Logistics and a Russian Agent

We are in the midst of gearing up for the Friday arrival of both kids and their families. I have it on good authority (the subjects themselves), that all three granddaughters are extremely excited about their visit to Panama. It’s interesting that the most exciting aspect so far for them is that they will all be on the same flight from Panama City to David. We had planned a trip to David later this week to lay in the appropriate amount of food. This was supplanted when I had to take my Favorite Panamanian back to David on Sunday to address some sort of allergic reaction she was experiencing. I dropped her at the emergency room of a private hospital. It is just down the street from her mom’s house so I set up there reading and awaiting her call.

Powerless Pool Time

That came about three hours later after she’d had a bunch of tests and an IV. The total cost of the emergency room visit and a bunch of tests, $60. It would have cost that much just to ask a question of the receptionist to an American emergency room. We spent Sunday night in David so we could hit the grocery stores on Monday. I knew it would take the equivalent of the gross national product of a small nation to address the requirements. My Favorite Panamanian had created a menu for the entire week and whenever we walked by something she thought a granddaughter would like, the shopping cart would be further encumbered. I’m helpless in the face of her playing the “granddaughter card”.

Beating the Heat

We returned to Las Lajas in the early afternoon facing the prospect of lugging the vey burdened car’s load up the two flights of stairs. Because that wasn’t challenging enough, the power went out ten minutes before we arrived. That meant no air conditioning after I finished the half dozen trips up and down the stairs. I might have mentioned in the past, Panama is very hot. Our refrigerator was not up to the level of food we had arrived with so it was fortunate the upstairs neighbors have lent us their condo for the upcoming visit and we made it work, barely, with their refrigerator. After everything was stored and both refrigerators connected to the generator powered common areas down the hallway, my Favorite Panamanian and I went soak some tired bods in the pool. That turned out to be a very good decision as we awaited the return of power.

Walking Down the Beach

Sunset as we Walked Home from Canadian Visit

Dinner in Las Lajas

Chow Mein Visit

After a couple hours in the pool, we took a walk down the beach where we ran into other power-starved refugees from the other residencies. As we were walking by the nicest house on the beach my wife suddenly veered left and entered the property. She then gestured for me to join her. She had met another Panamanian lady at Sunday mass and learned we were neighbors, as this new friend lived in the aforementioned house. She and her Canadian husband hosted us for a very fun social hour. I’d always wondered about this house which proudly flies a Canadian flag along the beach. I learned a lot about the recent history of the beach development and it’s very cool to have additional friends in the area. We planned on a trip into Las Lajas for some Sunset Pizza until I remembered they were closed on Mondays. We made do with their next door neighbor/competitors, Natrulamente. Ther pizza isn’t as good and neither was their service last night as we waited nearly an hour for the food to arrive. The neighborhood alley cat, Chow Mein, paid us a visit to help pass the time.

Agent and his Handler

The more I hear about politics back home, the more I become convinced Donald Trump is an agent for Vladimir Putin. There have been too many instances where he has actively worked to support him whether attacking NATO or the EU, both pillars of the strategic check on Russian aggression. Recently his minions in congress have taken an active role, I’m sure at his behest, to block aid to Ukraine in their desperate fight against Putin’s aggression. Earlier they hid their opposition behind our own border security but that was put to the lie when they wouldn’t consider a bipartisan bill aimed at just that. I spent my entire adult life in the Army training to fight the Russians and it burns my ass that one of the leading candidates for President is an agent for a Russian leader who’s stated goal is to return to the halcyon days of the Soviet Union’s death grip on eastern Europe. Trump’s supporters and their inexplicable blind faith in this con man won’t change. The chaos and division Trump revels in is right out of a Russian strategic information war game plan. When will we wake up?

Two Inbound Princesses

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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 him her single days in Brooklyn; 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; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Unwanted Close Encounter

One of the activities from which I derive more than a little bit of joy is my twice daily boogie boarding sessions. I know that as a sixty-eight-year-old man (man, it doesn’t get easier seeing that in print) I should have more serious or sedentary, dare I say respectable, aims in my twilight years, but I’ve never been accused of being overly mature. This is all in the way of introduction to what happened yesterday during the afternoon session. I’ve gotten used to boogie boarding with the Las Lajas sting rays. They show up mostly for the afternoon and I can see them gliding effortlessly and elegantly through the waves as those approach me. I have a personal rule that if I see more than two at a time, I head for shore.

First Friday Sunset

They seem harmless but there’s the whole sting part of the sting ray to consider. I didn’t want to be in the middle of a decent slide down a wave only to cause one of them to think I was a predator worthy of a swipe. I have brushed up against them numerous times as they aren’t overly aggressive. It feels like having a thick piece of rubbery paper slide along your leg or arm. Not welcome, certainly (again the sting part) but it’s never been a problem. I had just seen my second one yesterday and was thinking of heading to shore when something much larger hit my upper thigh. It felt like someone had kicked me really hard.

