A SUGARLOAF EVENING

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Sugarloaf is 15 miles up US 1. One of the prettiest residential keys. Lovely homes.

I enjoyed a Sugarloaf evening last night.

June has owned or rented a home in Sugarloaf for more than a quarter century. She invited me to join her for a Sugarloaf experience last night.

First stop was a visit with Ineke and Fritz. Originally from the Netherlands, they have been U.S. citizens for many years. They enjoy two homes. A yearly residence in Connecticut, a winter home in Sugarloaf.

Fritz is a retired airline pilot. Ineke paints. Her works sell. Their Sugarloaf home walls covered with her paintings. All fantastic! Especially the abstracts. Their home lovely.

After an hour of pleasant conversation, we all moved on to Peggy and Wayne’s for dinner. Neva and Jerry joined us.

Another lovely Sugarloaf home. Sugarloaf has its own distinctive flavor. The homes reflect that distinction.

This was my third time with Peggy and Wayne. A fun couple.

A first time meet for me with Neva and Jerry. They stood out. Radiantly. They met eight weeks ago and fell in love. That quickly. It was obvious. God was good.

It was an evening of good company, drink and food. Accompanied by non-stop laughter.

I spent a good part of yesterday morning into the early afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. When Education Fails, A Nation Fails. Title says it all.

Our educational system has been on a downward spiral for years. Other industrialized nations have moved ahead of us. My recollection is that the U.S. is #29 among the 66 industrialized nations. A sure bet for more nations to move ahead of us economically and socially over the next 20 years.

The Blue Angels were performing again yesterday at Boca Chica. I did not have to go to the airfield to see them. My bedroom terrace was sufficient. Every time I heard the roar approaching, I ran out.

Outstanding! Beyond outstanding!

A couple of years ago, I came across an article suggesting that Lincoln had a dream that he had been assassinated ten days before he actually was. I doubted the validity of the story. Let it pass without comment.

I have come across the same story twice the past few days. I did a little digging. It seems the story has legs. It is for real.

Lincoln’s dream involved a group of subdued mourners around a casket in the White House’s East Room. Lincoln asked a guard who had died. The response, the President who was killed by an assassin.

Lincoln was bothered by the dream. He mentioned it to a close friend whose name escapes me.

The dream occurred on this day in 1865.

The world gets crazier by the moment. New York City is apparently having a problem with taxi and hired car drivers. Passengers being subjected to sexual comments and acts.

The City is working on a proposal banning the drivers from flirting with passengers or ejaculating on them. Ejaculating? Yes, it has become a problem.

Key West is one human family. Homosexuals and straights live side by side. Work and socialize together. Sexual preference not an issue.

Not so everywhere.

Saudi Arabia a problem place. The same Saudis who claim to be our friends. Those thought to have helped finance 9/11. Seventeen of the 21 persons involved in 9/11 were citizens of Saudi Arabia. Less I forget, the same Saudi Arabia that gave us $4 a gallon gasoline.

Criminal prosecutors in Saudi Arabia are recommending an extreme sentence for those engaging in homosexual acts. The death penalty.

The Saudis blame Facebook and the social media for creating the homosexual problem. They actually believe Facebook and social media are turning people gay.

Enjoy your day!

$13

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There is an old proverb…..For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. Followed by the horse, rider, battle and Kingdom being lost.

Yesterday, for want of a $13 payment, my blog was lost.

The blog never appeared.

Last week, one of my credit cards was fraudulently used. The Fraud Bureau picked it up and cancelled the card. I have been using a temp since then awaiting my new card from the bank.

The card cancelled was the one I have used for years to pay a monthly $13 fee to GoDaddy. GoDaddy had the card number and took $13 out of the account each month.

GoDaddy is a domain builder, domain registrar, etc. I am not exactly sure what GoDaddy does. However, it is the beginning of this blog and the foundation/platform for everywhere the blog goes, how it gets there, etc.

GoDaddy shut my blog down because my card was no longer good. All for $13. Therein lies the reason no blog yesterday.

An entity and person died this past weekend. Both renown. Syracuse University and Tom Oosterhoudt.

Syracuse made the Final Four. Lost to North Carolina last night. Beat badly. I am not destroyed. Syracuse overachieved in the tournament. Boeheim and the team outdid themselves.

Whatever abilities carried Syracuse to this point in the tournament were absent last night. The pre tournament Syracuse team was on the floor.

Such is life. Again, I compliment the team and coach for having made it as far they did. Made an otherwise poor season a great season!

Tom Oosterhoudt a Key West icon and legend. Died early friday morning in a Miami hospital at age 65.

Tom a former City Commissioner and presently editor/publisher of Conch Color. Tom started Conch Color 11 years ago. He and his mother Mary Ann Worth own Casa Antigua on Simonton.

The Casa Antigua carries with it a piece of Key West history that Tom was proud of. Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway came to Key West by ship from Paris in 1928. The Casa Antigua then known as the Trev-Mor Hotel. Where Pelican Poop was located for years was the Trev-Mor Ford dealership. Hemingway had ordered a Ford to drive north from Key West.

