Well I Was Standing On The Corner in Pinecrest, Florida

 So many of my thoughts relate to song lyrics or movie lines -- occasionally lines from books, or poetry, too. And today it was an Eagles classic song.

I had dropped off Wifey's SUV at the body shop, to fix an old dent and replace the side view mirror I caused to be decapitated on a metal guide wire holding up a pole behind our house. They said the vehicle would be done in a week. I told them if it went past next Tuesday, they would be storing the car until early November, as we were leaving for France on Wednesday. We'll see.

Anyway, I decided to walk home -- it's about 3 miles, a typical morning constitutional for me, but Wifey texted -- didn't I want a ride? It was a bit humid, and so I accepted, and as I came East down SW 132 Street, at the corner of SW 77 Avenue, it was a girl, my lord, but not in a flatbed Ford. Instead, she drove a 3 year old midsize Lexus sedan, and she was indeed slowing down to take a look at me -- the only walker there on that sidewalk-less street.

I might have lost, or I might have won, but wanted breakfast, so I had her open up and I climbed in -- and we headed off to LOL for breakfast.

Later on, I got the balance of my daily 7000 steps in, shaded by the late morning trees.

Then there was some more annoyance to deal with --digging up old emails for my lawyer to send to our opponent in the never ending fee dispute, and set up a time for the short completion of my depo. It's all why I titled last Friday's Zoom cocktails "I hate lawyers."

But it was also a lovely weekend. D1 came down with the toddler and baby, and we attended our next door neighbor's daughter's 3 year old party. The toddler is amazing -- he knew none of the other kids there, and jumped right in to the action -- bouncing in the bounce house, playing in the pool, and just being the life of the party. Many say he favors his Grandpa Dev in this regard.

Wifey, D1, and I were the only gringos at the party -- and they had paella, and we had a lovely time. The little guy got cranky, though, and D1 spirited her boys back home. After just a few hours chasing after the toddler, I was bushed, and thoroughly enjoyed couch time watching the Gators, Seminoles, Notre Dame, and Tide all lose. My mediocre Canes held onto beat Va Tech, so it was essentially a perfect college football day for me.

And our first big trip in years draws near. I had asked Wifey to confirm our cruise tickets, but doing that required the tool she never seems to locate: the 'round tuitt. So last night, I went online with Uniworld and did all the registration. At breakfast we agreed that I overreact to things, and Wifey underreacts. Hey -- somehow it's lasted near 36 years.

Wednesday we have a self, bon voyage dinner with Joelle and Kenny in the Grove, and then hope to next see them in a lovely hotel in Lyon. I of course loved the food in Paris, and apparently Lyon is the true food capital of France. Hmmm. I'm guessing we will not go hungry on this trip -- I may even enjoy some wine along with my usual vodka.

Also last night I emailed the Ds the information they needed lest our Iberia wide body explode over the Atlantic, or Islamic terrorists decide to blow up our river boat on the Rhone.

Wifey and my Ds have humored me in this way since 1988, when I used to leave Wifey the "Airport Pizza" file, which she so named in case the plane went down, rendering my remains looking like pizza.

Of course, my rational brain tells me I am statistically far more likely to be killed by a bad driver on the way to MIA than on the trip itself, but somehow taking a long journey focuses me more to make sure my survivors know what they need to know.

D1 got a kick out of my using email to tell her where stuff is in a wooden filing cabinet.

Hey -- my whistling past the graveyard has worked pretty well for me all these years. Why stop now?

Last night, Wifey and I ordered in from our go-to Chinese place, Takee Outee. My nephew of another brother Scott continues to disbelieve a place can remain so named, but I guess they're pre-Woke grandfathered in.

As we sat outside, by our pool and under the beautiful trees, I reminded her of how beautiful was the place where we lived, and why I feel little need to travel. "But you need a change of scenery," she reminded me, and she's correct.

This will be my 5th time on French soil, but first time cruising one of her rivers. As we get close to leaving, I am finally a bit excited about the trip.

I guess, before long, I'll be standing on a corner in Avignon, France...