Weekend Bliss

Okay, here I am again, wallowing in self-pity because I’m back home and no longer enjoying the company I had for the weekend. That’s what happens when you get to spend time with excellent people. There just isn’t enough of it. The time, I mean. My Favorite Panamanian stopped cooking last week long enough to welcome our daughter and the FBR on Friday. They made the trek up from New Jersey to join us for a weekend at Hampton Beach with my son’s family. Since we were on the way, they stopped here for the night. My wife’s respite from cooking was short lived as she had to finish a second birthday cake. Yep.

Part of the Great Crowd I got to Hang With 
Cake #2 in Front

You’ll remember that last week I remarked about the painstaking process she used to create a fantastic birthday cake for our son. On Friday morning, after finishing the cake, she decided it didn’t meet her lofty standards and went about creating an whole new one. I kid you not. The first cake went into the freezer and will be used later this week when we return for my son’s actual birthday. I was left in awe, once again, at her determination. I shouldn’t be. Anything she does for one of our kids or grandkids must be bordering on perfect. The cake was sublime (as I’m sure the first one will be).  It was a beautiful summer evening and we celebrated with pizza on Deckzilla.

Friday Evening on Deckzilla

I promised my son an early departure Saturday to join him. He laughed, knowing the obstacles (his mother) I faced making that happen. She wanted to take the new car which caused me to laugh when I confronted her with the amount of “Stuff” we were taking, which barely fit in the much larger Highlander. We actually didn’t do too badly and were in Hampton by 10am. My son and the ABFA rent the same posh beachside house each year, along with the ABFA’s most excellent parents (see note above about the quality of company this past weekend entailed).

Greeted by BR3 Upon Arrival

Wife and I Just After Arrival

Granddaughters Opening the Spoils of their Abuela's Latest Shopping Forays

The BRS and BR3 knew we were coming but had no idea their aunt and cousin were as well. BR3, as she is wont to do, was keeping an eagle eye out for our arrival and reporting to her dad every five minutes that we hadn’t. She was therefore a little confused when my daughter drove up first. She ran to her dad and said we hadn’t arrived, but her Tia was in the driveway. We drove up a few minutes later to find serial hugs and excited cousins jumping all over each other. This was a prelude to the weekend as the three cousins were inseparable for the entire time. There is something special about cousins (a well know family maxim).

Granddaughters on the Beach

Granddaughters Selfie from Captured Phone

Saturday was a perfect beach day, and we soon found ourselves ensconced on my son’s saved spot. The granddaughters were in high voice and constant motion, dipping into the ocean, exploring the rock field for crabs, or climbing the huge rock breakwater. The FBR immediately learned the ocean in New Hampshire is dramatically colder than what she was used to in her visits to us in Panama. We were joined shortly thereafter by the best man from my son’s wedding and his family, which made for a very entertaining day. The beach was packed. My Favorite Panamanian remarked that a really well-endowed Brazilian lady with a barely there bikini should be ashamed of herself. I shifted my sun glassed view in the indicated direction and acted like this was the first time I had noticed her and mildly, but carefully, disagreed. Escaping with only one of her wifely expressions of exasperation, I survived.

ABFA Paddle Board Rides

The ABFA has a new paddle board which she offered rides to each of the kids. She was so patient with them all weekend as she was a frequent target for another ride. The FBR learned just how cold the water was when she tumbled off the side. All three granddaughters decided to show me their boogie boarding skills. I was pleased at how well they did in the small waves, demonstrating their prowess which was born in the much larger waves of Las Lajas. BR3 decided she wanted personal lessons from her other grandpa while the older girls rode the waves. My son’s best man decided this looked like fun and grabbed a very small boogie board. His efforts had us all laughing so hard I wasn’t able to take a picture. Ther kids all scored shave ice cones from a very heads up vendor who appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The parents spent most of their time rinsing the sand off the ice cones when each was dropped, several times each. It was a very fun day.

They Love to Climb Rocks

Beach Time

Ladies Recovering the Paddle Board for the ABFA

BR3 Showing her Tia Some Captured Crabs

The fun continued back at the house where the first of my Favorite Panamanian’s dinners was unveiled. She prepared dinners for both days we were there earlier in the week and unfroze them just prior to serving. The ribs were amazing. I’m glad her hard work resulted in so many happy faces and full bellies. Even the grandkids eschewed their usual resistance to eating what was put in front of them for a meal. The dinner was followed by the birthday cake (cake #2).  I made a major faux pau by forgetting to bring out Bonecrusher. The sword made the trip but remained in our bedroom, just feet from the cake it should have been sundering. It’ll get another crack later this week when Cake #1 is delivered. (I know. Confusing.).

