LOST REEF ADVENTURES

Yesterday being sunday, I decided to breakfast out. Went to one of my favorite haunts. Harpoon Harry’s. No room at the inn. People standing outside waiting to get in.

Walked one block to the Gulf. Enjoyed breakfast at Turtle Kraals. Sat outside. Excellent view of marina boats.

I have written about Turtle Kraals and the area it is situated several times over the years. At one time, it was the heart of Key West’s thriving turtle industry.

The industry long gone. A few old buildings remain. Turtle Kraals may be one of them. There is a much smaller building about 50 feet away. A one story wood structure. Now a turtle museum operated by the Mel Fisher Museum.

I took a walk after breakfast. Not far. Across the street. To Lost Reef Adventures. Sloan’s partner of many years Nick owns the place.

Lost Reef Adventures is a full service dive shop. Sits plum in the middle of the Historic Seaport. Snorkeling, scuba and a sunset cruise daily. Also, a one day scuba course is available for those interested.

Lost Reef Adventures has been in business for 30 years. Operators and staff safety conscious reliable locals.

Then to Publix. Out of food again. Purchased more diet food. Loss now 18 pounds.

Publix was packed. It was obvious most were last minute shoppers preparing for Super Bowl. Moving fast through the store.

Publix must have anticipated a large demand for already cooked chicken wings. All kinds were packaged and ready for sale.

Yesterday’s Super Bowl can only be described as a great game. Thinking about it, most of them are. The Eagles finally won. 41-33.

The Eagles always a small step behind. Making them that much better. It showed in the final score.

Tom Brady continues to amaze me. Forty yeas old and going strong. Said he will be back next year.

The Eagles quarterback was the team’s back up one till December when the starting quarterback was injured and out for the season. He was a Tom Brady yesterday. Voted MVP.

Good for him!

I mentioned last week or the week before that a political party that runs candidates like Alabama’s Roy Moore is doing a disservice to the country. Every nut will think he is qualified to run.

Several are running. One is Arthur Jones of Illinois. The district he is running in contains a part of Chicago.

He has no opposition. Filing for the Republican primary passed in December.

Jones is openly anti-Semitic, a racist, supporter of the radical left, and a neo-Nazi. He denies the Holocaust. Claims it is an international extortion racket.

Jones will lose. The district is overwhelmingly Democrat. Some day however, these nuts will begin winning. Then more problems for our country.

Crazies believe it is ok to run for office. Trump’s election the reason. He is not the most stable of individuals. His policies lacking. Their belief being if Trump can be elected President, I can be elected to Congress!

God help us!

Speaking of Trump, he did it again! Lied!

Trump claims his State of the Union address drew the highest number of viewers in history. False. The First State of the Union speeches by Obama, Bush 2, and Clinton drew more.

Trump concerns me for a number of reasons. In addition to his frequent misrepresentations. The most recent is his belief that the country needs something to happen to unify it. To me, that means war. Pearl Harbor and 9/11 the best unifiers ever.

In recent days, Trump has also said North Korea needs a “bloody nose.” Do unity and giving North Korea a bloody nose go hand in hand? Is Trump getting ready to bomb North Korea?

Enjoy your day!

 

BOB AND HELEN…..WHERE ARE YOU?

An exciting reunion tomorrow!

Some 30 years ago, I was Best Man at the wedding of Bob and Helen Marks. The wedding took place in the evening in a small candle lit Lutheran Church in Portland, Maine.

Helen wanted to be married there. Her parents were wed in the same Church during World War II. Helen wore the same clothing her mother wore. A maroon suit with an accompanying maroon hat.

It was a cold evening. As cold can be in wintertime Maine. It was  during Carter’s administration when there was a fuel crisis. In the hotel and shopping malls, people worked wearing coats, gloves and fur lined boots.

I went to Portland with a hell of a head cold. Returned with pneumonia. Kidding re the pneumonia. Felt lousy, though.

Bob and Helen and I have probably only seen each other twice over the years.

Bob went on to be a major executive with one the America’s largest insurance companies. For many years, he was Vice-President of its west coast division stationed in San Francisco.

Helen worked with the same company. She became a major executive in her own right. Worked out of the midwest somewhere. She was in charge of all asbestos cases in the United States for the company. Major responsibility!

Both retired. Two homes. One in North Carolina and the other Las Vegas.

They travel. Seems like once a month for years.They have been all over the world.

They are on a Viking Caribbean cruise. The ship stops in Key West tomorrow for the day. We will be together. It will be emotional. A bit of a tear jerker.

I am picking them up in front of Sloppy Joe’s at 12:30. Lunch at 1 at Louie’s Backyard.

I received an e-mail from Bob yesterday. They were leaving last night on a red-eye from Vegas at 11:45.

Probably will pick up the Viking today in Fort Lauderdale or Miami.

I am thrilled!

One of Lincoln’s State of the Union addresses was given this date in 1862. The address’ closing sentence…..We shall nobly save, or manly lose, the last, best hope on earth.

I worry Trump may be leading us to a loss of the last best hope on earth.

Place all Trump’s failures aside, except for two. North Korea and the present problem with Great Britain. The man is crazy and is moving the U.S. further backward by day.

HIVE this morning opened with an apt description of the President: “Good morning dear reader! It was another disheartening day for poor woebegone Donald Trump, a bathrobe-wearing bathmophobic and struggling crisis-management consultant, who occasionally dabbles in racial provocation and genocidal brinkmanship.”

An amusing observation. The White House outdoor Christmas tree was lit last night. Referred to as the National Tree Lighting. One of the hottest tickets in town. Twenty thousand tickets distributed via a lottery. All free.

Normally jam packed. Not last night. Videos show rows and rows of empty seats.

Will Trump claim attendance the biggest ever?

In all fairness, Obama had a similarly small crowd in 2015.

The Senate tax bill a joke were its effect not so serious. The Senate is having trouble bringing it to a vote.

The reason simple. The bill being discussed this morning was redone overnight. Senate Republicans want a tax bill passed. Its contents take a second seat. If and when it comes to a vote, the Senators will be voting for a pig in a poke. Buying blind. Few if any will have read the bill. There has been no debate.

This is what our government has come down to. Rush laws through. The glory of a new law important. Its impact not so.

Today is World AIDS Day. Key West was greatly impacted when the AIDS virus struck. The community came together to help their own. Gay and straight alike.

AIDS not the life taking danger it was. Fortunately.

At 4:30 today a candlelight parade will begin at City Hall and march to the AIDS Memorial at the White Street Pier. The Memorial a sight to behold if you have not seen it.

My friend Dee was one who came to the assistance of AIDS victims in Key West. She had graduated from Boston University with a Ph.D in Psychology. She came to Key West considering opening a practice. Instead she ended up working for AIDS Help. Twenty five years.

Dee made significantly less money than she would have in private practice. It was the cause and the need that attracted her. Now retired, Dee feels she had a satisfying career helping those afflicted with AIDS. She is proud of her work with AIDS victims.

Santa Claus tonight from 6-8 at the Historic Seaport. Take the kids!

Giorgio tonight, also. He leaves Key West monday for good. Sad because he is a great guy. Irma got to him. Also his health. He’s afraid the helicopter might not make it to Miami in time. Drinks at the Chart Room and then dinner.

Tom and Fran from Buffalo will be joining us.

Enjoy your day!