"Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely,I have nobody for my own.
I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely,
Wish I had someone to call on the phone.
...
Letters, never a letter,
I get no letters in the mail.
I've been forgotten, yeah, forgotten,
Oh how I wonder how is it I failed."
Thank God for Bobby Vinton. There have been times when Gini, that regal Baroness, has had the opportunity to do something interesting or exciting but without me. ...Without me! The very idea! However my overall assessment all these decades (4 to be exact) is that Gini is quite sensible and intelligent. Therefore one should take advantage of life's invitations without reviewing the entire guest list.
Currently Gini is still in Miami Beach and is putting her lessons on her new iPhone to use by texting more easily and transmitting descriptive photos. Exhibit A:
This was taken at Happy Hour at Monty's at the marina. A place where martinis and a raw bar suffice for an attempt to view sunset and compose a pronouncement on the day. And she is doing it with two of my favorite women.
She has decided that another month in Miami Beach at our new home is quite necessary for emotional and spiritual stability. Her sister Janice, her husband Bill, our dear friends Paul, Greg and Rick have all conspired to make her stay as pleasant as possible given the throes of her separation situation. Me, I am throe-ing up north amid snow, ice and whatever happens to brimstone when the temperature is constantly below freezing.
Retirement seems to offer more and more new experiences. In this case it seems that in our forty years together we have never been apart for more than a week at a time. So here we are schizo-occupying our residences. Well, alright, I did willingly come back to coach track one more time. After being conducted into the NH Coaches Hall of Fame you'd think I would go quietly into that good night. The money will be helpful but I must admit when I am at practice it all comes together...but then there's the other twenty two hours...
I have never lived by myself. Thankfully Kevin, our tenant, lives next door in the front apartment and makes a mean seafood gumbo to complement my mean martinis. As we are both avid and knowledgeable sports fans there is much hurling of invectives at the TV. Oh yeah, the TV, our new 47 inch flat screen now lives in Florida also after temporarily seducing me before we wended South it decided it also needed emotional and spiritual re-enforcement provided by Belle Isle. Ah, a stiff upper and all that...hmmph!
So as I retch, er..., reflect on my situation I ponder our recent wending. We arrived uneventfully at Mary's house in Winter Park and spent some peaceful days. On Jan 2 we exited and arrived at Island Ave on Belle Isle with the Element filled with our new household. This consisted of some kitchen equipment cleverly sent our way from Gini's sister Janice; an inflatable queen-size Coleman mattress; a card table to match the folding chairs we had left in storage; and a 47 inch flat screen television.
During the next two months we managed to entertain Chip and Alexa, Kevin, his sister Katy and her husband Chris, Gini's sister Linda and her husband Geoff, and my sister Eileen. They were primary witnesses for an ad-hoc design and execution of an HGTV experience.
First the windows were torn out from the enclosed balcony, the living room and the bedroom along with the door going out to the balcony. The door, along with the living room and bedroom were equipped with high impact-resistant glass so as to deflect objects thrown by hurricanes or rabid guests.
Soon a king size bed, night lamps, night stands and a fabulous Miami sunset photo (courtesy of Sandy and Tom) adorned the bedroom.
The real HGTV experience began with the living room/dining room. Moving from over 3,000 sq feet of NH living space to 900 in Miami Beach is definitely a challenge. Especially when you would like to offer your guests accommodations of a certain quality. You know, comfort that lasts 8 or 9 days and then inspires a desire to see someone else.
The murphy bed was our solution. Frederico of More Space designed a queen sized beauty with attached cabinets and pull-out shelf. This framed our flat screen perfectly especially after Bill and Chris anchored its hinged, swiveling, omnivisual bracket to the wall.
Chris had explored the web and come up with a geometric-inspired dining room table. This was complemented by Gini desiring (and obtaining) Philippe Starck ghost chairs (knockoffs). A trip to City Furniture with Greg and Paul resulted in the sofa. Ikea yielded a comfy chair for Chris.
The coffee table was procured through a real group effort. Chris spent an afternoon collecting and bookmarking about 40 possible choices on the internet. That evening he used the flat screen to display the inventory. Through an elaborate but fair voting system 5 finalists were chosen. Switching to a more Machiavellian scheme, the winner emerged.
Here is the result:
Special attention should be paid to the Venetian mirror and accompanying cabinet. The mirror was a gift from Katy and Chris and is of the knock-your-socks-off variety:
Turning around is the kitchen where someone had the foresight to open it up and have a counter available:
Miami is at the top of the picture. The Venetian Causeway connects the islands to Miami Beach. Belle Isle is the first coming from Miami Beach and the largest and closest in the picture. Our condo building is the one closest to the viewer at the curve in the island. Ciao.
