What’s to Worry?

FBR Exuding her Usual Charm

My Favorite Panamanian and I had a rare day off together with neither required to execute any kind of pre-ordained plan. We stopped by to visit one of my employees who’s recovering from cancer surgery and then snuck up to Holden to have lunch at Val’s, a favorite local restaurant. This kind of freedom has been rare for us and something we talked about over lunch.

I told my wife I was heading over to Home Depot to pick up some needed lawn fertilizer when she declared she was coming with me. I immediately realized I was in danger of having to drag her kicking and screaming out of the plant and flower section when my work was done. She behaved however and only looked mildly concerned when I showed up at the check-out register with a large chain saw.

We had a very large tree directly behind the house that blew down over the winter and thankfully fell away from the house. Unfortunately it hung up in a couple of other trees and I don’t feel comfortable having a certified Sword of Damocles over the area I spend some time with in the summer disposing of grass clippings. My biggest concerns however are the possibility of having granddaughters wandering around out there with that immense log above them. Plus I really like to use a chain saw. We’re counting it as my Father’s Day gift. It will be coming down.

My son looked somewhat anxious when he learned of my acquisition. I will admit I do have a proclivity to injure myself, usually in very minor ways, whenever I undertake major (or even minor come to think of it) yard chores. My well scarred hands testify to my lack of good fortune when it comes to that but I’ve never sustained a major injury, even when I fell off the top of Soxfather’s house while painting. I think my wife and son’s fears are overrated but they do mollify my chance-taking inclinations which usually result in blood flow.

Repairs Underdway

I also bought a new toilet fill valve system since the downstairs toilet has been dripping continuously for a while. My wife, again, looked more than a little worried when I assured her this task was well within my capabilities. I mean I did it once before, thirty years ago. Thankfully the advance of time has made the new kits pretty idiot proof. I’m sure the cost of plumbers necessitated that development. I think my wife got a little sick of me demonstrating how proficient I was after successfully installing the new system. In a major development I did not injure myself either.

With some Neighborhood Buds

Both granddaughters checked in yesterday.  The FBR was fresh off another gymnastics session which she really seems to enjoy. We get her for a whole week in a little bit and both of us are more than a little excited. The BRS was entertaining her other set of grandparents this weekend and has taken up running laps around the downstairs using a walker which is a little like cheating but she is nothing if not determined, She narrated the entire walk as well with her patented Viking yells.

Spring has Sprung in New Jersey

Well, I’ve got a tree to deal with. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be portraying myself as the reincarnation of Paul Bunyan here on Frail Deeds. If not, well, let’s not go there.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                            

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; 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; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues

Back in the Saddle

The New Doo

I’ve been away for a couple days because work, in its usual very pesky manner, intruded on my ability to bore you with my ramblings. In a big surprise the beard continues to abide despite and, against all odds, the return of my Favorite Panamanian. She kind of likes it but that doesn’t mean she isn’t issuing fairly steady grooming tips. It’s getting to the point I’m finding it a little troublesome but still a lot less work than scraping the face each morning.

I’m finally back in the pool, swimming each morning before breakfast. I was kept out while the facial surgery wound was healing and then just got fat and lazy without spousal counseling available. I find that once I get started into the routine again it’s much easier to maintain. Thank God the Army was so insistent over the years that I didn’t get fat; makes this effort more palatable.

Dinner Last Night

I spent all of yesterday and last evening in the annual Leadership Retreat I hold for subordinate managers. We started this a few years ago and I think yesterday’s was the most productive as the union managers finally seemed to be engaged and determined to make a difference. We conducted sessions on leadership and standards expected of them as leaders and then I (actually the company) took them out to dinner. It’s cool to feel you’re actually succeeding at making a difference every once and a while.

