And All The Ships At Sea

 So I was supposed to be waking up this am in Nassau, about the Disney Magic, I think the ship is called. Wifey and I were taking D1 and Joey and the boys on the cruise -- 4 nights -- to Nassau and Disney's private island, where D1 had booked a cabana for us for that day. I had joked that I liked neither Disney nor Caribbean cruises, and as a grandfather was, of course, doing both. 

But fate had other plans. Last week, the 3.5 year old adorable toddler started a new preschool, transferred there by his strategic Mom in hopes of it being a feeder pre k to a very highly regarded charter school. He liked the school, but brought home one of the many fierce viral illnesses that live in those places -- by Friday night, he had a fever and felt poorly.

Saturday brought the runs -- bad ones. D1 consulted with her many doctor friends, whose opinions ranged from influenza B, which is running through South Florida, to simple gastritis, caused by some other virus. It was truly academic -- the only things to do were pedialyte to keep the little man hydrated, and tylenol for his fever and aches. I met D1 Sunday in my role as Leche Dave -- taking a large load of her frozen milk to our garage freezer, where it will be stored for a needy recipient Mom less cow-like than our thin daughter, and I sent her home with lots of pedialyte from the Walgreens where we did the exchange.

The hope was we could still go on the trip Thursday. Well, next came Joey -- he got hit, and finally, D1 herself. Luckily the world's best baby, turning 1 next month, seems to have been spared. So on Wednesday we contacted Earl, a family friend and cruise maven travel agent, to cancel the trip. Luckily, we had bought trip insurance, and D1 and I each sent in our claims. Hopefully they don't hassle us too much.

As of last night, all had recovered except D1 -- still feeling poorly, but I suspect she'll bounce back over this weekend. She was SO disappointed about canceling the trip, but I assured her the Caribbean and Disney will likely ALWAYS be here -- in fact -- long after our creepy governer, DeSantis, and his anti-Disney ways is a bad political history footnote.

Meanwhile, there was tumult for the other D and her man -- for the closing of their house. Some transactions among brokerages and banks were delayed, and so I gave them a bridge loan, which also took an extra day. The closing was set for yesterday afternoon, and the morning was a series of calls and texts to get the transfers done. The were, finally, as I sat having breakfast with Paul at a Latin Cafe near MIA, where we had met to do some law firm business.

All was well that ended well, and now our entire family is homeowners in the 305. I am one very lucky, rocking Daddy in the USA.

Jonathan turns 31 today, and last night told us his parents are having a getty for him Sunday -- Wifey and I may drive up to NMB and attend -- now that we're landlubbers instead of cruisers.

I offered to take the toddler and his family on a local Bayside sightseeing trip Monday if health permits -- sort of as a consolation prize for the little man who was so excited about his "big boat with the hotel" ride. We'll see.

For July 4, I bought tickets to the Marlins. Wifey opted out, and Norman is in. Barry and Josh are invited, too, though Barry makes it clear he much prefers NOT driving back to Miami from Pembroke Pines on his days off -- but maybe baseball on the Fourth of July will be a sufficient draw.

Meanwhile, it's Friday and I have my constitutional to start -- hot, steamy Pinecrest instead of hot, steamy Nassau.

As Rosean Roseanadanna said, it's always something...