Birthday Clean

I had thought last week’s high endurance sidewalk construction effort would buy me a few days of sustained rest back at the beach. I made the unforced error of telling my Favorite Panamanian that I felt great, physically, the day after we returned from our construction adventure. Little did I realize (but c’mon 40 years of marriage, who am I kidding) this admission would galvanize her into one of her well-publicized (here) cleaning frenzies. I had just returned from my morning beach session when I was informed that she was calling in the promise I made to remove the rust and then treat the balcony railings. She doesn’t forget any promise, especially ones concerning cleaning.

My Taskmaster Relaxing After the Cleaning
Okay, It wasn't a Totally Lost Day

Owning a beach front condo requires, to a much lesser degree, the same type maintenance a sea going vessel requires. The salt air provides ample evidence of how tough it can be. Every couple years I have to remove the rust and then coat the railings with a protective liquid. Remember me mentioning how hot it is in Panama, especially when physical effort if engaged in? At least here I could strip down to just shorts and do the work while the balcony was still in the shade. My wife had also learned of a new rust removal tool – aluminum foil! I was amazed how effective it was but I still had to use the wire brush to get to the toughest spots.

Fairly Subdued Sunset

Some of those spots required I lean out over the three story drop to get to the outside support posts. It wasn’t as if I was nervous or anything, trusting in the glass wall and Panamanian construction standards while also trying to remember my training for parachute landing falls at airborne school. Morale was not enhanced when I saw some of the other condo residents setting up for a big party on the beach while I was sweating three stories away. At any rate, the rust was removed, the railings coated, and I re-attained (briefly) hero status with my Favorite Panamanian. It was at this point she played another trick. I mentioned, just in passing, that my work had created a lot of dust and debris on the balcony. Somehow, and I’m still trying to figure out how she accomplished this, I found myself, sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping the balcony floor. Of course, before this was done I had to move all the furniture into the condo to “do it right”.

Beach, Saturday Morning

Party Time

Wife's Twin Sister, Mother & Brother

The weekend cleaning jag was mercifully interrupted on Sunday with the requirement to drive back to David to help celebrate my brother in law’s wife’s birthday. That turned out to be a lot more fun than anticipated. It shouldn’t have been a surprise though because these are truly excellent people.  I noticed my brother-in-law was growing a grove of papaya trees which were heavily laden with fruit. Since his house is right in the middle of the city with a lot of foot traffic I was surprised he hadn’t had a bunch of them stolen. I mentioned this to my wife and she sarcastically reminded me of the two dogs that live in the yard, including one truly menacing and grumpy Rottweiler. Duh! You’d have to really like papaya to chance an encounter with this beast.

Papaya Trees

The Papaya Guard
"Who the Hell are you Looking At!?"

We were about halfway through the party when my wife learned her uncle, who recently suffered a stroke, had been rushed to the hospital again. I was left with my brother-in-law and his prodigious supply of Atlas beer. One thing led to etc. etc. She retuned a couple hours later, the uncle resting comfortably, to find I was attempting to set a land speed record with the Atlas beer. I should mention that Atlas is just a couple steps up from water in terms of alcohol content and makes Coors Lite seem hyper-powerful. I was a little stunned to see the amount of beer that ended up going down range but, in my defense, my Spanish (at least in my mind) gets much better in direct ratio to the amount of beer intake. Since I was the only English speaker in the group, I felt the need to up my game. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. My Favorite Panamanian resigned herself to being the driver for the return to the beach. A very good day, with some great people and we ended up back at the beach!

Brother in Law Lighting Candles for Birthday Girl

Birthday Girl and Daughters

Beach This Morning

On the home front, the BRS accomplished a dentist visit and handled it with her usual aplomb. She’s into a phase where she proclaims herself to be a “very big girl” who can be trusted with a lot more responsibility than is probably safe. She’s usually very quiet and reflective when we call while BR3 is literally bouncing off the walls. I guess it’s easy to feel mature when constantly confronted with that. I may be on to something as far as my wife’s attitude towards me, again, the things that make you go, “hmmm”.

BRS Confidently Striding into Dentist Office
What Four Year Old Does That!?

Love the Boots

A Real Hero

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

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