Outdoor Speakers

 So as I spend a quiet Saturday, I have my Sonos playing through speakers on my front porch, which I can hear well from my spot across the courtyard in the library, with the doors open. I'm listening to Steely Dan's "Gaucho," which is 40 years old.

It brings me back. 41 years ago, when I was still living in my parents' house on LI, I also used to listen to my stereo playing outside. Of course, that required putting one of the speakers in my open bedroom window, and cranking up the old Pioneer, which I still have. I would listen to Bad Company, or the Grateful Dead, or the Beatles, while washing my and my Dad's car. Funny how my likes as a youth remain with me past middle age...

There's a lot of nostalgia going around. My dear friend Mike's boy Chris got his Florida Bar results yesterday -- he passed. I congratulated him in a text, and on FaceBook (tm). Lois, teacher now in Orlando but our old neighbor in the Falls, asked how that little blonde boy is now a lawyer. She knew Chris from the time his parents brought him home from Baptist Hospital, and in her mind, he's always, at most, about 5. One of those time warp things, I guess.

I told Chris his grandpa, Ed, one of my life's mentors, congratulated my Bar passing by saying "Congratulations -- you've got your license to steal now." That was 1986.  Chris is a third generation Florida lawyer, and 3rd generation UM Law grad. Sunrise, sunset...

We had a lovely Zoom cocktail party last night, with Eric, Dana, Scott, Samantha, and Barry making an appearance on his way home. Josh jumped in, too, but then the young-uns signed off. Kenny was working.

Wifey peeked in, and said "That's it?" Yes -- a very nice IT, I reminded her -- friends for nearly 4 decades enjoying talk of old times and times yet to come.

Tonight, the Ds and their men have a double date planned -- meeting for dinner in the Grove where their friend is a restaurant manager. Wifey and I will drive up to watch our grandson. I joked with D1 that we might make out on their couch. D1 said that was fine, but the house had cameras. So much for that idea...

I guess it'll be college football on TV. That's fine, though my Canes are postponed due to COVID.

Speaking of which, as I was walking this am, I came upon a neighbor, Dr. F. He put on a mask. I apologized -- I didn't have one. He explained it was because he had tested positive -- he thinks he got it in a local restaurant. He said he was quite sick, but is now 90% recovered. It was over a month ago.

It seems the plague has gone from knowing someone who knows someone who had it, to actually knowing people who've had it. But the good news is not hearing about as many deaths as before -- certainly among the younger. It's truly become the "Boomer remover" that the college kids were originally calling it. 

And, my thought leader, Dr. Fauci, says that by April a vaccine should be available to anyone who wants it. I want it. So hopefully we just stay very careful for another 4- 5 months, and maybe things come closer to normal.

Maybe I'll get to celebrate my 60th birthday, in July, in Key West, as I'd love to do.

My plan is to have a few friends meet at the Chart Room, in the Pier House, and maybe take the place over for a Happy Hour. And then, Saturday night, dinner at Bagatelle. That's my wish for entering my 7th decade. I hope it comes to pass...

For now, though, I'm perfectly happy at home, with the music playing. On outdoor speakers.