Good morning!

6 am.

43 degrees!

I never remember it this cold in Key West! Even heard it mentioned just this moment on Morning Joe. They claimed 43 was the second coldest temperature in Key West in over 100 years.

I heard on TV yesterday that the last time it was this cold in the keys was 1898.

The high today will be 56.

Friday the temperature will return to the low 70s. For those of us who survive!

My Key West home sits on open water. The bedroom faces the northwest. The chilling wind is coming down on us from the northwest. At about 35 miles per hour.

I was out from late morning to early afternoon yesterday. My home is heated on the second floor where the bedrooms are located. When I returned, my bedroom was cold. The heat was running, but I could feel the wind and chill. I hopped in bed and got under the covers. No help.

The windows have wood shutters on the inside covering them. The shutters were closed.

The windows on my home are over 35 years old. I figured the wind was hitting just right and escaping into the house through a crack in a seal on one of them. So I decided to get a couple of towels and block the area where the upper and lower panes meet.

Good that I did! The lower pane on one of the windows had blown out and was lying against the closed shutter. The 35 mile per hour wind had blown the window out!

I was able to fix it. Handy me.

I spent the late morning yesterday at Lisa’s. Her home is in town. Situated between other houses. Reconstructed since Hurricane Wilma with insulation and new windows. No need for heat. Warm on its own.

I read the Sunday papers and played with Robert and Ally. I love them. They love me. It is shouts of hello Poppa! and we love you Poppa!

Then to Don’s Place for a golf league meeting and pro football. Don is starting a golf league. I wish I had a video to record the meeting. The pictures and comments had the makings for a TV show.

The big issue was how to handle bunker shots. The sand traps are not the best here. Play them as they lie or rake and drop? The rake and drop would apply to all shots, including an imbedded fried egg lie. The issue commanded most of the meeting. I still am not sure of the final decision.

I did not stay for football. Too cold. Went home to my warm bedroom and bed. Where I discovered the window disaster.

Last night it was Outbacks for dinner. I am still on my diet. Outbacks has a 6 ounce sirloin. Just the right size. I enjoyed my meal and watched the end of the Green Bay/Arizona game on TV.

I was back home in bed before 8. Snuggled under the blankets watching TV till I fell asleep.

I have a doctor’s visit today at 9:30. After which I have no idea how I shall spend the day.

Enjoy your day!

What a lovely Sunday morning!

It is 48 degrees! The wind is blowing at 30 miles per hour! And there is a wind chill warning till 10 am!

Son in law Corey has lived in Key West more than 25 years. He says he can remember only one other time when the temperature was in the 40s. And he cannot remember it being this cold for such a long period of time.

Such is life!

I finished Sarah Palin’s book Going Rogue. I am prepared to render my opinion as to her.

She’s nuts! A looney!

Please note that I reserved opinion till I finished the book.

During the campaign, I could not believe she was not that bright. I felt sorry for her. Also I believe the media was in her case and is generally unfairly hard on female political candidates.

Her book gave me the opportunity hopefully to know her better. It’s her book. She purportedly wrote it. Though that turned out to not be true. Whatever, it is her story as presented by her.

In reality, it is what she wants us to believe her to be. Not what she is.

As I was reading the book, I commented that Palin was every woman. The All American woman. The type that every woman either is or aspires to be.

Initially the further I got into her book, the more impressed I was becoming. She could handle anything and everything. Disasters were nothing to her. She would just take her kids in tow and move forward.

Most women are like that. They are tough. They are resourceful. They get knocked down and get up and move on.

With one difference. Other women admit to their failings. What caused them to fall. Palin does not. It always seems to be some one else’s fault.

To understand clearly what I am describing, read Mika Brzezinski’s All Things At Once which just came out. Mika is a success in the media world. But wow! did she screw up in reaching the high rungs on the ladder of success. And she admits to it.

Is Sarah Palin truly popular? She draws crowds where ever she speaks. She is allegedly receiving $75,000 per speech. Her book was #1 on the best seller list before it even hit the stores.

Or is it she is an odd ball that the public finds entertaining?

I had not finished her book prior to my recent trip to upstate New York. So I purchased the book. Figured I would finish it while flying.

Glad I did!

Normally I do not let people observe the cover of a book I am reading. It is a personal thing. However the situation changed on my first plane out of Key West. I was fortunate to fly big planes the whole trip.

