Quality Cousin Time

One of the Tables

I’ve written before around this time of year how blessed I am in the cousin department. Yesterday I journeyed north into the wilds of western New Hampshire to continue a tradition that’s been going on since the end of World War 2, the annual gathering of my father’s family for Thanksgiving. It started out in Keene at the house of my grandparent’s on Park Avenue and then migrated to Palmer, Massachusetts and the house of my father’s oldest sister. Those are the Thanksgivings implacably entombed in my memory as some of the happiest times of my life. It was to that house that I returned to the family fold at the urging of that aunt shortly after returning to the US in 1984 from Panama.

The Very Crowded Table for the Eldest

The celebration has moved twice since then with the passing of so many of those magnificent aunts and uncles and now resides in Hancock, NH at the home of that aunt’s daughter. The gathering was the smallest it’s been in years with only twenty seven sitting down for dinner as various schedules and surgeries conspired to keep the numbers down. We still had a fantastic time and maybe it was precisely because of the small numbers. There was time to spend with each cousin and talk about the past year and catch them up on everything that had passed. There was also the requisite pack of dogs circling the gathering - we're dog people to the bone. 

ABFA and Favorite Son Manning the Youngest Table

My Favorite Son and the ABFA also showed up offering some rare time to hang out with them as well. My wife, the ultimate people person, always melds easily into the group. Cousins traveled from as far away as Colorado and Minnesota to gather and each of my father’s many brothers and sisters, save one, was represented by offspring. While I’m worried we haven’t been able to reproduce the magic of the day for subsequent generations I think that’s more a case of a changing society where convenience has trumped (hmm where did that word come from) tradition.

Granddaughter Sliding with Wingman Yesterday in San Diego

The severe lack of youngsters is something that will have to be addressed in future years. We might be able to assist if we can convince the Californian contingent to re-deploy east. They spent yesterday in San Diego and were just getting cranked up as we were decompressing after the drive home. The annual football game was shelved when the median age of the participants was pushing seventy. Let it be known that I had brought my football gear with me and was prepared to play. I loved perusing Facebook this morning and seeing the different Thanksgiving Day celebrations documented. I think Thanksgiving is special because it is a very American gathering of families. I think there’s an intrinsic value in the tradition that future generations realize and hang on to.

My Younger Sister and Two Generations of hers Yesterday in Framingham

Some of the Dogs From Yesterday

So a day with time incredibly well spent and in no uncertain terms paying homage to – Margaret, William, Mayland (Uncle Chink), Annabelle, June, Pete (killed at Guadalcanal), Ted, and of course Bobby; the superb aunts and uncles who bequeathed such an abundance of excellence in cousins. The celebrations are not over as today we venture south into Rhode Island to continue a Thanksgiving tradition by gathering at my sister’s house. Party on!

She's a Hugger

And a Laugher!

Fired Up

Basket of Fun

Now that my Favorite Panamanian has edged the house into the leading verge of acceptability, cleanliness wise, she started looking around for things I should be doing. Since she is a typical Panamanian when it comes to cold weather (hates it with a white hot passion) she focused on the living room fireplace. It’s one of those gas fireplaces that can be turned on by throwing a switch. The prior owners of the house had shut off the pilot light for the summer so I had to figure out how to ignite that.

Fire + No Explosion = Win

It didn’t help that I saw a couple recent news stories about houses blowing up due to gas leaks and the instructions, conveniently tied to the controls, were laced with admonitions of the dangers involved in gas explosions if not followed explicitly. I’d like to comment here that the instructions should be a lot less obscure when we are worried about explosions. Somehow, against all betting lines, I was able to figure it out (though not on first try) and my wife spent a couple hours curled up in front of the fire catching up telephonically with the widespread Panamanian mafia.

