AN OLD MAN COMPLAINS…..

 

Two things bugged me yesterday. Though I have labeled them in the title as the complaints of an old man, they are such that would bother an adult of any age.

Publix. I was grocery shopping around 10 yesterday morning. A good crowd of shoppers. Such as one would expect on a Saturday morning. With all those people and all the carts they were pushing, why did Publix pick that time to stock its shelves? Boxes stacked here and there in every aisle. Stock clerks busy.

It was no fun shopping. For anyone!

Next came the Syracuse/Pitt football game. I was surprised to find it being shown on TV. It was on channel 3. Six minutes to go in the last quarter. The score 17-16. Syracuse down by one point. Syracuse had just gotten possession of the football via an interception or fumble. All of a sudden, I was watching another game. The station never went back to the Syracuse/Pitt game.

Can you blame me for being upset? Syracuse lost, by the way. 17-16.

My morning yesterday started with an early visit with Tammy for a manicure. Then to Publix. Following which I visited Larry Smith.

Larry is home convalescing from surgery. Double knee replacement. The surgery was done about 10 days ago. Larry was half propped up in the middle of his bed. There was a machine moving his leg up and down. The machine was periodically moved to the other knee.

Larry’s walking is limited to a walker to and from the bathroom.

He looked good. Apparently convalescing well. He was calm. Unusual for Larry. I suspect it was the pain pills.

I enjoyed my visit with Larry and Christine. Christine, always the dutiful wife,  was constantly doing her part. Move the machine, a new setting, etc. Whatever Larry needed. A terrific woman! A first class wife!

The World Upside Down has a review. On Amazon.com. In Italian so I do not know if it is good or bad.

The adage that you get what you pay for always seems to run true. Two years ago, a friend bought me a large flat screen TV. Forty five inches. It was purchased over the internet. When delivered, the delivery guy carried it in and set it up. Great service.

I looked for the brand name on the set. Could not find one. Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth, however.

The TV died this week. I had Tim Reynolds in to evaluate the situation. The problem has to do with the picture part. He told me I would be better off buying a new one.

I sense the purchase price was a bargain.  The set lasted only two years. An example of getting what you pay for.

My TV/internet show The Key West Lou Legal Hour is available on You Tube. Enter Key West Lou and the date of the show. The show is each Friday so it is easy to recall the date. The show will come out on top and be easy to click on.

I share this information with you to simplify things. I thought all one had to enter was Key West Lou. The show did come up but was buried amongst my shows for the past year. By putting in the date, no further searching is involved.

I am probably going to irritate some people now. I do not mean to do so. However, I have an opinion I feel compelled to express.

The deal with Iran announced in the last 24 hours bothers me. I question the trustworthiness of the Iranians. I question the competence of Kerry to have made the deal. I worry about Obama embracing it.

My experience business wise has always been that when doing business with a Middle Easterner, he would shake my hand with one hand while picking my pocket with the other. Or, at least trying.

The deal concerns me.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

BOOB WEEK

I write today’s blog with all due respect to the ladies. Offensive I am not trying to be. However, this is the week of many bare breasts in Key West. It is Fantasy Fest!

There is regulation with regard to permitted nudity. You cannot run around bare ass. Though a few do.

There are two basic ordinances/laws to be followed. If not, a person is subject to arrest.

The first involves a woman’s breasts.  The nipple area must be covered. If body painted, it will be considered covered. Some ladies opt for pasties which are considered ok.

The ladies have their breasts painted. There are stands/tents all over Duval performing the service. Prices anywhere from $75 to $125. The paint job lasts a week. After the first 24 hours, a woman can shower and the paint will not come off.

Some ladies push the envelope. They wish to be as nude as possible. All nude if such can be legally accomplished. The breasts are normally painted with large palm trees, birds or fish. Shades of Key West. However, a certain number who want to cover as little as possible, have an inch or two surrounding the nipple area painted. No more.

The female genitals come into play. The area is spray painted. Not much. Just enough to cover what must be covered.

In recent years, a new gambit has come into play. The ladies have their entire bodies spray painted. Faces, also. All one color. I think mentally they believe this is closer to true nudity.

The second law/ordinance to be concerned with involves sex itself. Sex acts in public places are strictly prohibited. Makes sense. Although an adult party, people should only go so far.

I was up before the sun this morning. Dressed and out in my car. Just before 7. Still dark.

I was on my way to Publix. I have been dieting all week and had absolutely nothing I considered diet food in the house. Not wishing to screw up what thus far has been a successful five days, I decided to shop.

I was at Publix just as the doors opened. About 20 people shopping. A good time to shop. You basically have the store to yourself. I did not need much. But what I needed I had to have lest I blow my diet. I spent all of $17.

The ants have returned! In a new place in the kitchen.

There is a high dining counter at one end. I sit on a high stool. It is where I write this blog and all my writings. It is also where I eat. I suspect I may have dropped a crumb or two.

As I began this blog, I felt something crawling up my leg. It was an ant! The tiny ones. I looked on the floor and they were all over below me. TERRO houses have been laid out. I suspect the ants will be gone by tomorrow.

A pain in the ass!

The Key West Citizen reported this morning that the Florida keys are the most vulnerable to a sea rise. Caused by global warming, of course. The most vulnerable spot to be affected by rising waters in all of the United States. Perhaps, the world.

Syracuse my Syracuse! Got beat big time yesterday. 55-0 by Georgia Tech. We shall return. The trip back is painful, however.

I have to avoid the near occasions of sin when I diet. On the other hand, I have to get out. Last night I went downtown. One stop only. Irish Kevin’s for two drinks. I did not eat last night at all.

I like Irish Kevin’s, though I rarely go. It is a couple of doors down from Sloppy Joe’s on Duval. The attraction for me are the young lady customers who go up on stage and exhibit their breasts. I am a voyeur at heart.

My Friday TV/internet show, The Key West Lou Legal Hour, is You Tubed. I am having a problem. Perhaps some of you may be able to help.

The shows are not being You Tubed in order. The show consists of five segments. They do not show up on You Tube in sequential order nor are they all grouped together. Shows from three or six months ago pop up in between segments. How do I get them to show in order?

Please understand that the show cannot be You Tubed as one item. Television station personnel tell me it has to be in separate segments. I do not understand why, except that it may have to do with time at the TV station’s end.

My shows have been You Tubed for several months. I do the show Friday mornings. My show is rerun on television Saturday afternoons. It is supposed to be You Tubed at six Saturday evening. Sometimes nothing appears. Like here it is Sunday morning and Friday’s show is not yet up.

It is not easy.

The You Tubed shows in whatever order are available for viewing, never the less. Go to You Tube. Then enter Lou’s Legal Hour.

Enjoy your Sunday!

SISTERS OF CHARITY

It is amazing the different things that come into play with this blog. My opening comments today involve the Sisters of Charity. A Catholic religious women’s order.

My high school back in Utica, NY was taught by Sisters of Charity. The nuns with the big white head dress. You could not miss one. The white head top that resembled a bird’s wings. Topping a blue frocked full length dress. A lovely face in between.

Today is the day in 1975 that Pope Pius VI declared Elizabeth Ann Seton a saint. Seton possessed two significant characteristics from my perspective. She was the first born American to become a Catholic saint. She also was the founder of the Sisters of Charity.

We heard much of her in high school.

One particular Sister of Charity had a decided impact on me. Sister Gertrude. She taught me history. She sensed I liked history and encouraged my studies in the area. She took me beyond the class books. She was also responsible for me going to Manhattan College. Her cousin was a Christian Brother and Director of Athletics. Sister Gertrude made sure I got accepted.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I share the observance with you because of Robert. As most of you are aware, he was born with cancer. After two major surgeries during the first eight days of his life at Miami Childrens Hospital, Robert is ok. God love him!

We generally think of older people and cancer. Walk the hallways of Miami Childrens Hospital. You will see and never forget that children are afflicted also.

My ankle has not hurt since the doctor soft casted, ace bandaged and booted me. Amazing! The boot is cumbersome. I complain not, however. I cannot wait to be rid of it though.

Spent a couple of hours at Don’s Place last night early in the evening. Don, Hershel and Stephanie there. Don and Steph had ridden over on their scooters prior to going to a movie.

Friend David was at Don’s also. David from the Chart Room. First time I have seen him at Don’s.

I got the bocce report for last Thursday. We lost all three games. The last 16-0. I would like to say it was because I was not there. Ho ho. It would not be true, however. We played the #1 team. They win everything almost every year. They are next to impossible to beat. By any team.

