TUNA PARTY NEVER WAS

The big tuna party yesterday at Kevin and Holly’s never was. I rushed to get ready, pick up Terri and get to their home on time. Terri and I were the first ones there. No one else yet. Holly by the pool. Kevin sleeping.

Strange.

The party had been cancelled. The cancellation was texted and e-mailed to me. I had not look at my messages all afternoon.

Kevin got out of bed and entertained us. We stayed 15 minutes and left for Dueling Bartenders. No sense in wasting an evening.

Took a while to get to Aqua. My car would not start. It goes into the garage as soon as I finish this blog.

Before leaving to pick up Terri for the party that never was, I received a call from Jean Thornton in Birmingham. My savior! I had spent 12 days at her home in Birmingham during Irma last year.

Nostalgia had set in. Yesterday being the one year anniversary of Irma. We reminisced about the occasion. Memorable for those of us who had escaped Irma.

A good crowd at Aqua for Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Rick Dery their usual outstanding selves. Terri was sitting next to me. I had a great seat. Terri sang every song along with Tom and Rick.

Donna arrived from work. I stayed a bit longer and left. It was off to Blue Macaw for me. Joe and Andrea at the bar. Mary showed up.

I met two interesting ladies who were seated next to me. Stephanie and Angie. One lovelier than the other.

Stephanie has lived in Key West 20 years. She has worked 17 1/2 of those years at Hogsbreath…..Ain’t no breath like Hog’s breath!

We had never met.

She knows George. A fellow bartender. Lisa’s friend who became my friend.

Stephanie lives upstairs in the building backing Blue Macaw. On Whitehead. Convenient. Must be pleasurable, also. I often look up at the large porch surrounding the building and think how nice. I am a devoted porch sitter.

Angie owns Crystals and Coconuts. A store on Whitehead across the street from Blue Macaw. Her store specializes in primitive handmade gemstone and crystal jewelry, hand painted coconuts, and tropical treasures.

I must stop in.

Florence continues its march to land. The Carolinas and Virginia in danger. More than one million persons have been told to evacuate. Florence is expected to hit as a category 4. Maybe even a 5.

Dangerous!

Irma has made me and other Key Westers sensitive to and uncomfortable when it comes to hurricanes.

Today a significant one in American history. 9/11! The day planes took down the Twin Towers in New York City, hit the Pentagon, and crashed into a Pennsylvania field. Close to 3,000 killed. Many first responders suffering cancer and other related problems from working at the New York site.

Attacks on American soil have been few. The Revolution and War of 1812. 9/11. All by foreigners who came to the U.S. to perpetrate their evil.

The next attack will not be by foreigners coming upon American soil. Modern warfare makes it unnecessary. North Korea has missiles with nuclear warheads capable of reaching our shores. China can hit the U.S. from any of the islands recently constructed in Asian waters and from its newly constructed missile naval vessels. Even Russia has updated. Its new submarine fleet can hit anywhere in the U.S. with missiles fired from them.

There are two new type wars. Each making missiles, nuclear weapons, etc. unnecessary.

One is cyber war. Screw up our computer systems. The other economic warfare. Break the back of a nation’s economy.

A lot on the U.S.’s plate for our leaders to handle. Hope they are paying proper attention.

In the past few days, the Key West Citizen has either completely left out or shortened the Citizens’ Voice. Why? It is the most important part of Key West’s local newspaper. A place where people can vent. Many times corrections to problems have resulted because of a complaint read in the column.

Tonight, tonight…..My podcast show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A fast moving interesting half hour. Tune in and listen to me rant and rave about the good and bad going on in our world. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

JIMMY BUFFETT…..JAMAICA MISTAICA

I continue to live and learn.

Chart Room good fun last night.

John mentioned he would be gone for 2 weeks. Vacation. Jamaica.

I am still reading Peter Schweizer’s Secret Empires. Came across a line yesterday that stated Jamaica was corrupt. Time frame maybe 10 years ago. Suggested John beware.

Kevin and Holly were chatting with us. Kevin and John both stated Jamaica was corrupt. As are many of the smaller islands. They then told me the Jimmy Buffett story and his plane having been shot at in Jamaica because the gendarmes thought it belonged to drug smugglers.

First time I was hearing the story.

It was January 16, 1996. Twenty two years ago. Buffett had his own plane. A Grumman HU-16 Albatross flying boat. Buffett named it Hemisphere Dancer.

Buffett has a commercial pilot license. He was flying the plane that day. On board were U2’s Bono, his wife Ali, their 2 children, and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell.

Buffett was either landing near Negril or taking off. No formal record of the flight nor landing registered. They had stopped or were stopping to enjoy the “best” jerky chicken in Jamaica.

Jamaican authorities suspecting drug smuggling began shooting. The plane took several hits. Fortunately, no one injured.

