Kids Are For The Young

 Probably 8 years ago, our next door neighbors were a successful Cuban lawyer, about my age, and his former stripper, Mainline Philly Jewish, much younger wife. Really. Classic only in Miami neighbors. The lawyer, who I'll call Alfredo, since that's his name, had grown kids like mine -- one a lawyer and one a doctor. He adopted his daughter-aged wife's son, and then had 4 (maybe 5) more kids with her. They build an awesome tot lot on the side of their house.

When I saw it, I said "Wow -- I hope to have grandkids someday, and they can play on that." He replied "David -- grandkids??? You're MY age -- have some more kids of your own and let them play here!" I asked whether he realized my wife was WELL past fecundity, and he said "I know -- she's nice and all, but successful guys like us -- well -- you know..." I chuckled, and thought I didn't care to fish in that pond with HIS flyrod, so to speak. 

Sure enough, they moved, to a huge mansion they build on Old Cutler, and the young couple who moved in, with kids my grandkids age, often have our boys over to play on the lot. Yeah -- I prefer it this way.

Last night, Rabbi Moshe and his wife Chaya hosted a family shabbat, and D1, who had never seen the new Center, braved Friday traffic with her boys to attend -- she has Mom friends here in Pinecrest, though she is now a near Miami Shores Mom.

It was lovely -- probably 25 kids running around, playing, and taking part in the games Chaya and Moshe led. Yossi and Nechama were safely in their own house, hosting THEIR shabbat and babysitting Moshe's youngest.

We met some newly arrived from NY grandparents -- they followed D1's new Mom friend and her husband from NY -- Wifey bonded with the grandma, in a wheelchair with MS but happy to be away from icy sidewalks.

I got to hang with my boys, who I sort of favor, and then, at the end of the few hours, they were whisked home by D1. Ah... 

It struck me, that even though I'm in decent physical health for a creeping up on 65 year old guy -- kids are for young people. Even with nannies (who if I had them would look like Alfredo's wife), a guy like me to whom kids and grandkids are a source of love but also constant worry -- nah -- don't need no more of my own.

Wifey and I came home, and watched the first half of the Hoosier-Duck game to learn the Canes opponent in the upcoming Natty game 1/19. I go online Tuesday at noon to see if my decades of Cane Club membership scores me a few tickets. If not, as I told Wifey, barring an extra one from higher up Canes Club friends I can buy for face value, I will happily watch on TV.

I can afford an expensive ticket, but again, the laziness of age says...nah! We'll see next week.

This am, Wifey and I are headed to The Kampong -- a botanical historic garden where famed plant maven David Fairchild lived. I've been a few times before -- friends Lew and Maria used to belong to the Flowering Tree society, and so we got to go to events there. Today, there's a surprise luncheon and lecture for our neighbor and friend Gloria, hosted by her sons. It was nice to be invited, even though "cocktail attire" at 11 am on a Saturday is not my vibe, as the kids say. I thought about showing up in Canes shorts and t shirts saying THIS be my cocktail attire -- but I guess I can manage a blue blazer...

Then tomorrow we see Joelle and Kenny for the first time since last year. They stopped by before their 3 week adventure to SE Asia -- fortunately they survived the murder hornets of Laos and made it back. We have lots of catching up to do -- they'll come for a pre-game, and then we plan on checking out the newly reopened Old Cutler Inn -- a REAL old school place that had been shuttered a long while.

Then Monday I have some real lawyer work, albeit pro bono. I've been appointed a guardian ad litem to review a proposed settlement for a kid -- bullied at his middle school. I already reviewed the file and will speak to the boy and his Mom Monday -- they relocated upstate after the unfortunate incident.

Hopefully we see the boys this week -- I think next Sunday, Little Man is spending the night. At the shabbat last night, Baby Man, looked at me with his soulful eyes and said "GRanda Dave -- can I stay, too?" I told him when he is FULLY potty trained -- that's a carrot we're holding out for him. I expect that will be well before his next birthday in July...then I'll have TWO little boys up at first light for bagels and black and white cookies.

It's grand, all right, especially since I give them back a day or so later...and then go nap.