STONE CRABS

U.S. politics is at its worst. The world is in turmoil. All take a back seat. Pure unadulterated pleasure the reason. Stone crab season opens tomorrow!

From my perspective, man’s finest food. I cannot wait to gorge myself tomorrow night.

Yesterday began with a noon haircut with Lori. Lori is moving. Was supposed to be this week. Told me yesterday it will be at least another month. Typical of Key West. nothing ever begins or finishes on time.

It’s the sun! Slows everything down, including people.

Lori had to take delivery yesterday of her new chairs. New place not available for storage. They are sitting on the sidewalk in front of her present place of business on Southard. Ain’t no one going to steal them. Hercules needed to move them.

A few doors down Southard is Jay’s new sandwich shop Cuzzy Bubbaz. His grand opening was to have been this past tuesday. I stopped in for lunch after my haircut. Doors locked. Looked in the window. Place a mess. Still under construction.

Ran into Jay at bocce last night. The electrical screwed up. He is required to make changes. It is in the process. He hopes to be open for Goombay.

Can’t win.

The best thing that happened to Don’s Place in bocce was my retirement. The team remains in first place. 16-2. Alone in first place.

Hell’s Rangers had already lost two when I arrived last night. I do not know the result of their third game.

Don’s Place won two without David and Norm last night. David sick and Norm out of town.

Watched Michelle Obama speak yesterday. Outstanding! Trump has to be having trouble walking today.

Several news broadcasters have mentioned that when husband Barack was first elected, she hated public speaking. No more. The woman is another Eleanor Roosevelt!

This morning’s Key West Citizen notes that Trauma Star carried 471 patients in fiscal 2016. Eighty six more than 2015.

The new helicopter has arrived. Not in use yet. The crew still training.

Trauma Star is the County’s free helicopter service for patients who need rushing to a Miami hospital. There is also a private service. Rip off big time! $60,000 a trip and not covered by insurance.

I have mentioned the past few years in this column, in my daily blog and on my podcast show that Putin has become rich as the head of Russia. He gets a piece of everything. Ten to 20 percent.

I might be wrong as to the percentage. Thomas Friedman in a recent New York Times article wrote, “Putin owns some $30 billion in property, hotels and factories.”

Trump has to be doing business in Russia. Borrowing money, especially. Whatever, Putin could own a piece of some of some of Trump’s American properties.

The Cuban missile crisis began today. A U.S. reconnaissance plane took 900 plus photos over Cuba this date in 1962. The photos identified Soviet mid-range ballistic missiles. Pointed at the U.S.

By October 23, Key West had become an armed camp. Fifteen thousand troops. Some berthed in the Casa Marina. Anti-missile weapons and machine guns on Key West beaches.

Cuba was John Kennedy’s first test. He performed well. Russia blinked and the confrontation came to an end.

A visit to Dr. McIvor late today. I continue to tire easily and sometimes gulp a breath or two.

Enjoy your day!

DAVID….. A GOOD PERSON

David Wolkowsky is the best of the best. Made his fortune. Returned to his beloved Key west. Spent his years since returning doing everything to help Key West and its people.

David is 96. In fairly decent shape. The one who fights me for the anti-gravity treadmill at physiotherapy.

His generosity significant.

For many years, David has recognized school teachers. Must be some teacher back when influenced his life. The recognition is in the form of money. David presents the Teacher of the Year with $25,000. Several other teachers, $5,000 each.

I attended the award ceremony yesterday at the Key West High School. The ceremony was in the library. I sat in the back so I could take the whole thing in.

David was beaming. He looked 25 years younger than his 96 years. A smile ear to ear.

It occurred to me that David might consider the teachers his grandchildren. Not children because of the years. They were his family.

The teachers respectful and friendly to David.

David, thank you for inviting me.

I was showered, shaved and out. David’s event was concluded just before 4. Where to go? Earlier than I normally am out.

My first stop was Aqua. Thought I would have a drink with Mark at the Back Bar. Learned the outside bar does not open till 5.

Ordered a drink. Drank it slowly. It was going to be a long night.

My cell phone rang. It was Dee. She was in her way into town. She lives on Cudjoe Key. We decided to meet in an hour at Sq. 1.

My evening was fantastic. Fun filled. We drank at Sq. 1 and ate at Outback.

