Venice Diaries XII

As promised, our recent activities have been local.
We did get up to Siesta Key to have lunch at The
Lobster Pot. Things change in five years. The
restaurant is much the same, but it is now a small
entry in a large concentration of eateries with open
air verandas.

The Cape Cod motif is gone, though we did chat
briefly with the proprietor, whose parents owned
and operated The Lobster Pot in Provincetown.
And I did have a grouper sandwich, while Barbara
ate a Maine lobster roll.

Siesta Key is a trip in itself. I wouldn't recommend
it to anyone over 30 during the season. The beach
is huge, and so are the crowds. Night life must be
considerable. So are the beautiful young things,
who might compete in the bikini contest posted in
a nightclub. Lots of young families, too, with small
children.

We attended a presentation in the historic train depot
of Venice on Saturday, where Barbara's cousin was
one of three ladies portraying Bertha Palmer. After
her husband, Potter Palmer, died, Bertha bought most
of Sarasota County in the late 19th century, and then
sold pieces to various developers, while urging the
extension of the railroad to Venice. When we lived
at 1366 N. Dearborn in Chicago, during the war, the
Potter Palmer castle was still on the shore.

Fate, or as I prefer, the hand of God sometimes is
evident in our lives. At a St. Mark's parish breakfast
on Sunday, I introduced us as Barbara and Patrick from
Cape Cod. Across the table was a couple from West
Barnstable. And we promised to get together in the
fall. When we discussed our present rental here, they
told us about Bay Indies, where they stay.

So we decided to check it out. For various reasons,
attempting to rent again from the cousin would not be
indicated. Bay Indies is a huge mobile home park
with a pleasing appearance and strict standards. Each
building is on a pocket-sized lawn facing the street,
much different from the conventional image of a trailer
park. We left our names for the possibility of renting
in January through March next year, God willing.

We will be out for dinner early tomorrow night.
Barbara is taking me to Outback, my choice.