A lovely couple we know, Karen and Dennis, came by Saturday and we went to an early dinner at the Cracker Café on Pine Island. It’s a homely little place, but the food is good and Ed loves it because it serves a very decent brisket. We all had the brisket.

It has music on Saturday and the “band” was described as “blue grass”. Well, in their dreams. There was a violin, a guitar and a banjo. Any blue grass technique you might expect to find was nonexistent. They sang mightily and heartily. The only lyric I remember, was “Dead skunk in the middle of the road. dead skunk in the middle of the road, DEAD SKUNK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, STINKIN' TO H I G H HEAVEN." (Applause, chortles, etc.) I’m sorry I can’t give you the melody. We had been about to leave when the female “vocalist” came over and told us we should stay because this terrific song was coming up. So we sat through half of it and snuck out when she wasn’t looking.

There was another song with a lot of double entendres that the other patrons just loved – but we couldn’t hear the lyrics so we missed all the nudge-in-the-ribs golden moments. But the guffaws and glee told us all we needed to know.

Conversation was difficult in the middle of this cacophony but we ate well.

Karen and Dennis thanked us for this unique insight into rural entertainment because they are all class. Then they drove home to Punta Gorda, where there is an element of sophistication to the local talent. Sigh.

Meanwhile we bought a panel for our slider area that has a pet door. Ed installed it and got it to work right. I have relinquished door duties for hold-up-the-flap duties because the cats are still dealing with the “duh” factor. At least they are going through the opening when I hold the flap up. But so far no cat is pushing the flap. Years ago I moved the kitty food dishes across the room and it took Scratch and Sniff more than a week to get used to the new location. Every morning they would trot over to the old location and look forlorn and meow and look at me woefully. And I would carry them over to the new place – chomp, chomp, chomp, purr. And the next morning they would go to the old location. A lot like some people we all know.

xx, Teal