Busy Weekend Elsewhere & Haunted Snowblower

Well, I finally have a weekend without social plans, which means some much needed rest. I’m sure my liver is more than grateful for the break. The rest of my far-flung clan is not as sedentary. My Favorite Son and his family took a weekend trip up into the White Mountains to patronize Storyland. This brought back a lot of memories for me but not for my son. He didn’t remember the family trip we took up there when we lived in Rhode Island and he was a mere lad of six. From the accompanying photos it looks like the BRS and BR3 really enjoyed the trip, especially since the BRS got to commune with a real live princess. Wait til she gets a load of Disneyworld!

Son and BRS at Storyland

ABFA with BR3

Two Princesses

BRS Riding 

The FBR was back on our air waves yesterday morning as she finally agreed to talk with us and then wouldn’t stop. I spent over an hour on a FaceTime call with her while my Favorite Daughter made muffins. We played at least four different games and read three books during that time. It was the best present a granddad could have hoped for on a quiet weekend. Their weekend however was anything but as yesterday saw their annual bock party. I’ve written before about how fortunate they were to land on this block in Maplewood with a slew of neighborhood traditions, the block party being one of them.

FBR All Wrapped Up

FBR Getting Tattooed

FBR & Her Gang

They seal off both ends of their long street and turn it over to the residents to enjoy a variety of social options. It had to be canceled last year because, well, 2020; need I say more? From the accompanying photos it looks like the FBR was on her game throughout the day. Her smile and my daughter’s comment on the last photo says it all. Wingman wasn’t present because he had a previously scheduled reunion tour with his band. From the size of the crowd in the attached video I think I can state their band has not been forgotten.

FBR Had a Good Time

Heading Home

I only had a couple tasks to accomplish this weekend. I had to mow the lawn which was down with only a minor incident involving some insect that stung the hell out of the back of my neck. My Favorite Panamanian was ready to rush me to the emergency room since I’m seriously allergic to bees. There wasn’t any stinger left in so I’m thinking it was one of those nasty yellow jacket a-holes. When my head didn’t blow up I finished the lawn and went unsuccessfully looking for a yellow jacket nest to eradicate. Now to that haunted snow blower.

I wrote back in the winter that my trusty snow blower blew out the shift cable during a particularly heavy snow storm. This locked it onto high speed forward which meant I spent the rest of the winter wrestling the damned thing for control. I knew I had to replace the cable and it looked simple enough. Those who know just how mechanically dis-inclined I am smiled when they read that last sentence. Anyways, I went on line this week and easily found the part. As an aside, if you can’t find something on the internet, does it really exist? The part arrived on Friday and I went out yesterday planning to make the repair.

Glad I didn't Have to Do This!

This is the haunted part. The snow blower appeared to be repaired already. I ran through the gears and the cable appeared intact. This left me with two possibilities, neither of them confidence boosting. The first option was that I had already repaired it and then forgot (this was, of course, my Favorite Panamanian’s conclusion). The only other option was a nighttime gremlin invading the garage and making the repair. As I said, not confidence boosting and I was seriously doubting my sanity. I went out for one more look and jiggled the handle again and the cable fell out. I had wedged it into place during one of my winter repairs and it stuck in place. I’m sure the neighbors were amused this morning to see me out on my half driveway making the needed repair. I’m just glad there weren’t any spirits involved and I hadn’t forgotten that I had already fixed it. I take this as good news that I’m not senile yet!

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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; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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