Okay, a quick summary about the Pet Talk meeting on Cape Cod this week:

A long hot day, and long hot drive
But at the end, a strange thing ...
Meeting three old friends in
The persons I'd never seen!

Introduction made, hugs exchanged
Between us four were tall, blonde, young and not-so-young, tan, sunburned and pale
Beauty shone, as I knew it would
In the smiles that greeted my frazzled self

Physical meeting and greeting over
We spoke of Pet Talk, and pets
And all of you, of course,
Present in coveration, if not in person

Talked so much we did, the waitress had to be patient
How strange to be "catching up" with people
I'd never met, nor they me!
But we weren't strangers, really, and certainly weren't ten minutes after we'd met.

Late, we parted, they, worrying about my drive home
(mother hen-like, not surprising)
Hugs on parting, though not really parting
Any more than we were really strangers before we met
Once home, I emailed them my safe return,
We were back then, on familiar electronic terms!