Seein' The Boys

 My neighbor Daria walked by the other night as I was waiting for my UberEats delivery -- with the 'hood's favorite dog, Jagger. Everyone loves the Lab/Golden mix -- when Betsy stays with us, the two of them frolic beautifully. She let Jagger off his leash -- he ran towards me, and cut a hard right into our property -- looking for Betsy. We had to explain to the slightly sad retriever that Betsy was not here.

Anyway, Daria and Rod just became grandparents -- their boy Daniel, who lives in Brooklyn, and his wife just had a baby boy. Daria told me how she had fallen immediately in love, and figured she'd be making monthly treks to NYC "forever." She said what so many grandparents with families out of state say to Wifey and me: "You two are SO lucky to have your kids home." Of course, I agree.

That said -- our distance to the Ds -- between 35 and one hour drives depending on traffic (more often longer times as Miami traffic has become worse and worse) is fine with me. Wifey -- not so much -- she wants to move closer. And though I do dig Miami Shores, the thought of shelling out $2M for a nice 3/2 -- a house that to me ought to be south of $1M even in these crazy times -- well -- not happening. I love my 'hood so much.

Still, we hadn't seen the boys in a long time, on account of flu and a Disney trip, and we truly missed them. Fortunately yesterday, we cured our missing blues.

Wifey and I drove to D2's house for pilates -- taught by D2's friend who is herself 5 months pregnant with her second baby. She and her husband's families live in LA, and we talked of the fires -- she said lots of folks who lived in Malibu or Pacific Palisades are now decamping to the fire safer Orange County.

D1 came by after a presentation online to 400 lawyers -- the beginning of a classic lawyer joke -- and was reunited with the skittish Spaniel, who probably prefers to live with the child-free Wifey and me, but still was happy.

We caravanned to Little Man's school, and I brought him his favorite yogurt with a side car of honey, that only Grandpa Dev knows how to mix it the way he likes it. We then went to the skateboard park -- a private one -- and watched him take lessons. He's VERY coordinated, and takes to it. Of course, in MY day a kid learned to skateboard by grabbing one and going -- falling many times. I actually enjoyed it from ages 12 to probably 16, and my Cali nephew Henry truly got into the skater life -- he even modeled on a skater magazine, which led to hilarious tales he shared about his buddies in SF, when he was in college, thinking he had become a gay icon.

It was a great hour -- watching our boy and some other kids who already mastered the whooshing up and down the concrete hills.

The Ds then ordered dinner for us -- Pura Vida -- and we decamped to D1's house, and reunited with Baby Man, who is absurdly adorable.

And I saw something that warmed me even more. The little brother grabbed a toy from his bigger sibling and pushed him. I know the 5 year old wanted to deck the 2.5 year old, but instead gently reminded him not to hit his brother. D1 showed me that was a result of an earlier incident, where, in fact, the big guy DID deck his little brother, and was forced to draw an apology picture. Hey -- it seems to be working.

We stayed awhile -- no sons in law -- both working late, as I did all through my 20s, 30s, and into my late 40s, and then Wifey and I dropped off D2 and Betsy, and headed for home. The drive took 45 minutes, during which Wifey fell asleep and I listened to Little Steven's Underground Garage on the radio.

It was a delightful day.

Earlier, I had been talking to the other Jonathan in my life, my trainer, about marriage. He just turned 31 and is enjoying single man in Miami status. He asked about maintaining a 38 year marriage, like Wifey and I have. His parents do, too -- his Dad is about 10 years older than his Mom, and he told me his Mom was a flight attendant for El Al in the late 70s after her IDF service -- no wonder Jonathan is such a gentleman with a kick ass Mom like that.

I told him there was no secret sauce, other than a willingness to play the long game -- the VERY long game, despite the many beckoning detours that pop up along with way. If you do, you get to share a VERY wonderful prize -- grandkids. It was so great to see them yesterday.