Ready For Some Fall

 So last night the local weather person, who like most Miami TV weather people isn't hard on the eyes, said we would greet the start of Fall with 90 degree daytime temps. Ok, I thought, as I typically do this time of year -- basta!

Fall is the one season I miss from living up North, and I try to sample it each year. Fortunately, we're scheduled for 4 nights in Maine beginning October 6th. I am most looking forward to it.

Joelle and Kenny have a gorgeous lake house, and invite us all the time, and we've stayed there twice (plus an extra time for me with Kenny as we had to fetch some cats while Joelle was being treated), and it's lovely. But I finally came out of the closet -- I really do NOT like staying in any friend's house -- no matter how beautiful and gracious they are as hosts. When I go away, I prefer a hotel or inn, where I have everything brought to me and I feel zero pressure about cleaning up or behaving like a guest. They understand.

So this upcoming trip, we will spend a single night at the house, on account of it makes sense after we get fetched in Portland, but will then split the next 4 days at 2 lovely inns in Rockville, on the Coast. To our dear friends, a few nights on the Maine coast is a treat -- sort of like Key West is for me -- and we will sample the food and drink and sights -- and hopefully get some Fall color. That would be grand -- as long as the temps are lower than Miami -- and that seems like a pretty much guaranteed deal.

Loni and Mike have a lovely vacation house in Western NC, and invited us, too. Wifey finally came out of the closet there as well -- we so appreciate the invite, but I want a hotel! They understand -- we're off with them and Donna and Barry for a NYE cruise in December -- San Juan back to Miami on Explora -- a floating Four Seasons level hotel. Now THAT'S my speed...

Any time I feel the slightest tinge of guilt as wanting things my way, as Frank sang, reality smacks me in the face, as it did with my college friend Dave's death at 62. You never know when the Big Man will call, and so while we're here, we HAVE to do it our own way.

So bring on the top drawer booze, and gourmet food this December -- I plan to ring in 2026 on a high level.

Meanwhile, Little Man taught us a lesson from kindergarten this year -- every day has a rose, a thorn, and a bud. Of course, the rose is what made you happy, the thorn, sad, and the bud is what you're looking forward to.

Yesterday D1 FaceTimed me on his pickup, and he told us his rose was getting all the questions right, his thorn was getting knocked down during recess, and his bud was the upcoming Jewish New Year, where there would be lots of sweets.

I asked him if he knew Grandpa Dave's floral parts. He answered "I  know your rose was having me stay with you all weekend!" Son of a gun -- the kid knew right away, and is indeed the deep thinker D1 recognizes. I helped him with the thorn -- that I won't see him or Baby Man this week, but that I shared the bud -- being with them the second night of Rosh Hashonah, where we would go to a local restaurant, but indeed there would be sweets.

So this Saturday The Gator visits. My mentor Ed, Mike's Dad, always referred to the team from UF in the singular -- I loved that. We're favored to put a beatin' on them, and my guest is my son in law Jonathan, a double Gator alum, but not a fanatic about the football team. My tailgate buds all adore him, and it'll be a fine time -- hopefully some of his buddies, who ARE Gator fanatics, will stop by for some busting of balls, as we dudes are wont to do.

And then just a few more weeks before we jet to cooler climes. Man -- it's time for a break from the Tropics...