Almonte, Canada
Avocado toast
There is always a hearty welcome upon arrival at Palmetto Bay Sunrise Café. The staff are universally pleasant and cheery. The coffee is good and strong. We start with Avocado Toast – a singular recipe matching anything as far flung or exotic as Australia which boasts its own special native supply of avocado pear. Whatever follows – in our instance French toast and Atkins Diet stuff (eggs, bacon, sausage and cheese) – is invariably tasty and fulfilling. The restaurant is located adjacent a yacht club and marina so there is a lovely nautical flavour to the place. Dress as you are, relaxed atmosphere. Tripadvisor
While wintering on Hilton Head Island we behave very much as residents rather than passing interlopers or vacationers. Everything about our stay here is domestic in nature. As a result we are not at all committed to dining out. On balance we prefer our own cooking. When we do eat otherwise than at our own trough it is almost always for breakfast or lunch. We favour daylight sorties. As well as casual restaurants not requiring formality of any degree.
This morning’s aleatory venture was to Palmetto Bay Sun Rise Café located on an estuary nearby a yacht club. It is but a 15-minute drive from Harbour Town in Sea Pines where we reside. We have visited the place often enough that, upon our arrival, the staff noted that “our table” was already taken. There is outdoor seating – sheltered by an awning, retractable plastic windows and overhead heaters as necessary – but when we arrived before 7:00 am that area was still somewhat opaque so we opted instead for inside as usual. We deposited ourselves nearby three young fellows who, judging by snippets of their conversation, passing vulgarities and voice levels were recovering from a boisterous evening. Seemingly they were about to “go to sea” because they ordered quantities of protein, loaded together, for take out. Curiously the Alpha member of the group, the one with the foulest mouth, was kind and gentle with the staff to the point of being obsequious. Perhaps he was a “regular” who was accustomed to saying, “I do appreciate that” or “Thank-you so much” for his food and service, not unlike a certain member of my own former morning coffee klatch in Almonte.
After having put on the nosebag, paying our bill and leaving an appropriate tip, we moved off to our local Publix. The weather today is not especially inviting even though warm. As soon as the brief exposure to rain has passed we intend to bicycle briefly just to get a bit of exercise.
Last evening I reflected again upon the subject of enjoying life. I have reaffirmed my belief – which I consider axiomatic to a fault – that, “If I do what I like then I’ll like what I do”. Although it sounds shamefully selfish and complacent, I must first note that it is not a matter of saying that what I do is especially meaningful or worthy but rather that it simply makes me happy; and, second that settling for what makes life’s experience pleasing is not an ambition to be trivialized. Certainly there are some – such as grandparents for example – who derive ineffable glee from devotion to their grandchildren. The altruistic goal is however no more or less enviable or admirable than the egocentric satisfaction of one’s hobbies or other endeavours. The goal in either instance is return on the capital howsoever grand the acquisition or disposition. Nor is the source of happiness by any measure a rampart to absorption in other undertakings which are characterized by strict level of accomplishment and purpose or critical thinking. But at the same time I emphasize the necessity to preserve the paramount importance of self-satisfaction in order to protect the lawful objective from inappropriate relevance. Not that there is anything wrong with wanting to be rich or famous; but one mustn’t overlook the simple long-lasting joys of living whatever they may be. The end cometh too soon for the toleration of ignorance!
Coincidentally I have today received an email from the son of my erstwhile physician who, in language identifiable as that of youth and modern advancement, has written anecdotally about the same subject of there being two ways to get down a river; viz., either you know where to go or where not to go. Even more acutely serendipitous is the relevance of his ornamentation to hobbies!