WE MADE THE BOCCE PLAYOFFS!

 

Bocce last night! Last games of the regular season. There are 14 teams in the thursday night league. The top 5 go to the playoffs.

We were #4 going into last night. We played the #3 team. All games close. We needed to win 3 to move up to third spot. We won only 1, lost 2. However, the 2 defeats did not drop us in the standings. We still ended up 4th.

The playoffs begin at 10 tomorrow morning. A big deal! Tents to cover the players heads to avoid the sun, food and drinks. A very festive occasion.

Bocce is played 4 evenings a week. Five teams from each evening compete in the playoffs. Lose and go home.

Cheryl stopped by while we were playing. A loyal team fan. A friend. She had a new hairdo. Short. Looked terrific!

Key West Shoe Girl Stephanie came by. She has just returned from Paris. We are having dinner together next wednesday.

Pati came by for a hug and kiss.

The courts were relatively quiet. No Larry Smith. Without him, it was like playing in silence.

I spent time yesterday fine tuning today’s TV/Internet show. Teen pregnancy is my opening topic. You will be shocked by some parts of it.

The show can be viewed via television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. On the internet world wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

Show time is 10 in the morning my time.

Join me, if you can.

I walked Duval yesterday as part of my good health program. Walked more than I intended. The people and store fronts attracted my attention.

Time is short friday mornings. I have to shower, etc. and head over to the TV station.

Enjoy your day!

A WHALE AND ALASKAN WASTE

 

The two items in the title are totally unrelated. Both interesting, however. I wanted to give each its just due.

I am on a diet. Generally people in Key West give dieters the same advice. Swim, eat only fish, and drink plenty of water.

I came across a comment yesterday that fit the advice and showed the error of the advice.

A whale swims all day, eats only fish, drinks water, and is FAT!

Walked again yesterday. This time did the hotels. Each day a different place so I do not get bored.

The Casa Marina and the Reach. Plus up and down and around blocks in between.

Both hotels lovely. Especially the Casa Marina. A jewel! Neither crowded. Must be the time of year. A good time to visit. Prices cheaper.

I worked on friday’s TV/Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Still have some fine tuning to do. The show is a good one. They all are. We live in a crazy world and I report the craziness I discover.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour airs on two separate TV channels. From Key West to Miami-Dade County. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Versa Channel 19. The show is also available world wide on the internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

The show is one hour and begins at 10 in the morning my time.

I published another Amazon Kindle article yesterday. Abuse of Power. Involves a three year old and the police.

Now to Alaskan waste. You are not going to believe what I am about to share.

Alaskans appear to be smart people. They may decry the federal government. However, they are adept at securing federal funding. Generally for irrational purposes.

The bridge to nowhere became household words when Sarah Palin was running. A bridge as long as the Golden Gate Bridge. Problem was the bridge went nowhere. The projected cost $398 million. Federal stimulus dollars had been allocated for the project.

After the election, Sarah Palin withdrew Alaska’s plans to build the bridge.

The Alaskans did get the federal government, however. They built the Gavina Island Highway. Cost $25 million. Note it is built. The problem is the highway was to connect to the bridge to nowhere. No one uses the highway because there is no bridge to connect to.

It has to make one wonder how much oversight from Washington is involved in the stimulus program. The highway and the monies for the bridge to nowhere were either approved and/or disbursed during Bush 2’s administration.

Now comes the airport in the middle of nowhere. The place is Akutan, Alaska. Alaska got approval to build a $75.5 million airport to service Akutan.

Akutan has 75 full time residents, 5 boats, and 1,000 seasonal workers. They needed the airport like a hole in the head! The money approved, but not disbursed. I doubt it ever will.

The airport was to be built on an island six miles across the Bering Straites from Akutan. Rough and turbulent waters. A means was required to get customers from Akutan to the airport. No problem. About $13 million was approved. Part of the $75.5 million package. To build/acquire some  kind of hoverboats as they were called to transport people back and forth.