Don and Hershel told me we lost the first game 16-14. close. They further told me that in spite of the 16-0 beating in the last game, the other team told them we had scored the most points overall against them this season.

A moral victory.

My plan was to grab David and head over to the Chart Room. I was tired all of a sudden. Begged off. Went to Publix instead to shop and then home.

David told me Emily is still employed by the Pier House. The reason she was not there thursday night was because she is on vacation.

Permit me to remind you once more that The Key West Lou Legal Hour is You Tubed. My own You Tube site. Enter Lou’s Legal Hour. Take a look.

Syracuse football again today! My Syracuse! I bleed for Syracuse. My blood is traditional orange.

Syracuse plays Wagner today. Wagner. No disrespect, but there was a time when Syracuse would not even consider having a Wagner on its schedule. We have fallen. I know we are rebuilding. However, the return to days of glory seems to be taking forever. When?

Syracuse University itself screws the program up. I know. I was actively involved with the University for years. I had a box at the Carrier Dome. I was Chairman of the Law School Board of Visitors, made significant contributions not only to the University but also to its sports programs. I was a small big shot. I was invited to the Chancellors box, to his home, to special black tie events, etc.

Here is what happens.

The football program is going well. Syracuse is a top 10 or 20 team. A bowl game every year. Money coming in from the program.

Universities are run by the faculty. Not the administration or a successful sports program. The faculty is made up of mental giants. Book smart. Reality dumb.

At the height of a sport program’s success, the faculty gets uncomfortable. Too much emphasis on the sport. What is the purpose of a university, they ask. To run a sport program or teach? Teaching wins out in their minds. Recall again, the faculty is the power in running a university.

The professors decide it is time to cut back on support. That means funding. The university does. The program goes down hill. Coaches hired are not as good, players do not desire to attend a school whose program is in a downward spiral, teams of lesser stature are scheduled.

The faculty is happy. Intellect over brawn has succeeded.

Everything is cyclical, however.

The economy takes a turn. A university needs money. Fewer students applying, faculty salary levels in danger. It looks to the down trodden football program. They, including the faculty, decide to reinvigorate the program. Money is thrown in. Better coaches hired. Everyone becomes aware the school is rebuilding. Good athletes begin to consider the school again.

That is where Syracuse is today and why. Now in a rebuilding posture. By University intent. The program’s success does not come over night. It is a 10-15 year effort.

A bad situation, to say the least. During my Syracuse University experiences as a sort of affluent alumnus, I became aware that the worst enemy of the sports program was the faculty. Their heads always in the clouds, their feet never on the ground.

Enjoy your day!

I BABYSAT JAKE

 

It is amazing what my life has been relegated to. It is only seven years ago that I was handling multi-million and billion dollar environmental lawsuits.

Today it is babysitting the family pet. Yesterday was Jake’s day. I babysat him!

I was driving to get my glasses fixed. Lisa telephoned. Where are you? I need you right away. I have an appointment outside my home. There is no one to watch Jake.

I sat Jake for two hours. I had some apprehension. Jake and I have not bonded well. He growls at me. I think it is my voice.

As soon as I arrived, I sat on the floor with him. Rubbed his head. Then his back. Then Jake turned over. He wanted his belly rubbed.

I periodically fed him a pretzel.

Thereafter, I sat on the couch watching the golf tournament. Jake sat on floor next to my feet. He kept looking up at me with those big sad eyes. A rub or two and he was content.

I think Jake and I have made it. We are finally friends!

My morning started with a haircut. Lori also cleaned up my beard where I had missed.

Then to Publix for some groceries. Not much. The bill was $60 plus. I do not understand how families do it. What with the high cost of food and gas.

Bocce last night. A good time. Very warm. The sweat was running off my forehead.

We won 2 out of 3 games. Not good. We played the newest team. They had only won 3 games before playing us. They beat us in the second game.

We almost lost the third. A young lady who had never played before played for the first time. At the beginning it was obvious she was a novice. Then God was on her side! She was devastating. Almost caused us to lose the third game.

We destroyed the other team in the first game 16-4. As it should have been all three games.

Larry Smith brought his Mom to watch. Larry yells and swears a lot when playing bocce. He expresses himself. His mother had to think…..I did not teach him to behave like that!

