Banner Weekend

So it turned out that Thursday was just the beginning of a banner weekend, one D1 called a "top 5 of her life."

Friday evening we headed to some new private club called Soho Miami, just south of the Fountainbleau on the Beach. My partner Paul's son and daughter in law joined the club, which is in an old Beach hotel, with different decor on each floor. The club prides itself on limiting membership to "creative types," and supposedly has a small quota of allowable doctors, lawyers, and financial types. Whatever.

Paul hosted a birthday dinner and cocktail party for his girlfriend PAtricia and D1, and about 40 of us drank and laughed on the terrace overlooking the dark Atlantic. Our friend Elizabeth was staying with us, and came along and had a fine time, as did Mirta, my now ex emplioyee (Stuart took over her salary).

Afterwards, there was an "after party" for the young ones at some club with a Swedish DJ. D2 got to go, even though she's not 21, and by all reports, all had a great time, though D1 learned first hand about the rudeness and excessive charges they get away with on the Beach. Apparently, the group had a table, which meant their guests were to be admitted, but the boorish doorman said no. Again --whatever.

Miami Beach isn't my scene, and hasn't been since they closed Wolfies and Rascal House...Although I do enjoy driving through and recalling the many family vacations we had there in the 70s... a time when the place was crumbling and seedy and you could still get delicious Jewish soul food at many places on Washington Avenue.

Saturday am I woke D2 after just a few hours of sleep, and we were off to see the final Canes game. We had a fun time, but the team was awful, and we left before an overtime that I knew was going to lead to another loss.

I started considering not renewing my season's tickets on the long drive home, but then, Saturday night, the news came that they fired the moribund coach, and would commit to winning again. So, we'll see...Maybe I'll renew for my 32nd season after all...

Sunday D2 left for Gainesville, and made it back after a 7 hour drive! Apparently an accident on I-75 north of Ocala slowed the drive to a crawl, but D2 and her dear friend Ben chatted away and solved the world's problems in a way that only optimistic but sarcastic college freshmen can.

D1 went on the inagural cruise of the Allure of the Seas, with her friend Perry, whose dad is an exec with the cruise company. The ship sailed just offshore, far enough to allow gambling, and apparently made circles as the passengers, D1 included, marveled at the ship.

They docked yesterday am, and, alas, D1 had come down with a bad cold, following this amazing weekend. I brought her chicken soup yesterday, and she rested, as she has to rally for her first graduate school final today.

Meanwhile, D2 called me from UF to report that she was approached by an evangelical on campus, singing songs with exactly the opposite message she believes --with lyrics like "It ain't ok to be gay."

We laughed together on the phone. Exposure to morons is a huge part of one's education, and UF is large enough and diverse enough to include many of them.

Today I'm home awaiting the tree trimmer Dave, who comes every few years in a bucket truck and trims the ficus and banyans and palms away from the roof of Villa Wifey --to keep rodents away, and, more crucially, to leave a clear view for my satellite dish.

This may become important and relevant again with my Canes hiring a new coach...