Granddaughters Dressed Me Up

Kids Wanted to Eat on the Deck

Very Fun Dinner Crowd

For some reason, my wife thinks her son looks exactly like the actor Chris Evans, who famously played Captain America. She therefore themed the cake with “Our Captain America” which was hilarious when his sister (who may have been a bit of a bully to her younger brother while growing up) took up the call to needle him about it. It was entirely too funny to witness. Cake #2 was fabulous. My son’s best man, who doesn’t even like cake, usually, had two servings. After the kids went to bed, we gathered around the dining room table and had a lively game of Flip 7 which brought with it the usual amount of dry humor. A very long day but one of the best I’ve ever experienced. That was all due to the people I got to spend it with.

Cake is Unveiled

Cake #2

Son and His Fam

Wife and ABFA's Parents Enjoying Evening in Front of House

Sunday was supposed to be a washout with two periods of rain, but we lucked out. The morning downpour never materialized and we had another fun day at the beach. The ABFA was once again dragooned into serial paddle board rides from her admiring daughters and niece. The day culminated with the second of the meals my Favorite Panamanian had prepared ahead of time. The second line of thunderstorms appeared after dinner but blessed us with an immense rainbow that sat perfectly positioned in the living room’s huge picture window. I spent a lot of time this weekend near that window because my son was pursuing one of our shared fascinations, jigsaw puzzles.

Boogie Boarding Time

So Proud of My Girls

FBR Rides into Shore

BR3 Demands Personal Lessons from ABFA's Dad

He was just about finished with one when we arrived and I quickly finished it off, although I did him the honor of handing the last piece for him to place, since he’d done most of the work prior to our arrival. We started up another one which drew in my daughter was well. There’s just something about doing jigsaw puzzles during a beach sojourn that makes sense. The FBR, who treats going to sleep at bedtime the same as her mother did at her age, wheedled her way into “helping” her mom with the puzzle after saying she couldn’t sleep. It worked and I enjoyed seeing the two of them hunched over the table (must be a family affliction).

Inseparable

Rainbow Time

Abuela Captured Them

Post Bedtime Puzzle Time

We all celebrated the “Ballena Panamanea” (Panamanian Whale), much to my wife’s consternation. Last year she excitedly claimed there was a whale just offshore from the house. It fell to me to explain what she was seeing was a shelf of rocks being exposed by the retreating tide. She takes the ribbing in stride as whenever someone walked by the window and proclaimed her “whale” was back. We got to spend an extra night there as my daughter was able to have her Monday morning business meeting via zoom while the cousins once again explored the rocks near the beach and coerced the ABFA into more paddle board rides. This also allowed us to miss the usual Sunday traffic returning inland.

The Panamanian Whale Surfacing

Not Sure What was Going on Here

ABFA Leading One Last Trip to Beach

The photos tell the story of how much fun this weekend was much better than my poor efforts here. You’ll have to take my word about how life affirming it is to have had the opportunity to be part of this special family over the past couple days. Whether it was watching the Sox games together, laughing on the beach, playing card games, eating fabulous meals, enjoying the spectacular views, etc. etc. I just feel incredibly fortunate, yes, blessed is not too strong a term. There is something so powerful about having these special times with family.

Three movies fell in the A-Z watch, two keepers and one ejection: The Ring – still scares me, made the mistake of watching at night; The Ring 2 – so bad, you forgive a lot for sequels and horror movies but couldn’t get past just how bad this weas – bye bye; and Rio Bravo – the first of the two identical movies the Duke made, this one with Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson, young Angie Dickinson was hot!, movie stands up well.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Overwhelming Anticipation

Alright, I need some cooperation from you. Under no circumstances is anyone to tell my Favorite Panamanian that I, 1 – took this photo and 2 – posted it on Frail Deeds. Okay? We good with that? Fortunately, I won’t be seeing the Cantankerous Friend this weekend where I know he would savor the chance to see me skinned alive by my better half. I’m posting it because I’m once again in awe of the lady I’m fortunate enough to be married to (in case she sees this). We are fully in anticipatory mode for the upcoming weekend as we’ll get to spend it with both of our children and all three granddaughters. Remember, “Mums” the word!

My Hero at her Work of Love

The New Jersey bunch arrives tomorrow and then we’re headed to the beach house of the New Hampshire bunch. I count this as a serious win. My wife’s anticipation manifested itself, predictably, in shopping for the granddaughters and then throwing herself into the kitchen to cook meals and a birthday cake for our son late into the night. I’m not kidding by saying I stand in awe of her. She strives to make dishes that both our kids and granddaughters enjoy and injects so much love. The picture was taken last night as she worked on the birthday cake for my son. I’ve tried, not always successfully, staying out of trouble by running errands for her and cleaning some of the areas impacted by her efforts. It pales in comparison to her immense workload.

Possible Outcome

You’ll notice the large number of movies I’ve sent downrange this week. That’s a result of no date night since the big movie out this week is being saved for next week’s birthday celebrations with my son and my date has been decisively engaged with her tasks. It’s been so godawful hot and humid this week that time in the Man Cave was almost, but not quite, required. I mowed the lawn this morning at 7:30 before the worst of the humidity descended. The backyard squirrels were seriously confused and a little belligerent about my unexpected presence. If I never write on Frail Deeds again, you’ll know she found out about the photo.