We went on to see a movie; yes, I had a date for date night! We went to see The Edge of Seventeen which was very, very good. Looking from the outside you’d think this was another in the long line of teen coming of age dramedies which rely heavily on typecasting and formulaic, angst ridden plots. This was so much more. It felt very true, especially with the teen relationships, whether sister-brother or friends. It was also incredibly funny with each actor allowed her/his space without going over the top. Hailee Steinfeld continues her remarkable young career as the lead actress. She plays a self-centered brat who somehow comes across as truly likable. I’m still trying to figure out how she carried that off. Blake Jenner followed up his lead turn in Everybody Wants Some as the older, seemingly perfect older brother but again, with some true depth. My favorite supporting actor however was Hayden Szeto, as the bumbling nervous schoolmate who worships Steinfeld only to be blissfully ignored (been there, done that during my own high school years). I guess that’s what I really liked about the movie. I think everyone will be able to pick out a situation that resonates with them from their own experience. It wasn’t a caricature and it didn’t have to be to be funny and poignant.

So Cool

We returned home for a hasty FaceTime call with the granddaughter. We caught her just gearing up for bed following her bath and she provided the usual spark as her mother wrestled her into her sleep suit. I don’t know how grandparents survived geographic separation before the advent of video calls. I’m so glad I don’t have to suffer without seeing her as well as the Cali-Daughter, Wingman, Favorite Son and ABFA regularly.

Reached

How do I FaceTime with Grandpa on This?

My first day back at work with a wife in residence and it made all the difference in the world. Well, that may be a bit of an exaggeration but it was awfully nice and decidedly less lonely, even with the suddenly supervised portion that is always attendant to her presence. She’s hard at work returning the house to acceptable (read pristine) condition which is bad news for a certain black lab and a retired Army colonel. We both have had to tread lightly and try not to shed too much.

Wife in Action 

We Facetimed with both sets of progeny and their significant others last night which was a blast, at least for us. The grandpuppy continues to be seriously spoiled and doesn’t want to leave the side of the ABFA (but who would?). He had his first taste of snow which was initially confusing but like most goldens he was soon frolicking. 

Riggins Sampling Snow for First Time

No such issues out in California where they were shaking off the effects of a rare rain storm the day prior. We caught the First Blog Reader in mid-slide at the neighborhood playground. She requested (actually it was her mother) that we reconvene when she was through dominating the playground. During the later call she was in constant motion from one side of the apartment to the other, only pausing to assess the likelihood of a quick thrust towards the cat. It was highly entertaining although I did commit a serious breach of etiquette (certainly not my first) when I mentioned she looked tired and asked her if she was ready for bed. My daughter indicated this always put her in a bad mood as she didn’t like going to bed. This was of course totally distinctive of my daughter herself who fought sleep like it was her worst enemy. She was immediately (and repeatedly any time there is a sleep issue) reminded of this history. Once of the coolest things about being a grandparent is seeing (from a distance) your children dealing with the same issues that were so vexing during their own toddlerhood.

Helping Her Dad 

I finally knocked off the latest Jack Reacher story by Lee Child, Night School. The fact that I used the word “finally” when talking about a Reacher novel should tell you something is amiss as I usually devour these books, reading late into the night if needed. This was the first of Child’s fantastic series that I didn’t love unconditionally (hey, I’m a book nerd). I think part of the problem was the setting as this is a prequel story with Reacher still in the Army before he started out on his legendary post-Army crisscrossing of the States. He’s called upon by the highest levels of the US government to investigate a mysterious terrorist deal which has Reacher breaking noses and following a thin thread in Hamburg, Germany. Reacher, of course, eventually solves the crime despite the interference by a neo-Nazi clan and meets a lady along the way (he is Reacher). The second half was remarkably better than the first but this wasn’t a total gas the way all of the earlier entries were. I hope it doesn’t mark the end of Reacher’s literary ascendency. If it does, I’m going to blame Tom Cruise for making him too main stream.

Frigid Deck and Sunday Lectures

Directing Operations at Home Again

After a fabulous Saturday where I spent the entire day outside enjoying autumn’s last gasp, New England reminded me in no uncertain terms what is inbound. At half time of the Patriots’ game I rushed to put Buddy outside for one of his constitutionals and almost killed myself. It had been spitting rain and snow flakes all day but I was wholly unprepared for a deck coated in ice. My wife heard my yelp as I performed some gyrations which I’m sure would have been severely penalized by the East German judge. However ungainly my performance I did avoid the face plant on the frozen deck that seemed imminent at the outset. Buddy seemed amused; he did much better, being equipped with those damned claws that have inflicted so many wounds.

