UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER

The 99L tropical wave was supposed to dump rain and wind on Key West sunday. Nothing happened. Not one drop of rain.

Yesterday, an 80 percent chance of rain. Wind from the south. I thought also we would have rain. Not a drop.

Today, an 80 percent chance of rain. I give up. I don’t know. Neither do the weather professionals.

Did my podcast broadcast last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting. I covered happenings in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Indonesia, Russia and China. Plus, occurrences in four States. A fast moving half hour.

Revealing material. Some sad, some humorous.

A busy day ahead. An early business luncheon at Salute’s. I am looking forward to it. Salute’s has great mussels at lunch. Martin’s Happy Hour with Joseph from Hot Tin Roof. Then, Donna and Terri at Back Door.

No laying around today.

Anna, where are you?

Anna reports this week she is in three different villages hanging off the side of Mont Blanc. Traveling with friends. They presently are at her chalet in Courmayeur. Tomorrow, they cross the border into France. they will be visiting Chamonix and Megeve.

What a life!

Everywhere they go,   there will be chic chalets and cobbled medieval streets.

An historic morning! At 9:45, the first commercial flight between the U.S. and Cuba takes off. Fort Lauderdale to Santa Clara. Santa Clara in central Cuba. A Jet Blue flight. The last commercial flight was 50 years ago at the time of the Cuban missile crisis.

Trump knows how to get publicity. He lets little slip through his fingers in that regard.

This afternoon, he will be in Mexico City for a meeting with the Mexican President. Tonight, Trump is in Phoenix giving his much awaited immigration speech. I am curious what this version will be.

The Mexican President is as foxy as Trump. I wonder who comes out ahead. He could make Trump look bad. Not that Trump needs help.

Hillary was in California last night at a fund raiser. At Jimmy Buffetts’ home. Hillary and the Beatles’ Paul McCartney danced.

Enjoy your day!

JIMMY BUFFETT / KENNY CHESNEY

A lot to cover this morning.

Jimmy Buffett was in Cuba during the Obama visit. There is a photo of him on the internet joking around before the baseball game. Proper that Buffett be in Cuba these recent important days. He’s Key West’s man. Got his start here. He and Key West one.

While Buffett was in Cuba, Kenny Chesney was in Key West. Saturday at Sloppy Joe’s. A free concert. Traffic gridlock. People clogging the streets who could not get in. Sound equipment set up so they could hear.

I approve of Obama’s visit to Cuba. However a sense of hypocrisy overrides the visit. Obama publicly criticized Castro for human rights violations. What about Guantanamo? Our shame, our human rights violations.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Yesterday busy busy.

Spent the afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Did the show at 9. The Maldives tale drew much interest. Most people 30 and under have been divorced three times. Not a burden, not a cross. Getting married and divorced cheap and easy.

The Maldives have the highest divorce rate in the world. Reason. Horniness. For real.

Did Happy Hour at Martin’s with June. Her friends Peggy and Wayne joined us. Great conversation. Included Catholicism as it affected all of us growing up.

Then to Aqua. Aqua Idol finals. My friend Howard Livingston judging and performing. Stopped by to say hello. He had not yet arrived.

Left June at Aqua. She wanted to see the show. I headed over to Larry and Christine’s. They were having a party. Their parties always good. Everyone there. Including my former bocce team and his. I stayed two hours and left. Had to hurry home to do Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Larry advised he went to Yankee Jack’s memorial service at the Bull and Whistle sunday. A good crowd. I don’t know how he knew. The event was not publicized in the paper. I would have gone. Loved Yankee!

Big day in American history. On this day in 1775, Patrick Henry uttered his famous words: “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”

Anna back home in Novara. She e-mailed what is happening. The Brussels bombings impacted life in the Mont Blanc area where she had been skiing over the weekend.

Mont Blanc is the highest point in Europe. Majestic. The roads do not go over Mont Blanc. Several mile long tunnels have been constructed beneath the mountain.

To get back and forth between Italy’s Courmayeur and France’ s Chamonix, a tunnel drive. Long.

Anna returned monday to Novara. Part of her trip was driving through the tunnel. Brussel’s explosions yesterday/tuesday. Anna reports authorities thought the tunnel was in danger. Italian and French military and police were all around and in the tunnel. The tunnel closed down , of course.

