BICYCLISTS AND THE BOULEVARD

The new North Roosevelt Boulevard is terrific! A pleasure to travel!

There are a few problems. Some in the process of correction. Others, not.

One is that the driving lanes on both sides are open to bicycle traffic. Bicycles are actually painted on the road way signifying A-OK. Envision it. Bicycles driving down the middle of a Boulevard lane.

A disaster in the making! Not yet, however.

Yesterday, the wrong of permitting the bikes was evident. Traffic is exceptionally heavy this week. A holiday week. Many tourists. Families.

Traffic was unusually slow on the Boulevard going into town. I thought there might be an accident. There was not. It was a family riding their bicycles.

Each helmeted. The only safety feature taken into consideration.

The father in the lead bike. A small child sitting in the basket in front. This is going to sound like the Three Bears story. Mama bicyclist on the second bike. Then three smaller bikes with three children riding them. The oldest could not have been ten. All in a straight line, one behind the other. Oblivious to the traffic hold up they were causing and the danger the family was in.

Publix’s parking lot was a no parking zone. I had to go around the lot three times to find a spot.

I had a noon appointment with Tammy for a manicure. Lee Nails was packed! Locals and tourists. I was the only male. The ladies obviously getting ready for New Year’s Eve. A lot of chatter and laughing.

I wrote one more chapter to Growing Up Italian. Concrete Sidewalks Grass Backyards. Who had a backyard?

Then spent considerable time preparing for tonight’s blog talk radio show. A good one. Some things are in my craw. Bothering me. Tonight,  I will vent. Tomorrow, some will write and tell me I’m crazy.

Some of the topics of note include my analysis of the New York City Police Department  problem, a lawsuit being filed against the New York City Police Department every 2 1/2 hours, Greece on a collision course with Germany which perhaps could result in war, some consider Ukraine the prelude to World War III, and the U.S. purportedly being out of Afghanistan.

My analysis of the NYPD situation and Obama’s comments re finally being out of Afghanistan are guaranteed to stir the pot.

Join me for an interesting and challenging half hour. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine this evening. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

FOG

Fog is common in many beach areas. Not Key West, however. Maybe once or twice a year.

This morning was one of those times. I woke to heavy fog. The kind described as thick as pea soup. I could see nothing. Not even the MTV house across the way. The fog has gradually lifted. Finally totally gone two hours after I first saw it.

The day is projected to be a warm one. Whether the fog has to do with it, I do not know.

Mel Fisher Museum is like a second home. I have visited many times. The Museum apparently has an attic. I did not know. Attics are uncommon in the keys. Crawl spaces prevail.

The famous playwrite Arthur Miller wrote The Price. It takes place in an attic. The show starts its run tonight for several weeks. Presented by the Fringe Theater of Key West. The show is being performed in the attic of the Museum.

Garret is another way of describing an attic. The show is advertised as taking place in the garret of the Museum.

Christmas has encouraged my writing habits. I seem to be spending more time at it. Most of yesterday involved knocking out three chapters of Growing Up Italian. Rough, of course. Refining and editing will take more time than putting the words on paper for the first time. Whatever, I was both pleased and excited by what I accomplished yesterday.

It became habit with me over the years to spend a bit of time at the end of Christmas or New Years Eves sitting alone or with my father and doing some soul searching. It has not occurred since I moved to Key West. Last night, I enjoyed the experience again.

I was with Don at Don’s place. He and I alone at the bar for a couple of hours. Serious conversation. Excellent conversation.

On the way home, my grumbling stomach told me I was on hungry. Even on a diet, one must still eat something. I stopped at Hogfish. Packed! Chatted with the fishermen who frequent the bar evenings.

Enjoy your day!

 

CHRISTMAS…..DID YOU KNOW?

A couple of things I learned regarding Christmas in the last 24 hours.

One involves heart attacks. Medical studies indicate that more people die from heart attacks on Christmas Day than any other time of the year. In second place, the day after Christmas. December 26. Third, January 1.

Health workers call this time of the year Christmas Coronary.

Pope Francis delivered his Christmas message as usual to a throng of people in St. Peter’s Square. I have been to St. Peter’s Square several times. Big, but not as spacious as the following indicates.