I’ve also missed out on calls from the granddaughters for a couple nights which is a lot more troubling. The BRS is following up her electric tour of our house this past weekend by sporting a new hairdo. Just a few weeks ago just the presence of hair was a reason to celebrate. The day care folks added in spike like pony tails that were absolutely endearing. The FBR is bouncing through another Daddy-Daughter day accompanied by a surprise visitor, Wingman’s dad. It was good to see from the accompanying photo that the FBR has not lost anything off her fashion fastball – still a veritable explosion.

My Favorite Fashion Explosion

In more solemn news a friend from elementary school through high school is going through a very tough stretch. She was actually my dream girl in 4th and 5^th grade, my first real crush but she was smart enough to avoid me. Her husband has been putting up a fight for his very life over the past decade as his lungs have failed. My friend has been his steady support through all the twists and turns as they tried to find a cure. When we first re-connected over ten years ago she had been told that he only had two years, at most, to live. The fact that he’s still around is testimony to the love and support my friend has provided. In the past week he returned home for hospice care and I’d like everyone to keep both my friend and her very brave husband in their prayers.

Date night had us back at the movie theater on Tuesday night to see The Beach Bum. Despite sporting a couple of my favorite actors this was kind of a disaster. Matthew McConaughey plays the title character, a has-been poet fortunately married to the very rich Isla Fisher, criminally underused here. The movie is a one joke plot that becomes tedious after the first few minutes of enjoying McConaughey’s descent into complete hedonism. There’s no development beyond his complete wretchedness. I’m guessing we’re supposed to sympathize with the people around him because he is ultimately irredeemable and not worthy of consideration. Kind of like this movie.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; 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; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues

Soxfather

At His Beloved Fenway

I waited on this to make sure I had permission to report the big news of Soxfather. Last Friday was his last day as the Sports Editor as he retired from a New England based sports web site. This ended a career that saw him start out as the proverbial copy boy for a local newspaper chasing his dream and love of sports, eventually rising to be the respected sports editor for one of the largest newspapers in New England.

With my Daughter and Wingman at a Game in L.A.

With My son and Wingman 

He was the first person to tell me back in the 1980s that the printed newspaper was a doomed industry and was one of the first people trying out the new format on a thing called the internet. The print side got him back for a few years by making him the sports editor but he saw the writing on the wall and transitioned to the web site about a decade ago, even though it involved a tortuous commute to the outskirts of Boston from his Rhode Island den. I’ve always counted on him for the inside scoop of what is going on behind the scenes for this golden age of New England sports.

With Namesake Nephew on Night he Was Honored by his Hometown

He admitted lately he’d grown frustrated with his own industry in recent years. His upbringing required journalistic integrity and telling the truth. The burgeoning information age with instant news and sports talk radio doesn’t need/want that kind of burden and to his immense credit that bothered Soxfather. I’m convinced he would be the seminal author for this era of sports but I’ve been unable to convince him to write the book on it. He is one of the best writers I’ve ever been privileged to read. That battle will continue.

Great Husband 

Immersed in PanaGals

I felt compelled to write this today because he would be the last person to call attention to himself (unless he was arguing with his sister). He is one of the finest human beings I’ve ever met and my brother since that first meeting back in December 1979 (Terminal E, Logan, don’tcha know). He has an innate ability to connect to people and even has a few friends who are Yankee fans. If you knew what a devoted Red Sox fan he has always been (Soxfather – get it?) you would know how significant that is.

McShawn's Night with Argumentative Sister Next to Him

I’m incredibly proud of his career but more so of the man, a devoted husband to my sister and father to my namesake nephew. He also has initiated the newest generation of my family, my granddaughters, into the mysteries that so captivated my son and daughter from their earliest ages. I wrote yesterday about the profound blessings I’ve been fortunate to receive in life, I count Soxfather amongst those. Happy Retirement Soxfather – don’t stop writing and let’s schedule a McShawn’s night soon.

Enjoy Retirement

But Don't Stop Writing!

