I’m not speaking about my weekend with
my son and the BSR/BR3. I never want those kinds of weekends to end. However,
we had today’s colonoscopy awaiting me and I am definitely happy that thing is
in the rear-view mirror (if you will excuse the expression) now. Let’s focus on
the positive and that would definitely be the granddaughter time. We arrived in
New Hampshire on Friday afternoon in time to accompany my son to pick up the granddaughters
at Day Care. Granddaughter hugs ensued. We returned home where my Favorite Panamanian
had organized a belated Easter egg hunt in the front yard followed by the obligatory
abuela gifts. She was a little disappointed that the girls blew right by the
new clothes to focus on the chocolate bunnies but they are true ABFA daughters.
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| Happy Time |
We had a great time reconnecting with these
two sprites over pizza before their bedtime. After that my son indoctrinated me
into the fundamental joy that is his recently completed home theater. I was
truly impressed and more than a little jealous. It was truly like sitting in a
personal movie theater. Since my Favorite Panamanian went upstairs to pray, we
were free to watch Underworld with Kate Beckinsale in all her spandexed glory.
We were back there Saturday night for Star Trek Beyond. To say I was in
cinematic heaven for these two nights would be an understatement. My son “done
good”. I’m guessing he bred true from his cinephile dad.
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| Let the Hugs Commence |
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| The Hunt is On |
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| Abuela Presents, Chocolate!!! |
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| Abuela with BRS and BR3 on their Playground |
Earlier on Saturday, after the de rigueur
hojaldra breakfast from their abuela, and way too much time watching Blippi, we
accompanied the ladies to their gymnastics class. We watched from above as they
both made their way through their lessons. My son accompanied BR3 and, against
her normal free agent personality, she actually stayed engaged and did really
well. Even though it was a cool, kind of raw day my Favorite Panamanian decreed
an ice cream outing was on the program for the afternoon. The granddaughters
were in complete agreement with this declaration.
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| Hojaldras! |
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| BR3 on the Balance Beam |
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| BRS Spinning |
We had just scored the ice cream when BR3
declared she needed to go to the potty. This despite confirming to her dad just
before we left that there was no need. We bundled back into the car leaving
some ice cream on the car’s ceiling (Thank God that was my wife and not me).
Upon returning home, BR3’s potty alert turned out to be a false alarm, go
figure, but it was better eating the treats in a heated environment. Both granddaughters
seem to be on the verge of a growth spurt since they both ate full dinners a couple
hours later.
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| Awaiting Ice Cream |
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| With Abuela |
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| Back Home to Eat it though |
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| BR3 in Charge of Silly Faces |
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| Working on Unpowered Laptop |
Meanwhile in New Jersey the FBR was following through with her latest obsession, baseball. I don't know where she got that from, but with Wingman and I has blood relations it was probably a forgone conclusion. Wingman took her and a friend to a minor league game after the FBR's first hit in T-ball. Sunday dawned in New Hampshire with my realization I had
to follow the pre-op procedures which meant beef broth for both breakfast and
lunch. We were lucky enough to spend a few moments with the ABFA when she
returned from her more than earned ladies weekend at a spa. My Favorite Panamanian
and I drove home through some tough rain where I could continue the prep which
included the 4-6pm downing of a week’s worth of laxatives with the ensuing fun
and games that entailed.
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| Wingman and FBR at the Game |
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| Ready for Foul Ball |
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| Obligatory Mascot Interaction |
It was so cold in the house I turned the
heat back on. Of course, the furnace didn’t turn on. When I went down to find
out why to find a red screen on the device saying I had to reset it. It’s one
of those new, highly efficient types. I had to make four or five trips up and
down the stairs, which were not occurring at the best times since I had to
schedule them between dashes to the, well, you know where. I eventually turned
the thermostats off and restarted them which worked. If nothing else the “kids”
have taught me when the computer isn’t working, re-start it. I spent the rest
of the day in our old master bed room with the handy rest room facilities watching
in sequence, the Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics. All of whom won! That and the movies
below made the time pass quickly.
This prep went a lot smoother than earlier
versions. I didn’t have anything other than jello and Gatorade after leaving my
son’s house around noontime but I didn’t feel as drained or headachy as I had
in prior procedures. I was once again impressed with the efficiency of the UMASS
Memorial endoscopy crew. The anesthesiologist playfully informed me I would be receiving
the same sedation that Michael Jackson used. I wish she hadn’t said that. I was
out like a light for the entire process where I achieved much better results
than prior iterations. The Lorna Doone cookies and soda the nurse provided
afterwards were sublime. So hungry. And that’s over for at least five years!
Two movies fell in my A-Z watch, both
definite keepers, Solider, underrated sci fi epic with Kurt Russel and Stripes,
filmed at same base I took basic training just a year afterwards, lots of
nostalgia.
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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; CRC - Connecticut
Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor
of the big river; Curbside Girls – close
friends of my daughter acquired during him 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 3rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew –
son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; 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; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate– high
school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; 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
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