STACY

Posted on by

An exceptional evening last night! I met Stacy!

Stacy found me. She has been a loyal blog reader for years. A frequent Key West visitor, our paths did not cross till last night. At the Chart Room, of course.

Stacy was with her husband Steve and friends Sue and Ron.

Stacy and Steve live in Erie, Pennsylvania. Parents of two. Steve is in IT with GE. Stacy a stay at home Mom. Parents of two.

I do not mean to lessen the pleasure of meeting Sue. Sue also a blog follower. However, it was Sue who went out of her way to be sure I knew Stacy was the one who really wanted to meet me.

Sue and Ron live in Holly Springs, North Carolina. Ron is in marketing. Sue a stay at home Mom like Stacy.

I was impressed that Stacy and Sue were stay at home Moms. And proud of it! A dying breed today.

We had a good time. Especially the ladies and I.

Along the way the discussion centered on  my book The World Upside Down. I chastised Stacy for not having read it. She promised she would order a copy.

My book led to a book Stacy helped author. Laura’s Gem. My recollection is Stacy wrote the last three chapters. The book was a joint effort. Several ladies involved.

May I be fortunate to meet up with Stacy and Sue and husbands on their next visit.

Sheila, Frankie and Jean Thornton at the bar.

Jean suggested we have dinner together. I begged off. She was into Hot Tin Roof and I not. I was not sure at the time we talked where I would eat.

I missed dining with a celebrity! This morning’s Key West Citizen front page has a major article on Jean. Key West’s Golden Girl. The story of Jean diving with Mel Fisher some 20 years ago and discovering a 21 link gold chain, a silver coin and an emerald.

Jean’s life changed. The Indiana school teacher quit her job. Soon she and husband Joe bought a second home in Key West. Jean is here 6 plus months a year. Joe much less. He still works for a living and travels often.

Jean leaves today. She will return July 8. I can’t wait to have dinner with her. A celebrity! (Though true, said in a joking fashion. Love Jean and always enjoy being in her company.)

Dinner was the outside bar at La Te Da. Monday night. I was alone with the newspaper. Duck the meal. Always outstanding!

My morning began on the anti-gravity treadmill. A wonderful invention! I never tire when on it. I feel like I could walk forever. As soon as I finish, I am dead! It takes me several hours to recover. I spend the time in bed.

I visited T.J. Maxx. I was not impressed.

Today is Ho Chi Minh’s birthday. He died in 1969. He was Vietnam’s leader during the Vietnam War.

Minh was initially our friend. He fought with our troops in Asian jungles during World War II.

Following the War, he made a personal request to Truman to support he and his followers in their fight for freedom from France. Truman declined. He said Minh and his people were of the wrong political party. They were Communists.

Sixty thousand dead Americans could have been avoided had some sort of relationship been possible.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me for a fast moving half hour of interesting topics. Many eye opening.

Tonight’s list includes Iraq and what are we doing there?, Obama yesterday advising certain military equipment would no longer be shared with local police departments, my concern–what about the equipment already in their hands?, Australia raining spiders, IRS employees who do not pay their taxes, and more.

Enjoy your day!

 

BIG TV/MOVIE NIGHT

Posted on by

Mad Men! Last night, the final show. The end of a great series.

The ending different from most. I expected a negative ending. Nothing good for the key characters. Not the case. Everyone ended up happy. Everyone got what they wanted. Even Don’s first wife who was dying of lung cancer. She controlled her last few months.

Sunday night movies great, also!

Cabaret! Roughly 45 years old. Liza Minnelli. Joel Grey. As good last night as when I first saw it way back when. I was fortunate along the way to see two Broadway productions, also.

Key West’s Kelly McGillis in Top Gun! She and Tom Cruise. Around 30 years old. A terrific action/love flick. Remains an appealing movie.

My yesterday was spent writing. Researched and wrote this week’s KONK Life column. The President Who Saved Football. A not well known story of Teddy Roosevelt’s involvement in the game when there was a move to outlaw college football. There was no pro football back then.

T.J. Maxx opened its doors in Key West at 8 yesterday morning. I never made it at anytime.

This morning’s Key West Citizen is silent as to any T.J. Maxx news. Is it because of advertising, too late to print for today’s edition, or what?

No problem. Maxx went viral. Social networking. Everyone in Key West appeared to be on the internet yesterday singing the wonders of the new store.

I hope to visit T.J. Maxx today.

On this day in history in 1980, the Mount Saint Helena volcano erupted in Washington State. A Harry Truman was involved. Harry Randall Truman. Eighty three. Spent most of his life on the mountain.

