.....a virtual Lobsterfest

Yogis,
Many years on this particular Sunday I have written about the annual event that happened the night before. The 3^rd Saturday in October. An evening where ten of us eat great food, have a few drinks (wink, wink), dance, laugh and generally lose ourselves in togetherness.

This week I had no inkling this would be my topic for today. In fact, I already had another note halfway finished. Photos and all. This year Lobsterfest would be on pause.

During 2020 we have come to realize, and in most cases accept, that many of our get togethers most likely won’t occur. In this instance, not one of us even asked the question. We all instinctively knew that this 32 year tradition was not on the calendar this October. An energetic nod that didn’t need our words.

Yet on Wednesday an email landed in our inboxes. A craving for lemon iced pound cake (or is it iced lemon pound cake?) was the title. An idea proposed. Since there could be no physical visit, especially with flights required for some, should we perhaps mark the evening with a Zoom call to say hi while enjoying our individual drinks and appetizers?

Lobster Goddesses 2007

With the weekend only a few days ahead and clear calendars all around (one of the benefits of the pandemic….easy to get on someone’s calendar) we heartily agreed to meet on Saturday at 6 pm. I, of course, would be the zoom leader (just like I was always the one in charge of dividing up the lunch tab and collecting the money, or organizing and buying the coworker gift, when we all worked together.)

For those of you who have been ‘zooming’ quite a bit, you know the challenges. Ten people on a call all using different technologies, different volumes and different personalities. It doesn’t always ‘work’ well and we were trying to create a substitute for an evening that is typically one of the highlights of our year. I was looking forward to it but not holding high expectations.

Well….I was proven wrong.

Late night dancing 2019

After the initial awkwardness and some fumbling with the mute button, we found our rhythm with each person doing exactly what we love them for, and I hope they each know what that is. Old stories repeated for the 32^nd time. Sharing the transitions we are now in the midst of…..new babies, weddings, the pure joy of grandchildren. And oh, how we laughed. For a moment I could feel everyone there in the room with me.

And somehow, by the end we had all raised our glasses to hitting the road next year for Lobsterfest, to the home of the Colorado couple. Three nights max we were sternly warned, which seemed fair. We all hope they remembered the invitation in the morning cause we are coming……..

Once again I was reminded that when you have a deep relationship with others, while physical presence and hugs are unmatchable,  you can connect in profoundly meaningful ways,  whether by phone, zoom or texts, or even by simply closing your eyes and visualizing them there. Especially poignant this year.

That was 2 hours of a whole lot of fun!

Visualizing us all dancing to Happy next year,
SARAH