Easter Hot

This will definitely go down as my hottest Easter in at least 36 years, the last time I passed the holiday in Panama. We’ve established an effective routine already. I’m up with sun, around 7am and shortly thereafter I’m down on the beach for the daily workout. This, of course, after a ten-minute session of sun block lathering. I’m not just saying that just because my dermatologist might read it either. Those of you who’ve never experienced a truly tropical sun would be amazed at how fast you can get a burn. I sometimes think my issues with the dermatologist and repeated Mohs surgery date to my three-year assignment to Panama as a young lieutenant when I rarely, if ever, used sun block. There were a number of other places the Army sent me that were liberally blessed with sun: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, and Hawaii. Except for Hawaii it’s where the bad guys were. I’m doing everything I can now to avoid skin damage; Mohs surgery is not fun; also wearing a swim shirt cuts down on the lathering of sun block.

Selfie this Morning After Workout

My Cantankerous Friend, in a rare moment of thoughtful consideration, reminded me to be careful. He’s an avid beach bum himself and has also dealt with skin issues for the many years the Navy sent him to sunny places. I have reclaimed my title as the “Whitest Man in Panama”. This isn’t a cultural comment, simply a statement of fact. This is the first time we’ve come down here with a full winter behind me to thoroughly blanch the skin. The tropical sun doesn’t take prisoners so I’m being careful.

Wife During Yesterday's Beach Walk/Goggle Search

Last Night's Sunset

Beach This Morning

My View Doing Ab Workout

Back to that routine. I do my morning workout on the deserted beach, well, me and the pelicans that is. After this I’m bouncing between the pool for laps and boogie boarding in the surf. The boogie boarding provides the better workout as I have to fight through the waves to get to the launch point. My Favorite Panamanian wanders down around the first time I’m coming out of the surf and we set up shop in one of the beach bohios (a sideless grass hut) where she prays and I read. After a few more trips into the ocean, around 10am, we head upstairs for brunch and to wait out the hottest part of the day. Today she inveigled the condo caretaker to harvest a few coconuts for her. She now has a gallon of “agua de pipa” (coconut water) which she loves.

A Tough Life

Wife Administering to the Coconuts

Agua de Pipa in the Bohio

We’ve had a number of Facetime calls with the granddaughters. The FBR is totally fascinated with the beach and pools although she claims to not remember being here two years ago. The BRS is a bit more sanguine, passing through a phase where she doesn’t want to talk with us. She had more important things to do yesterday during our call. My son and his family are at the ABFA’s folks’ home for the holiday and the BRS was hunting down their cat. Unfortunately, she found its hiding place and earned a scratch on her wrist which should complete her education on the absolute superiority of dogs. I wish there was a way to show you the video my son sent which shows BR3 laughing uncontrollably at the antics of her sister. Even though we are in paradise I missed shivering a little bit so I could have seen it in person. As nice as it is here I would trade it in a second for an Easter with the three granddaughters.

Screen Capture from Video

BR3 Laughing at BRS Hair Swirling

BRS and BR3

BR3 Doesn't Seem too Sure

Happy Sisters

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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