Hello, Florida: Mini-reunions, vitriole, and Wakodahatchee

We flew from PWM to FLL via BWI, and since we had a three-hour layover in Baltimore, I called Judy, my college roommate, who was able to come meet me at the airport. First time we've seen each other in seven(?) years, a sweet mini-reunion. Judy's written a book and brought me a copy (although I already bought one). All proceeds go to a local animal shelter.

We first stayed with Allen's childhood friend, Tom Monson, and his wife of two years, Rosemarie, at their Deerfield Beach condo, right on a waterway near the ocean.

There's a marina adjacent to them, lots of BIG boats coming and going.

They have two adorable 7-m.o. Persians.

Allen, Tom, and their friend Keith Holtan were best friends and stars of the Forest City High School Class of 1967. Keith and wife Jacalyn spend winters in Ft. Myers Beach, and drove over for our first full day here, a nice reunion. Here's Jac admiring the view.

We spent the day touring the immediate neighborhood and hitting the pier on Deerfield Beach.  Tom, me, Rosemarie, Allen, Keith.

Sunday of Easter Week, packed beaches, great people-watching.

Jac and I took a great walk along this section of beach; sand too hot for bare feet, quite the change from Maine!

Someone caught a beautiful "reef fish," not a keeper because they're protected.

L-R Keith, Rosemarie, Tom

The three "greats," Tom, Allen, Keith, as one of their classmates calls them.

Me and Jac.

About a minute after the Holtans departed, the reality show began as it became rapidly clear our hosts' marriage was in serious trouble. They poked and jabbed at each other constantly; no opportunity to have at the other was overlooked. Rosemarie spent most of the rest of our visit telling me about how awful Tom was to her, her jealousy over his relationship with his former girlfriend (also our friend), and their money problems, and it was difficult to steer any conversation away from these topics. Tom likewise broached some of this with Allen, although perhaps not 24/7, and asked us both not to mention that we're seeing the ex and her family later in the week. I ended up pretty exhausted and upset by it all. Thank goodness turning on American Idol in the evening put an end to conversation for the day. I feel sorry for the cats.

No photos of the two of them smiling, surprise.

Conversely, they took us ("Why haven't you ever brought me here?" "I've asked you many, many times.") to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, probably the closest and most exciting bird-watching experience I've ever had. And considering this is a man-made area created only in 1996, it's a raging success.

The county make it easy accessible to enjoy the one-mile walk.

Wood storks by the hundreds were nesting, with babes anywhere from eggs to teenagers.

They were joined by a number of other types of birds nesting layer-like in the rookeries, all manner of ducks and other waterfowl, anhingas, turtles, alligators, etc.

The storks were so tame that they literally flew right over our heads as they searched for nest materials and fish, and we were less than five feet from some of the nests. So thrilling!