Immigration a problem Italy. Not so much Muslims from the Middle East. Rather, Muslims from North Africa.

Ann a wrote me of a tragedy which occurred sunday. A Romanian immigrant involved rather than one from North Africa. He tried to rob a 22 year old girl on the train connecting Novara and Milan.

A train I have taken many times. One Anna takes frequently. He hit the girl in the head with a hammer. Fractured her skull. He has been arrested for attempted murder. She operated on for a fractured skull.

The two dead Brussels terrorists must be disappointed. No 21 virgins.

Remember George Carlin. A great comedian in the 1960s and 1970s. Prone to use off color words during his shows. Carlin had a litany of seven dirty words. He described them as “filthy words.”

The words were shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits.

Mom, forgive me!

He was arrested for using them on one occasion

In 2000, a law was passed establishing the U.S. National Recording Registry. To be maintained in the Library of Congress. Today Carlin’s seven dirty words become a part of the Registry. He joins such other memorables as the song I Will Survive and Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream.

Qualification for entry to the Registry is that the recorded words must be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”

Carlin’s words acceptable on TV and in movies today. Not used often on regular TV. Used as they fit in on cable TV. Legal since 2010.

As with the Virginia Slims advertisement of many years ago, we have come a long way!

Syracuse plays Gonzaga friday in the Sweet Sixteen. Game time 9:40. Hope I can stay awake.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FRANK SINATRA…..THE EARLY YEARS

Ted Turner’s Classic Movies did several hours of Frank Sinatra yesterday starting in the very early morning. Sinatra’s early movies. From 1943-1948. Movies I had never seen. Sinatra a very young man. Thin. Emaciated a better description. Bow tie. The talent obvious. He could sing, dance and act.

Frank Sinatra made it big  when he appeared at the Paramount Theater on Broadway in 1942. I saw him.

We were visiting relatives in the Bronx. My father took me on the subway downtown. I was 7. My Dad 28. He took me to see Sinatra. Actually, I have to assume he wanted to see Sinatra. What did I know at 7!

I have a clear recollection of watching Sinatra sing. People went crazy. Especially the women. My father enjoyed himself tremendously.

Paramount…..An important moment in Sinatra history.

Hogfish last night. Again a good time!

Sat at the bar. Thought it was fisherman to my left. No, a roofer. They look alike. Tanned leathered faces from working in the glaring sun every day.

His name Dave. I enjoyed his company. He wanted me to shoot a game of pool with him. Not for money. I begged off.

On my right was a lovely young lady. She said, I know you. Turned out to be Brooke. Brooke has waitressed around town several years. Places like The Piano. Now at Hogsbreath.

Several seats away was Nancy. Met her for the first time. Told me she lived on the 7th hole. Told her I left a lot of golf balls in her yard. She did not live on the golf course. She lives on a boat called the 7th hole.

Nancy wanted to play pool with me, also. I begged off again. I watched her play. She was good!

Lenna the bartender. A very lovely young lady. They are all lovely. First time we met. Business was slow. We got to chat a bit.

Fish and chips. The hogfish delicious.

I am obviously on Medicare. Love it! God bless America! However a supplement is required. Otherwise, you get stuck for 20 percent of drug and medical bills.

My supplement plans are with United Healthcare. Both had to be renewed this month. I renew for a year and pay the full premium up front. I do so because I fear I might forget to pay a monthly premium and get stuck paying . Could be a disaster if a major medical problem strikes.

Talking with the United Healthcare people is like trying to talk with Comcast. I did the drug portion last week. Different companies so the pain of renewal had to be experienced two times.

I decided to renew the medical portion yesterday. I got smart. I called in at 7 when they start working. Got someone immediately. The person understood what I wanted to do and my method of payment. The whole thing took less than 5 minutes. The first time!

Decided to lunch out. The Cuban Coffee Queen. Too many people. Walked around the corner to DJ’s Clam Shack. Had never been there before. They advertise a Maine lobster roll. Not my day. Packed. People eating standing up.

The outside bar at Mangoes across the street was empty. I have not eaten at Mangoes in at least a dozen years. Always a good meal. I just drifted away.

I had a shrimp po boy sandwich. Wow! Delicious! Too big! I could not finish.

A Broadway musical is in the works re Jimmy Buffet. Presently in the development stage. Working towards a 2017 opening. Has to be a winner!

