Good Turn and Czeching In

After all of my Favorite Panamanian’s hard work last week in preparation for the fabulous weekend with both of our kids, I needed to do her a favor to in some small, infinitesimal way to balance the cosmic scales. The perfect opportunity presented itself. She and the Neighborhood Mafioso were out shopping last week (strange but it happened😊). They went to Frugal Fanny’s, which I only knew through their second most annoying commercials on TV (nothing beats those Jardiance commercials with diabetic dance numbers). My wife had accidentally purchased the wrong size in a couple dresses and needed to exchange them. The only problem being Fanny’s was not a place she felt comfortable driving to, hence the needed favor.

Great Dinner Crowd Last Night

I told her I would take her there yesterday and as we prepared to leave she noticed I was carrying my book along to read. She said I wouldn’t need it since she was just going to walk in, make the exchange and we would leave. This is not my first rodeo with my Favorite Panamanian and shopping, so the book went along with us. I was surprised at how dingy the place turned out to be, I guess all their money goes into those terrible commercials. I enjoyed the time to read as she spent an hour in making the exchange and then couldn’t pass up a couple bargains she walked by (you know the drill). We had lunch at a cool little bar and grill in Norwood that she and her partner in crime (shopping) discovered last week.

Latina Mafia Couple

We returned home to prepare for the big event of the day, dinner with our Czech friends in Leicester. That had originally been scheduled for this past weekend but got trumped out by the aforementioned children’s visit. Our hostess’ mom was visiting from the Czech Republic. We met her last year and were excited to see her again. As usual a fabulous dinner was prepared, including the schnitzel that I crave. Our hosts were amazing, especially since they're on a long road trip today to Burlington, Vermont. We're so happy they made time for us.

My Shadow and her Diabolical Concoction

My Czech Shadow also followed in her dad’s footsteps by baking a bunch of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. This is my kryptonite and coming off a weekend of overindulgence I should have avoided them (as if that was possible!). It was a great night talking with friends and sharing the superb meal. I’m going to have to really buckle down now that so many of those cookies were sent downrange and we’re leaving for the beach again shortly. l know, my life is so difficult.  Hey, someone’s gotta do it.

Four movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: RIPD – this doesn’t get a lot of love but I liked it, Bridges is hilarious; Road House – the ultimate guys movie, gotta love it; Road Trip – feel like I should apologize for liking this but I do; Robin William Live on Broadway – strange to watch this after he’s gone, makes you realize what a genius he was

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