Final Holiday Event

As we’ve done for a couple decades now we finished up our Christmas celebrations with a trip back to my home town to Keene Friend’s house for a day after Christmas get together. This is a tradition from my earlier days when my buddies and I would gather at my mother’s house the day after Christmas, usually following a game of basketball at the local rec hall. Later in my mother’s life, after Keene Friend bought his house, the event shifted there. My kids grew up with the tradition and were actively campaigning to attend this year.

My Daughter with the BRS & FBR Yesterday

Earlier in the day my resident geek squad totally transformed the house while I was at work. My daughter and son, on their own initiative, went out and purchased a new Wi-Fi system that would cover the entire house and had it installed by the time I got home. My son opined that it was so easy even I could have done it. This was met with a scornful look from her sister. They went around and insured all the myriad devices in the home were shifted to the new Wi-Fi signal which is indeed much more robust than earlier. My son was a true Godsend as he had to work hard to get the AC system converted to the new signal.

Fellow Play Dough Enthusiasts

Inseparable

BRS with Other Granddad

The team was not done though as Wingman set up and installed the Ring doorbell device he and my daughter had gifted me with. I’ll now be able to identify whoever is allowing their dog to crap in my front yard and not pick it up. It is really cool. I just got an alert and saw my daughter pulling up to the house and was able to speak with her as she approached the door. Thank God we’re blessed with these talented children to drag us into current technology. It’s also a profound comment on the quality of these “kids” as they did all this out of the goodness of their prodigious hearts.

Christmas Chaos

Favorite Son with the Granddaughters

Riggins on Squirrel Watch

ABFA's Parents

FBR - Canine Lover

The ABFA provided some more photos of the Christmas day fun which I include today. They couldn’t make it up to Keene for reasons that will be fully explained in the New Year. They were still packing up their Christmas haul as well as the BRS support package which is not unsubstantial. Luckily Riggins had gone home with the ABFA’s parents the day before to free up some space. The BRS was a huge hit this Christmas and she even slept through each night which was a huge problem last year. Having to drive away from them was the hardest part of yesterday.

With their Abuela

The ABFA is in Charge of Placing Marshmallows in Sweet Potato Dish
A Self-Appointed Position

ABFA's Mom

Keene Friend had done his usual superb job getting his house ready for us with snacks and drinks liberally spread throughout the house. We were joined in short order by the Cantankerous Friend and Keene Friend 2. In one of the strangest events in recent history the FBR and the Cantankerous Friend soon became good buddies. I think the Cantankerous One was a little in shock as he hasn’t had to deal with a situation where someone actually likes him right off the bat. It was fun to watch them hang out for the rest of the evening.

FBR Getting to Know Cantankerous

Became Good Buddies

The Gathering

Another friend brought a couple of Chihuahuas which she claimed were dogs although I wasn’t fooled. The FBR on the other hand was completely enthralled with a small animal that actually seemed to enjoy the attention. The poor FBR is firmly part of a cat lover’s home although she has inherited my strong inclinations towards canines. She spent a good hour with the little thing and kept exclaiming “She likes me!” in astounding fashion (probably what the Cantankerous Friend was thinking all night long.)

Making Another New Friend

She Doesn't Run Away Like Cats

Wingman and my daughter had to leave early because they were traveling to Boston. Wingman got on an early morning flight today to commence his group’s reunion tour which kicks off next week. Wingman and my daughter booked a room in an airport hotel to avoid an early morning drive. The FBR remained with us to minimize distractions (at least on their end). We drove home (more correctly my Favorite Panamanian drove) through a fairly intense snow squall that thankfully left us at the New Hampshire border. It was almost as if New Hampshire didn’t want to let go of us, which was, as always mutual, and much like I didn’t want to let go of the past few days.

She Likes Me

She Really Likes Me!

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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