When  warned to leave, he said…..I’m going to stay right here…..no way that mountain could reach me. It did. Harry and his 16 cats died. Harry’s body never found.

Harry was an arbitrary cuss. Much like Harry S Truman. I sense the similarity between the two.

Slavery. Two items have come to my attention.

Another day in history thing. On this day in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson decided the separate but equal doctrine Constitutional. A perfect example of how warped judicial thinking at the highest level can be. We fought the Civil War 40 odd years earlier to free the slaves.

The other slavery item is one I never knew. It came to my attention the past few days. I cannot recall the source.

There was a time African muslims enslaved 1.5 million white Europeans. Between the 16th and 18th centuries. The situation referred to as the Barbary Slave Trade. The Africans would invade seaport communities in places like Italy and Greece. Take captives. They would also attack Mediterranean traveling ships and take passengers off. The scenario on land and sea a pirate operation. The Barbary Coast pirates.

Why did I not know? Why had I never heard?

My curiosity was further aroused. What happened to the descendants of the white slaves? I did some quick research. I could find no answer.

Enjoy your day!

T.J. MAXX COMES TO KEY WEST

Posted on by

I really enjoyed a slow day yesterday. Started with the anti-gravity treadmill. Next Lee Nails for a manicure and pedicure by Tammy. Then home. Never left home the rest of the day.

Watched some TV and read in the afternoon.

I subscribe to a World War II magazine. World War II History. I was 5-10 years old at the time of the war. It remains etched in my mind. The war definitely had an impact on me.

I enjoy reading stories of the various World War II battles. Yesterday, it was a tank fight on Makin, a daring attack on Guadalcanal, insights into the Nuremberg trails, and the Hitler/Stalin pact.

My plan was to stop at Don’s Place at 6 and move on from there. Never made it. Came 5 and getting ready time and I thought…..I’m tired…..why not stay home. I stayed home.

Not the best of ideas. I fell asleep early. Woke at 2 and could not get back to sleep.

The stone crab season ends tomorrow. The season may be described as bad and good. The take this year was 3,000 pounds less.  However the net profit estimated at $11 million. Most of the crabs were larger. The big ones bringing a higher price.

I love stone crabs! The restaurant cost this season prohibitive. The cost generally $10 per stone crab. Medium/large sized.

Sunday will be a big day for Key West. T.J. Maxx opens its first store in the keys at 8 am. I am excited. The natives are excited. The store is in the Sears Shopping Plaza.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my Miami trip and stop at a Walmart. I bought some shorts and tee shirts. Dirt cheap!

Several people not familiar with Key West wrote and asked how could I shop at a Walmart. Wasn’t I ashamed?…..I had to be embarrassed telling people I even shopped at Walmart.

Key Westers and frequent visitors know that the dress code in Key West is simple. Shorts and tee shirts. Suits, jackets, expensive sport shirts, have no place.

I have $5,000 custom made suits hanging in my closet. For 10 years. In addition to custom made shirts that cost me $340-$560. Ties? Yes, I use to have them custom made also at $160 per. I even have a custom made tuxedo that cost me $6,000. All purchased during and for my other life in New York.

I have never worn any of them since living in Key West!

I am thrilled we now will have a T.J. Maxx and soon a Walmart on Rockland Key. For me and the rest of my Key West neighbors.

My KONK Life column this week is Banks Hurt People. They do! The column has been linked to my two Facebook sites. Key West Lou and Louis Petrone. Enjoy, if time permits.

Bocce tonight. The last night of the season. We are on the bubble re the play offs. If we win all 3 games, we will make it. Lose one and I do not know.

The Amtrak accident is a disgrace in more ways than one. First because safety equipment available for railroads was not installed. The other the arrogance and ignorance of the western Congressmen who appeared on TV yesterday.

A House Committee was voting on railroad funding. The vote had been scheduled prior to the accident. The Committee voted party line to cut Amtrak’s budget $251 million knowing the accident had occurred.

The same thing initially happened when New Jersey needed hurricane assistance after Sandy.

The next time a western State has a crisis and comes to Congress hat in hand looking for money, they should be permitted to look and nothing else. Give them the same consideration they give the east.

Another observation is that Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, continue failing to vote monies for infrastructure. Our bridges are going to start collapsing, roads are in terrible shape, our schools with structural cracks and leaking roofs.

Congress fails to recognize that infrastructure monies create jobs. Look what Eisenhower did. He knew the Korean vets would be coming home and needed jobs. He created the jobs at the same time building the first national highway system. Prior to Eisenhower, we had no national highway system.

Enjoy your day!