One Day Out

I was speaking with the FBR this morning, trying to coax her into eating her waffles before parental censure arrived, when I realized she is one of the few people who truly looks forward to Monday. She loves her pre-school classroom and relishes the time spent learning, not to mention hanging out with her coterie of friends. As my daughter flitted about in the background getting school lunch ready, we could both only laugh when I voiced this observation. The FBR looked mystified as why everyone doesn’t love Mondays. Sadly, she will learn but, as usual, her youthful innocence was refreshing.

Son and His Fam Ready for Trick or Treating

Especially in these closing days of the 2020 election. As hard as he tried, the Trumpster couldn’t create an October surprise and Biden is so much more likable than Hillary could ever dream of. I’m sticking to my guess that this could be an epic landslide and then maybe we can get back to realizing we’re all Americans and stand together against this damned virus which should never have become a political football.

Meanwhile in New Jersey
the FBR as Oogie Boogie

The Gang

I spent the better part of the weekend up in New Hampshire with my Favorite Son and his family. They had trick or treating but it was a highly modified affair. I was left in charge of distributing candy whilst the BRS and BR3 went out trick or treating with their parents. This turned out to be a short-lived jaunt due the run in between the BRS and a neighbor’s wolf. All the BRS could could talk about was being scared by the wolf. All the candy was placed in small bags and I would leave the bags on the front yard wall for the trick or treaters to pick up. Despite these modifications I felt a real sense of long sought-after normalcy as I watched the neighborhood kids and their parents wander through the neighborhood from my son’s hilltop home.

BRS Princessed Up

Getting Psyched with Dad as Blippie

The BRS is now a solid fan of her paternal grandparents, especially her abuela, who never fails to deliver devastating and heartfelt hugs. I’m more of an acquired taste apparently as my inability to lift her up (at least when my vigilant wife is present) may have an effect. On Friday my six-week post-surgery purgatory will end and I will be allowed to lift things over ten pounds which has become almost a contest between my wife and I. I know she won’t mind turning the toting of the garbage bags out to curb each Monday back over to me.

ABFA & BR3 as Cats
Real Blippie on TV in Background

What's the Holdup?

Chased Home After the Unfortunate Wolf Incident

The rest of Saturday was a true delight as the ABFA prepared a superb dinner which was followed by the highly touted Halloween cake with candy corn frosting. It lived up to its hype. We planned on firepit toasting of marshmallows following trick or treating. They moved their ancient metal firepit out to the driveway which turned out to be a good decision. The thing was severely rusted and as soon as the fire started we could see coals falling through a hole onto the pavement. The hole increased in size throughout our time out there.

The Firepit

It was absolutely frigid outside so my wife “volunteered” to stay inside with BR3. S’mores were created and after the ABFA took the BRS inside at bedtime while my son and I kept feeding wood into the fire and spent a cherished couple of hours hanging out and talking. There’s just something about sitting around a campfire that touches the depths of the human soul. I’m thinking primordial. Our reverie was broken up when the long-suffering fire pit finally gave up the ghost as another strut failed and produced a dangerous lean to the left, threatening to distribute the flames over the driveway and nearby cars. So back into the house where I was roundly chastised by my Favorite Panamanian for not creating a s’more for her. This was something I shouldn’t have had to be told (or words to that effect). I made a poor effort using the kitchen stove which was derided by the recipient for its lack of quality.

S'Mores!

My son and I followed another Halloween tradition and watched a horror movie together once the womenfolk headed upstairs. We don’t get to see many horror movies due to our choices in spouses. The movie was terrible, more like a Lifetime (AKA Evil Men channel) movie but tolerable because I was sharing it with my son.

Helping Abuela Make Hojaldras

Learning from the Master

Grampa - We're Serious Here!

So Good!

Sunday started out great with an extra hour of sleep due to daylight savings. BR3 apparently didn’t get the memo and awoke at her usual time, albeit one hour earlier according to the changed clocks. I came downstairs to find the ABFA and BR3 concluding their joint breakfast and then had BR3 in my lap for a very fun hour or so. Eventually the rest of the gang descended and hojaldras were created. The BRS is now an accomplished hojaldra master and my wife was hard pressed to keep up with her consumption rate.

Decisions are impending soon on the pub crawl, Thanksgiving, and Christmas within Pandemia. I’ve reached out to a couple hometown friends to get their input on whether it makes sense to do the pub crawl now that the virus is rebounding. If the president is to be believed, the only reason we’re hearing bad things about the virus is because the media is trying to shape the election. If that’s the case, maybe post-election planning will be easier. Doubtful. As bad as 2020 has been I was really counting on the morale boost these three annual events always produce. I guess this cupcake will just have to toughen up and prepare to make some responsible decisions.  

R.I.P.

Finally, over the weekend, 2020 claimed another of my childhood icons with the passing of Sean Connery. I should clarify to say he was “the” icon of my youth as the first and in my mind absolute best, James Bond. He defined cool for the pre-teen version of myself and that assessment hasn’t wavered with the passing of the subsequent half-century. I’ve enjoyed watching some of the tributes posted about him which reminded me he was so much more than just James Bond: Daniel Dravot singing the Minstrel Boy on a swaying Afghan bridge, John Patrick Mason burrowing into Alcatraz, Professor Henry Jones teaching young Indiana, Michael MacBride chasing leprechauns with Darby O’Gill, the Raisuli impressing Teddy Roosevelt, General Urquhart at the Arnhem Bridge, Sergeant Malone teaching the Chicago way to Eliot Ness, but always, always, Bond, James Bond.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                            

BR3 – granddaughter #3, 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; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn