Just a Weekend!

When you are retired and living in Florida in a retirement community, everyday seems like a weekend day! So here is a synopsis of our weekend. Friday afternoon friends Paul and Priscilla called to see if we wanted to go to the American Italian Club for supper. The club is located on Venice Island (meaning it is a part of Venice that is separated due to the inter coastal waterway - which makes real estate more expensive!). Dick and I have often passed by it and I've always wanted to check it out! Well, we checked it out on Friday, which is the only day (unless there are other special events) that the club is open to the public for a meal. The Venue that evening was spaghetti and meatballs (or sausage), or eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti. The price -$8.00; the quality - excellent. We started with a salad, then came the main entree (a fully loaded plate of spaghetti and meatballs for me, of which I brought home half) and we finished with a nice dessert.

After this lovely meal and visiting with the other two couples that we were seated with (they were from two parks just down the road from us), we departed and decided to watch the aerialist that were practicing at an outdoor circus training ground. They seemed to spend more time on the ramp than swinging through the air so we decided to move on to the Jetty's.

A little background - Venice was at one time the winter home for the Ringling Bros. circus. We have been to the Ringling estate in Sarasota and it is full of archives and history on the famous circus. I think about twice a year there will be a circus performance in Sarasota. We have never gone, but that is in my bucket list. This training ground is located next to an arena that we believe may have been used for circus performances many years ago.

The Jettys is an opening from the inter coastal to the gulf. As it was nearing dusk, the horizon was beautiful with color and so many people were just sitting, visiting, watching the boats, observing the fishermen or walking out to the end of the jetty. There was just enough breeze to make it comfortable and being there at that time of the day was the perfect ending to a nice evening out with friends. I wished I would have had my camera.

Saturday morning we headed for coffee hour - free pastries and coffee - and just cajoling with the other residents of the community. With so many snow birds coming back, the number of people keeps growing every week. Saturday morning was also our scheduled flu shots at the recreation hall.

Our RR Donnelley friends Max and Barb suggested we go to Beneditto's in Punta Gorda (located right on Charlotte Harbor bay) later in the day - but to go in time for the "early bird specials" Great idea. We ate out on the deck with the Gulf water lapping against the sea wall, had two for the price of one beers or soda (!) and delicious meals complete with soup, salad, entree and New York cheesecake with raspberry topping for $9.99. We also enjoyed the sunset and watched Notre Dame beat Boston College on the TV's that were scattered along the walls. Another great evening - and again without the camera!

Sunday we headed for church. I was in the tech booth observing the new system. I will probably be running a service within a couple of weeks. As for the rest of the day, well it has been quiet and restful. Dick has been camped out on the couch watching football and I have been on the computer - go figure! It has been a wonderful weekend.