Chilly Gainesville

So it was D2's sorority's family weekend, and she invited us up to UF, but not for the official event. Like most college juniors, the bloom has left the rose of the whole Greek thing, and so we just used the event as an excuse to visit the absurdly located campus. Wifey's back reared its head, and prevented a drive, so we flew up on American Eagle. We left Friday, and Wifey, as usual, fell into a deep sleep on the commuter jet. A huge cold front was moving down the state, and the 50 seat jet bounced around like a cork in the sea. Finally, past Ocala, things smoothed, and we descended into Gainesville. We swooped over the campus, close enough that I could give a virtual finger to the Swamp, and were about to land, when the pilot gunned the engines and ascended rapidly. Turns out a small plane was on the runway. Wifey missed it -- I told her later that she nearly slept through her own death! A smiling D2 fetched us, and took us to Yellow House, which Wifey hadn't yet seen. We hung around with roomie Ali, and met Estelle, an able replacement for world trotting Ashley this semester. Catherine was back in Miami for her friend's mother's too early funeral -- a lady gone in her early 50s from breast cancer... We decamped to Embers, and met D2's friend Jonathan. We shared the best dinner ever in Gville -- Embers is, in my studied opiniom, the best place to eat in town. We shared a NY Strip, stuffed organic chicken breast, and, Wifey's favorite, salmon. Jonathan's an impressive young man -- born in Caracas to a Jewish family, and raised in Miami. He's getting a Master's in accounting, and wants to do international tax consulting -- with a great internship already waiting for him this summer... Wifey and I returned to the hotel so the younguns could go out, and Saturday D2 fetched us again and we headed to Haille Plantation -- an upscale town just West of Gainesville. They have a nice town center, and were hosting a farmer's market and antique car show. I chatted with the owner of a '56 Chrysler New Yorker -- always owned by his family, originally from New York. We sampled the market goods and then met Carly and her family and Ali and her family, as well as Hannah and her mother. We had a lovely brunch at Sisters -- a place that reminded me of the diner from "Gilmore Girls." From there Wifey, D2 and I saw a matinee of "Side Effects," which was ok, and then headed back to Yellow House where Wifey and D2 napped -- cuddled up like they used to on a couch, while I watched college sports. We shared a late pizza at Big Lou's. I asked the nose pierced waitress if there WAS a big Lou. She told me there was, but he was normal sized. We all agreed that "Average Lou's" wasn't at all a good name for a pizza place... We hugged goodbye, and Wifey and I fell asleep watching "Hawai" on tv. We had to rise at 4:15 am for our early flight back. The flight home was smooth, and we flew across the Everglades and turned back to the West, descending over Miami Beach, and Biscayne Bay, and then passing Downtown. Each time I see home, I feel privileged to live here -- especially on such a gorgeous, bright, and crisp Winter morning. We drove home and met D1, who happily house and dog sat, and then I took an epic nap. Wifey and I then drove to Hallandale for a shiva call -- her friend Jeannette's uncle Al died after a fall, and then headed back to Brickell. D1 hosted a surprise 25th birthday party for her boyfriend, and some of his law school friends gathered at Blue Martini. Joel had a great time, and the Canes gave him a terrific gift --beating Clemson at the last second. Wifey and I walked the 3 blocks back to my car in my building -- wondering how time had warped so. Wifey threw a surprise 24th birthday party for me when I was in law school. How was I 24 less than 10 years ago, according to my inner clock, when my driver's license says I'm closing in on 52? I wish Einstein was around to consult...