Sunday, April 3, 2011

The things you hear in passing...

I spent my morning attending to several tasks, such as creating labels for the MUD exhibit, completing some chores for my mom, and enjoying the program Sunday Morning. I put a roaster in the oven for my mom and then spent the next 60 minutes out on my bike tooling around Saratoga Lake, well, out to the inlet and back anyway. It was an extremely windy ride, one of those where the wind decided that you needed a workout in both directions. I think I live the old adage "uphill both ways" sometimes. I was feeling a bit behind the eight ball this morning, like I swallowed an ocean of salt water. I didn't want to stop on my ride, but at the half way point I decided that I needed more than water so I went into Stewarts and bought some vile sportsdrink. While waiting on line I hear this guy who was paying for gas for his vette complaining to the cashier that his car runs like crap on the corn they call fuel and how the government will be upping the ethanol percentage to 15% soon. I was only half listening until he made a comment that I am still chewing on. "Civilizations that BURN their FOOD for fuel cease to exist in short order"

Its a well known fact that we don't have an energy crisis in this country, we have an energy emergency that is as bad and as urgent  as our national debt. The guy had a point. Our production farms have converted resources to growing corn for fuel that we have created a world hunger problem that will eventually hit home as well. The issue I had with this guy though was how his choice of vehicle was adding to the energy deficit because it was not the most efficient use of the resources he was expending. The things one hears in passing.

The lake was beautiful today. I was surprised at how much ice was still on the lake. In places it still looked thick enough to support activity, though I would never think of it as there was also plenty of open water. There was a great deal of activity, amounting to "spring cleaning", people outside sweeping, raking, digging, scrubbing...Then there were the ducks, who seemed to be overjoyed at the fact that they found a large bay of open water with a 1/2 submerged abandoned dock adrift in the middle of it, of course it was also in full sun, making for a spring holiday. The things you notice in passing.

I hope to host a BBQ, maybe even a pig roast in June to help with my fundraising efforts for the PMC.  I remember how Kenny and I used to have a standing date with the pig and mint juleps in May on Kentucky Derby day. It was our way to get all of our friends together in one place. Kenny would spend a solid two days stoking a firebox on the smoker, you would think he was firing a wood kiln. His pulled pork is to die for and I HATE pork! I have a sheer aversion to it, maybe it was my pork with a side of keilbasa upbringing? I am not sure how we got out of that tradition, but its time to bring it back! On that note, look for for postings about my ETSY shop soon, all the money I raise will go to my ride and those who buy will have a piece of artwork to show for it. The things you think about in passing.


More tomorrow!

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