Cutting it Close

This will be my last post from Worcester for a while. I am not entirely upset about that. We first have a week long sojourn with the New Jersey bunch which the FBR has become increasingly excited about. We leave tomorrow morning and meet with our house sitter tonight. After our week with my daughter’s family, we’re flying out of New York for a month long stay at our beach condo in Panama. This is about four months later than our retirement plans called for and I blame it squarely on 2020 and that damnable virus.

Freshly Vaccinated

Speaking of all things Covid, my Favorite Panamanian got her second shot yesterday so we are both fully vaccinated. She’s up and about today with no lingering side effects. I’m starting to think Pfizer is the way to go in terms of reduced side effects. Thankfully, something neither of us has to worry about, for a while. The past few weeks have seen one of my wife’s epic and customary suitcase packing frenzies. As we approach the finish line the action is really picking up as items are taken out and replaced with others. I just hope there’ room left for my underwear.

Comparing Haircuts

She Wins

This week also saw pre-deployment haircuts for both my wife and I. As you can imagine, a lot more care and effort went into my Favorite Panamanian’s coif than mine, which is as it should be. After surviving her first winter in a while, it’s good to see her so excited about finally seeing her family again. The granddaughters were on the air last night and this morning. BR3 spent our entire call blowing raspberries at us. I’m not sure what kind of message she was trying to send. The FBR was very excited about our impending arrival, this morning, when her enthusiasm resulted in a spilled bowl of cereal all over her school clothes, shortly before she was scheduled to leave. My daughter, her mother, was less than pleased as the FBR tearfully begged for her not to be mad. I would find it very difficult to remain stern looking into those eyes, but I’m a grandparent. So there.

BR3 Blowing Raspberries at Us

The moment the Cereal Bowl was Turned Over
I Don't Think the Thumbs up Lasted

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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; 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