I PAINTED THE FORDHAM RAM GREEN

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So much to discuss today. Material galore. Don’t think I will be able to cover it all.

Lets begin with my yesterday. So much, I may not get beyond Key West exploits.

My car was filthy. I am not a clean car fanatic. When it gets to the point I cannot stand it, the car gets cleaned.

I drive a 2010 Volkswagen Beetle convertible. Only 38,000 miles. Last time cleaned about a year ago.

Stopped at the car cleaning place on White Street. Fausto’s a bit down the street on the other side. The car was detailed there a year ago. $50. Told the owner to do it again.

Could I have the car back in 2 hours? No problem.

Walked down the block to Blown Away. Haircut time with Lori. She has been cutting my hair close to 20 years. Takes all of 3 minutes. Includes a rinsing afterwards.

I have next to no hair. She never wants to charge me. I always give her $20.

Close to 2 hours remaining till the car would be ready. Decided to have lunch at the new Sandy’s Cafe a couple of doors down.

Sandy’s Cafe recently opened.  Run by the group that ran Sandy’s for 17 years at the corner of White and Virginia. They had a rental dispute with the building’s owner. Moved to the new place where I had lunch.

A major war has erupted. The landlord at the old place opened a Sandy’s at the old place. Both using the same name. Who has the right? A federal court issue. For real. A lawsuit already pending.

The new Sandy’s had a steady crowd. Very attractive. It is a restaurant. Booths, a bar with stools, etc.

I grabbed a handful of local newspapers. Knew I had to kill almost 2 hours before the car would be ready. Enjoyed a cheese toast with tomato and diet coke. Excellent!

Almost fell asleep in the booth. The waiting seemed like forever.

Went for the car.

Oh, so beautiful! The sun sparkling off it. The owner of the establishment showed it to me with pride. He knew he had done a good job.

To be frank, the car looked new inside and out.

The question is whether I can go another year before getting it cleaned/detailed again.

Late in the afternoon, stopped at Don’s Place. A while since my last visit. I needed to talk with Stan. While there, I also briefly chatted with David, Clara, John, Angus, and Michael.

Ran into Don as I was leaving. Looks good, feels good. Told him not to worry. What will be will be. Enjoy! Don is into heart problems. A stent and pacemaker the past several months.

Bocce opened last night. A new season. Just spoke with David. Don’s Place won all 3 games.

From Don’s Place to the Chart Room.

Two women down the bar from me. We began chatting. Turned out one had gone to Fordham. I went to Manhattan. A huge park separated our two schools.

A fun conversation ensued.

She told me Fordham girls used to come to Manhattan looking for boys. We referred to ourselves back then as boys and girls. The Green Leaf Bar down the hill from Manhattan is where they camped. A good place. Where Manhattan students did their drinking..

I laughed. Manhattan was an all boy’s school. We searched for girls. At the girl’s colleges in Westchester County.

Never the twain did meet! I never met a Fordham girl…..till last night.

A collegiate rivalry existed between the schools.

Fordham’s mascot was a ram. Always a real one. Tradition being what it was, a tall statue of a ram was also on the Fordham campus.

As the annual Manhattan/Fordham basketball game approached, the respective schools did evil things to each other.

Green was Manhattan’s school color. The year 1954. The game a few days away. A group of Manhattan men sneaked onto the Fordham campus and painted the ram statue green.

Ho, ho! A big deal! And we didn’t get caught!

Finished the evening at Tavern ‘n Town. Enjoyed the prime rib medium rare. My diet meal.

Stuck at 18 pounds.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

A BAGEL RESEARCH AFTERNOON

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One week prostitution. The next bagels. Love it!

Bagels is the title of this week’s KONK Life column which publishes Wednesday. From whence they came, those responsible for their discovery/invention, leading types, dollar sales, etc.

Boring, not. Interesting, yes.

