Yappy Hour. . .I'll drink to that!

I attended Yappy Hour last night.  It was billed as "An Event for people and dogs to benefit Miami Lighthouse" and it was not only very successful, but definitely a hoot.  Held in the outdoor patio of a Midtown restaurant called Apeiro Kitchen & Bar, it was attended by about 75 humans and some 40 dogs.  Frankly, I lost count after the second glass of Pinot Grigio.

I loved the fact that both the bar and all the tables had a bowl of inviting looking little crackers on them.  If you weren't careful, you might not realize they were treats for the dogs, not for the two legged guests.  I'm sure more than a few were bit into, if not consumed, before reality set in. 

Everyone with a dog received a tote bag full of goodies, once again for the dogs, not the owners, and believe me, the dogs were having a ball.  My friend Sheila, attending with her malti-poo Henry, won the prize for "Best Dressed Look-Alikes" in their matching outfits.  Henry loves a good party.  We call him a "bar hound" around the Grove Isle clubhouse.


Congrats to the Miami Lighthouse, and marketing director Cam Sisser, whose idea it was for this terrific event.  I don't know who had more fun.  The dogs or their owners.

Sheila & Henry, front and back!

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Not so much fun to fly these days. . .

I have two airline flights coming up in the next month, so I wasn't exactly delighted to hear on the news last night that travelers should be prepared for even longer security lines as summer approaches.

What did we do before we had cell phones?

Longer?  Jeez, I thought they were pretty ridiculous already.  Last month on my way home from visiting daughter Andrea in Charlotte, NC. I literally crawled forward on line for 55 minutes before getting up to the actual security area.  Everyone on the line, including yours truly, spent the time staring at their cell phones, making last minute calls, playing Words With Friends, reading e-mail. . .anything to help you not notice how slowly the line was moving.

The only laugh I got out of the thoroughly unpleasant situation was hearing the guard at the start of the line who checked your boarding pass shouting over and over again directions about removing your laptops and taking off your shoes.  Each time he got to the shoe part he would shout out "If you're over 75 you don't have to take off your shoes."  So I didn't.

When I finally approached the booth where you go in, put your hands over your head, and get zapped with something that shows your insides, the lady in charge scowled at me and said "You didn't take off your shoes!"  For a moment, I considered thanking her for the compliment.  Instead, I hissed, "I'm over 75."  I'm not sure she believed me because I got patted down on the other side when I emerged.  Obviously, I looked suspicious.

I have great memories of luxurious air flights, when you dressed for the occasion, dined and drank at leisure as you flew to your destination, and were treated like celebrities by gorgeous flight attendants.  Those days are gone forever, that's for sure.

Today's Millennial Generation would have no idea what I'm talking about, that's also for sure.
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A morning to remember. . .

I've been a tram guide at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for almost ten years now, but this morning's tour was a very new and wonderful experience for me.  Alicia Hartsack, the young staff member who works in the education department, asked me if I would consider being the narrator for a set of tours designed for autistic children.  My answer was yes, although I admit to being nervous about exactly how it would go.

My driver, Ted Weiss, and I, were at the Phillips Gate when the families began to arrive at 9:45 this morning.  I got to help put name tags on kids and parents alike, and everyone was obviously excited.  As one mother said to me as I pasted a sticker with her name on her chest, "This is such a special day for all of us."

She was so right.  It truly was a remarkable day for us, the volunteers, as it was for the families.  Upon arrival, everyone went to the Science Village where a classroom was set up with snacks, drinks, crayons and paper.  When we were sure everyone had arrived, close to 50 altogether, including a small group of Down Syndrome teen-agers, everyone headed for the tram and the promised tour.

With everyone seated, kids and parents alike, I put my headset microphone on, walked out of the cab to stand on the road in front of them, and started to talk.  Forget about my usual speech, this one was for the kids.  I don't know where it came from, but they listened to every word of my welcome and then we were off.  This was a fun tour from start to finish, especially when we got to the giant baobab tree, stopped the tram, and invited the kids to get off.  Take a look at the photos.  That tree never had so much love as these autistic kids and their siblings climbed all over it and danced around it. 

One of my favorite moments at the baobab stop was when little Christopher marched over to me, reached up for my headset, and told me in all seriousness that he had "an announcement to make".  Next came Menajem with his wish to make an "announcement".  Boy, did they love that microphone.  In the end it was Christopher who took over my job and announced in a loud, clear voice, that everyone should "get back on the bus. . .we're leaving."

With the tour over, we all headed back to the classroom in the Science Village to make glass terrariums with plants and butterfly stickers.  By the end of that part of the morning, I had butterfly stickers on both hands, but I also got lots of kisses in return.

The last part of the morning was spent in the Exotic Butterfly Garden.  I wish I had photo of all the kids, absolutely awestruck at the hundreds of gorgeous butterflies everywhere they looked, but by that time a young man named Derrick, part of a family of six, had me firmly by the hand, and I was much too busy to take my camera out.  I did get a photo of his whole family at the very end because by this time I felt like I knew them all.

