Not the Greatest Day

So it was time to say adios to the wonderful ancient Labrador, and then Wifey had plans to visit her mother in Pembroke Pines. I figured that a grieving Wifey, already distracted by the business of aging, might end up a highway crash statistic, so I'd better go along for the trip. Just last week my friend Joel and I were having lunch. He's 10 years younger than I am, and living a charmed life. He married a loving but sufficiently eye rolling lady, who keeps him nicely in check, and is a wonderful mother to three gorgeous sons. Joel is more succesful than any young lawyer I know --handling, as he likes to call it, "international criminal and political matters." Anyway, the two of us sat having lunch at the Brickell P.F.Changs, and he asked me why we're so lucky? Of course, I had no answer, but this weekend I figured the cosmos was leveling a bit. So, fresh from a trip to Honey's last vet visit, we headed to see my mother in law. She had sent a letter, which the mailman decided lacked sufficient postage. So, she just added postage and re sent it. Ha! As if! She called Wifey multiple times, agonizing about what had happened, and demanding Wifey take her personally to the post office to see postal justice done. The nice Cuban clerk vindicated my mother in law. There WAS enough postage! The term self satisfied is not strong enough to describe my mother in law when she's proven correct -- a life long victim who, for good reason, goes around thinking folks are out to get her. Although Wifey tried to shush her, as the line grew behind, my mother in law was to have her day -- and the nice Cuban clerk, about Wifey's age and probably dealing with a similar immigrant mother, although one victimized by Castro instead of Hitler, smiled knowingly... Speaking of Cuban -- so next we visited a branch of Latin American cafe. Since Hurricane Andrew, Pembroke Pines has become as Latin as West Kendall, and it showed at the shopping center. The food was great, and, as I told Wifey, we had found a place loud enough so that none of my mother in law's comments would embarrass...Well, almost. Her omelette came without the toast, so she waved heartily at the waitress to demand her order be filled, and NOW! Then there was Publix, and then a return to the condo "on the vater." This is part of family lore, as my in laws demanded some years ago that we help them move to a more expensive Century Village unit on one of the drainage lakes. The whole affair caused a several year rift, and untold misery to Wifey, until, against my sense and sensibilities, I relented and bought the damn unit. So as Wifey and her mother argued over Medicaid paperwork, I ventured out to the balcony to see all the shades over the screens which overlook the "vater" were closed tight. My mother in law NEVER looks at the view that nearly caused the breakup of a family. Ah, life... I guess it was fitting that we grieved the loss of our beloved dog thusly. It's just not fair to get that many pleasant weekends... The day ended nicely, though. Wifey and I watched some episodes of "Sons of Anarchy." Wifey finds really good shows. And then we went to our library and played each other sad songs on our computers, in homage to Honey. Although Neil Young's "Long May You Run" was written about his car -- that one was my favorite... Dr. Eric called from Atlanta, as did Edna, and my sister wrote a moving email. Animal lovers really feel it when a cherished pet leaves the planet.