Exhaling

I wasn’t sure I was going to return to Frail Deeds. The events over the past couple weeks have sapped whatever element of joy life is supposed to supply. Soxfather’s departure hit me harder than I could have predicted and it was something I would never have ventured to envisage in the first place. You learn a lot about yourself during times like this and as I try to move beyond this very deep emotional valley I find myself residing in, I was lured back to writing because (and this really surprised me) I seem to derive a great deal of pleasure from writing. I’m not the only one that would be surprised by this discovery. There are a couple English teachers from my high school days that would probably need oxygen if they learned about it. So, I guess you’re stuck with me for a while longer. My apologies.

Great Aunt and I at Reception

The past couple days have been a blur. Friday night had the calling hours for Soxfather and Saturday morning was the funeral. While those two events were not designed to be enjoyable, they brought home the context that we weren’t the only ones who truly appreciated who Soxfather was. It did me, and I’m sure Great Aunt, some good to see just how beloved he was, not only within the family, but with basically anyone who’s life he touched. I was positioned near Great Aunt as she greeted mourners and I swear 40 different people told her that Soxfather was their best friend. Think about that and you can gauge what a special guy he was.  We had to start the receiving line a half hour early because there was already a line stretching out the door which wasn’t that close to the room to begin with.

Soxfather with Appropriate Red Sox and Beatles Memories

Photo Collages at Calling Hours

I was so proud of my sister, nephew, and Soxfather’s brother and sister who managed to be supremely gracious to everyone who came through the line over the ensuing four and a half hours. The only tense moments were when literally every former girlfriend of Namesake Nephew showed up, many at the same time. I think he was sweating a little bit. The funniest moment was when Soxfather’s sister accidently used her maiden name when introducing herself. The person she was speaking to then assumed he was speaking to Soxfather’s mother and commiserated with her on how tough it was to lose a son. We spent the rest of the night complimenting her how well she looked for her ninety years.

Snuck up to Keene For Lunch with Keene Friend

Saturday morning brought the final event, the funeral. At Namesake Nephew’s insistence we had a procession to the church from the funeral home. I rode in the limo with my sister and nephew with a police escort which was kind of cool. One of the few times I’ve ever actually enjoyed driving in Rhode Island – the other drivers were so polite (unheard of in RI). I’m sure the police escort had something to do with that. Walking into the church was lot tougher than I expected. I was buoyed by seeing some of the faces leaping out at me, my Favorite Son, as well as Keene Friends 1 and 2. My younger sister and her two kids were there as well, although I noticed them later in the service as I started glancing around. Having people you care deeply about at times like that is so important. Presence has a quality. Soxfather deeply loved his small church and a former priest came back to deliver the eulogy which was pitch perfect, liberally laced with Red Sox references. It was obvious he knew and treasured Soxfather.

FBR and Remy with Great Aunt

After the service we went down into the basement of the church for a reception. Soxfather had been a true pillar of the church and the parishioners had organized a reception there. It was yet another testament to this amazing man because apparently the entire congregation volunteered to bring food. In a very funny moment, a very loud Hispanic woman pronounced that we couldn’t start serving food until a blessing was made. We were in a church so it wasn’t weird but I started laughing when my sister informed me the loud Hispanic woman was Panamanian. I laughed because the first thought that came to mind when I heard the woman proclaim herself was that this was something my Favorite Panamanian would do. I was able to speak at length with the two Keene Friends which made the day settle a lot easier. I was so impressed they made the journey south for the service, especially Keene Friend 2, who buried his own mother a couple days earlier.

Best Medicine

Digital Puzzles

After the reception my Favorite Son drove me back to pick up my car at the funeral home. It took a lot longer because, well, no police escort and the RI drivers returned to their native tendencies. We then gathered at Great Aunt’s house to await the arrival of Wingman and the FBR. The FBR’s first ever swim lesson had taken place that morning and they started driving up as soon as it was over. Namesake Nephew showed up with a gaggle of his friends as well as a case of beer and the discussion as on. We laughed for a solid three hours with these fine people. Wingman and the FBR arrived and the FBR was soon in Great Aunt’s lap solving digital puzzles. I know it’s impossible to see healing taking place visibly but I swear I could. Great Aunt later admitted seeing Wingman and the FBR had been truly medicinal. I knew exactly what she meant.