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; 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; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues

From Now On Hopefully

My Favorite Panamanian and the BRS Dancing Away the Weekend

Since I haven’t been around Frail Deeds most of you can guess there was a granddaughter level event intervening to save you from my fractured prose for a few days. The culprit in this case was the BRS who showed up Friday night with my Favorite Son and the ABFA. Their plan was to wait until her normal bedtime and then load her into the car, drive down to Worcester, and then get her into bed without interrupting sleep plans. Everyone from New Jersey to Worcester thought this was a rookie mistake.

Grampa Got some Time Also

As usual the New Hampshire bunch exceeded societal standards and the BRS slept through the night like a proverbial, well, you know. Riggins was along to lend the appropriate amount of canine presence and shedded fur. My wife and the ABFA had to journey south for a Soxfather family baby shower. This did not prevent some early morning dancing featuring my wife and the BRS. This was a constant theme throughout the weekend as Latin blood was proven. My wife’s new Alexa got a true workout for the first time as the BRS’ favorite music, predominantly the sound track from the Greatest Showman, played constantly. Her personal favorite seemed to be “From Now On”. Which would be a perfect theme song for my hopes when it comes to time with granddaughters.

Abuela Gifts, Of Course

And Dancing

Of Course

The BRS paused in her antics during her mother’s absence for the baby shower by taking an extended nap. This allowed her father and I to retire to the Man Cave to compare notes on March Madness and the stumbling Red Sox. We also pursued one of our favorite shared activities – watching a movie with an appropriate amount of explosions and bloodshed.

The moms returned from Rhode Island laden with chocolate and stories of the continued excellence of the Soxfather side of the family.

Daddy Managed Lunch

Quinceanera Dance

After a short time being entertained by the indomitable BRS my Favorite Panamanian and I had to depart for a Quinceanera. This is the coming of age celebration for Latin girls, analogous to a societal coming out party. It can be a formal thing but since it involves Latinos is normally a lot of fun. The young lady being honored on Saturday was the daughter of one of my best employees and I was honored to be invited (although I’m sure most of the credit for that should go to my Favorite Panamanian). It was a great evening with a lot of familial love on display. I felt bad for the mother because a lot more people showed up than RSVP’d which caused some overcrowding. It was interesting to see the 15 year olds running around trying to figure out how to act. We left early because we had our own familial love to indulge in back home.

Taking Calls in her Curler

Riggins Ride

Sunday morning saw another bout of abuela and BRS dance moves as the grandparents took over the morning shift to allow some more snooze time for beleaguered parents. The BRS wanted to put her hair up in rollers, actually just one. This was incredibly cute and confirmed, according to my wife, her Panamanian blood as hair curlers are a required mode for young ladies (actually any age). Her parents eventually joined us for a very fun breakfast which involved some Riggins riding, who seemed very pleased to have some attention shown in his direction. The BRS is tough to compete with in that department.

FBR In Action

Daddy Daughter Day

Before they regretfully had to return home the Favorite Son helped me move two couches to their new locations from the basement. The ABFA helpfully spotted the spider nests the couch acquired which allowed a cleanup prior to emplacement in the new master bedroom. Thankfully my son did not drop his end of the couch when his wife made that pronouncement. We received our final Certificate of Occupancy from the city for the addition which means that sprint turned into a marathon is finally over.

FBR(l) with her Gang

The FBR was up to her usual antics over the weekend. She and Wingman had one of their patented Daddy Daughter days on Friday now that the snow has melted from some of their favorite playgrounds. We had a very fun video call on Sunday morning. The BRS smiled each time she heard her aunt’s (my daughter’s) voice. The FBR couldn’t be bothered to participate since we interrupted her viewing of Cinderella with our call. That all changed when the BRS reacted when the FBR was finally coaxed into singing Let it Go. It seems both granddaughters love having an audience.

Blessed

I count it as chief amongst the many blessings I’ve received that in my final years I get to willingly serve as part of their respective audiences.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; 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; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues