The Light At The End? Hopefully Not An Oncoming Train

 So today marks 8 months since we've been dealing with the plague. Our last maskless, day out, was March 12th. Hopefully the end is in sight -- today a second company, Moderna, announced their vaccine was very effective. Last week Pfizer said theirs was 90% effective. Moderna said "Ha! Ours is 94% effective." These are happy competitions for those of us looking desperately to return to some kind of normal.

We had a lovely weekend. On Saturday, D1 and Joey came over with the Senior Spaniel, and the beautiful grandson. The Canes were on, and won, and then we switched to the Masters for Joey. We toasted the day with vodka martinis -- his dirty, mine clear. Wifey savored the baby -- she is totally in love. He has his mother's eyes and nose, and many of her adorable baby expressions, and so for Wifey it's a recapitulation of over three decades.

They left, and we watched more TV, and I walked some more. D2 and Jonathan had friends plans, and we thought we'd see them later in the week...until...

Last night we got a call from them as we were watching Obama on "60 Minutes." They were at their friends Brett and Elise, who bought a house just blocks from us, and Betsy rolled in something vile. They needed an emergency stop at our place for a quick hose bath. We think it was either iguana or possum crap -- it was terrible. So Jonathan wrangled the 78 pound pup, and D2 did the washing, and we all laughed. Betsy shook off the water happily.

I did my 7.5 miles this am, and returned to check the stock market -- soaring on the good vaccine news. I was happy about that, as Thursday is "Give Miami Day," and I plan to participate again. I was asked by FIU to post a link to our family scholarship fund, and I will, even though I loathe asking people to donate.

Wifey ordered the Thanksgiving food. We typically have the Ds in laws and siblings in law, but this year we're following Dr. Fauci's advice and keeping it just the 7 of us, one of whom is not a big turkey eater. But we'll toast, and watch football, and hopefully take the dogs and grandson on a nice long walk. And we'll hope that TDay '21 we can have the team back at full strength, as they say in hockey after a penalty ends.

The stock market is usually very smart about seeing into the future. I hope it is this time. Let that light be one of normalcy -- and not something far more ominous.

Gastonia, NC

 Today's news had a sad tale about a multiple shooting in Gastonia, NC. I was sorry to hear, but that's a place deep in my memory, for an oblique reason.

I adored and worshipped my father. Unlike me, he wasn't a very social man, though he could be charming -- he needed that for his job as a glassware salesman. But I never really knew of friends he had -- exactly the opposite of me. My Ds know well my stable of dear brothers and sisters and how important they are to me.

One of my Dad's childhood friends was Bobby Danzig. Bobby was the reason the family moved to LI -- he had bought a house on Charles Lane, and encouraged my parents to do the same. We lived 4 houses apart, but Bobby and my Dad each had busy work and family lives, and rarely socialized. 

Another name I used to hear was Harry Binder. My Dad would bring him up from time to time, as Harry had a far more exotic post WW II life than Dad -- he had settled in the SOUTH!

Well, one day, and I must have been a high school junior or senior, Dad said Harry and his wife were coming to visit -- they were in NY for a wedding, and were coming over for lunch. Now -- it was Summer, and weekend days were precious -- I would spend them all with my friends. But the thought of actually meeting one of Dad's childhood friends was too alluring to me. I said I would stay home.

Harry and his wife came over. I believe we brought in pizza or Chinese -- my Dad joked that he wouldn't dare barbecue for a true Southerner like Harry's wife. They were delightful. Harry had a slight accent, and his wife was full on "Driving Miss Daisy." She was born and raised in Gastonia, which was shocking to me, as she was Jewish. To a garden variety, Tri-State Jew like me -- there were no Jews in the South.

I mean, I knew they were in Israel, and California, and large Midwestern cities -- but North Carolina? I knew there were plenty of Jews in Miami, like my grandmother, but Miami wasn't the South. By the late 70s, in my mind, it was the 6th Boro of NYC, and North Havana at the same time, buy not SOUTHERN.

It was a delightful day. Mom and Mrs. B chatted about their lives, and Harry, Hy, and I spent several hours together. I hungrily sought information on my Dad as a boy. Harry said he was always smart and bookish -- not into sports, like many of their friends who grew up literally in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. While the rest of the boys played baseball, or football, or basketball --my Dad preferred his tenement's stoop and a book.

