an incredibly quiet house right now. The absence of the FBR is being keenly felt on a number of levels as we reluctantly returned her to her parents over the weekend. My mother in law remains in residence but she cannot be counted on in the decibel department where the FBR truly excels. We wound up the week with a shopping extravaganza by the new best buddy shopping pals of the FBR and her abuela. They are truly kindred spirits when it comes to shopping which bodes ill for my future financial status.

Shopping Queen err Princess

Ruby Slippers

A case in point; we had a delightful lunch out on Thursday where the FBR was all over me, loudly proclaiming her grandpa was one of her favorite people in the world. She was on the point of pitching a tantrum outside the restaurant when I had to return to work. That is, until her abuela reminded her they had shopping to do. An immediate change came over the FBR and she blithely said, “Bye Grandpa!” and set out for the store with her abuela and bisabuela in hot pursuit. She showed up later that night with a Princess Rapunzel play dress and her very own ruby slippers. As stated above, I could be in trouble.

Missing the Scamp

Beating the Heat on Deckzilla

The drive down to New Jersey was uneventful which is grounds for celebration. The FBR was so engrossed in her IPad during the trip that we hardly noticed she was with us. She did yeoman work on a hot dog during the lunch break and I had to pry her away from the IPad to inform her we had arrived at her home. As soon as she saw her parents though all bets were off. She could not hug them enough. It was easy to see how much the FBR had been missed and vice versa. This remained the case even though she went napless for the day which resulted in a difficult couple of hours approaching bed time.

Dancing to La La Land with Mom

IPaddng with Dad

We got back on the road early the next day because we had an afternoon cruise scheduled on Webster Lake. At first the FBR did not want to even acknowledge we were leaving, refusing to say goodbye. When she eventually realized it was inevitable we got our share of FBR hugs, which are awesome. Despite admonishments from the car’s GPS system which thought my chosen route was sub-optimal we made good time getting back from New Jersey. We stopped in at our old Sunday grocery shopping destination in Sturbridge to pick up some supplies and were warmly welcomed by some of the people who remembered us.

Wife, Mother in Law and I on the Boat

Part of the Very Fun Crew 

My HR Director owns a fabulous house on Webster Lake and recently purchased a pontoon boat which led to the invitation for us to join her Sunday afternoon for a cruise around the lake and then a barbecue. It remained oppressively hot and humid so cruising the lake was a marvelous alternative to being cooped up in air conditioning. I’d never been around Webster Lake which is not well known outside the area but is a magnificent, spring fed New England lake that has not been overdeveloped although that seems to be starting judging by the number of McMansions going up. We stopped by the Indian Ranch venue where George Thorogood and the Destroyers were in full throat. There was a wide collection of boats moored together listening to the concert and partying.

Indian Ranch Flotilla Ahead

Thorogood Anchoring

Since yesterday was a school night I didn’t consume any adult beverages despite the siren call of the music, lake and camaraderie. We finished the cruise off back at the lakeside home for a fantastic barbecue dinner overlooking the lake. After the long drive and time in the sun we were all a little worse for the wear by the time we got home. The house still seemed preternaturally quiet for a very good, albeit lamentable, reason.

A Great Afternoon

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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; 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); 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; 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

Energy Crisis

A Rare Peaceful FBR Moment

Each time the FBR comes to visit my wife and I agree that raising children is rightfully the bailiwick of people decidedly younger than ourselves. We revel in the time we get to spend with her but it is draining, even just sitting around watching her as she scrambles around in the non-stop mode that his her default operational status. I think the draining aspect is not being able to relax due to the vigilant oversight she engenders. It’s a delightful weariness though that I wouldn’t trade for any amount of money. Each day there is some special offhand comment or activity that further cements her hold on my heart.

Swing Duty

Last night was an acid test as she woke up around 2:30am for some undeclared reason and was wide awake. I know this because she decided a tactile inspection of my beard was required every time I dozed off. Still, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We tried out a different playground the other day which again met her specifications although my right arm is starting to get tired from swing pushing.

Pool Time Yesterday

My wife took her to one of the Latin Mafia’s homes yesterday so she could jump into the pool on a sweltering day. It’s obvious the FBR has made progress since earlier this year in Panama and looks ready to start active dog paddling. In the same vein a neighbor’s canine wandered into the yard and the FBR was captivated. I know her parents are firmly cat people but it’s also obvious the FBR inherited some of my dog loving genes.

Dog Lover

After the pool they returned home just ahead of some healthy thunderstorms. We had a real treat last evening as my favorite cousin and his wife had been playing golf nearby and stopped by for dinner. In what will go down as a landmark event, neither my cousin nor I had a beer when we got together. This has rarely happened since we both turned eighteen oh so many years ago. The same thing occurred this past weekend when we saw each other in New Hampshire but we were at a funeral at the time so, excused. To my credit I was ready with some beer and a determination to break my usual school night alcohol prohibition but the cous is facing a medical exam that precluded beer consumption, once again I have to declare, getting old can suck at times. His wife mitigated our penance by cheerfully imbibing wine.

Great Dinner with Cousin Yesterday

It was so great hanging out with them. They are both retired now and have embraced the new phase of their life. My cousin has taken up the game of golf with a vengeance and, always a good athlete, is steadily improving. They were full of news about their family and the great circle of close friends from their hometown that we’ve been lucky enough to hang out with at times.

Cousins on Line

One of the funniest times of the FBR visit is the nightly call with the BRS. As soon as the FBR hears her cousin on line she charges from whatever mischief she’s been contemplating to seize control of the IPad. The BRS seems equally pleased to see her cousin on the other end and they take turns making funny faces at each other. My son sent along this video which shows the BRS may have been taking head banging lessons from her Uncle Wingman.

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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; 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); 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; 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