BUSY…..BOOK SIGNING AND PODCAST

Yesterday, busy. Today, busy. Adrenalin flowing. Ready to go.

Today, the Irma and Me Book Signing. Tonight, my podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Both required preparation. Especially the podcast.

Yesterday was get ready time. Began at 5:30 am.

Got an early start on the day’s blog.

Then an hour getting things ready for today’s book signing. Finding a bag to carry the books, a box to hold cash, a bank run for a roll of nickels and different cash bills, prepare tonight’s Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou show, and I don’t recall what else.

Finished all by 4. I was ready. Almost, still needed today’s blog which I am doing at the moment.

Out for the evening. Needed a drink. Enjoyed one at Catherine’s when I picked her up. Felt better.

First stop was Aqua’s for Dueling Bartenders. Terri performing. Would not have missed it.

Bear greeted me. Getting bigger. He was with George and Art.

Lynda and Bob Frechette at the bar. I went over leaving Catherine at the other bar. Who are you with, Lynda asked. I could not remember Catherine’s name. I was doing good.

Lynda and Bob will be at the book signing.

Dinner afterwards at Antonia’s bar. Nicole bartending. She made my day. Not only is she stopping by the book signing, she has already ordered the book via Amazon.

Finished the evening early. I was tired. Dropped Catherine off and went directly home intending to hop in bed. Changed my mind. Instead prepared notes for the blog I am presently writing.

I received a call from Jean Thornton during the day. She called to wish me well at the book signing.

Jean is an integral part of Irma and Me. It was at her and Joe’s home in Birmingham where I stayed for 12 days having escaped Irma. Louis, six other humans, and three dogs.

The book signing will be sort of a reunion. Five of the others have e-mailed and told me they will be there. The sixth, McKee, also e-mailed. He will not. He is on a cruise somewhere.

Neither will Jean and Joe. They leave from Birmingham today for a one month European cruise. Sounds exciting. Fly to Barcelona and get on a ship. Their home for the next 30 days. Primarily Scandinavian countries. Twenty different ports.

The Irma and Me book signing noon to 3 at Andrews Inn. Located at Zero Whalton Lane. A street running perpendicular to Duval between Truman and Olivia. Across from Viva Cafe.

Tonight at 9 my podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. All done and ready to go. Some interesting topics. Only two involving Trump. I try to get away from Trump in my talks. We get too much of him otherwise every day.

Topics include visits to a few old time Key West bordellos, a discussion concerning Florida beaches which are no longer public, a transgender vote by the people rather than elected officials in Anchorage, the caravan, Syria, and more.

A fast moving half hour. Interesting. Sometimes provocative. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

My blog for today done! And it is only 8 am rather than 11 am. Last night’s prep helped. I have nothing to do till 11 when  I leave for the book signing.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

23 POUNDS!!!

I had a routine check up appointment with Dr. Mc Ivor yesterday. My heart doctor.

I knew he would be thrilled with my 19 pound weight loss. On his scale, it read 23. Wow!

Blood pressure excellent, too.

What a good boy was I!

I am going to stick with my scale’s readings for the time being. My nature, way of doing things.

Matters even better this morning. I had been stuck at 19 for 10 days. This morning, 20!

Another 20 to go!

Mary Lou Hoover a special lady. Helpful in many ways. She is running for Commissioner. I am supporting her. I told her she was crazy to run. She said she had to. Thought she could make a difference.

That’s Mary Lou.

Mary Lou’s campaign kickoff party began at 5 yesterday at Salute’s. One hundred thirty people plus or minus. Everyone having a good time. The beach, sunshine, good food, good drink, and good company.

Served as an opportunity also for me to visit with people I had not seen in a while.

Later, I was having dinner at Antonia’s at the bar. Mary Lou and husband Charlie showed up. They sat with me. We enjoyed dinner together. Talked politics, of course. It is on her mind.

Where ever we look, we see young children with touch phones and tablets. The kids all proficient in their use.

An unhealthy situation has developed as a result. Their grip is affected. Finger muscle development. Many cannot hold a pencil by the time they reach school age. Their fingers lack fundamental movement skills.

Pediatricians are also concerned with brain activity. Hand strength and mobile skills are involved with brain building. A right brain, left brain thing. Lack of mobile finger skills causes a failure in transition from right brain learning to left brain learning. The pediatricians claim children become more emotional than logical as a result as they get older.

Too much touch screen and touch tablet use can also result in the need for detoxification. The child having become over stimulated.

Trump time.

Trump said yesterday that if he had been at Douglas High School, he would have gone in. Even if he had no gun.