Dad admired how Harry hadn't returned to NY after the war. Instead, he went into his wife's family's business -- I think it may have been furniture -- and prospered there. Dad let on as to how he had a small regret -- not staying in Southern California after the War. He and my Mom LOVED Pasadena, and Dad wondered if maybe he'd have gotten a more exciting job as a writer in TV or movies.

Harry pointed at our house -- a modest tract home - and said he had done just fine for a poor boy from the Bronx -- the child of immigrants, like Harry was. I had the sense Harry had gotten much richer, but he was humble.

I never saw Harry or Mrs. B after that lovely day, though they had invited us all to be their guests in NC.

Fast forward from '77 or '78 to the Summer of 1991. Wifey and I and toddler D1 were in Charleston, SC, for the wedding of our friend Jeff to Marilyn. Marilyn was Catholic, and Jeff a Jew, and the wedding was officiated by a priest and a rabbi at the same time.

It was a lovely trip. Wifey was pregnant with D2, who we learned WOULD be a D and not a S during the car ride up the Seaboard. 

As we waited for the ceremony, I struck up a conversation with the young rabbi. No -- he wasn't from Charleston, he was from a town called Gastonia, NC. He laughed -- I probably hadn't heard of it. Ha. As if. I told him I had, and my Dad's childhood friend lived there -- Harry Binder.

The Rabbi's jaw dropped. Harry and his family were the FOUNDERS of his congregation. He knew the family quite well -- they were pillars of his community. I think he said Harry had died a few years before. I guess the two friends from the Bronx weren't destined to make it to old age.

Fast forward again -- to the late 90s. I had a deposition in Charlotte, NC. As usual, I arrived hours ahead of schedule, and had time to kill. As I drove around town, I was a highway sign: "To Gastonia." I followed it, and soon was in the land of Harry.

I found a local diner, and stopped in for breakfast. The place was out of a movie of the old south. The waitress asked where I was from -- most of the diners were local. When I told her Miami, she laughed and said "And you speak English??????" I responded in my best Al Pacino from "Scarface:" "Oh -- not so goooooood." We both laughed and I had a memorably delicious breakfast -- thick cut bacon and eggs with biscuits. I think the waitress gave me extra bacon since she may have sensed my Old Testament background...

So I hope all is well, despite the shooting, in Gastonia. For me, it's not just a place. It's a place in time.

Fast forward from '77 or '78 to 1991.

Nancy the Vampiress

 So of all the nurses my family knows, the best phlebotomist, by far, is Nurse Nancy. We've known her for years -- she worked for our doctor friend Dave G, and always enjoyed our visits with her. She's smart, and warm hearted -- our kids are close in age, too.

She's been married to a long time Miami cop, who retired and was then re-hired by Coral Gables. Her son and daughter, to Nancy's chagrin, both followed their father's career path, and now work for Miami and Coral Gables, too. During the unrest in Miami last Summer, her daughter was caught in a dicey moment, when the visigoths were trying to gain access to Miami Police Headquarters. Thankfully, backups from Miami Beach kept the pillagers at bay.

When Dr. David retired, and sold his practice to Dr. Mary, Nancy stayed on. I'm the only remaining patient -- the Ds and Wifey switched to our friend Ruby's husband Harris. Harris runs a concierge practice without the hefty annual fee. As typical, I have the most inertia, and still see Dr. Cross. It may be this is my final year of paying the $1800 annual fee for services I rarely use.

Still, my "executive physical exam" is set for late November, and today I saw Nancy for the blood draw. She took 7 vials for the MDVIP patented assay. They measure all kinds of things -- not just cholesterol, but how "clumpy" it is. Eric, who I trust above any other Internal Medicine/Cardiologist, says much of it it total bullshit. But nonetheless, I offered my arm, and Nancy drained away. Hopefully the Big Man will decide I have no latent, dread disease going on.

Nancy cooed over photos of the grandson. She's known D1 since she was a girl. Nancy BADLY wants to join the abuela club. Hopefully it happens for her soon. I know she will be an awesome one.

