In Law Diversion

We’ve had so much fun down here (well, except for certain traffic stops) that I find myself in a little bit of shock to learn it can get even better. Friday night my wife’s indominable family began arriving for a family weekend at our condo. We had just concluded a really fun First Friday Family Facetime out on the balcony. We had been chased off the beach with yet another thunder storm. The rainy season is definitely arriving, but, at least, no snow. Sorry for that crack, fellow New Englanders. The first to arrive was my sister’s younger sister, nicknamed, Tia Loca, however that appellation should be used out of striking range. She drove up from Panama City with her son and the laughter began almost immediately.

Post Turkey Beach Walk

I was lounging on the beach Saturday morning, because, why not, when the main body showed up. My brother-in-law arrived with his wife, daughter and sister. We soon had a lively beach party underway with dips my wife had been prepared for a couple days, including the incomparable pizza dip! The surf was up and it became tough to hear everything going on a certain point because the sound of the crashing waves was so close as the tide was in. I hated to leave but I had Christmas dinner responsibilities back up in the condo. I told the story earlier this week about the tradition that any time I come down for a visit I make a complete Christmas dinner for my wife’s family, including as large a turkey as we can find. I went up to peel, cook, and mash some potatoes as well as the other accoutrement once the really large turkey came out of the oven.

First Friday Facetime

Balcony Breakfast for wife, her mom and Tia Loca

Main Body Arrives!

I spent a couple hours prepping while my Favorite Panamanian and her family enjoyed the pool. There are some challenges with the small stove and oven but everything came out well and once summoned from the pool, everyone was appreciative. It was exhausting, however being around my wife’s family also provides nonstop spirit rejuvenation. After way too many desserts, it was decided a walk along the beach was required to reduce impact of said dessert consumption. I’d found two huge sand dollars when the now nightly thunder storm started rolling in and chased us back to the condo.

Beach Party

Dips

Pool Time Prior to Turkey

Dinner is Served

Not to be denied, we set up shop on the balcony with the downpour just inches away. It was a very tropical kind of thing. I enjoy sitting back and listening to the seemingly non-stop kidding that goes down between Tia Loca and my brother-in-law. It is definitely a spectator sport. We said good bye to daylight out there with accompaniment of several adult beverages, including the first fully charged Corona I’d had in years, courtesy of my brother-in-law. I treasure the time spent out there but eventually the wind shifted and we had to move the party inside.

Beach Walk

Fiddler Crab

It was at this point the day’s efforts in the kitchen caught up with me (okay it also could have been the prodigious beer intake as well). I sat down on the couch in front of an action movie and was soon dozing off repeatedly. My wife’s family engaged in lively game of Chinese checkers nearby and the constant chatter kept me from actually falling asleep. I enjoyed listening to and participating in the steady stream of laughter.

With my Mother In Law

Wife and I

Balcony Time!

Wife Proudly Making Hojaldra Dough

Checker Night

The FBR was late with her wakeup call this morning and my brother-in-law beat me down to the beach ahead of my morning workout routine. By the time I’d finished, most of my wife’s family as well as my Favorite Panamanian had joined us for what became the best morning of our visit so far. After the boogie boarding, we all ended up in the pool. All this before breakfast which was predictably hojaldras that  my wife proudly made frorm scratch instead of using store bought bread dough. I’m going to cut this short s we seem to be gearing up for another beach adventure. One of those weekends you never want to end.

Pelicans Did a Flyby for Our Balcony Gathering

Beach This Morning

Repping my old High School

FBR Had an Impromptu Modeling Session Prior to Frist Friday

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

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