Gainesville Again

After living through 4 years of D1's college experience, I learned that after a month, I suffer a bit of withdrawal. I just need some D contact.

So D2 left for UF January 5, and sure enough, but early February, I was feeling a bit of D2 sickness. I asked her to come for a weekend stay, but her Friday class schedule was too busy to make the flight, and she didn't see the point in driving 12 hours round trip for a short visit.

Last week she called, and told me her classes were canceled Thursday, and why didn't I come on up. I booked the American Eagle flight for Thurs am, and reserved a night at the Country Inn.

When they give out manuals for parenting, they leave out the exquisiteness of college visits. You spend time with the person you brought into the world, and kept alive against all odds, and laughed with and cried with, and who is now, more or less, an adult. And they're adult with 1/2 of your DNA!

The flight was uneventful, and I landed in the comically small GNV airport, where the rental car counters double up for lack of business. I got my Budget car at the Avis counter, and joked with the attendant that she at least ought to wear a Budget hat.

I picked up D2, and she smiled that killer smile, the one I know will steal a man's heart someday. D2 happens to be a beauty, and her eyes are amazingly expressive. Their smile lights a room; when she flashes anger, her friends flee...

We made our usual trip to Publix, where she uses my car to stock up, and then we picked up some printer cartridges. I saw some of her sorority sisters, and made them laugh with my knowledge of their latest web sites --one that makes fun of their Jappiness called "sushi with my girls." We had yogurt. We napped at my hotel.

We had dinner at a new steak place called Embers. It was great, but with Miami prices, which I always resent. At the next table, there was a group of UF MEd School faculty, with their spouses. It struck me how claustrophobic I'd feel living in a town like Gainesville. It's great for college, but I'd get extremely bored, extremely fast there...

D2 and I headed back to her dorm, and we found a bench under a Spanish Moss drenched oak tree, and we talked of life, and friends, and school.

She is so happy, and that warms my heart. She's enjoying precisely the type of college experience I had, where comical characters walk into and out of your life, and you learn in the classroom, but much more outside of it.

Friday, we had an enormous breakfast at The Flying Biscuit, a branch of the famous Emory U in Buckhead place, and I dropped her off at her dorm. I held for for a long time, as I always do when we part.

The Eagle flight was packed, which I like, since I want American to keep this service for the next 2 years at least. I feel like we have use of our private plane for these visits. It's terrific.

D2's due for Spring Break in 2 weeks. She's going on a cruise for half of it, with 3 sorority friends. After Break, she has just over 1 month left. Just like that, she's 1/4 done with college.

Today Wifey and I went to Dr. Barry's boys Bar Mitzvot up in Weston. Scott and Josh read their Hebrew flawlessly. Dr. Eric was there alone, as Dana is up in Gainesville for the sorority weekend we're going to miss.

Of the friends I had in my wedding party -- the ones still in my life --the kids are amazing. Eric's daughter Jen is excelling at UF. His boy Josh is applying to college this Fall, and his high grades and ability on the golf course will give him a ton of choices.

Barry's boys are now men, according to Jewish Law. Scott is going to be 6'6", and already looks ready for college, at 14. Josh is a budding musician.

Mike's girl Amanda is tearing up USC in LA. Chris has great grades and is a baseball star.

The next generation is well on their way...

Wifey and I came home from the ceremony, where we were given the honor of an Aliyah, a call to the Torah. We stood there next to Eric.

At the luncheon, Barry, Eric and I had a toast, with Ketel One. I recalled that we met when Barry was 17, and Eric and I were 19. The youngest of our 6 kids is close in age to ours, back in 1980.

We celebrated our greatest blessings, those 3 girls and 3 boys.

I wish the Ds could have joined us...