Nine (!) movies fell in the A-Z watch, eight keepers and one, not so much: I delved into the world of Resident Evil with six pictures in a row, interesting to watch them all in sequence for the first time, Resident Evil – best of the six, with those cursed jump scares and Alice learning the evil of Umbrella; Resident Evil Apocalypse – Alice wanders out of the hive to confront the ongoing destruction of Racoon City by zombies, meanwhile I fell in love with Jill Valentine; Resident Evil Extinction – Alice is wandering the desert when she runs into old friends, both good and bad; Resident Evil Afterlife – Alice now wanders in a plane, really cool final confrontation on the ship; Resident Evil Afterlife – Alice finds another hive and more old friends (including Jill!!), some to kill, lot more CGI this time; Resident Evil The Final Chapter -  God, I hope so, all roads lead Alice back to Racoon City and a generous effort to close all the plot holes; The Revenant – great to watch this during a heat wave because it makes you feel so cold, nearly three hours of watching DiCaprio suffer (so that’s fun), still think Hardy could have taken him; Revenge – love this old Costner movie, a young Madeline Stowe, all I can say is, YIKES!!!!; Righteous Kill – DeNiro and Pacino heroically tried to save this deeply flawed movie, but can’t, reject.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Wow Sox

The rest of my miscalculated weekend was rescued by Keene Friend and the Cantankerous Friend. With a completely open Saturday, I suggested a drive through the countryside, which we hadn’t done in a while. My Favorite Panamanian, in a counter offer, suggested we drive up to my hometown. She knew she had played a trump card due to my predilection to enjoy time spent with hometown friends. I’m quite sure she had ulterior (tax free shopping) motives in play but I’ll take it. We arrived at Keene Friend’s house to find a spastic chipmunk doing the kicking chicken in his side yard. It must have gotten into some mouse or rat bait from a neighboring house. My wife wanted to rescue it but Keene Friend opined it might be rabid. That ended the rescue talk, and the little guy started burrowing into the lawn. I told Keene Friend it was kindly digging its own grave.

Keene Friend Surrounded by Knuckleheads

After that minor melodrama, my wife was executing her handoff of me to Keene Friend so she could head for shopping. She asked which pub she should pick us up at when she was mission complete. I told her we would be staying at Keene Friend’s house to watch the Sox game. She asked if I was feeling okay, basing this on her knowledge of my checkered history. I truly wanted to see if the Sox could win their ninth game in a row and wanted just to hang out with my feet up. I also felt honor bound to help Keene Friend rotate his Coors Lite supply so it wouldn’t age out. We summoned the Cantankerous One who had just returned from a two day bike ride dedicated to cancer research. Those who only know him by reputation would be surprised to hear he’s a true hero and raised over $8600 by himself while riding in this event.

BRS and her Legionary Encampment

It was a truly great afternoon hanging with a couple of my oldest friends while watching the Sox win that 9^th game in a row. It was also easier to carry on a conversation without the distraction of a pub crowd. I did my part in the rotation effort (anything for a friend). I don’t want loyal readers of Frail Deeds to think I’ve given up pub crawling (perish the thought). Part of our afternoon discussions involved the requisite reconnaissance we’ll have to execute in the coming months to prepare for the birthday pub crawl in November. In a side note concerning that event, we made our usual well-lubricated phone call to the PCR. He’s already winding up the excuse machine as to why he won’t attend the crawl and mercilessly threw his sainted wife to the wolves; claiming it was her keeping him from coming to the crawl. 😊

BRS' Adjusted Smile

Meanwhile my son’s family executed their annual two week deployment to their high-end beach house in Hampton on Saturday. We hope to join them there next week for his birthday celebrations. They sent this picture of the BRS completing what looks like a Roman legion’s nightly fortified camp while on a march. The kid has talent and before you accuse me of it; I have never discussed legionary tactics with her. She comes by it naturally. She also has one less tooth as she dropped one of her front teeth yesterday. I can’t wait to see that very fun bunch next week. We had a quiet Sunday at the homestead as my Favorite Panamanian and I watched the Red Sox win their tenth game in a row. It’s kind of scary because they’re doing it with pitching and defense, something they have effectively ignored for more than a few years. While I know my son disagrees, I think the trade of Devers is paying dividends. Devers was a malcontent which can be a cancer when you’re the best player. The young kids are blossoming since he left.

Four movies fell in the A-Z watch, three keepers and one, not so much: Red Sparrow – Lawrence can do anything and she effortlessly carries this spy drama; Reign of Fire – both McConaughey And Bale are in serious overacting overdrive but the dragons save the movie; The Relic – should have been a good horror/monster movie, except it isn’t, reject; Remember the Titans – one of those Disney feel good movies that sends a powerful message thanks to Denzel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course