The lunar eclipse!

I woke in the middle of the night and walked onto the terrace outside my bedroom. There it was. The moon. Dark red. Spectacular! Magnificent! Awesome!

Mother Nature at her best.

I stayed outside less than a minute. The temperature was somewhere in the 50s. I was wearing next to nothing.

Yesterday was busy for me. A lot of nothing. But things one has to do.

I spent the better part of the morning with my internest. Then a two hour business meeting at noon. Followed by a visit to the heart doctor.

In between, I stopped at Publix to pick up a few additional things. They had fruit cake!

That was my day up to 5.

It tired me out. I stayed in again last night. Too tired and too cold to go out.

While at Publix, I ran into Alan Wimer. I have not seen Alan in quite a while. We both have lost weight. We stood in the vegetable section complimenting each other.

As we were talking, a woman in one of those electronic carts came wheeling by. We were blocking the aisle. We moved our carts so she could proceed.

Alan is a joker. A natural born comedian. Always means well, however.

As the lady drove by us, he commented how people have to be careful of female drivers.

The woman was not in a joking mood! She took the comment wrong. She spoke nasty to us.

A haircut this morning. Lori time! It was Lori time at Publix also. I came around a corner and there she was!

I am beginning to worry. I used to enjoy going out in the evening and raising hell. Now I tend to stay in. Instead my pleasure is going to Publix in the afternoon.

Party time tonight! Larry and Christine are having a Christmas bash at their home. I will be there!

View some interesting legal bits from my 12/10/10 radio show The Key West Lou Legal Hour. www.tikilive.com/video/29182.

Enjoy your day!

A quiet Sunday yesterday.

Except for going out to buy the Key West Citizen and New York Times, I never left the house.

I read, napped, watched TV and wrote. That was my day.

Actually, I enjoyed it. I must have needed it.

Even my house guests Donna and Terri were no where to be found. They left at around 10 in the morning. I heard them come in about 3 this morning.

My only disappoinment is that I missed the Christmas show at St. Paul’s Church. It is an annual event. Always good. All the locals turn out for it. The Church is packed. Christmas fills the air. Everyone Merry Christmasing each other.

I acomplished one important thing yesterday. I arranged for Santa Claus to visit my grandchildren. He visits them evey Christmas eve. Generally with his elf Billy. Robert and Ally have come to expect his visit.

I had forgotten to schedule Santa this year. Fortunately, I remembered yesterday!

Reggie Jenkins is my Santa Claus. And a good one he is! He actually looks like Santa 365 days a year. Beard and all!

There is a lunar eclipse tonight. Apparently a big deal. It will start just before 2 in the morning and last 72 minutes.

If I wake, I will see it. Otherwise, not.

I have a doctor visit at 9:30. My internest. After 65, doctoring is common and frequent. I have concluded that is why people retire. To have time to visit their doctors!

Enjoy your day!

Good morning!

Happy Sunday!

Lovely outside. Sun shining. Not a cloud in the sky. Pure blue. Matches the water. A slight breeze.

Presently 66 degrees. Going to 70.

Another great Key West day in the making!

There is an egret, egret, whatever way you spell it, sitting on a corner of the roof of the MTV house across the way. Tall and white. Majestic!

Since I slept late yesterday morning, I stayed in for a while and wrote. The mood was upon me.

I did some research also. I was curious as to the origin of Sant Claus. Wow! Confusing! There is no consistent tale of from whence he came. Tons of fantasies, history and tradition. No precise answer, however.

My radio show for 12/10/10 is available for demand viewing 24 hours a day. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Revealing, challenging and opinionated. Take a look. www.tikilive.com/video/29182.

It was the weekend. I was lazy. So I skipped the gym.

I had purchased some pre Christmas gifts for the grandkids. I took them over in the afternoon. A special tree decoration for Robert and one for Ally. A Christmas book for them to read. They love reading! And two CDs. One was the Twelve Days of Christmas.

The CDs cost me a dollar a piece. No big deal!

The Twelve Days of Christmas one was a find! Magnificent filming! But what made it the best was the background singing by Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Louis Armstrong. Nostalgic!Terrific!

