Redecorating Memories

The first-floor re-imagining continued over the weekend as I was called upon to install window treatments over the four front facing windows. With the new kitchen table, a sideboard next to it is being consigned to the granddaughter area in the basement. Apparently, it just did not go with the new table. While it looked fine to me, I am not authorized nor qualified to offer opinions in the style area. I mention the table because as my Favorite Panamanian was cleaning it out for the move, she ran across a small booklet of old photos. It was timely coincidental for my former XO because the photo below depicts him as well the lieutenants that he and I talked about at length last week when we got together. They were a great bunch of guys. This photo was taken at our Annadale, Virginia home, I’m guessing in 1985. My Favorite Panamanian and I are in the back with much darker hair than nowadays. The other photo was of me with two of my friends on one of our Sunday excursions to the Amador Causeway in 1981 in Panama. I’ve written before about how much the area has changed since I was stationed there. The area behind where we were seated is now covered in huge hotels and restaurants. Yep, feeling old.

The Lieutenants and I, XO on Bottom Right as well as a Gal
Who I believe Became a Wife to Second Row Left

L-R, Jim, Fred and Me on the Causeway 1981

In addition to installing the new curtains, we now have a completely new entry foyer (what the hell is a foyer anyways?). There’s a new table there as well as a couple new pictures, which I guess qualifies this as a new wall treatment. You see, I was paying attention during the HG Channel exposure. Before my Favorite Panamanian allowed me to install the new curtain rods I was counseled to watch a YouTube video on the right way to do it. Although I’ll never admit this to my wife (as if you didn’t know who the counselor was), I did pick up a couple tips that were useful. I also have to admit as more of the “projects” come on line that the first floor does look much better. Shhh, do not mention this to my Favorite Panamanian as it will undercut my complaints about the attendant costs.

New CUrtains

New Foyer

Newly Painted Garage Door From Deckzilla

And Entry Door From Garage

Five movies fell in my A-Z watch, all keepers, Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer, well done follow up; Fantastic Four, the terrible one from 2015, but it has Kate Mara who I remain in love with; Far and Away, entertaining epic, makes you want to strangle Kidman for the whole movie, so there’s that; Fargo, great movie, Sherriff Marge, one of my favorite movie characters of all time, Yap; and Fast and the Furious, funny to see the humble beginnings before the serial shark jumping this series has followed up with.

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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 3^rd 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