We are not done yet.

It was decided a harbor was needed somewhere in Alaska. The harbor was built. Cost $29 million. The problem was there were no roads to connect the harbor to the town. Some one forgot to provide electricity and water to the harbor, also. Because no road and the other problems, the harbor is not used.

These monies are all stimulus dollars. Under both Bush and Obama administrations.

I see two problems.

Oversight with regard to the stimulus dollars does not appear to be effective. Perhaps non existant in some instances. What a waste of money! Taxpayer dollars!

The other problem is that Alaskan officials are pigs. Smart pigs. They knew these projects were not ready for use nor feasible. Nevertheless they went ahead and applied for the monies. Their explanation is that they were planning for the future.

No wonder as a Nation we are in economic trouble. Washington should watch its dollars as we do ours. We know they do not. I am not opposed to stimulus. All I ask is that it be used where it will do the best and immediate good. Immediate being the operative word.

Enjoy your day!

 

The runways were to be

THE DIET

 

Dieting is such a pain in the ass!

It got to me yesterday afternoon. Only the third day. Weak! Big time! This morning the same thing.

It will pass. Another day or two. In the meantime, I drag.  As I said yesterday, the penalty for overindulging.

I walked yesterday. The airport. The four lanes in the parking garage, back and forth. Shaded, cool. Occasionally I would walk up the ramp outside where departing persons are dropped off.

I seem to have this thing for walking in garages.

Lunch was home. The diet lunch. No Blossoms or Harpoon Harry’s for a while.

Early afternoon did more work on friday’s show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Additional topics include 3 months in jail for having sex in a cab in Dubai, a Swedish woman who slept with human bones, the saving of a baby accidentally and unknowingly flushed down the toilet while the mother was sitting on the toilet, Italian markets without business, and more.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Friday mornings at 10 my time. Worldwide. TV via Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. The internet via www.tvcomcast19.com.

Later in the afternoon worked on blog radio. I had a test show to do at 5. Some additional preparation was required.

Yes, I am going to do a blog radio show. Will start in about two weeks. I am presently contemplating making it a talk show. People can call in free from where ever, world wide. Details will be provided in due course.

I hope the show works, is a success.

I love the Turner Classics Channel. Great old movies! Yesterday was a favorite. Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. Starred Laurence Oliver and Merle Oberon. Strong! Dark! Touching!

Enjoy your day!

MONDAY IN KEY WEST

 

Pleasant weather. Makes you feel good to be in Key West

Walked again yesterday. Parked the car again at the airport. Instead of walking along Smathers Beach towards 1800 Atlantic, I walked in the opposite direction. Towards Flagler

What a difference turning around made! An equally exciting view as the Smathers Beach walk. This time the time shares, restaurant and fort on the other side of the road. Another flavor of Key West.

Lunch was at home. Had to be. I am on a diet and have to prepare certain foods.

I spent the early afternoon working on friday’s TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Initial topics prepared include teen emergency contraception, Toys ‘R Us and a stupid gender discrimination case, Euro banks in trouble, Germans want to link tax Google, woman arrested for riding a manatee, sex toy industry big in China, and Alaskan waste.

Remember to watch the show, if you can. Friday morning at 10 my time. Airs on TV two ways. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. The show is available from Key West through Miami-Dade County. The show can also be seen via the internet world wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

I played grandfather later in the afternoon. Took Robert and Ally to swimming practice. They are on a swim team. Practice is at the college.

I felt sorry for them. The air was cool, the water cold. The pool is not yet heated. Robert and Ally came hurrying over after practice was concluded. I had huge towels and jackets with hoods for them. Wrapped them immediately. Robert said it was cold. I felt bad for the both of them.

Drove them home. Visited with Lisa and Cory for a while. Did not stay for dinner. I can only eat special diet food.