I was at Lisa’s to help, no, to watch, them decorate the tree. They were too slow. Never got to it. So I left.

I had Christmas shopping to do. For Lisa and Corey. I can’t tell you what I bought. Then they would know. They obviously read this blog every day. But will they be surprised! Especially Lisa!

The cupboard was empty again. I was off to Puiblix.

People happy. The Christmas spirit was obvious.

I wanted to buy a fruit cake. Publix has been displaying small ones for two weeks. Yesterday was the day for me to purchase one. Good luck! They were sold out!

In between all this running around yesterday afternoon, I treated myself. A pedicure and manicure. With Tammy at Lee Nails. Relaxing!

I spent the evening in. Watched TV. Fell asleep early.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Key West weather is back to normal.

Yesterday’s high was 77 degrees. This morning it is already 76.

I slept late this morning. Did not get up till 10. Very unusual for me.

Yesterday started with my radio show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. A success! The best part of the show turned out to be the 20 minute interview I did with Donna and Terri. The issue: discrimination. All sorts. As it impacted them personally. Being black, Lesbian, same sex marriage and Broadway. An eye opener! These girls lived it!

I did the gym a bit in the afternoon. My weight loss is still at 19 pounds. One more to go.

Did some Xmas shopping. More looking than anything else. Though I did buy Robert and Ally each a Xmas ball for the tree. Good ones. Something that will be theirs and they will hopefully hang the rest of their lives. And remember each time Poppa.

There is a new lady in town! Her name is Shauna Lee Lange.

Shauna has now resided here for all of three weeks. With her husband and 3 year old son. Key West is now home to them.

Shauna hails from the Washington, DC area. A former government emplyee. She operates a business in Washington that counsels and helps women and girls. Called Be Wholly You. She will be operating a similar business here in the Florida keys.

I met Shauna via Facebook some time ago. We hooked up last night and met face to face for the first time.

I figured I might as well break her in properly. I had her meet me at the Chart Room. She loved it!

Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner.

John was all excited. His Wisconsin football team ended the season ranked #5 nationally. They will be playing in the Rose Bowl. He went through the scenerio for me as to who had to win and lose for Wisconsin to end up #2 after all the bowl games. John is really into it!

Shauna is an interesting lady. I suspect she may quickly become a Key West fixture.

We split after dinner. I headed over to Don’s Place.

A good crowd! Don, Kurt, Herschel and Erica. Met Tara. A bartender/waitress at Sloppy Joe’s.

Pat O’Brien was also hanging out at the bar. Pat is a new found friend. About 2 weeks. He is a close friend of Kurt’s.

Pat hails from somewhere up north. He same to Key West a few weeks ago to apply for a license to sing on the streets. He is a troubador. He wanted to earn a living walking Duval with his guitar and singing.

I told Pat, “Good luck!” There are very few licenses. It is a lottery draw and very few are given out.

Guess what! Pat got one!

Last night had been his first on Duval. He was excited!

I rarely computer chat. Hate it! But last night I did. Pati Wilson-Crimins was on looking for me. Pati is a former Key Wester now living in Arizona. She is the reason I ended up sleeping late this morning.

There is a pre-US premier movie Tuesday night at the Tropic Cinema. A fundraiser.

The movie is about Yasuni. Yasuni is the national forest of Ecuador. It is inhabited by natives/indigenous people. They know not the civilized world.

Underground oil in large supply has been discovered in the Yasuni. If drilling is permitted, these people from another time will he hurled into the 21st century.

The fundraiser is to raise monies to combat the drilling.

The major activity ahead for me today is Xmas tree decoration at Lisa’s. Lisa and the grandkids want me there. I hate decorating the tree. But I have agreed to sit nearby and encourage them.
And watch Robert and Ally hang the two special balls I purchased for them.

Enjoy your day!

What a diference a day makes…..

Yesterday afternoon the temperature was a warm 74 degrees! The day before a cold 54!

A 20 degree swing in 24 hours.

Common in the Florida keys. A cold front arrives suddenly. And leaves just as quickly. When it is time.

Today’s high is projected at 75. Terrific!

