Disturbed Snow

Worcester is currently leading the nation (including Alaska) in this winter’s snowfall, for cities with a population greater than 100,000. I mention that tidbit as our backyard and Deckzilla have been submerged under that blanket for the past couple of weeks with a pristine topping only disturbed by passing rabbits (curse them). They don’t venture on top of Deckzilla so there was an almost a top of cake frosting look to it. That all came to a crashing halt this weekend with a bona fide expert at snow disturbance. I am speaking of my second granddaughter, the illustrious BRS. Aided and abetted by her partner in crime, the redoubtable grandpuppy Riggins, the snow was irrevocably damaged. I could not be happier since I got to spend all the time they were at their task in their company.

Favorite Panamanian & BRS Sliding

My wife’s birthday was Friday and we crowned it with three First Friday zoom calls. The first was our weekly family Facetime call which featured a surprise cake and the downward swing of Bonecrusher. We then moved on to a call with my Favorite Panamanian’s family which included the usual hijinks and laughter. Finally, my wife logged on to a Musquetera call where she and the other two Musqueteras laughed and talked for well over two hours. I was not fully involved in this call, other than to be called in as a judge (self-appointed) on the respective size of chests. My wife was the first eliminated and I wasn’t fool enough to take it any further while the three ladies relished my discomfort. We had started with the first call at 5pm and my wife was on one of the three calls until 1130pm so she had as good a birthday celebration as the pandemic allows.

Son with his Girls

BR3 Greeting Abuela 
Note Toys Spread Out

As much fun as Friday was my Favorite Panamanian received the best birthday gift on Saturday when my Favorite Son, the ABFA as well as the BRS and BR3 showed up for an overnight stay. The well-ordered living room was soon awash with the toy cache moved up from its basement storage place. My wife had also arranged a new unicorn sleeping bag for the BRS in the room she shares with the FBR (never at the same time so far, but the years ahead should be fun). Even though it had only been a week I swear BR3 was more developed in movement and attention span, of course I might be a tad biased in this judgement.

You'd Be Biased Too

One of the big events we talked about last weekend was the back yard sliding hill that was christened by the FBR during her Christmas visit. The BRS was game to give the slide a go and she loves being outside in the snow. This is when the unspoiled coating on Deckzilla and the backyard took a beating, gratefully so. Riggins demands to accompany the FBR whenever she goes outside and was freaking out inside until the ABFA brought him out. Of course, it could be their shared love of the white stuff but he is very protective.

In a major departure from the state of nature, my Favorite Panamanian ventured outside on the very cold day. Granddaughters are the only thing that will get my tropical wife outside when the temperatures are below 60. She and the BRS teamed up for a couple saucer runs and then the construction of snow angels. The BRS wanted to make a snow fort which was a challenge given the powdery consistency of the snow but it’s not as if I can deny one of my granddaughters, anything. My wife’s dozen lifetime ventures into the snow equipped her to give me advice on snow fort construction which were met with an appropriate amount of disdain.

ABFA, BRS, and Riggins at the Snow Fort

While we were out in the snow my Favorite Son had created another birthday cake for his mother, he’s something of an artiste in this area. After some hot chocolate to dampen the cold, the BRS assisted her abuela with candle extinguishment as well as brandishing Bonecrusher. It was so fulfilling to have a noisy house again, for the first time since the FBR’s departure after Christmas. My favorite part of the weekend though was that evening when I got  to hang out with my son and compare movie and sports notes.

We awoke Sunday morning to realize the depth of the gift the ABFA and my son had given us with their visit. By that, I mean the sacrifice they made, because BR3 is very sensitive to her sleep environment and did not appreciate the changes involved in her travel location. She kept her parents up most of Saturday night. After the requisite hojaldra breakfast, my wife and I tried to give them a chance to nap Sunday morning by assuming granddaughter control. That meant the BSR and I, and Riggins of course, were back outside, completing destruction of the snow cap. We spent over an hour together exploring the back woods, including walking the length of the huge downed pine tree. As some point, the BRS realized Riggins like chewing on sticks and he soon was receiving a new one every thirty seconds.

Cake was That Good

Grampa Dancing with BR3
It's in her Blood

Hojaldra Breakfast

One of the great tragedies of life is that weekends inevitably end and yesterday’s rivals some of the worst. By the time we had to bid goodbye both my wife and I were exhausted, keeping up with these two young ladies is not for the faint of heart. We would have willingly continued down the energy scale if they could have stayed later. We were thoroughly heartened when the BRS told her parents that she didn’t want to leave, figuring we had fulfilled our grandparent duty. The aftermath was an exceedingly quiet house, something both my wife and I commented on as we bemoaned the passing of the weekend. I was eating breakfast this morning in this vey quiet house when I looked outside to the disturbed snow on Deckzilla and couldn’t help smiling.

Why I was Smiling

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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