He fantasizes. Attempting to represent himself as a brave person, a hero.

Captain Marvel he is not.

This is the same person who received 5 deferments so he would not have to go to Vietnam. Four while in college. The fifth purportedly for bone heel spurs.

When first asked why he had not served, he said he had a “high draft number.” He described it as “phenomenal.” Later investigation determined it was the 5 deferments.

Man historically has made every attempt to keep women down. Second class citizens. Even after Congress passed the 19th Amendment which gave women the vote. The vote could not be denied on the basis of sex.

The 19th amendment was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919. Rapidly ratified. On August 18, 1920, it was the law of the land.

Some men could not accept women voting. Lawsuits were initiated for all kind of nonsensical reasons to thwart the Amendment.

The matter was put to rest with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Lesser v. Garnett on February 27, 1922. In effect, leave the ladies alone, they have the right to vote!

Interestingly, the ladies did not rush to the polls. Many were uneducated and did not know what to do. Others were stymied by voting restrictions based on identification, location, etc. Similar to the manner in which whites even to this day try to keep blacks from the polls.

Big evening tonight! My podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The shows get better each week. At least I think so. They must be. I have more listeners and advertisers each week.

Join me at 9 my time. Enjoy a swift moving half hour of interesting topics. Some eye openers.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

GEORGE

I was paying my bill at the bar at Antonia’s last night. Sensed someone behind me. Turned. A lovely blond. Magnificent. Hair style a bit different. Short punk? Punk pixie? Short spiky? To me, they all look alike. The cut marvelous.

It was obvious she knew me. I could not recall her. It was George. George is a lady.

I have seen George probably six times in fifteen years. The first time at Lisa’s wedding. The event at the Southernmost Beachside. We took over the restaurant and entire beach. Food and drink stations everywhere.

I was at one of the martini bars. A young lady spoke to me. George. She introduced herself as a friend of Lisa’s. My recollection is we enjoyed two apple martini’s each as we talked.

I recall not the specifics of the conversation. Recognized George was a deep thinking sensitive woman. I enjoyed our time together.

As mentioned earlier, last night was the sixth time I have seen her in 15 years.

George is a bartender at Hogsbreath. When we first met. Even  today. Dillon her husband.

We exchanged a few pleasantries. Then invited me to join her friends at the other end of the bar. She wanted me to meet Joni, a relative newcomer to Key West.

I knew Dillon, Nic and Cori Convertino.

I refer to Cori normally by her title. Doctor. She has a Doctorate. Impressive. She is the Curator at the Key West Art and Historical Society (KWAHS).

Cori’s work brilliant. Her shows and offerings at the Custom House beyond the best. I have come to admire her greatly.

Nic, her husband.

I was introduced to Joni. Told she read my blog everyday. Such made her an instantaneous hit with me.

We walked to the other end of the bar and chatted.

Originally from outside Philadelphia, she has lived in Key West six months. Already bought a place. A condominium on Petronia between Duval and Whitehead.

Joni has an MBA. Spent a lifetime working in finance for Sunoco. Already employed in Key West. With KWAHS.

Attractive. A nice person. I sense we shall meet again.

Sitting next to me during dinner were Jan Gebhart and Bob Pracher. A Key West love story. Both widowers. Now have a home in Key West.

In her other life, Jan was in the scrap metal business in northern Indiana. We had much to talk about. I was an environmental attorney. Sheet metal and environmental lawyering go hand in hand.

Bob impressed me. He owned a BMW distributorship in Westbury, Long Island. Third largest in the country. Sold 4,000 BMW’s a year.

Nicole bartending. Seven straight weeks. TK stayed north with his mother extra long. TK back tuesday. Nicole will return to waitressing.

I enjoyed Nicole’s company as bartender. A charming engaging woman.

Prior to Antonia’s, I was at Kate Miano’s Gardens. The Gardens was hit hard by Irma.

The property extensive. Surrounded by a large wooded area. Huge trees. Some probably back to Indian days.

Many wiped out.

There was one empty area relatively large. I thought perhaps a guest house had been situated the spot. No. Merely tall trees. All gone.

Irma has effected her business. She had to return deposits in the six figures. No insurance to cover the tree losses.

Kate is one of the smartest and aggressive women I know. She and her Gardens will recover.

Saw many friends. Jean Thornton one of them. My joy to see Jean. We will have a special bond the rest of our lives.

Earlier in the day, Sloan and I spent four hours finalizing work on Irma and Me. Tedious. E-mailed everything to the Publisher. He advised the book may be out by week’s end.

Tonight, Dueling Bartenders and I know not what else.

Enjoy your day!