A Hot And Quiet Week

 So other than the absence of our typical afternoon rains, it's been a pretty standard Miami July week.

The birthday bris was a grand success, and thankfully little Saulito is recovering from having the toughest role to play. He's about his baby business -- nursing, pooping, and sleeping -- the last less prodigiously than his hermano grande. But, as we had hoped, D1 and Joey are having an easier time with him -- the typical learning curve of baby number 2.

Wifey and I are headed there later for a visit, and Wifey may spend the weekend -- helping with the overnight feeds, as D1 is still C section recovering, and Joey needs a bit more sleep. My plan is to drop her off, be home for my usual Friday night Zooms, and spend a quiet weekend walking a lot and taking dog naps. Monday I'll go fetch her.

We're still dealing with the case involving the case Fredo stole from our group. We spent a LOT of time recreating the hours we put in, and in return received an affidavit from Fredo claiming we did nothing. It's patently absurd -- we handled the case from the time it came in and up to it being set for trial -- BEFORE Fredo infected our firm worse than the plague. But that's ok -- we have a very competent lawyer, Scott, and it's his job to right wrongs, seek justice, and get us paid.

Man -- I don't miss the full time practice of law. I speak often with young Mike, one of D1's good friends, and he reminds me so much of myself when I was in my mid 30s -- working long hours, while balancing fatherhood. He loves to hear my tales, and I assure him within 10 years he'll have even more than I do to tell.

So speaking of earning money -- our neighbor Denie, fellow HOA Board member and full time employee of Coral Gables Benz, tells us she's "all about the side hustle." And she's been very successful at having her house hired out for film shoots, as well as Air BNB. Pinecrest has limits on both, and she follows them, but, for example, a few months ago a company used her place for two days to film a commercial starring the football player Odell Beckham, and she made a LOT of money for it.

Years ago, we let a company use our house to film a scene for "Burn Notice," and at the time was so enchanted with the coolness of that that I got seriously underpaid. Denie is not so naive, and referred me to the companies she uses to get the film business.

Well, Wifey and I agreed, but then lost that damn tool: the round 'tuitt. But Denie then told us she had a NEW side hustle -- she would be the agent for the agents, and for a 10% share of any money we earned for the shoots, would do all the work for us. Now she's talking!

So yesterday she and her Minneapolis born and raised husband Mason came by, and took a LOT of photos. She is convinced that her contacts will want to use our house -- with its unique pond with a stone bridge, and unusual pool area.

They sent me the portfolio they're going to use, and it was impressive, especially since we're her first clients.

So maybe we'll have some fun, and have more bucks to leave to the kids and grandkids. No AirBNB for us, though -- we still don't like the idea of strangers sleeping here -- but the film crews are fine.

The Summer slogs on. We booked our flights to Maine for September 1, for 4 nights with Joelle and Kenny. I look forward to a bit of cooling off, though a Facebook memory popped up reminding me that the last time we were there -- July of '18, they were having a heat wave with temps hotter than Miami! Thankfully those are rare, and the lake water is always blessedly cool. Most importantly, the company is always terrific.

So the cooling afternoon rains will start, eventually. And I continue to give thanks to Willis Carrier, for inventing AC. I truly don't see how people lived here before its invention.

And as for the family, well, the Big Man gets all the thanks for them.