She Helped her Grandpa Too

I’m writing this from New Jersey as I get ready to board a flight back to my Favorite Panamanian. It has been killing her not to be here over the past week to offer her support for Great Aunt and the rest of us. She’s so good at that. My daughter’s family spent Saturday night at my house which meant a grandpa blanket ride upstairs at bedtime for the FBR. My back was literally screaming at me after spending way too much time on my feet over the prior two days. What is it about dress shoes and extensive standing? I’m willing to admit my age bracket may have something to do with the pain. The FBR, however, got her blanket ride upstairs despite the objections of her parents. The FBR knows I can deny her nothing. Medicinal, indeed.

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

RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Deal Struggle

I’m still trying to make sense out of this completely unacceptable situation. I was speaking with my Favorite Panamanian today and she expressed the same disbelief. We both expect to wake up from this very bad dream (worst of nightmares) and have Soxfather walk through the door. Reality is a very harsh mistress though as Great Aunt will be meeting with the funeral home today to schedule that ceremony. Great Aunt and I were talking yesterday and I remarked that this is what being depressed must be like. I don’t mean to belittle or demean people suffering with that situation at all. It’s just that the world seems less colorful now and I feel guilty if I’m tempted to laugh at all. I eventually get back to what Soxfather would want us to do. He loved life and family so much that he would be devastated to think he was the cause of reduced family laughter. He’s going to have to understand for a while though as we make our way through this struggle to deal with his departure.

FBR Creating her Card

My personnel odyssey of travel back from Panama concluded on Thursday when my Favorite Daughter picked me up at the Newark Airport. I liked the flight on United and was cleared through customs and immigration quickly since there was literally no one else in line. Six minutes after I left the plane, I was walking out the door and realizing I was no longer in Panama. When I eventually linked up with my aforementioned progeny, she was gushing about how warm it was. I felt like a wimp as my tropically diluted blood betrayed me – I was freezing.

Back in Jersey with Daughter

I spent the night with the New Jersey bunch. They had told the FBR about Soxfather the night before. She had a lot of questions but handled it well. She said Soxfather was her favorite person in the family and now that he was gone, I was being moved to the top position. I don’t know if I can handle that kind of pressure, replacing a legend. In an eloquent demonstration of her depth of soul, the FBR declared that Great Aunt must be very sad and she was going to make a card for her. This was completely unprompted by her parents. Depth, indeed.

Meanwhile, Back in Panama

Since my car was already parked in their driveway from our earlier deployment to Panama my daughter and I drove to Rhode Island Friday morning and I was finally able to hug my sister. It was something that had been bugging me intensely since I first heard the news. She seemed a little lost as she recounted the past week’s events. Namesake Nephew was also there so additional hugs were requisite. We spent the afternoon with them as we gauged what we could do to help. She was most concerned about the financial side of things since Soxfather handled all the family bills. I told her that I was deploying my family IT section, my daughter and son, to help with the situation. We went to the bank to get her access to the accounts and promised to return Saturday to address it.

Son and I At Mall

My Favorite Son drove down from New Hampshire Saturday morning and we all went to Rhode Island together. The hugs were again very medicinal for both sides of the embraces. We discovered Soxfather’s phone was hopelessly locked and we needed that to open his email since they were sending the confirmation codes to open the email to the locked phone. After a couple hours on the phone Friday with Apple, Inc, my daughter made an appointment at the Apple Store at the Providence Place Mall for Saturday. My Favorite Panamanian was a little upset that I was willing to go to a mall in her absence. She has fought a futile marriage-long battle to get me to freely go to a mall.

Birthday Girls in Panama

Blowing Out Candles no Longer Allowed

The Apple Store wasn’t a lot of help but they did point us to the nearby Verizon store which eventually got us into the phone. We had a lunch at the nearby Cheesecake Factory where Great Aunt and I discovered and became true acolytes of their cheese stuffed hamburgers. They cook the burgers with the cheese already inside!  We returned to Great Aunt’s home and the IT section took turns getting Great Aunt up to speed on both email and financials. They figured out the bills and sifted through over 1400 emails. Soxfather was very digital. I was so proud of the two of them. I contributed by falling asleep on a very comfortable chair as I attempted to digest the impact of that heavenly burger.

