Pretty Young Cousins

Wifey's father has one surviving brother, Lou, who is near 90 and still very full of life. Lou and his wife Sally have 2 sons, Wifey's cousins, Sandy and Mark.

We like Sandy and Mark and their families a lot, but usually see them just once a year, even though Sandy and Felicity and their 3 kids live in Weston. Mark and Sue live on LI.

Well, Saturday night was the double Bat Mitzvah (Mitzvot) of Sandy and Felicity's twins: Hannah and Rachel. We fetched my father in law, who, to our surprise, was up to the event. He's very slowed by age, and rarely goes out, but I guess decided he was NOT going to miss his brother's major simcha...

It was D2's final night in town, before leaving for UF, and after we picked up D1 we sort of questioned whether we wanted to spend the evening at a kids' party. It turned out fine.

After circling in the dark wilds of Weston, we found the Reform Temple. D1 and I got ourselves a few cocktails, and we greeted the family. Mark and Susan's three sons are all grown and fine young men, living and working in the NYC area in various jobs. It was a lovely reunion for the Ds and them -- they chatted and planned to get together in the future. They're close in age and interests -- the boys and D1 aqre recent college grads, and D2 not far behind...

Sandy and Felicity's boy Jeremy is a junior in high school, and in a simple bit of Jewish geography I learned that he's known D2's boyfriend and his younger brother for years. We truly live in a tropical schtetl...

We danced and ate and caught up. The party was mostly the girls' friends, and the DJ and dancers kept them busy and happy. The boys all had Justin Beber haircuts, and the girls mostly towered over them.

The Ds probably attended nearly a hundred of these parties in Middle School -- they playfully tried to recall who went to more -- who was more popular...

My father in law sat, and ate, and talked with his brother. He is too vain for a walker, which he clearly needs, and I made sure Wifey stood near him to prevent a fall. Still, his eyes sparkled as he and his brother shared the evening.

Mark and Sandy and I shared a toast -- between us we produced 8 great kids -- and as all are descended from Holocaust Survivors, we realized what a terrific answer they are to Hitler's evil attempt.

Finally, the long holidays are over. D2 drove back to UF, and learned a lesson about police. She was pulled over on the Turnpike, doing the speed limit, for "driving in the left lane." The macho asshole FHP Trooper "let her go with a warning," but wanted her to know that when a cop is behind you, you'd better get out of the way. D2 was upset, but wiser for the encounter. I wish the jerk and his clearly under endowed manhood the worst...

Wifey and I pulled a chair out to the middle of our front porch area, drank some hot herbal tea, and admired the gorgeous full moon. I toasted our anniversary, her birthday, and our Ds.

The sad backdrop of my nephew in a hospital remains. I've been praying more than I usually do on that front.