Northern Surprise

My Favorite Panamanian and I are just back from an excursion into the distant north of New Hampshire for a get together with our friends from last year’s European trip. That foray into New Hampshire turned out to be a much bigger surprise than I anticipated. I had been secretly grumbling about the need to drive more than three hours to a place less than fifty miles from Canada to see a country music band in concert. I was looking forward to seeing the friends again, but wished it could have been closer. I was wrong.

The Ladies by the Lake

One of the couples own a second home on a pristine lake in the middle of the White Mountains, just a few miles from Bethlehem, NH, where the concert was taking place. We were treated to a beautiful drive up through the colors of late fall and passed by the place where the Old Man of the Mountain used to hang out (sadness). This was followed by a twisting ride through some back roads to the lake. I was stunned upon arrival. Their beautiful home sits on a bluff above the lake which looked like a piece of glass until a loon zoomed in and stated cruising along the surface. We were immediately made to feel entirely at home by our generous hosts as we marveled at the scenery out the huge windows overlooking the mountain rimmed lake.

Scenes from the Drive Up

Missing the Old Man

After a quick trip into Whitefield for mass, we headed out for Bethlehem. We hoped to have dinner at a brewery, which would have been cool. However, the place was mobbed, as it is just down the street from the theater where the concert was taking place. This was our first indication that the band was popular. We found a nearby restaurant where we had  great dinner, laughing with each other as we caught up with happenings since we were last together. I also became acquainted with a Czech Pilsner beer which became a staple for the evening. I was driving the group in our new car which received high marks, even from the occupants of the third row, where they noted there were ports to charge cell phones.

First Views of the Lake

Our Host's Home

The concert was taking place in the Colonial Theater (yep another one of those) in Whitefield, a very small town. It was an old movie house that has been converted to an event hosting arena. I loved the feel of the theater. Our seats were in the first couple rows which offered some great views. The name of the group is Asleep at the Wheel, which turned out to be a fairly famous Western swing music group that has been operating since 1970, based out of Austin, Texas. The lead singer, Ray Benson, is the only original member of the group and he was quite a character. He regaled us, between songs, of his career highlights which included time with some iconic country western singers, including Willie Nelson, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam and Vince Gill. He even made a TV movie with Dolly Parton who he considered a true friend.

Pre-Concert Dinner

Ladies in the Front Row
Guys in the Second

Asleep at the Wheel

The band featured a saxophone player and a fiddler. I love listening to both of these instruments and each of performers were fantastic, especially the fiddler. The packed theater was involved from the beginning as the band cycled through some of their own songs as well as old favorites. There was an area cleared between the seating and the stage where we were encouraged to dance if the mood struck us. You know who I’m married to, right? We had a great time as I spent my usual time dancing with her, hanging on for dear life. While we were dancing, the band struck up Amarillo by Morning, which brought back so many memories as it was the signature song of the Roothuggers karaoke group.

The Fantastic Fiddler

The Lead Ray Benson

Ladies on the Dance Floor

We were served drinks in our seats, including more of that Czech Pilsner. By the time the concert was ending, the crowd was firmly in the band’s hands, shouting and cheering our approval of a great show (I didn’t even know I was a fan of the genre before this). Ray Benson was a superb host as he introduced the band and recounted his amazing stories of a life spent in the music industry. They concluded their encore appearance with solos by both the sax player and the fiddler, I couldn’t have asked for more. It was such an unsuspected yet transcendent experience. All my grumbling had created a perfect environment to be pleasantly surprised.

The Morning View

We returned to the lake house where we sat around their dining room table and recounted the night, laughing into the wee hours. A fantastic night spent with now good friends. I was up before anyone else, and I walked out to the windows facing the lake I was greeted by an incredible view as layers of clouds laced the far tree line and mist was rising out of the lake. The photo doesn’t do it justice. I think the word I’m looking for is, majestic. The loon was back on the lake as we sat around the breakfast table for a spirited talk, most aimed at what our next event together would be.  As we drove home after breakfast, I reflected on how fortunate I was to be running around with my Favorite Panamanian. She’s the uber-social one who gets me into situations like this that I would probably avoid if she wasn’t my social director. I’m lucky that way.

Getting Ready to Leave This Morning

The week preceding this adventure ended meekly. I finished another puzzle. I thought it was another one of those 999 piece versions until I located the missing piece under the couch. The gas company was scheduled to change out our gas meter during the usual 12-4pm time period on Friday. I hate being confined to the house awaiting something I’m not particularly psyched about. I employed my “go to” method of assuring their early arrival by trying to take a shower. I put the phone where I could see it while showering and, predictably, as soon as the shampoo hit the hair, the phone started ringing. After a soggy answer and subsequent meter replacement, the rest of Friday afternoon belonged to me.

Completed Puzzle

Our Back Yard is Sporting some Color As Well

It met a satisfying conclusion with the return of the weekly First Friday Family Facetime call. Great Aunt was only on for a bit as she had all three grandkids circling her for attention, she looked tired but very happy. In similar fashion, my son was presiding over the costuming of the BRS and BR3 for a School Halloween event, okay that was mostly the ABFA, while my son looked on bemusedly. He departed with them for the event which left us with our daughter and a welcome surprise of Wingman. He usually has to work Fridays so this was the first time in a while we were able to talk with him. A very cool development. It turned out his adventure was only beginning as he spent Saturday conquering his fear of heights so the FBR could participate in a tree top trail with him.

Great Aunt's Granddaughter 
Impossibly Cute as a Strawberry

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