ROLL, LOBSTAH

Still filling in the blanks on our needs and wants for our apartment. We went to a store called Marine Center. It was actually a grouping of buildings up and down both sides of the street for about a block. Each building had a different purpose....hardware, interior design, garden, housewares, and appliances. It was not Home Depot but we found everything we needed. Somebody smart has cornered the market. We had to pay in cash because the internet was down. The TV now works and the DVD does too but our video selection sucks. (I got an RF modulator that allows the old electronics to talk to the new from a Lebanese electronic shop called Medawar. It is a Radio Shack reseller.) As I looked through the Chinese knockoffs I brought with me most of them were demonic possession or disgruntled cop themes, Not a single slasher film among them...and no chick flicks either. I knew I should have brought my Chuck Norris/Arnold/Bruce Willis/Stallone boxed sets. We watched America's Got Talent and found out that truth in advertising is history.

Islands by their nature are more alike than different. Camilla and I were talking yesterday about what constitutes a "real island" and how where we live in Sarasota on Siesta Key isn't one because it has bridges to the mainland. Jamaica is a real island. Nantucket is a real island. They are surrounded on all sides by water and you have to swim, boat, of fly in and out. It makes all the difference. Bryn agreed tacitly with the concept and then smeared chocolate frosting all over her highchair tray to demonstrate the topographical differences. When we used to summer in Jamaica you never knew if your phone was going to work...kind of like AT&T cellular service. We had no iPhones back then just big black bakelite rotary dialed ones. We didn't have free long distance either and had to make operator assisted calls to one another. Since they were so expensive we would ask to speak with Miss Iloveyouwhenyoucominghome and you didn't get charged because she wasn't there. You young people with your fancy schmancy all inclusive calling plans don't appreciate this. It's like you need a Caramel machiato frapucchino latte NOW and the Starbucks is waaaaay down at the other end of the mall.

So this island thing, surrounded by water, like Australia, but instead of Kangaroos and Koalas evolving unlike everywhere else on the planet, you have attitudes and acceptances. The lights go out, the telephone service goes down, the planes can't land. "No Problem, Mon." Beer runs out, now we got a problem. There are people here who don't introduce themselves by their married names or even their maiden names. They tell you their first name and then their famous island family name. Now we all know famous name people in Sarasota. They are the ones whose redneck grandfather bought miles of land for a dollar an acre and all future generations have lived by selling it off a piece at a time. Roads are named after them. I can only guess if the formula is more or less the same here. I'm thinking, sure.

I went to dinner at a place called Cy's lobster pot last night and shared with the Kitty. We had a good but not great Clam Chowdah that needed a little tabasco. We split a bowl and they nicely put our bowl into two cups. Waitress was nice. Then came the entre'. We went for the traditional Lobstah Roll, which again they divided into two halves and put on separate plates at no charge. Lots of real lobster and a light mayo sauce on what looked like Challah bread and a lettuce leaf. I give it a solid "9". They had a side of mac and cheese with some parmesan, bread crumbs, and a taste but no evidence of bacon. Wonderful. And they used rigatoni noodles. It was not up to the one we had last year on the cape when our friend Skip took us to a divey place in Popponesset where L. rolls were $25 each. Last night's total bill for a pint of Bud Lite draft, and the shared entre', side, and chowder was $27 including tax. We ate in this restaurant last year with Mark, Jennie, and the kids. It was busier then. I don't think the tourists have come yet. We did pass one meat-market bar filled tooverflowing with hormones and young people.

Well, the 6:30 boat horn just sounded and it's time to go. Seeya tomorrow.