44 and Counting

I am a geographic bachelor again as my Favorite Panamanian escorted the visiting Rhode Island friends to the airport on Wednesday and remained in David to spend some time with her mom. She’ll return on Monday so we can prep for our next group of visitors. We both realized yesterday that meant that we would be apart today, which just so happens to be our 44^th wedding anniversary. There were several times while I was in the Army that I was deployed during this date, so it isn’t a new experience. I told her that I think of it as giving her a valuable anniversary gift by having her there with her beloved mom. There’s always time to properly celebrate which we plan on when we’re together again.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 44 years since I stood in that David church with a few of my Army buddies and all of my Favorite Panamanian’s family waiting for her to walk down the aisle with a hairdo she still complains about. I still haven’t lived down the stigma within my own family of not telling anyone in time for them to travel to Panama for the wedding, but things were much more difficult then to travel. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. It’s been a fast 44 years as we’ve crisscrossed the world together both in the Army and after. My Army career meant she was spent long periods of time, some stretching to just short of a year, being a single mother in a culture where she spoke a second language. Yes, as I look back, I can now properly appreciate how much courage that required of her.

She would deny that, but it’s one of those pesky self-evident truths. The greatest testimony to her success is our children, both of whom have grown into highly successful adults, parents, and just flat nice people. I don’t think many of the people attending that wedding 44 years ago gave us much of a chance. I had proposed 3 days after we met and she had foolishly accepted. Four months after that she walked down that aisle. It’s not a scenario that I would recommend for anyone in their right mind, but it seems to be working out. I’ve never been the husband she deserves but it’s been fun trying.

One of her Favorite Roles - Abuela

Reaching for the Moon after Going Away Dinner for Rhode Island Friends

It’s weird not to have visitors. This is the first time since January that we’ve been without. I’ve spent some of my alone time preparing the condo for the next set of visitors. None other than Keene Friends 1 and 2 as well as the Cantankerous One arrive next Tuesday and I’m really excited to show them life at Playa Las Lajas. I’m feeling a lot less sentimental about the granddaughter hand prints I referenced in a recent post. Based on the height I think it was BR3 who placed complete handprints laced with sun block on the balcony door windows. The tropical sun then baked it each day until I finally got around to cleaning it today. Yep, a lot less sentimental. Next year, it comes off the day they leave.

Yesterday's Sunset

With the Stalwart Upstairs Neighbors

I’ve knocked out a couple of movies recently. The first was Marty Supreme which isn’t in my usual viewing parameters. It was nominated for a bunch of Oscars, so I decided to check it out. It’s a strange movie in that Chalamet plays a character that is truly unlikable, but you end up rooting for him as he bumbles through the 1950s as a great ping pong player. The hijinks he encounters and generates are at times both cringeworthy and hilarious. All credit to Chalamet who, chameleonlike, submerges himself into the persona of the title character. It’s all credit to him and his undeniable charisma that this movie works with such an offensive lead character.

Shelter is another in the continuing line of Jason Statham vehicles where he plays a loner working up a serious body count of people stupid enough to cross him. He’s a retired assassin living on a remote Scottish island when events require him to protect a young girl, cue the explosions. Statham is a better actor than he is usually required to be and here he’s allowed some time to flesh out his character. The action isn’t as non-stop as we usually get but it makes for a better movie. I really liked it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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; Upstairs Neighbors – American couple and great friends who live in condo above us in Panama; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course