Nothing In Particular


Two week ago my neighbour Barbara B walked the first nine holes of the American course at Sarasota's Bobby Jones Golf complex (closed for play, but open for walkers, joggers, and cyclists).

Today  (June 14th)  we walked the first nine holes of the British course (pictured above). Such peace.  Such beauty.  We met a City employee called Doug, and told him that we were delighted to be able to walk the courses in the absence of play.  He told us that we had walked for 3+ miles.





White asparagus with my lunch today.  So good, so very sweet, so tender.




Yesterday (June 13th) my lunch included this Bird's Eye vegetarian "pseudo pasta", with some excellent sauce home made by my friend Rick P.  Oh so good!  

It shouldn't really be called Pasta, but it is an elegant and healthy substitute for those who are like a low carb/starch option for the real thing.  It's an expensive option.  Just under four  bucks for a pasta substitute which is sufficient for two meals.






This is Barbara Williams Ford-Coates.   I know her as a parishioner at St. Boniface Church on Siesta Key FL.

 However she is known by most as the elected Collector of Taxes for Sarasota County.

 She has held that elected position since 1984, and has just announced that she has no opponents in her bid for re-election this November.  She is thus assured of another four year term. Yeah!

 She has no opponents because she runs a great public agency. Nay, it is a very great agency.

 When I moved to Sarasota in 2006 my friends told me that I must go to the Office of the Sarasota County Tax Office, where I could in one visit (a)  Get a Florida Driving Licence (b) Register my Car in Florida (c) Register to Vote, and (d) Register for my "Homestead"  tax abatement. It was an entirely pleasant visit.

 I tell my friends in other States where a visit to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) rates as only marginally less painful than having a Root Canal,  that the Sarasota County Tax Collector's Office is a pain free and pleasant place to do business.

 When, at lunch with her, I lauded Barbara for the efficient way in which her public agency is run she said this:
"Michael, it is not rocket science.
You recruit good people.
You train them well.
And then you tell them to go to work and have fun"
That's quite the mantra for business; for public agencies; and for churches and non-profits who ask for "volunteers" rather recruiting good people.

And I bought an i-phone 7 on Thursday, to replace my clunky and heavy Samsung Android system 'phone.  

 In a day or two I'll tell you about my excellent adventures when transferring data  from the Android to the iPhone,

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