DON’T SIT UNDER THE APPLE TREE

 

Weather change in Key West can be dramatic. Just like that.

I woke two hours ago. The sun was shining. Little breeze. Everything calm. The start of another 80 degree day.

I stayed in bed an additional two hours. Got hooked on an old movie starring Mario Lanza and Katheryn Grayson. Great singing! When I got up again, the weather had changed. Dramatically!

The wind was blowing at least 30 miles per hour. The sky was laden with black clouds. The wind off the ocean was cool and made everything on land cool. White caps on the water.

The surprise will probably have left us in an hour. That is the way it is in the keys. Someone sneezes hard and the weather turns. The weather blows its nose and everything is back to normal.

Patty Andrews died yesterday. Ninety four. She was one of the Andrew Sisters. A singing trio from World War II days. Patty was the last of the Andrew Sisters.

One of their contributions to the war effort was participating in war bond drives. In order to raise money to conduct the war, the US government sold war bonds for $17.50 which were redeemable after 10 years for $25. Everyone purchased war bonds.

It was 1943 or 1944. I was 8 or 9 years old. The Andrew Sisters were appearing in downtown Utica as part of a war bond drive. My friends and I rode our bicycles to the event. The street was mobbed in four directions in front of the Savings Bank. The Andrew Sisters sang. Songs like Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, and Rum and Coca Cola. The crowd listened and then many rushed up to purchase war bonds.

The Savings Bank had a huge chain link fence around it. The links were at least 4 inches and thick as your thumb. It was announced as part of the war bond drive that day that the Savings Bank was donating their chain link fence to the war drive. A big deal! The US needed metal from where ever it could get it to make guns and ships, etc.

A passing thought. We used to pay for our wars on a pay as you go basis. Not like the last two wars that were not financed in any fashion. Wars don’t come cheap. The unfinanced two wars are part of today’s national debt.

May Patty Andrews rest in peace.

I had to grocery shop again yesterday. I needed more. I  bought more. More than the day before.

Spent a few hours afterwards at home writing. Finished a short story I have been working on. A Daughter of the American Revolution. I have written several others. I intend at some point this year to publish them. I promise.

I fine tuned tomorrow’s Key West Lou Legal Hour. Added additional topics like the prostitute who was not too bright, the Vienna Museum’s Naked Men show, the Battle Hymn of the Republic, a bit about Trygve Lie who was the first Secretary General of the United Nations, and David Letterman.

With all due modesty, it is a good show! Join me. You will find the comments made interesting and in some instances provocative.

The show is aired on television from Key West to Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. It is also available world wide on the internet. www.tvchannel19.com. Ten in the morning my time.

I babysat at dinner time. Robert and Ally performed for Poppa their parts as munchkins in the coming Wizard of Oz presentation. Ally skipped. Robert recited his 25 lines. He already has them down pat.

Then it was off to Don’s Place. Billy was intensely watching TV at the bar. Don, Tom, David, and Herschel were at the end.

Don’s grandson is in the Wizard, also. He is a clown munchkin. We will be two proud grandfathers at the event.

We talked about our beloved friend Frankie the Plumber. He is still recovering from big time heart surgery.

Larry Smith also occupied our conversation. He is having a terrific show next monday and tuesday at the Pier House’s Wine Galley. Entertainers coming in from all over the United States. I am going with Don, Steph, and Erika. Erika is my date. Her husband Herschel cannot attend.

Enjoy your day!

 

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