I was all set with an accommodation on the sixth floor with a front and west side balcony at Our House at the Beach. My plan was to leave on November 11th and return on November 25th.

The manager was holding that unit for me. I didn't lock it in because while checking potential companions, I thought I might need to change the days somewhat to accommodate plans that whoever was going with me might have. The first glitch was when I called to say I was ready to make a definite reservation even though I didn't have any friends going yet. The manager apologized saying that somehow a second rental agency had superceded her with people from another country renting that unit for an entire month.

She would try to get those people to accept an alternative but she doubted they would. To top it off they didn't speak much English so it was hard for her to get them to understand her and vice versa. How about the unit I had last year she wanted to know. The only problem was there was no balcony on the west side, only in the front and there was a king size bed in one room and a queen size one in the other, which was ideal for some but not for two women who may not wish to share a bed.

So I set out on my quest for roommates. First I asked Betty Verderosa who had gone with me last year but for her it was “been there done that.”

Then I asked Gail who had gone to Sarasota with a friend of hers last year and liked it. She might go for one week, she said. I told her to invite her friend also. She thought it over for about 10 days, telling me not to let her delay affect my plans if I could get someone else to go.

Meanwhile I started asking friends to go for the second week. Joe and Mary Ippolito were interested but had to decline because of health issues. Mary Ann and Orion had to refuse because he couldn't take time off from work. A couple on my block had expressed an interest over the years but were busy flying back and forth to California where their son and his family live. Their son is a career marine, and they spend as much time with him as possible whenever he is home on leave.

Meanwhile Gail reluctantly decided she couldn't go. Another friend was booked for a cruise at that time. Then I called Margaret but she couldn't take time off from work. I've stayed there other years by myself so I was resigned to doing that again. BUT a couple from my church are not only going for one week but are excited about it.

They both love to walk and Siesta Key is an ideal walking beach. Every once in awhile I still think of someone to ask for the second week even though it is getting down to the wire now. Leaving time is just five days away.