Erev Valentine's Day

 So we watched a great Super Bowl game, as the Eagles choked and let the Chiefs win. I sure am glad I wasn't really invested in the game -- I wanted the Iggles, since I have lots of Philly friends and don't even know anyone from KC, but I went to sleep very well after the game. Maybe the Dolphins will figure out a way to keep their small QB upright and they can compete next year. It'd be great -- I really dig the Fins' coach McDaniel, who looks like the character McLovin -- the picture of nerdiness. We'll see.

Meanwhile, D1 told me that she and Joey are hosting D2 and Jonathan for a romantic VD dinner tomorrow evening. That gladdened me, and so I went onto the Big Daddy's Liquors site to make sure they have proper spirits. I can't afford to drink Johnnie Walker Blue, but bought a bottle for them, along with some good tequila and vodka. I know they'll have a great time, assuming the spirited toddler stays in his room, asleep. The 7 month old is a marshmallow and no bother.

Ah, Valentine's Day. I dreaded it when I was single and dating -- having to balance several, um, responsibilities. We typically celebrate with Loni and Mike, but this year I think we blew past it.

The first year we lived here, in Villa Wifey, I set up a table outside in the lovely February evening, brought in DiNapoli, and played nice music from D2's boom box. It was just the 4 of us, toasting our new lovely home.

The following year, which must have been VD 2002, I invited several couples and we feasted. The Ds were servers, and I bought each of the wives lovely costume bracelets which they found under their plates. We drank champagne, and my less than romantic male friends enjoyed being saved from their clumsiness. I used to really enjoy romance.

Earlier, I asked Wifey if she wanted to go anywhere to celebrate. "Nah -- all partied out." I felt the same way, and I already bought her a beloved gift -- the pressure assist toilet. She says it's a game changer.

So we'll just hopefully get some nice photos of our beloved Ds and sons in law enjoying. That'll be fine.

Meanwhile, I just read that today is National Mistress Day. Apparently those men so equipped are supposed to take their mistresses to nice dinners. The really brave ones go with the girlfriend tonight,and wife tomorrow -- to the same restaurant! I plan to stay home both evenings. Who has the energy anymore?

Meanwhile, a cold front blew in, and the weather is absurdly gorgeous today. All the doors are wide open -- a delicious cool breeze blows through the family room as I type. Wifey took the special needs Spaniel for a short walk. I'll soon take the strange rescue dog for a longer one -- we both need more exercise.

D1 wrote to say she balled at a Super Bowl commercial -- for The Farmer's Dog dog food. I saw it, too - essentially her life story with HER spoiled Spaniel. The commercial starts with a girl telling her dog she'll protect her forever, and she does, through the years. The dog is there when she marries, and the commercial ends with the girl and the dog snuggling -- with the girl's human baby, too. Yep -- Madison Avenue, or wherever these people work currently, still can pull the heartstrings.

D2 adores HER pup Betsy -- all 93 lbs of her. I wonder the scene should she bless us with human baby or babies, too. I imagine it will be adorable.

Ah, a sentimental old man's thoughts wander this eve of the Day of Amor...

Everything's Quiet On Super Bowl Sunday

 So later on today the Chiefs take on the Iggles, as Philly accents call them, in the Super Bowl. Wifey and I have no plans other than to bring in some food and watch -- especially the funny commercials, which are the best part of the show.

I know no one in KC, especially since Jonathan's brother Dan and his wife Melanie moved back from there to Miami, and by some twist of fate, my life is CRAWLING with Philly good friends. I joke that I can hear a Philly accent from across a room now -- usually "Aig" for egg or "wooder" for water gives it away. So as for my rooting interest, I saw Go Birds.

My man Stuart is there. His Dad Bill, nearing 90, is a huge fan, and each Sunday Stu and his way cool son Val gather to watch the Birds. Bill wasn't up to the trip to Phoenix, but Stu scored scome 5K tickets and flew to the game Thursday -- meeting old friends with some of their sons as well. I like the think the past days were filled with steak dinners, great booze, and cigars -- though I would avoid the cigars.

As I look back down Super Bowl memory lane, a few games stick out. The earlies is also one played by the Eagles -- in January of '81. Barry, Mike, along with honorary roommate Eric hosted a watch party. Several people brought TVs, mostly small black and white jobs, and we placed them around the apartment. Everyone made chili, and we toasted some garlic bread, and filled the bathtub with ice and bottles of Moosehead beer. The game was pretty boring, and Barry left for the library, returning later to find some drunk coeds still sleeping around various parts of the apartment. We still chuckle about that -- he curled up with his Chemistry text and kept studying.

