Snowed in Decorations

BRS Wins for Pointiest Hairdo

My wife’s untimely departure for Panama delayed our usual Christmas decorating exercise. We usually get our Christmas tree up after the departure of the Thanksgiving weekend crowd but that couldn’t happen this year with my Favorite Panamanian’s flight south. I did obtain permission, grudgingly given, to purchase the tree this weekend with the serious warning to not attempt to decorate it. I made my way back to our tree vendor near our old home in Charlton. I was able to get the tree up and fairly straight in record time. My wife had doubts I could accomplish this without her help and when we talked she asked how I managed it. I told her the lack of supervision sped things up. This comment was met with deafening silence.

Decoration Staging

Sunday was designated the day I would get the outside decorations up since it would be a little warmer than Saturday. Mid-thirties is warmer than mid-twenties but not appreciable. I had to dig out some pits for the glass deer which was accompanied by some fairly colorful language from the installer. After stringing the lights up on the front yard tree and back yard hill I declared victory and went inside too warm up. While I did not miss the spousal supervision I did miss the hot chocolate she always has ready for me after work out in the cold. I also learned I may have been shocking the neighbors yet again because at some point my trouser had split down the back. I had thought the breeze I had felt back there was testament to the wind.

Front Yard Before

And After

Ex-Pants

Tree awaiting my Favorite Panamanian

The granddaughters performed their usual morale boost. The BRS was in rare high voice since she was without her pacifier in place. She was happily squawking as my son tried to fill me in what they had been up to. The ABFA had taken her to a birthday party and my son opined I was witnessing the after effects of birthday cake intake. They had been battling a frisky mouse over the past few days. The mouse got into the house twice and liked to dance in front of Riggin’s nose as he wasn’t interested in protecting. When I asked how the mouse had survived the first incursion which should have been fatal – my son gave the ABFA a knowing look. She is just too nice as she required my son to do a live release.

New Jersey Bunch

So Cute

With One of Her Best Buds

Santa Calmness

Decorating Tree with Our Ornaments from Germany

In New Jersey the FBR was extremely busy attending the annual Curbside Gal Christmas reception. She posed with Santa without the signature histrionics as she does not have an easy relationship with Santa sittings in past years. When I asked her about that later she blithely responded that she knew this wasn’t the real Santa because she recognized the husband of one of the Curbsiders. The day was also marked with the FBR using a “Hoo Ahh” for the first time. My daughter thought this was incredibly funny and testament to the time the FBR recently spent in this house. It’s a remnant in my vocabulary from my Army days where the word can be used in virtually any situation. I honestly didn’t remember using it in her presence but the FBR remembers and notes everything and I was proud that according to my daughter the FBR used the word in an appropriate manner.

Pats Fans

Daddy Why Can't Tom Brady Throw Accurately?

I  watched the latest Patriots’ debacle last evening. I’m convinced something is physically wrong with Brady because his trademark accuracy is gone. The offensive line is just that, offensive. They’ve still got a really solid defense but they’ll have to figure out how to score some points if they’re going to repeat. It would be fun to have Pittsburgh in for a playoff game though. Just saying.

BRS Snow Princess

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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