I spent yesterday afternoon researching. Took longer than anticipated. Sufficiently long that I missed the Running of the Bulls at 1 and Hemingway Look A-Likes at 5:30.

The game plan was to start researching earlier than normal. Which I did. then sneak downtown for the running of the bulls. Return home and work the rest of the afternoon on bagels. Assumed I would finish in time to get back into town for the Look A-Like contest. I attended neither event.

Watched Hillary introduce VP candidate Tim Kaine. A great choice! Straight forward, honest, caring, Spanish speaking, humorous, etc. Going to make a hell of a candidate!

Last night was Tavern ‘n Town. Looked forward to listening to Bobby Nesbitt sing.

I parked in the hotel garage. Nearby, the Marriott has four electric cables hooked up to charge electric vehicles. Seldom are any parked there.

Last night, four. Brand new. Shiny. No license plates.

I could not figure out the make. The emblems meant nothing to me.

Bob Frechette having dinner with friends. Exchanged hellos and a brief conversation. He and Lynda are in Cleveland for the summer. He is back for a few days to take care of some business matters. We agreed to get together for dinner this week.

Two political observations.

Again, Tim Kaine impressed me. He will be a great asset to the campaign. His values and Spence’s are diametrically opposed. Will make for an interesting campaign.

The Wikileak of 20,000 DNC e-mails evidenced shocking information. The DNC was working in Hillary’s best interests and not Sanders. Disgusting!

I listened to Sanders this morning re the revelation. He basically says I told you so several months ago. He went on to add he supports Clinton and will be working to defeat Trump.

Sanders could cause all kinds of trouble for Hillary at the moment. He has opted not to be a Ted Cruz.  He is a class act.

Experts are saying Russia is behind the hacking. Putin in the past has said kind words about Trump. Perhaps Putin is working behind the scenes to help Trump win. Probably because he believes he can handle Trump easily.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD OUT OF CONTROL

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The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. A pompous sounding name. Most refer to it as the Mosquito Control Board. I will.

Pomposity is not in name alone. I am beginning to think it applies to Board members. All elected to their positions. Ergo, directly answerable to the people. Something they seem to have forgotten.

I say VOTE THEM OUT! All of them.

The board recently passed a new policy. Any information re Zeka, dengue fever and other tropical diseases are not to be discussed by Board members till the State Health Department has confirmed a case first. Even then, the Board’s attorney has approval/disapproval power.

Stupid!

People have a right to know. Especially where health issues are involved. What happened to transparency.

The Zeka battle has left Board members shell shocked. Their own fault. They have been handling the Zeka problem in a ridiculous fashion.

Top employees are well paid. The Executive Director receives $135,000 a year. My admonition: Don’t screw with the public. You are placing your job on the line.

The Board decided it needed a new building. Last year at this time, the Board was advised the building would cost $2.4 million. Not making a decision, the price has jumped $2 million in one year to $4.4 million. Not understandable in itself.

Yesterday, the Board approved a 45 percent increase in property taxes to pay for the new building. Forty five percent!!!

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Jenny encouraging. Body Owners helpful. I stayed at a lower speed for 30 minutes. A slight step backward. However, it was all I thought I could handle.

Then to Verizon wireless. The Verizon store in the Winn Dixie Shopping Plaza.

Lesson #2 in learning how to use my new telephone. Got it six months ago. A total disaster for me!

I visited the store recently and told the young lady behind the counter that I had the new phone, bought it from them six months ago, could not use it. Needed help. Could they help? I was willing to pay. Or direct me to someone I could hire to teach me.

Her name, Nana Hernandez. Her title, Wireless Professional. She said I will teach you and it will cost you nothing. Yesterday was help/lesson #2. A step at a time. She is patient. We have a schedule. Three times a week. In a month, I will be a terror!

Dinner last night at Hot Tin Roof with Frances and Chris. Interesting people. Fun. They return up north today and will not be back till the Fall.

This afternoon research for this week’s KONK Life column. Research will be completed today. I will write the column tomorrow.