KONK E-Blast this morning is carrying this week’s KONK Life column. The President Could Not Spell. Also at 12:30 pm KONK News will be interviewing me re the column on radio 104.9.

Ed Swift follows me at 12:45. His topic, affordable housing. He knows everything about the problem. The community thus far has failed to listen to him. A mistake.

Dinner with Jenna tonight.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

I FELL AGAIN

I fell again. Last night. At bocce.

A step involved again.

I had just made a great bocce shot. I was excited. I turned around swiftly and stepped up out of the court. A six inch rise. Moved too fast. Did not lift my right foot enough. Stubbed my right foot on the rise/step.

Little damage. A one inch in diameter scrape. Bit of bleeding. Washed it off and someone gave me a large band aid.

Why do I mention these falls?

This blog is, amongst other things, my Life in Key West. Falling has become a part of that life.

We won all three bocce games. Wowie! Next week we play the #1 team. The best of the best! They are miles ahead of every other team in the league. Including ours. Not a negative observation. A factual one. We will be up for the match, however.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Impossible to fall on it. I am locked in from the waist down.

Then to 5 Guys for a cheeseburger. I have tried to avoid meat for a week. I had a sudden desire for beef. Enjoyed the cheeseburger!

Not many people in 5 Guys. Strange. Three when I entered at 12:30. Three more came in while I was there.

The Parrot Heads Convention this week. The Parrot Heads are holding their convention at Casa Marina. They were joined last night by Jimmy Buffett! The Parrot Heads have been Jimmy Buffett followers for 24 years.

Buffett announced he will be playing in Havana saturday night. Wonderful! An example the US/Cuba reconciliation is working.

I will be on the radio today. KONK News. 104.9. Sometime between noon and one o’clock. I will be interviewed concerning this week’s KONK Life column The Looting of Social Security.

Democrat debate tonight. Rachel Maddow the moderator. Her questions will be right on in comparison to what the Republican candidates have been subjected to.

I will be watching. Friday night home in Key West watching a political debate! Love it!

Power Boat Races start this weekend. Exciting and dangerous! US 1 will be crowded today with boats being towed in for the races.

Syracuse plays Louisville tomorrow. Louisville a two touchdown favorite. Does not bother me. I hope we win. Not important at this point in the season, however. Next year we will be much better. The following year in the mix. Syracuse is heavy with freshmen  and sophomore players. Most of whom are starting this season.

Ben Carson is starting to worry me. Joseph built the pyramids to store wheat? If so, where did all the jewelry and mummies come from that I have spent years viewing in various museums? Why does the Old Testament fail to mention Joseph’s feat? The answer simple. It did not happen as Carson portrays.

Carson wanted to or did hit his mother in the head and wanted to stab or did stab a friend in his early years. Tied in with the Joseph belief, I am beginning to question his state of mind to be President.

Enjoy your day!

 

I CHEATED!

It had to happen. Last night, I cheated. I am not happy about it this morning.

I have been dieting since mid November. At the moment, I am down 35 pounds. I have been stuck at 35 pounds for 3 weeks. Just as I was stuck for a period of time at 27 and 30 pounds.

My will power is not that strong. I need the encouragement of the scale. I need to see the pounds coming off.

I gave in. I ate! A full meal! First time in four months. Delicious!

I had not intended to give in. The thought had not entered my mind. I was not tempted. However as I sat at the outside bar at La Te Da, I suddenly said what the hell!

It was raspberry glazed duck. I ate it all! Plus the vegetables and delicious bread and butter.

A good boy I was not.

I woke in the middle of the night with a heavy feeling. In my head as well as stomach. Could not sleep. I still have that heavy feeling this morning.

I learned a lesson. When you have been avoiding food for a long time, you cannot dive in like I did.

As always, La Te Da was enjoyable. Don was with me. It was good to see my bartender friend of many years, Tonto.

Met a terrific couple. Joe and Jane. Their other home is New Jersey. They also own a home in Key West on Olivia Street. Six months here, six months there. Both retired school teachers. I enjoyed their company. Just my luck, there six months in Key West ends today. We will have to wait till November to continue the relationship.