I was sitting on the aisle. I dropped the book on my seat while I placed my brief case in the over head bin. The woman sitting next to me asked what I thought of Palin. I said I had not made up my mind yet. She said she’s nuts. The gentleman sitting next to her by the window said she’s stupid.

I exhibited the book cover intentionally on the rest of my flights and in the airports. The results were always the same. People asked or commented. About 30 in all. Mostly women.

Not one liked Palin nor had a good thing to say about her. I was shocked!

Most certainly no one wanted her as their President. Not qualified in the least was the general comment on that point.

I figure airplanes and airports provide a good cross section of the American public. Based on my experience, Sarah Palin should not go any where politically. However she will make a ton of money in the mean time. Such is the American way.

Right now she is catering big time to the religious right and the ultra conservative branch of the Republican Party. No sweat. That alone might get her a nomination but not win an election.

What does bother me is that the tea party group also like her. This is a growing unhappy vocal segment of the American population. If this group continues to grow and organizes, then Palin has the chance to become a danger. She is dangerous. Incompetence and ineptness is always dangerous, especially if it has the opportunity to lead a nation.

When Palin became Mayor of Wassila, the roads were unpaved. Muddy. She paved the roads. That and running for Vice President may be her high points in life! Let us hope they are.

Enjoy your Sunday!

The weather is the issue of the day! Every day lately!

This is Key West. Island of sun. Balmy weather location.

Not today. Not yesterday. And not tomorrow.

The high today will be 57. Tonight it will drop to 47. Wow! And so on till Friday.

I do not remember it ever being so cold so long.

Screwy weather, though. Yesterday it hit 74 degrees! You explain it!

Humans are not the only ones suffering from the cold. So too are some of our fish/animal friends.

Manitees have been dying big time in recent days in the entire State of Florida. Over 300. The primary cause is boat motors in marinas. However a significant number are dying from the unusually cold water.

Also with turtles. Over 60 recently rose to the surface and could not function. The cold water screwed them up internally. Those that could were captured and wrapped in blankets. Then taken to the Turtle Hospital.

Iguanas are dying also. They are a cold blooded animal that require the heat of the sun.

I feel bad for the manitees and turtles. The iguanas are another story. They eat flowers and shrubs and deficate all over one’s property.

I had an unusual experience while flying Syracuse to Key West Thursday. 3 planes. The situation was the same on each.

Announcements were made while boarding and by the attendants once on the plane to place only one bag in the bins and anything else under the seat in front of you. That included your coat or jacket. It was clearly spelled out that the overhead bins were only for luggage.

I am a hard head. I put my brief case and leather jacket in the overhead bin. I need the room under the seat in front of me for my long legs. And I do not want my jacket lying on a dirty floor. Simple!

No one chastised me or made me comply.

I suspect the reason for this new rule is the fact that airlines now charge for luggage checked. I was flying US Airlines. $25 for the first bag. Most people are probably carrying their luggage on to save the $25.

It is a self created airline problem. Stop the greed. Don’t charge for the checked bag. And everything will return to normal.

My first stop yesterday during the day was Don’s Place. I was looking for Don. No Don.

Then to the Coffee House. Read the local and New York papers. Quiet and comforting. There are fewer people in town.

I had a bit of grocery shopping to do. Not much. 3 items. I am still on my diet.

Speaking of the diet, I cheated during the 4 days up north. It was too difficult to diet. I lucked out, however. Did not gain one pound! I am back on the diet. Started again yesterday. Still at 20 pounds. Ten more to go.

The Chart Room was my first stop last night. Busy. Chatted with Valerie. Valerie is the bar maid at Hot Tin Roof. It was her night off. She is wife to Clayton also. We talked about their new tee shirt business Dirty Dog Tees which is up and running. http://www.dirtydogtees.com/.

I went over to La Trattoria for dinner. Beecha greeted me. How thin you are, she said! Made my evening!

Erin bartending. I ate 4 scallops and half of a tomato. Stuck with the diet!

Key West Lou radio show next thursday on KONK 1680 AM at 1 pm. Listen in. You can watch and hear at the same time on the internet anywhere world wide at http://www.konkam.com/.

Some one asked if the shows are archived. Not yet, though management has it in the works.