It was an incredible morning, and Fairchild is an incredible place.  I am so lucky to be a part of it.
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Enjoying the baobab tree!

Boy, could these kids climb!



Christopher uses my mike to make his announcements

My new friend Derrick and his brother Brandon

Menajem takes his turn at the mike.

I don't think I stopped smiling the whole tour!




The Garcia Family in the Exotic Butterfly Garden. 



Sebastian and Robert work on their terrariums.

Only in the Grove. . .

I went walking in the South Grove with my friend Ruth this morning.  Now I've seen it all.  The south end of the Grove is the oldest area and strictly residential. Most of the homes have been here since the 20's and they range from modest to mansions, but they are all "very Grove".  You have to live in this area to understand the true meaning of that expression.

I'm used to seeing people out walking their dogs at 8 in the morning.  That's a given.  I'm also used to seeing gorgeous peacocks strolling around.  Residents have a love/hate relationship with these magnificent creatures who are prone to dirtying up the area. But the lady walking towards us on the road this morning was an oddity even for the Grove.

On her chest was a sort of backpack, call it a frontpack, with its front panel hanging open.  As we approached I could have sworn I saw a bird looking out at me.

Say hello to Pandora.  She's a green parrot. No youngster, around 20 years old, and she loves her morning walk.  In fact, she insists on it, according to the lady who apparently accommodates her feathered friend's every desire.  We stopped to talk, had a chat with Pandora, and then walked on, shaking our heads.

That's what I mean when I say only in the Grove.
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The art of being "appraised". . . .

I'm in the process of refinancing my condo mortgage and a young man came to my apartment this morning to "appraise" it for the bank.  The guy managed to scare the hell out of my cats as he marched around the house with his giant measuring tape.  I provided him with a printed floor plan of my unit, with all the room sizes, but I guess he felt he had to earn his keep by measuring everything himself.

Ginger, hiding in the closet.
 

After taking photos of all the rooms and also of the view (which even he admitted was pretty spectacular) he departed to have a chat with the manager of Grove Isle as to the state of our community  The only smile I got out of him during the entire business was when he got a glimpse of Ginger, crouching on the top shelf of one of my closets.  Wasabi was no where in sight.

I find this whole "refinancing" business very strange. They certainly ask a lot of personal questions including proof that I really am divorced and own this place. Jeez, that happened almost 28 years ago.  Can't they take my word for it???  I guess not.

What really is strange is the fact that almost everything is done on the computer, with no actual personal interaction, except for the appraisal. I'm sure when we bought our condo and first financed it back in 1986, that definitely wasn't the case.  I like to feel I'm fairly tech savvy, but in truth, sometimes I miss the old ways of doing things.  How about you????
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My construction fees are very reasonable. . . .

If you are thinking about building a giant trampoline, and need some expert help, give me a call.  I have terrific creds in that area.

Adam at work.

Just ask my grandson Adam, the chief engineer on our major project this past Thanksgiving weekend.  It took the two of us a mere 2 1/2 hours to erect the outdoor beauty that daughter Andrea and I bought as an early Channukah present for Grayson, her grandson and my great-grandson.  Adam and I agreed that the instructions that came with the outdoor structure truly sucked, but the end result was fantastic.  I may not know how to cook a turkey, but if you need someone to hand you the screws and hold up the netting for the trampoline's sides, while you're working on attaching, I'm your gal.

Best of all, Grayson gave it his stamp of approval from his very first jump, with a few thousand more to follow.  This gift was a definite winner, as was the entire weekend, spent in Jacksonville, at Adam and Amy's home, along with Andrea, and Adam's dad, Elliot, and his wife, Susan.  Dinner was fabulous!  Thank you, Amy!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Can you tell I adore him??

Chef Amy and her fabulous dinner

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The Anker Family

The best kiss ever!

A night to remember. . .

Not exactly sure how to write this blog.  Mostly because I am still a little mind blown from the whole scene.  Don't know if you remember that I wrote a while back that the Miami Lighthouse for The Blind, for whom I volunteer by writing a monthly blog, nominated me for one of the Alliance for Aging's "Positive Living" Awards, in the Corporate/Legal/Public Service category.

Miami Lighthouse CEO Virginia Jacko called me a few weeks ago while I was driving in my car, to tell me that I had won.  I almost drove off the road.

Last night was the Awards Dinner and Ceremony held in the Tree Tops Ballroom at Jungle Island.  The Lighthouse reserved a table for 10 and I was very touched to be surrounded and supported by dear friends as I joined some incredible men and women, all winners in different categories, on stage to receive a glittering (and very heavy!) cut glass trophy.  It's sitting on my desk as I write. It was truly a night to remember.

Like I said in my blog when I first told you about the nomination, my Mom would have been very proud.  I felt kind of proud myself.
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My tablemates at the cocktail party before the dinner.

Sharing my trophy with Virginia, the lady who nominated me!

Our table in the beautiful ballroom