It was shorts and tee shirt yesterday. Will be the same today.

I have a Facebook friend in Crete, Greece. Jim Brown. We have been communicating for more than a year. He is a musician, father and grandfather.

Crete is an island. As Key West is. Except it is much colder there right now. Jim wrote the other day that the island was experiencing biblical storms. The wrath of God!

Jim picked up on my comment about lying in the sun a couple of days ago working on my tan when the temperature was in the 50s. I had a few ho hos after the comment.

Jim must be on centegrade rather than fahrenheit. He thought I was bragging about how warm the weather was! Chastised me a bit.

I wrote and set him straight, of course.

The gym yesterday afternoon. The bag. I beat the hell out of it. Good exercise! Helps to relieve the tensions!

Last night my dear friend Terri White was performing at La Te DA. I had dinner at the outside bar befoe the show. Then walked upstairs to the Crystal Room to enjoy Terri.

She was magnificent!

What a voice!

What lungs!

She gave me goose bumps with songs like Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out, Me and My Shadow and Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

Her rendition of I’ll Be Home for Christmas brought the house down! Not a dry eye in the room. Even I shed a few tears.

My radio show this morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. 10 am. On the radio in the keys and Cuba. KONK 1500 AM. Better yet, the show can be seen and listened to on the internet world wide. www.konkam.com.

Join me for a review of this week’s intertesting topics. Plus a special treat. I have guests for the final two segments. Donna Barnett and Terri White. We are going to discuss all kinds of discrimination.

Enjoy your day!

I lay by the pool yesterday working on my tan.

What a joke! The temperature never got out of the 50s!

I stayed in most of the day bundled up.

It is 55 degrees this morning. Going to get better though. A high of 70 is predicted for today.

I spent most of the day working on Friday’s radio show and writing.

Tomorrow’s show has many timely topics. Like incest. Can you believe! It is in the news! From Columbia University to Switzerland! One of the issues is the legalization of incest.

We live in a crazy world!

Other topics include the military officer who refuses another deployment to Afghanistan because he is a birther, Iran angered at the US because we refer to the area they are in as the Arab Gulf rather than the Persian Gulf, the Indonesian Catholic who is beat up because of her religion, airport security, the federal judge who found part of the health care bill unconstitutional and now it turns out he may have had a conflict of interest, Amanda Knox’s Italian appeal, the Indian boy who brought a religious dagger to class, a jilted bride who is suing her fiancee for damages after he dumped her, $30 million of Vatican assets seized by the Italian government, and more.

In addition to all of the above, I have two guests who I will be interviewing on the last two segments of the show. Terri White and Donna Barnett. I intend to zero in on the discrimination in their lives. Being black, being gay, being a woman and same sex marriage. You have no idea! Or, maybe you do.

Join me at 10 am tomorrow. Listen on the radio in the Florida Keys and Cuba on KONK 1500 AM. Watch and listen world wide on the internet at http://www.konkam.com/.

I skipped golf because of the cold. It was 48 degrees. Turns out I was the only one who failed to show up. I received many criticaal phone calls later in the day chastising and otherwise making fun of me.

I did hit the gym later in the afternoon. Good health is important. I am proud to report that I have lost 19 pounds in the past two months. I started a diet while in Phoenix. A couple of more pounds and I am done. Just in time for Christmas!

Dinner was at Lisa’s last night with the family.

Lisa had made some Christmas cookies. Robert and Ally helped her. They were eating them after dinner. It killed me! I wanted one desperately!

I had intended to go to Larry Smith’s show at the Bottle Cap at 9. Dinner was over at 6. Too long between the two. And too cold! I went home to my warm bed instead.

Spoke with Jenna this morning. She tells me the show went over well. A good crowd. Christmas caroles and rock ‘n roll. A Key West combination!

Tonight is a big night! For Terri White! She appears live at La Te Da’s Crystal Room at 9. The show is called Live From Broadway. Go see her! You have no idea the quality of her performance. You will be glad you joined her.

The spouses are both working tonight. Donna is showing her jewelry at the Stone Soup Gallery on White Street. Part of the Walk on White tonight. The showing is from 6-9. Beautiful pieces.