It is gray out. No sun yet. Maybe no sun all day. The wind is blowing big time from the north. Bending the palm trees. Causing white caps in the water. It’s a long john day!

Keep warm where ever you are and enjoy your day!

I have returned! I am back in Key West!

Arrived at 6:30 last night. 57 degrees as I got off the plane. Warm! Better than the 13 degrees when I arrived in Syracuse a few days ago.

Every one up north told me how lucky I was to be there during a heat wave. Temperatures in the 20s. I thought they were crazy! It was really cold! Freezing!

Wednesday I had to be in New York Supreme Court in Syracuse.

I dressed appropriately. Blue suit, light blue shirt, striped tie, long black socks and tie lace black shoes. Had to look like a lawyer. Only the second time in 2 years I have been so dressed. A far cry from shorts, a tee shirt and crocks.

I also needed a coat. Wore a black cashmere one. Gloves. And shoe rubbers. It was cold and sloppy outside.

I had to walk 4 blocks from the parking lot to the Courthouse. Wind! Biting! Tore into my face!

Sloppy wet snow every where. It was fortunate I was wearing rubbers.

I flew back to Key West yesterday. Paradise! No question about it. I missed being here.

The trip took all day. I left Utica for the 50 mile drive to the Syracuse Airport at 7 when it was still dark outside. Flew to La Guardia at 9. Had a 3 hour layover. Then to Charlotte where I had a 1 hour layover. Arrived in Key West at 6:30, just as the sun was setting.

Again the airports were crowded. People every where. And happy! Mostly casual travelers. There was no recession apparent in the airports.

Lisa and family picked me up. Good to see them all. Especially Robert and Ally. The cry of Poppa still resounds in my ears.

My Key West home was cold. I turned the heat on.

Last night was our bocci party at Don’s Place. I changed clothes and hurried over.

A good party, as usual! Every one there.

The food was especially good! Terrific best describes it.

Russ is the chef at the Strip House. It is the place for steak in Key West! Russ also plays bocci with us and hangs out on occasion at Don’s Place as I do.

Russ cooked last night. Tenderloin strips which he sliced. Mashed potatoes and creamed spinach.
The best!

Thank you, Russ.

Then it was home to bed to watch the Alabama/Texas championship game. A tragedy! No athlete should be injured. Especially the quarterback in a national game. It happened early on. The game was no test as to who was the best college football team in the nation. I am sure both teams are unhappy about the out come.

There was no blog yesterday morning because I had computer problems. Sorry.

My radio show the Key West Lou Legal Hour was yesterday. Obviously I could not do it as I was traveling. Konk AM 1680 radio ran a recording of one of my former shows. Next week I will be back. Listen on Konk 1680 AM radio. See and hear on the internet at http://www.konkam.com/.

Enjoy your day!

I am still in Utica.

I had lunch yesterday with my father. He is 95 years old. Still in pretty good shape.

My mother passed on many years ago. My father has a friend. She is 30 years younger than him. They have lived together for several years. Her name is Frances.

Frances is a good woman. She cares for my father and cares for him. The relationship is good.

We lunched at my father’s home. Frances cooked. A rich chicken soup and a pepper and egg sandwich. On Italian bread, of course. So good!

My father and Frances both told me Utica was experiencing a hot wave yesterday. The temperature hit 20!

Last night I met my friend Gus for drinks. He had 3 voldka somethings and I 3 diet pepsis.

It was good to see him. Gus is an attorney also. When I was still pacticing law, he and I would meet every day aftrer work for a few pops.

Gus took me home for dinner. His wife Mary was cooking. A cook! A good lady!

I ate big again. A similar soup. Great salad. Delicious beans. And heavenly pork chops. Topped off with coffee and Xmas cookies.

My diet obviously went to hell yesterday. I did not even try.

I am cold. Cold all the time. I cannot wait to return to Key West and its warm 60 degree weather.

Enjoy your day!

I am in Utica! In the heart of Upstate New Yotk!

Snow! Everywhere! Big time!

Cold! It was 13 degrees when I got off the plane in Syracuse at 12:30 this morning.

All of a sudden, Key West at 60 degrees is burning hot in comparison.

After waiting for my luggage and a 50 mile drive to Utica, I did not get to bed till close to 3.

Pure abuse!

