Saturday and Sunday

Yesterday we embarked on a search for our annual supply of Florida marmalade.First we went to a citrus center here in Sarasota. We tracked it down with our GPS and indeed it was a fine looking establishment with ample parking and big signs so we wouldn't miss it. Sadly, they were out of business, closed, shuttered, and abandoned.

We tried another place in Bradenton. It was a citrus farm with a glitzy store trying to out-cracker Cracker Barrel. You could buy fruit, mugs, T-shirts, name plates, caps, key chains, stuffed animals, candies, ice cream, everything but marmalade. Well, they had a few small token souvenir jars but not a serious provision.

We were an hour from Clearwater and we recalled the large place we had found there. We often bought our supply of marmalades from them and we decided to return there. We found the place transformed into a General Motors Service Center.

We then recalled a small citrus shop near Indian Rocks Beach where we had also found these marmalades so, not to be defeated, we went there (see below). Success! But who'd have thought you could not sustain a citrus marmalade business in Florida?

Before leaving the area we took a brief look at Indian Rocks Beach. Crescent Beach, where we are now is definitely better.

Today we returned to the Kingdom Hall for the meeting. Photos below show the platform again, the Hall exterior, and the parking lot. Today, as the meeting progressed I saw lizards scurrying along the top of the wall enclosing the garden behind the speaker. Yes, it's a bit distracting at first.

 I'll have to put in a suggestion that we install picnic benches in our Kingdom Hall parking lot too.