When Life Looks Like Easy Street There is Danger At Your Door

So things are going swimmingly lately, thankfully. A symbol of great annoyance, the condo my in laws forced me to buy in 2000, is now sold and the proceeds in our account. More significantly, the old lady, who I don't like but have a sworn duty to support, is stable in a condo close to us, and Wifey has found a terrific aide who babysits her 6 days per week. More importantly, my law firm may produce a few more beans this year. I've adopted that term from D2 -- when she sees me at the computer, checking on investment accounts, she notes "There's Dad -- counting his beans." Most importantly, the Ds are doing great. D1's new business is succeeding much faster than I had predicted, but that's a minor thing. She's now engaged to an awesome fellow -- wedding next Fall. And D2 is working too hard in NYC, but also with a wonderful fellow -- her college sweetheart, who I hope will also become a son in law. D2 and her man are taking a great trip to the Bay Area. Two nights touring SF and Napa with D2's sorority sister, and really actual sister Ashley, and today she and Jonathan are headed to Half Moon Bay. I bid on a charity item for the Crohns and Colitis Association -- 2 nights at the HFB Ritz Carlton, and I won. The ticket will be cashed tonight. Wifey and I have been lucky to stay at some of the best hotels there are, and the Ritz at HMB may be the best. It's perched on a cliff above the roaring Pacific, and you sit around fire pits and drink great California wine. We stayed there last Winter, and they had record rain, so we missed out on the firepit stuff, but the weather for D2 and Jonathan appears perfect. They'll get to spend time with D2's cousins Henry and Val -- who D2 says are among the most "chill" people of all. I know the two couples will bond beautifully. So with all this good, and positive, comes last night a thundering reminder how the world can still be a dangerous and miserable place -- an explosion in Chelsea, in NYC, not far from where D2 lives. Thankfully there were only injuries, and hopefully an isolated incident, but it's still a shock. Whenever we visit D2 and Jonathan, which is frequently, we seem to end up in Chelsea. It's close to Murray Hill, where D2 lives, and packed with delightful bars and shops and restaurants. It's really the best of NYC. None of this is new to being a human. Our early ancestors lost relatives to sabre tooth tigers, or natural disasters. Now the dangers seem more psychotically man made. Life and death are random. It just reminds me, at least, to savor each moment -- to "enjoy every sandwich," as Warren Zevon advised after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Yesterday the Canes won big -- I watched the game with my law school buds Mike and Pete. Peter married late -- he has 2 boys now, 8 and 14. He was asking me about how I deal with the adult fears -- driving, college, etc... I told him it's best to drink more alcohol. He nodded in agreement. In two weeks, if all goes as planned, Wifey and I, along with Edna, Marc, and Deb and Norman, will be at sea -- sailing up the East Coast towards the Canadian Maritimes. Deb is Canadian, so she can translate for us. We'll be on a top flight ship -- Crystal Cruises -- known for pouring Johnny Walker Blue and Dom Perignon. I plan to toast with our great friends -- hopefully to only happy times -- and no explosions where our kids live.