Wacky Neighbors

 So Friday Wifey drove to NE Miami to have lunch with her friends, shop at some boutique they enjoy, and then stop by Villa D1 and Joey to spend the final hours with the grandsons before their parents returned from SF. Our consuegra Jackie was knackered, as the Brits say -- she was the general of the operation -- and relieved to be able to go home.

Meanwhile, Allison had called, saying she was coming Saturday to finish the decoration of our outside areas - Wifey had told her she was busy Friday. But I wasn't! C'mon down, my sista -- we'll enjoy a fun Friday Happy Hour as we awaited Wifey. She agreed, and came by with her MANY special needs dog gummy -- poor guy -- a testament to Allison and her heart that she adopted him.

So Allison moved around the new furniture, added some stuff she had bought at Home Goods, and then we got down to the serious business of cocktails and catching up. I ordered in sushi, with pad thai for Wifey since she HATES sushi, and we sat in the kitchen drinking and eating, with the debriefing, finally, of the cruise they had taken together.

And there came a knock at the front door. It was our across the street neighbor Monica, Vienna, the strange rescue dog in tow. Vienna, though we thought she was past her wandering ways -- was NOT -- and Monica was bringing her home. I invited Monica in and offered a martini -- at first she politely declined, but I am THAT guy who used to lure people to parties -- and I still got it.

She called her husband Steve, and the party was ON!

They moved in years ago, when Pat and Susan moved to PA, and though we talk outside and like them, never had the chance to really socialize. They're an interesting couple. Monica is from D.C, and the daughter of a long time State Department attache -- she's lived all over Latin America -- and has a degree from UM. Steve is Miami born and bred -- appears like a boat guy, which he is, but then you learn he and his family OWN several marinas from Bay Harbor up the coast. Truly the millionaire next door type.

They have 3 kids -- a girl who works locally after graduating FIU, a son starting law school following his recent graduation from FSU, and a high school senior who goes to Catholic school.

Steve is VERY conservative, as I knew from our brief chats, and Monica more middle of the road. We avoided politics.

But we talked a lot -- of OLD Miami, and the places we all partied. And they drank. A LOT. A 1.75liter Stoli bottle was drained. Steve acquitted himself very well on my Maker's Mark. We laughed and reminisced. I stopped drinking after martini 3, and was glad I did. Wifey walked everyone to the front gate around midnight.

Yesterday was a slow, morning after the night before, sort of day. Allison finished her tasks, and we brought in pizza. Allison didn't know I still have a big vinyl collection and a working turntable in my man cave above the garage, which is newly habitable again after weeks of a working dehumdifier, and we played Steely Dan and Springsteen and Norah Jones, as Wifey perused old photo albums of our family trips in the late 90s and sent the pix to the Ds.

Allison and Gummy left around 10, but as she was packing up, noticed some flying objects. Sure enough, her room and the guest bath had a swarm of carpenter ants. I luckily had some foggers, and set off three. I realized our bedroom ACs share those two lower bedrooms, and so Wifey and I camped out in the Family and Living rooms. But success: this am the counters and floors looked like the Egyptian Air Force after the IDF finished with them. I'll vacuum up the bodies later, after the airing out finishes.

I think the problem stemmed from no exterminator visits for the past months. Our long time guys hadn't come, and Wifey called, a few times, and then got that "Hey wait -- it's been a long while" look.

So this am I am online asking neighbors -- I'll take over the exterminator duties -- I prefer to not have a night of dogfighting carpenter ants in the future.

Today seems like a good day to stay inside -- it's still hot as hell. Supposably, as the Miamians say, the heat is lightening a bit next week -- I'll resume my walks. But today -- AC will be my friend.

Steve and Monica cook, and they want to have us over for dinner, which is nice. I know what to bring -- vodka and Maker's.