THOMAS EDISON

The weather continues to be great! Better than most years at this time. Mornings are especially interesting. No breeze what so ever. Palm trees hanging. Water mirror calm. The day mid 70s. No humidity.

Leisurely walked Duval yesterday. Many blocks have Christmas wreaths on the light poles. They convey a more Christmasy feeling than normal.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about two events taking place in Key West that I had learned about for the first time. Some reader commented that I should not live in Key West if I do not know about those things.

It is impossible to know everything about this island. Especially the going ons. During the weekends, there at least 10-12 events on friday and saturday. Some new, some old. During the week, several each evening. Impossible to keep up. My blog is not a social/events calendar.

Anyhow, now comes something new to me. Perhaps old to others. I was not aware nor had I ever heard it before. We hear the names of many famous people who lived in Key West for certain periods of their lives. Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, etc. Thomas Edison! Why his time in Key West is not more publicized, I do not know.

During World War I, Edison resided in the Little White House. He was donating his services to the war effort. While in Key West, he perfected 41 weapons.

Live and learn. I do.

Love the Spectrelles! A Key West female  singing trio. Do not see them often enough. This evening they are appearing at San Carlos. A Christmas show.

I mentioned the other day that The Big Ten Sports Pub had been sold. I did not know who the new owner was. It was sold. The deal did not go through. John Lukas is back running the Pub. A better person than John does not exist.

Syracuse basketball tonight. Syracuse plays Colgate. Syracuse should win. I wish Syracuse could play every game as well as they did the first half against Villanova. A dream.

What a diet! I have now lost 24 pounds! The diet is an improvisation on my part. I am a yo yo. This diet I like. I have spent my life going up and down weight wise. The diet is a bit of this and that from past diets I was on.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

GREAT PARTY!!!!!

Party time last night. At the home of Larry and Christine Smith. A good time was had by all. Larry and Christine know how to throw a party.

The event seemed to have had a three fold purpose. To welcome our friends John and Ali back from England. They are in Key West for a one month vacation. To celebrate Mary Deasy’s 39th birthday. To welcome Larry’s high school classmates from up north. They are here enjoying Key West, also.

A pizza and salad party! All kinds of pizza! I pigged out. I normally do not partake of pizza. In addition, Mary’s birthday cake. Oh, so good! Chocolate throughout!

As I parked my car to go into Larry’s, I heard…..hello Louis. It was Jackie Lefferts, my doctor. Walking her dog. I went across the street to kiss her and let the dog sniff me. He was a big guy. I wanted to be sure we would be friends. The Doctor mentioned how her husband Michael enjoyed my book The World Upside Down. She gave an autographed copy to Michael for his birthday. Her comment made me feel good.

Would you believe…..bocce tomorrow afternoon  at 4. A make up game. It will be boiling hot! I am not looking forward to the game.

Shirrel Rhoades is my publisher.  Shirrel had a terrific video and tale in yesterday’s Facebook. The video was the first film ever shot in Key West. It was 1898. It was of the burial of sailors killed when the Battleship Maine was blown up in Havana Harbor.

The film was a bit rough. Probably because filming was relatively new at the time. It showed the burial procession, the sailors accompanying the caskets which were on horse drawn wagons, family and friends following in procession.

Why was/is the film such a big deal? Besides the occasion, it was the person who did the filming. Thomas Edison. The man himself. Filming the occasion on the streets of Key West.

Yesterday marked the anniversary of Chernobyl. The Russian nuclear reactor which ruptured and spread radioactive material over much of Europe. The disaster occurred on April 26, 1986.

Illnesses and deformities occurred for many years thereafter. Cancers and deformities especially in new born infants.

Roughly ten years ago, a young mother brought her child to see me in my Utica offices. Her baby daughter was ten months old. She had been born with one arm missing from just above the elbow.

The story was that her prospective husband lived about 15 miles north of Chernobyl at the time of the radioactive spill. They did not marry till about 15 years after. The daughter was their first child.

She visited me with the child. The husband would not come. The husband was of the opinion his wife was at fault. She wondered if Chernobyl had anything to do with it. She told me her doctor said responsibility lie with her husband.

I knew nothing about radiation deformities. I did my homework, communicated with the doctor, and decided I needed more help. The case was out of my class. I contacted lawyers and barristers who had handled Chernobyl cases. They were in London and Rome. I also communicated with a medical college physician in Rome who was considered an expert in these cases.

Turned out the husband was probably the cause. The radiation affected males so that the semen they would make was contaminated in some fashion. The semen could result in a deformed child.

The case was sad. I could not put it together. Even with the help of the London and Rome professionals. It was too late and questionable because of the time factor.

The ten month old baby was lovely. Cute and bubbly.

I do not know how the child has fared since. I have the feeling well. We all make do with what we have. We accept that which life has foisted upon us.

I feel bad to this day that I could not help.

Enjoy your day!