Jamaica apologized several weeks later.

Buffett wrote a song about the incident titled Jamaica Mistaica. A stanza: “Come back, come back to Jamaica / Don’t chu know we made a big mistake / We’d be so sad if you told us good-bye / And we promise not to shot you out of the sky.”

More dialogue at the Chart Room.

Kevin and I were at it re the Democrats and Republicans. He a die hard Trump fan. Fortunately, we are friends. Even when our voices raise on high. However, we both think the other does not know what he is talking about.

John said he had a ton of fresh tuna. A customer had given it to him. Cleaned. John had frozen it.

Let’s have a party!

Monday at 4.

Kevin and John asked me to bring along Donna and Terri. Ran into them later at Blue Macaw and they were excited. Except, Donna cannot make it. She will be working. Terri becomes my date.

Enjoyed a drink with Donna and Terri at Blue Macaw. Terri was in a bad way. Extremely sorrowful. Down in the dumps. Donna, likewise.

Terri had starred in Nunsense 1 and 2 with Rue McClanahan. Most of you will remember Rue as Blanche Devereaux on the The Golden Girls. The TV show that ran 1985-1982.

Rue died in 2010. However, a British Company is doing a series about her. Terri was interviewed by a British representative of the company long distance yesterday for 2 hours. About her relationship personally and professionally with Rue.

The interview weighed heavily on both my ladies last night.

Syracuse football back! Play Wagner this afternoon. A small college. Syracuse a 25 point favorite. Hope I can get the game on TV. I subscribe to the college game channels. Unfortunately, they do not carry all of them.

Tonight another dinner party. At Joe and Andrea’s. Donna and Terri invited also. Afterwards to Blue Macaw where Terri will be singing with Larry Baeder.

Hurricane Florence. She’s coming! So say the weather people. Still far off. If it hits landfall in the U.S., it will be sometime mid week.

Florence has diminished in strength from a category 4 to a tropical storm. Professionals say it was expected. However at some point, Florence will increase in intensity and return to hurricane status.

Landfall somewhere along the North American shore. Governor Cooper of North Carolina has already declared a state of emergency. He’s not screwing around.

Florence may decide not to make land. The alternative is a hard right turn into the Atlantic. Too soon to tell.

I watched Obama’s speech yesterday afternoon. Simply stated…..Vote! God helps those who help themselves.

A step back in history. On this day in 1974, President Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. Ford claimed his motivation was to end the national divisions created by the Watergate scandal. The Nation had to be reunited.

Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed or participated in while in office.

I agreed with Ford then. I continue to agree with him.

Unfortunately, not everyone felt as I did. Many harbored ill will towards Ford because of the pardon. It cost him the election when he ran.

Enjoy your day!

 

HERO HONORED

John McCain’s church service yesterday emotional and uplifting. Befitting an American hero.

His daughter Meghan’s eulogy heart wrenching. Everyone had to shed a tear. Actually, tears.

Meghan a tough woman. I have watched her on View a few times. She stands her ground. She rebuked Trump as only an angered daughter could: “The America of John McCain does not need to be made great again, because America was always great.”

Julia Child cooked last night! Actually, Donna. The Julia Child of Key West.

I enjoyed dinner at Donna and Terri’s. A small dinner party. Joe and Andrea partaking, also.

Good food, good people, good conversation.

Bear appears mended. He was his usual self.

Afterwards, we went across the street to Macaws. Terri was entertaining with Larry Baeder. Her singing magnificent. Blindness has not impaired her voice or delivery.

Terri sings this morning again. At Hard Rock Cafe’s brunch from 10-12.

Three significant historical events occurred this day, though in different years.

The one closest to Key West if Diana Nyad’s dangerous swim from Havana to Key West in 2013. In jellyfish and shark infested waters. Without a shark cage. Diane 64 years old at the time.

She landed on Smathers Beach. The trip took 53 hours. Record time.

On this day in 1969, the first ATM was made available in Rockville Center, New York. We have become accustomed to ATM machines. Quick cash.

The experience will end in the next few years. We are moving toward a cashless society. Everyone will have a card. Something like a credit card. The card will tie directly into a person’s bank account. All transactions will be per the card.

Of special historical significance is this day in 1945. Japan formally surrendered ending World War II. The surrender ceremony took place on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

This week is the heart of hurricane season. So far, so good. The weather is changing a bit. The temperature has dropped from 95 degrees to the high 80’s. Humidity less.

Not sure it will remain so. September is generally considered the hottest and most humid month.

I am disappointed. I receive my Key West Citizen via the internet. No Key West Citizen this morning. Wonder if it has anything to do with the reported sale of the Citizen to the Adams Publishing Group. The sale has not been formally reported yet.

Whatever, enjoy your Sunday!