Other than that, it's been a pretty quiet week at Villa Wifey. I got in close to 11 miles of walks yesterday, the last 1.5 mile with Wifey and our neighbor Gloria, who we both really like. Gloria's husband Ben, a health nut, literally dropped dead a year and a half ago, while jogging in the 'hood. I make sure NOT to jog since then -- not that I have since forced to by the coach in high school baseball.

Gloria is staying in the house, which gladdens me. Her sons live in NYC and New Jersey, and both are single. One helps run the family bicycle business, and comes to Miami a lot. Gloria loves it here, like I do. 

I also met my man from Total Wine, with 2 large bottles of Ketel One, for the duration. I really like Tito's, but my Zoom Happy Hours have given me the opportunity to taste compare. For now, Ketel is my choice -- maybe it has to do with the first time I tried it. It was at Chalet Suzanne, in the "Wine closet" they had there, during a visit with Mike and Loni. It was a lovely stay, and my first Ketel One -- wow -- now decades in the past.

Today I await InstaCart's arrival. Wifey went back for a late morning nap.

We had a nice Zoom yesterday. It appeared no one was attending, so I texted my nephew of another mister Josh, who had the day off on account of the passing storm, and told him I was alone on Zoom. He joined, we toasted, and sure enough, Cara, Darriel, and Mike joined in. It was nice -- sharing a Monday cocktail amid nice banter.

Mike had returned from Disney, and Josh asked if they replaced Trump in the Hall of Presidents yet. Sure enough, they mentioned they had.

So I await the results from my favorite Vampire. Hopefully all well.

Well They Call it Stormy Monday

 So our babysitting job Saturday was canceled, on account of our grandson's first cold, and its spread to his parents. Typically by his age of 10 months, babies have several colds, but being away from other kids because of the plague, he hadn't had any. Well, D1 is finally having him see other kids, and his growing immune system sure enough got its first challenge.

After his parents got sick, soo, they went to get COVID tested, because these days...thankfully tests came back negative, but by then we had all decided to stay home. I watched college football, and got in some of my walk despite the rainy weather. Also, a new threat, Tropical Storm ETA, loomed to our Southwest, and the local media, tired of only ginning up anxiety with the election and the plague, jumped on it like flies on dog shit.

But speaking of the election, on Saturday it was finally called. Our man Joe passed the 270 mark. The cartoon guy isn't conceding, and promises court fights. But even Fox News and the NY Post have fled him, and the writing is on the wall. The only thing left to see is whether he kills himself in a WH bunker, Hitler- like. I bet if he does Melania does NOT go along like Eva Braun did...she'll end up with a different old rich guy. Times have changed, after all.

Wifey was absolutely ebullient at the news. I was happy but guarded. Until I actually see Joe in the WH and hear "Hail to the Chief," I'll retain some doubts...

Yesterday I woke Dr. Barry with a 9 am call. He called back. We laughed -- it recalled a funny tale from years ago. He and Donna came away with us, and my sister and brother in law, and Paul and a lady friend. The firm hosted us all at Chalet Suzanne, a romantic inn up in Lake Wales, known for their quirky rooms and gourmet food. We all feasted, and went to our rooms. It was Barry and Donna's first night away from their sons.

My brother in law Dennis knew the restaurant had famous pancakes for breakfast. At 7 am, he knocked loudly on Barry's door -- let's go eat! Barry was either sleeping in, or enjoying some kid-free marital relations. He came to the door and asked Dennis if he was crazy -- who leaves a romantic inn room at 7 am? Dennis walked away to have a solo breakfast, or, I guess, meet my sister who was already there. It's a tale we tell over and over.

So yesterday I asked -- had I become Dennis? Or was Barry a new teenager -- sleeping in at 9 am???? Turns out he was up -- just reading in bed.

Anyway, he assuaged my fears of a coming Civil War. I think he's correct. I guess we'll see in the coming weeks.

The weather indeed deteriorated, and I watched the Fins play. Man, what a nice surprise -- they're the best since the Dan Marino days. The beat a very good Arizona team. It was fun to watch, and text along with my friends as we did.

Our friend Darriel is a secret Democrat. She mistakenly sent a very anti-Trump picture by mistake. Jeannine, who avoids politics, but is a Republican, made fun of her. I allowed as to how Darriel had come out of the closet, finally -- she was truly a Black woman. Darriel said that explains her unusual name. We all laughed on text...