I must admit that the snow is beautiful. White all over. But if I had my druthers, I prefer Key West and no snow ever.

I flew at night. Cheapest tickets. And still over $800! Anything else was $1,000 plus to over $2,000. Yesterday must have still been a holiday return time for travelers.

One stop. A good deal. Normally three. The stop was Charlotte.

I arrived in Charlotte at 10 in the evening. I assumed the airport would be dead. It was not. The whole world was traveling! People all over the place. I was shocked.

Many tans. People returning home. It was the hustle and bustle of a holiday crowd. People alive and happy.

Again I ask, where is the recession? We all know it exits. Are we developing into a have and have not society? I don’t know.

My goals today are twofold. Avoid the cold. And spend the day with my 95 year old father.

Enjoy your day!

This is Key West’s cold time! It will be cold all week!

Low 60s by day. Mid 50s by night.

One dresses for the weather. As many clothes as possible. I noticed last night that the tourists were even piling it on. They were doing Duval in the winter jackets/coats they wore on the trip down.

I spent sunday morning in bed. Reading the sunday papers and watching the TV talk shows.

I was over to Don’s Place just after 1. Long pants and a leather jacket.

The crowd at Don’s was thin. Had to be the weather. Those there were dressed warmly.

Cheryl and Roger were sitting at the outside bar enjoying themselves. The cold did not seem to be affecting them.

I did not stay long. Sitting outside in 60 degree weather did nothing for me.

It was over to Lisa’s.

Donna was there.

Donna’s jewelry is featured in Lisa’s internet department store Via Key West. They were going over details and Donna had brought some new jewelry to be offered for sale.

We talked about the wedding from the day before. I told Donna how nice it was. It was. I said Stacey did not look pregnant. Donna said oh she was. Five and a half months. The fluff of the dress hid it.

Robert was not home. He had gone to the movies with a friend. Robert and his friend are only 5 years old. The friend’s mother was with them. A first for Robert!

Ally was with a friend, also. A girl friend her age. 4. They were experiencing a play day together. Lisa had done up their faces with a bit of make up. A little eye shadow and some cheek stuff. They were all excited! Women are the same regardless of age.

I started my evening at the Chart Room. Expected to see Marty. No Marty. It has been almost 2 weeks since I have seen him and about a week he has been back. His wife Donna is here with him for a few days. Even some of the natives at the Chart Room were concerned they had not recently seen Marty.

Marty, where are you?

Che was standing at his usual spot at the end of the bar. Michael bartending.

The three of us ended up having a lengthy gin discussion. For all his years of inbibing, Che was unfamiliar with gin. Michael and I sought to educate him. Che ended up with 2 shots of gin in front of him. Michael’s favorite Bombay Saphinre and my favorite, Beefeaters.

And they were refilled.

Che would sip from one, then the other. And back and forth. He was sampling taste and bouquet. Or so he said.

I left Che still sampling the gins and rendering his expert opinion. One swig after another.

La Trattoria was packed. I thought business would be considerably down since it was Sunday night. No way. Tourists are still jamming the town. Kathy was sweet enough to seat me at the bar after only a short wait. Tables had a one hour wait.

This is one of the best Christmas weeks Key West has had in years. Tourists by the tons.

Where is the recession?

The crowds do not make sense to me. A recovery or a last hurrah?

I have a bad few days ahead of me weather wise. I leave for Upstate New York today. Will return to Key West thursday. Zero tempeatures where I am going. If you think I have been complaining about the cold here the past few weeeks, wait till you read tomorrow’s blog and the 0 degree temperatures!

Enjoy your day!

I went to a wedding yesterday!

Stacey and Rob’s wedding!

The ceremony took place on the beach behind Salute’s. At 2 pm. The sun was shinning. The sky blue. The wind blowing big time off the ocean. Temperature 63 degrees.

A beautiful setting. But cold!

I dressed for the occasion and the weather. Long pants, shirt, sweater and a leather jacket. The jacket was zippered up.

Most of the other guests were similarly dressed. Except for the women. Something about women at a wedding. They always dress the same. No stockings, dresses with bossoms bursting forth and no jacket or sweater. They have to look good!

There were some tourists nearby sunbathing on the beach. In minimal type bathing suits. It’s the blood thickness thing again.

An interesting wedding.

