25 Year Ago

 So tomorrow is Labor Day, and we have plans to visit old friends Maureen and David for a barbecue. David has become quite the grill master in his retirement, and has a cook off with another friend -- Wifey and I will be some of the judges. We met when D1 and their D2 met in kindergarten -- Wifey thought Maureen was English. Close -- Jewish girl from Smithtown, LI.

We're all grandparents now -- their youngest lives in Atlanta with her Miami born and raised husband and little girl, and the oldest is a scientist in Seattle, living with a partner she met after being briefly married to a man. I'm surprised we don't see more of that sort of thing...

So tomorrow is the last day I can wear white. Ha. Labor Day meant more in the Northeast --- school started AFTER the holiday, and the life guards were pulled from the beaches and pools. It marked the end of Summer. Here, it just offers hope that maybe we just have another couple months of really hot weather.

And Friday night, we're headed to Jonathan's family's house for Rosh Hashanah dinner with his wonderful family. D1 is headed here, for RH with friends in Palmetto Bay, and then Saturday, we will have our "non RH, RH" at D2 and Jonathan's -- just bring in some good takeout and wish each other a fine 5787. I'll get to make my yearly joke "It's already Chanukah and I'm still writing 5786 on my checks!"

But Friday is also 9/11 -- and the 25th anniversary, to boot. I still recall the day with stunning clarity. I was driving up US1 to my office -- important settlement meeting. We had handled a fire case with our old boss Ed, and the clients were coming to sign all the papers, set up a trust for their burned daughter, and we would, of course, be paid our fat fee.

Wifey called. "I sure am glad your office is on the first floor. I'm watching "Today" and some airplane crashed into the World Trade Center!" Indeed -- we all initially thought it was some errant Cessna or something. I immediately thought of a tale my Dad had told -- when a WW II era bomber crashed into the Empire State Building in fog.

By the time I made it to the office, and we met with the clients (sort of trailer-ey folks from Broward) and got everything signed, we knew the incident was no errant Cessna. The clients left, we sent the staff home, and I learned the Ds were safe -- Wifey fetched them from Leewood and Palmetto Middle. Paul made sure HIS kids were fine, as did Ed. By then, about 1 pm, all 4 planes were down, and it seemed the attack had ended.

Ed, always the pragmatist, said "Ya gotta eat" and so we 3 retired to Morton's on Brickell, drank martinis and ate steaks, and toasted to whatever was to come in our nation. Paul always said he was impressed I knew all about Bin Laden and Al-Queda -- I guess I kept up on those things. We shook hands and each headed home -- to a new world.

Now, a quarter century later, the NYC mayor is close with those who praise 9/11. A Michigan Senate candidate is, too. Our ally Israel suffered THEIR equivalent of 9/11 on 10/7, and somehow THEY are the aggressors -- Palestinians, who gave out candy 9/11 on the West Bank and Gaza, and danced with happiness shouting "From the River to the Sea" are FAVORED by many -- mostly on the ultra Left.

Last night, a British singer -- forget his name but my buddy Dave from Stoke once called a "ginger cunt" had a concert opened by some rapper who rapped all pro-Palesting. Nice. Less than a week before 9/11.

The world is indeed upside down. The GOP has become 2 parties -- GOP and MAGAS. The Dems are Dems and DSAs. Some DSA called Hakeem Jeffries, a Black guy and next Speaker of the House if the Dems win in November, "an AIPAC monkey" but quickly added "monkey" wasn't to be taken as racist.

Oh boy. There are delicious ironies. A couple of Queers for Palestine useful idiots in Texas were killed by a true Muslim for being gay, before the guy killed himself. Who could have seen THAT coming?

I hope the future months see a move back to the center -- a political place most of my logical thinking friends live. I guess we'll see.

I know this November I shall exercise my new "No Party" affiliation. I plan to vote for the Dem for Congress (Elliot Rodriguez) and governor. I will vote for the Dem for governor (David Jolly). I shall NOT vote for the Dem for Senate (Richard Nixon's granddaughter -- but not really). 

There's an Amendment on the ballot to raise the exemption on property taxes, which will save us a few thousand -- many thousands later. I don't support it, but see it passing HUGELY.