I intended to attend the Jimmy Buffett concert at Higgs Beach. I got stuck home on a one hour plus business call. By the time I left, it was almost 7. Buffett was due to appear at 7:30. Parking would be a pain. I would have had to park too far away. A long walk to the concert and then back to the car did not turn me on. I went to Don’s Place instead.

All was not lost, however! The concert has been recorded for replay on margaritaville.com. It will air at specified times over the next few days. If you too missed Buffett, take advantage of the recording and watch the concert at your convenience starting today.

It was Don, David, Toni and John at Don’s Place. Don, David and I got involved in a long bocce discussion. How long can we keep playing as we have this season? We are 17-4.

Don always wants to change things. He likes to move players around. I told him to leave well enough alone. It ain’t broke. Don’t fix it.

We play again tonight.

Saw Dr. Jackie Lefferts in the morning. My body still aching from the falls I took. My left hip and butt are a  dark purple inside a black ring. The bruising is bad because I am on  a blood thinner. My ribs had started hurting. The reason for the visit. She does not think I broke one. I was sent for an x-ray and will receive the results today.

We talked about my frequent falling recently. She thinks I have a balance problem. I don’tknow. I am being scheduled for balance exercises at the physiotherapist’s.

Getting old is fun!

Enjoy your day! Don’t fall!

APRIL FOOLS’ DAY NO MORE

One of the finest April Fools’ Day pranks was that once done annually  by the Key West Citizen. The front page of the Citizen on April Fools’ Day was a total joke. A phony. Pure fabrication. Seriously represented, however.

Close to 20 years ago, the front page major article concerned itself with smoking in public places. Understand that back then, smoking was merely considered a problem. The dramatic inroads accomplished since re banning smoking had not yet occurred.

The article said the Key West City Commission in a meeting the evening before had prohibited smoking in all public places. Such included restaurants, bars, on the streets, and on the beaches.

I recall exclaiming to my then wife that the City Commission had no right to do what they did! Outrageous! Against the law! My wife pointed out that it was April Fools’ Day.

The Citizen had gotcha’d me!

Unfortunately, the Citizen no longer publishes such a front page.

April Fools’ Day is celebrated in most countries. The day’s origins uncertain. Some claim first mention of the day occurred in 1392 in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Many disagree.

Another favored source goes way back to the ancient cultures of the Romans and Hindus. Partiers. Tricks were played and people were sent off on fools’ errands.

Pope Gregory XIII comes into the picture. New Year’s Day was then celebrated around April 1. The Pope changed the calendar and moved it to January 1. The day may have changed, the partying had not. April 1 continued to be celebrated as a fun and frolic day.

Big night in Key West! Jimmy Buffett returns! He is performing 7:30 at San Carlos. There will also be a free performance on a huge screen on Higgs Beach. Shown live simultaneous with the San Carlos event.

Higgs Beach will be big time crowded! An event!

I plan on attending.

I enjoy sharing Truman stories with you. Key West was Truman’s favorite place. Unquestionably. He made 11 trips here which totaled 175 days.

On this day in 1950, the President’s wife Bess and daughter Margaret arrived to join him at the Little White House.

Surprising Mrs. Truman showed up. She disliked Washington and apparently anything that had to do with politics. She spent most of her time back in Independence, Missouri.

Truman was often left alone at times when he could have used the comfort of his wife. History does not attribute this situation to any improper liason by either. Truman was deeply in love with his wife. Wrote her almost daily letters. Mrs. Truman did not enjoy the Washington scene.

I spent my yesterday fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. The show went well. My purpose was to share some things kept from the American public. I assume intentionally.

My tuesday’s are always the same. I work on the show by day. Do the show in the evening. Cook dinner for myself in between. I rarely leave the house on a tuesday. My dinner last night was not spectacular. I had a craving for oatmeal. It was oatmeal and a banana.

Enjoy your day!

JIMMY BUFFETT RETURNS

I begin with good news and bad news.

The good news concerns Jimmy Buffett. He returns to Key West wednesday evening. He will appear at the San Carlos. The place is booked solid. No room at the inn.

Being Jimmy Buffett, he once again went a step further. He has financed the placement of a big screen on Higgs Beach wednesday night. His concert from San Carlos will be aired live on the beach screen. Free!

The beach will definitely be overloaded.

Buffett’s concert is at 7:30. His daughter is starting the Higgs Beach event at 4:30. A mini Woodstock in the making.

