More Prattle from Povey

  Strong winds, heavy rain, but not too much damage in my neck of the woods. As Hurricanes dance their wild dances there are break in the rain as the storm circulates. One such break came at midnight.   Just the time to take Zion for a short walk; and a loud cheer when he had his midnight poop. Later the storm passed.  Z and I walked in Arlington Park.  Our pathway was blocked by fallen trees. Then we heard music -  live music.  Then men of the clean up crew were singing.  The sound was delicious. I called out to get the name of the song.  It was the Wellerman Shanty. What a heart warming and spirit lifting moment! Here's the shanty (clearly not recorded in the park!). Sung by The Trills.   Enjoy! https://youtu.be/TEefixD8nA4?si=aqNUUwPfHkaF8Ere

  Many of us grew up being forced to eat Liver - food for the poor people.  We forced it down. Many years later I discovered a good diner in the Coltsville section of Pittsfield, MA.  I would eat there some Saturday evenings after the 5:30 p.m. Eucharist at St. Stephen's Parish.  My taste buds had matured. I often ate Liver and Bacon, always asking that my mashed potatoes should be served with a "well" into which the gravy would be poured. In Sarasota I once had Liver and Bacon at the former Barnacle Bills cafe on the Tamiami Trail.  The service was poor; my Liver and Bacon was indifferent. (Barnacle Bills went out of business). Just a few days ago  I saw that my local market was selling veal liver.  I'd had beef liver and calves liver; but never veal. I decided to give it a go.  After soaking it in milk for a few hours I patted it dry and fried it in canola oil.   What a treat!  Such tender and richly flavoured liver. I nibbled on it. I have leftovers.   On Friday I

  Morrie and Joan were coming up to their fiftieth wedding anniversary.  Theirs was a good marriage. There was one little fly in the ointment. Morrie never replaced the cap on the toothpaste tube.  Joan uttered a quiet sigh of exasperation each day. With the anniversary date in sight Morrie promised himself that he would do better and replace the cap each day. He did so.  Joan uttered not a word. After fourteen days Joan could not hold back. "Morrie" she said, "why did you stop brushing your teeth".

  Here is my favourite This is how I cooked it the other day Squash roasted and topped with Paxo Brand Sage and Onion dressing/stuffing. Roasted sausages -  "British Bangers" from Geier's Sausage Kitchen in Sarasota.

  I awakened in the night and thought of photo's I should have taken at Bird Key Park. Z and I went back there this morning. Illuminated stanchions (?) of Ringling Bridge                  Ten Pin Bowling by the intra coastal

  Z and I had an early and short walk at Bayfront Park, then we hoved over to Bird Key Park to greet the day. At the Parking Lot  Looking East Traffic driving west on the Ringling Bridge Looking west t'wards Plymouth Harbour North to City Island

  Cream  of Broccoli and Cheddar Soup                           Well blended soup served in a mug. https://gimmedelicious.com/broccoli-cheddar-soup/

Toasted Bread straight from Mama G's Bakery Kerrygold butter (my favourite) Amish made Black Raspberry Jam/

  Do you remember when Banks issued Piggy Banks in order to encourage children to save money -  what a revolutionary idea! I worked for a while for the  English Westminster Bank: a bank for the good and the gracious  Our certainties were swept aside when it was announced that we were to merge with our arch rivals, the National Provincial Bank. I was at the Knowle Bristol Westminster branch.  Immediately next door was the Knowle Bristol N.P. Bank. The merging banks became the National Westminster Bank.  What an imaginative moniker! "Branding"  was supreme. Thus the Piggy Banks survived,  I have an empty one!

                                                   Mussels. Tomato, Okra.                         My  death poem. (Tongue in Cheek) It is entitled “Feed me Mussels”. Tip of the hat to Dylan Thomas “Rage not against the dying of the light But welcome it. Welcome it with bliss, for such is this: We all must meet this fateful tryst, At ends of lives both brief and long With peace, with joy, and with a song. The song I sing is not of faith, nor heaven, nor hell beyond the grave. For hell’s not there, and heaven’s a myth. We are but atoms finely made, Destined for dust – not a parade of angels, demons, heaven or hell. So when I’m dying grant my wish, for mussels plump – served in a dish with butter, garlic: sweet shell fish. Fill every orifice with these, the ocean’s gift for me to please. Thus shall I die without regret, Sated with mussels, (better yet than prayer or bread or wine). Plumped up with mussels, I’ll be fine for burial in the foaming brine

  .......   to Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad, Egg Salad.. If you say something has a certain je ne sais quoi, you'll sound fancy instead of inarticulate. In French, je ne sais quoi literally means "I don't know what." It's  used to capture an indescribable, special distinguishing feature, or to name some unnamable quality

  I've driven west so many times across our handsome Ringling Bridge towards Bird Key, St. Armands, Longboat Key etc.  I've noticed and ignored a sign to a cut off  at the eastern end westward bound lane reading HARTS' LANDING I took the cut off the other day, just because it was there.  I had imagined it to be a scruffy fishing area  It was a smart choice.  Zion and I discovered a charming little park, with a fishing pier, and a Bait and Tackle joint (which also sells food and drinks, and features live music on Friday nights. Here are some random and mostly unlabeled photo's. What Idalia did The Calming Waters of the Bay Idalia again Sneak peep at Plymouth Harbour Retirement Community Building