Enjoy your day!

On behalf of Key West and the Florida keys, I want to thank our northern friends for sharing their weather with us!

Today is the best! At the moment, it is 48 degrees!

I spent as much of yesterday as I could in bed. Not because I was tired. Because it was warm. My second floor is heated, the first is not.

I did go to the gym later in the afternoon. Worked out hard. Never broke a sweat. Too cold.

Jenna arived by prearrangement at my home at 5. We worked on Friday’s radio show.

When we finished, we went to La Trattoria for dinner. I should have called for a reservation. The place was packed. Erin said no room at the bar for at least an hour. People standing around for a table. I walked over to Becha an quietly asked if I could have a table for two. In moments, we were seated. Besides prompt attention, I also got a hug and kiss.

I was home by 9:30. Drove by Don’s Place on the way home. Saw Rob and Bebe at the bar. Was going to stop for a drink. Then I thought…..too cold! So I went directly home.

Poor Terri. She has a bad toothache. Dentist has her on antibiotics. She is going crazy. He can do nothing till the infection goes away.

Terri has a show tomorrow night at La Te Da’s Crystal Room. Live From Broadway! A rehearsal today. She will do it all. And no one will know. She is a trouper. The show must go on.

Today is Wednesday. Wednesday is golf day. Not for me today. Too cold! I chickened out. The rest of the group is playing.

I remember golf in the spring up north. We were all desperate to play. It was still cold. The snow had disappeared just a few days before. But…..we had to get out on the course!

My cut off temperature wise was 50 degrees. It had to 50 or better. Otherwise, I would not play.

I applied the 50 degree rule this morning.

Lisa is doing a good business for Christmas with her internet department store Via Key West. www.viakeywest.com. Take a walk through her store on your computer. You might find some interesting Christmas gifts to purchase.

Tonight is the Larry Smith Variety Show at the Bottle Cap. At 9. Larry and the lovely Jenna hosting. Christine and Kathleen singing Christmas caroles. Ray guest appearing with his crazy electronic guitar.

A show worth seeing! If the cold keeps you in, you can view the show on the internet at www.konkam.com.

Enjoy your day! Stay warm!

I will not complain about the weather here in Key West. The rest of the country is suffering much more. My hometown of Utica, NY is buried in snow. The temperature is 11-15 degrees. That is cold!

Permit me to share with you one item about the weather here. Not a complaint. Merely an attempt to be informative. The temperature dropped to 49 degrees during the evening!

I stayed in most of yesterday. Probably the weather. Then in the afternoon I headed over to the gym. It was a good work out! Especially hitting the big bag.

I returned home and wrote for a while. It was my intent to have dinner at La Trattoria. A little bit of Becha and Kathy. But the cold intimidated me. Especially the wind. Around 40 miles per hour.

I stayed home.

It was early to bed. I have heat on the second floor. None on the first floor. That explains it.

About three weeks ago, I had this divine intervention. I was leafing through a Lands End kids catalogue. Saw winter jackets. Those bulky warm things with hoods. Decided to buy Robert and Ally each a jacket. Glad I did! They are coming in handy in this weather!

I owe an apology to my friend Ray Sigismondi. He was Larry Smith’s featured guest Sunday night at the Wine Galley. I intended to go. I forgot. Sorry, Ray!

It was Ray’s 10th anniversary appearing on Larry’s showcase. Ray plays a crazy electronic guitar. Rock ‘n roll is his specialty. Every comment I have heard since the show is that it was absolutely outstanding!

Hollywood movie star Christian Slater has been vacationing here in Key West the past few days. He stopped in to hear Ray play. Big!

Enjoy your day! And stay warm!

Another beautiful Key West day!

Appearance wise.

Sun shining. Blue sky. Everything bright.

But cold! Colder! Coldest!

62 degrees. High today 63. Low tonight 50. 40s predicted for tomorrow night.

Wind! 40 miles per hour. My pool has waves!

Strange weather!

All week it was cold. Yesterday started out warm. Mid 70s. Tee shirt and shorts weather. Then the new cold front started coming in. Just like that. It will be with us all week.

