It Has Begun

Last week’s lead up to Christmas week overly laden with Christmas Parties and Dermatologist visits could not hold a candle to the weekend which saw the arrival of the gang from New Jersey, including the inestimable FBR. I thought I’d skated with the dermatologist as she was about to give me a clean pass except she kept returning to a spot on my chest. A more vain version of myself would conclude she found it irresistible however I’m regrettably more sane and she was soon drawing out her biopsy blades. I’ll find out shortly if more Mohs surgery is in store for the new year.

My Partner in Crime and I Sampling Christmas Cookies

None of this could diminish how much fun Saturday’s arrival of my daughter, Wingman, and the FBR entailed. They pulled in just as the Patriots’ game got underway which presented a challenge for the FBR who was not accustomed to have to share the attention of her grandfather with anything, much less a football game. She spent most of the game climbing up on me attempting to block my view of the game. It was a very good game as the Patriots finally started playing like the Patriots after being in some sort of cosmic limbo for the past month. The FBR culminated her disruption campaign by throwing a pillow which had the unfortunate result of spilling Wingman’s beverage over the assembled snacks which included some Christmas cookies, an event I found especially grievous.

She's Ready for Christmas

The game ended just in time to head to the movie theater to see the long awaited final installment of the original Star Wars saga. The FBR and her buddy, my Favorite Panamanian, remained at home which they both enjoyed because bedtime with abuela is fraught with a lot of singing and stories. I truly enjoyed seeing the movie with fellow Star Wars geek – Wingman- and my daughter who secretly smiles at our fanboy antics.

Box Sliding

Sunday was a very taxing day physically for a certain grandfather. I’d promised the FBR snow earlier in the week during our phone calls. She redeemed the promise in spades on Sunday. We built two snow forts on Deckzilla and then went into the woods behind the house where we followed the tracks of rabbits, squirrels and a fox. She found the woods extremely exotic and warned me to be on the lookout for lions, tigers, and snakes. We survived that ordeal and used a flattened amazon box to slide down the small hill next to the house. I was charged with making snowballs which the FBR then threw at me. When I told her I was going to return fire she solemnly pointed to her left arm and told me that I couldn’t because she had received her flu shot there earlier in the week. I could not stop laughing. It was a very fun few hours but I was left feeling all of the too many years I’ve accumulated and the balky knee was truly barking at me.

We briefly caught up with my son and the BRS who was holding court for her other set of grandparents. They were on scene so my son and the ABFA could also see the Star Wars movie; great minds, etc., etc. The BRS looked especially excited when she saw the FBR. It is going to be high adventure when these two are reunited on Christmas Eve and the possibility of Christmas morning make me smile already. The rest of Sunday was low key although the FBR reminded her abuela about the gingerbread house awaiting decoration which saw all three ladies take part in. I noticed some of those decorations went missing this morning when the FBR was eating her breakfast right next to it. My daughter had to move it away after noticing the damage.

Gingerbread House Operations

Goofy FBR Faces

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was everything I hoped it would be. I fell in love with the first movie back in 1977 and subsequently heard a total of nine films were planned. When that information came out the 9^th film couldn’t’ be expected before the early 2000s which seemed like a really distant future back in 77. We ended up having to wait even longer but it was worth it, except for losing Princess Leia all too soon. This last move connects all the dots and answers all the questions with the usual combination of action, humor, and pathos. We learn why Rey’s parentage was so closely guarded and how Kylo Ren was turned. There are subtle homages to the earlier films liberally spread throughout and I’ll definitely see the movie again to catch the ones I missed. I know some critics are unhappy with the movie but this was never intended to be Citizen Kane. It brings the beloved franchise home in spectacular fashion. Ignore the critics for a poignant ride back in time to that distant galaxy.

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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