Dee looked terrific. The best I have seen her in years. She has undergone some heavy cancer surgeries the past three years. All took a toll on her. However, she is back again. And, looking better than ever!

Which I told her several times.

Turtle nesting season upon us. Loggerhead turtle nesting. Mama turtle comes onto the beach and buries her eggs. Called nesting. It takes 50-60 days for the eggs to hatch. They hatch at night. The baby turtles then follow the moon light into the ocean.

Dengue fever has infected one person in Key West. The mosquito bite occurred in Key West. The person a visitor. Now home and on the road to recovery.

First dengue fever case reported in Key West since 2010.

The Associated Press recently released a study. From its NORC Center for Public Affairs. One of the findings was that 9 out of 10 Americans lack confidence in the political system. Another, 70 percent are frustrated with this year’s Presidential election.

Nothing we did not know.

China has done it!Discriminated against men. Created a sexism issue affecting men. Certain areas of China have “Female Only” parking spaces. Larger than those for men. The rationale being women have a harder time parking.

China not the first to do this. German began a few years ago. In some German regions, 30 percent of the parking spaces are mandated to be larger and for women only.

Immigrants a problem? Sweden took in 163,000 persons seeking asylum last year. Only 494 found jobs.

I have written and spoken on my blog talk radio show about Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu. He should not have come to Congress last year to speak uninvited by Obama.

Now it is out that he received $80 million last year from the King of Saudi Arabia for his political campaign to continue as Israel’s leader. Most recently, it has been announced Saudi Arabia will build a large embassy facility in Tel Aviv.

I was under the impression Arabs hated Israel and Jews.

Recently, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote a critical article regarding Netanyahu. Titled: Destroying Israel From Within.

Enjoy your day!

ERIKA…..YES OR NO

In yesterday’s blog, I advised I was going to start getting ready for Erika. Buy some things needed when shut up in your home. Without electric power,.

I never did it.

Two hours after publishing the blog, TV reported  Erika would probably dissipate after Hispaniola. The mountains of Hispaniola would break up an already weak hurricane.

This morning, the weather channel says such probably is the case. However. the weakened Erika might gain power from warm air in the Caribbean and turn into a powerful hurricane aimed directly at Key West and Florida. Or, Erika might go left into the Gulf and avoid the Keys.

Whatever, I know we are going to get a lot of rain. Which is much needed.

Am I going to get ready? I don’t know, have not made up my mind.

Did the anti-gravity treadmill in the morning. I am steadily increasing the speed. Lots of sweat.

Rain is strange in the Keys. It did not rain all afternoon in Key Haven. When I went out last night, everything bone dry for 1.5 miles. When I reached the golf course on US 1, it was obvious it had rained. Big time! The golf course is again only 1.5 miles away. Rain storms amazing in the Keys!

Lunched at Roostica. I have been going frequently for lunch. Why, easy. Quality food at a cheap price. Plus, the air conditioning. It is too humid to eat outside.

Yesterday, it was fried eggplant with tomato, prosciutto and mozzarella. Covered in a red sauce. Outstanding! The eggplant similar to how my grandmother prepared it. Salad, besides. $9.95.

The Chart Room first last night. Wanted to check on Emily. She had been out of work two weeks with an eye problem. She is on the mend.

Then to Hot Tin Roof. Jenna to meet me.

We enjoyed a great meal and equally great conversation. Love the girl! Wish I was 50 years younger!

Trump. I am getting sick of Trump. Are you? He is blocking out the other candidates and issue discussion. The man is a mental case. A successful economic one.

What bothers me is the people who support him. Most everyone! Even those whose intelligence I respect. He has captured the minds of many Americans.

Thomas Friedman in a recent column described Trump as a Pied Piper. I agree. Most following him. To an inevitable destruction if the march continues.

Friedman says Trump leads by dividing and frightening. He has a point.

What really hits home is Friedman’s observation that Trump spews up a Joe McCarthy. Correct, again. I recall McCarthy and the eventual harm he caused till stopped.

There is a little town on the Italian Riviera between Camogli and Portofino called St. Margarita. Anna just telephoned me from the beach there. She said the Camogli beaches are crowded so she went to St. Margarita’s tiny and less congested cove to swim and sun bathe. A two euro train ride.

Enjoy your day!