And I Wonder...Still I Wonder

It's been raining -- a lot, lately.  Apparently there's a subtropical storm passing over the Gulf named Alberto, and it's washed out the Memorial Day weekend. For Miami Beach, that's probably a good thing, as each year all the "Urban Beach Weekend" tourists seem to kill at least one of their number -- maybe the rain is keeping them inside and safer...

We had no weather dependent plans. Friday we drove to D1's in laws for a wonderful shabbat dinner.  We fetched D1 and her spoiled Spaniel, and as we were early, stopped to check the progress of her and Joey's new house under construction.  The 18 houses are nearly complete, and I pointed out to D1 where her new mailbox would be. She freaked.  What -- no door to door delivery? I explained that about 10 years ago, the US Postal Service came up with a new rule -- all new developments got communal mailboxes, to make delivery more efficient.  D1 was pissed -- she looked forward, after years of dealing with apartment personnel messing up her mail -- to the simplicity of at home delivery.  Not going to happen, I explained -- major, major first world problem. She will endure...

Her in laws live 6 blocks away, in a 'hood I never visited. I've passed by on the 79th Street Causeway, and they live north of that road, before you get to Biscayne Blvd. It's a lovely enclave, and they found a fully renovated house there. We toasted -- Joey tossed each of us our challah as is Sephardic tradition, and we enjoyed the evening fully. D1 won the in law lottery...

Wifey and I headed home, in the rain.  Saturday we were invited to visit old friends Lili and Jeff. Their eldest Melinda, in grad school at Yale, had gotten engaged to a camp friend, Tom, an Israeli guy. We had met him before, but never really got to know him. Yesterday we toasted their engagement -- the wedding is set for January -- and spent a lovely few hours sipping some Middleton whisky I brought over.

Wifey and I then headed to Shorty's, the venerable barbecue place, and enjoyed dinner before the crowd came. From there, we figured we'd dispose of our suegra visiting duties, and we did. I wheeled the old woman outside under a patio roof, and D2 and Jonathan joined us on FaceTime (tm). Rachel's dementia is increasing -- her short term memory is about gone -- she asked over and over the same questions, and told stories 10 times -- but she was in a happy mood. A Jamaican nurse named Grace came outside to give her some pain meds, and the two shared some cookies. Grace really digs my mother in law -- her very strong spirit.

We came home, also in the rain, and it continues today. It is a fine Sunday to stay in, and read, and watch old movies -- Wifey always lures me in with stuff she knows I enjoy -- earlier it was a biopic about J.D. Salinger.

And tomorrow D2 is coming home! I'll fetch her, weather permitting, around two, and we get her for an entire week. Jonathan comes Wednesday, and the two are checking into a  mid Beach hotel Saturday to attend a friend's wedding.

I look forward to spoiling my girl -- there'll be Daddy eggs in bed, accompanied by the Special Needs Spaniel and strange rescue mutt.

I think D1 and Joey are coming by tomorrow, too, to help welcome the Greenwich Villager back to the 305.

So let it rain, let it rain.  With D2 coming home, I got sunshine on a cloudy day...