And it IS curious to me. Our next door neighbor used to pay about $25K in taxes. The new owner, on account of paying lots more, pays $60K. This is common in Miami, and yet the local government still says they don't have enough. Maybe the tax cuts will force some more discipline on the locals. Another thing to see going forward.

But if you would have asked if the horror of 9/11 would have led to things in the US and NYC the way they currently are, I would have laughed. Somehow it's not funny now.

Be Fruitful And Multiply

 So I have delightful neighbors who I haven't seen in months, even though they live just 2 houses to our East. The other day I ran into the husband, and we actually walked together and caught up. His son, a confirmed bachelor high on the Miami food scene, was finally engaged. His daughter is a superstar -- we attended her graduation from FSU med school years ago, and she just finished her Peds residency in Baltimore. They're Persian, and she married a VERY gringo guy from North Florida who is finishing his Neuro training -- the party was a glorious mix of Persian ladies uulating and Southern folks having a good 'ole time.

And then just 4 days later, he and his wife stopped to chat as I was reading my mail by the recycle container. Every other Wednesday, I wheel out the blue container, and since our mail comes late, toss right into the bin all the junk mail from that day. It's one of my OCD rituals.

Anyway, his wife asked if I knew the neighbor between us, Elizabeth, had her second grandchild. I did, and added as to how I hoped they joined the Club someday -- our boys are the, as Wifey says, lights on our lives.

She looked downcast. Apparently the newly minted Pediatrician and her soon to be Neurologist husband had proclaimed they would be childless -- they looked forward to a life in medicine together, but with no entanglements of children. They also told my neighbor "We really don't want to bring kids into this world," citing the ongoing war with the pediatrician's ancestral nation, as an example.

The Mom said "I do not wish to be politically incorrect," and I cut her off. Two Muslims were talking with a Jew -- speak freely -- and she went on as to how, in her opinion, the world needs precisely the type of people her daughter and son in law would bring into it -- as opposed to the mass of less educated we will instead receive.

I agreed. And I reminded her the "no kids into this mean world" was nothing new. I recall hearing it as a child, citing Vietnam, Watergate, pollution, greed, hunger, etc...In other words, it has ALWAYS, in modern times, been a "bad" time to bring children into this world. But it has also been the best time.

It's so interesting to me. Pregnancy was, to my generation in younger days, something to be feared -- maybe an encounter of carelessness led to it. It seems to the Ds' generation, medical assistance with childbearing is much more common. In other words, those seeking parenthood pay over 6 figures to do it!

I remain an empiricist. And I shared this with my neighbors -- and they agreed completely -- whatever blessings my life has brought, they all PALE in comparison to my kids and grandkids. And my Ds get that, too -- D1 seeing it first hand, and D2, with blessings of the Big Man, will see it someday.

My neighbors left -- holding hope that their daughter and her husband would change their minds -- maybe after the son in law completed training, and they settled into practices somewhere, still well young enough to become parents. I told them they could borrow a Jewish tradition at their son's wedding -- a dance around the couple celebrating marrying off your last child. The marriage might not last, but in our tradition -- once you get there, you get to celebrate -- your kids are grown ups.

They LOVED hearing that.

Anyway, as I shared with Paul this am, I really CAN teach a Masters class in marriage. I was on my second cup of coffee, when the power went out. The FPL app said it would be back on by 1130. I thought about Wifey -- we're leaving here at 11 today, for early fetch of Little Man at school (Labor Day Weekend starts early). Wifey LOVES her am coffee, but if the power was out?

So I stopped drinking my second cup of black coffee, put in milk and the artificial sweeteners she loves, and carried it to her nightstand -- she was sleeping soundly. But, follow me for more great marital advice...

The power came back after a 15 minute outage -- I got my second cup anyway. So today the plan is to fetch Little Man. D1 texted a plethora of ideas for what we could do with him after school -- a park he likes, maybe Target. Nah -- we'll have Spaniels in tow, and just grab lunch, if he wishes, and then back to his house. He has learned that with Dave and Ippi, he holds a valid license to chill...

