April 9, 2023

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 9, 2022, from each other.
Five years ago today: April 9, 2018, Day 130.
Nine years ago today: April 9, 2014, the entire newspaper
Random years ago today: April 9, 2013 , Today is is just “Angi.com”.

           I’d planned on a drive, but it turned into the laziest day I’ve had in Miami yet. JZ got up and left early, he’s gone to Indian Creek, which I’ll get to in a moment. One of his relatives gave him a rack of Hathaway white shirts, which were considered posh in my day. Each boy had one for Sundays, but I never did like white shirts as they require that extra smidgen of care and maintenance. JZ donate me one and talk about sharp-looking. The more because I had thought Hathaway was now Amazon-grade. I think this shirt is really something. Maybe photos later.

           I’m never invited to Indian Creek Village. I like to point out the reason is that my family does not have the quarter-million-dollar annual membership fee. It’s a man-made island with a population of around 85. It’s a private community with its own police force that escorts every visitor door-to-door. The zero crime rate means some of the world’s richest you never heard of live within EV range of downtown Miami and you’ll never see them.
           The average house price, although most are never listed, is in the $20 million range, but you can get a fixer-upper for $12 million. Sorry, no mortgages allowed on the island, hard money only. Nobody in JZ’s family lives there that I know of, but I think they have relatives. I’d like to look around the place but even after 22 years of good history, remember that I am still the interloper slash intruder, that newcomer not to be quite well-principled enough. Poor white trash. We’re even, as they have never known the ecstasy of hearing me play the bass line to “Louie, Louie”.

           As an example of who lives at Indian Creek, here is a photo of what the world calls a “supermodel”, Adriana Lima of Victoria’s Secret. I have never found women like this attractive or elegant. Give me natural wholesome good looks any time, but the sooner the better, of course. The island is home to several retired sports stars, for those who truly love to avoid all inter-neighbor semblance of academic conversation.
           Instead, I got up late and had a favorite breakfast. Oatmeal. With brown sugar and Half & Half™. I’ve read the encyclopedia found last day and I’m reading it over again in case I missed anything. There is a Charles Bronson festival if I can figure out how to work that remote. I think it’s the wrong brand, but anyway, I’ve never before watched “From Noon Until Three”, though I’ve like the poetry of that song “Hello and Goodbye”. I didn’t know that was Jill Ireland singing. It needs a better bass line. I say poetry, because when I first saw the lyrics, I thought it was a poem. Now I also like the music. See addendum for the words. That’s the sentimental high-point of 2023, so enjoy it if you can.

Picture of the day.
The original Cave Shepherd.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Here is a picture to keep things colorful. It’s a dramatic still-life of restocking my van emergency coffee supply, with JZ’s ketchup to the right and top of a table lamp, sort of. Great balance, good rhyming color scheme (not a typo) and a candidate for one of those “what’s different” picture games. The Taster’s Choice™ is the way to go if you can find it and warning, the creamers have a limited shelf life, which is truncated by storage in a van. This is why I may connect the Peltier cooler even if it is only used every other month. Now back to Easter this year.

           Honest, I was going to do something besides read, but a 1 to 5 siesta quashed that plan. JZ returns and I have permission to tell you what he tucked away at the Indian Lake Country Club. Four giant prawns, four lamb chops, a chicken breast with spinach stuffing and two filet mignons. I am denied said permission about the pastries. But I can tell you the club has a French chef dedicated to producing hand-decorated bakery items. Each has a distinctive squirl of vanilla or chocolate and I have it on good sources that the champion was rice krispie treats with lemon glaze.
           Exhausted I was just hearing of the feast and no way we were making our planned trip to the “Last Chance”. Instead, we went over that savings plan he has high hopes for. I’m not saying one way or the other, just asking the following questions to make sure it is a real savings plan, not the 999 variations on the theme that are all doomed. There are no right answers, these are merely the questions, and yes, every one of them will be on the exam.

a) What is your savings goal, and rounded to the nearest dozen, how many times did you revise it before choosing this version?
b) Where is the written copy? I don’t need to see it, but unless the plan is in writing, it is not a valid plan, so where is it?
c) Tell me which bank literature you read over to find the best balance between interest rates and minimum balances to avoid monthly fees, and which you chose? (I will warn you if the choice is bad.)
d) What is your deposit frequency and where do you plan to keep three months deposits aside to tide over all possible interruptions?
e) What is the interest rate and where are your pro forma projections for 1, 3, and 5 years plus best case and worst case scenarios?
f) What day does your monthly statement arrive and is it on-line or mail? Bank statements have become “upside down” and useless, so where is your budgeting spreadsheet?
g) How will you withdraw money, by check, card, or in person?

           Good going any of you who spotted g) is a trick question. You will NEVER make withdrawals from this account until you reach your goal. Thereafter, you make make limited withdrawals taking care to NEVER touch your principle, which by now is totally invested in higher paying instruments than bank interest.

ADDENDUM

Some have a lifetime, some just a day
Love isn't something you measure that way
Nothing's ever forever, forever's a lie
All we have is between 'Hello' and 'Goodbye'

It's not how long the Spring
It's not how wide the sky
It's just how sweet the time
Between 'Hello' and 'Goodbye'

The music has ended, I still hear the song
Our moment was brief, but our kisses were long
Though the loving is over, the love of you stays
And the mem'ry will warm me the rest of my days

It's not how long the Spring
It's not how wide the sky
It's just how sweet the time
Between 'Hello' and 'Goodbye'

We never shared September
Or watched the colours of Fall
But in that wink of time we had
We knew we had it all

It's not how long the Spring
It's not how wide the sky
It's just how sweet the time
Between 'Hello' and 'Goodbye'

Last Laugh

           x margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-left: 1em;