A Fine Weekend, Despite the Pandemic

The virus mood seems a bit lighter as we slide from May to June. There are still plenty of cases to worry about, of course, but the daily deaths in Florida are falling, and that is a major sign of better times ahead.

Friday, Dr. Captain Kenny came by after work, and we walked in the heat and humidity. He and his family are leaving for their beautiful Maine house in a few weeks. I told him he must continue to Zoom chat with us -- with the lake and cool temperatures in the background -- giving us all some refreshment, virtually.

We finished our walk around 5, and I ran in for a FaceTime happy hour with my banker friend Carole. I told her I owed her a drink -- she was able to shepherd D1 through the paperwork to get stimulus money for her business -- after Chase kind of blew off D1's request.  Carole, forever happy, and I laughed about old times. We met in '88 when she worked for then Sun Bank, and handled accounts for the firm where I worked. We've kept our business friendship alive all these years -- I followed her to Bank of Boston, and then Gibraltar, which was now bought out by Iberia.

I jumped off at 6, to attend Eric and Dana's weekly shabbat. I got to see their adorable new granddaughter, and relatives in Jersey and all over Palm Beach County. The big news is that their boy Josh and his new wife Alex are buying a home in Jupiter.  I later told Eric and Dana that thing is a happy infection -- D1 and Jonathan put in an offer on a Grove townhouse, as well.

Later, Josh G hosted another happy hour, with his brother Scott, girlfriend Sam, and Eric and Dana and me again. Eventually only Eric, Dana, Josh, and Barry and I remained, but we chatted until 9:30 at night.

I told Wifey a nice side effect of the distancing thing is this -- I actually have been spending more time with friends than usual, albeit virtually. Truth is, other than Canes games, Eric and Dana are too busy to schlep to South Dade to hang with us often, and I have become that guy who almost NEVER traverses the Miami Dade-Broward line. So we have caught up well, in our own houses. I have enjoyed that immensely.

Saturday, Wifey and I drove up to D1 and Joey's. Joey had a great golf outing with his brothers, and we hung with the little man, bringing in sushi later in the afternoon.  We left, to go look at the townhouse D2 and Jonathan are interested in, and so headed down 95 to US 1 towards the Grove.

As I approached the Dolphin Expressway, I noticed 2 helicopters hovering, and traffic slowing. I acted quickly -- going West on the Dolphin, thinking there was a big accident on the I. Turned out it was the protesters who had taken over the highway. We'd have been stuck for hours, as they convinced these people to leave the road. Instead, we made it quickly to the Grove.

We pulled up, and Wifey loved the place. I chatted with a neighbor across the street. Greg is a retired City cop who bought his house in '10, at the depth of the housing crisis. He told me he paid $100K. A developer has offered him $700k, but he's holding out for a cool $1M, which he said he will get soon. The 'hood is transitioning. He said once he gets his money, he's off to Jacksonville or Orlando where he plans to live much more cheaply.  We talked awhile -- we hit it off. I told him if my kids become his neighbor, he'd have to join us for cocktails. He agreed, and said their guests could use his lot for parking.

D2 and Jonathan made an offer, and are awaiting a response, but they are SO level headed. They know the maximum they want to pay, and if the builder refuses, it's see ya! Many young couples make dumb decisions about house purchases -- overpaying when they "fall in love with a house." Not these two -- they know there are other fish in the sea...

Yesterday was a true banner day for us. D1 and Joey brought the little man to our house! It was their first field trip since the virus. When they arrived, we took him on a stroller walk, despite the heat. We ran into Hilit, a  UM doc who is D1's friends, and she kvelled at a distance at the baby.

Later, D2 and Jonathan came, too, with their enormous puppy Betsy. They kept their distance, but it was the first time I had my Ds, sons in law, and grandson and granddog under one roof.

We feasted on gourmet sandwiches from Madruga, in the Gables, and as Joey put together our baby stuff, for hopefully many future visits, I poured martinis for the men.  It was grand.

In the afternoon, I got the urge for pizza, which D2 said was "martini pizza." Anthony's delivered, but left out the wings. Ah well...

So we said goodbye, and were all happy.  I was one happy, lucky Daddy in the USA...