More Prattle from Povey

  Sauteed multi-coloured carrots and cauliflower; with baked Atlantic Salmon

 

  I met my friend Diana for Lunch at the Art Ovation Hotel on Sunday.  She's just returned from a trip to London and is stuck on the mainland as she is unable to get to her home on Longboat Key. I took her a book to help her while away the hours. As I handed it to her, I noticed two envelopes which I'd used as a bookmark. Not just envelopes.  Red face follows! They were two birthday cards which I'd failed to open last May.  One of the two was from Diana herself.   The other from my friend Joe R OH DEAR

  Thursday is our trash/recycling day.   It was also the day of the Hurricane. But the City picked up trash on Friday in the areas (including mine) which had escaped the wrath of Helene.   Cool, amazing, wonderful. Let me not allow my middle-class privilege to be the lodestar of my values

  "Wanna" know about storm surge On Cocoanut Avenue by the Gompertz Theatre

 

  On Wednesday last, the day before the storm, I drove on to a kerbstone and killed a tyre. I anticipated being carless until after the storm. A.A.A. came in good time and put on the spare. I knew that if I drove carefully it would suffice for a few days. Just before 5:00 p.m. I drove down to my local "Tire Kingdom" (a mile away) to make an appointment for Monday 30th. I was told that T.K. had the right sized tyre in stock and that they could fit it in twenty-five minutes That they did, at a cost of $106 PRIVILEGE! My membership in A.A.A. "Tire Kingdom" very near.  My ability to shell out $106 My neighbours in less prosperous communities, or in the sticks could well find a tyre blowout, and the expenditure of $106 to be daunting.  They might have to choose between a running car and a week's worth of food stuffs. Let us not allow our middle-class privilege to be the lodestar of our values

  Bits of leftover ribeye steak, green beans, leftover sweet potato; and "Envy" apple Sauteed gently, drained, then drizzled with barbecue sauce.

  We had a brief visiting storm this afternoon. It came and went.  Cooper and I went for a walk, and he lifted his leg.   I didn't! Who knows what the dawn will bring? Best case?   Fierce winds, heavy rains, coastal flooding. m aybe from the outer rings of the storm. Maybe   Perhaps a disastrous bullseye hit. Almost certainly tough for "dogs and them that pee outside."

I call Hurricanes Boris Trump    They are out of control. People write and say "stay safe".  That's a lovely sentiment, but in truth none of us are promised complete safety. We all live in a world in which random or planned events might come our way and destroy our illusions of guaranteed safety. "Be Prepared" -  that's the best we can do. So I've learned in the eighteen years I've lived in Florida. I have an emergency box which contains a battery operated lantern; flashlights/torches; a "miners" head lamp -  more useful than a flashlight/torch when two hands are needed; and a propane fueled Camping stove. I have adequate supplies of food - enough not only for the duration, but also for the following days when supermarkets may still be closed. Many are foods which can be eaten cold.   The greatest risks come from winds; from flooding; and from the tornados which are sometimes spawned by these storm. ** I'm far enough inland that major f...

  In a three-child household the first born is often the people pleaser. The second child is often the rule breaker. The third gets away with all manner of nonsense. Penne and Zion were banned from my sofas. Cooper  (#3) gets away with it. And why not?

 

 I saw a pair of Anoles as they copulated on the outside of a window in my porch.   ON A SUNDAY NO LESS. Out of respect for the Lord's Day I did not take a photo' Here is a stock photo'

  Leftovers Poached. Cod before it went bad.  Added Fig Fruit Spread to add flavour to an otherwise bland fish. 'Twas good   Waste Not Want Not?

 

  West from Interstate 75 to Washington Boulevard (say four/five miles) Fruitville Road is one of Sarasota's major urban highways, with three lanes in each direction and a speed limit of 45 mph. The folly  1.  A high speed for an urban road.  Fruitville often resembles a race track. 2.  Three lanes, allowing constant weaving between lanes to gain a (say) 100-yard advantage. The chaos There was a road incident on Fruitville Thursday morning. (some sources mention two incidents; a fallen tree and an auto collision.) There was bumper to bumper west bound traffic for at least three miles. I got caught up in the chaos. A drive from my Vascular Doctor's Office to my home took an hour.  It should have taken twenty minutes most. I had time to waste so to speak.  I could not help think about all the appointments missed; the late arrivals to work and to school. I thought about the extra emission pollutions; and the inevitable personal frustration or anger. THE A...

 

  Baked Delicata Squash with Stewed Plumcots.

 

 

 

 

  "So" you say, "I will just eat one slice of leftover Pizza for Breakfast" So you say!

