Ring Out Those Solstice Bells

So today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year here north of the equator, and the day when the North Pole is tilted most severely towards the sun. Sunset tonight is 8:15 p.m.  I guess they usually have a big celebration at Stonehendge, but this year canceled it on account of the plague. So sad.

Meanwhile, we had a fine Friday round these parts. I walked over 9 miles, and took a serviceable nap while Wifey supervised the grooming of our dogs. Originally, granddog Betsy was supposed to be included, with D2 staying over  as Jonathan was returning from a business trip to Houston, but we called an audible, and D2 stayed with her man. They'll quarantine together, and then get tested late next week, to make sure Jonathan didn't bring any of the virus home from his plane trip or stay in Houston.

D2 wanted to be part of our day early Father's Day meet, but I told her it was no big deal. Heaven forbid Mother's Day gets short shrift; FD is sort of a red headed stepchild. At least it is for me. I made a deal with D2 -- she would promise to attend our Zoom happy hour. She complied.

I celebrated FD already -- by getting stuff for my kids. I sent D1 and Joey a case of Stag's Leap wine. I made the costly mistake of turning D1 on to the not so cheap beverage, and it's now her favorite. So I saw a sale, and ordered it.

Wanting to keep stuff even, I went online to Big Daddy's in the Grove, and had bottles of Hendricks gin and Casamigos mezcal delivered to D2 and Jonathan. And I threw in an early birthday gift for Jonathan -- a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue. He loved it.

At 6, I signed onto Dr. Eric's shabbat Zoom. I got to greet him and Dana, and both their kids and spouses, along with their granddaughter Maia, nearing 4 months old. Also in attendance were Eric's sister, brother in law, and nieces in New Jersey, and Dana's brother and parents in North Palm Beach. It was nice to be included -- it's a weekly tradition in the time of the virus.

I signed off, and ordered some food on Uber Eats, and then went to the library to host another Zoom.  Eric and Dana attended, and then signed off to have dinner before returning, as did Barry's sons Scott and Josh, and Scott's lady Samantha. D1 and Joey came on to light the candles, and D2 and Jonathan came on, too.

People came and went, virtually, and before I knew it, it was 9 pm. Barry was at a party in the Gables, to send off a group of PICU graduating Fellows, and said he might stop by afterwards. But the party went long, and we chatted as he drove home to Pembroke Pines.

And then came a small miracle: I slept an uninterrupted 8 hours. This is as rare as hens' teeth for me these days. I hope it happens more often.

Today we're going to pick up some food at Shula's, and then head to D1 and Joey's for a grandson visit -- also a day early Father's Day. It IS Joey's first -- so I plan to make him the center of the day.

It's appropriate that his first Father's Day is also the year's longest day: being a father lasts as long as you live. Joey gets that already, and for that I'm very blessed as a happy grand daddy in the USA.