I recall watching the last Dolphins SB games with friends -- they lost to the Niners and Redskins. The teams have now changed their names -- the Redskins are the Commanders, and the Niners are the Ninex team. Ah, woke times.

I recall one SB watch party at Eric's parents' house -- we brought in subs from, I think, Hungry Bear, and watched the Niners and Bengals. Eric's Dad Marvin LOVED having us over, and poking fun at Barry for his misplaced love of the Jets. Those were simple, fun times.

Our friend Rob was married to Becky and they hosted a game famous for the wardrobe malfunction involving Janet Jackson't breast. Rob was the first to have Tivo, so we got to see it over and over again, much to our wives' eye rolling. He and Becky long ago divorced -- she lives in Texas, and Rob up in Stuart caring for his declining mother.

Another game I recall was Elway's first win in a SB -- in January of '98. D2 was friends with Amelia, and her parents Sheryl and David hosted a grand party. I think theirs was the first 7 figure house I had ever attended a party in -- it was grand -- located just up 107th Avenue from us. The kids ran around and played, and we ate and drank. Sheryl and David would divorce a few years later, and it would turn out that David's money was really his parents' -- forcing Sheryl to move back to her childhood home outside of Boston. 

Her parents are still alive -- and I remember admiring how they took in their daughter and THREE kids in a one bathroom split level house, long after they assumed freedom as empty nesters.

Poor Sheryl is going through a rough patch -- her longtime boyfriend is in a nursing home following a devastating stroke. Sheryl is visiting her parents in Aventura -- she invited us to meet for dinner in Lauderdale last night, but we had prior plans. We asked her to come here for the game, but she's hanging with her parents instead.

I've never attended a Super Bowl, which kind of surprises Wifey. In the early 2000s, our bank gave Paul and me tickets for a game here at Joe Robbie Stadium. We agreed, as it was two teams we didn't care about -- to sell the tickets and give the proceeds to charity, which we did. I think we got about $2k apiece from a broker -- so Rabbi Yossi was VERY happy with the Super Bowl that year -- back then a $4k gift was significant, before he began swimming in much deeper macher seas, where the gifts are 6 and 7 figure deals.

So the big game awaits. I think I'll go classic pizza and salads. Maybe the Dolphins will make it back in my lifetime. More importantly to me, hopefully the Canes get to play for a 6th ring. For now, the past is nicer to consider.

Flushing Away Our Troubles

 So Wifey doesn't "do mornings," and even though the new plumbing fixture was a gift to her, I stayed home from workout yesterday to deal with the friendly neighborhood plumbers from South End. The master plumber, an affable Cuban guy, has my exact July birthday, but is 3 years older. Despite that, he looks 10 years younger, on account of he has a physical job and is always in motion. Plus, he makes people happy all day by fixing their plumbing -- talk about job satsifaction!

Anyway, they arrived and had the new pressure assist unit installed in less than an hour. I tried it out -- impressive! It sounds like the toilet on an airplane. I look forward to never having to plunge after Wifey again. The seat was missing, but came in the afternoon -- I installed it myself in a jiffy. 

They told me the cost to remove the old toilet was $45, and said I could of course just drop it at the nearby transfer station. I did so this am, and felt like I earned $45 for my effort. I hearkened back to my first job -- cutting lawns in my Wantagh, LI 'hood for $5 apiece. 9 lawns earned me $45, and that was a lot. This job was far easier and better paying, and the weightlifting it required made up for some of my missed session yesterday with Juan.

Yesterday I had dinner and drinks with Charlie, a young lawyer friend of D2 and Jonathan's. He handles commercial cases, and Paul and I will refer them to him as they come. I had told Charlie about Fox's Lounge, and he wanted to try it out. His wife was working, and I Ubered over. What a pleasure -- no need to find parking, and I could have that extra martini without fear of encountering the local constabulary on my way home. I love Uber.

Tonight I plan to Zoom with my friends. We started this at the beginning of the plague, and realized it was a nice way to get together without anyone having to drive over 3 counties. Next week I'm going to the Canes baseball first game with Mike, and so won't Zoom, but nights without plans it makes for a lovely time.