  Cooper eviscerated one of his soft toys. I am posting this so that I could use the word "eviscerate". Sounds better than disembowel.

  I woke up at about 3:00 a.m. this morning (13th September 2024). I was thirsty.   Yes, there was a glass of water nearby;   but I am not very bright, so it got bizarre. For which are beyond my ken I decided to get some cold water from the fridge. Bizarre upon bizarre, as I left my bedroom into the hallway, I slammed the door shut.  Who knows why? But in doing so I managed to trigger the doorknob lock; a lock which I've never used. I was locked out of my own bedroom! My efforts to jimmy the lock were unsuccessful. Cooper was inside.  I was outside.  Necessity is the mother of invention. A claw hammer helped.  I broke into my own bedroom.

 

  Of course HE loves it I'm not so sure that I enjoy the incessant squeak as he follows me around our home. Should you buy another squeaky toy for Cooper I will take you out of my Will,

  I think that he has the torso of one breed, with the neck and head of another  breed  attached.

 

 

  I encountered two very pleasant young women joggers at Bayfront Park this morning     * I'd done so previously  -  but that was a long while ago.  *    We had not seen each other since January. We often meet regulars at the park.  But with as little a time difference as plus or minus three minutes we can miss each other.   One said "you have a new dog".   Cooper was so sweet with them. I told them that Zion had died last January.  They grew sad.  One commented that Z was an exceptionally wonderful dog.  The other agreed. That drew no argument from me. My sadness re Zion resurfaced for a minute.  Then came gladness that my dear Z had brought so much joy to so many people. That was his ministry. ********************************************* Cooper and I are doing so well.  He is as wonderful Zion was, but in many different ways. I adopted him on June 12th 2024. Acting on a whim I took him to the Hu...

  I encountered two very pleasant young women at Bayfront Park today.  * I'd done so previously  -  but was a long while ago.  One said "you have a new dog".  Cooper was sweet with them. I told them that Zion had died last Januarysince. They grew sad.  One commented that Z was an exceptionally wonderful dog.  The other agreed, That drew no argument from me. My sadness re Zion resurfaced for a minute.  Then came gladness that my dear Z had brought so much joy to so many people. That was his ministry. * Clearly we had not seen each other since January. We often meet regulars at the park.  But with as little a time difference as three minutes we can miss. ********************************************* Cooper and I are doing so well.  He is as wonderful Zion was, but in many different ways. I adopted him on June 12th 2024. Acting on a whim I took him to the Humane Society today so that I could tell the adoption counselors that C and I ar...

 A gift from his friend Ashley I think that he likes it!

  Roasted today.    Apart from the top and tail the whole thing is delicious:  Flesh, Skin, and Seeds

 

 BACK ON THE SHELVES Delicate Squash    Wonderful Harvest  (Vegetarian) Chili    Superb

  At my local Walgreen's this afternoon the delightful lecrk bore the name Karelia. I ascertained that she enjoys good music, and asked if she had heard of a piece called The Karelia Suite. At first she thought that I was being silly.  I assured her that was not the case and then she burst out in wonder : "That's My Name!" I wrote the information down.  I'm almost certain that she will track it down!   I hope so. https://youtu.be/1ryhN5kNFzc?si=3Qv8Q8nsa9ieFht7 ******************************************************************************* Ahem, one of my favourite hymn tunes, set to "All My Hope on God is founded"  bears the name Michael.    Well, you never!  Strong tune, good text. https://youtu.be/W3LCGh02Vew

 

I was sixteen years old when my parents got their first T.V. One channel (BBC), and no colour. Soon came a second channel (Independent T.V.) with commercials.  " You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent", and   "Plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief it is" Colour T.V. came later. The focus of family life moved from the fireplace to the T.V. ------------------------------ Sixty four years later; I have all but no interest in watching T.V. Here is the ancient "goggle box" which my late friend Ben M gave me. I rarely view it. .. Some of my dear friends encourage me to buy a super modern flat screen model. But why buy something which I will never use?

    Sarasota readers     Bohemian Delicious is on Catttlemen, east side near Palmer. Their Chicken Schinzel is the best.  I served it with baked beans in tomato sauce, so very popular in the U.K. and Ireland.  (I prefer the Irish version, which is often available in U.S. Supermarkets) If you have traveled to the U.K. or the Republic of Ireland you may have encountered them as a side dish in a Full Irish or Full English breakfast. Best of all is the (U.K.) Waitrose version of Apple Sauce.  Nice and chunky. No sugars.  Ahem  -  Bramley Apples are far superior to the boring Granny Smith cooking apple. You can order the Waitrose version on line.