MARY LOU HOOVER…..WONDER WOMAN

Mary Lou Hoover can do and does do everything! Nothing is beyond her capabilities.

Her credentials are lengthy. Most prominent is Girls’ Night Out. A couple of years ago, Mary Lou thought women needed a place to meet and network. From a first meeting in a living room with a handful of ladies, it has grown into huge numbers. The ladies meet one night a month. However, in much larger quarters.

Mary Lou has also been a Fantasy Fest Queen. 2007. A tough race to the title and an even more arduous job the year following.

She is involved with Helpline. She is fund raiser and coordinator for the organization.

Mary Lou recently acquired an added interest in suicides. She came up with some figures that indicate a big time need for additional assistance in order to prevent suicides. In 2012, there were 4 homicides and 19 suicides in the Florida Keys. In 2013, there were 2 homicides and 32 suicides. Clear evidence that help is needed.

Mary Lou is working to have Helpline add to its suicide awareness efforts. A worthy and needed endeavor. She will succeed. It is in her nature to succeed. She is a woman who gets things done.

My blog talk radio show was last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. For those of you who may have missed and would like to listen, the show is archived and also available on Facebook and You Tube.

Post show comments indicated that my critical comments re the Keystone Pipeline and Immigration issues garnered the most interest.

My thrust was it has been 6 years that Keystone has been waiting for a vote. The final vote was last night. It took an effort of political expediency to bring about the vote. With regard to immigration, the issue has been bouncing around for 6 years also. A vote could not be reached. Now the President says he is going to move by Executive Order.

Not the way to run a government! We should not have to wait six years to get an up or down vote on the important issues of the day.

Can you believe the weather? The Key West weather. It dropped to 61 last night. It is 63 degrees as I write. The high today will be 69. Wow! Cold! A long pants day.

I will hear from many of you regarding the previous paragraph. Especially my friends up north. Where it is really cold! Tom Dixon e-mailed to tell me they already have four feet of snow in Buffalo, with more coming today. Temperatures across upstate New York are in their 20’s. So too most of the rest of the nation. This morning’s weather report says the Florida panhandle will be below freezing later today and tonight.

And not even Thanksgiving yet!

Today is the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln delivered the famous speech on this day in 1863. It was less than 300 words.

Two things I would like to share with you re the Gettysburg Address.

The first is that Lincoln wrote his speech on a ripped off portion of a brown paper bag as he rode to Gettysburg. His lunch had been in the bag. He used a stub pencil to write.

When Lincoln completed  delivering his speech, applause were minimal. There was no off the wall reaction to his words. It was subsequent to the speech that the speech’s special qualities were noted.

It continues to be a sad day at Lisa’s. Jake is still sick. Lisa continues to take him to the vet every day. They still do not know what is wrong with him. He is being tested for everything.

Poor Jake!

Enjoy your day!

 

THE OLD AND THE NEW

Larry Smith’s opening at La Te Da last night was a gigantic success. The bar was packed. People having a good time.

The evening had a degree of nostalgia for me. I have been doing La Te Da for 25 years. The bar always the same. Never changed. The room always full of people late night. Locals and tourists, gay and straight. A fun place, a happy place.

The inside bar where Larry was entertaining was the only part of La Te Da open last night. The outside bar and dining area under construction. New owner Christopher is doing a lot of work. I am sure the new La Te Da will be magnificent.

I hope Christopher upgrades and renovates everything, except for the inside bar. It is like the Chart Room. It has a flavor that cannot be replaced. It has become an integral part of Key West.

La Te Da should also consider contracting Larry to play on a steady basis. Larry packed the room on a monday night and in a building that otherwise was a construction site.

On my way to La Te Da, I passed Square One. It was open! I had to stop in.

A new owner. The present owner of Banana Cafe.

I have been a loyal customer of Square One for the more than 20 years it has been open. Only two previous owners. Michael Stewart and Carmelo. Always good food. Always fine dining. The moods different. Michael one way, Carmelo another. Each comfortable.

I did not particularly like the new decor. Probably because it is not consistent with the old. Change is difficult or me. If I had never been to Square One before, I would have been overwhelmed by the beauty of the new restaurant.

The menu new, also. I am not sure how to describe it. The dish I enjoyed was outstanding.

A new bartender. Mandy. A lovely young lady. Personable. Helped me with my menu choice. Her judgment can be trusted. I was told Patrick will not be returning. His choice. His time to lie back and smell the roses.

