BACK HOME IN UTICA

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My personal weather vane was working this morning. One hour ago I got up. The sun was shining. A relatively blue sky. But…..the wind was coming from the south. My palm trees were bending north.  Ripples in the pool were running north.Meant rain!

The weather report mentioned no south wind. Only a WNW one. Also, no rain.

It is now one hour later. It is pouring. Big time! My internal south wind barometer never fails.

Yesterday was fun filled.

Lunch with Robert and Ally. I decided on Burger Fi. They had never been. I told them we were eating cheeseburgers and french fries. They were game!

I know. I gave up on Burger Fi. However, thought I would give it another shot. I was pleased. The burgers were fantastic this time!

Robert and Ally agreed. They said…..Best cheeseburgers and fries ever! They are the experts!

I had a five o’clock visit with Dr. Mc Ivor, my heart doctor. The echo test I took a week ago came out ok. My heart problems had not progressed.

I worry about the aortic aneurysm. Mc Ivor worries about the aortic stenosis. He’s the doctor so I guess I should worry about what he does.

Went straight from Dr. Mc Ivor’s office to the Chart Room. I needed a drink.

Last night was one of the best times I have had at the Chart Room. Met some great people.

The Chart Room was quiet. Sheila, Emily, and another couple. We all started chatting. The gentleman was originally from Utica.

His name is Rocco Maggiore. Lived on Van Buren in Utica. He was with his friend Wendy from Central Square outside Syracuse. Rocco now hails summers from Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks and winters Jackson Hole. He labels himself a ski bum. Whatever, sounds like a good life. Almost as good as mine in Key West.

Rocco and I spent an hour sharing Utica and Utica character stories. We both knew or were familiar with the same people. It was a wild conversation! Sheila and Emily were wide eyed during most of it.

Rocco has visited Key West several times. He was leaving for Syracuse last night. Driving. I look forward to running into Rocco and Wendy again next year.

Rocco and Wendy left. David and Rhonda came in.

Another great couple!

David and Rhonda are from Birmingham. Alabama graduates. I was hoping Jean Thornton would pop in. Jean is from Birmingham and a die hard Alabama fan, also.

David is a retired hospital administrator. Rhonda works for a greeting card business. They have visited Key West several times. Rhonda made noises about perhaps settling here. They visit each year at this time.

Best yet, David and Rhonda read my blog! Love them!

I enjoyed their company. Hope to see them once more before they leave.

Where to eat? I could not make up my mind. Ended up deciding to go home and feed myself. As I turned the corner onto Route 1, I decided to stop at Marriott’s Tavern ‘n Town. Glad I did.

I enjoyed a small pizza and drink at the bar. Met a new Tavern bartender. Harmony. A lovely young lady. Said hello and chatted briefly with an old friend, Andrew.

Mike Emerson was playing and singing. He has been doing so at Tavern ‘n Town for four years. I enjoy listening to him. He came over during break and we had a terrific conversation involving Key West. Mike is a talent and nice guy all wrapped into one.

The Conch Republic Independence Celebration is about to begin. A week long event. The best part is the Great Naval Sea Battle next friday night. Weapons include marine grade toilet paper. Means biodegradable. Unfurling toilet paper rolls are bombs dropped by the Conch Republic Air Force’s bi-planes.

Since tomorrow is Easter, today is egg coloring. Love it! Always enjoyed it with my children. I am enjoying it a second time around with Robert and Ally. I hope to join them for the egg coloring. I am a kid at heart. It all depends on timing. Robert and Ally’s timing. They have become old enough to have schedules and I must fit into theirs.

Enjoy your day!

 

GARLIC…..OVERCOMES COMMON COLD

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My cold got worse overnight. It is now in my chest. My nose runs constantly, the sneezes are frequent.

I spent yesterday afternoon and evening in bed. I take care of Louis when I am under the weather. The last time I recall a cold of this severity was about 12 years ago. I was in Utica and it was the middle of the winter. Freezing cold. I had the same symptoms then that I have been experiencing the past 24 hours.

One of Key West’s most famous persons is Jean Carper. A delightful lady. Jean has authored many books about foods and the remedy they provide for common ailments. I had one of her books home with me in Utica at the time. I looked up cold, runny nose, couphing and sneezing. The answer……Eat garlic cloves! Two or three raw garlic cloves would provide immediate relief for about two hours. Then eat two more cloves.

I did it. Absolutely amazing! Within minutes, I stop sneezing, coughing and my running notes disappeared. A welcome relief especially for my poor red nose. I could breathe easily. I felt terrific. Two hours later when the cold symptoms returned, I ate two more garlic cloves.

I was home alone all day. When my former wife came home later in the afternoon, she immediately said the house stunk of garlic. What have you been eating? I told her.

