Some Scares

Tuesday Dinner Back in David

I haven’t been on Frail Deeds recently because we’ve had to deal with some health issues here in Panama while the family Stateside dealt with a passing. Last Friday my Favorite Panamanian was back in David to spend some time with her mom while our time in Panama is dwindling. She got up late at night and noticed light emanating from her mother’s bedroom. She went in to check and found her mother had fallen while going into the bathroom. My wife got her to the hospital first thing in the morning and the initial diagnosis was truly scary. After a couple x-rays in the emergency room, it was initially thought she had fractured her femur near the hip joint as well as a couple broken ribs. Keep in mind, my mother-in-law is 93 years old.

Recent Photo with her Grandkids, My Son and Daughter

She was eventually seen by an orthopedic surgeon who confirmed the broken ribs but said there was no femur break. Since that was the scariest part of that preliminary analysis, a collective relief breath was taken. She was admitted for treatment for a couple days and returned home on Monday. Hospital stays in Panama are a lot different than in the States. Family members are expected to spend the night in the room with the patient. My wife did that over the weekend and returned to Las Lajas late on Sunday. Even though her mom was back home, a caregiver was still needed to spend the night in her room with her as she recovers. My Favorite Panamanian and her sisters are rotating the duty. My wife’s night was Tuesday, and I volunteered to return to David with her because I wanted to see how my mother-in-law was doing and didn’t want my wife to have to make multiple trips back and forth from the beach. I was glad that I did because her mom seemed very chipper and happy to see us. She has a breathing exercise machine she must use every hour. My brother-in-law and I moved a recliner into the bedroom, so whomever has the duty has a place to sleep. Since I am virtually no help whatsoever, outside of situational security, in the healthcare field, my wife sent me to the movies to get me out of her hair. I saw two movies, both of which involved a capable young lady fighting demonic forces. I knew at the first decapitation that my wife wasn’t missing anything she would have wanted to see.

Yesterday's Cloudy Sunset

But With a Great Crew!

And Some Late Entertainment

We picked a great time to be away from the condo since the power went out around 1AM on Wednesday morning and didn’t come back on until nearly three in the afternoon. The Upstairs Neighbors, as they are wont to do, were heroes and plugged in our fridge to generator power so we didn’t lose everything inside. We returned in time for me to get in a hurried boogie boarding session before gathering for the daily sunset social hour. The rainy season is definitely approaching which has made the sunset view a hit or miss occasion. Fortunately, the actual sunset is only a corollary benefit to the gathering. The time socializing with friends is the most important part and that was up to its usual lofty standard, despite the cloud cover.

Wingman and his Dad

The news was less fortunate back in the States. Wingman’s dad finally succumbed to a long period of failing health. I’d only met Dan a couple times, but I could tell Wingman got a lot of his outgoing personality from that source. The last few years have been a challenge for Wingman as his dad made what turned out to be this final struggle with his health. It’s at times like this I wish we were closer so I could drive down to New Jersey to offer some support. Wingman is in a good place and said he’s glad his dad has finally at peace. Please send some thoughts and prayers his way.

FBR on the Big Screen

Wingman’s daughter, the inimitable FBR, has continued her nascent ice hockey career. She’s become a big fan of the New York women’s professional hockey franchise who plays in nearby Newark. She once again made the big screen cheering on her team. It’s obvious she’s a fan because in an accompanying photo I could hear her asking her mom if they could stay after the game ended for the revealing of the top three stars. Wingman also is now the proud owner of a hot pink Barbie fanny pack for attending the game. So, there’s that.

The movies I saw while back in David started out with They Will Kill You. I’m glad Zazie Beetz finally got to be the lead in an action flick. She had done yeoman work in prior films stealing scenes in limited exposure. She dominates here as a capable fighter trying to rescue her sister from servitude in a mysterious NYC skyscraper. The kicker, the building is a demonic sanctuary and the residents are virtually unkillable. This is the perfect role for Beetz as she battles against impossible odds against the determined but clumsy residents. I loved the cartoon violence which was comically over the top at times, including the climactic battle with a pig’s head. I was surprised at the end credits that many of the supporting characters were well known actors cleverly disguised. A great little comedy/horror flick.

The second film was Ready or Not 2, Here I Come. I loved the original movie of a bride unknowingly marrying into a demonic family which included a wedding night hide and seek game to the death. The second film picks up in the direct aftermath of the wedding night and bodies start exploding almost immediately. There are more families of the same type who want to continue the game and include the lead character’s sister this time out. Samara Weaving once again carves up the screen and her pursuers as the bride. There is a very clever script which gives her ample grounds to defend herself in lethal fashion against her hunters. I thought they spent a little too much time exploring the family issues she had with her sister but this was every bit as much diabolical fun as the first film.

Rainy Morning

Finally, as I stated above the rainy season is impending. I woke up this morning to find a steady rain falling on the beach. I know, poor baby. We also had an earthquake this morning which we could feel here even though it was centered up near the Costa Rican border. Yep, may be time to head north.

We're at the Blue Dot

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