And So This is 5783 And What Have You Done?

 We rang in the new year Sephardic style, at Joey's parents' house last night. As expected, it was a joyous evening, highlighted by the nearing 3 year old toddler playing happily with his 4 year old cousin Layla. The two chased each other, and played under the color changing lights Jacqui and Ricardo have in their back yard, and our man devoured his chocolate cake, leaving adorable cake face photos.

Joey and his two brothers and sister in law were there, as well as dear friends of mi consuegros, who don't have kids, but love being around our rug rats. D2 and Jonathan were at Jonathan's parents' house, but we shared photos of the two events. Wifey and I drove home very happy and feeling grateful.

On the physical issues of an aging man front, my hip area pain is finally gone -- replaced with the stomach pain that came from 5 days of Naproxen! I swigged some antacid last night and this am for the first time in years -- reminding myself of how my dear Mom was a devotee of Mylanta for her ulcers. The good news is that I was only on the stomach tearing drugs for 5 days and think the issue will resolve, but it shows the whack-a-mole nature of medical cures.

Speaking of which, my nephew of another brother, a major consumer of medical care at only 24, texted this am after an overnight sleep test -- would I care to meet for an early breakfast? I would, and so put off the RH walk for awhile to open up LOL at 7. He was headed home after that for services; I was headed home for walking in my 'hood services.

I truly tried to bond and get something out of attending -- but I found myself having a wandering mind and wondering one -- what did those women behind the screen really look like? That told me I would do better online, and indeed plan to hear Kol Nidre and YK virtually in 10 days or so.

The internet has a TON of shofar blowings, so I can fulfill that mitzvah virtually as well.

Meanwhile, I have some stuff to maybe do this week work-wise. Our annoying slog of a case to get paid on a case stolen from us by John, who I now call Fredo, is supposed to heat up, with Fredo's Zoom depo Wednesday. I plan to attend, but have a strong feeling "an emergency" will crop up and Fredo will ghost it. We'll see.

Meanwhile, the good storm news is that Hurricane Ian has taken a pasadena away from the East Coast -- we're just due some prodigious rain this week. That's a sigh of relief, especially since it may be a Cat 3, which would have triggered "Dave's Storm Rules."

After living through Andrew, a Cat 5, I made a pledge -- any major storm would hit my home without my family here -- it's just too damned scary. Cat 1 and 2 are ok -- but once it becomes a 3 -- we would have decamped elsewhere -- no mean feat, with now many dogs and 2 small grandsons. Fortunately, this one isn't causing that.

So the new year is upon us. Will the Plague finally retreat? Are the Dolphins really this good? Are the Canes really that bad?

I guess the coming days before 5784 will tell us all.