Adios Once...

We rang our 2011 rather well, in my humble opinion. Wifey and I fetched out of town guests Sheryl and Mark from a local hotel, and I promptly told Sheryl, she of unbridled optimism and always packing tons of activities into a single day, that we didn't have time for BOTH dim sum lunch AND the King Mango Parade. "Nonsense!" she proclaimed. "Just drive, David!" And so I did.

We ate dim sum, and were joined by some old friends of Sheryl's. Although she's Boston born and bred, Miami is clearly her home still, as she keeps in touch with more folks than Wifey and I know. We ate, and then left for the Grove, and got there in plenty of time. I apologized for being an old fuddy duddy. Sheryl, my age, scolded me for becoming an old codger at 50. She is completely correct.

The parade was fun, though a bit disjointed, with the usual satire. I had to translate for Sheryl and Mark, because many local stories, like the invasion of giant land snails, and drunk and partying Miami Beach police are purely local tales that were lampooned by the Mango Strut folks. We dropped our guests off, and headed for home.

Round two: great friends Norman and Deb came by, and we were off to the Gables, for a great meal at Ortanique, which I think is French for "Little Ortan." We feasted in the packed and festive restaurant, and found our conversation drowned out by 2 ladies at the next table. We playfully told them to keep it down, and the husband of one turned around, and it was a pediatric GI doc I know, who had moved to NYC. The doc, who I'll call John, since that's his name, laughed and said we were right: his wife and her friend WERE loud.

Norman's partner Scott and his fiancee Liz came by, with another couple visiting from D.C., and we chatted with them for awhile before heading back to the house for some champagne. As we drank and listened to my up to date music collection (up to date as of about 1997), Kenny and Joelle came by, with their boy Adam, and then Jeff and Lili, with their girl Alana. We drank more, and chatted, and shared each other's good spirits.

Norman and I were happy to kiss 2011 goodbye, for various reasons. We pledged to make the coming year the best ever.

And then, right before midnight, Sheryl and Mark and their friends Dave and Stacy joined us. Good thing: we had sort of forgotten it was nearing midnight. So we turned on the TV and had the count down, and kissed on the stroke of the year change.

The Ds were off doing their own things, with their boyfriends, one in Indiana, and the other in Weston. Wifey and I cleaned up to the sounds of my old CDs, watched by our two dogs and one grand dog...

In few hours, I'm heading to Joe Robbie Stadium, to ring in the New Year with a Dolphins-Jets game. Dr. Eric's birthday was last week, as was my nephew-by-choice Scott's. Eric was 50; Scott, 15. Dr. Barry is coming as well, so the 4 men will watch the game, courtesy of SunTrust Bank's corporate largesse. Their seats are 50 yard line, 25 rows up, so Scott and Barry can watch their guys in green, and Eric and I can cheer for and make fun of our Fins...

And the celebration is not done, yet. Wifey and I have our 25th anniversary on Tuesday. We plan to pick up D1 at MIA, and head over to our favorite restaurant, Christy's, to look back on days B.D. (before Ds), and days yet to come.

I wish I had great epiphanies of wisdom as the year changes, but I think the only one is to keep on keepin' on. Norman, Deb, Wifey, and I drove home from the restaurant through an almost mystical looking fog last night. We agreed that one way to live the best is to avoid negative folks to the extent one can.

Life throws us crap, and we have to deal. With the time we get to spend, give me the pleasant, the nice, the laid back --I plan to avoid, even more, those who seem to revel in the tempests in their little teapots.

It's a damn grand new year!