Fear and Loathing in Orlando

So on Friday Wifey and I were off -- to Aventura to fetch Paul and Patricia. We left Williams Island and got about 1/2 mile when Wifey remembered she had forgotten to eat breakfast. So we stopped at Mo's, and had a proper sendoff to Central Florida -- nova, eggs, and onion scramble for Wifey.

I hadn't been up the Turnpike since our escape from Irma in '17.  We stopped at Fort Drum Service Plaza for some Dunkin' coffee, and then drove through construction still going on from last decade to our hotel -- the Doubletree Downtown.

The place charged $300 a night and was worth every bit of $99 per night -- peeling paint in the bathroom, no working ice maker. But they upgraded us to a suite, with three views of the uninspiring Orlando Downtown.

Downtown Orlando is Miami 30 years ago. And Downtown Miami 30 years ago wasn't so great -- more homeless than cool restaurants. So be it.  But -- they were hosting their biggest Saturday in history -- major college football game AND Backstreet Boys at the arena where the Magic plays. More on how well they handled that later...

Rob came to the hotel and bought me a martini, and soon Elizabeth arrived, too. We got into Elizabeth's lovely new Benz, and were off to Geneva, Fl -- 20 miles and a whole world away from Downtown Orlando. It was the country. We entered their development, where 5 acre lots are the minimum, and passed two deer and a few dogs.

We were hosted by Jeannine and Ray -- Mike's sister and brother in law.  A nice party was going -- old time Canes fans -- Canes beating Gators in many recorded games was playing on the TV. And Wifey got to meet Apache -- the very smart Australian Shepherd featured on FaceBook.

We drank, and ate, and talked lovingly of Ed, Mike and Jeannine's late father -- and one of my life's great mentors. Ed would have loved the night -- new friends meeting old, all around our beloved team.

Elizabeth dropped us back at the Hotel Overpriced, and the next am our foursome reconvened -- this time to meet Dr. Barry and his family -- they had fetched Scott from MCO, and the 8 of us met at a fine place Elizabeth suggested -- the White Wolf. It was after noon, and we drank and caught up.

Josh prides himself on eating the least healthy food there is -- he posts FaceBook pix of dripping nachos and burgers -- heaping pastrami sandwiches from all over. We struck up a conversation with a portly fellow at the next table -- he was impressed with Josh's selection of sweet buns -- dripped in cream cheese icing.  Josh's entree came -- chocolate chip pancakes -- and the fellow shouted "Dude -- what are you doing???!!!"

It was a bit of "you had to be there" but the food shaming was hilarious.  Health conscious brother Scott laughed into his salad...

Rob left , with plans to secure a table at a Mexican place on Church Street. Wifey said no way -- if she was going to make the game, she needed to rest out of the sun, so Elizabeth, Wifey and I retreated to the Overpriced suite and Wifey promptly fell asleep for 2 hours. Elizabeth and I caught up about family and life and friends, as we drank coffee. She dropped us off around 5, but by then our group had left for the stadium.

We met on the railroad tracks, and walked to Mike's car -- parked near the soccer stadium -- and mini tailgated. We then boarded a shuttle for the stadium.

The stadium is an old clunker, sort of renovated. But our seats were fine -- 15 yard line on the Canes side, and we got to say hello to Norman and his men. Paul, Patricia, and Alex came down to say hello, too -- Alex's sister in law is the granddaughter of Canes royalty, and they were sitting with the Golden Canes.

The game was a heavyweight fight -- back and forth -- big hits and some big plays. Alas, the Canes lost in the end...but it wasn't too upsetting. The Gators were favored, the Canes COULD have won if they made fewer mistakes, and the team looks much better than last year.

Besides -- last time an unranked Canes team lost their first game to the Gators -- well, we went on to win our first ring. So we'll see...

Leaving the stadium was a clusteryouknow.  Thousands of us walked like zombies -- mixed in with busses, trucks, and wackos on bicycle rickshaws...It was pretty surprising no one died.

I joked that the NFL ought to hold the Super Bowl in Orlando -- totally bush league.

Poor Wifey is recovering from a bad cold, and still has a bad cough. The long walk back to Church Street really knocked her out. By the time Rob dropped us at the hotel, I seriously thought of taking her to Orlando Regional -- she was breathing shallow, and looked about to pass out. She said no -- she needed some Mucinex and tea -- and indeed she was ok.

I had gotten used to the coughing, and got some sleep, but was also in distress. I had jumped up in jubilation at a Canes interception, and came down funny on my knee.  We are both SO old...

In the am, I woke Paul out of a deep sleep, and we were off at 9 am for home. Wifey and Patricia slept through much of the 3 hour drive, and we dropped off the Aventurans during a torrential downpour.

I called Mirta, who had dog and house sat, and we met at Canton for lunch -- to compare our weekend tales.  Then Wifey and I came home to happy dogs and lovely naps, as the old movie "Sullivan's Travels" played on cable.

So I've had my fill of crowds for awhile, but the respite is brief -- the last show of the Rolling Stones concert tour is Saturday night. The good news is that Joe Robbie is much less of a clusteryouknow than the Tangerine Bowl.

But I'm totally understanding now why older folks prefer to watch stuff on tv to attending in person.

And as for Orlando?  If we're blessed with grandkids, I guess we'll have to pass that way again. Until then -- we'll happily host Elizabeth here...