Daughter Taking her Turn with Great Aunt

Saturday night was a huge help for my battered soul. I watched a movie in the Man Cave with just my two kids. With the advent of spouses and children this was a seemingly extinct scenario. We helped each other by talking about Soxfather and generally just enjoying each other’s company. My son revealed that the BRS had also been told about Soxfather. Her response was to add Soxfather to her nightly prayers where she prays he will return to the family. These granddaughters!

Happy Meal in Mom's Absence

Sunday brought a snow storm which delayed another trip to Rhode Island but my daughter was in need of an appropriate dress for the upcoming funeral so I volunteered to drive her to the Natick Mall. This brought another round of condemnation from my distant spouse as she has tried to get me to drive her there numerous times with only about a 10% success rate. I pled exigent circumstances which I think she bought. These truly are extraordinary times, two malls in two days. I found a good place to people watch and read while my daughter was on the hunt. We tried to get lunch at the Natick Cheesecake Factory but there was an hour and a half wait. I guess the word on the burgers is out. My son had returned home Sunday morning which meant the Favorite Daughter and I were a team to watch the very entertaining Super Bowl together. We were in general agreement the second half commercials were superior this year.

I Miss the Beach!

While all of this was going on, my Favorite Panamanian was celebrating her birthday with her twin sister back in Panama. She said her entire family was in mourning for Soxfather since many had met him over the years when they visited us in the States. They set up a memorial mass for him tomorrow in David’s main church. It is killing my wife not to be able to be with us during this time as she treasured Soxfather which is kind of how anyone who ever met him feels. It snowed all Sunday night so I was a little pissed to be required to clear the driveway. Was it only a week ago I was strolling on a tropical beach and here I was shoveling snow! This was not the plan. I went out in my usual snow clearing garb but had to retreat inside when I realized the wind chill factor of 0 degrees meant I needed reinforcing clothes. That thin tropical blood coming back to haunt me again.

Uno Aficionado

And Puzzles

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

RECURRING CHARACTERS                                            

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Soxfather - One in a Million

As I’ve reflected on the supreme unfairness of this situation, I’m caught by the statistic that Soxfather died from a malady that effects only one in a million people. I know there are people who will agree with me that Soxfather was certainly more than one in a million. That would include anyone that ever met him. I met Soxfather more than 40 years ago in 1979 as I walked out of Logan after a flight back from Germany. He was dating Great Aunt at the time and we immediately bonded. I found the brother I’d been looking for after growing up with three sisters.

Soxfather’s life can be defined by several aspects. Sports in certainly one of those. He was a huge fan, especially of his beloved Red Sox, of all the New England sports teams. He had an amazing sports mind. You could tell him any date over the past fifty years and he would immediately tell you who the Red Sox had played and what the result of the game was. Amazing. He followed his passion into the work force covering high school sports for his local paper before catching on with the Providence Journal. He rose through the ranks to eventually become the editor for the sports section and developed a well-earned reputation for journalistic excellence and integrity. A whole generation of New England sports writers were groomed under his watch. What most people never realized was Soxfather was a supremely gifted writer where his passion and intellect poured onto the page and made for riveting prose. I encouraged him to write a book and that is another of the many things we’ve lost with his passing.

He knew newspaper journalism was a “dying industry” – his words, with the advent of the internet. He was one of the first to see this and transitioned to and helped launch the first online version of the Journal before returning to print as the editor. This experience set him up for his final role as an editor for the New England Sports Networks’ website. For many years he commuted daily all the way to Burlington for this work, an amazing challenge for a Rhode Islander, many of whom would consider this an overnight trip. Even more amazing was the way he did this. Much to the frustration of his son, Soxfather discovered he enjoyed driving in strict accordance with speed limits, unheard of for most New Englanders. James, you’re going to have to forgive him for that. Maybe Soxfather’s greatest contribution to the sports industry was converting Great Aunt into a fan, something I never thought possible. He started slowly but eventually convinced her there’s more to baseball than admiring the right fielder’s backside. For the past few years Great Aunt could be counted upon to know exactly what the Red Sox were up to and had spirited debates with Soxfather about their fantasy football team. Unbelievable. We learned we weren’t the only ones who treasured Soxfather’s sports acumen as he was inducted into the Cranston Hall of Fame.