I think Larry’s mother is 86. She has it all going for her. Sharp. Does not look her age either.

Finished the night at Don’s Place with other bocce players.

The federal government issued some numbers regarding the diversity in hospital costs. The report was a study based on Medicare and Medicaid charges. An amazing revelation! Hospitals in the same community charge different prices for the same surgery/care. Close to a $100,000 difference in some instances.

Hospital expenses are a killer. As are drug costs. I hope Obamacare gets a handle on these items.

A Great White shark has been sighted off Marathon. You will recall one was sighted off Key West last week. It is not certain whether it is the same shark or another. The suspicion is it was another. That is the fourth sighting in recent weeks.

Great Whites are not common to our waters. Scientists say they have traveled this far south this year because our waters are warmer than normal.

Authorities are trying to tag the Great Whites for all obvious reasons. So far they have not succeeded in tagging even one.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour at 10 this morning. I recorded the show wednesday because Krystal would not be available today. I plan on watching myself from the comfort of my bed.

The show will be available on its usual venues. Television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. All the way through Miami-Dade County. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

Topics include some interesting items regarding global warming, my thoughts on Benghazi, some revealing historical data, psychiatric patient dumping, Bangladesh, euro problems in France, Germany and Spain, and more.

Join me. An interesting show. A bit of an eye opener.

Enjoy your day!

 

JAKE NOT A WATER LOVER

 

Jake visited my home for the first time yesterday. The house he liked. The outdoor deck he enjoyed. The pool…..forget it! Jake is afraid of the water, whether ocean or pool.

Really afraid!

Corey and the grandkids gently took him in the pool on three different occasions. He came right out. Once when he thought one of them was going to pick him up and take him back in, he ran like hell the other way.

So be it. At least we will not have to worry about Jake drowning.

After the family left, I headed over to Publix to pick up a few things. I went to the old Publix.

I bought little and the cost was $71! How do families do it, plus the cost of gasoline?

The old Publix is being remodeled. Signs everywhere. Dust settled around. I could not help but think the remodeling was one of the places Publix’s huge profit was going. I would have preferred their keeping the store as it was and offering lower prices.

Sunday dinner was at the Yacht Club. Love dining with the grandkids.

Lisa serves very little meat to her family. She herself is a vegetarian. Definitely no meat bacon. Turkey, yes. When Robert was at camp this summer, he was served pig bacon each morning with his breakfast. He acquired an instantaneous taste for it.

When he returned home, he turned Ally on to bacon.

Lisa did not and does not relent. It is still turkey bacon in her house.

The Yacht Club has a salad bar. One of the items is bacon pieces. Robert and Ally headed to the salad bar immediately upon arriving. They loaded up on the bacon. Two helpings each!

When dessert time arrived, we ordered three hot fudge sundaes. One for Robert, one for Ally, and one for me. I have my weight under such control that I can eat bad stuff on occasion. The hot fudge sundae was good!

Ally told me she finally decided on what to make for the recyclable project. A paper dress.

My back still bothers me. An occasional abrupt spasm. Please make it go away Lord!

Big doings in the Keys starting mid-week and running through Sunday.

The first is the Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in Key Largo. The first of what is hoped will be an annual event. Key Largo is the perfect venue. Bogart and wife Lauren Bacall made the movie Key Largo there. Plus, for several years there has been a Key Largo visitors’ site at the house which was featured in the film.

Many of Bogart’s films will be shown. Among them, two greats. Casablanca and the African Queen. The boat that was in the African Queen putting around African waters was brought to the United States several years ago and restored. The original African Queen will be a feature attraction at the Bogart Film Festival. Available for rides.

The other biggie this week is the Annual Smokin’ Tuna Key West Songwriters Festival. A mouthful!

This is the festival’s 18th year. Country and western stars from all over come to Key West to play and party together. From what I have seen in previous years, the partying actually involves sitting together and jamming. Is jamming the proper word? Whatever. They sit and enjoy playing music together.

The playing takes place all over Key West. Day time and night time.

Some big names in country and western music will be in Key West for the event. The hit maker Jeffrey Steele, guitarist Gary Clark, Jr., twice Grammy Award winner Rebecca Lynn Howard, and the legendary duo Steve Cropper and Chuck Cannon.