Tomorrow we see the grandsons, and Sunday I have lunch plans with my friend John and Steve. John hasn't seen Steve since Steve's had major medical issues -- he'll be shocked. But after that is the Super Bowl, which I plan to quietly enjoy with some takeout (actually deliver in) food. Ah, February.

I told Wifey I wanted to take her picture atop the new throne, giving the thumbs up sign. She disagrees with this. But still, for me, mission accomplished. It's nice to still be romantic.

The Boss on a Tuesday Night

 I first saw Bruce Springsteen in the Summer of '85, during his Born in the USA tour in the Orange Bowl. Wifey and I saw way up in the cheap seats, and agreed it was amazing -- he held the 70k fans in the palm of his hand as we sang and danced.

Since then, I saw him probably another 6 or 7 times -- twice without Wifey. The last time was "The River" tour at the hockey arena in Sunrise. The most memorable was "The Rising" tour in '02 or '03 at the AAA in Miami. As Wifey and I waited for the show, she said there were precious few acts she would see any more -- U2 was one of them. Sure enough, as if on cue, Bono came on stage later, as did Dion, and the 3 greats played some songs together. That was magical.

I read that his new tour included a stop at the Hard Rock Casino theater, a smallish venue, probably less than 10k. I assume the Seminoles, who print money at that place, just paid Bruce whatever the take would have been at a double sized venue. I decided I wanted to go.

I went online at Ticketmaster, and scored. I bought 4 tickets at the low price of $500 each. Paul and Patricia had never seen Bruce, and so we invited them. By show time, the seats could have been sold for $2200 each. Paul wanted to sell. I reminded him he was a rich old fuh, and $4k wasn't going to change his life. But I expected transport, alcohol, and dinner, and so we agreed to meet at Denny's in Hallandale, our muster spot for Broward and points North excursions, and John, a Williams Island worker, came and fetched us in his Hyundai, dropping us at the newly re-opened Runway 84.

They did a fab job with the reno, to use hip speak. The airplane bar is gone, but the place now looks like the supper club from Goodfellas. The food was great. By the time we arrived, I had two Stoli Elits and ice, and so was feeling fine. Wifey and Patricia drank Prosecco. I toasted our wonderful combined 5 kids and 5 grandkids -- and may they all leave us alone tonight! They did.

We piled back into the Hyundai,and John dropped us at the facility. It was buzzing. The demographics of the casino are classier than Atlantic City, but a bit below Vegas. I'm not a casino guy, but enjoyed the vibe. We went to the theater, and found our excellent seats. Bruce began at 745, with "No Surrender."

I chatted with the guy next to me, about 10 years younger, from Boca, there with his 23 year old son. He had seen the shows in Tampa and Orlando. I asked him how many he had attended -- tonight was to be his 75th! 

Wow -- I felt like an amateur. He explained that Bruce's music and lyrics got him through a tough young adulthood. He also had a friend in the front row -- sitting next to BonJovi. We wondered whether he would take the stage. He did not.

What followed was 3 solid hours of awesome music, banter, and dancing. It's why you say you attend a Springsteen show -- never a concert. He went old school -- playing the E Street Shuffle, from his first record, in '72.

He also played one of my favorite songs, "Because the Night," which he wrote with Patti Smith, and usually leaves for her to perform. To me, the lyric captures the longing and intensity of young love better than any poem.

He also sang some soul tunes, like "Night Shift," from his latest homage to the greats in that genre. It's funny, though -- I didn't spot a single Black person in the audience. I guess the Boss has his audience.

The show ended, and we met John right at the valet. Paul thanked me for encouraging him to attend -- he loved it. Patricia did, too, as did Wifey.

The vodka had worn off, and we had a nice drive home. I would have said it was nice to get off the reservation, but we actually went ON the reservation. I am so politically incorrect -- especially about a tribe of people who have more money than Hashem.

The musical beginning to the year continues. Edna and Marc are coming late February, and we're off to Key West to see 89 year old Willie Nelson. I take any excuse to visit Key West, and that was a fine one.

But all in all, dinner at Runway 84, my favorite musical performer, and dear friends. Not a bad Tuesday night at all in the 954.

Holding A Grudge Against A Car Dealer

 So I've long been a Lexus owner/leasee. Years ago, my roommate Mark, very much into cars, said Lexuses were like appliances -- solid, steady performers and boring as hell. He's correct, and now that I no longer need to impress clients with expensive cars, solid, steady, and boring is precisely what I want from my vehicles.

