The Start of Family Busy Season

 As the happy mule of our family, whenever November rolls around, for me it means the start of our family's busy season. First up is Thanksgiving, our favorite holiday, always within a day or so of D1's birthday! This year we hope to host the Ds' suegros, after a year of just the six of us on account of the plague.

D1 is turning 33, and Wifey asked me what we ought to buy her for her birthday and Chanukah, which is close after. D1 surprised Joey with F1 tickets -- the first Miami Grand Prix is coming in May, and tickets are a bit pricey, and I suggested we give both Ds money for that extravagant expense instead of the usual jewelry. The Ds are happy with that choice.

Then, in mid December, our beautiful grandson turns 2! Wow -- that sure flew by, from the early morning call telling us to head over to Holtz Children's to full on toddlerhood. We can't be objective, of course, but he is absurdly adorable -- something extremely funny about his cute earnestness. D1 and Joey are planning a party at a local venue, with Publix cake -- an event we'll all remember but he only will through photos.

After Little Man, December 25th is close at hand, and of course is the birthday of our Lord and Savior: Wifey. I'm not allowed to mention her age, or the fact that she starts Medicare this year, but we plan to have a bigger than usual celebration, even though our options are limited due to the fact that the OTHER lord and savior gets a big play on December 25, too.

Then, of course, comes New Year's Eve, which we always enjoy. Maybe this year we'll have a few folks over again like we did pre pandemic. And just a few days after that -- Wifey and I will celebrate our THIRTY FIFTH wedding anniversary. Talk about stuff flying by.

Alert reader and nephew Josh Gelman sent me an article last week -- the City is thinking of tearing down the Hyatt where we were married to replace it with something that makes much more money for the wealthy developers who run Miami. Oh well -- it'll be funny when our marriage outlasts the place the ceremony took place, I guess.

We're talking about celebrating Wifey's birthday and our anniversary with our first out of state plane trip in years -- to Sedona, Arizona. Many of our friends have visited and love it, and rave about a hotel called L'auberge. We may go in April, which apparently is the best weather.

But before that -- what I consider the final big event must be celebrated. D2 turns 30! She was born the Day the Music Died, and hopefully she and Jonathan will be comfortably in their Grove townhouse by the time the milestone comes along.

Either way, we'll celebrate that major number.

So for me, the happy mule, it's that most wonderful time of the year -- November though early February. It also coincides with Miami's best weather -- no hurricanes, and blessedly cooler temperatures.

I say bring it on! The Big Man has blessed me so -- I hope He continues to do so.