Dad Day Reciting

I undertook a novel way to celebrate the Father’s Day weekend. I attended not one but two dance recitals. As I have written before about how much I “loved” these things, you can be rightly stunned. Yes, this makes three of these “experiences” I have undergone since our return from Panama. You can correctly surmise that the only factor that could influence me enough to subject myself to this pain would be the “granddaughter effect”. The BRS participated on Saturday while BR3 danced on Sunday. I’m still convinced the dance school organizer who put this on Father’s Day weekend belongs in the third level of hell, but, hey, my Favorite Panamanian loved it. She thought all the groups were great. Her operative phrase was “they’re so cute”. The cuteness was lost on me but I seriously loved watching the granddaughters in action.

All Four Grandparents with the Dancing Queens

So, in total, three hours spent over the weekend, of which, seven minutes involved granddaughter participation. Yes, I’m grumpy about it. I’m old enough to qualify for that character defect. Other than those benighted presentations, it was a magical weekend, thanks to the ladies who endeavored tirelessly to insure the rest of the Father Day’s weekend was special for the three dads involved. My son, the ABFA’s dad, and myself were treated royally by the ladies. My Favorite Panamanian and I drove up on Saturday morning, through the seemingly requisite Saturday rain storm. It has rained every Saturday since we returned from Panama.

BRS After the Dance

Superstar

We arrived at my son’s house to find both he and the ABFA charging around shepherding the kids to swim lessons and then getting the BRS prepped for her recital. The ABFA drove us over while my son departed earlier to check the BRS in for her dances. The ABFA’s parents joined us just in time to sit down for the start of the dancing. Even the grumpy old man that I’ve become will admit there were some cute moments. The ABFA had secured fantastic seats in the second row from the stage that provided great views. Eventually the BRS appeared with her group for her first dance. She was awesome and, yes, I am biased, but I thought she was clearly the best dancer in her group. This impression was confirmed when she took the stage for her second dance. She has a secret advantage over her peers, she has her abuela’s dancing genes.

After the Dance

Proud Mom and Dad

We returned to my son’s home after the recital and the wives did not allow any of the guys to assist with chores. This predictably led my son and I to park ourselves on the couch to watch SportsCenter and compare notes on the Red Sox. Rumor has it we might have nodded off at certain points during our cogitations.  The ABFA’s dad performed his usual role of chasing the granddaughters around the yard. He eventually tired and my Favorite Panamanian paid the price as she attempted her afternoon rosary. I woke up long enough to see both granddaughters jumping on her. I don’t think she minded the interruption.

Son and I "Watching" SportsCenter

BR3 Remains a Moving Target

BRS Getting So Tall, She Can Reach the Hidden Candy

Wife Doing her Rosary

We all trooped back to the cars to rendezvous at the local favorite restaurant for a very fun Saturday dinner. The recital had continued after ours and the BRS spotted several dancers, still in costume, entering. I was lucky enough to be seated next to BR3 and across the table from the BRS. It made for a very entertaining dining experience. That dinner was one of the true highlights of the weekend. There is just something extremely special sitting around a table with family, even when you have to dodge the occasional granddaughter elbow. We returned home in time to get the youngest into bed while the rest of us settled down to watch the Red Sox versus the hated Yankees. When the Sox won on Friday, we figured they were in for some serious pain on Saturday from a better Yankee team. We were enjoyably stunned when the Sox steadily pulled ahead and hung on to beat the Yanks. A very nice Father’s Day weekend gift. We even stayed awake for the entire game.

Saturday Dinner

Sunday morning was a repeat of Saturday with both girls scheduled for swimming lessons followed by a frantic prep for BR3’s dance recital. This was preceded by a fantastic Father’s Day breakfast prepared by my Favorite Panamanian. She made fried dough for me, something that brought back memories of my mom. We were a little concerned as we headed for BR3’s recital because she’s liberally blessed with personality and last year’s recital saw her more interested with interacting with her friends than performing any dance moves. She proved she had acquired some discipline over the ensuing year which surprised the entire family. When her group finally (and blessedly) appeared, she was great. She forgot to smile but was obviously paying close attention to what she was supposed to be doing. I loved it.

BR3 Dance

Grand Finale - Teachers Shouldn't be in Front of kids

Following the recital we returned to the house where the guys set up to watch the Sox game while the ladies prepared a superb Father’s Day dinner. The Sox, once again, stunned us by winning again, sweeping the series from the Yankees. Totally unforeseen and something I’m sure to bring up with the Panamanian guy in the Seis Amigos. More on the Sox later.  All three ladies contributed to the meal, and these were some of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time. Father’s Days gifts were distributed and my son, once again, was way, way, too generous. As we drove home, I found my mind wandering constantly back to how blessed the three dads were this weekend by the ladies we are fortunate enough to be associated with.

After the Dance

I have a couple updates I need to weigh in on. While we were driving back, my phone started pinging as both my son and Great Aunt passed on the news that the Sox had unexpectedly treaded their best hitter, Raphael Devers, away. I was not as surprised as he had evolved into a primadona after signing his immense contract. He pitched a fit in the spring when he was moved off third base, even though he was a terrible defender. He then petulantly refused to play first base. I noted several times over the weekend that he didn’t seem as engaged as his teammates. I know over the past few weeks I cringed when he got to bat in critical spots as he only seemed to thrive when the pressure wasn’t on him. They’re not as talented a team after the trade but I think they’ll be a better team. On the upside, I’m going to WooSox game tomorrow and may see some of the trade return there.

The other update, which I am honor bound by Great Aunt to reveal, involves my latest doctor’s appointment. The doctor was really happy with my test results. Her usual practice in in geriatrics and she said she loved having someone who wasn’t falling apart (despite my own opinions on the subject). She sent me for my annual PSA test which is a big deal this year. Today marks five years since I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and if the PSA test was clear, I’m considered to have beaten it. Late this afternoon I received the test results. My PSA levels remain undetectable. Talk about the best possible Father’s Day gift.

Two movies fell in the A-Z watch, both keepers: Point of No Return – excellent action take on Pygmalion, Bridget Fonda was so good; The Polar Express – weird watching this in June, but I love Christmas enough that I was still tearing up, CGI has improved so much since this was groundbreaking.

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