THE MASTERS AT DON’S PLACE

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I was in a thoughtful mood yesterday. My thoughts had to do with my life and Key West.

I discovered and started visiting Key West 26 years ago. Bought my home here 16 years ago. Retired to live full time in Key West 8 years ago.

My life has changed. There has been a total transformation over the years. I no longer dress. It is hard to remember the last time I wore a suit and tie. I do wear long pants (khakis or jeans) about six times a year when it is cold. I rarely know the date or what day of the week it is. I always wear shorts. Crocs, sandals or sneaks depending on the occasion.

Everyone else who has spent a number of years in Key West is as I am. A wonderful world!

I referred to Don’s Place yesterday as the adult playpen of the world. It is typical of Key West. Key Westers enjoy playing games. Just as when they were kids.

Yesterday was the 1st Annual Don’s Place Masters. Seventeen of us played before a huge crowd. The bar was packed! We putted on the bar floor into plastic cups. Not easy. Don’s floor is three different stages of concrete. The undulations were amazing. You could not see them. However, they were there. It was like putting on the closest cut greens ever. A light touch of the ball took you ten feet passed the cup!

The plastic cup holes had miniature flags on them. Hershel served as warden. He had signs saying Quiet Please. The whole scene was like for real.

We played 14 holes. The course was laid out with 7 holes. That is all there was room for. We played the layout twice. I had the highest score. Consistent with my life long lack of physical dexterity. I also attribute it to my age. I was the oldest person playing. Keith won. The spread between his score and mine was a city block!

I have been a Mad Men fan since the show’s inception some ten years ago. Last night was the first show of the new season. I was disappointed. As I was with last season’s shows. The story line has become boring.

However, credit must be given to the accuracy time wise of the presentation. It was around 1970. The accountants were taking over businesses, penny pinchers who knew nothing about a particular business running them. The sex. Wow! Women’s  clothes and hair perfect for the time.

The show brought me back.

Do we understand? What has been going on in Europe can easily cross the Atlantic and happen here. I refer specifically to protests and demonstrations and neo-Nazism. A body of water is no protection from what has been and is occurring in Greece, Italy, France and England.

We have experienced a touch of it in recent days.

There is Charles Bundy in Nevada. Apparently a man of principle. He opposed federal intervention re his cattle raising. Of itself, nothing to get excited about. What did concern  me was the 1,000 armed people who came from all over the United States to defend Bundy against the government. Militia men. Dressed in military camouflage uniforms. All carrying a weapon. All prepared to shot if the government took steps they deemed improper.

You wonder why gun rights have become so important in the United States. There are a sizable number in our society who do not trust government. They are anti-government as government exists today. They arm themselves in preparation for the day the government turns, from their perception, on them.

It almost happened in Nevada this past week. It did not because the government backed off. Whether correct, I have no judgment.

Then there is the neo-Nazi movement. Thus far primarily visible in Europe. Yesterday, in the United States. A group of neo-Nazis killed three Jews at two different Jewish Centers in Kansas City.

Does Kansas City represent the beginning of overt anti-Semetism in this country? Perhaps.

None of this is healthy. I sometimes feel as a nation we are teetering on the edge of a cliff. We must pull back. I am not certain it is possible.

Enjoy your day!

BEST SEASON IN YEARS

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This is unquestionably the best season Key West has experienced in years. Tourists galore. Bicycles and scooters all over the place. Hotels and restaurants full.

Everyone happy! Everyone having a good time!

Hopefully, it will continue. Whereas twenty years ago, the season ended Easter Sunday, it now runs into June.

I have a concern, however. The market drop at the end of this past week may foretell coming economic problems. The more than normal world unrest does not help.

Dinner last night was at Square One. Square One is typical of Key West’s resurgence business wise. The place was packed! Happy laughing chatter throughout.

I had dinner with my good friends Tom and Fran Dixon from Buffalo. The meal was excellent. Tom and Fran excellent company. I was impressed to learn that they were at the Democratic Convention where Carter and Ted Kennedy were at war. They were sitting on the VIP podium an arms length away from both candidates.

The Key West Citizen carried an interesting article on the Vandenberg in today’s newspaper. The proud military vessel was sunk off Key West five years ago. It was intended as an artificial reef. Divers have been frequenting the Vandenberg since day one.

Time has been good to the Vandenberg. It was recently reported that the coral growth is much more than had been expected. Ten different types have been identified.

The Masters will be played in two places today. Augusta and Don’s Place. The Masters at Don’s Place begins at one. Seven holes. Putting only along the floors of the bar. Cups of some sort arranged.