I arrived home famished. Prepared and gouged  my meal  down. A very small pizza and one cup of grapes. Not enough food. That is the price I must pay for having overdone for quite a while.

Diet or not, I still have to get out. To see people. To socialize.

I headed over to Hogfish. Two diet Pepsi’s at the bar and the good company of some local fishermen.

The Key West Citizen reported Kelley McGillis flag football would be returning to Key West. I knew Kelley McGillis socially back when I first bought a home in Key West. Then she divorced and left. She returns on occasion for flag football and Womanfest.

For those who might not recognize the name, Kelley starred in many movies. Two of her most famous were Top Gun with Tom Cruise and Witness with Harrison Ford. Yes, that lovely woman!

Old movies are my forte. Love them. Woke this morning and watched a part of Treasure Island. A 1932 movie based on the Robert Louis Stevenson book.

The star was a boy. Jackie Cooper. The same Jackie Cooper I would spend time with years later at La Costa. Cooper’s movie career  had concluded. I think his last movie was as the editor in a Superman film. When I knew him, racing was his thing. He owned and raced horses.

Enjoy your day!

ANOTHER QUIET KEY WEST SUNDAY

 

Sunday is a do nothing day for me. The less I can do, the better it seems.

I took a walk early afternoon. Parked the car at the airport. Walked the length of Smathers Beach and back. A bright sun. A bit chilly. No humidity. Perfect walking weather.

I am back into good health. I try frequently. Succeed rarely. This time I am serious. Today is day 3 of my diet. Yes, you will have to put up with it again. Exercise is a part of it all. Ergo the walk.

Afterwards, I stopped at Lisa’s. I was shocked when I walked in! Absolute quiet. Like a church.

Lisa was on the couch reading the newspaper. What is going on, I asked. Turned out Robert and Ally each had friends over to play. They were in different bedrooms and playing quietly. Cameron had a friend in his room. Corey was upstairs doing something on the computer.

Lisa said the kids should have friends over more often!

I babysit this afternoon. Lisa and Corey have a funeral service to attend. The grandkids have swim team practice at the college at 4:30. My responsibility is to watch them practice and then return them home.

The TV/Internet show is off the ground. It has some rough edges. I am working on them.

I have long thought I would like to do a radio show. Why not! So I am going to do one. I did a practice run thursday night. Went well. Have another practice session tuesday night. This one will be a talk show. You can all call in and share your thoughts with me.

The Key West Citizen yesterday had a major front page article on Breeze. Breeze is Carnivals new big boat. It is going to make six stops in Key West after the first of the year. It will carry 3,700 passengers.

I found the article interesting and strange. There is an ongoing furor whether Key West should make the channel deeper and wider. The purpose being to handle the big boats. Big dollars!

If Key West needs bigger and deeper, how can Breeze make it in to dock?

Breeze was commissioned this past June. Has already completed an Atlantic crossing. As stated before, carries 3,700 passengers. Plus a crew of 1,300. The vessel is a 1,000 feet long. Weighs 130 tons. Has a draft of 8.5.

I have seen several pictures of Breeze. A monster!

If it does not get stuck in the channel, I question the need for widening and deepening it.

Enjoy your day!

 

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS AND ERNEST HEMINGWAY

 

Robert has been talking about the Symphony since he and Ally attended recently. Perhaps a musician in the making.

Robert mentions on occasion that the Symphony was at the Tennessee Williams Theater at the College. I asked if he knew who Tennessee Williams was. He did not, nor did Ally. I explained briefly.

There was a method to my madness. Tennessee Williams lived on Duncan Street, the same street as Lisa and family. One block and a half away. He had lived there for 40 years. I explained he was an author and had written many books while living there.

I took the grandkids for a ride. Stopped in front of Tennessee William’s house. A well maintained white bungalow. Both Robert and Ally exclaimed they knew who lived there. The people who gave them candy on Halloween while they were treating and tricking.

