Past Blasted

So, there I was. Feeling a little lonely and sorry for myself since my Favorite Panamanian is on a religious retreat for a few days. I’m sure I need all the praying she’s probably doing for me on the outside chance I ever become eligible for admittance to heaven (extremely outside wager at best). I’ve been amusing myself with musical mattresses, see yesterday’s post. The most exciting part of the day was the annual heating system maintenance dude who interrupted my more than needed beauty sleep. While I do have a Family First Friday Facetime call in a little bit, morale needed a boost. That was provided earlier today when I opened Facebook and saw this photo. It features two guys I served my first commissioned posting with in the early 1980s in Panama. We were all platoon leaders in the same infantry company and that is a bond only those who have made that walk will understand the importance of. We called ourselves graduates of Lambert’s School for Lieutenants after our tough, but talented company commander, who went on to be a major general.

The Photo, Thai Resident on the Right
We All Seemed to have Aged Somehow

We were all single and serving in Panama certainly had its benefits when we weren’t running around the jungle, participating in some of the toughest training I experienced in my entire career. We formed a fairly formidable team on the nights we weren’t in the jungle although the tales from Ovalo Bar are best left in the mists of the past. We always hit the Albrook Officer’s Club on Friday nights and they were there when I met my future wife, the Favorite Panamanian. They were both amongst the few guests for my side at my wedding, one being my best man. In other words, good friends. We only saw each other sporadically over the years since, but the bond remains. My former best man retired to Thailand where he started a family after his military career. The other one married a Thai girl back in the states and when they recently went back to visit was able to link up and take this photo. It brought back so many good memories shared with these two guys. I miss them, but memories are fertile ground for improving morale and that’s what they did today from the other side of the earth.

Back in the Day in Panama
They're the two on the Left, I'm on the Far Right

What we Did Every Sunday, Amador Causeway
Future Wife on the Left

I am not taking this solitary existence lightly and plan on doing something about it tomorrow. Predictably, I’m heading back to my hometown to conduct the much needed after action review of last week’s birthday pub crawl. I consider this my solemn duty in ensuring next year’s crawl meets our now lofty standards. Several crawlers mentioned I should have included the Gorilla Grill in our odyssey. I’m unfamiliar with his recently opened establishment so Keene Friend and Cantankerous Friend will conduct the needed reconnaissance tomorrow before we move on to the in depth discussion of last week’s adventures, properly conducted at one of those pubs  (current statutes of limitations will be explored).

Two movies fell in the A-Z watch, both keepers: The Mighty Quinn, new addition to the library, courtesy of Keene Friend, impossibly young Denzel dominating a Caribbean accent; and Mission to Mars, absolutely love this movie, especially climatic scene where’s Earth’s evolution is explained.

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

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 her single days in Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); 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; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course