It was reported that 80,000 people were in St. Peter’s Square when the Pope delivered his Christmas message Urbi et Orbi. Urbi et Orbi translated is To the City and the World.

I was surprised at the 80,000 number. I was there once when the Square was extremely crowded. For one of the Pope’s wednesday morning messages. I never realized the number could be as big as 80,000.

I mentioned last week that the Pope had ordered three showers to be built in St. Peter’s Square for the homeless. He is going to need more than that! The three reminds me of the scene in Jaws where the sheriff sees the shark for the first time. The sheriff was at the end of the boat and the shark shot up into the air  mouth wide open. The sheriff turned around and said to his two companions…..I think we need a bigger boat.

My Christmas Day was quiet. I watched a little TV and wrote a lot. I was into Growing Up Italian. Significant progress was made.

Enjoy your day!

 

WHAT A GOOD BOY AM I

I feel like Little Jack Horner. Remember, he sat in the corner eating his pumpkin pie, he put in his thumb and pulled out a plum,and said what a good boy am I!

I wrote again yesterday. Six hours. Drafting and redrafting six chapters for the next book in what my publisher calls The World Upside Down series. A lot of writing! I took three chapters from the unfinished rough draft of Growing Up Italian for the book. I wrote them a year ago. I am sure The Bakery one fits the Italian book. The other two I was not sure.

The Bakery is about little me and my grandmother going to the bakery a couple of blocks away twice weekly. One time for the empty flour bags. The next for the sliced bread ends. Each free.

A different chapter I call Grandpa Asserts Himself. About my grandfather in his 90’s saying in effect to the world…..Go screw yourselves! Wait till you read and how he did it.

The third is titled What Is That Noise. The story of a 40 year old man who heard the wind in the trees for the first time.

I also wrote three chapters concerning Greece. The substance of which you all may have read before. From a different slant, however. The topics include Santorini’s beauty, my inability to make it to the volcano, writing in Amorgos, and  my walk to Acropolis/Parthenon.

A good day! I deserve a medal!

The new water tank was installed. By my former bocce partner, Frankie the Plumber. I was able to shower at home before going out. You cannot appreciate what a luxury hot water is till you are without.

It was Hot Tin Roof for dinner last night. Nostalgia time again. My mother. I enjoyed mussels. A dish I rarely order. My mother loved mussels!

Fantasy Fest in a couple of days. You can feel it in the air. Taste it. The locals getting excited. Yes, locals participate. Many enjoy costuming. Some have a different costume for each day. A big time party!

The humidity is basically gone. Still warm, however. Moving towards a dry heat. Temperature still in the mid 80’s by day and mid 70’s by night.

The things I learn. Germany announced it no longer will charge tuition to attend any state run university. No tuition applies to foreign students as well. All an American would need is to know how to speak German and the price of a plane ticket to Munich.

To we in the United States, Germany’s free tuition sounds like a big deal. It is. However be aware, it was only $630 a semester before.

Which brings me to Syracuse University. Re football, Not the expense of attending. Which exceeds $50,000 a year for room, board, and tuition. Syracuse plays Wake Forest saturday. Something must be wrong. Syracuse is favored. By 3-4 points.

I have a busy day today. Haircut at 9:45, A lengthy business meeting at 10:15, a visit to my heart doctor at 1:30, and bocce in the evening. Love it! All part of my life here in Key West.

Enjoy your day! Continue Reading

TIME FOR STONE CRABS

Stone crab season opens today. The season runs from October 15 to May 15. I consider stone crabs the best of foods. If I were to be executed and had one last meal, it would be stone crabs.

I was first introduced to stone crabs in the early 1960s in Miami Beach. Where else but Joe’s Stone Crabs! I have been addicted ever since.

Local fisherman are not sure whether it will be a good season or bad. They never know at the beginning. Two months into the season they will.

Fantasy Fest had an early beginning this week. Not in Key West. In Marathon. A 60 year old man was arrested for running up and down US 1 bare ass.

The Pier House recently remodeled its beach bar. I lunched there yesterday. The remodeling was not extensive. It involved redoing the wall behind the bar. The wall is now covered with a huge wood panel with some insignificant design. Pretty. Not beachy, however.

I spent the whole afternoon writing. Two days in a row. I am into it.

