St Pete 34

Oct 20 - 21, 2012

Oct 20

These days are lovely - sunny and bright, low 80s, but it's getting cooler at night.  George and Vivi rode their bicycles from Gulfport to St Pete Beach while I drove over and met them at Bongo's, a beach bar.  George kept my beach chair warm while Vivi and I walked the beach and got to know each other.  She's a lovely person and I am glad I have met the two of them.  We got a table at Bongo's for dinner and to watch the sun set.

They rode their bicycles back to Gulfport while I drove back there.  The town was hopping with music and dancing.  My first stop was at The Pen Inn, where a Motown group was playing.  I danced with Brady, the tall black guy from swing dance night, and talked a while with Winnie, whom I had met at Gecko Fest.

Then I crossed the street to the Tea and Me courtyard where the Urban Gypsies (band from Gecko Fest) was playing.  Vivi and George were already there and dancing up a storm.  We all danced for a while, and grooved on the versatile music.  I recognized a woman, Kathryn Marge, whom I had met at a shoe store in St Pete last December.  She's an avid dancer, too.

I was tempted to walk down to On The Rocks, where another band was playing, but I was told it was very smoky, so I headed home.  I had danced enough.

Oct 21

 

Today was my last day at First Unity Church.  What a wonderful church community I have found, with an outstanding minister, Temple Hayes.  During the service, three dogs that Temple and others rescued from the streets of Brazil, were introduced.  They had been flown from Brazil and already had adoptive families in St Pete.

After the service, Linda and Ron Miller and I went to Under the Moon for lunch.  This is a famous restaurant on Beach Blvd in St Pete, facing the water.  Linda and I met 9 or 10 years ago when we went to Temple's Spirit of Life Church in Sarasota.  They followed her up to First Unity in St Pete.  It has been great to reconnect with Linda and her husband.