The Ford had not arrived. Hemingway and his then wife were put up by the Trev-Mor people at the Trev-Mor Hotel. Two weeks later, the car arrived. By that time, Hemingway was sold on Key West. He did not leave till years later. He spent the next two years living at the Trev-Mor Hotel. Then bought his famous home on Whitehead Street.

While living at the Trev-Mor those two years, Hemingway finished A Farewell to Arms.

 

Last night was Tavern ‘n Town early with June. Had to be home before 9 to watch the Syracuse game. Bobby Nesbitt entertaining. Ran into Harrell Odom and Barry Cook from Nashville. Snowbirds. Harrell a heart doctor. I met Harrell several years ago at a dinner party at Donna Barnett’s.

Research complete for this week’s KONK Life column. Writing the column next. Will do it this afternoon. Not sure of the title yet. The column has to do with he failure of America’s educational system. Education being something more of us should pay attention to rather than merely giving lip service.

Temperature 88 yesterday. A one day cold spell upon us. High today only 78. I hope you find amusing my representation re the drop in temperature.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

10,000 AT KEY WEST CEMETERY

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It’s nice to be up and running!

Many of the sailors who died on the Battleship Maine are buried in the Key West Cemetery. On this day in 1900, a monument was dedicated in their honor at the Cemetery.

Ten thousand attended. An amazing number. Many had to be visitors from outside the Keys. Ten thousand a big number for Key West at that time.

I make mention of the 10,000 number to reflect the impact the sinking of the Maine had on the Nation.

Lunched at Mangrove Mama’s yesterday with June. Love the place! Enjoyed a lobster reuben sandwich again.

Spent the afternoon researching topics for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. One of the topics involves Trump. I hate bringing him up. My comments will be short and to the point. The man is dangerous!

Other topics include what the Presidential candidates are not talking about, ISIS and birth control, a California effort to help the drought problem, Count Victor Lustig selling the Eiffel Tower twice, Perry Como and the first gold record ever, and more.

The show is at 9 my time. A half hour of interesting and revealing facts. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Last night Tavern ‘n Town. Finally got a seat at the bar.

I enjoyed myself. An exceptional evening. Terrific people to chat with.

My evening began with Ed Toppino. A local. His grandfather built US 1.

Ed left and Jimmy took his place. First time meeting Jimmy. He owns and operates Jimmy’s Ocean Blue. A tiki hut behind the Hyatt timeshare near the end of US 1 on the backside of Tavern ‘n Town. Look for the beach house and there will be Jimmy’s. I intend to stop by soon for lunch.

Jimmy left to be replaced by three ladies. Interesting women. One vacationing for a month. The other two for shorter periods.

My evening was full. I was at the bar longer than normal.

I lost my eye glasses. Somewhere. Tavern ‘n Town to my home. Not in my house. Have searched home and car thoroughly. Called Marriott. They do not have them. My only hope is the bartender is holding them for me.

Fortunately, I have another pair so I can see.

If I fail to find the glasses, it will be a major calamity. I have had the frames for 30 years. Round horn rims. Merely replaced the lenses each time there was a new prescription.

GMO mosquitoes a problem for the Keys again. Especially my island, Key Haven.

The FDA approved their use. The FDA confirmed: “…..no significant threat to environment.” Confirmed and significant key words. I do not know what either means. Significant does not preclude something bad happening.

My other concern is that the GMO mosquitoes are relatively untested. Thus far, in a few places. One is a northern portion of Brazil. Since last October, 4,000 babies have been born with small heads and brains. For real. Tests being conducted to see if the GMO mosquitoes being tested responsible. The head/brain problem is mosquito caused.

A British company Oxitec manufactures and sells the GMO mosquitoes.

Our local Mosquito Board is hot to test Oxtec GMOs here. I think they are nuts. Jumping to soon for a new product. Forcing Key West citizens to be guinea pigs.

The purpose of the GMO mosquitoes is to help prevent Zika. A mosquito caused illness which could result in mental retardation and/or death.

There have been no reported cases of Zika in Key West, Key Haven, and the lower Florida Keys.

I screwed up yesterday re Syracuse and the NCAA tournament. I reported Syracuse failed to make the big tournament and was relegated to the NIT.

Syracuse did make the big show. It is a #10 seed and will play E#7 Dayton friday.

How did this happen?

I was dozing as the standings were announced. Half awake, my recollection is I did not hear Syracuse being selected. Slipped into sleep again. When I woke, four teams were on the screen. One, Syracuse. The announcer was talking about the teams on the bubble that did not make it. I erroneously assumed Syracuse was one of the teams he was talking about. I went back to sleep.

Sorry for the bad info.

Today is the Ides of March. The day of Caesar’s assassination. His closest friend Brutus was one of those participating. He stuck his knife into Caesar with others. “…..et te, Brute.”

An interesting lesson to be learned. Those closest to you can hurt you.

Primary Day in Florida. Vote!

I believe Trump has a lock on Florida. Bad. My other concern involves a local issue. The City of Key West wants to buy Peary Court for $55 million. Those who own it purchased the property last year for $35 million. A $20 million profit in one year. Not bad!

It is up to the people. It is on the ballot. Interestingly, there are a number who support the purchase. I find it hard to understand.

Enjoy your day!