About bagels. For real. An interesting history yesterday and today.

What a change in subject matter! Last week’s article was about the new prostitution.

Four more people approached me yesterday about the Prostitution column. All women. Forty to 60 years in age. Probably mothers and grandmothers. Without deviation, all consider the new prostitution deplorable.

Big day for Hemingway Days! Running of the Bulls and the Hemingway Look A-Like Contest. Makes for a great afternoon.

Immigration a problem almost everywhere. Great Britain hit over the years big time with hordes of immigrants.

A recent study indicates the British people are becoming a minority in their own country. 2015 birth rates show 3.2 immigrant babies born for every 1.8 British babies. Just a question of time.

The five leading immigrant groups in order of their numbers are the Polish, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, and Nigerians.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

RUNNING OF THE BULLS / LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST

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This is the week! Hemingway Days!

Tomorrow, two events I enjoy the most. The Running of the Bulks at 1 and the Look A-Like Contest at 5:30. If you are in Key West, do not miss either event. You will be cheating yourself.

I think my birthday celebrations are concluded. Donna and Terri hosted me at Hogfish for lunch yesterday. Always good company. Love the girls!

Larry and Christine have been away about a month. Recently returned. Stopped by their home for a visit. Very enjoyable. Sat on their back porch overlooking the pool and greenery. An excellent setting to enjoy good conversation.

I started feeling week at lunch. Had ordered fish and chips. Ate the fish. Hogfish, of course. Not the fries. Continued to feel out of sorts.

Was going to skip Larry and Christine. However, I had earlier in the day agreed to stop by. Felt worse while visiting with Larry and Christine.

Went home and laid down. Continued to feel out of it. Weak. What now, I thought.

I have been on a diet for two weeks. Lost 10 pounds so far. Not a bad diet. Just cut everything I ate by 50 percent.

Could my body need more food in spite of the fish?

I went down and had a sandwich and glass of milk. It did not take long before I was A-OK.

Had to be the diet. My body was starving.

A political junkie am I! Trump spoke like an angry man  last night. Portrayed our country in far worse shape than it is. Relied many times on fabrications.

A dark speech. Made by a rabble rouser.

He is building his campaign on sand. He may win. A house built on sand cannot stand, however. The next four years could be a disaster.

Lobster mini season next week. The lobster season is annually headed by a two day season. The 27th and 28th next week. Then a shutdown till August 6th when the season opens for several months.

The mini lobster season is an event. The boats will be out in armada fashion for two days.

Party time!

Finally aware of William Hackley’s wife’s name. Matilda. Next, Baby.

Enjoy your day!

 

RUNNING OF THE BULLS

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Pamplona, Spain and Key West were one yesterday. The Running of the Bulls!

I was there. Hemingway look alikes. Dressed Pamplona style. White shirts and pants. Red berets and waist bands. White hair and beards, of course.

The bulls machete and wood on wheels.

The race as in Pamplona. Pure chaos. If real bulls, several of yesterday’s Hemingways would be no more. Fun to watch. Exciting.

Paula Deen in Key West again this year for Hemingway Days. Her husband Michael Grover a Hemingway look alike contestant. I did not see her this year.

Lunched at the Pier House Beach Bar afterwards. Duval was too busy and hot with all the people. Chatted with Janine.

I have always had difficulty spelling Janine’s name. What I am writing today is correct. First time I have had it right. I mentioned my problem with spelling her name. I added it was fortunate her sister Mary had a simple name. Janine looked at me and said no she doesn’t. Her name is spelled Mari. With an i and not a y.

Ran into Michael at the Beach Bar. Michael was already a Key Wester when I started coming 26 years ago. I first met him at Atlantic Shores. He was a regular. Bare assed and bronzed. I had not seen him in 15 years. He is still bronzed. As to bare assed, I do not know. He was not yesterday.