One of my Swim Buddies

This all happened as I was making my way back out to the launch point and the water was swirling with sand between waves, so I couldn’t see what hit me. I immediately yelled, “What the F--- was that?!”. Of course, there was no one within a half mile to hear me and adrenaline was certainly flooding my system at this point. I didn’t wait around for a definitive answer to my shouted query and caught the next inbound wave. One of the things that always enters my mind when I see sting rays is that they are a preferred food source for sharks. I’ve never seen a shark at our beach (no reef) but I have the unfortunate habit of catching bits and pieces of Shark Week on TV each year where I learned that culinary fact about sharks.

Sunset Prep

In reflecting on the situation, I definitely don’t think it was a shark. There are also some pretty large fish swarming along our coast, hence the omnipresent small fishing boats. I’m guessing one of those larger fish was chasing a smaller fish and because of the murky water, ran into my leg. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. I thought it would be important for me to get right back out there this morning. I’m a victim of the Army drilling in the credo of never taking counsel of fears. I was more nervous than I thought I would be and, of course, immediately noticed some sting rays zooming around. I violated my rule about heading in after seeing two or more but the rays and I got along fine.

Beach This Morning

With this afternoon’s departure of the Panamanian couple of the Seis Amigos, my Favorite Panamanian and I will be the sole inhabitants of the condo complex with the upstairs neighbors touring Peru. That is strange for a dry season weekend but I’m guessing most of our other neighbors are recovering from Carnivale last week. We made the most of the First Friday of the Week yesterday. The Panamanian couple and their sister joined us to send the sun west into the Pacific and then we journeyed together down the beach for dinner at the Las Lajas beach resort. That was an easy sell for me based the quality of their cheeseburgers. Maybe we’ll do the usual Friday pizza tonight. Decisions, decisions, life can get tough that way.

Friday Sunset

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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 him her single days in Brooklyn; 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; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Interlude Between Storms

It’s patently unfair to refer to the two events I find myself between as storms but I’m feeling a little literary today. For the first time in a while there are only two residents in the condo today, my Favorite Panamanian and myself. While some would celebrate the peace and quiet, that’s not what makes life entertaining. Answering the immortal question posed by Maximus Decimus Meridius, I have been thoroughly entertained and expect that to continue. Earlier in the week we concluded the annual Carnivale time in Panama which saw not only my Favorite Panamanian’s birthday but also the in-condo residence of Tia Loca, her son and my mother-in-law.

Wife with her mom, Tia Loca and Nephew

As anyone can tell you about my younger sister-in-law, there is rarely a dull moment when Tia Loca is in residence. She became my boogie boarding buddy for the late afternoon session. She’s so much lighter than I am that she thoroughly out boarded me. She and her son returned to Panama on Wednesday but will return for the start of the second “storm”. My wife and I drove back to David yesterday to drop off her mom. My wife also volunteered for the condo association beautification committee so there was a shopping expedition on tap for yesterday afternoon with the wife of the Panamanian couple of the Seis Amigos.

Fridge was Stuffed to Bursting

In what turned out to be the best missed call in my lifetime, and possibly recorded history. My wife, enroute to getting a manicure, was summoned to meet with her fellow shoppers. I was safely back at my mother-in-law’s house and missed the call where my wife was coming to pick me up. Failing contact, she continued on without me. Saved!!!! As afternoon started edging into the evening I began to wonder what was going on and checked in with her. They were still trying to decide (four hours later). Talk about dodging a bullet. I got to spend the hours reading in air conditioned comfort while my Favorite Panamanian was engaged in her afternoon long efforts.

Upstairs Cake Ceremony

We were supposed to see a movie and go out for dinner (delayed Valentines Day date) but after the final decision was made she requested she still get the postponed manicure and pedicure. Since I was at a critical point in my latest Travis McGee novel and she sounded like she needed a break, this was an easy decision. Travis took down a squad of domestic terrorists while my wife got whatever the hell gel nails are emplaced. Win. Win. She eventually showed up as the sun set and the movie time had expired. W opted for chicken wings instead of the planned sit down formal dinner and had a genuinely great time before driving back to Las Lajas.

Beachside Cake

The second storm is the imminent arrival of my son, daughter, Wingman, the ABFA, the FBR, the BRS, and BR3. This is rightfully labeled a storm because it will also see the arrival of a significant percentage of my wife’s family; lots of high winds and aunts spoiling granddaughters even more than I do. I can’t wait. Facebook reminded me this morning with a proposed memory which is this photo from last year as we all sat on the beach for their final sunset. The Upstairs Neighbors of Seis Amigos fame, are visiting Peru and donated their condo for the granddaughters’ parents so they’ll be a lot closer this year. Color me extremely excited.

Last Year's Last Sunset

Meanwhile, Back in N.J. - Daughter's Back Yard

BRS is Ready for the Beach

As is Little Miss Chaos, BR3

Immediately after my last Frail Deeds post, we celebrated my Favorite Panamanian’s birthday. I had earlier bought a cake mix and frosting and was going to give it a go. Everyone was rescued from my culinary adventurism when we made another trip back to David allowing me to purchase a cake. It was fairly large so after singing happy birthday in the condo with the family, we took it downstairs to reunite with the Seis Amigos in the midst of the Carnivale celebrations ongoing on the beach. My Favorite Panamanian does not like attention lavished on herself but she was a good sport as the many people joined us to sing again and then partake of the cake. A very nice lady (I’m a little biased) was properly recognized on her birthday therefore.

