Weekend Rescue

Continuing the chronicle of my life of indolence. Our upstairs neighbors had to travel this past weekend which endangered our social prospects for the weekend. Luckily the lately arrived final members of the “Seis” (see last post) rode to the rescue. They were scheduled to leave on Sunday but they delayed that until Monday which granted us an additional sunset social hour. The “Seis” did perform one last turn Friday night before the upstairs neighbors departed Saturday morning. We knocked out the sunset ceremony and then re-assumed our seating in the Panamanian couple’s truck for the drive into Las Lajas for Sunset Pizza. We were joined by Chow Mein, the stray kitten that haunts the outdoor plaza (I mistakenly called him Chop Suey). It was the usual good time whenever this bunch gets together.

Friday Night at Sunset Pizza

The condo was fairly well stocked for the weekend but without the usual complement of teenagers. The sunsets were truly magnificent, some of the best we’ve experienced this year. The sunset social hour usually lasts until a little after 7pm after the sun disappears around 6:45. However we were having such a good time that the Saturday social hour extended until well after 9. We were joined by another group from the condos and they had a very cool small, portable fire place which added some serious atmosphere. Eventually we ran out of beer and declared victory.

Saturday Night Fire

Sunday Night Sunset with the Gang

I was challenged on Sunday’s sunset with the NFK playoffs around the same time but the social hours won out so I missed the second half of the AFC championship and the first quarter of the NFC. It was time well spent though. We completed our catch-up session with the Panamanian couple. At the recent condo meeting my Favorite Panamanian volunteered for the committee charged with beautifying the condo complex so there was a lot of Pinterest photos exchanged. This is what retirement was supposed to be like; having good for friends make it even more so. I am singularly blessed in my life with the friends I have been bestowed with. We’re now gearing up for the Friday arrival of Great Aunt, totally psyched!

Finally, the ABFA sent this video of BR3 indicating she is feeling much better, although she has passed on her flu to both her parents as she retains her title as the family’s Typhoid Mary. The video is way too cute. It may be hard to hear but she says, referring to her art project, “I made this for abuela, she will love it because it was made by me”. That kid.

The Latest Sunsets

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

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