Fun at Publix

We drove by Publix yesterday morning on our way to go find some breakfast, after trying 2 places with lines down the sidewalk. The lot was full so I was hesitant to go back but the need for food drove me to give it a shot. (Oh, we ended up at Applebys for breakfast, a feat we will never again repeat.) Back to Publix- the place looked like we had just missed the locusts. Stuff all over the floors, and acres of empty shelves. I was most interested in a loaf of bread and a jug of milk and OJ along with some vegetables. I got the bread because someone there is baking, I could only get whole milk in gallons- not something for the lactose intolerant, and there was no lettuce or onions. Somehow they did have chives and tomatillos though, and some weird root called 'name'. There is s large south American population here so the row of unrecognizable rootish items gets bigger each time I visit. No coldcuts except a few in shrink wrapping that have probably seen their expiration date months ago. It was amazing. I could still get a lawn chair providing I could find someone to climb to the top of the shelves and retrieve it for me- fortunately I don't need a lawn chair, I need some food.

I feel like I am in Russia during the cold war.

Last night we found a restaurant at 5:30 since we hadn't eaten since the 'Appleby Affaire' but they had people lining up too. We asked about sitting at the bar and were able to grab 2 seats as someone else left. The couple next to us have a horse and cattle farm on the other side of 95 and still didn't have electricity, but they received a cell phone call from their daughter telling them it had just come back- they pushed back their half-eaten plates and ran out of the restaurant with cries of 'congratulations!' from all the folks at the bar.

I walked around this place yesterday and was surprised at the damage I saw- so many roofs (rooves?) are missing a few tiles here and there, mostly along the ridges it seems. This isn't a big deal except there is no such thing as a roofer who will take on such a small job. Many big trees are down, just simply fallen over with their root balls up in the air. And all the beautiful romantic palms are topless and ratty.

I am going to go take some pictures.