A big time with big names!

Today would have been my parent’s 79th wedding anniversary, if they were still here. My mother passed away 24 years ago. My Dad last year. At 98, I might add.

For their 50th, I threw a party. A big one. It was the wedding reception they never had. About 300 guests. At Alfredo’s in the Utica area. My mother was dressed in long. She had broken one of her big toes earlier in the day. It was not going to prevent her from having a good time. She danced barefoot all night.

I miss them both.

Enjoy your day!

PISCES

 

Got a phone call early last evening. Get dressed! I am taking you to dinner!

It was Dee.

I am not one to turn down a free meal. Especially with a beautiful lady.

Two hours later, the doorbell rang and we were on our way. Pisces was our destination. Dee’s choice.

Pisces is a top Key West restaurant. I had not been there in four years. Don’t know why. I have never disliked it. The only excuse I can think of is that Key West has so many exceptionally fine reataurants, it is difficult to eat in them all.

The meal was outstanding! Caviar and Maine lobster for me. The caviar washed down with ice cold vodka. For real. It was poured from a block of ice.

An enjoyable meal, an enjoyable time. Yes, Dee paid. I am beholden.

Yesterday started with a visit to Lisa. She fell last week. Hurt her back. It still hurts. Will not see a doctor. She is waiting for the pain to go away on its own.

I have decided Jake is scared by my deep baritone voice. It places him in a defensive mode. I have to remember to speak quitely around him.

Then to Publix. The cupboard was bare again.

I spent the afternoon working hard. On tomorrow’s Key West Lou Legal Hour tv/internet show.

This has been a great week for news! Everything happening. My task was to decide which topics to discuss and organize them. I will be talking about things as mundane as the common safety pin, the Salk vaccine, bad guy banks from several perspectives, the euro, Germany’s economic stands continuing to place the world in jeopardy, Putin and some bare breasted women, a mother who left her baby on the side of a road during a snow storm to freeze, today’s Senate vote on a gun bill, and more.

The show runs live friday mornings at 10 my time. It is available on television from Key West north through Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse channel 19. Seen world wide on the internet. www.weyw19.com.

Join me for what I believe will be a most interesting show!

If you are unable to watch friday morning, the show is rerun by the station on saturday at 4:30, sunday at 3, and wednesday at 6. It is also You Tubed and available there any time.

I still have at least another three hours to spend fine tuning tomorrow’s show. It will absorb a good chunk of my afternoon.

A busy day ahead. My plate already full. A haircut with Lori at 11, an echocardiogram at 12:30 at the hospital, work on the show, and bocce in the evening.

Enjoy your day!

 

QUEEN ELIZABETH VISITS KEY WEST

 

Yesterday I made mention of the Key West Citizen’s joke/make believe newspaper published each April Fools Day. I reflected on the total smoking ban instituted for Key West 20 years ago. A joke at the time.

Yesterday was April Fools Day and the Key West Citizen did it again! Published a newspaper replete with bogus yet humourous stories. The best one from my perspective was the front page article that British Airways had instituted a direct flight London to Key West three times a week.

The first British Airways jet had landed the day before to fanfare, water streaming, etc. Queen Elizabeth was on the flight. She intended to spend a few days in Key West to encourage tourism between London and Key West.

Convincing! Great imagination! The Key West Citizen is to be complimented.

My afternoon was busy. Not a minute to spare. I was on the go from one to five.

Started with Dr. Jackie Lefferts at 1. The second half of my annual physical. The pushing and prodding portion. A review of my blood results, etc. from the week before.

Two whole hours!

The good doctor said I was in the best shape she had seen in the six years I have been her patient. I hope her observation does not jinx me. I worry about these things.

Then to Lee Nails for a manicure with Tammy. A charmer!

Needed food. Publix was my next stop. The new Publix. We have two Publix stores in Key West at the present time.

The new Publix was too big for me. I could not find anyting. Ergo, I continued shopping at the old one. Till yesterday.

The past few weeks at the old store have been a pain. Too few check out counters open, too few baggers, only one person working the cold cut counter where three had been stationed, the employees less than friendly. I noticed the change. I asked around. Turns out the old store has a new manager. He is tough. Trying to shake things up. Many have quit. Those remaining do not care.