Due to soulless corporate bean counters, Soxfather retired early but it was something he truly embraced. Great Aunt paid a price though as he got around to organizing the kitchen, including the Mount Everest of that effort – the perpetually overstocked refrigerator. The retirement also provided him to fully embrace another aspect of his life – family. Soxfather loved his family with a bone deep passion that was apparent in everything he ever did. It’s a tribute to the upbringing he received from Peter and Louise. As Great Aunt and James have wandered the desolate paths of grief over the past few weeks, they’ve been sustained by the fabulous Martone family. That was no surprise as, over the years, Soxfather would take time to visit elderly widowed aunts and uncles, because he valued them. I’ve treasured the time and people Soxfather brought into my life, especially Linda, Vinny, David and Cheryl who adopted me as an honorary Martone. My Favorite Panamanian is equally devastated by Soxfather’s departure. As we reminisced this past week, she had clear memories of her first trip to the United States. She spoke no English and was terrified of meeting my family for the first time. Soxfather took the lead and typically made a concerted effort to make her feel welcome despite the language barrier. That’s who he was. Soxfather came to fatherhood a little late in life but a whole generation of nieces and nephews looked upon him as a second father growing up. Jessica, Travis, Sara, Peter, Katie, Jonathan, Mandy, Sammi, and Michael – I know how much you’re hurting but you were so lucky to have had this amazing man in your life. Please make sure your children, in the fullness of time, truly understand how special Soxfather was.

Soxfather discovered a deep abiding faith when he came to the episcopal church. He loved his home parish and became one of the most important parishioners in the church, trusted with every aspect of church life. He embraced his faith but never proselytized even though his sister called his church a “cult”. I think he loved being able to connect to more people because Soxfather was all about human connection. He was a dedicated liberal which should have brought him into conflict with me over the years but it didn’t. He cared about people and that included the ones he might disagree with politically.

He had an innate ability to reach out and connect with children. I know my own children cherished their time with him during the three years we lived down the street where silly games were pursued by both Soxfather and the children with equal ferocity. The Golden Restaurant and the highly controversial Philosophus entered family lore forever during this time. He picked up this effort again with the arrival of a new generation as the nieces and nephews started producing children of their own. We had to impose a three knock knock joke limit between him and my granddaughter, otherwise they would have gone on forever, much to Soxfather’s delight. He passed on his love of sports to that collection of nieces and nephews, often being the one to shepherd them to their first Red Sox, Bruins, or Patriots’ game.

Soxfather’s ability to reach out and connect with people wasn’t limited to family members. He was one of those rare people that everyone gravitated towards. I know all of my friends and family are equally devastated by his passing even though they only had a fraction of the time with him that we did. Great Aunt mentioned the nurses and other medical personnel that administered Soxfather’s final time on earth uniformly loved him. He was that kind of guy.

As I said, fatherhood came to Soxfather late but he fully embraced it. The fine young man James is testifies to the time, effort, patience, and most of all love Soxfather poured into the role of father. Soxfather was a pillar in life for James to rely upon. Soxfather would proudly and excitedly recount recently whenever he got the opportunity to have one of their breakfast dates together. Soxfather always believed in James and he passed on the love of family that defines the Martone clan. The time together was way too short, but James, you had the best dad ever and I know you’ll spend the rest of your life earning the love and respect Soxfather willingly bestowed upon you.

Finally, we come to the love of Soxfather’s life which most defined him, my sister, his wife, Great Aunt. It’s not hard loving Great Aunt but Soxfather was so good at it. In these final few weeks, when she knew Soxfather wasn’t going to get better Great Aunt didn’t bemoan losing a husband, she mourned losing her best friend. Their love was a fixture in both the Martone and my family since they started dating. It is family lore that I had such a good time basking in the love at their wedding that I proposed to the first girl I dated afterwards. Thank God it was my Favorite Panamanian. Great Aunt related that Soxfather was so apologetic after he was informed of his diagnosis. Think about that. He’s handed a death sentence and his first thought were not about his mortality but about the love of his life. He apologized to Great Aunt saying he had planned on spending a quarter more of his life with her. Great Aunt, I know you’ve heard all the words over the past few days but you know in your heart of hearts that you were truly loved by this very special man. That speaks volumes about both of you.