Buddy and the Frozen Deckzilla

It was nice and decidedly less stressful Sunday than during my wife’s absence as she assumed a number of the duties that I had to accomplish in her absence. I paid for it with a renewed vigor to attend Sunday mass and through several lectures on the state of cleanliness in the house. You’ll recall she promised no retaliation when she instructed me to cease cleaning operations prior to her arrival. This promise was no match for the some of the situations she has encountered, apparently.

It was still so good to have her by my side in the Man Cave as we watched the Patriots dismantle a bad 49ers team in a driving rain by San Francisco Bay. It was a strange game with the Pats seemingly dominant and also vulnerable at times. I got the impression Belichick was tinkering with his defense because he could afford to against an inferior foe. At least that’s what I hope I saw. My wife took the opportunity to comment on my collection of birthday gifted movies. A huge stack that will require an investment of time I probably won’t have until 2017.

The Movie Stack

A true highlight for the day was the FaceTime cal with California. All have transitioned back to health and the First Blog Reader was in fine form with her assortment of faces and dedicated peek a boo play. She also tried to steal Wingman’s dinner after she saw that he was eating something she liked. She was in constant motion for the entire call which is the best indicator of her feeling better. 

Wearing socks as Gloves is her Latest Fashion Statement

A Real Fashionista

Yard Day Re-Orientation

Last Day in Music Class Yesterday, Daughter in Background

My wife complained a lot about the tropical rains she had to deal with during the height of the Panamanian rainy season she just left. It was therefore appropriate she was blessed with a near perfect New England autumn day yesterday for her first full day back in the US. Of course the temperatures didn’t get above the fifties so there was that. I told her the weathermen are predicting a definite turn for cold weather to welcome her home. We even had snowflakes flying this morning. I think the tropical rains aren’t looking so bad now.

Giving Music teacher a Goodbye Hug

It was so fulfilling having her back in the house though. She had to truly fight the urge when she saw some of the aftermath of forbidding me to do a thorough house cleaning. Every time she started to point out a shortcoming I would remind her of her edict. She was most concerned about the state of the microwave and how anyone could use it in its present state to prepare food. I didn’t say I escaped without comment. She still hasn’t discovered the broken sangria pitcher, something my son almost pointed out to her during a call yesterday.

Front Yard Before Electric Mower

And After

Since this was one of the last nice days outside I spent a good deal of the day outside removing leaves. I actually shook the small tree out front so most of the leaves would fall. I once again used the electric lawn mower which does a fantastic job vacuuming up leaves. My wife seeing me outside came out to direct the planting of some mums that were on their last breaths on the porch and deck.

On the Drum

I received a steady stream of late arriving birthday presents yesterday including the haul of old time movies from the gift card my Favorite Son gave me. I have a healthy stack of movies now that I probably won’t get through until my wife’s net Panamanian sojourn. The best gift however arrived late in the day from my daughter and Wingman. When I, in a fit of complete stupidity, lost my IPad a few weeks ago I also lost the cover which featured a beautiful picture of the First Blog Reader.

My New IPad Cover in all its Awesomeness

Every time I used my new IPad I mourned again the loss of that cover. You can probably guess by now that the gift I received yesterday was a replacement cover and it once again featured photographic evidence of my granddaughter’s perfection. I was reduced to an awkward puddle when I opened it and saw the pictures. It didn’t hurt that one of the pictures featured her in my arms.

We went to the movies last night after my wife bundled up in a heavy down parka to confront the 57 degree temperatures. We went to see Billy Lynne’s Long Halftime Walk. I was interested to see what Ang Lee would do with a topical war story since he’s so visual. I was disappointed on that level because this was pretty straight forward as he looks at the Iraqi War from both sides. He truly captures the rhythms and interpersonal relationships of an infantry squad which surprised me. I also liked the paper thin “patriotic” support most Soldiers can see straight through that was the ultimate message of the film. I was most impressed with Garret Hedlund who was perfect as the squad leader. Joe Allywn as the title character wasn’t called on to do much more than cry on cue but he was also very good. The movie was a lot deeper than a surface viewing although Steve Martin trying to be a Texas millionaire was a stretch of immense proportion.