Having the Pack Together

D2 moved to NYC in September, and hasn't been home to the 305 in nearly 4 months. We've visited her twice in that time, but there's nothing as great as having her here -- especially when she and D1 both stay over. That's happening now. Yesterday we hosted a brunch to meet D1's boyfriend Joey's family, and as expected, they were terrific folks. Jackie, Joey's Mom was there, with her three boys and one (so far) daughter in law, Vera. Joey's Dad was at work -- they recently bought a franchise of green, dry cleaners, and Sunday is the day he does his organization. We'll meet him at another time. Joey's family are Colombian Jews, and they first moved to Cincinnati when they came to the US. They were the only Latinos in their class, and the boys were welcomed because of their supposed soccer prowess. Roberto, the oldest, was called "The Brazilian" -- close enough, it seemed, for the clueless Ohioans... We ate at a lovely table set by Wifey, and talked of wonderful things. Vera, a Jewish Peruana, is also a research scientist at the U, and she regaled us with tales of keeping stem cell colonies alive -- the Ds wondered if they were like so many puppies... Vera is half Ashkenazi and half Sephardic, and her new husband Roberto, fully Sephardic, makes fun of her Ashkenazi ways...It seems the major difference to me is rice -- the Sepharads consider it a holy food, and to our Eastern European folks, it is something foreign... D2's man Jonathan was a no show, unfortunately, as he brought home a nasty virus from NYC. He's on the mend, and the Ds and their men are double dating tonight -- they can talk Venezuela versus Colombia -- which, near as I can tell, is sort of like NY versus New Jersey... No talk of marriages yet, but this lucky man would be absurdly lucky to have this pair of South American Jewish men as sons in law -- even if they'd rather watch soccer than real football. Jonathan is a Heat fan, too, and I think Joey might tolerate some roundball... After the company left, the Ds and Wifey and a surplus of dogs all assumed their posts on the family room couch, and it was sacred to me. I flash back to them as adorable toddlers somehow grown into beautiful women. Wifey was 26 when I met her -- between the Ds' ages, and somehow now my baby girls are women, too. D2 went to a get together at her lifelong friend Amanda's house -- daughter of my law school best friend Mike -- and came home late to share her room with D1. We still keep posted a drawing D1 did in kindergarten, in which she was asked to draw her "favorite thing to sleep with." She drew a little girl and a smaller one next to her -- her favorite thing to sleep with was her baby sister -- and 22 years on, little has changed. So we walk towards 2016, and there's no better way for me to celebrate it. Wifey and I celebrate our 29th anniversary on January 3, so the holiday season for us is always packed --wifey's birthday on December 25th, New Year's Eve, and then our anniversary. D1's man is heading to Utah to snowboard, and he asked D1 to come along, but she's politely begging off the zero degree temps, and reminded him she's starting her business right after the New Year. D2 and Jonathan have South Beach plans. Wifey and I are undecided. There's a great nightclub in Little Havana called Ball and Chain, and they have Tito Puente, Jr playing. I tried to entice some friends to go, but they've begged off so far. I posted a not about it on FaceBook, and the owner, who is the friend of a friend, personally invited us, so we'll see. However we ring in 2016, I am one cool, lucky Daddy in the USA.