I care about the service I get. So it was off to the new store yesterday where things are normal. The manager there is apparently more tolerant. I will learn where everything is and how to make my way around the place.

There is a lesson to be learned by the new manager. Key West and its people dance to their own tune. Different from anywhere else. Key Westers have to be handled with kid gloves. They are a proud and hard working people. At the same time, a sensitive group. Step on them and they will leave you. That is the way it is.

The Chart Room last night. Me and Peter. We again solved many of the world’s problems. Banks were a major part of the conversation.

I was in the mood for wings. Headed over to Kelley’s. The best wings on the island.

I had not been to Kelley’s in a while. I ordered wings. They were different. Smaller and not as good. Not bad, but no where entitled to the title of best in Key West. I will have to find another wing place. This does not mean I am not deserting Kelley’s. Their food and personnel are still top quality. I merely do not like the new wings and shall order something else the next time I am there.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Join me. I guarantee you will enjoy the show. A quick half hour of interesting chatter.

Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou this evening will include thoughts on wealth disparity, Boston College and birth control, and the Final Four. Plus anything you might wish to discuss. I take telephone calls.

The show can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

 

YESTERDAY A BANQUET

 

Auntie Mame said…..Live! Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!

I had a banquet day yesterday. No hell raising and drinking. I spent the day with family. Lisa, Corey and the grandkids.

I joined them at the new Oz movie.

Robert insisted he had to sit next to me. I was pleased.

The movie was not a remake of the old one. No Dorothy and no Somewhere Over the Rainbow. It kept touch with the old but was a new tale all together.

I did not enjoy the first part. Fell asleep. Robert had to wake me. The second half I have to admit was exciting.

The movie is done in 3D. I had only seen one 3D movie prior to yesterday. The House of Wax back in 1953. I was a senior in high school at the time. Today’s 3D is much better and far more advanced than what I saw back then. As it should be.

The movie I saw in 1953 starred Vincent Price, Frank Lovejoy, Phyllis Kirk and Carolyn Jones.

Charles Bronson had a part. He was Igor. Igor was comparable to the guy that ate flies in the Dracula movies. Charles Bronson was not Charles Bronson at the time. He had not yet achieved stardom. He was listed in the credits as Charles Buchinsky.

Carolyn Jones later achieved big time notoriety starring in TV’s The Addams Family which had a long television run.

Frank Lovejoy was a dramatic actor. Primarily a second banana, he did star in several movies.

I met Frank Lovejoy two days before he died. It was 1962. I was a young lawyer. Twenty seven. I was in New York City on business. It started to rain. I ducked into the Hotel Warwick to get out of the rain.

The Warwick was a hotel that theatrical people frequented.

The bar was small. I entered. Seated at the far end of the tinyl bar was Frank Lovejoy. I recognized him immediately. We sat and talked for an hour. A nice guy. Soft spoken.

I read in the newspaper three days later that Frank Lovejoy had died the night before of a heart attack.

It was ice cream time after the movie! Robert and Ally both wanted a Mr. Softee. A new place near the theater. Robert, Ally and I had cones of soft chocolate. Corey and Lisa wanted nothing.

Then it was back to Lisa’s for the day. We had done the one o’clock show. It was now around 3:30.  Read the Sunday newspapers, watched Tiger, and fell asleep while doing so.

Dinner was outstanding. As usual.

On the way home, I stopped at Publix. Needed food again. It is not that I eat that much. It is that I do not buy enough.

I pulled into a check out counter and was surprised. An old friend was waiting in front of me. Dottie. We had not seen each other in at least six months. I enjoyed talking with her.

Tomorrow is Tuesday. Tuesday evening is my blog talk radio show. Available only on the internet. At 9 in the evening. One half hour long. Discuss current events. Listeners can call in. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me. I guarantee you will enjoy.

Topics being discussed will include why I believe Obama is hated by so many. An interesting item.

My big thing for today is the dentist. Will it ever end?

Enjoy your day!

NO DUVAL CRAWL FOR ME

 

There is a Key West tradition known as the Duval Crawl. You start drinking at one end of Duval, continue to the other end, stopping at as many bars as you can on the way.

I have never done the Duval Crawl. One reason is I could never drink that much. The other is I do not drink beer. Can you imagine me stopping at 10 or more bars and having a gin at each one?