I explained Williams was dead. The people were different. Williams had lived there some time before them.

They will probably speak of Williams every time they walk past the house.

Since we were into authors, I asked if they had ever heard of Ernest Hemingway. No, they said. I explained who Hemingway was, that he wrote also, and that he had lived in Key West for ten years.

I wanted to show them the large stately home where Hemingway lived. Initially, I did not drive over to the home on Whitehead. Instead I took them to the hotel on Simonton, just off Caroline. I explained that the hotel was where Hemingway had first stayed when arriving in Key West, the car purchase story, and Hemingway having to wait for delivery for several weeks. Deciding he liked Key West and was going to stay, Hemingway bought a house.

I drove over to the big house on Whitehead. The Hemingway home everyone knows. Some day I will take Robert and Ally on a tour of the house. I told them about the six toed cats they would see on that first visit..

Yesterday turned out to be a raising Robert and Ally’s awareness day! A good thing for them and me.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

LAZY DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING

 

Somehow yesterday morning I forgot to press a button. Necessary to publish yesterday’s blog. It failed to get published. Discovered the error this morning. Pressed the button.

Ergo, you will have two blogs to read today. Yesterday’s and today’s.

I walked around feeling sluggish yesterday. Had to be the two Thanksgiving meals from the day before.

Did something pleasant for Louis. A manicure. Tammy her usual bright cheerful self.

Tammy has two children. Pre schoolers. I asked if she cooked a turkey. No, she said. I told her she has to do the American holidays. Her children are growing up Americans. She cooked Vietnamese dishes instead. Her excuse was she does not know how to cook a turkey. I believe her. She promised to try next year.

Bocce last night. I felt like the living dead. It was a make up game. We were the only ones using a court.

We won all three games. The most points the opposing team scored were six. It was a good night, an easy night. Before you get the impression we were that good, I have to confess that the team we beat is either at the bottom or next to the bottom in standing. They are new and relatively inexperienced.

The three victories help. We are close to making the playoffs. There is only one week to the season left.

Herschel and Erika brought a goodie. Smoked snapper dip and crackers. Herschel had smoked a turkey the day before and smoked the salmon along with it. Delicious!

The team headed over to Don’s Place afterwards. I had one drink and left.

Frankie. Frankie. Frankie. My partner, my bocce team mate. The best bocce player in the thursday night league. Perhaps the best player in the whole league.

Frankie did not play last night. Though he did stop by with his wife Sandy to say hello. Frankie is having heart valve surgery monday in Miami.

I wish my friend well.

This Fifty Shades of Grey book is being discussed by most people. Especially  women.

I reviewed the book from my perspective yesterday on the TV/internet show as I did recently in this blog. My main thrust was that the book was an event which would elevate sex to a new level. As had the birth control pill in the 1960s, the Joy of Sex in 1972, and the g-spot in the early 1980s. My review received big time comment. Mostly from women. All excited. All loved the book. Some commented they even agreed with my observation. With one exception.

The importance of the Joy of Sex was that the clitoris was unknown by most prior thereto. For real. The book introduced the world to the clitoris and clitoral orgasms.

One female reader did not like my use of the word clitoris. How else would I label it? That is what it is. That is what it is called. I did not think it offensive. It is an appendage on the body. Like an arm, leg, the tongue. My comments were to the point, brief, and not sexual in nature. I was reporting on a fact which had occurred.

So much for today. Read yesterday’s blog, also.

Have a good saturday!

 

 

SHOWTIME

 

Today…..The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten my time this morning. Airs on TV on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. From Key West through Miami-Dade County. Available world-wide via the internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

Watch. An interesting show this morning.

Topics include Fifty Shades of Grey, how cell phones are aiding in the apprehension of wrongdoers, an Ohio criminal defendant who asked the Judge if he could smoke one more joint, the female Hindu dentist who died in Ireland because of a religion not her own, a dirty old lady, and more.