Ran into Mary Lou and Charlie. Great people! Mary Lou was out and on her way. Charlie finishing a drink at the bar. Chatted with Charlie a while.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock my time. Join me for another interesting and revealing show. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I believe our legal system is disintegrating. I am going to talk a bit about it. Examples will include Ferguson, Mississippi, New York City, Detroit, and recent Supreme Court decisions. Some Hong Kong. Plus, another example of government waste. A half million  dollars being spent on a study to determine why obese girls have a hard time getting dates.

I bought Lisa’s birthday gift over the internet from a company called Red Envelope. It arrived yesterday. I was late in ordering the gift.

I was absolutely pleased with the gift, packaging, and card. I highly recommend you try Red Envelope. The prices are relatively cheap. The gifts show imagination. redenvelope.com.

Another bad saturday ahead for Syracuse. We play Florida State. The #1 team in the country.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column for KONK Life entitled Mob Rule. It had to do with political correctness controlling many things today. An example being professional athletes and their wrongdoings. I did not and do not believe it proper that the cry of the masses dictate punishment. Let the law do its job. In spite of the disintegration mentioned earlier.

I make mention this morning of the issue because of the story hitting the media concerning the swimmer Michael Phelps. He was arrested for drunk driving. Not the first time. The USA Swimming organization has suspended him from participation for 6 months. I do not agree. Better a judge gave him 6 months. He still faces legal disposition.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

THE BEARD IS GONE

I developed the habit of trimming my two year old beard once a week. On fridays. Yesterday, I screwed up!

I have an electric beard trimmer. The cutting blade trims close to the skin. There is a barricade /guard that has to be placed over it to avoid a full trim. The barricade/guard also permits one to determine the desired length of the beard.

I was doing the friday routine yesterday. Trimmed one side of my face. Don’t know where my mind was. I forgot the barricade/guard. Three sweeps and the left side of my face was bare.

Oh, shit!…..I thought.

Things have to balance. I intentionally shaved off the right side. Left me with a mustache and small chin beard. I did not think it looked good. Shaved the chin beard off. Did not like how I looked with just a mustache. The mustache went.

My face was entirely clean. The skin as smooth as a new born baby’s behind.

I liked what I saw. I have decided to go beardless for a while. The new me!

The interesting thing is that everywhere I went last night, no one noticed my beard was gone. Do people really look at each other?

The Chart Room was my first stop. Sean and Katherine were just leaving. I was glad I got to say good bye in person. They leave for Austin this morning. Katherine has a position with a Leading Hotels of the World there. God bless and good luck!

Ran into Dale. Met him last year. He spends six months in Key West and six months in Ocean City, New Jersey. Lives on a 44 foot sail boat. He is an independent contractor working with the pharmaceutical industry. I learned a lot I never knew about prescription drugs.

Decided to stop at the new Key West Pub to see how they were doing. They were not. A handful of people. The place was basically empty. I had a drink and chatted with the general manager, Eric.

There was a dance floor last week at the opening where a baby grand used to sit. The dance floor was gone. Replaced by tables. I suggested they bring Larry Smith in to play. I was told they had no piano. I said Larry had one. The one he bought when he left the Wine Galley.

My next and final stop was Square One. Ate at the bar. Enjoyed myself immensely.

Jimmy Olsen was seated at the other end. I rarely see him. It was good to say hello.

Good friend Patrick bartending. Always a pleasure to be in his company.

My former bocce partner Frankie the Plumber was having dinner at the bar, also. Chatted with Frankie and his friends. Frankie just returned from a three week cruise through the Hawaiian Islands. Jet lag still affecting him.

Mary Lou Hoover came in and sat next to me at the bar. She and Charley were waiting for a table. Mary Lou and I talked quite a while. The most we have ever talked. The first time I can recollect we have been alone to talk.

Mary Lou is both dynamic and a dynamo. Among her many accomplishments, she started Girl’s Night Out back in 2006 or thereabouts with six attendees. Today, it numbers in the thousands.

I was impressed once again with the crowd at Square One. Many standing and drinking waiting for a table. Happy faces all! Carmelo has done a great job in resurrecting the restaurant.

This afternoon, I bowl! Don is throwing a bowling party. At the Boca Chica Naval Base. The only bowling alleys in the area.

We did a similar party three years ago. We ate pizza and wings and drank.

This will be the fourth time in my life I have bowled. I think three years ago my high score was 70 something and my low 40 something.

No one wants me on their team!

Enjoy your day!