We are enjoying downtown Sarasota. Jane and I walked to the Farmers’ market Saturday morning and it was fantastic. We had 10:30 reservations on the shuttle to go to the Ringling Bros. museum. It was worth every penny. Our 5 hours there wasn’t quite enough. We saw the miniature of the circus which gave you a very good sense of what that time in history would have been like. It was fun touring it with Jane (and Bob) because Jane has memories of seeing the circus as it was as a little girl and remembered the unloading of the train with the colorful wagons. The John and Mabel mansion was truly luxurious for its time. (photo is of us in front of the mansion)

Al and I finished our day by hooking up with Kingston friends Ross and Coleen. They had us for cocktails at their newly purchased Villa that is about 5 miles from our marina. It is in a lovely 55+ community and has great amenities. We had supper out at a nice roadhouse type restaurant that had great food and reasonable prices. They took us for a tour to Siesta Key beach that even in the dark was spectacular and had sand that felt like flour.

This morning the men did a West Marine run and did groceries so Jane and I could browse the art festival. I picked up a few pieces of functional pottery as a memento of our visit. I also purchased a few pieces of jewelry.

Tonight I am making a pasta supper. Tomorrow we are likely leaving the company of Last Dance. They will start to make their 1200 mile return to Cambridge, Maryland. In all likelihood this trip will be Bob and Janes last boat trip on Last Dance. We will be sad to leave their company but we sure wish them fun in their future endeavors and we will cherish the fun waterway memories.

I will forever enjoy the bond I have made with Miss Jane that grew from a pair of knitting needles and a ball of yarn from Walmart when we met as strangers traveling in boats seeking safety from a nor-easter at Dowry Creek in November of '09. We have have grown into finer yarns and challenging projects. I will miss our stitchin' and bitchin.