Re-Christening

2021 continued its winning streak this weekend, especially when compared to the nadir that was 2020. Deckzilla was in its full glory on Saturday as it was re-christened as a prime party location. We invited neighbors, family, and friends for a small get together. It was testimony to  how much a simple gathering like this was missed because it felt like a significant chunk of normal life clicked into place. It was way too much fun to have these special people all together on a summer eve in a place designed for exactly this type of event. We had quite an eclectic group with attendees from Poland, the Czech Republic, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and, of course, Panama.

Wife Holding Court During the Party

Deckzilla Was Ready

Just Getting Started

As you can tell from the list of countries, we had a healthy gathering of the Worcester Chapter of the Latina Mafia. Great Aunt and Soxfather along with Keene Friend were also in attendance. The daughter of the Czech family, a ten-year-old bundle of energy/personality picked up right where she left off before the pandemic as my shadow. She’s adopted me as some sort of special project. We also had the daughter of a Panamanian couple who used to be a mainstay of our Charlton parties where she was famous for running through the screen door to the deck several times, usually in pursuit of Buddy the Wonder Pooch. It’s illustrative of how long ago that was that she’s turned into a young lady in the intervening years.

We started around 4:30 and went well into the night as I don’t think anyone wanted to give up on what was a return to long delayed normalcy. I was reminded, in no uncertain terms, just how fortunate I am to be surrounded by these people, just special. The FBR Facetimed in and was given a tour of the party to greet everyone. This tour was conducted by my Czech shadow who considers the FBR one of her disciples.  She was very excited to hear the FBR will be visiting us soon. She’s not the only one. I manned the grill for the requisite time to sear some dead animal flesh and everybody brought a plate to share so there was a significant amount of food sent downrange. I’ll be a couple week working off the results of my excessive intake. There’s just no way to resist brownies. Am I right?

My Czech Shadow

Receiving Guidance from my Favorite Panamanian

In a true shocker, Keene Friend, who was staying over night with us, stayed up to watch a movie with me in the Man Cave after the party. It’s usually pushing limits to have him awake after 8pm and we didn’t finish the movie until after midnight. Granted it was a pretty good movie (Nobody) and to be honest he saw more of it than I did. I was awakened at one point by my Favorite Panamanian to chase off a skunk that was picking thorough some party debris. I conducted that mission from a minimum safe distance.

Project Almost Complete

Newest Wall, Top Right

On Friday I knocked out the final bricks on the new garden terrace wall project. I won’t be carrying any more up that hill but there is the small issue of filling behind the wall so my trips up the hill are not over yet. I’m getting suspiciously excited about the future patio project between Deckzilla and the fireplace. I may move it up in the queue to later this year. What is wrong with me?

Graduation Day, FBR(r)

FBR with her Future Kindergarten partner

The FBR had a very busy weekend even though her dad, Wingman, was not is residence. The mommy-daughter weekend was full of events including a trip to the bookstore, painting nails, and visiting her future school for the first time. They found out last week that the FBR will be attending kindergarten in a school across town which was a little disappointing since there is one within waling distance. She will have one of her best friends, part of what I call the neighborhood gang of four, attending with her, so that will help.

The Gang of Four

In the New Hampshire chapter of granddaughters, BR3 is up to taking several steps at a time now. They had a family get together with some of the ABFA’s relatives where the BRS showed some real talent for whiffle ball. The ABFA’s dad also demonstrated immense bravery by standing right in front of the ball tee as she was swinging. Has he never seen America’s Funniest Home Videos before? At any rate, he survived and they had a really fun weekend together.

ABFA's Dad Braving Contact

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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