Hoist by my own petard


My local newspaper the Sarasota Herald-Tribune has been awash with stories of the vehicle traffic delays at St. Armand’s Circle.


St. Armand’s Circle is a traffic circle/roundabout/ rotary at the heart of St. Armand’s Key. (In Florida the barrier islands are known as “Keys”)

St. Armand’s Key is totally built up, and it took a while before I realized that it is in fact an island, linked to Longboat Key, Lido Key, and the mainland by various bridges and a causeway.


Folks who live or take vacations on St. Armand’s, Longboat or Lido Key have to drive through St. Armand’s Circle in order to reach the mainland.


And those of us who live on the mainland have to drive through the Circle to get to some superb beaches, or to shop and dine at the upscale establishments on St. Armand’s Key.


I have to drive through the Circle in order to reach my “second parish”  All Angels-by-the-Sea on Longboat Key.



I was at All Angels Church yesterday afternoon for a 4:00 p.m. event.  As I chatted with one of the church members, I “pooh-poohed” the terrible trials of those who encounter the traffic delays at the Circle.    I suggested that those folks who get angry at the delays should simply learn to “take time to smell the roses”.

That was a good theory at just before 4:00 p.m.   By the time I left All Angels (5:15 p.m.), the traffic delays were at their peak.  It took me one hour to drive eleven miles. I discovered that there were no roses to smell.

I was hoisted by my own petard!


See these links for “hoist by ones’ own petard”, and for a map of our Keys and the Mainland.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petard

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hl=en&tab=wl


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not remember the words “ar
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were able to get together a few
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur
Read more