I'd Like to See Both of Us Fall Deeply in Love...

As usual, it's been a lovely time of year in Miami. Dr. Barry met us and the Ds and their boyfriends at Tropical, for Nochebuena para los judios. We feasted on fine food, and drank a bit, and had a memorable funny moment. D1's boyfriend Adam bought Wifey an orchid for her birthday, and D1 placed it for a moment on the welcome podium. The hostess took it and placed it on a table, thinking it was one of the restuarant's. D1 had to go fetch it, explaining to the diners at the now orchid-less table that it was a gift... Afterwards, as we drove home, D2's boyfriend Jonathan wondered aloud whether there was any place to get ice cream on Xmas Eve. There was -- the Farmstore drive through -- open always. We pulled up, and got 2 half gallons, along with chocolate syrup, and I tipped the Latina on duty on Nochebuena. We came home and dove in -- Xmas Day, also known as Wifey's birthday, I awoke and drove to House of Bagels, thinking they might be open. They were, and a line snaked into the parking lot. I bought a dozen, and some cream cheese and nova, and when D2 and Jonathan awoke at the crack of noon, we feasted again. Later, D1 popped over after her shift at Jackson, and we drove to Pembroke Pines to take out my mother in law. Wifey found a Japanese place open, and as we entered D1 recognized it as a former Brickell sushi place, evicted because of the high rents, and relocated to much cheaper Broward...My mother in law remarked that in her 90 years, it was the first time she had been in a Japanese place. We got her chicken teriyaki and vegetable soup --not even bothering to try to explain raw fish -- but we nearly had a fatal incident. They only had green tea, which she didn't like, and nearly expired because of eating without a hot liquid...fortunately she made due with the hot soup, which she drank from a cup. I gave her some saki, for the comic effect I knew it would produce when she made a disguested face. It worked like a charm. We took her home, and realized that, like my mother when she turned 90, the decline was in. Her A/C was broken, and she never even knew. The place smelled musty. The floors, wet with condensation, were slick. She produced some thawed out, sugar free bobka, which the Ds knew she'd insist they eat. When her back was turned, we snuck out and tossed it into the bushes. As my mother in law puttered, we speculated on the ducks finding the stuff, and getting the diarhea sugar free, old cake causes, causing US to laugh uproariously at the mental picture of these ducks with the runs desparately waddling toward the lake... So we had some laughs, even upon the substrate of sad aging... Yesterday my nephew of another brother Scott turned 18, and decided to make a pilgrimmage to his favorite restaurant, LOL. Donna called and she, brother Josh, and friend Tyler stopped by. We reminisced about Scott's birth and bris, the latter being an occasion that, years later, I discovered nearly caused D2's first fainting episode. Barry had given me the honor of holding Scott when the mohel did the cut. D2, nearly 5, wandered into the bedroom in search of her father -- me. I guess I never explained what really happens at a bris, and when she spied some blood, nearly passed out. Scott is no worse for the wear, as he's grown into quite a strapping young man. And his little brother is now over six feet, as well. They left for home, and Wifey and I napped in the gray afternoon... Today, more of the olds...we're headed to MJH to visit my father in law, whose brother Lou is visiting as well. Lou and his wife Sally are bringing Wifey's cousin Sandy, his wife, and 3 kids. We'll bring some dessert and sit in the former gazebo. Mirta called last night and said she'd be there, too, visiting Edna's Dad. So it ought to be quite the party, though I plan to cut it short to be able to watch the Canes play in their crappy bowl game, in the afternoon. Yes, we move towards a new year, which will bring some expected and unexpected events. I'm looking forward to all of them...