Sunday we met Tom and Cami at Zorro’s Cafe in Shell Beach. For those of you who don’t know, Shell is a little, itty bitty beach town just north of Pismo Beach. Mostly residential, the short streets run perpendicular to the beach — just a couple blocks long (if), lined with little beach cottages, no sidewalks and signs that remind cars to slow down.

We had a 30-minute wait for a table to open, so we walked down to the beach.

Most of the houses are traditional cottages, but some are big and fancy and some seem abandoned.

This house had a “lawn” of horsetail. So weird! And seemingly abandoned (but who knows).

And this house had a tree so large and old it seemed to be growing right into the house itself.

Zorro’s is a locals’ favorite. There’s almost always a wait.

And it’s often chilly. This day was no different. Steve, Tom and Cami each had a sweater or jacket. I’d left mine in my car, but no worries: Zorro’s has Mexican blankets customers can wrap around themselves as they eat out on the patio. I took advantage. Very cozy.

Tom and Cami will be having a baby any day now. Very excited for them. Also excited we got to spend a little bit of time with them before their whole world changes.