We rectified the lack of movie date when we got home last night by watching the Iron Claw on the super streamer. I’ve never been a fan of the professional wrestling circus but this was a very poignant and heartfelt family story. Zac Efron transformed himself into a caricature but his acting raised the character to award winning levels. He plays the oldest surviving Von Erich brother and watches as his father’s overbearing personality plants the seeds for his family’s ultimate tragedies. Efron’s nuanced performance truly lifts this film from just another sports biography loosely based on real events. I’m still not a fan of wrestling but find myself finally convinced the former high school musical lead has what it takes. Good flick.

As Always, A Couple Sunsets to Send You On Your Way

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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 him her single days in Brooklyn; 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; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Great Aunt Departs, Beachball, and Special Birthday

Okay. I know. I’ve been away for a while. It happens. Usually this happens because I’m having more fun than is strictly legal in a lot of places. That is certainly the case for this delay. Count yourself lucky to have been denied my benighted prose for a few days. Well, back at it. Great Aunt’s annual beach adventure concluded yesterday. We should have looked closer at the calendar when she planned her trip because Carnivale in Panama started on Friday which meant lots of people in the condo, disturbing her calm, hours long stay in her happy place (the pool). She was actually excited about the nine inches of snow she’ll get on Tuesday because she’ll have the best tan in town. Okay, I guess.

At The Airport Yesterday

Great Aunt's Final Sunset in Panama

Carnivale also means clogged streets and an immense police presence on the highways. While this can cause frustrating hold ups, my Favorite Panamanian says it’s important because Panamanians like to party and this protects other drivers from those who have partied a little too hard. My big sister saw this first hand when we drove her to the airport yesterday. She’s now an accomplished international traveler and had none of the anxiety she had last year on her first solo trip. Scheduling her trip back on Super Bowl Sunday was also a bit of a mistake. As stated above, we’ll look at a calendar for next year.

Friday Night Dinner

The Seis Amigos are all in residence at the condo again which meant a lot of partying. Friday night we drive into town for a very entertaining pizza dinner. The Panamanian Friend’s son and his girlfriend also came along and might have been a little surprised at the antics of their much older fellow diners. They were great “kids”. Chow Mein the cat made his usual appearance and pointedly informed me that he doesn’t like milk, even if it is from some of the best gelato. We were joined at the dinner by one of Panamá’s larger bugs (and that’s saying something) which had my wife semi-freaking out. For some reason she didn’t appreciate my suggestion of creating another pizza topping out of it.

The Bug, About 10 Inches Long

After dropping off Great Aunt at the David airport yesterday, we returned to the condo along with my mother-in-law, Tia Loca, and Tia Loca’s son to celebrate a birthday and Carnivale. When I mentioned earlier in the week that I wanted the Seis Amigos to join me for a mini-Super Bowl party, it typically evolved into a condo-wide party at the condo’s social area. I mentioned earlier that the condo had filled up. That included the usual bunch of teenagers, sans parents, who come to hone their embryonic beer drinking abilities. Far be it form me to criticize, especially based on my own history whenever my mother went on vacation, leaving Great Aunt and I alone in the house for two weeks (what was she thinking!). I mention the kids because they habitually occupy the social area after the sun goes down and play their assorted drinking games and insuring everyone in the complex knows they are enjoying their freedom.

Super Streamer Moves to the Beach

They were in for a bit of a shock last night as the adults took over the social area. The Panamanian couple of the Seis Amigos donated their television and I tuned in my trusty super-streamer to watch the game. It worked beautifully as the sun set just as the game got underway. The kids, their “club house” seized, flitted around the edges. There weren’t many people attending who understood or wanted to understand the game of American football but, as I mentioned above, Panamanian love to party. Everybody brought some food down and there was a young Panamanian girl wearing a Kansas City Chiefs shirt and rooting desperately for them (I blame Taylor Swift for that). It was the first condo wide party I’ve attended and it was a huge success. I haven’t enjoyed a super bowl as much since Atlanta blew that 28-3 lead. Some things can never be superseded, although watching football while hearing the surf crash nearby was more than cool.

Super Bowl Party

Birthday Girl

Finally, the biggest event of this year’s Carnivale takes place today with the birthday of my Favorite Panamanian (and necessarily her twin sister). She was giddy when I told her that her son would be arriving in a couple weeks with her birthday present from me, an Apple watch. We prepared a huge breakfast with all her favorites while she fielded calls from across Panama from friends and family. She was in tears when she received a video from the ABFA with the BRS and BR3 singing her Happy Birthday, beyond cute. I’m glad she’s getting to spend her day surrounded by family because that is the best gift life can provide (although I guess that depends on the family, but I digress). So, happy birthday to the owner of the most amazing flashing eyes I’ve ever been pole axed by. Keep them flashing mujer mio, Feliz cumpleanos mi amor!

And A Couple More Sunsets

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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 him her single days in Brooklyn; 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; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course