Don’s Place has to be the adult play pen of the universe! I can visualize how the Masters idea was concocted. At the inside bar, of course. Don, David, and Hershel definitely. Maybe Scott and Nate also. Seated at the bar and indulging. Someone probably said…..we should do something for the Masters Sunday. After about two hours of dialogue, the concept for the first annual Don’s Place Masters was arrived at.

Guaranteed fun! I will be there with my putter!

Enjoy your Sunday!

CHE’S 80TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

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Che was 80 years old yesterday. An impressive number. An impressive accomplishment reaching that number. Che is the epitome of good health. A lucky man!

The party was at the Chart Room. Che and Peter did the basic cooking/preparation. Guests brought plates of this and that. Sheila baked a cake.

We sang Happy Birthday! Che beamed as he blew out the candles. Only eight. Apparently some one did not want Che to strain himself.

Che is an interesting name. It is his nick name. I do not know Che’s real name. Though I have known him for years. That is the way it is in Key West.

Che’s name suggests he was a Cuban rebel. He was not. He is a Jew from New York City transfixed to Key West.

The thought crossed my mind…..Too bad Marty is not here. Marty and Che most evenings would stand at the end of the bar and argue. Over everything and nothing. After a while, no one listened to them. Their battles were their own.

I finally got together with Don and Chris. They are in Key West for a long weekend. We met at Che’s party. Good people!

I watched the end of the Masters with Don and Chris. A terrific finish! Adam Scott did himself proud. As did Angel Cabrera. I was especially moved by the hug Cabrera gave Scott when the match ended. Not a normal occurence.

Instead of going home after the party, I dropped into the Wine Galley. Sunday night is the Larry Smith Showcase. I am glad I did. Larry’s guest was a young lady from some small upstate New York town. I never got her name. I did get her singing. A great voce! An equally charming personality!

I wrote of avalanches yesterday. Chamonix, France and Washington State. After the blog was written, there were two more in Washington State. At different times. A half mile apart. One woman dead.

Greece is in the news again. The Euro banks have agreed on a plan to keep Greece going. The Euro banks will loan Greece additional bailout monies to meet Greece’s pension and wage obligations. Conditioned, of course. There is always a condition where a bank is involved. Greece must lay off 150,000 state governmental employees between now and 2015. They are further required to hire 15,000 young people to replace them.

Germany continues to be behind all this pressure crap. They call it austerity. It is destruction. It can only go on so long. At some point, the Greek people are going to say enough is enough to the Germans, Euro banks and their own government. Then rebellion and/or war with Germany. Keep in mind that Greece is not the only country Germany is squeezing.

Tomorrow night at 9 my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me for an interesting half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The show is in its third month and growing. The number of listeners increases each week. Generally, I have a fixed list of topics to discuss. However world events are moving so fast that I have given up on any sort of script. The show is an evolving one. Whatever tickles my interest or yours at show time is what will be discussed.

Enjoy your day!

AVALANCHES

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There was an avalanche in Washington State yesterday. Three persons injured. One dead.

Why am I writing about an avalanche as I sit here in Key West basking in 80 degree weather? It has to do with Chamonix.

You will recall I spent two days last summer in Chamonix. Chamonix is in France. The village sits in a valley beneath Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps and all of Europe. I was impressed. Majestic. Even in the summer, the top third of Mont Blanc was covered in snow and ice.

Two weeks ago, there was another avalanche. In Chamonix. Three killed.

Both avalanches reported a similar cause. Melting spring snow. Avalanches occur. The ground  surface snow opens creating huge craters.

People either get buried in the snow as it passes over them or they drop into one of those never ending openings. And die, unless fortunate to merely be injured.

Avalanches have become more recent the past ten years.

Scientists attribute that fact to global warming. The temperature at the higher levels has been steadily increasing. The snow melts faster. Avalanches become more frequent.

The problem remains a minor one, however. There is agreement that global warming will not become extremely dangerous regarding avalanches for at least another fifty years.

There is still time.

I had a be good to Louis day yesterday. Layed around the pool a bit. Watched the Masters from my bed. Napped.

I felt bad for Tiger Woods. A two stroke penalty. I agree, better than disqualification.

Today is the final round of the Masters. At least a dozen players can win. It will be interesting.

I did get out last night. Hogfish. Enjoyed a hogfish meal. Hogfish stuffed with crab. Oh, so good!

I have a birthday party to attend at 6 this evening. At the Chart Room. Che is 80 years old!

Enjoy your Sunday!