Still better than the snow and minus weather up north!

I spent yesterday morning in bed watching Meet the Press and Chris Matthews.

The afternoon was Don’s Place for pro football. Everyone there. Don, David, Tino, Tom, Nancy, Steph, Kurt, Angus, and more.

Then to Lisa’s.

Robert was at a friend’s house playing. Corey upstairs on the computer. Lisa and Ally making Xmas cookies.

Ally was all excited. She was putting the sprinkles on the cookies. She proudly offered me one. Delicious!

I stayed a while and read the Sunday papers.

Then to Walgreens and Publix.

Jennifer works in the drug department at Walgreens. She also plays bocce. On Thursday evenings, as I do.

Jennifer’s team made the playoffs, as Larry Smith’s did. With the same result. They were wiped out! Jennifer said the experience was horrible! I told her there always was next season. This was the first time Jennifer’s team had made the playoffs. She should be proud of that fact alone.

By dinner time, the cold front was in. I decided against going out. Missed the Gardens again!

Worked on next Friday’s radio show a while. Then a light dinner and off to bed.

Enjoy your day! Stay warm, where ever you are!

A lovely Sunday morning!

Sun shining. Sky blue with an occasional white cloud. Very little breeze. Water calm.

But it is still cold! 62 degrees!

I did a lot last night.

Jenna came by at 5 for a prearranged meeting. We worked on next Friday’s radio show. I have graduated. She is now my producer.

Then we were off to the Chart Room. Michael bartending. People coming in and out as they worked their way to the Pier House deck to watch the boat parade.

Mick Barnes and his charming wife walked by. Mick and I talked a bit. I like Mick. A down to earth guy. One of Key West’s premier attorneys.

Jenna and I then headed to the Sports Page Bar. Syracuse v. Colgate.

We had dinner and watched the game.

Kristen was bartending. A lovely gal! Owner Patrick was there. We exchanged pleasantries. He found the Syracuse game for me.

A disaster for Colgate. Final score had Syracuse winning 100-43. We left at half time when the score was 50 something to 8. The game was boring. I felt bad for Colgate.

Although I had not intended to watch the boat parade because of the cold, we walked over to the outer deck of the Pier House to take a look. I have seen many boat parades. Always from a boat. Jenna had never seen one.

The deck stuck out on the water. We lasted all of five minutes. The cold wind was cutting. Jenna agreed I was wise to have given away my boat tickets last night.

Cold or otherwise, the boat parade was lovely. As usual. Boat owners go crazy with the Christmas decorations! Just like on homes! A sight to behold!

We walked by the Wine Galley. Larry was playing. The place was packed with customers. People smartly watching the boat parade from inside the bar. We said hello to Larry and waved to Kathleen and Christine. And our friends from England, John and Ellie.

It was a little after 8. We had done all that in about 3 hours. It was time to take Jenna home. Which I did.

On the way to my home, I stopped at Don’s Place.

Nicky was bartending. A lovelier bartender one could not ask for! Kurt sitting around. He was to go on duty at 9. I chatted for a while with Kurt and David. Karen gave me a hug and kiss. David and Karen leave Wednesday for a couple of weeks in Paris and other parts of France.

I made one last stop on the way home. Lisa’s.

Ally was sick yesterday. A temperature. 103.4.

When I arrived, Alley’s temperature was down to 101. She was active and well. Like nothing was wrong with her. Lisa reports this morning that she barely has a temperature. So whatever came is almost gone.

I definitely will watch Meet the Press this morning. And then Don’s Place for some pro football followed by the gym. Then a visit to Lisa’s. Will I make the Gardens this evening? I am not sure. I seem to fade as the day gets longer.

My friend Ray is Larry Smith’s guest performer tonight. The Wine Galley at 9. Ray is a good guy and a hell of a musician. He plays some crazy type guitar and blows the room out with his music. A good place to be this evening.

I hope I make Ray’s show!

Oops! Almost forgot! Cheryl and Roger. Ran into them in the Chart Room. From Kankakee, Illinois. Good people, good friends.

Enjoy your Sunday!