Growing Up Italian has been set aside for the moment. My publisher insists on another World Upside Down work. The World Upside Down is becoming a series. I have promised to have it out forthwith.

I can see already the book will be a third longer than the first. I have decided to sneak in a couple of the Growing Up Italian and Greece book chapters. They will fit. The Growing
Up Italian has so many chapters already that it will probably end up a series, also.

I needed a taste of old time Key West. It was dinner at Hogfish at the bar. Chatted the time away with fishermen typical of days gone by. Bearded, somewhat toothless, extremely thin, bronzed and weathered. I enjoyed a comical time discussing the mundane.

Last night was Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I love doing the show! I appreciate all who listen.

Post show comments indicated the ebola portion garnered the most interest. All I said was cool it. Every one getting excited. McCain wants an ebola czar, a nurses’ union wants better training, Afro-Americans are saying the man from Liberia died because he was black. The last item bothers me. Not every issue is a black issue. Saying it is does not make it so. Keep playing the black card and eventually a legitimate cause will not gain support.

Friday night Goombay. Two days away. Fantasy Fest around the corner.

Enjoy your day! Continue Reading

BEEN UP SINCE 5 AM

I have been up since 5 this morning. Paying for my sins. Primarily, avoidance.

My KONK Life column for this week was due last Wednesday. I completed research Monday. Never got to writing the column. For whatever reason, I kept putting it off. I should have written the article yesterday afternoon. Forgot it was due. Overdue, rather. Instead I wrote another chapter for what may be my next published book, Growing Up Italian.

When I got home last night, there was a message from Guy de Boer. In effect, where is the column…..you are making my life difficult.

It was too late and I thought perhaps I might have had one drink too many. I went to bed. I would get to he column in the morning.

I did. At 5 in the morning. I woke early and decided to get right to it. Took three hours to compose and refine. At 8, it was on its way to Guy with my mea culpas.

The column is Banks Divorce Porn Stars…..Hypocrisy. Concerns itself with a new bank game called de-risking. A game it is not. The column publishes Wednesday.

Lunch yesterday was at Roostica. I was in the mood for Italian. A hot meatball sandwich. Roostica’s food gets better with every visit. Try the place. Low key and reasonable prices.

Megan waited on me. Lovely Megan. An interesting young lady. If I were 50 years younger, I would court her.

Last night began with the Chart Room. Stopped for a drink. Jean Thornton is back. Returned to Key West only yesterday.  Sheila, also. They introduced me to Linda Grist Cunningham. A Key West visitor for many years. She and her husband finally bought in 2012.

Linda was enjoyable company. She operates a business called KEYWESTWATCH. News, political writings, social media, etc. In her other life, she was an editor and journalist.

She is a liberal at heart. We instantly bonded!

Jean and I had dinner at Hot Tin Roof at the bar. It was catch up time. She and Joe have recently returned from a 15 day river boat cruise through several European countries. It was exciting listening to her describe the trip. She told me English Peter would be returning for a 10 day visit in a month. Good!

I read an interesting article yesterday. Concerned itself with the shrinking middle class. McDonald’s business was down for the year ending in June one percent. Fine dining was up three percent. The thrust…..the poor cannot afford McDonald’s.

I had intended to try Unity Church again today. Too late. Perhaps next week.

This afternoon will be professional football at Don’s Place.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND A JOKE

Tonight my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. A quick moving eye opening half hour.

One of the topics involves Obama’s representation that the U.S. will have no boots on the ground. If we do not have soldiers fighting and the other nations joining us do not, who is going to wage the ground war? I suspect mercenaries. Military contractors will provide the boots.

Why is this not mentioned? Why the secret? Who will be paying the mercenaries?

Other interesting topics include the Pentagon providing college campus police with grenade launchers, Guatemala striking down Monsanto Law, and Pope Francis’ statement that World War III may already have begun.

Yesterday started with a visit to the main Post Office downtown. I did not receive mail this past week. They are looking into it. I get too much mail to miss even one day.

The Post Office is a good place to run into people. Caught David walking back to his job with his lunch in hand. Ran into Jim from Joy Gallery. He has my Jack Baron’s for sale. We had a good conversation.

Next was a business meeting at the Marriott Beachside. Every time I walk into the lobby, I think how lucky we are to have this hotel with a touch of New York City situated in Key West.

