Back Home Again

It's been a lovely glide towards Thanksgiving. Saturday was the final Canes game of the year, against the South Florida Bulls. Dr. Barry's sister Phyllis and husband Marty attended -- Phyllis is a USF alumna -- and we had a great time catching up. Phyllis and Marty got married in Vegas seemingly last summer, but somehow the years have flown. I met Phyllis when she was in high school, and now she is a teacher's teacher with a long and lauded career in Broward County. She adores her nephews Scott and Josh, and loves to poke fun at them. Next year the Canes/Bulls play in Tampa. We might just turn it into a Bern's Steakhouse game trip... And last night, D2 rolled into town, with her fellow Phi Beta Kappa inductee and roomie Catherine. The two beauties sang their way down the Turnpike, and happily re entered the love of their families. D1 was working for her cognac company at a major corporate event in the Design District, and I made some Daddy Tea (regular tea, but made with Big Daddy Love), and lit a fire in the pit outside. Wifey, D2 and I sat in the cool evening air, chatting about D2's college adventure and plans for the summer. Our friend Julie posted on Facebook how great it is to have her 2 oldest boys Ben and Josh back home from college, and I asked her if she heard the strains of the Jophn Denver song in her head. I do, even though we don't live on a farm, and I'm not a long haul trucker. Something about Denver's simple and sweet melody captures the feeling of what makes "a house a home." It's not tchokes, of course -- it's having your loved ones with you. And so it is, here in the 305. D1 dropped her boyfriend Joel at MIA this am, so he could visit his family in Indiana for T Day. She and her best friend and sister are napping together, as they did when they were toddlers. Tomorrow we'll head to Key Biscayne and a true cornucopia brunch. It's our 5th year of doing it, and we love the tradition we started. Afterwards, we'll head to see the Olds -- my mother and Wifey's Dad -- and spend some time with them under the Miami Jewish Home gazebo. It's great to have them under our roof. It really is.