I was invited because of Donna. Mother of the bride. I was her escort.

Donna is part of Donna and Terri. Terri the brilliant star of Finian’s Rainbow on Broadway. Terri had to remain in New York and work.

Donna was dressed for the weather, not the occasion. A pant’s suit. No fool is she!

Stacey and Rob have lived together for several years. One has 2 girls from a previous marriage. The other one daughter from a previous marriage. Together they made one daughter, a 2 year old. And Stacey the bride is with child again!

They decided it was time to make the relationship official. So marriage it was.

Both were extremely happy and joking. Stacey looked lovely. Had to be cold, however. She had a short skirted white dress on. Off the shoulder. Rob was wearing a white linen suit.

They used self created vows. Their teen age daughters wrote them. One daughter stood behind Stacey and another behind Rob whispering the vows to them during the ceremony. The vows were a bit long, but heart warming. The girls understood.

The wedding reception took place at the outside portion of Salute’s afterwards. Stacey is the general manager of Salute’s.

Good food, good booze. Great people.

I got to sit with the family. Donna’s 3 sons and 2 daughters in law. And Donna. One of Donna’s sons has a doctorate in organic chemistry and is into research. Another is a musician. The third a writer. All somewhat successful. All noticably respectful to their mother.

We talked of many things. One was the economy.

One of the sons is in his early 30s. He told me how strange it was. 10 years ago he was out of school and working in New York City. Making more money than he knew he even was worth. Now things are tough. He plays with a band. They take whatever gig they can get. Whether $200 or $2,000 a night. It was like the mighty have fallen. Would it ever get better again was his concern.

Donna of course talked about Terri. She refers to Terri constantly as her wife. Which she is.

Donna shared some bad news. Finian’s Rainbow is closing. Sometime soon. Terri had received an official notice. The show will have run 3 months.

How sad!

Terri is looking for another show or some work in New York. Her credits are big from the recent publicity she has received. Donna says if no work pops up, they will return to Key West. They still have their apartment here and Terri can return to the Keys Piano Bar to sing.

As the world turns. Success can be fleeting. I hope it is not for Terri.

I could say that yesterday was a Key West day. It was not. On reflection it was a day representing today’s society. A marriage with people already living together and already having children, an extended family, a pregnant woman getting married and a gay couple married.

This is today. Values have changed.

I lived today yesterday.

Enjoy your day.

Yesterday was day one of the new year! A good day!

The weather was fantastic yesterday morning. Sun shinning. Sky and water blue. Absolutely no breeze. Everything quiet and motionless.

Then came the afternoon!

A rainstorm. Big!

Then all of a sudden, a cold front. The temperature dropped around 15 degrees just like that. From mid 70s to 60! And wind. A cold biting wind coming off the gulf.

The temperature last night was 59. The high today is projected at 63.

Ho ho weather!

I put the quilt back on the bed last night and turned on the heat.

My day yesterday started at Walgreen’s. They had screwed up my prescription. Gave me an old one. A good thing I am a bit anal and generally check things before I use them.

Then to Lisa’s.

During the drive over, I had the windows of the car open. That is how good the weather was.

Lisa had a migrane.

Robert and Ally were playing. Both gave me a Hello Poppa! and kiss.

Corey and I chatted.

I had a selfish reason for visiting yesterday. I had purchased the day before a new cell phone. An AT&T i phone. I could not work it. I read the instructions. I went on the internet and tried to follow the instructions there.

All to no avail.

It is a generational thing. As smart as I think I am and as well educated as I am, I am not mechanically inclined.

All I wanted to learn was how to enter telephone numbers into the phone. I could not do it.

Corey understands these things. In minutes he had it fugured out. Showed me. I learned. Placed 3 numbers in on my own.

Then I left.

I should have stayed longer. I soon discovered that even though I could enter new numbers, I did not know not what to press to initiate a call using those numbers. Even worse, I did not know how simply to make a telephone call directly by just entering the phone number. I could not bring up the numbers page.

Pure frustration!

About 10 o’clock last night, I figured out the direct dial page. I found it! Repeated the process and found it again! Only took 2 days!

I will be visiting Corey again today.

I do feel stupid. However I accepted a long time ago that my mechaincal talents were lacking. As long as there are younger bright people like Corey around, I shall survive!