I’m still trying to come to terms with life without Soxfather inhabiting it. I know this disease took from him, in his final days, the piercing intellect that defined him in so many ways. In time I know I’ll remember the good times and imagine him waiting for us at McShawn’s, or in his right field seats at Fenway, or, better, presiding at the head of the dining room table overstuffed with food, desserts, drinks and most importantly family. Soxfather had a generosity of spirit I’ve never experienced from anyone else and was the kind of man that gives me faith in mankind in these very divisive times. One in a million, just not enough, but so, so much more.

Too Late

I'm sitting here, mid-transit on my way home, and feel emptied. My beloved brother-in-law passed away last night before I could get home and give him a last hug. While I know he wouldn't have wanted my last meeting with him to have him bereft of the intellect that was so much a part of him, I wanted that last hug. Please keep my sister and nephew in your prayers as they deal with the yawning chasm that has opened in their (our) lives. He was truly a giant in all the ways that truly matter.

R.I.P. my Brother

Joy Search

It is not fair that today is BRS’ birthday as it arrived as the family in engulfed in tragedy but maybe, just maybe it’s medicinal. The BRS turns four today and was all smiles when we talked with her this morning and she opened the gifts we had sent her. She now has full Princess Elsa and Anna dresses from Frozen as well as wigs for both characters. She looked very pleased and gushed about the dresses. In a time we are searching for anything uplifting, the BRS supplied it with her innocent joy.

BRS Garbed up This Morning

BR3 Handled the Focus on her Sister Well

I’m still reeling from the news of Soxfather’s situation and am trying to find reason where none exists. I had to stay busy yesterday and that was easy enough as I wandered through the internet making the necessary reservations on two different airlines to return to the States. Hopefully in time to share some time with my brother. You often hear the expression - enjoy every day because you never know. Soxfather’s situation brought that home in no uncertain terms. We’re leaving the suddenly joyless beach shortly for the first leg of my journey home. We’re driving up to David where I have to get a Covid test and then fly down to Panama City tomorrow. After a hotel stay near the airport I’m flying back to New Jersey on Thursday where I’ll pick up my car and start the final leg by driving to Rhode Island. Please keep Soxfather in your prayers. I’m not sure when or even if I’ll be writing here again.

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

RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn

Distance

I haven’t been writing for the last few days for reasons that will eventually become abundantly clear. I have continued to take pictures and most of this post will surround those. We returned to the beach on Thursday morning with my mother-in-law in tow to find the power was out at the condo complex. That isn’t an unheard-of situation as the condo sits at the very end of what we used to call a logistics tail. Power goes out pretty regularly but it usually restored in short order. The complex has a generator which runs the elevator and common areas but not the individual condos.

Wife, Tia Loca and Neighbor Poolside

We waited all day for the lights to come back on and heard increasingly pessimistic reports from the condo management folks. Luckily the stove works with gas so all we needed was the ignitor which we had spares for. As the sun set we learned the power would not be coming back that day as the crew had gone home. We were desperate at this point because we had a very full fridge packed for anticipated visitors this weekend. Around this same time my wife’s sister, Tia Loca, arrived with her son to enjoy our darkened state.

Thursday Sunset Crew

I had packed the fridge with a couple bags of ice and initiated a strict denial of opening the fridge door for anything short of absolute need. I was reminded of the old ice boxes from 3 Stooges days. The ice was melting by Friday morning and the condo management guy suggested we buy a long extension cord and run it down the hall to the common area. This saved our bacon. Literally. There was an upside to the whole power outage and that was the night sky. Without ambient artificial light the stars just popped. It felt as if you could reach out and touch them. This was devastatingly beautiful on the beach with the entire horizon filled with the star field.