Friday night, at D2's birthday, my sons in law and daughters said I ought to get a new vehicle. I'm so generous with everyone else -- why don't I  treat myself to something more exciting than my car, which is essentially a Toyota Camry with nicer trim? The answer is I have zero desire to. I went through a period of having Jaguars, 7 Series BMWs, Cadillac SUVs and sedans, and even a "Weekend car," a bright yellow T Bird convertible that I sold for what I paid on account of Wifey's back prevented her from riding in it.

Nope -- we bought Wifey's '16 RX off lease, and my girlie sedan is due in June -- I plan to buy it and keep it for at least a few years. Car issues are something I have zero desire to deal with.

Today I brought my ES in for a 15K service. I've been going to Isaac the service advisor since my first Lexus in the mid 90s. He's terrific -- honest and knowledgeable. For example, he told me to NOT get an oil change -- the synthetic oil lasts a lot longer than the traditional one, and it would have been a waste of money. We compare notes on aging, and I always take the time to write him a sterling review.

The sales part of Lexus of Kendall is a horse of a different color. Four years ago I swore I would NEVER do business with them, after a nasty affair with Patti, my longtime salesperson.

Between cars we leased or bought, and people I referred to Lexus of Kendall, I estimate I'm responsible for 20 deals. Not too shabby. In 2019 I decided to buy Wifey's SUV off lease, since he mileage was so low, and the payoff was lower than the car's value. I went in with the lease contract, and prepared to write a check for the residual value plus sales tax.

There was a $900 "dealer fee" on the invoice. I told Patti it was a mistake -- I HAD a contract stating what the car cost -- there was no additional fee. She called over the manager, and he tried to corporate speak me -- I honestly treated his words like he was a barking dog. I got up, walked out, and told them to expect a lawsuit for fraud and conversion. I got to my car, and Patti came -- tapping on my window.

"Well, since you ARE such a good and loyal customer, my manager agreed to waive the fee." Oh -- you did me he kindness of not trying to steal from me? I paid the correct amount, and told Patti to NEVER contact me again -- I was a simple man, and once someone showed dishonesty, I was done with them forever.

She understood, she said, and so never called. Ha. As if! A few months later, she called to tell me about the exiting new line of 2020 cars! I sternly reminded her to no me jodas. She's a Mexican Jew and understood.

Well, today when I got home, Lexus of Kendall called. I thought maybe I left something in the service area. Nope -- it was Esteban, the newly minted "VIP manager of sales." He knew I just visited for service, and wanted to see if he could "get me into a 2023 ES for what I'm paying now." They really still talk this way, apparently.

I asked Esteban if Patti still worked there. Yes -- she was one of his top salespeople -- and his notes showed I was a long time customer. I guess the notes left out the ugly divorce.

I told Esteban that Patti and I had a love child together, I raised said child, and for years she has been avoiding paying me child support -- she owes it on account of how much money she earns as a top saleswoman. I told Esteban when Patti settles her account with me about baby Esmerelda -- maybe we can talk cars.

Poor dude -- he didn't know whether to crap or go blind, to use one of my former boss Ed's favorite expressions. I 'm guessing I won't be hearing from them again for awhile.

So rock on, Lexus of Kendall service. Feh, Lexus of Kendall sales. Elephants and I never forget.

I Don't Feel Like I Have To Wipe Everybody Out. Just My Enemies.

 Poor tiny New College in Sarasota, a well respected liberal arts public school, is in our avaricious governor's sights. At one point I thought maybe D1 would attend, but that ended comically.

I always had an aversion to getting ripped off by fancy school tuition, although I would have paid it if that's what the Ds wanted. When D1 was a high school junior, I started talking to her about New College -- very competitive to be admitted, with 100% grad school admission rates. It appealed to me -- sort of like an Amherst in Sarasota, but she would attend for free, between Bright Futures and the Prepaid Plan.

We took a trip there -- stayed at a hotel in Sarasota and had a lovely evening on St. Armand's Key. We ate dinner and sat on the Gulf beach as sharks swarmed, eating their dinner. It was lovely there, and I figured it was a great college place for her -- smart kids -- just a 4 hour drive away. The next day we drove to campus.

We were greeted by a young man wearing a "Ban Reality TV" sweatshirt. One of the booths had hippie looking girls under a banner that read "Women Against Ladies." After literally 10 minutes of walking around, D1 turned to me and said "We out, Dad. I LOVE reality TV and want to be a lady. This is 100% NOT my scene." And so we left for Miami.

She, and later her sister, did great at UF, and so my aversion to paying absurd tuition was honored. Instead, I invested the money into stock accounts for them -- D1 used some money as a down payment for her and Joey's house, and D2 plans to do the same.

I think it's great when people who can afford it happily pay high tuition, but to me it's a huge racket -- I look at all the successful friends of the Ds who attended public colleges and I just don't see a reason to pay 6 figures for a fancy degree. But back to New College.

Our governor, himself Ivy League elite educated, is following Trump's fake populist playbook and going after New College. He's installing scary righty administrators vowing to turn the place into a Hillsdale of Florida.

Probably a majority of New College kids are LGBTQ (RSTUV -- I add letters for coming permutations), and will feel as welcome there as a turd in a swimming pool. It's terrible for them.

Maybe these kind of Michael Corleone stunts will backfire against him. I guess we'll find out in the coming years as he runs for POTUS. He is a nasty guy -- typically that hurts. Even Nixon could be charming -- the governor can't.

His culture war is extending to the flagship university, too. He pushed for UF to hire the Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse as president. The fellow only ran small Christian schools in addition to being a senator from a sparsely populated state -- one known only for Warren Buffet and a football team that's even more a bunch of has beens than my beloved Canes. I have to think that stunt will cost UF in national rankings -- especially as elite faculty start to flee for more welcoming places.

I'm a centrist Democrat, and know politics are a pendulum. But lately things sure are swinging VERY far to the right -- and taking out sweet little colleges like New College -- that ain't right. Maybe they'll resist, somehow. I sure hope they can.

Valentine's Day For The Long Married

 Oh, those many years of celebrating the day of Love with Wifey -- from February of 1984 onward.It's now coming close to 4 decades of this stuff. This year I went all out. Yesterday I ordered her gift.

I went on Amazon and bought a Kohler pressure assist toilet. Wifey has been asking me for buy one for years, on account of her greater than average clogging of toilets. I really should have, as I'm the only one with the arm strength to free many of her clogs, but I put it off. Another member of our family has the same proclivity, but he only lived here 9 months and moved out.

So with Valentine's Day near, I went full on romantic -- to the very base of our relationship. The toilet is scheduled for delivery Friday, and then I will call South End Plumbing (their real name) to come install it. Here's to retiring the plunger.

Oh yeah, I also bought us expensive tickets to see Springsteen the Tuesday before VD. We're taking Paul and Patricia, who have never seen the Boss. I already gave them some tips -- like don't say "Springsteen concert," say "Springsteen show." They're ready.

The deal was I got the tickets; Paul provides transport, alcohol, and dinner. He has a driver and the alcohol, and then we decided on the newly reopened Runway 84 -- very close to the Seminole property. Paul assumed there would be ZERO issue having dinner on a Tuesday at 430 pm. He assumed wrong -- $200 non refundable deposit for dinner. Normally we'd have told them to fuggetttaboudit, but it IS the perfect place for a pre Boss show. So that's the plan.

But MOST importantly, today is D2's 31st birthday! We spent a lovely afternoon yesterday -- we were pressed into child care, as D1 had meetings in the afternoon. We fetched the adorable toddler from school, and drove home. D2 asked him where were stopped. "On a bridge! The boats go on the water under it!" Ok -- he's only 3. I was impressed, though I imagine there's nothing less objective than a loving grandpa.

We gave him his snack and played with his baby brother and then walked to his friend's park nearby. We passed by the Heat player's Mom walking her comically tiny dog. I say that since her son is near 7 feet and her dog is tiny -- I would have thought she'd have gone bigger.

On the way home, we stopped at Pura Vida for some healthy wraps, and talked of the years gone by. I gave her a diary Wifey and I kept from the days before she was born, including a vintage Wifey entry saying "I love you. Get out!" The entries ran from then to age 7. We laughed -- by 7 she was the person she is now: beautiful, brilliant, and not flashy about either her looks or brains. I kind of dig her.

We're going to celebrate tonight at Il Gabbianno, which one might argue is the best restaurant in the state. It's beautiful -- right at the mouth of the Miami River, where it meets Biscayne Bay, and the food is amazing. We'll toast Tia Avi, as her 3 year old sobrino calls her. I am QUITE looking forward to it.

Meanwhile, the Valentine's toilet is due soon. Ah, romance.