D1 will fetch Baby Man, and we will get some hours with them. Maybe D2 will stop by after her lunch with friends in the Grove -- seems LOTS of folks have early release today.

And then, as I told D1, we are on our way home by 8 pm. The Days of Awe begin tonight -- Canes football. They open away at Stanford, and kickoff is 9 pm EST. I will be firmly planted in front of the TV.

I invited Jeff over to watch, but I think the late kickoff may keep him home. I love watching knowing that Mike and Loni and Jeaninne are there, along with Amanda and Daniel, and other old friends. But I 'm happy, in my dotage, to be watching from my sofa.

So to those wishing children -- may it happen. To those choosing not to -- rock on. For now, at least, it's a free country.

No Appointments? Nice.

 So early this am I saw Dr. Rigo in his new office --on Kendall and SW 107 Ave. My dentist is right across the street, and we used to always visit New York New York, a pretty good deli. I've only been in the Publix there once in the last decades -- every locale brings back a memory.

My suegra's final evening the Vitas Hospice nurse left -- saying that Covid had caused a shortage of nurses. The problem was, Vitas had medical control over my suegra, and so the Palace nurse really couldn't give more morphine. Turns out when someone is dying -- morphine is pretty important.

Anyway, Wifey planted herself bedside, and I drove to the Publix to get supplies for her -- including a phone charger she had left home. But critically, I bought Publix cookies for the nice nurse, and sure enough, he helped -- morphine per the doc's orders. Whew. A few hours later, while I was actually on the phone with the funeral folks to tell them a new client was imminently coming, Rachel died. I drove back to The Palace and we waited for Vitas -- they sent a nice minister who had the authority, apparently, to sign a death certificate. He asked if we wished to pray to Jesus for the soul of Rachel. I laughed -- no -- she was quite Jewish. Would we mind if HE prayed? Not at all, Reverend, I said, knock yourself out. 

We left after Rachel's body was taken out, and I will NEVER forgive Vitas for that night -- I sent a few emails about how they pulled the pitcher off the mound in the bottom of the 9th. They never responded. Anyway, lots of memories in Kendall.

But back to Rigo. He took my BP and weighed me. My BP was normal, and I had lost 12 lbs in the past 2 weeks. Rigo was happy -- so was I. I plan to stay this course. Tonight, Wifey brought back pizza from a place next to her lash place. I had ONE slice, like a human adult man, instead of several, like my frat boy alter ego. High BP can sure scare a guy straight.

And then after a workout, I got flu and Covid jabs at Walgreens. And then as I got home, it occurred to me: for the first time in a LONG time, I have zero medical appointments or even need to visit the pharmacy. Wow -- like a regular, younger person. What a concept!

Other than some trips to the campus infirmary for flu and muscle aches after an ill advised tackle football game, I think I maybe saw a doc ONE time. For years after, I NEVER saw a doc, other than a visit with a GI named Guber to make sure some, um, bleeding was my birthright of hemorhoids and not something worse.

It's typical -- as we age, more docs come into the picture. Actually, I DO have an appointment in December -- with one of my TWO eye docs -- for follow up on a retinal hole and increased pressure. The pressure guy's appointment falls during our Euro trip. I can wait until 2027 to see him...

I think there's an old Yiddish curse that says may you become very rich and spend all of your money on doctors. 

For now -- nice to take a break from the medics.

Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away

 Ah, the great Willie Nelson song. He wrote it in 1961, the year I was born, and Willie is, 65 years later, still touring and playing. Wifey and I saw him twice -- in Lauderdale, at that cool theater they have there, and then again outdoors at a neat amphitheater in Key West -- a trip that ended up ushering in a whole new phase of life for Wifey and me -- but that's another story.

But FaceBook (tm) has this nostalgia feature -- they show pix you posted from years ago. Today one popped up of Wifey and me dressed up as a sultan and one of his wives at a nightclub in Istanbul. I forwarded it to Eric, Dana, Barry, and Donna, as the 6 of us are booked NEXT September for a cruise out of Istanbul.

