Aunt Minnie's party was a blend of the old and the new. Septuagenarians and octogenarians were mixed together with children and great-grandchildren.

Respect, love and good feelings floated through the room at Plantation Holiday Inn. Aunt Minnie was bent over and had recently tripped and dislocated her shoulder. Her spirit and emotional resilience were not diminished. She blew out the candles with the help of her four grandchildren. Many tears, much sniffing and wet kisses ended the celebration.

Our next day was already planned for the three of us (me, Lorraine and my sister Sandy). We were meeting the "boys" (over 60...and getting younger) from my old neighborhood in the East Bronx.

Many of the old gang had returned to southern Florida and we were the honored guests. Ed Lewis had arranged a gathering in a lush open-air restaurant in Delray Beach.

Ed and Bea Lewis were recent Florida residents. They have just furnished a showcase home in Aberdeen Lakes. It was breathtaking and done in exquisite taste. Bea Lewis was a former food editor for Newsday. Ed was the best reunion organizer on the East Coast.

At supper, everyone, especially myself, was guilty of talking and story-telling at the same time that other people were talking and story-telling. Like old times.

Next morning the guys had breakfast together and then drove to the beach and sat under palm trees looking at the beautiful blue Atlantic Ocean and the moving bikinis.

Stories flew thick and fast!

Who is divorced? Second wives? Children?

Who is sick? Who died? Who prospered? Who did not?

Joys and tragedies. Tragedies and joys.

You needed a bakery numbering machine to get the priority to tell a story. We had laughs and tears remembering old times and older people.

And now for the point of my essay, "The Lure of Florida."

The remains of my family is in Florida!

Many, many of my old pals are in Florida!

The weather is great. I shivered when I contemplated returning to Long Island.

It would not be too difficult to relocate to southern Florida, but the lure of our Jericho community, Temple Beth Torah, Manhattan's excitement, the beauty of the Hamptons and our children tip the scales.

Please, my reader. Don't get anxious and upset! Lorraine and Stanley Greenberg are not moving! We are here, and here we will stay.