Home Base

I didn’t get a real sense of coming home until I had to wade through the usual quagmire that is the state of Connecticut traffic. The unneeded slowdowns. left exits and generally unruly fellow travelers informed me in no uncertain terms that I was back in the good ole US of A. It’s been a strange transition because I had truly made some sort of mental transition to living in Panama. I found myself surprised when the gas station attendant (New Jersey don’tcha know) and a grocery store check out gal both spoke English. Fluently. I had been shielded from this exposure in my first 24 hours since I was hanging with my daughter and her family. I guess I made some sort of immersion into a Panamanian lifestyle. First time ever.

Heading into Yankee Stadium

The FBR’s foray into Red Sox fandom got off to a thoroughly appropriate start on opening day as they blew no less than three leads and lost in extra innings to the hated Yankees. It will still go down as a thoroughly successful day as she reveled in the experience. She had been to a couple Sox games on the wrong coast prior to her first birthday (with Soxfather of course) but this would be the first game she will remember going to. I love the photo Wingman took which captured the moment she first saw the field. Most baseball fans remerge, I know that I do, when they first walk out and see the brilliant green of a professional baseball diamond. Mine was in 1968 at Fenway Park accompanied by the Cantankerous Friend (Ray Culp pitched for the Sox against the Baltimore Orioles).

First View of Field

That First Frank

Great Seats

Wingman was worried she would only last a few innings and get bored but she stuck with him through all eleven innings. She learned the Red Sox cheer and her favorite part of the game was getting the chance to boo the Yankees. She took full advantage of snacks scoring her first ever ballpark frank. The only downer was the lack of cotton candy. She was still bubbling after they made their way back through post-game traffic. Another baseball fan (a dying breed) has been created. Somewhere, Soxfather is smiling.

Grandpa Has to Go

I was invited to spend more of Saturday with the FBR to see the latest animated movie. I was really torn after spending so much time away but Worcester called. I have a major home renovation project scheduled for Monday which will require some prep work this weekend in order to be ready for the contractor to show up. Additionally, I had to re-open the house, buy some food, and dive into two+ months of snail mail to find out if I was as adept at long range bill paying as I hoped I had been. That proved to be the most daunting task, well, after Connecticut traffic that is. I found I had covered everything and had even guessed right on my Favorite Panamanian’s Medicare invoice. I’m finding I have to relearn all usual routines (microwave controls are not universal) as the condo routines superimposed themselves and my limited mental faculties can only handle one set. Apparently. Well, I’m off to move furniture. Welcome home, indeed.

The Stack of Bills

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RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                        

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; 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; Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Soxfather - my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course