But then I checked the date of the photo: 1997. That means it will be THREE decades next year since Wifey and my trip to what for me was a VERY exotic place. I still recall walking through the rug market (still have the one we bought, and the comically classic merchant folded it up into a briefcase size so we could schlep it home) and thinking I was freaking Al Stewart in "Year of the Cat." I had been to Israel, and Europe several times, but for some reason, for my 36 year old self, being in Turkey made me feel like a world traveler for the first time. I totally dug that the River Bosphorus is considered the boundary between Asia and Europe. I look forward to visiting again next year, this time with by BFF college buds.

Still -- 30 years gone by now?   Einstein, turns out, had it correct -- time IS relative. I recall well when I was a younger lawyer, active in practice, of the rare occasion I would awaken for some reason at 4 am. I would immediately fall back asleep -- I could grab a sorely needed few more hours. This am I got up at 4 -- and that was IT. And I didn't dread it -- the dogs were happy to see me so early, and eagerly ate their breakfasts a few hours before usual. And before I knew it, the dawn was upon Miami, and I left for my 3 mile walk in the relative cool of the morning gloaming.

Today Wifey and I have tentative plans to meet Boston Sheryl for lunch. She's my age, but with the energy of someone 20 years younger. She's in Miami for several hours only -- to get her hair did and then meet us for lunch, before heading to Boca and a Labor Day weekend at the Boca Hotel and Club hosted by her oldest Andrew. Andrew went to UM and hit it big as a Day Trader -- unlike the majority of his peers.

He married a lovely woman, they have 2 kids now, and live on the golf course at LaGorce. His life has been in stark contrast to his younger brother, who had multiple DUIs in Miami and Boston, and ended up in a tragic wreck where he killed 2 people and crippled their rental car van near Logan. He spent nearly 5 years in prison (in Florida it would have been more than 10 -- I guess they're more understanding about DUI cases in Mass) and has been out several years. He's doing well -- marrying a nice woman soon, and living with Sheryl .

When she tells me about the trespasses of her middle son and his lady, I ask her why she doesn't boot them -- Steven is late 30s. "Oh no -- I don't want to live alone!"

As Richie Aprille said to Tony: "To each his own." But Sheryl is always fun to catch up with -- her latest adventures on JDate, for example. Most of the fellows I know of my vintage have ZERO interest in dating someone our age, but Sheryl is never deterred -- brimming with self confidence. I like that in a lunch companion.

We met her nearly 30 years ago, too. D2 and her daughter Amelia were in kindergarten together. They kept in touch for years, even after Sheryl and her kids went back to Framingham after a nasty divorce. I took D2 and a friend up to Boston for Amelia's bat mitzvah -- now 21 years ago.

We met Joelle and Kenny, who were living in Sharon, Mass at the time, but soon to relocate to the 305. I still recall well hosting Joelle when she had her law professor interview -- and as we recalled Monday on a Zoom -- THAT was 20 years ago!

Again -- the time slips away.

My good old man news is that the BP meds and weight loss seem to be working -- my home machine shows readings either normal or just slightly elevated -- no more numbers in the "get thee to the ER NOW!" range. I plan to keep on this wagon.

Last night, Wifey's mah jong friends brought over fine looking chocolate chip cookies. I was offered one, and said I was going to pass.

Barry and I both want to be down 20 lbs from our heights by December, when we go on the Spain to Portugal cruise. And it turns out 2 martinis are indeed enough, even though the luxurey Explora staff keeps bringing them.

My goal is to have plenty more time to watch slip away...

30,000 lbs of DAY-O

 Ah, married life of nearly 4 decades. I know I am insufferable, but when I mess up, I apologize, laugh about it, and, if it causes any consequences, immediately do whatever is needed to fix it. Not "everyone" accepts fault the same way.

"Some people" find it VERY hard to admit messing up, and apologies are rarely true apologies. They are typically "Sorry...BUT..." followed by reasons for the screw up -- OTHERS screwed up more, etc...

Well today there was a very comical incident. I typically order our groceries via the Publix Instacart APP, and it's easy peasy, and almost always accurate. Someone else, whose name is not to be mentioned, is annoyed by the higher cost, on account of, I guess, we used to be poor.

Anyway, we typically order 7 bananas per week. Today, as I schlepped in the bags, I noticed something awry. Instead of 7 bananas, they delivered 7 BUNCHES. It's as if we were running the monkey exhibit at ZooMiami. I dutifully schlepped them in.

