Date Duty

It’s not often you get a blinding flash of the obvious, especially after more than 42 years of marriage, but it happened yesterday. My Favorite Panamanian’s vertigo has improved significantly but she didn’t feel comfortable driving yesterday. Since I seem to be in one of those infrequent “dutiful husband” modes, I volunteered to drive her around to what she claimed were vital errands. The blinding flash, you might ask. I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with her for the entire afternoon as her designated chauffeur. It was one of those Saturday afternoons where she usually disappears into the ether while I enjoy college football in the Man Cave. In that respect, I gained intel on what these mysterious Saturdays involve for my Favorite Panamanian.

With my Cute Lunch Date

If you guessed, visits to shopping venues you will be precisely on target. She took pity on me by insisting she was fine to be left to her own while in Macy’s while I retreated to the car to read. So, that resulted in two happy campers, her shopping and me reading. Just as I finished my latest read, she emerged and declared it was time for lunch. We set out for one of our regular restaurants when we noticed an Outback Steakhouse. This resulted in an approved (by the wife) U-turn. This was the highlight of the afternoon as we had a genuine time together to converse. While there are lots of opportunities for this in our lives, we usually don’t take advantage of them in the face of other requirements on our time.

Nanook of the North in her Garden

It didn’t hurt that there was a ferociously large piece of prime rib available. We had a Latino waiter who, after overhearing us speaking Spanish to each other, became a new friend. He asked if I was Hispanic which caused both my wife and I to break out in laughter. He said it was rare to find a gringo willing to speak Spanish. My Favorite Panamanian, my Spanish teacher, beamed in pride. After a couple more stops, we returned home just before dark. My Favorite Panamanian didn’t buy into my theory that our consumption of dead animal flesh had helped address her vertigo. She felt well enough to address some issues in her vast garden complex, trimming some flowers ahead of a predicted frost. She also didn’t appreciate my comments on the midwinter attire she felt was needed. So, an unexpectedly fun day, despite spending it with each other. It seems we’re still friends, go figure.

Five movies fell in the A-Z watch, four keepers: Sweet Sugar – Seeing Dan Tanna’s assistant in her all together in this Filipino soft porn has lost its luster, eject; Swiss Family Robinson – one of best family movies ever made, holds up well; Swordfish – Halle Berry balcony scene, say no more; Taken – awesome action flick, unique set of skills on display; Taken 2 – Brian Mills on the loose in Istanbul versus those pesky Albanians, great action.

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