I was invited yesterday afternoon to join two lady friends for a Duval Crawl. It was 2 pm. They were at La Te Da. La Te Da is located at the Atlantic end of Duval. I declined.

I received a call from them this morning. They had a wonderful time! Ended up at the outdoor Cuban restaurant at Mallory Square dancing. Following which they attended the sunset. The sunset is at the Gulf end of Duval. Their Duval Crawl lasted all of 4.5 hours. Not bad. They both felt good. This morning, not even a little hangover between them.

I intended to be up early yesterday morning. Number one on my agenda was grocery shopping. The cupboard was beyond bare.

I did not make it. I got engrossed in the Sunday talk shows and stayed in bed till one in the afternoon.

My first stop early afternoon was the Plantation Coffee House. I enjoy reading newspapers. Sundays are the best time because there is so much of them. I sipped coffee and read for more than an hour.

At that point, it was Publix time.

The worst time to grocery shop is sunday afternoon at Publix. It is the high traffic time. The aisles are crowded with carts and stockers. Most of the cart drivers do not know what they are doing. They would never pass a cart driving test. They go in every direction and park their carts in the worst places. The stockers are a similar pain. Why Publix has them stocking the shelves on a busy sunday afternoon, I do not know.

It was cold yesterday and last night. As anticipated! 65 was the day high. Last night it dipped into the high 50s. Today it will be in the mid 60s at best. Cold for Key West! The natives wear winter jackets. So do the tourists, if they have one with them.

I have learned something in the eight years I have been living alone. When it is cold, you need a body next to you in bed. Not for sex! To keep warm!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

BOCCE SEASON BEGINS

 

Nothing is more important than bocce! Except the grandkids.

The new bocce season began thursday night. I missed it. I was at the Key West High School watching Robert and Ally perform in the Wizard of Oz.

My team did well without me. They won all three games! Hopefully the start of a terrific season for us.

My TV/internet show was yesterday morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. It is supposedly being You Tubed. I am not certain if yesterday’s show was. It has been sort of hit and miss. I am trying to have the situation corrected.

My discussion of Time Magazine’s brilliant article on why medical bills are killing us was the most popular. Without peer. Steven Brill’s article is an eye opener. All 18 pages are available free on the internet. I suggest you read it.

The cupboard was bare. It was Publix time. I forgot to buy a lottery ticket.

I wrote next week’s column for KONK Life. Titled it A Little Bit Of Everything. I quick hit on several topics venting my feelings about the issues. Things like the Key West $17 million lottery winner, Key West being one of four cities nationally where women earn more than men, China and cybertheft, sequestration, and Berlusconi and sunday’s election.

A pleasant evening last night.

There was supposed to be a showing of Jack Baron’s works at the Joy Gallery on Duval. I walked up and down the street. Could not find Joy Gallery. The phone book said 1100 block of Duval. Not there. I will telephone today to find out where it is. I suspect the gallery has moved.

I have 15 Jack Baron pieces. Jack has been dead 6 years now. I am curious what the market is for his work.

The Chart Room was next. A good group of friends. Emily, David, Peter, and Sheila. Shared a couple of drinks and decided I was hungry.

Walked across the street to the Hot Tin Roof. Wow! All the people! Even in the bar area. Fortunately, I was able to grab a table in the corner.

Big time basketball this afternoon. Syracuse and Georgetown. At 4. At Syracuse.

The Syracuse/Georgetown rivalry is well known. Many hard fought games over the years. No more league play after this season, however. Syracuse is leaving the Big East.

The teams have played each other in Big East ball for 33 years. Today is the next to last game. Two weeks from now Syracuse and Georgetown will meet once more at Georgetown.

The end of an era.

Today’s game will be typical. Hard fought. Down to the last minute. Syracuse is ranked #8 nationally, Georgetown #11. That says it all.

In recognition of the admiration Syracuse fans have for the rivalry, it was announced earlier this week that the game at the Carrier Dome was sold out. 35,012 people expected. The most ever for a home Syracuse basketball game.

Son in law Corey has a big deal starting up at Mel Fisher’s. It is for the benefit of those interested in slave ships, merchant ships, discovery of both beneath the surface, and how the treasure discovered is restored.

I will share more with you in tomorrow’s blog.

Enjoy your day!