Roostica for lunch. Megan at the bar. Not working. A guest. What a beauty! Got two hugs and kisses. One when I first came in and one when she was leaving.

Worked on Growing Up Italian. Wrote a chapter, refined and rerefined. Got to get my ass in gear with the bookwriting. It comes in spurts.

Stopped at Don’s Place for a drink early evening. Chatted with Grant. Petey at the other end of the bar. Petey from saturday at JDLs. She came over and gave me a hug and kiss. I love the attention of these young beauties. Even if it is only because I am a likable old man.

Then to the Chart Room. Spent some time chatting with Che. I have not seen him in a couple of months. Che my friend with a Cuban name who is a New York City Jew. Love it!

Syracuse plays Maryland saturday. Syracuse a 2 point favorite. Which means no one knows who is going to win.

The Key West Citizen ran a front page article on tegu lizards. Every kind of lizard eventually finds its way to the Keys. Tegu is new. Was found in Key West. First one. Experts say probably a pet that the owner did not want anymore and set free.

Only four have been discovered to date in the Keys. Not nice guys. They have sharp teeth and claws and are aggressive. The one found in Key West turned out to be a honey. It is now at the Sheriff’s Animal Farm. The attendants say the lizard is docile and likes to be touched. Not consistent with its purported nature.

Enjoy your day!

KAYON

Met what I perceive to be an outstanding young man last night.

It was dinner time. I was in the lobby of the Marriott Beachside. A young Afro-American came in with a bundle of newspapers. This week’s KONK Life. I went over to get a copy. My habit is to check my column for printing errors.

The young man said I know you. He thought for a moment. Key West Lou! Louis Petrone! You write for KONK Life. He then went on to profusely apologize for a mistake he made. He appeared embarrassed. I did not initially understand what he was talking about.

His name was Kayon.

Besides delivering for Konk, Kayon also works in house. One of his tasks is to take my weekly column and reprint it in KONK E-Blast one day a week. Last week’s column was screwed up. E-Blast was one big paragraph. No separation of paragraphs. I complained to publisher Guy de Boer in an e mail.

Turns out Kayon was responsible. He explained he failed to hit a key.

I was embarrassed by how embarrassed and sorry Kayon was.

We chatted a bit. Kayon impressed me. He is a winner!

Spent a couple of hours early afternoon yesterday at a business meeting. Two hours is too much time for business in Key West.

Then visited Lisa. Jake was chewing on a branch he brought in from outside. Fortunately, he did not swallow any of it. Just messed up the living room floor with chips.

Spent some time afterwards at home working on Growing Up Italian. I roughed out a chapter. I have a luncheon meeting today with my publisher Shirrel Rhoades. He is going to ask how I am doing. I am two books behind at the present time.

Wanted to enjoy dinner at the bar at Tavern ‘n Town last night. Looked like rain. The Marriott has indoor parking.

There was room for my car, but not for me. The bar was jam packed. I have never seen it that crowded. It was hello to bartender friend Steve and entertainer Mike Emerson. Then I left.

I tried the Chart Room. Emily bartending Had a couple of drinks and chatted with two couples from one of the Carolinas. Repeat visitors. Their next stop was Pepe’s for dinner.

I think the drinks have gotten smaller at the Chart Room.

I was reading USA Today. There was Ron Grossman’s name. Ron was a Utica attorney. Eight to ten years older than me. I have neither seen nor heard of him in years. His name was in USA Today together with his wife Doris’. The article concerned retirees and the places they picked to settle. Ron was interviewed. He and Doris are living in Sarasota.

I always liked Ron. We had a congenial relationship. Professional, not personal. The reflection that sticks clearly in my mind was a job interview with him. The time 1960. I had just graduated from law school. Looking for a position in a law firm. Ron offered me a job. He pointed to a desk off his reception area. He said you will work there and share your fees with me 50/50.

No salary. No way could I accept his generosity. I had one child and another on the way.

Bocce tonight!

Enjoy your day!

 

AU REVOIR ERIKA AND HERSHEL

Good bye Erika and Hershel! Good friends! Great people!

Erika and Hershel came to Key West several years ago. Erika became Comptroller at the Key West Citizen. Hershel an engineer with Keys Electric and most recently has been working at Don’s Place. Both fun people!

