Florida Update

Well, we finished up at Aunt Gala's (ripping out cabinets, sanding painting, moving an outlet, and being careful not to overly disturb the plumbing...or any other of the random, and often meaningless, connections that had been left to rot in that house) on Tuesday evening, just in time to high-tail it down to Marco and begin relaxing.

So far, we've taken our place in the long line of morning people (who I'm rarely one of) trying to get a table at the infamous (as in Lucky Day's in-famous meaning 'more than famous') Susie's and Breakfast Plus. At Breakfast Plus, I must seriously suggest the Spuds Supreme:

A casserole loaded with our home fries, topped with choice of bacon, ham or pork sausage, covered with mozzarella and Hollandaise sauce.

I was particularly impressed with the Hollandaise sauce -- somehow they managed to put enough on to emphasize its presence without being obtrusive and disruptive to the taste of the rest of the ingredients.

Though I would love to wax poetic of the lands of potatoes and eggs, I'm afraid that I'd scarcely manage to say anything approaching justice for the quality of these restaurants. More recently (tonight, in fact), I attended Porky's Last Stand, a veritable treasure trove of Baby Boomers looking to relax in a diverse enough enviornment that confuses and thereby relaxes. For example of these eclectic tastes (or cheap decorations), a John Deere manure spreader stood in as a salad bar, hoping that it could fulfill a perhaps more delicate role in its life following that stretch on a farm. Of course, not too far from there were pictures of locals (and not-so-locals) holding large fish (I was informed that these are referred to as jewfish) and attempting to shock customers into ignoring the rest of the walls. However disappointing this may have been though, it was largely made up for with their grouper fingers, which are, of course, simply fish strips. However, I strongly suggest that the childishness of the meal be overlooked in a true quest for flavor. And Marco grouper certainly bears watching in that regard. It is consistently, and heartily, enjoyable.

Anyway, we've also taken small trips around the island in search of such treasures as ice cream, my grandmother's new condo, and a dinky lot out near Roberts Bay that sells for an unbelievable (to me, anyway) $4 million. The company has been enjoyable, though at times strained, and has been a nice opportunity to do some thinking (maybe not good, but neccesary nonetheless). Signing off...