After a FaceTime (tm) where we watched our beloved grandson show he's near walking, Wifey made dinner -- meatballs and spaghetti and a salad. It was fine. I started hearing about power outages, and got out some flashlights, just in case. Thankfully we never lost the power, and it appears the storm is mostly passed --though it will still rain all day today, as it is right now.

But then there was good news -- finally. Pfizer announced it's COVID vaccine seems to work far better than it had even dared to hope -- 90% effective. The stock market futures are SOARING on that news, as well as the impending Trump removal tempered by a GOP Senate.

We might just make it, all of us, after all. I guess sometimes stormy Mondays truly do lead to much sunnier days...

Just Checked In to See What Condition My Condition Was In

 What a week. Our greatest nation in the world votes more primitively than any Third or Fourth World country I know, and now, three days after so called "Election Day," we're still awaiting the results. It appears the old man Biden will beat the atrocity, but the atrocity plans court challenges, so we'll see. 

As of now, the end result looks to be Biden in the Oval Office, and the GOP retaining control of the Senate. As much as I wanted a Blue Senate, to tackle things like Climate Change, if the nation wants rich guys like me to keep paying lower taxes, I'll take it. As long as we get someone on top who will use science to end the plague -- I'll be satisfied with politics for now.

The only bright spot is that Florida, long a laughingstock for our election boners, actually voted like Switzerland. The early ballots were all pre counted, and then released. We knew the results Tuesday night, the way it ought to be. Pennsylvania is the laugher this year, along with Georgia, but Georgia is run by goobers -- so that's expected.

Yesterday we spent the day with D2 and Betsy, so Miriam could clean the house. It was a gray, rainy day, but I brought in Bagel Emporium for lunch, and then, when we learned Jonathan was working late, decided to stay for dinner. It was delivered Atacha --great Thai. I also made myself a great suegro by ordering some reinforcements for their liquor bench. I did it online from Big Daddy's, and the order of vodka, gin, and mezcal was there in 30 minutes. I was a proud American.

Today I was chilling, when I got a call from Alonso, a nice man who spoke little English. My rudimentary Spanish and his little English was enough -- he was coming to install the accordion shutters I bought 2 weeks ago. Sure enough, there's a storm out in the sea, but it appears to be only a final rain event -- no shutters needed. Still -- it'll be nice when the era of panel installation is over for me. Just shut the accordions and await the power outage. Ah, living in paradise...

Tomorrow night the Ds and their men have a double date planned -- I guess weather allowing. Wifey and I will drive up to Shorecrest to watch our grandson -- at least watch him sleeping. Poor little guy has his first cold. Typically by 10 months he'd have had a few, but living in the bubble has prevented that. As sad as it is to see him sniffling, D1 and Joey know it's building his immune system.

Tonight I have Eric and Dana's shabbat at 6, followed by our Zoom Happy Hour at 7. And the Canes are on TV, at 7:30. I guess it'll be our first together, virtual game watching since the plague began. I plan to make my Publix meatloaf, Wifey will make some whole wheat pasta and a salad, and these should pair well with some vodka and tonic.

We had hoped to be toasting to a new President. Looks like that won't happen yet. As Tony S says -- yeah, but what are ya gonna do?

So I'll ignore the political details, lest my anxiety have anxiety, as a recent Herald headline said. And if a storm does hit, at least there ought to be accordions instead of panels. I don't think they'll be strong enough to stop the swarming hordes should our nation fail. But I have plenty of vodka...

Like a Breath of Fresh Air

 Finally! The lovely weather is upon us. It's still not very cool, but this am I walked in 73 degrees that "felt like" 73 degrees. An older neighbor was even wearing a sweater. When I returned, I opened the back and pool doors, and propped them open, lest the heavy breezes slam them shut. It was nice to air out the house for the first time since, I guess, May.

Yesterday was a busy day, by plague time standards. I had decided to join the 21st century, and ordered an electronic door lock from Home Depot. Our friendly Israeli locksmith, Cobe, was free, and he came over to install it and also fix several other door locks in our house of many glass doors. He's in his 30s, and said when he finished the other doors he would show me how to get the new lock on my phone, so I could open and close it from anywhere.

