BABY BETTER

William Hackley reports in his 1855 diary entry of this date that Baby is well. I am thrilled. Wonder how? Yesterday little sustenance. Baby was in trouble. Another question: What is Baby’s name? Hackley keeps referring to the child as Baby.

Lets stay with health for the moment. The war is ongoing between the corporation that owns The Lower Keys Medical Center and Key West citizenry. Nicki Will was CEO of the hospital. She resigned yesterday. I am sure because of the notoriety/conflict. What next?

The third round of the British Open has killed me. My eyes are slits as I type. I got screwed up somehow.

I thought the third round would begin 1;30 this morning. I stayed awake for it. At 1:30, there was a flash it would be 2:00. I continued to remain awake. What I got was an old Barbasol tournament. Not even first class golfers.

Saw another flash on the screen…..4.

I continued to stay awake. Watched old movies on TV.

Four came and so did a rerun of the second round. Not the fresh third one.

I said screw it and went to sleep. Woke at 6.

I sit here writing extremely tired. Guess what is on TV at the moment. The third round of the British Open. It is 10 am. Been running for an hour.

I got the hours wrong. The change in time.

It is going to be a terrific day! I am bushed already.

Yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Speed still good. Time up by 2 minutes. Two minutes beyond what I used to do. Fantastic! The gravity level remains at 50 percent. Perhaps by the end of this coming week, I will be back to normal re the gravity level.

Lunch as usual at the Cuban Coffee Queen.

Then to Tammy for a manicure.

Tammy is a lovely Asian. Beautiful. Tiny and thin. Generally wears her black hair long and straight. Yesterday, rolled on top of her head in a ball.

Haircut? No, too hot.

I soon understood what she meant by too hot. The air conditioner was on the blink. Second day in a row. They are waiting a new unit to be delivered from Miami.

It was a lousy day to get a manicure. My shirt was soaked a half hour later when Tammy was done.

I thought of women who shower and get dressed for a date. Then stop to get their nails done before meeting the date. They were going to be mad! Another shower would be required before meeting their dates.

I had a good time last night. At the Chart Room. Met up with Frances and Chris Clark. By prearrangement. Frances has had four books published. Her latest titled Frances Watson Clark: Key West. A photographic  history of Key West.

Well done. Buy it. Amazon.com.

Their daughter Katherine was with them. An adult. A professional photographer. Her forte sensitivity. Reflected in her work.

Katherine presently engaged in taking photos of breast cancer victims. Before, during and after surgery. With taste. To show the strength, resourcefulness, etc. of the women involved.

Katherine’s girl friend Melissa was with them. Melissa a photographer, also. She is a sports photographer with the Caroline Panthers. Sounds good.

I forgot Chris. Husbands/fathers always seem to come last. Chris is a retired banker.

The family is from Georgia. Still have a home in Georgia. Also a home in Key West. On Eaton Street.

We plan on having dinner together soon.

A Venezuela update. Two days ago, I reported Venezuelans were out of food. Were eating their pets. Dogs and cats. Sad.

Nicolas Maduro is a poor President. Inept. As I have been saying for three years, the people should revolt. They first ran out of toilet paper. Three years later, still out of toilet paper. Now, food.

Maduro announced yesterday that he was appointing an Army general to be in charge of a new food supply system. Every federal agency is now run by a general.

Last year, Maduro announced a new federal department. Cabinet level. A Director of Happiness, or something like that. Everyone was going to be kumbaya! Did not work. You cannot tell people they are happy if they are not. If they are hungry and cannot wipe their asses.

I question a bit what I have been reading and reporting re the hunger situation. The Wall Street Journal ran a good sized photo yesterday of  Venezuelans crossing a bridge that was the border between Venezuela and Columbia. The border had been opened for 12 hours to permit Venezuelans to cross over into Columbia to buy groceries.

The adults and children looked healthy. Especially the adults. Most, overweight.

Zika. Mosquito bite the cause. Florida Keys concerned. I sometimes think we are the home from whence mosquitoes emanate.

No Zika cases in our area however.

A case in another part of the country was reported yesterday. A first time situation. A woman gave Zika to a male via sex. Supposedly not common.

Enjoy your day!

 

RUM CAKE

Last night pleasant. Made new friends and saw old friends at Tavern ‘n Town.

Allen and Mel. Sitting to my right. Live on Cudjoe Key. Interesting backgrounds. Allen retired from the U.S. Navy. Mel the rum cake lady.

Mel owns and operates a business that makes rum cakes. Flavors galore. The Conch Republic Rum Cake Company.

I could tell from Mel’s comments that her rum cakes are popular. I am ashamed to say I never have tried one.

One of the places where sold is the Farmers Market at Bayview Park. Thursdays at noon. I am a frequent visitor. To buy Greek bread and honey. I ignore the other tents. No more. Next thursday, I will be at Farmers Market searching for Mel. I am anxious to taste her rum cakes.

Seated to my left, another great couple. Marybeth and Jose. Visitors from Port Lee, NJ. On second thought, more than visitors. Snowbirds a more apt description.

Marybeth and Jose were married in Key West 15 years ago, Have returned many times since. They were married at the Hemingway House. Recalled the officiate who married them. Linda Mendez.

Marybeth is self-employed. As a retail and marketing consultant. She gave me some tips re further blog exposure. Jose is engaged by a clinical laboratory.

We are having dinner together tomorrow night.

Ran into two old friends. Melissa and Madeline. Hugs and kisses. Melissa is the Executive Director of the Mel Fisher Museum. Madeline the former Executive Director. Both ladies have provided superior leadership to the Museum.

Three weeks ago, my KONK Life column was Afghanistan and America’s Heroin Addiction. I feel like a voice in the wilderness finally heard. One of my complaints was the U.S. government and media’s failure to pay attention to the country’s worst drug addiction problem ever.

Congress finally came out with a bill  to address the problem last week. More than heroin. A multitude of drug problems. It is expected Obama will sign the bill when it reaches him.

The bill as proposed sucks. It does not go far enough. Not even close. Instead of eradicating the problem at its source, it band aids it here at home. The story line the same as our lack of success with the marijuana and cocaine problems over the years.

Ergo, my column this week will involve the failure of the government to properly address the heroin problem. My comments will be right on.

I spent yesterday afternoon completing the research. I will write the column this afternoon. It hits the stands wednesday.

I read an informative yet depressing article in yesterday’s
Wall Street Journal concerning art. My favorite works are by the impressionists and modern artists.

The major auction houses had sales this past week. Paintings by relatively unknown artists drew the biggest bucks. Art lovers gambling for bigger bucks in the future.

There was significantly less interest in impressionistic and modern works. The sales figures in those two areas were described as “…..limp to lackluster.”

Today a big day in grandson Robert’s life. He is 11 years old. Happy birthday Robert! Poppa loves you.

We do the cake and happy birthday singing following dinner tonight.

Enjoy your Sunday!