Spent some time later in the afternoon researching this week’s KONK Life column. More research to do and then writing it. Will be done today. The topic/title Harry Truman’s Mother In Law.

Dinner at Roostica last night.

Lobster Mini Season a few days away. Wednesday and thursday. Thirty thousand expected for the event.

This is year 50 for Christ of the Deep. A 9 foot bronze statue of Christ was planted under water in the John Pennekamp State Park near Key Largo fifty years ago. Only 25 feet down, many have seen and enjoyed the statue. Even to the point of touching Christ’s hands and face.

Heard from Anna again. She is still on Amorgos. Has a problem. She has to be out of her accommodation 7/31. Her ferry boat reservation is for 8/5. She is having trouble finding a room. No wonder. Things are cheap in certain areas of Greece this season. Even cheaper on a small hidden away island such as Amorgos. A place that has few accommodations to start.

Maybe she will have to sleep on the beach.

Anna tells me there are many French tourists. The reason is that a good portion of the French movie Le Grand Bleu was filmed in the waters off Amorgos. The French and others visit because of the film. It was a winner when first filmed. Won many awards. Today, a cult film.

The car works. The key turns easily.

Enjoy your Sunday!

MECHANIC JUNIOR GRADE

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Finally made it in life! I fixed a problem with a car.

I have a Volkswagen 2010 Beetle convertible. Off and on I have had an ignition problem. The key will not turn. A genuine pain in the ass! This past week it happened often. Became a real aggravation.

I had to leave the car at the Weston garage thursday night because the key in the ignition would not turn. Jennifer was kind enough to drive me to the Weston yesterday. I told her on the way that several months ago it happened while I was at Don’s Place. Left the car overnight. The next day when I returned, it turned over like nothing.

Same thing happened yesterday. The key turned and I was on my way. Cost me $48 to leave the car overnight, however. $4 an hour. A rip off!

Drove over to a shop near the beach that advertises Volkswagen repairs. Closed.

I wanted to go to Sloppy Joe’s last night to watch the Hemingway Look Alike Contest. Showered again, shaved and dressed. Into the car in the garage. #x&*%, the key would not turn! I raised a hell of a sweat. Aggravation set in big time.

I stayed home. Had no choice. Poured myself a couple of gins and felt better.

During the night, my sciatica returned. Nothing going right.

I got up extra early this morning. Googled Volkswagen ignition key problem. Should have done it first!

Turns out the 2010 Volkswagen has an ignition key turning problem. Several remedies suggested. I tried them all.

Wear your seat belt. Interesting. Claim was the key would not turn because of a security problem. Seat belt had to be attached. Did not work.

Hit the hole where the key goes in with something heavy. The end of a butter knife. Did not work.

Put the key in and hit the key with something heavy, turning the key at the same time. Impossible to do. Required body gymnastics.

Jiggle the steering wheel. I did that at the Weston garage. The wheel did not move even a little bit. Tried it again this morning. Absolutely no movement.

Finally, spray some WD 40 into the ignition hole. Where the hell was I going to get WD 40, whatever it is, at 5 in the morning?

The Lord was with me. Keith leaves some materials around for when he has to fix something at the house. Would you believe! There was a can of WD 40 in the bag. I gave the hole one spray. Waited a minute. Voila! The key turned like it was in melted butter.

I tried several times. Worked each time. Lets hope it works later today. I plan on attending the Running of the Bulls at 1 by Sloppy Joe’s.

You might ask why I do not take the car to a Volkswagen dealer. Because the nearest one is 160 miles north in Miami. Last time I buy a car that does not have a dealership in Key West.

Compounding everything, my sciatica came back during the night.

The weather is iffy. It smells and tastes like rain. Extra humid. Clouds black. Blacker coming in off the ocean.

Yesterday’s weather report said storms this afternoon. The morning report says clouds. I think we are going to have some rain. Whatever, I will have my slicker with me. The bulls run regardless of the weather.

Enjoy your day!