Ha. I took that as a "Whatever, Boomer" challenge, and I downloaded the Schlage APP and did it myself. It was actually quite impressive -- you just scan the lock code with your phone, and, presto! Cobe nodded -- good job, old man, he seemed to say.

Then Wifey ordered Instacart, but realized she left out critical breakfast staples, so I ordered a SECOND instacart. The yogurt is now in our refrigerator.

At 5:30, we hosted a Zoom happy hour with Edna, Marc, Cara, and Mike. I noted that if our Zoom was the election, Trump would win 4-2. Still, everyone remained civil, and I, the Biden voter, came up with the most politically incorrect jokes.

Oh yeah -- today is Election Day. I guess I'm so fatigued with the whole process, I'm only slightly more prone to alacrity than most days. One sister, Sue, called to see if I was anxious, as did Mirta, a sister of another mother. Not really, I responded. I hope Biden and the Dems win, of course, but if Trump pulls it off again, I plan on keepin on keepin on. 

Kenny is coming over later for an afternoon (actually now evening, given the end of DST) stroll, and then we'll share an outdoor, distanced dinner, and maybe a Stella or two. We'll toast to better days for the USA.

Years ago, in college, Jorge came up to Barry and me, smiling from ear to ear. Why so happy, Barry asked. Jorge said "The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and Leonid Breshnev is dead."  Maybe I'll get to say the same, politically, about the cartoon character president, later this week. If not, I'll focus on the shining sun and singing birds.

Oh -- that Fall Miami breeze sure is lovely...

Halloween in the Time of Covid

 So the Ds finally got me to agree to a family gathering outside of the house. It was delightful.

D1 booked a cabana for the day at the Bal Harbor Ritz Carlton. As Wifey and I drove across the Julia Tuttle, the skies opened up. Uh oh. So much for our plans. But, me of little faith was wrong -- we arrived at the valet and the skies were clear.

I had never been to that Ritz before, and like everyone I've ever visited, it was gorgeous. The site is right on the inlet, and when we walked there later, I saw 4 professional photographers set up. I asked one what they were looking to shoot -- and he replied, simply, "yachts." There were indeed several.

The cabana was isolated, with a covered big bed and a jacuzzi tub and a hammock. The food and service were delicious -- I actually went for some craft cocktails for a change -- a "Greyhound" that had vodka and some other tasty stuff. Lunch was delicious, and the ocean breeze was delicious, too. The baby cooed and laughed, as D2 and Wifey fought over who got to hold him.

Joey's 33rd birthday was the week before, and Wifey got a dessert with a candle, and we sang -- in English. That's a family running joke. The classic Colombian birthday song is as long as ours. The Venezuelan one goes on and on.

Around 5, we were ready to head out. D1 and Joey had an outdoor dinner up in Emerald Hills -- my consuegros would be watching the baby while he slept. Just as we left -- the skies opened up. Our timing was terrific.

Wifey and I headed home, and to show the contrast of my tastes, I popped in a Publix meatloaf for dinner. D2 and Jonathan came by -- they had a Halloween, housewarming party in our 'hood, and left the dog, and would spend the night.

Their costumes were a 2020 meme -- "This is Fine" which it turns out is an ironic view of the disaster that 2020 has been. They asked if I could drop them at the party, just several blocks away.

I did, and was seized with nostalgia. Didn't  I used to drop off a teen D2 at parties, just recently? Shouldn't I go in to meet the parents who would be hosting? Ha. The hosts were Brett and Elise -- friends of D2's since Middle School who just bought their first house here in Pinecrest. I suddenly felt very, very old.

We put some candy in front of the gate, in case there were trick or treaters. Wifey heard one group come by, and pick up the bags of Sweet Tarts. One boy said "Man -- I was hoping they were M and Ms!" Wifey wouldn't allow any candy she would eat -- so no chocolate.

I went to bed, and around midnight, D2 and Jonathan called Wifey for a ride home. Her phone was off, so they UBered what must have been about a $2 ride.

This am I made everyone Daddy eggs, and then D2 and Jonathan took the pony sized dog home. Wifey is napping on the couch. Joey has been sending precious photos of our banner day yesterday.

So here's to hoping next year is more of a normal one -- we can actually take our grandson trick or treating, and teach him the fun of the holiday.

This year's wasn't, as Adam Sandler says, too shabby.