Povey Prattle

At the north east boundary of Sarasota County, FL, and the south east boundary of Manatee County.FL  there is a huge retail development known as the University Town Center. UTC includes a traditional mall, plus some offshoot plazas with fancy names such as "The Shoppes". The nearest University is New College, FL some five miles away. It is not a Town Center -  there is no Church, no Post Office,no small town green, indeed none of the signs of a traditional small town center. I hate the place.  U.T.C. and its satellite plazas  have swallowed up so much agricultural land, replacing woodlands and wetlands with concrete and tarmac. I was there last Wednesday  (albeit reluctantly) to buy some sneakers/trainers at a Kohls store, which has senior citizen discounts on Wednesdays.  I found the sneakers/trainers at a bargain price.  *** When I returned to my car the internal temperature was 102 f. Oh my goodness, too much tarmac ...

Stock photo', not the one in our Lake ------------------------------------------ From Glen Oaks Ridge Owners Association -  Bulletin Alligator in our lake Please be aware that there is an alligator(s)  in our lake. If you have small pets or children stay away from the lake and surrounding area. The Florida Wildlife Commission has been contacted and a trapper will be dispatched to our area to remove the alligator(s). Please use caution near the lake and do not approach the alligator. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Funny that they say "if you have children..." -  this is a 55+ community! The announcement has caused many of my neurotic neighbours to get their knickers in a twist.  They forget that we are in Florida and not in a magical alligator free zone.

Mop Water White Vinegar

Had the stress test scan today -  managed to stay motionless (apart from breathing) for thirty five minutes. A chemical is added to the I.V. to create stress for the heart.  No bad side effects except for about twenty seconds of panting and heavy breathing. Was in a bit of a rush when I got home so that I could make my first cup of comfort in twenty five hours In my hurry I tripped over the front door threshold and landed on my side.  No bones broken, buy lost some skin on my elbow and knee. I also lost my dignity. But this precious child came immediately and put his sweet head on my leg.  Of course I got teary eyed.

It's my first year in what Americans would call High School (in truth it was more like a Junior High and Senior High School combined) I am eleven years old. It's my first English Language Class.  The teacher gives us an assignment -  to write an essay. Together with many other children in the class I dutifully wrote the following on in my note book. S.A.  Oh dear, most of us had written compositions in earlier grades.  We had never heard or read the word "essay". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As many of you know I grew up in the one and only true church in the world (the Plymouth Brethren) , where we read from the one and only totally accurate Bible translation (The Authorised Version - in the U.S.A. called the King James Version).  Thus I was familiar with an older form of written English, for example this from Hebrews 11:26  " By faith they passed through the Red sea ...

Lobster Rolls,   the height of summer delight for lunch in New England. We can get 'em here in Sarasota, pretty decent ones, at Captain Brian's Sea Food restaurant on Route 41, at the back side of the airport. Captain Brian's tells us that their Lobsters are flown in daily from New England.  That's an edgy "carbon imprint" for a Crustacean , save to say that the New England - Sarasota flight would happen with or without Lobstas (New England pronunciation).  The price of a 1/Roll at Captain Brian's in Sarasota is $16.95. We should be so lucky.  But n New England itself, a Lobster Roll could set you back $68. YES $68. That of course is if you choose to "dine" ( a fancy word)  at the blood sucking new Casino in Everett MA. That's expensive! Silly me.  I'd forgotten that the Lobster Roll at this new and terrible Everett place includes: One and a half  pounds of Lobster Meat,  plus black truffle aioli, shaved ...

The Everett (MA) Casino (Abomination) opened today.  My friend Dana Robert Daneel (who lives nearby) took a "Joshua and Caleb hike" to spy out the land. Here is what she wrote: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I took an urban hike with my friend Ann Braude so we could see the inside of the casino on opening day. It was packed out with thousands of people. Gambling as far as the eye could see. The Popeye sculpture cost $28 million. The buffet was $39 plus 18% gratuity. Nothing is cheap there. You could hear the giant sucking sound draining our local economy. They passed out free bottles of water, but do you know they have NO recycling bins? They are expecting over 50,000 people today--all those bottles go straight into the trash". Thanks Dana for the text and photo's above. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM JMP Massachusetts, where ...