The person who lives here other than I was first to figure it out. Now -- these are bananas, not steaks or even expensive other items. But after laughing about it, I was banned from discussing bananas any more. I mean -- don't I screw up??????!!!!!!

So I took the high, mature, route and went right to the Sonos. I played a favorite song from my Junior High days: Harry Chapin's "30,000 lbs of Bananas." It is a semi fictional tale about a semi crash in Scranton, PA, and became a signature at Harry's concerts.

Boy, did I love Harry Chapin -- his poetry and fun music. When "Cat's in the Cradle" came out (same album as the banana song) I played it for me Dad, and he was horrified. "Am I like that???" I guffawed -- no -- my Dad was the opposite -- he came to Little League practices for me, along with games. He was ALWAYS there for me. But it was a cool song and once Dad knew I was doing a little music education, instead of messaging, he loved it, too.

I saw Harry play first at my high school  Geraldo Rivera used to be an ace investigative reporter, and he did an expose on abuses at a local mental hospital. Somehow a MacArthur teacher knew him, and they held a benefit concert at my school to raise money for the poor inmates -- Harry was the lead act. I still recall the show -- probably 1976 or so.

Fast forward to April or May of 1980 -- freshman year at UM. He played the patio, and I was in a great mood -- I had gotten an A on a big Biology 111 test -- had it with me. After the show, I asked him to sign it. "Harry -- I'm a Long Island guy -- would you sign my test?" I recall his response. "Sure, but how about kicking in a buck, literally, since I know you're in college, for the Hunger charity here in Miami?" I sported out -- tossed in a Fiver, and he signed the test and we shook hands. A little over a year later, he died -- on Long Island, on his way to another charity show at Eisenhower Park.

Harry was really the pioneer of the big charity music shows -- everyone knows he sort of inspired Live Aid and Farm Aid. What a loss.

Anyway, we now have LOTS of bananas to give away. Luckily they're green. We'll bring some for the Ds Friday, and maybe she who must not be named can give away some bunches to her mah jong friends tonight. Jeff is back from Connecticut -- maybe I can offload a few bunches on him and his girl Samantha, who lives at home.

As for me? I have to get back to Sonos. Guessing some Soupy Sales and Harry Belafonte will be played this afternoon.

If I am found dead, and bananas are inserted rectally and orally -- my family will know what happened.

Awesome Dinner

 So last year, a client Paul and I referred got an AMAZING result. A case we thought might be worth $50K or so settled for well over $500K. The client was an acquaintance, and though he paid a fee, wanted to thank Paul and me, and so gave us some generous restaurant gift certificates: $350 to 3 places. We used one -- at Bourbon Steak, and I told Paul to use the other, at Sunny's Steakhouse, for himself and Patricia.

Wifey and I had been there, and it was VERY expensive -- just go yourselves, but it never happened, and so Paul suggested we go last night. The trouble is, as Sunny's was voted one of the top new restaurants in the US by the Times and other pubs, it's a 3 month wait for a reservation. BUT, as the Ds told us, if you get there when they open, you can get a seat either at the outdoor terrace, with a limited menu, or the inside bar, with 20 stools, with a full menu.

Patricia invited Donna and Barry, too, and they accepted, but as the day grew longer, it appeared that their errands were taking too long, and so they bowed out. But we got there at 5:30 and sure enough, got the final 4 barstools -- I had my martini, which I have been cutting down on account of hypertension, and we feasted -- sharing 2 steaks, salads, sides, and then desserts for the sweet toothed -- not me. Everyone LOVED the food -- and with the certificate, only had to add an additional $250! A bargain.

But there was more. D2 and Jonathan had invited D1 out for pizza at Bar Bucci, right next door in the gentrifying Little River 'hood, and they came by to visit. It was crowded, and so we retired to the terrace -- it wasn't oppressively hot with the fans and no sun out.

Jonathan said the burger was a top 5 in the city, and ordered one for us to share, and the younguns had cocktails. There may be a guy who had a lot of steak and wouldn't touch a burger after he was told it was a Top 5 one, but that ain't me, as Dylan sang. I had 1/4 and it was indeed delicious.

