Swing-set Soccer

The FBR has never been one to quail from inventing new games, more on that in a bit. Yesterday marked a return to summer camp with her grandparents in charge of the drop off and pick up. Luckily the camp location is within easy driving distance so there wasn’t much I could screw up. It did twinge my heart a little bit to see her clad in a backpack and lugging her lunch pail disappearing into the building. I imagine its even tougher for a parent. Wingman heads west today to retrieve his mother. I handled that drop off as well and again, a ten-minute drive from their home to the Newark Airport. Almost, too convenient.

Alden Descendants Unite!

During the day on Monday Wingman and my Favorite Daughter discovered that my Favorite Panamanian and I weren’t as vigilant as we needed to be over the past weekend as the FBR had written on several pieces of furniture as well as Wingman’s video game system with her new markers (gifts from guess who?). I had discovered one of these occurrences but the FBR assured me this had happened a long time ago. I guess ten minutes is a long time ago in five year old logic. Since she wasn’t allowed any screen time (TV or iPad) for her transgressions she had a lot of time to spend running around the back yard; cue the grandparents.

Swing Set Soccer

She grew tired of kicking the ball around and decided I should give her some of my enthusiastic pushes on the swing (something that always makes her abuela nervous). In the middle or her arcs across the horizon she decided I should try to feed her the ball to kick as she swooped towards me. She proved adept at this and I was forced to take cover several times although she claimed she wasn’t aiming at me.

She also claimed to have injured her foot by repeatedly kicking the very soft ball. I pointed out that the place she said hurt wasn’t anywhere near the foot where contact with the ball was being made. She persevered in her claims so I filled a bag with ice to place on her leg and two minutes later she pronounced herself cured. My skepticism remains. Before heading up to bed she donned the John Alden descendant shirt I bought for her last week in Plymouth. I put mine on as well for the above photo. If I’m descended from that worthy than so is she. The best $8 I’ve ever spent. We had a lot of fun being twins, although I am a bit taller.

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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