Thanksgiving yesterday! I over ate. Never changes. Every year the same.

Two dinners may have contributed.

Thanksgiving dinner was at Lisa’s at one. A terrific meal! The turkey and everything that goes with it! Robert and Ally excited. They are into holidays big time. Robert wore long pants, a tie and real shoes. Ally was dressed in her best finery.

It was family time.

Afterwards, I fell asleep in the easy chair at Lisa’s. I tried to watch football. To no avail. The stomach was full and the body tired.

At six I had dinner at Stan and Clara’s. Ate again, but not as much. Stan and Clara had the big Thanksgiving spread, also. Two turkeys! One smoked and the other marinated before cooking. Tried both, of course. Delicious!

I did Thanksgiving with Stan and Clara’s family. Included Clara’s parents. And Herschel, Ericka, Boomer and Kathy.

I filled up twice yesterday. I should have slept well last night. I did not. Toss and turned. Kept waking up.

One nice thing about living on open water is that the wind off the ocean greets you every morning. Normally pleasant. Not this morning. Cold! Temperature dropped to 62 during the evening. I turned the heat on.

The weather by day is in the low 70s. Cold to us who live in Key West full time. The blood has thinned.

Bocce tonight. A make up game. It is going to be cold! Temperature during the games will be in the high 60s. The bocce courts are located about 300 feet off the Atlantic. The breeze off the ocean will be blowing in. Cannot escape it.

Again, please watch my show at 10. A nice way to start a friday morning.

Enjoy your day!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 

Happy  Thanksgiving!

This morning the turkeys are in the oven, pies cooling, the children watching the Macy Thanksgiving Parade, families getting together. A good day! A thank you God day.

A quick  history of Thanksgiving.

The gathering of Pilgrims and Indians in 1621 is considered the first Thanksgiving. It was not. It was called a “gathering.”

There were no more thanksgivings/gatherings till 1776. George Washington called for a day of thanksgiving. The first time the word was actually used. The Revolution was in full swing. The colonies had separated from Great Britain.

The day was enjoyed. Washington wanted to continue it every year. The politicians of the day said no. Even Thomas Jefferson. It had to do with Pilgrims, Puritans, and satanic beliefs. A hot potato.

There was not another thanksgiving till 1864. Abraham Lincoln was happy with the way the Civil war was going. He had a new general by the name of Ulysses Grant who had won several battles, The Emancipation Proclamation was law. Lincoln decreed the fourth thursday of November was hence forth to be celebrated as a day of thanksgiving.

It so continued till 1941. It became a legal holiday at that time. Thanks to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

That’s the story.

Lunch yesterday was at Goldman’s Deli with Robert and Ally. Business appeared to be half of what it normally was. I attribute it to the competition of the nearby new Five Guys and the boulevard construction.

The grandkids and I talked about Thanksgiving and Christmas. Had Santa Claus telephoned me yet this year? No, not yet. He’s busy. Soon, however.

Oh, how they believe!

Before going out last night, I had to deliver the turkey from my refrigerator to Lisa. It was heavy! Robert and Ally were excitedly waiting for me. They took the turkey from me to carry inside.

My evening out was Don’s Place. A good  crowd. Including Don, David, Herschel, Stan, Erika, Toni, Bebe, Rob, and others. The holiday spirit was in the air.

I read an article this morning that the second biggest drinking night in the U.S. is Thanksgiving Eve. The first of course is New Year’s Eve.

I stopped at Publix for a few things on the way home. The new one. The place was crowded. I was surprised. Apparently most people had waited till the last minute to shop.

Two Thanksgiving dinners for me today! With Lisa and family at 1. With friends at 6. A heavy day!

Donna emailed me yesterday. She forwarded a You Tube video of Terri made in Dusseldorf,  Germany. Terri recently appeared with the Symphony there.

The video is less than six minutes. Well done. I recommend you take a look at it.

www.youtube.com/watch?=BJsTyKKxu8o&sns=em.

