an opportunity seized

John, Pam, Dave and I drove down to Venice to meet Steve and MonaLiza (lowestravels.com) at Sharkey's on the Pier today.  The Lowe's are staying in Punta Gorda until Monday so we seized the opportunity to meet each other halfway.   We all love the flexibility this lifestyle affords us, the flexibility to drop what we're doing and spend the afternoon with friends when they're nearby just because they're near.   These moments are all the more precious because we never know when we'll have the opportunity again.   The Lowes', the Bank's and the Wright's plans diverge from this point next month, so we "made hay while the sun shines"!

After a huge lunch at Sharkey's we walked out on the pier, at least we girls did.   The guys stood in one spot and talked and talked.

Pam and MonaLiza are shameless hams

Dave, John and Steve neatly arranged on the pier

MonaLiza made them stop talking and smile for a photograph

MonaLiza, Pam and I continued our walk along the beach looking for Venice's famed fossilized shark teeth.  We found a few teeny tiny ones, but it was fun looking.  The guys trailed behind, still talking.

I guess Steve was talking and taking pictures, thanks Steve!

None of us were really ready to head home, so we decided to find Snook Haven, an old Florida fishing camp turned restaurant on the Myakka River.

It is at the end of a long shell road on the banks of the primeval looking Myakka River.

agreed

Steve, MonaLiza, Dave and I explored the area a bit while John and Pam stayed in the jeep, on the phone (s) trying to sort out Pam's mother's delayed (then finally cancelled) plane reservations.   She was to arrive in  Sarasota this evening but with the bad weather everywhere her flights were becoming more and more complicated.   Back and forth, back and forth Pam went, her mom, the airlines, her son Kevin, the airlines, her mother, her sister.    Will she make it?    Please hold for the next available agent.   Please leave your number and we'll get back to you within the next 3 hours.    The flight has been cancelled and rebooked with a million connections, sorry but that's all we can do.

At last the 6 of us settled into a nice table next to the water, ordered sweet teas and a couple beers, laughed and talked and generally enjoyed the company of friends and the serendipity of our lives.