                      Shanah Tovah

  I sometimes tell Zion  "You would have liked each other"

  Shanah Tovah

 

  I think that Fitchburg escaped the worst.  The scenes from Leominster are heart breaking.   During my time in Fitchburg the Army Corps of Engineers had a plan to building a dam on Ashburnham Rd, to protect River Rd and the Valley.   The proposed dam would have been near Beth-Eden Baptist Church.   The plan was abandoned -  and so was the chance to refer to the  Dam Baptist Church!   jmp

  Scrapple is just about the State Food of Pennsylvania.  Natives of that State get dewy eyes when they talk about it. Some swear that they were weaned on it. I saw some this morning in our Mennonite owned Detwiler's Farm Market.  I'll give it a go! Here's a bit about it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple It's a waste not want not food. It reminded me of the waste not want not food which my family enjoyed, called "faggots". I often did the Saturday morning Butcher's run. If Mum said "get some liver, lights, and caul"  I knew that faggots were on the horizon. Goody, goody! I think that all of my siblings loved them. Here is a traditional recipe -  a bit fancier than the wonderful ones which Mum made. Hers were genuine poor peoples food. SUPERB! https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-british-faggots-recipe-435283 One can buy frozen faggots in the U.K. -  but they are no more than glorified meat balls. Frozen balls are undesirable.

  The University Town Abomination   Centre has become the retail powerhouse of the Sarasota/Bradenton area. Great for LWR people  (especially in the southern end); and for people in Palm Aire, and northern Sarasota  (where I live), etc. Not so good for people in south Sarasota, Siesta Key, LBK etc. Trader Joe's is opening there, on the Bradenton side near Total Wine. Flemings is opening there too. I got to UTC for Zion's Grooming, for Total Wine, for Kohl's, and for Best Buy. Mote Marine is building a huge Aquarium, just to the south of the big Mall building -  on the east side of Cattlemen. The University Town Abomination  is not one of my favourite places. M

  We go to the "Three Dog Bakery" - located at Sarasota's University Town  Abomination   Centre -  in the same Plaza as Total Wine. Sarasota's Three Dog Bakery is a franchise.  (The grooming is an added extra.)  TDB specialises in attractive and  healthy foods  (some looking like delicious human's  cup cakes, biscuits etc .) "Three Dog Bakery got its name from the first three very sickly dogs  (in Kansas City I think) who recovered after they ate  (originally home made)  only healthy bespoke foods.

  Sarasota and Bradenton are cheek by jowl in S.W. Florida  though in different Counties. Sarasota has a bit of an attitude towards our northern neighbour (in the same way as the  people of Bath, Somerset are snooty about the twelve miles west City of Bristol " my fair city" .) But Bradenton has something which Sarasota could never have. Here is an official squib about it. Bradenton Riverwalk The Bradenton Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile stretch of land lying between the Green and DeSoto bridges along the banks of the Manatee River. It is a major expansion of Rossi Park. Visitors can enjoy a safe walking path along the river, fishing, beach volleyball, a skateboard park, entertainment events and many educational activities along the way. They say that a change is as good as a rest. With that in mind I skipped my usual Sunday morning walk at Sarasota's Bay Front Park (thus missing the chance to see my friend Barbara F.-C.) , and instead drove the fifteen miles to Bradenton's R

  Cod, Shrimp, Peas, Zucchini, Okra, Mushrooms, Bow Tie Pasta,  Cumin, Turmeric, and a  a wee bit of Salt. Recipe in my head.

  Partly because of my carelessness, and partly because of my digital neuropathy I've dropped my i-Phone one too many times. The glass screen had more cracks than are on my turkey neck. I had a 10:40 a.m. appointment at Best Buy for today. The service agents talked to me in a timely manner as I explained the problem. The CAPO told my that there was a risk of causing further damage to the 'phone should the glass screen shatter as it was removed. The service agents ascertained that a replacement screen was in stock.  It was. By 1:43 p.m. I received an e-mail stating that the work had been done, with success.  Zion and I drove there.  It was a quiet day so I took the risk of leaving Z in the car with the air-con on for his comfort. Good work Best Buy.  Thanks especially to service agents Luiz and Andrew. Be careful JMP!

 

  I was slated today for MOHS surgery on my left ear. I greeted my Dermatological Surgeon with this She laughed so much, and insisted to take a photo' to show to her family. Giggles!

  "Cheating"  small Mussels from the Supermarket  - frozen in a sauce; plus some leftover Progresso Creamy Mushroom Soup ( very good, not condensed); and leftover "almost passed their best" diced Kumatos. 

  St. Stephen's Parish Church where I served for sixteen years has the reddish/pinkish Tower.  (Longmeadow Sandstone?) https://www.facebook.com/1048550531/videos/697027352239555/