She was impressed that it worked. She knew Jean, also. She  as aware that Jean was a wise woman when it came to food remedies. The only problem that arose was my wife would not sleep in the same bedroom with me that night.

Interestingly, I am not a fan of garlic. I try to avoid eating anything seasoned with garlic.

I have no garlic cloves. I am going to shower and go out today. To buy garlic cloves. I will offend no one. I will be home alone all day and all night.

The cold bothered me so much yesterday that I neither researched nor wrote. I stayed in bed all day and watched television.

An interesting homeless story. Every State in the Union has a homeless problem. Utah came up with a unique solution  eight years ago. They gave the homeless apartments and houses for free. They also gave each a social worker to assist them in getting back into the stream of life.

Utah found it costs $16,670 per person in 2005 for jail stays and emergency room services provided the homeless. By following this give them an apartment approach, the figure has been reduced to $11,000. More importantly, in a mere eight years Utah has reduced its homeless problem by 78%. It is anticipated that the problem will be totally eliminated by 2015

Amazing!

Stephanie Kaple take note! Though I am sure I am not telling you anything you do not already know.

Syracuse plays Miami tomorrow at one in Miami. The odds/Vegas line confuse me. In one place it is seven points, another 17 points. The important thing is that everyone sees Syracuse winning. I do, also.

I will be watching the game at John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Pub. I can have lunch while enjoying the game.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLY

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Granddaughter Ally is 8 years old today. Happy Birthday, Ally!

Ally is maturing. She is her own person. Refuses to have her hair cut, for example. Her second teeth are coming in. The four stall garage  is now one.

I remember vividly Ally’s birth. Lisa insisted I stay with her for both Ally and Robert’s deliveries. Cory had one leg up and I the other as we both kept telling Lisa to push as she was shouting….. I can’t do this! Suddenly Ally came shooting out. A beauty! Pink faced and screaming.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour tv/internet show went well yesterday morning. Post show comments indicated McCain’s Syria visit and the Catholic hypocrisy issue garnered the most interest. Close behind was Myrtle Beach’s new thong banning law.

The show is You tubed. All the shows have been. For whatever reason, the shows are You tubed one week after being aired.

Previous shows are also rerun on television saturdays at 4:30 and sundays at 3. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19.

Womankind is alive and strong in Key West. The local group promotes happy and healthy women big time.

Womankind had a fund raiser cocktail party at the Bottle Cap at 5. Lovely Jenna Stauffer was one of the celebrity bartenders. She stood out behind the bar. Gorgeous! One problem. A bartender she was not. I asked for Beefeater on the rocks. She poured bar gin. She did not know what Beefeater was. When I got my drink, it was a glass full of gin. No ice. Womankind made no money on that drink!

I am glad Jenna invited me to the fundraiser. I met the author Rusty Hodgdon. I never would have met him had I not been there. His novels include Insanity, The Subway Killer, and Suicide. There was a bonding. We became instantaneous friends.

Michael Shields stopped by to say hello. Michael you will recall is a film critic, theater critic, arts promoter and author. Michael did a show on KONK Broadcasting. It was immediately after mine. That is where I first met Michael and  got to know him.

World famous Jean Carper was in attendance. Our paths had not crossed in quite a while. We did our hellos, how are you and exchanged a kiss. Jean is a world famous authoress. Most successful. Her works have been on the New York Times Best Seller list many times. She writes about food and health.

I recall several years ago I was up north in the snowy cold of winter. I had a big time head cold. I could not stop sneezing. My nose was bright red and tender.

In desperation, I looked up what to do for a head cold in one of Jean’s books. Her recommendation…..eat a clove of garlic. When the effect wore off, eat another one and so on till the cold is gone.

I hate garlic. But I did as Jean suggested. Within minutes, I stopped sneezing and my head cleared. The remedy was good for two hours. Then I started sneezing again. Another clove of garlic. So it went on all day.

My then wife returned home at dinner time. She wanted to know what I did. She said I reeked of garlic and the house did also!

She did not sleep with me that night.

I opted for the Marriott Beachside bar for dinner. I enjoy the bar/restaurant better in the off season. The crowd had been too much.

Melanie and Michael own Michael’s Restaurant. One of the best in Key West. They were at the bar eating, also. I suspect they were having a date night.

The singer was Mike Emerson. We had never met before. He came over to say hello. Mike has lived in the Keys full time for eleven years. His wife Jenny is an artist. Either her work or she or both are somehow affiliated with the Ambrosia Guest House. The background noise interferred with my hearing.

I was running behind yesterday. Never got to do next week’s column for KONK Life. I have to do it now. It is going to be a combination of Catholic hypocrisy regarding birth control coverage and Father Andrew Greeley who recently died.

Enjoy your day!