The bad news. The Key West City Commission has under consideration paying retired police and firemen a 13th monthly check. The union has asked for the generosity advising that the pensions of many are under the poverty level. Many are struggling on fixed incomes and most do not have health care.

My response is simple. A big NO!

There are many in Key West living on fixed incomes and do not have health plans. What of them?

The union has a hell of a nerve asking for the extra check. Why didn’t they negotiate more money and a health care plan back when?

Social Security is the sole income for many seniors. Monthly check payments for most are definitely below the poverty level. Will they get a 13th monthly check?

The problem police and fire retirees are experiencing is the same many others are in the United States. Retirees from other occupations included. It is part of the times we live in. Unless part of the 1 percent, we are all in bed together.

It is reported the City Commission is wary of the request and has tabled it for a vote. I am wary of the City Commission. They blow taxpayer dollars on a consistent basis. They spend money like they are the Koch Brothers. The difference being that with the Koch Brothers the money is theirs. With the City Commission, it is not. They are taxpayer dollars as opposed to personal monies.

Pru Sowers has written an excellent article on the request for a 13th monthly payment to police and fire retirees. The article is pure factual reporting. It appears in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast.

Vehicle traffic is unquestionably a Key West problem. Especially during tourist season. Too many cars for too few and too narrow streets.

Today’s Key West Citizen’s Citizens’ Voice suggests a solution. Limit the number of cars permitted in certain areas of Key West.

Paris began such a system this past week. They have devised a plan used once before. It worked then and is expected to work now. It will cut the number of cars coming into Paris center by 50 percent.

The Paris problem is different from Key West’s. The solution perhaps the same. Paris has an extreme pollution problem. It is now said that Paris is the worst city in the world for air pollution. So bad, that on mist days smog completely envelops the city. The Eiffel Tower cannot be seen.

The Key West City Commission should study the Paris solution. Of course, they probably will only do so after spending $200,000 on a study. And then, they will neither use the study nor provide any solution to the traffic problem.

I spent yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Things We Should Know. Very interesting! An eye opener in many instances. The article publishes wednesday.

Enjoy your day!

SICK!

What word best describes what occurred yesterday to the Jordanian pilot? Sick? Perverse? Horrific? Gruesome? Disgusting? Probably all.

I watched the video last night. It appears I have lived a sheltered life. Never have I seen such horror! Burning a man alive! His screams could be heard. At one point, the skin falling from his face could be seen.

ISIS are not only a bad people, they are crazy! They are vermin that must be sought out and destroyed. No matter how difficult the task.

I admire Jordan’s swift retaliation. Two ISIS prisoners hung at dawn. The way to do it. No time wasted. Let the bad guys know there is a price to pay.

I was impressed with the speed of the Jordanian retaliation. If it were the United States, we would still be talking how, when, etc.

Exercise was on tap yesterday. I walked Duval from one end to the other. Started at the Pier House and walked to the Atlantic. Then back.

My blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. The topics eye opening and exciting.

Based on post show comments, the one garnering the most interest was Venezuela’s Maduro claiming that Joe Biden was planning a bloody coup against Maduro’s government. Maduro was so upset that he was going to tell Obama about it, who he felt had not been made aware of Biden’s plans.

The guy is a nut case!

I missed the first 12 minutes of the Syracuse/Virginia Tech game because of the show. What I saw was interesting. About three quarters through the second half, Syracuse was losing. Syracuse was behind 13 points with 6 minutes to go. Syracuse won 72-70.

Syracuse’s defense was outstanding in the final four minutes. Six times Syracuse trapped the ball. Those defensive plays were exciting!

Then followed with the winning shot with one second to go!

The last four minutes classic basketball!

A statement on the internet caught my attention yesterday. I do not recall specifically where I found it. Perhaps, Facebook.

The statement…..Only in America do we accept predictions from a rodent but deny climate change evidence from scientists.

The rodent referred to was a groundhog. Groundhog Day was this past week.

Jimmy Buffett is returning to Key West for a one night show. He is doing a free concert for 200 at the San Carlos on April 1. The whole world will want to attend. Tickets will be made available free via a lottery.

My column in this week’s KONK Life is Greece In The Driver’s Seat. It publishes today. Read it, if you have a chance. The column will be available via my Facebook page keywestlou.com starting tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!