Daily Archives: February 13, 2022
What Happens In Sarasota, Stays In Sarasota . .
Jan and I were out for lunch a little before 1, on our way to local favorite Yummy Yummy Chinese Buffet. We thought we had lost them when they closed back in March 2020 in the depth of the WuFlu panic, but they reopened last year in September.
What was kind of confusing was that the other local Chinese buffet, East Star up in Webster, never closed. They just ask to wear the disposable gloves while getting your food.
Next it was on up 45 to the HEB for some things. We were kind of surprised at how busy it was, and remembered it was Super Bowl Sunday. Which explained all the carts piled high with cases of beer.
Who knew there were Amish Snowbirds?
In Sarasota, Florida, Amish snowbirds.
Like other snowbirds, the Amish come from locales with cold winters. Think central Ohio, northern Indiana and, of course, the unofficial Amish capital of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania.
At the height of the season, about 5,000 winter-weary Amish and Mennonites call Pinecraft, an enclave about 20 minutes from Sarasota, home. In the summer, the population numbers just 50.
Most of the Amish arrive after taking a 22-hour ride on chartered buses that are collectively called the Amish Express. By contrast, Mennonites often drive themselves — an illustration of how the two Protestant traditions differ, despite a shared cultural and religious heritage.
Over at my hotel, the Hyatt Regency, I did a double take at two bikini-clad girls talking in Pennsylvania Dutch and drinking what were presumably virgin cocktails. Then again, I suppose what happens in Sarasota stays in Sarasota.
Or then again, it could just be Rumspringa.
I mentioned the other day when I was talking about the coming problems with providing enough power to charge all the EV cars mandated by 2030, that the government was planning on installing 500,000 charging stations around the country. And part of this plan seems to be installing charging stations every 50 miles along every Interstate in the country.
Now I can see that happening with no problems in the urban/suburban areas, but what about places like out in west Texas where there’s miles and miles of miles and miles, and no electrical power. Though I guess you could run an extension cord from one of those wind turbines on the mountain top 20 miles away.
But what’s probably going to happen is this.
Yes, that’s a diesel generator powering an EV charging station.
Kind of defeats the purpose, now doesn’t it?
Tomorrow morning I’ve got my 3 month checkup after my Spinal Fusion surgery back in November. Hopefully everything is still on track, so my P.A. Alexandria will lift my 20# lifting limit and also let me take Advil again. But we’ll see.
As of yesterday, I’m at 90 days on the use of my Bone Growth Stimulator, so halfway there.
Tomorrow evening we’re having a Valentine’s Day dinner at the Saltgrass Steakhouse down in Galveston. Then Thursday we’re having lunch with our Alvin Opry group, at Saltgrass Steakhouse once again, but this time at the one up in Webster.
Looking forward to it all.
Thought For The Day:
Did you ever meet someone for the first time and want to buy them a toaster for their bathtub? Yeah, me too.
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