Tomorrow is friday. Friday is The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Please watch. Ten o’clock in the morning my time. Available on TV throughout the Keys and Miami-Dade County. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Available world wide via internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

You will enjoy!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday, also!

 

CRANBERRY NUT BREAD AND SHEILA

 

The Chart Room again last night. Peter and Che at the bar. A good crowd otherwise.

Sheila came in after a while. Lovely Sheila. The trolley train lady. A friend to all. Loved by every one.

Sheila had a bag full of small cranberry nut bread loafs. In aluminum pans. Still warm.

This is for you, Louis. Happy Thanksgiving! She handed me one of the loaves.

How nice! How thoughtful!

When I left the Chart Room, I was headed out to dinner. Not sure where. As I got in the car, I said to myself…..go home…..eat the warm cranberry nut bread. That is what I did. Made some tea and covered the still warm bread with butter. My dinner! The best!

Thank you, Sheila.

While I was at the Chart Room, Sheila introduced me to Cori. Same pronunciation as son in law Corey’s name, except spelled differently.

Cori just received her doctorate from Exeter in England. Her PhD is in Maritime History.

She works at the Custom House as Curator of History. Knows my Corey well. Knows Lisa, also.

Yesterday morning after finishing the day’s blog, I received a telephone call from Jenna. Could we do my TV/Internet show at 4 today instead of friday? Krystal wanted to take a long weekend to spend the holiday with her folks. Ok, I said.

Only one problem. I prepare the show during the week a bit at a time each day. Ergo, I was not ready to do the show at 4. I could get ready, but would have to work diligently till 4. I did.

The show was recorded and will be shown at 10 friday morning as usual.

The topics are interesting. Let me share a few with you.

Thanksgiving. I did a history of the holiday. The pilgrims and Indians did not give us Thanksgiving. Abraham Lincoln did.

Since the show has many viewers from foreign lands who are unaware of Thanksgiving, I explained from a practical perspective what happens on Thanksgiving Day. The Macey parade, a glutonous meal, and falling asleep in front of the TV while watching college football after dinner.

The Hostess failure bothers me. A particular union is one of the problems. Another and greater problem however is the sugar industry. By virtue of a 1934 law, heavy tariffs are placed on sugar imported. As a result, no one ships sugar into the U.S. The U.S. sugar industry has a monopoly. So…..sugar costs twice as much in the U.S. as elsewhere in the world. Hostess obviously used sugar big time.

The sugar law is a form of corporate welfare. Similar to the subsidy paid oil companies. The sugar lobby in Washington is strong. They make sure the tariff program continues. There is more to this story.

A secession follow up. This whole thing is a joke. For real. Not real.

Took a walk back in history with Enrico Caruso, Casablanca, war time rationing, and Doug Flutie’s Hail Mary pass.

Three interesting stories where today’s cell phone was instrumental in catching wrongdoers.

The aforementioned are some of the topics discussed. I will share more with you tomorrow.

Needed a gas fill up yesterday. Stopped at the Citgo station on the boulevard. The boulevard of construction. I chatted with the woman running the place. I noticed there was a sign saying free coffee. I asked why. She told me business was down 60 per cent and they were trying to induce business. She further told me that the nearby MacDonald’s was down 61 per cent and was considering closing.

I find the MacDonald thing hard to believe. The Key West MacDonald’s is one the highest volume MacDonald’s in Florida. I hope the lady was wrong.

The boulevard construction is a rip off. Two years to complete. I can understand why. Very few people working the job. Some days no one. The highest number I have counted for one day is 7. I drive past the site at least two times a day.

Tomorrow the bird! I am excited. I was excited as a kid and continue to be excited as an adult. I love holidays!

I suspect the reason holidays excited me back when was because my family was of modest means. Not on holidays, however. The table was full of goodies!

Enjoy your day!