Alrighty Then!

So, words just won’t do it; more correctly, my limited ability to convey how much joy this past few days brought me is an impossible task. I’ve been away from the computer for the past four days and I didn’t miss it, even a little bit. Granted my Man Cave haunt was converted into a spare bedroom for Wingmom but even absent that situation I wouldn’t have gone near the ethernet. It wasn’t just that I was having too much fun (I was) but when I wasn’t, I was exhausted from that situation.

Early Christmas Morning

It all started Thursday afternoon when my daughter’s family pulled into town. Except for an unfortunate feline urinary incident during the trip, they made great time driving up from New Jersey. My Favorite Panamanian and I were escorted upstairs to have rapid Covid tests administered. Once we emerged negative we were finally able to get around to all the hugging the season (well any time we get together) requires. The FBR was fascinated with all the Christmas decorations as my wife had turned the house into an experience to rival the Hallmark movies she always watches while baking Christmas cookies. She also had a hop scotch game stuck to the floor and a felt Christmas tree set up for the granddaughters to have fun with.

The Hopscotch Game

Felt Christmas Tree

FBR's Effort

The FBR immediately required another “adventure” into the woods behind the house. We gathered firewood for a fire that never took place but the gathering was a lot of fun. The best part was having these great people plus a dog and a cat literally filling up the house. We received a minor snow storm overnight which was all the FBR needed to require a snowball fight which was more like target practice for the FBR than a real fight. I played the part of the target. She also raced up the hill to slide down on her saucer a few dozen times. It was so different than last year when I had to walk her up each time. I prudently stationed myself, at her urging, in the vicinity of my Favorite Panamanian’s restored Virgin Mary statue to prevent a repeat of last year’s unfortunate decapitation event.

Sliding is Back

Taking Aim at Grandpa

This all evolved into Christmas Eve dinner and the arrival of my Favorite Son and his family to complete the Christmas crowd. The cousins immediately returned to their house on fire comradery whilst the adults, as well as BR3, enjoyed a prime rib dinner. This was my wife’s first effort with prime rib and it was more than a complete success. This was followed by the usual Christmas Eve activities, including the opening of one present by the granddaughters. This became problematic when the FBR chose a present that turned out to be dreaded clothes instead of a toy. We successfully distracted her by telling her it was time to lay out the cookies, milk, and note for Santa. She actually wrote the note herself this year. The FBR instructed the BRS that Grandpa blanket rides up the stairs were the bomb. This might be the last year I can offer them to the FBR due to her increasing size combined with my equally cumulative age. I was trailed up the stairs by concerned parents. I’m not sure they were anxious more about my physical strength or the amount of beer sent downrange ahead of the rides.

Daughter, FBR and Abuela on Gingerbread House Build

Artiste at Work

Not to be Disturbed

Finished Product

Son, ABFA, & BR3

Getting the FBR and BRS to sleep became a team effort that stretched over three hours. Even the threat of Santa avoiding the house if they were still awake did little to quench their determination to fight sleep. Every single adult journeyed up the stairs to try and induce and/or threaten dire consequences to little or no effect. Eventually my Favorite Panamanian’s turn came up and she was gone for nearly an hour and a half. She achieved success although she literally spent most of the time in bed with the girls. Love Actually, another family Christmas tradition, followed in the Man Cave. A little after midnight, after the movie, I found myself in the kitchen preparing the Christmas turkey for its early morning rendezvous with the oven.

Cousin Time

Princess BRS

Decorating Abuela's Hair

Daughter and BR3

The agreement the gals would stay in bed until seven Christmas morning was shattered as apparently they never got the memo. We could hear the patter of small feet around 5am. To rescue beleaguered parents, I gathered all three granddaughters into our bedroom to wait out the appointed hour. This was an interesting interlude involving a mass frog migration acted out. The two older cousins raided my wife’s vast shoe collection and an extended fashion show ensued. It was a great way to kick off Christmas morning.

Christmas Morning Frog Race

BR3 Peek a Boo with Grandpa

"There he Is!"

Shoe Show

We all eventually made it downstairs to the well laden Christmas tree and the explosions of delight that Santa Claus had in fact slipped in during their brief interludes of sleep. The FBR wanted to distribute presents because she could now read the tags. The place was soon a maelstrom of wrapping paper, toys, and dolls. BR3 waded through the morning not really understanding everything that was going on but she made the rounds to all participants. I just sat back and reveled in the chaos.

Christmas Morning Chaos

This was followed by mimosas, hojaldras, and Christmas cookies (okay the cookies was mostly me). I snuck down early in the morning to start up to turkey and it was just starting to emit the trademark smell as breakfast went down. Shortly before Christmas dinner Great Aunt and Soxfather joined us for the rest of the day. My Favorite Panamanian had gone to great lengths decorating the table and the guys once again met the dinner time with a tasty meal. The men have been in charge of the Christmas meal prep in our family for over thirty years now. It’s nice having adult men to help carry the load now, especially my Favorite Son, who should be taking over primacy in a few short years.

Dinner Table

Where do the Batteries go?

BR3 Dominating a Hat

Dinner was followed by my favorite time of the holiday, a night of extended conversation in the living room while the granddaughters flitted around playing with newly acquired toys. Since there was an ice storm brewing up north, Keene Friend couldn’t make it down but that was the only downer of a really enjoyable evening of sharing conversations and lots of laughs with a very special group of humans. Soxfather became a focal point for the FBR and BRS as he continued his legendary ways with silly games. Eventually bed time rolled around for the granddaughters and the obligatory blanket rides from grandpa, again with the worried parents trailing me upstairs. The ladies once again did their very best to fight off the challenge of actually falling asleep while I’m sure they could hear the extended laughter coming from downstairs. Just about a perfect day.

FBR & BRS in Abuela Boots

Meanwhile BR3 Gets a Ride

The granddaughters were up early again the day after Christmas. Holjadras were consumed and wounds from a night of mild over indulgence were addressed. My Favorite Son’s departure was inevitable and lamented. The BRS and BR3 almost immediately went to sleep upon leaving which was hilarious considering they did their very best not to sleep while here. The remaining group settled in to watch a very disappointing Patriots’ game. They may have raised our expectations a bit too much in this rebuilding year.

Favorite Panamanian with Technicolor Hair

Great Aunt Looking so much Like Our Mom

Soxfather Holding Court

Immediately following the game, we packed up for the annual trip to NH and Keene Friend’s house for the traditional day after Christmas gathering. We’ve been doing this ever since my mother passed away since the gathering had been at her house prior. With Covid concerns still fairly abundant the group was small but what it lacked in size it made up for with comradery. The Cantankerous Friend and Keene Friend 2 joined us for a detailed discussion on the state of the world as well as pizza. In a scene repeated from two years ago, the FBR was singularly fascinated with the Cantankerous One. Some things are just inexplainable.

The Boys

Monday brought all the celebrating to a screeching halt with the departure of the New Jersey bunch. We packed up the car which my daughter was driving back to New Jersey with along with the FBR, Wingmom, as well as a cat and dog. As soon as they pulled away, I drove Wingman to Boston to catch a flight to his upcoming reunion tour with his band. I returned to a very quiet home where my Favorite Panamanian was addressing the accumulated debris from a weekend spent entirely too well. I was charged with ripping up the hopscotch decals and preserving them for future iterations. This was not fun. My wife disappeared upstairs to being the process of packing for Panama which is bearing down upon us now that we have adequately enjoyed Christmas. For those that know me, the fact that we reached “adequate” means we had more fun than is probably strictly legal.

Five Minutes After they Left

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – 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