The Chart Room last night. My first stop. The wind carried me in.

I was thrilled to see Joe and Jean Thornton. They have been back about a week. A granddaughter with them.

Jean and I talked quite a while. Such a nice person.

I met Myrla and Tom for the first time. They are friends of Joe and Jean.

Interesting people. They have found new lives in Key West.

Originally from Arizona, they “retired” and moved here 2 years ago. Tom was into air conditioning in Arizona. In Key West, he is a boat captain and dives for treasure. He is affiliated with the Mel Fisher group.

Tom was wearing a gold chain with a gold coin hanging from the chain. An emerald was embodied in the coin. I asked if he had found the piece diving. No, he said. Only the emerald.

What a great new life he has discovered for himself here in Key West!

Myrla told me they live on White Street. They enjoy sitting on their front porch and watching the world go by.

I was hungry. Day 23 of the diet. I had plateaued for several days at 19 pounds lost. Frustration was building in me. Also all of a sudden I desired a meal. Real food. I needed to eat!

I went to La Trattoria. The place was packed. Erin told me their were 6 people ahead of me waiting for a seat at the bar. So La Trat was not for me last night.

I figured it would be difficult to get an immediate seat any where. The town was still packed for the holiday.

Where to go? I decided to go to Outbacks. I rarely go. It is not part of old town Key West. It is located in new town in the Sears Shopping Center.

Tourists rarely go to Outbacks. Only locals. So I figured I could get a seat.

I did. There were several open at the bar.

What a meal! Yes, I cheated but still basically stayed within my diet. The diet permits one meal a day of 500 calories. Big deal! If beef, 5 ounces is permitted. There was a 6 ounce sirloin on the menu. Came with a sweet baked potato and steamed vegetables.

I enjoyed! Ate all the steak. Took the butter off the sweet potato and ate it all. Should not have, but it was so good. And had 2 slices of zucchini and a small piece of broccoli.

I enjoyed every morsel! Ate slow and relished it all!

There was a gentleman sitting next to me at the bar. When I finished, he commented that I looked like I enjoyed my meal. I did!

Clem was at Outbacks having dinner at the bar also. I have known Clem for over 15 years. I first met him when he waitered at Salute’s. More recently he has been at the Yacht Club so I see him frequently. The Club was closed last night so he was out enjoying himself.

I stayed at the bar a while enjoying the Florida/Cincinnati bowl game.

Then home to bed. Fixed the quilt on the bed. Turned on the heat. And slept the night away.

Today is wedding day. Donna’s daughter is getting married. I am escorting the mother of the bride to the wedding. It is at 2 pm on the beach. On the Atlantic. The temperature at best will be 63. The cold wind off the ocean 35-45 miles per hour.

I was concerned the other day that I would be too warm wearing long pants and a blazer. Now it is going to be long pants, a sweater and a leather jacket.

Enjoy your day!

Happy New Year!

A new year. A new beginning. The best to eveyone.

Yesterday was a quiet one for me. Intentionally.

I spent a couple of hours running errands during the day.

I needed a new cell phone. Apparently cellphones have a short life. The one I had was 3 years old. All of a sudden I had no screen, was not receiving all my messages, etc.

AT&T said it could not be fixed. So I bought a new one. Cannot live without a cellphone!

The represenative told me he could transfer all my phone numbers from the old phone to the new. Good luck! The process did not work for me. Two people spent 45 minutes trying to do it to no avail. Whatever had screwed up my old phone, had wiped out the numbers.

So I am starting fresh. I know no one’s telephone number. Help me! E mail your home and cell numbers so I may load my new phone.

I spent a part of the afternoon at Lisa’s. Both Robert and Ally each had a friend visiting to play from school. Boys are boys. The girls were cute. Ally was in all her glory.

I did a quiet New Years last night. I stayed home. Alone. There were places I could have gone, people I could have been with. My mood however was to stay in. I made a light dinner and was in bed by 9. Fell asleep. Woke at 11. Figured I would stay awake till Midnight and watch the ball fall on Times Square. No way. The next time I woke it was 5 am.

The weather was spectacular yesterday. Close to 80.

This morning is good, also. Sun is up. No clouds. And no breeeze! Not even a slight one. Everything is still. Motionless. Even the water.

Enjoy this first day of the new year. May God bless you and yours during the entire year.