So we 7 spent another hour or so, and savored each other's company on that lovely Saturday night. We had agreed earlier that there be ZERO discussion of health issues, especially amongst we elders, as we see the trap that is. Since 60 somethings and older see LOTS of docs for LOTS of conditions, it's easy to let that be the focus of conversation. Not us, at least not last night. Talk of prostates and hypertension were shoved aside in favor of catching up about kids and grandkids and careers -- well at least those of D1 and Jonathan, as they work hard for the money...

Wifey and I drove home feeling like we won Lotto -- what a night it turned out to be. The grandsons are in Colombia until tomorrow night, and when they return are  packed with after school stuff, so we'll see them Friday. Luckily videos of them enjoying their time provide a nice substitute in the mean time.

Tomorrow I have some pro bono work to do -- a surgeon friend needs me to help him with a matter where he's requested as a witness and needs assurance he doesn't become a Defendant -- we have a conference after my workout. And then at 5 a Zoom catch up with Joelle and Kenny -- still in Maine for another month or so, and we need a catch up.

If there's something better than a great dinner with sacred people to me, I don't know what it is...and last night we were privileged to have one.

Travel Insurance

 So this am I bought coverage for our December cruise -- from Barcelona to Lisbon. I used to laugh and scoff at trip coverage -- when we were YOUNG! Now, with manifold medical issues, and grown kids and grandkids, and all the moving parts of our lives, travel coverage seems a good idea.

The first time we WISHED we had it was 15 years ago. Wifey and I used my friend Jeff's Mom as our travel agent for a 25th anniversary tour of France. My suegros were going to stay with the Ds, who were 9 and 12, and we had a lovely trip planned...and then...

My late suegro was OCD about cleaning their (actually our) condo, and after my suegra had gone to bed, washed the floor an extra time. Suegra got up for a nosh, and not knowing the floor was wet, did an obese, 70 something version of Dorothy Hamill, but not stopping gracefully -- compound ankle fracture.

She had surgery and did well, but our trip had to be canceled. I called Judy and she was none too pleased -- reluctantly contacted the hotels and got refunds, but told me sternly that "the flights are NOT refundable." Hell -- even then it was over $1200, and so I called Air France myself and they couldn't have been nicer -- just a letter from a doc confirming my suegra's injury, which I got, and got an immediate credit. Judy was LIVID -- how DARE I go behind her back. And I was like , hey, lady -- sorry -- your lost commission is outweighed by MY refund. But anyway, we didn't lose out on the trip.

A few years ago, we had a Disney Cruise all planned. I thought Disney cruises were priced like Carnival -- ha! As if! Turned out they are MUY expensive, and one of us, I forgot who, got Covid. No worries -- travel insurance refunded everything.

And Wifey had a mah jong cruise on Oceania set, but her bad back reared its ugly head. It took a few weeks. but her company issued a full refund.

So I just this am paid about $1500 for coverage for December. I would LOVE if the premium was wasted. Wifey joked -- much of our early lives, $1500 more than paid for our whole vacation -- now it's just an add on in case we can't go. What are ya gonna do?

We have another big trip booked for September -- NEXT September. This is another Explora cruise (Big Man willing, it will be our 5th) from Istanbul to Athens. This trip was Eric and Dana's idea.

It's too early to book flights, but after I do, I shall go to my Faye App and add coverage for that trip as well, and again, hope it's "wasted" money. But Explora and Biz Class are not shy about charging, and worth every penny, in our opinion -- so the coverage makes sense.

I had a great convo yesterday, and the convo partner said how much she admired my luck -- I had only ONE stressful issue in my life. I now wish I simply agreed with her and said "Indeed, I am amazingly blessed" but instead I was honest, and started sharing some of the many life issues that indeed stress my a lot -- welfare of my nearest and dearest, and hell -- my own blood pressure last week.

I got "Wow -- I thought I was #2 on your list." Nope -- I corrected -- maybe number 55. 

But issues like spending money to protect amazing trips -- agreed -- not stressful. Hoping I get to actually go? Stressful, but now insured.