Life Stages

So yesterday I left Wifey home with her bad cold and 2 good dogs and glided up to Pembroke Pines in her new Lexus SUV, to Dr. Barry and Donna's house. After a brief visit with my 2 large nephews, we went north to the mouth of the little rat, where Dana and Eric were hosting an engagement party for their daughter Jenn. Jenn is marrying, wait for it...Ben...next May. The two met on a Jewish dating site, and Ben proposed to Jenn the day she graduated with her Master's from NYU. Eric, Dana, and his parents were involved -- they took Jenn to Jersey to take pictures of Manhattan across the Harbor, and Ben popped the question. It seems to be the new thing -- involving parents in an elaborate surprise wherein the couple makes it official. I want no part of this. I told my Ds -- happy to host your party, but any proposals should, to this traditionalist, be only involving the couple. I asked Wifey to marry me on a chilly night on South Beach, and later there was plenty of time to tell our families. Call me old fashioned, but I want no part of the ring giving... Anyway, the party was lovely. I reminded Eric of his and Dana's party -- held at Dana's rich cousins' house in Miami Beach. Had more than three decades truly gone by? They had. I caught up with my old college friend Pete -- his boy, unfortunately nicknamed "Little Peter," which is funny, since he's easily 5 inches taller than his Dad -- was just hired as a Herald sportswriter. I watched the young man grow up -- at tailgate parties, and in meetings at Joe Robbie Stadium Club areas. He attended UM, and is a die hard Canes fan. Pete is duly proud. His girls are in college, at GW, and the youngest at Carrolton -- a Catholic high school in the Grove. We joked about when Pete got married -- he was in his mid 30s, and married a girl just out of FIU. We chuckled at the time, but now she's past 40, too. Age catches even the very young wives... Dana's grandmother was at the party -- a lady known as Gaga. She's turning 100 next year. She's still sharp as a tack. Dr. Barry asked her her secret. Without hesitation, she said "Get laid as much as you can." Barry said that might be difficult, as he was married a long time. Gaga's response: "What difference does THAT make? Get it wherever you can." This convinced me to spend the remainder of the party next to Gaga. Eric toasted the new couple, and we all agreed to meet again in May, at the wedding. Barry cautioned young Ben that we have a tradition of doing the worm at parties. Ben said he could handle it. So we've passed the stage of college and grad school graduations for our kids, and are entering into the wedding planning phase. Could grandparenting be far off? Wifey and I hope not...