IT RAINED!!!!!

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It rained! Did it rain yesterday! Five inches of rain. Winds 45 mph.

After a manicure with Tammy, I decided to drive over to Don’s Place. Many of Don’s customers work in outdoor trades. It would be a no work day for them. They would be at Don’s. I sensed a fun afternoon ahead.

It was not to be. It was pouring. Don’s parking lot and every parking space for two blocks around were full. No way was I going to walk in the deluge coming down. I went home.

I stayed home the rest of the day and evening.

The rain was continuing and I knew the streets would be flooded. Some badly. I have an innate fear that someday my Volkswagen is going to float away on one of the flooded streets.

Key West has a relatively new storm sewer system. It gets rid of the flooded street water faster after the storm stops. During the storm however, it cannot handle the rain. It has to do with the fact that Key West is at sea level or just above.

I was correct about the street flooding. This morning’s Key West Citizen has pictures of it.

Alcohol and Key West. Key West is part of Monroe County. Monroe County extends the length of the Keys. The Citizen reported this morning a study done by the University of Washington. The study examined Florida’s 67 counties to determine which county had the highest level of local resident drinking. Note, local resident drinking. Monroe County won out. Or, perhaps lost.

The result does not surprise me. Down here it is the social thing to do.

George Washington was sworn in President this day in 1789. The first President of the new country. Technically speaking, he was not.

The thirteen colonies operated as the United States following the Revolution. The colonies were formally joined together in 1781 with the adoption of the Articles of Confederation. The Articles governed our country for eight years until the Constitution was adopted.

Under the Articles, the head of the government was the President. Formally known as the President of the United States in Congress Assembled. Congress elected the President at that time. Washington was the first President under the Constitution as we know it.

John Hanson of Maryland was the first President under the Articles. There were six more after him.

Copies of Letters by Washington show Washington referring to Hanson as President.

My KONK Life column Chimpanzees Are People Too was published this morning on my Key West Lou Facebook site. It is linked from KONK Life and available for reading.

Enjoy your day!

 

AN EASY KEY WEST SUNDAY

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Can’t raise hell every day! Some times it is good to just lie back and let the day pass slowly. I did yesterday.

Late morning my lying around was interrupted by Sloan. Our work took less than 1/2 hour. I was not in the mood.

I spent most of the afternoon sitting on the deck overlooking the water and in the shade of the tiki hut. Back and forth. My time was not wasted. I worked on this week’s KONK Life column. Great title. Chimpanzees Are People Too. Shades of corporations are people.

An interesting article. There are those who believe chimpanzees and other type apes have intellect and are able to care for themselves. Such being the case, they should be deemed persons and entitled to the Constitutional rights of life and liberty.

What next? Beginning of a planet of the apes? Intermarriage permissible? The issue raises many interesting questions.

My bottom line was the courts are crazy. Beware. The U.S. Supreme Court said corporations are people too.

I watched a bit of golf later in the afternoon. A Ladies PGA tournament. They are so good! It is amazing how far golf ability has come in the last 15 years. For men and women.

Wanted to go out for dinner. It was Tavern ‘n Town. Very quiet. A typical Sunday night off season. I sat at the bar a couple of hours reading the Sunday papers and enjoying some food and drink.

I was home in bed at 9:30.

Enjoy your day!

 

ANNUAL BED RACE

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The Conch Republic Celebration continues. Yesterday was the bed race. Long name Conch Republic Red Ribbon Bed Race. The race is held on Duval. I watched from the curb.

The race has been described as…..The most fun you can have in bed with your clothes on!

Ten beds in the race yesterday. A slew of prizes for different things. Five or six. Just about everyone wins. Curry Mansion Inn received the Best Bed award. The eternal Edith Amsterdam riding in the bed. Edith a young 90 Key West icon.

Spent my day before and after the race researching this week’s KONK Life column. I have a bit more research and will be writing the column later today. The article will do with an item I mentioned earlier this week here. The issue as to whether chimpanzees are people. A take off from corporations are people. My intent is to show the lunacy of some court decisions.

Dinner at the bar at Hogfish. A quiet evening. I sat at the end of the bar and read newspapers.

Three weeks ago our bocce team was in second place. Today, fifth. How the mighty fall! There is still a ways to go. The top five teams make the playoffs. We are on the bubble now. I believe we will make it.

Harry Truman was and continues to be specially loved by Key West. He chose our island to spend 155 days during his Presidency as his vacation spot. His home away from home.

I have read many Truman biographies over the years. Without question, Truman loved his wife Bess deeply. Bess however was a strange woman. For some reason, she did not like living anywhere except in Independence. Truman spent many days alone in the White House.

On this day in history in 1933, Truman wrote a letter to Bess. Apparently Truman was somewhere up north and Bess and Margaret on vacation in the south.

I came across a copy of the handwritten letter on the internet. Following Dear Bess, Truman wrote…..I got a letter yesterday from you and it made the day livable and much brighter.

Love!

Food for thought. Though we are more than 500 days to the next Presidential election, I offer the following for consideration. The two major problems confronting us are the middle east wars and the economy. Rarely are candidates knowledgeable in both. Some in neither. Many times we place in office a person not equipped for the job.

This time around we should select our President from one who is best versed at either war or the economy. The decision should be made up front. Both areas are fraught with danger. At least our President will be will versed in one area and can learn on the job with the other as recent Presidents have done.

Enjoy your Sunday!