Expected Gut Punch

R.I.P. Tia Peg - You Were the Best of Us

I took a punch to the solar plexus this morning, while not unexpected, certainly found its mark. I opened my phone this morning to find a message from an unfamiliar telephone announcing the death of his mother. After some minor sleuthing I was saddened to learn that the message concerned a woman I consider to be a second mother, my beloved Aunt Peg. We weren’t blood relations but I was closer to her growing up than any of my blood relatives. She, a former Navy nurse, was my mother’s best friend and they helped each other through their respective divorces and the other challenges life threw their way. Aunt Peg was always someone I could talk to and she helped blunt some of my mother’s sometimes excessive personality. She was a warm harbor that my sisters and I came to rely upon. My own kids grew up idolizing her as well; she was a fixture at the family Christmases. I say not unexpected because she was well into her nineties and had succumbed to a profound level of dementia. We last saw her a couple years ago when I introduced her to the FBR. She didn’t recognize anybody but she still had the sparkle in her eyes, realizing we were someone important to her. Rest well Aunt Peg and thank you for the incalculable amount of love you showered on your second family. I’m sure my mom is busily showing her all the best yard sale locations in heaven that she’s found in the past 16 years waiting for her friend to join her.

Decorated Navy Nurse

My body was already in pain because I spent the post-work hours out in the front yard excavating the cavernous hole needed to plant my Favorite Panamanian’s New Jersey acquired tree. The tree, last seen sticking a branch in my ear for the entire drive back on Sunday, needed a hole at least 30 inches deep. That would be easy except I’m “blessed” with typical New England soil which means there are more rocks than dirt. My wife came out after a couple hours as I made my way down a half inch at a time. She jokingly said it looked like I was preparing a hole to stick a body in and it was good the neighbors saw us both out there, otherwise they would suspect I was preparing a hole to bury her in. At this point I became very concerned that my wife could now read my mind. We’ll now see if the damned thing can survive a New England winter. I’m sure there’s a reason she couldn’t find it anywhere local. We got it into the ground just after sunset as I was thinking about the several hundred signs I saw on the drive back from New Jersey warning about restricting activities around dusk due to EEE virus laden mosquitoes.

The Starting Point

Inch by Inch

I Will Not kill my Wife

Just a Little Deeper

Finally

My Favorite Panamanian is suffering in her own way today as she decided to get the shingles vaccine yesterday. She was talking big smack to me earlier yesterday because she’d seen how much it affected me. She was proclaiming that she was tougher than I was and implying a certain wimpiness on my part. That was before the side effects kicked in late in the evening. By this morning she was saying she couldn’t believe I’d gone to work the day after having the shots. She’s always been more susceptible to after effects but I let her think I was tougher than I am; payback for the wimpiness comments.

Fun Part of New Jersey Trip

The Sunday Mermaid

On that drive back from New Jersey my wife started receiving some photos from childhood friends in Panama. She was quite an accomplished folklorico dancer. This is the traditional dance of Panama and features some beautiful dresses and intricate steps. My wife actually taught the dance steps at several of our stops during my military career. It was interesting to see photos from a time before I met her. You can already see the beautiful woman she will shortly develop into who so thoroughly conquered a certain gringo.

Wife on Left

On the Left Again

In White Dress with long Braids

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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