They are leaving Key West. Sad. They are returning home to Indiana.

A going away party was held in their honor last night at Don’s Place. A huge crowd to bid them farewell.

Erika and Hershel were given many going away gifts. Stefanie was in charge of the gifts. Stefanie just returned from a month in Indiana where she and Don have a summer home. Indiana winters and Key West ones are not the same. She gave Hershel a long hand knitted scarf for the Indiana winters. She knitted the scarf herself. Erika got one even bigger. Store bought. Plus a series of other gifts. Most representing the winters they are going to face in Indiana. David and some others also gave gifts.

Erika and Hershel have been the best. Key West will be a little less because of their absence.

Earlier in the day, I spent several hours writing. I am back to Growing Up Italian. I have  departed Greece for a while.

Yesterday’s weather was deadly. Extremely hot and humid. I could not find yesterday’s numbers. However, Jimmy told me last night the temperature was up to 98 and the heat index 120. He should know. He was outside all day on a ladder painting a house.

Today will be cooler. The high projected at 89 and the heat index 97. Jimmy should be painting today!

I presently have three complaints about the new North Roosevelt Boulevard.

It was announced in yesterday’s paper that there will be a back up for cars coming down US 1 to Key West on Monday. Work will still be ongoing at the triangle. The back up is projected at 30 minutes. The article claimed it will back up cars to Key Haven. That is where I live. Means a 2.5 mile back up rarely moving.

With the old Boulevard, there never was a problem for cars coming down US 1 which would make a right onto the Boulevard. There was never a light. A sign several hundred feet before the turn saying in effect cars turning right keep going.

Now there are two lights controlling traffic going in the same direction. Sometimes they will be red. I have noticed the past several days that each time the lights are red, the backup on US 1 has gone beyond College Road to the mid point of the golf course. And this is not season with its increased traffic.

I have been told the lights are for pedestrians to cross. Pedestrians have crossed for years without any lights. I am aware of no accidents.

Finally, the driving lanes in both directions are marked for bicycle traffic. Death on wheels in the making! The worst place for bicycle traffic! No bike paths marked. The sidewalk along the water is huge enough to handle pedestrian and bike traffic as it has for years.

The Ferguson curfew did not work last night. Armored cars, tear gas, and some arrests after midnight.

Today it is Ferguson and race. I worry that tomorrow it will be several communities and the issue salary inequality.

Enjoy your Sunday!

KUMBAYA

We live in a bleak moment in human history. Such cannot be denied.

Perhaps the world should adopt the Key West mentality. Live in Key West time as Howard Livingston recommends. Peoples should take things as they come. Not make a federal case out of everything. Kumbaya everyday.

Last night was supposed to be dinner with Jenna. I canceled. Probably foolishly.

I am enamoured with Jenna. She, with me. It thrills me to have dinner with this lovely statuesque 27 year old beauty. All 79 years of me!

Yesterday afternoon, I went back to Growing Up Italian. I am writing two books at one time. The other is Greece, The First Time. The words were flowing. My thoughts right on. I did not want to stop to dine with Jenna.

Foolish, I agree. Sometimes my priorities are misplaced.

I was disturbed with a Michelle Obama news release yesterday. Many of you will be also.

It was announced that Michelle Obama was teaming up with Monsanto to promote children’s food. Monsanto has introduced a 5 year $50 million program to market healthy (?) genetically modified food to children. Most of the world opposes and fear Monsanto’s genetically modified organisms/seeds. Not a well thought out move on Michelle’s part.

Love Turner Classic Movies. Woke this morning at six to Julius Caesar. The 1953 movie starring Marlon Brando as Mark Anthony. I quoted part of Mark Anthony’s words in a recent KONK Life column…..The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones.

When I was writing the column, I was not sure whether it was Mark or Marc. I went with Marc. A bit of a twist. A spelling I thought Shakespeare would have used.

I was wrong.

Shakespeare spelled it as Mark throughout. Anthony he used two different ways. In some places, he refers to Mark Anthony as Antonio. The reason for whatever way spelled by Shakespeare appears to be the Latin spelling of Mark Anthony. Marcus Antonius.

Always learning.

Enjoy your day!