The First Night

After a weekend of schlepping boxes to Brickell, Tom's Movers came today and did the heavy lifting --they took D1's stuff to her new apartment on Brickell. While they were here, Wifey and I had them carry furniture around, as we re-jigger Villa Wifey for empty nesterhood.

Tom's is the best. We've been using them all our adult lives. Wifey's friend Linda referred them to us, and after Hurricane Andrew, Tomas (he's the Tom of the company name) somehow navigated through all the fallen trees to make it to our destroyed house and salvage some of our stuff. Thereafter, when we were kicked out of our hurricane refuge, the Island Club on Brickell, on account of our 90 pound Labrador exceeding the 20 pound dog limit (it took them awhile to figure it out), Tom's crew moved us late into Nochebuena, back to Wifey's parents' house in Kendall. We love Tom's Moving.

After the truck left, Wifey and D1 went along, and I collapsed into bed for a top 10 of all time nap. I slept from 1 to 3 pm, and awoke amazingly refreshed.

I took one of the 4 piles of clothes Wifey sorted, and boxed them for my California sister. She wears my Ds' clothes size, and loves when the South Beach fashions make their way to the Central Valley.

I went to the UPS store, and a helpful young clerk cut down the box, saving me 1/2 in shipping charges. I thanked him, and left some money in the Help Haiti jar, in thanks.

Wifey had left Brickell, and we met for an early dinner at Sushi Rock. We toasted our parenthood. We're so proud of our Ds. D2 started classes today, and has her first big college life decision to make tonight. Apparently, 7 separate sororities want her to join them. D1 is pressuring her to join HER sorority.

I told D2 I couldn't care less if she even JOINED a sorority, but at a huge school like UF this is a big deal. The results will come in tomorrow night, along with the Florida primary and judicial election results. I wait with baited breath...

We came home, and the house was quiet. I put some soft jazz on the radio, in D1's former room, which is going to become my library/office. We bought a wood floor, and it'll be installed next week.

I reflected back on the Ds lives, and all that's ahead of them. The spector of my ancient mother is around, still, as I have a meeting tomorrow to see about getting her VA benefits for assisted living.

But for now, Wifey and I want to savor these times. She's taking HER nap, and then we'll continue our date with a visit to our favorite frozen yogurt shop.

As John and Paul sang, now it's the "two of us, on our way back home."