Candlelit Condo

Tried to Take Picture of Night Sky

Beach Friday Morning

We slept with all the balcony doors open but two mosquito coils lasted all night and kept us bug free. My Favorite Panamanian woke me up at one point because that night sky was dazzling right outside our open door. There are worse places in the world to pass a prolonged power outage than Playa Las Lajas. Our designated handyman showed up Friday morning to install our new hot water heater as well as a kitchen light fixture and fix a doorknob as well as install curtain rods throughout for future blackout curtains (we have way too much sunlight at times). We spent the day on the beach with a very nice breeze blowing. We were sitting with one of our neighbors by the slimy green pool (2 days with no filter) when I noticed the fan turning in our upstairs condo – power came back!

Finally Got Some Photos of Back Home

BR3

BRS Sliding With ABFA

BR3 Bundled Up

Finger Painting With Dad

BRS Doing BR3's Nails

Despite that marvelous night sky, we closed up for air conditioning Friday night. It wasn’t that dazzling. You know. Saturday was a big family gathering where I was scheduled to cook my annual Panamanian turkey dinner. Tia Loca had located a frozen turkey in Panama City and transported it to us. The power outage assisted with the whole defrosting situation. I prepped the turkey Friday night and put it in the oven early Saturday morning (after figuring out again how to start the oven). I was just about to head to the beach for my morning workout when I was informed the oven was out and as I was looking into that, the power went out again (!). Fortunately the oven was gas and lit back up without challenge although we spent the rest of the day monitoring it to insure it didn’t go out again.

Friday Sunset Crew

Wife and Tia Loca Boogie Boarding

The turkey came out on schedule and I was prepping the rest of the meal when the Panamanian ladies decided it was time to hit the beach for some boogie boarding. They assured me they would only be twenty minutes. The meal had been sitting and waiting for twenty minutes when they finally came back. I was not allowed to comment on their timeliness. I wasn’t that brave any way since I was seriously outvoted. We still had a lot of fun with one of the PanaGals blaring some American oldies over a speaker (power came back at five hour mark) which had Tia Loca dancing and singing along. Note to readers – Tia Loca is a MUCH better dancer than singer.

Lights Came Back On!!

We were back on the beach for the sunset but instead of watching that, a volleyball game broke out. The condo complex has a sand court set up and I’ve never seen anyone using it until this game. It’s been at least ten years since I tried playing volleyball and it truly showed. There were some seriously sore muscles afterwards. We ended the day at the dining room table paying that silly, but highly entertaining game of passing right, left, and center with everyone starting with $3. We played two rounds of that with high comedy the rule. The ladies decided to break out a bingo game but I demurred as the combination of meal prep, boogie boarding, volleyball, and beer consumption (yeah – I could do that again) combined to make the couch seem like a better alternative. I put in the latest James Bond flick and my wife’s twin sister joined me on the couch. I put on Spanish sub-titles because Tia Loca was boring into my beer supplies and becoming increasingly vocal (those who know her will be amazed she has a higher vocal level) My decibel blessed sister-in-law made hearing even the action sequences a real challenge.

Morning Beach Walk with Tia Loca and Wife

Tia Loca on Grill

Pre-Dinner Sing and Dance

Turkey, Obviously

Turkey Dinner

Dollar Passing Game

Bingo Girls

The 355 was the date night movie back in David on Wednesday night. This movie sported some of the best actresses around in a female-centric action movie that fell nearly flat on its face. I was excited to see the cast in action and they were all very, very good but the story made absolutely no sense and the action was nothing more than a regurgitation of things we’ve all seen before except a female was throwing the punches instead of the latest refugee from the WWF (is that still a thing?).  The action scenes were very well done but it seemed like a TV movie that had been gussied up with some A-List level talent in the casting but the casting only. Huge disappointment.

Sunday brought a huge change in my life. I’ve never fully appreciated the sacrifices my Favorite Panamanian made when she left Panama to follow me around the world. I’ve noticed over the last month how much I’ve missed being in the States as several friends and family faced some challenges. Keene Friend 2 lost his mother while Covid invaded some close family members and another friend battles a life-threatening condition. It was searing to not be able to offer support outside of words. The big one was dropped on Sunday though with news that fundamentally changed my world. It sucked most if not all of the joy out of this place. One of the people I’m closest to in the world has been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and is rapidly degenerating. It’s come on so suddenly and from nowhere that I’m at a loss and feel totally unmoored. It’s an impossible situation. I’m looking into tickets home now.

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

RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; 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; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; 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^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; 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; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn