Miami (belated from September)

I'm still catching up since my Charleston trip in September.  Life has whizzed by and I haven't had a chance to post my Miami trip yet, and plans are already afoot for another Miami trip!  I spent a week in Miami right after I was in Charleston. I went there right after the wedding.  I had planned to spend two weeks in Charleston, because the bride had told me she wasn't going to go anywhere for a honeymoon (they had originally planned to visit Erica's uncle in Japan, but when the earthquake hit they decided to stay home.)  Then they were gifted a honeymoon cabin in the country, so I changed plans to spend the second week in Miami.

I arrived in Miami airport to be greeted by two spirited cousins working with clockwork precision. My cell phone rang just as I was wondering where the hell do I go NOW?  I had just taken 5 escalators, rolling walkways and a train (with no instructions as to how you get on the train, or if you even should get on it, as there were no signs informing where it goes until you actually get on it).  This confusing mess is due to endless construction at the Miami airport.  They were at my baggage claim, thank god, because I had no idea where my baggage claim was, and they guided me in.

Once we were in the car I was immediately briefed on who wanted to see me, and who was available when, including my Skype schedule with Viv. (It was amusing to watch Viv's mother chase her all over the house in a wheel chair with a broken foot).  They made me feel like I had just gotten off Air Force One, and my staff had anticipated all my needs, and all scheduling conflicts were worked out.  I was informed of which friends I couldn't see due to poor health.  Some more unconventional friends were unable to be visited, due to the fact that they were homeless on the road hundreds of miles away, in several enormous trailers, experiencing one misfortune after another, which I think if they uploaded to youtube as they lived it, it could become a big hit, and they could end up on talk shows or reality shows, making a lot of money.  I can see them on Dancing with the Stars already.

Upon arriving home I saw the refrigerator had been stocked with all my needs, such as those amazing 60 calorie ice cream sandwiches which are only available there.  I was given the best bed, already made up, and the playing cards were set up on the table with all our favorite accoutrements.  I was home.

More from Cousin P re palindromes:  12321 is a better palindrome than 12221 (I dunno, more "variety"?  I dunno).

Cousin S had all these things around the house that had belonged to her deceased mother, my Aunt Florrie (a basically awful woman that had gone unloved by her family), and asked me if I wanted any of them.  Most were unappealing tchotchkes until I found a great necklace.  It's the one and only thing I have from my Aunt Florrie, and is as good a way to honor her memory as I can think of.  I'm wearing it in this picture of us playing cards:

Patti wanted to drive me all over Jupiter, but I really wanted to do it when we had more time.  It would have involved 12 hours of driving in 2 days for her.  As much as I really want to see Jupiter, that's insane.  So, I made up a bed for her in the other guest/Viv's room, which really wowed her (I knew the feeling) and the next day we all just lit up and started playing cards, and she was hooked.  I think she commented something like she could "see the appeal." She left well-rested, with our hopes still high that one day she will get to show me Jupiter.

Here we are celebrating H's birthday: