It’s a new life, it’s a good day for me!

I have a dentist appointment at 9:30. Stitches to be removed. Some other work done. I suspect I will be in better shape afterwards.

I better be! This has been my week from Hell!

Father’s Day was the same as all days this past week. I stayed home. All alone by the telephone. Watched the Open. Me and my blender.

Except for one bright spot. A Father’s Day visit by Lisa and family. They brought me flowers.There is a colorful spot in the kitchen where they sit.

They had just finished swimming at Fort Zach. Corey was excited. He described how Robert and Ally donned their snorkeling equipment and swam the length of the beach with him. Out in the deep part beyond the rocks.
About ten feet deep. Each time they saw something which attracted them, they snapped their bodies and went down to the ocean floor.

Corey was impressed. Robert and Ally have been snorkeling for at least three years.The past week at the Reef Relief summer camp had fine tuned them.

My fish!

The day finished on a high note. Marty telephoned me.

Marty lives in Hallandale. He was calling from a float in his brother’s pool in the East Hamptons. The far end of Long Island. With a martini in hand, off course. He and Donna vacationing.

Marty is well again. Obviously. Back into the martinis!

He will return to Key West later this week. I look forward to his visit.

That’s all folks! Time to get ready for the dentist. Hopefully my day, no, my life, will be better afterwards.

Enjoy your day!

Happy Father’s Day!

First to my Dad! 97 years young! Who would have believed!

Love you, Dad! Hang in there!

Then to me and all the other fathers out there!

These are difficult times. Unless you are a banker or involved with Wall Street, things are not as they should be. Not as had been anticipated. Disruption everywhere.

The disruption extends to the family unit also. There are more and more dysfunctional families. Family members not talking to each other. The young screwing the old financially. Children throwing Dads/parents under the bus for financial gain. Greed affecting the very core of families to the total destruction of the family unit.

Things change. The world is not as it was. Nor as it was expected to be.

Change has become the constant.

Dads everywhere, enjoy the day with whomever and whatever you have. Make the best of that which is.

I am feeling better. Yesterday was the best day yet this week. I would say I am ok in every respect, except appearance and ability to speak normally. Jaw still swollen and bruised. Is my upper lip going to be purple forever? I still have trouble talking. Enunciation non existant. Words get garbled. I am difficult to understand.

I know. I have always been difficult to understand in many respects. This is a new and different type difficulty, however.

Larry Smith and I had an interesting conversation friday. On the telephone. With Larry having a bit of difficulty understanding me. I understood him, however.

Larry called to ask if I needed anything. Though we do not always agree, he is a friend and loyal reader of this blog. I told him thank you, but no.

We chatted a bit.

Then he told me what his charming wife Christine was up to. Christine was in Saratoga. Relatively close to my home town, Utica. Relatively close to her former home town, Woodstock.

Why Saratoga? The racing season does not start for a month.

Turns out Christine was there helping out family members. If my recollection is correct, a neice and her husband. If I have it wrong, I apologize. But relatives they are.

The wife has cancer and is undergoing chemotheray every day. The husband recently lost both kidneys and is on the dyalis machine every day. They are being treated as out patients in different cities. One in Saratoga, the other in Albany.

Larry and I got into a discussion of the relative illnesses of Christine’s family members and me. I am going to get better. The family members…..questionable. All of a sudden, I felt ashamed for only having thought of myself all week. There are many others in the world far sicker than I.

I immediately felt better.

Which reminded me of something I had heard many years ago…..I was unhappy I did not have shoes till I met a man who had no feet.

Sorry if today’s blog is a bit heavy, thoughtful. It’s the way it came out. I never know what I am going to say when I sit at the computer in the morning. It just flows.

Enjoy the day!

I am feeling better.

Yesterday, ok. So far this morning, good. Sleep still screwed up. Wake every hour. Must be the second pill I am taking. Still having crazy dreams.

My next dentist visit is Monday. I cannot wait. My jaw still swollen and bruised. I am talking strange. Enunciating poorly. Impossible to chew.

But…..I am getting there!

One positive is that I have lost five pounds in five days!

I miss going out and socializing. I enjoy people. Early next week should find me back into my normal life style.

Reef Relief. A local organization whose goal is to preserve and protect living coral reef and ecosystems.The reef as we know it is 10-12 miles off Key West. I have snorkeled at the reef. Magnificent! Colorful fish and underwater foliage. Some of the fish are big. Many the time my heart fluttered a bit!

Robert and Ally are doing a two week summer camp under the auspices of the Reef Relief organization.

Ally telephoned me yesterday to share her experience with me.

The group is for 6-12 year olds. They are boated out to the reef. Swim, dive and snorkel. All day long.

Robert and Ally already swim better than me and most adults. They have been snorkeling for three years. Such would be expected. Their father Corey is a professional diver.

What a way for my grandkids to live!

Stephanie Kaple is a dear Key West friend. As Jenna is.

Stephanie is crazy about shoes. High heeled ones. Stilettos.

Stephanie is known as the Island Shoe Girl. She does a weekly blog. www.theislandshoegirl.com. Starts the column with shoes and ends up solving some world problem. A deep person! I recommend her blog to you.

Stephanie also does a weekly internet show at KONK. My station, also.

Yesterday, Jenna guested on Stephanie’s show.

Jenna and I spoke last night. I asked if they talked about flip flops. Yesterday was National Flip Flop Day. No. Me thinks Stephanie was not even aware of the significance of yesterday.

Stephanie hates flip flops. Even crocs. She is always chastising me for wearing crocs.

I often wonder if she wants me to wear stilettos. Now, that would be a sight!

Stephanie also selects some person for the Stletto Award of the week. Generally has to do with shoes. Not yesterday. Jenna said I received the award. To compensate for my pain and suffering this past week

Thank you, Stephanie. But, I still will not wear stilettos! I do not shave my legs nor wear skirts. Doubt I would look good. People would start wondering! They would mentally think…..I always knew!

Stephanie also sponsors a Stiletto Contest at Vino’s once a month. Women parade and prance in high heels. I have agreed to judge this month’s contest. Should be fun. I had to promise to keep my eyes at ankle level and below.

Stiletto originally applied to knives. Dagger type. A slender point to permit the blade to quickly and deeply penetrate. A favorite of Italians. A modern day Mafia execution instrument.

The American switch blade is also considered a stiletto.

I recall many years ago reading a book involving a stiletto. It may have been a James Bond novel. Some one had to be killed. He was swimming at a Miami Beach hotel. The executioner dove in and swam under him. Took out his stiletto and in with one swift thrust took the guy out.

Today’s high heels are referred to as stilettos because of their length and thinness.

You can tell I feel better this morning. I am primarily talking about things other than my health.

Sitting around this past week, I did more reading than normal. I read a lot about Harry Truman. A most responsible and spectacular President

He called things as he saw them. He called a spade a spade. Without hesitancy.

I discovered an interesting Truman quote. Says it all about politicians. The quote applies especially to today’s politicians.

Harry Truman said:  “My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference.”

Go Harry!

Enjoy your day!

Gorgeous outside. The weather continues to be perfect.

The MTV house across the water is yellow with pink trimming. Once the sun is up and running, it reflects brightly off the house. At the moment the sun is edging up. The yellow and pink are muted. So are the palm trees and water surrounding the house. A piece of beauty unto itself.

The weather by day continues around 90. By night, in the low 80s. Humidity by day getting heavy. Nights so so. Sometimes have to turn on the air conditioning in the middle of the night.

The evening weather is perfect convertible time. If I was getting out. Which I am not. I have been confined to home since Monday. Fun is becoming a distant thing in my memory!

I have a hair cut scheduled at 11:30. Need the hair cut. Plus, Lori will be away all of next week. Will I make it?

The swelling is down. Have a 2 inch x 1/4 inch dark purple stripe on my left jaw. Noticed last night my upper lip is totally dark purple. Like purple lipstick. Could not see it before because with no teeth there, the lip tends to cave in.

That is my problem. No teeth! How can I go out into the world toothless! Not me!

I am getting sick of lying in bed, watching TV and taking naps. I need to get out! Socialize! Talk with people!

Talking a problem. Hard to ennunciate and articulate.

I know. All this will soon pass. In the meantime, it is just me and my blender!

Enjoy your day!

Good news and bad news.

The good news first.

Donna and Terri telephoned me around 4 yesterday afternoon. All excited. One talking, one yelling in the background. I had to tell them to slow down. Finally, shut up!

Their message: Terri and Follies are going to Broadway! Rehearsals start in threee weeks. The show opens on the golden way in July.

Terri broke a leg!

What a wonderful continuation of Terri’s story. Three years ago she slept on a park bench in New York City for 3 months. Homeless. Now back on Broadway bigger than ever!

God is good!

Now for the bad news.

The pain came back big time around noon yesterday. Back to the pills. I had a horrible tooth ache where I have not had a real tooth in 50 years and no where near where the dentist worked on Monday.

I slept, but woke frequnetly and abruptly. Crazy dreams. crazy pills.

My computer broke. I spent last night and up until now having it worked on. I don’t know what is worse. Sleeping alone or having your computer die on you!

I am bleeding sporadically also.

When will this all end? Probably sometime over the weekend. The dentist said it would take a week.

In the meantime, I am a recluse. Stay in. Do not go out. Reading a lot. Watching some TV. Researching for tomorrow’s internet show which I will not be doing. There will be a rerun, however.

Enjoy your day!

Good morning!

I slept last night. A biggie!

My post dental surgery problems are still with me. Though less. I am recovering.

Yesterday was spent home. Never left the house. The pain pill disoriented me. I felt lousy overall.

Kurt visited in the afternoon. He did not stay long. I have difficulty talking. Results in increased pain.

I stopped taking the pain pill at noon yesterday. It was too hallucegenic for me. WOW is the only way I can describe the freaky side show that was going on in my head. I even saw my mother walking around the house three times. She has been dead more than 20 years.

By dinner time last night, my head had cleared and I was pain free. Slept well during the night. I have some jaw pain this morning. Not going to take the pill if I can help it.

Bruising is develpong. A dark one about an inch long on  the left side of my jaw.

My blender and I slept together.

No golf for me.

I plan on staying in all day.

Don’t you. Go out and enjoy!

Pain!

Nothing but since yesterday morning. Took longer for the pain pills (note the s on pill) to kick in.

Of the three major surgeries involved in the process, this was the worst. Without question. No comparison. Four hours post surgery, it was shoot me, take my head off, whatever.

I did not sleep one moment last night. Not much pain. Just could not sleep.
Whatever the drug I am on, it has some interesting side effects. I kept hearing house noises all night. The door bell ringing, the front door opening, some one walking around downstairs, people speaking, etc.

Freaky!

Anyhow…..I am happy to report I feel better this morning. Still taking the pain pills though. The pills have joined with the blender as my best friend couple.

The drive to the dentist yesterday morning was special. I took ocean route along the Atlantic. It was longer. Subconsciously, I probably wanted to be late. I hate dentists!

Sun shining. Top down on the new Volks beettle convertible. Car headed for the dentist’s office.

The vehicle is equipped with Sirius. My two previous Audis had Sirius also. But I never did whatever had to be done to make them operational. My new car benefactor delivered the vehicle ready to go. That included the Sirius hook up.

So far I have been listening to the following music: 40s, 50s, 60s, Sinatra and Broadway. Nothing could be finer…..

As I drove along with the sun in the sky and the ocean to my left, on came The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha. Awe inspiring! Blew me out! As the song ended, I was ready, as Don Quixote had  been, to ascend the stairs…..to accept judgment.

I know. You think I am whacking out. I am. It has to be the pills!

Almost 24 hours later, I feel like I am still waiting to meet my Maker. This pain interlude must be my Purgatory.

Watched the Republican New Hampshire debate last night. It was sweet time. The candidates were goody two shoes to each other. They must have had emblazoned on the inside of their eye balls Reagan’s…..speak no evil of a fellow Republican.

Mitt Romney, Michele Bachman and Newt Gingrich did partularly well. Ron Paul, who I have admired for years, is starting to show his age. His thought content good as usual. His responses a bit off track at times. I understand. I am an oldie and suffer from whatever afflicts Paul.

I probably will write 2 or 3 legal blogs for Amazon Kindle today. The Key West Lou Law site. That is if the pills do not screw up my thought process. I will know within the first two or three paragraphs.

Tom and Nicky left a couple of days ago for their home on the Jersey shore. I miss them. Good people. What a life! What a country! Tom is a retired school administrator. Summers at the Jersy shore and winters in Key West. Nicky is retired from sonething also and makes and has made her contribution to the their life style. What Nicky did I cannot recall. The Ron Paul problem. Louis’ problem.

I miss Tino and Maria, also. They returned to Chicago for the summer. Good people.

The relationship Tino and I have is terrific. I consider him a friend. It was not always so.

I started playing bocce 5 years ago. Tino was team captain. Tino said we had to practice. Sundays at around noon. I said no. I explained I had not come to Key West to be serious about anything. Serious was behind me. Tino is a short guy. Some short men tend to be pompous. Tino was pompous. Retired lawyers can be pompous also.

Tino looked me in the eye and said if I did not practice on Sundays, I could not play. I said no problem. I quit.

Such was the Tino/Louis beginning. Our relationship sucked for a while thereafter. Then we became friends. True friends. I am happy to have  him  as a friend. I am sure his feelings toward me are the same. If not, I will hear from Tino sometime today. In his deep raspy voce, he will say…..LOUIS!

Enjoy your day! I know mine will be good. I am on those pills!

A different morning.

Quiet. Nothing moving. The water still. No breeze. Eerie.

At some point, it will change. Just like that. A breeze will come in off the ocean causing the water and palm trees to get going.

Today is going to be a day from hell for me. Dental surgery again. 9:30. It will be the last pain procedure in the process. I will probably be screwd up for 1-2 weeks.

The pain pills will supercede the blender as my best friend!

Yesterday was a nice Sunday. Amazing how sometimes the best description is the simplest one. Nice.

I received a manicure from Tammy at Lee Nails at noon. Visited with Barbara in the afternoon. Took a ride up the keys. Top down on the convertible. I have Sirius. There is something up in the sky that provides all sorts of radio entertainment. I had it on both my Audi convertibles, but never got it hooked up. It is hooked up this time.

So far, I have arranged to receive five stations. Music from the 40s, 50s, 60s, Sinatra and Broadway. You have not lived till you have experienced buzzing up Route 1 in a convertible with the top down, ocean on both sides as far as the eye can see, and the radio blaring one of these stations. Heaven!

Last night wa Jenna time.

We started at the Gardens. Many people I knew. It took me a while to get seated.

Kate was her usual lovely self. A hug and kiss. I admire her. A smart successful woman. Overflowing with charm.

Jenna and I had a drink and chatted. It was the perfect setting. Palm and other trees galore. Music playing.

Then to the Chart Room.

Don and Chris are in town from Syracuse. Good friends. We have not hooked up yet this trip. We did not meet last night either. They were not at the Chart Room when I was. Emily said we were missing each other. We may have missed each other this trip for good. After my surgery this morning, I will not be going out this evening. I will be in bed dying. Chris and Don leave Key West in the morning.

Jenna and I were off to Hot Tin Roof for dinner. We shared appetizers and watched the first half of the Miami/Dallas game. Afterwards, I dropped her off at her home and headed over to Don’s Place to watch the rest of the game.

Boomer was bartending. I offered he and his  lady the use of my home. Their place had a fire at 4:30 yesterday morning. Bomer lives across the street from Jenna. Boomer declined my offer. Apparently they are settled in elsewhere.

Fires are dangerous to begin with. Even more so in Key West. Most homes are constructed of wood and are 50 plus years old. The wood is dry. The homes are nestled close together. A fire can spread rapidly to nearby homes. The fire department did well, however. The fire was contained to Boomer’s place.

Dallas won! A big deal! A very big deal! Congrats to them. They were decidedly the better team in the finals. For Miami, there is always another time. The dream team will make it. Possibly even next year.

An observation. Money cannot buy titles. Consider the New York Yankees and Miami Heat.

The time is close. I am mentally ready for this morning. Though I hate having to go through it again. Thank God for pain killing drugs!

Enjoy your day. Mine is going to be absolutely awful!

Where do I begin…..

Bocce playoffs yesterday. An experience.

Rather than keep you in mystery…..we lost both games. Each 16-0. WE DID NOT SCORE ONE POINT!

I have never been beaten 16-0, nor has my team. And to do it two games in a row!

Guess what? I did not care. My team mates did not care. We had a wonderful time. We arrived at  the playoffs with no expectations.

The team we played was from the monday night league. The monday night teams are purportedly the best. As a player becomes more proficient in one of the other leagues, he moves on to monday night.

The team we played came to the playoffs ranked #2 in their league. They were #2 instead of #1 simply becaue they had lost only 1 game all season. One game! Wow!

They were not only good, they were terrific! It was a pleasure playing opposite them!

We will be back! I suspect the  playoffs are like professional ball. You have to have been there a few times before you can win.

The atmosphere was outstanding. My home town of Utica, N.Y. has an anual Italian street feast. The feast of Saints Cosmo and Damien. They got killed, too. That is how they became saints.

Blue tents to protect the players from the sun. It was a brutal grueling sun. Humid. Sweat was the order of the day. Free food for all. Free drinks for all. The bocce league pays for it from our dues.

Everyone happy! Everyone festive! Even those who went down to defeat.

Next year! Ho, ho, ho! Watch out! We will be back! I guarantee it!

After bocce, I headed over to Don’s Place. My teammates were generally pissed, but in a jolly mood. Remember, rarely does a team get beat 16-0. We did it two times in a row with the whole world watching!

The sweat was still rolling off me. I left for home and my pool. My clothes were already coming off as I entered the house from the garage. I hit the deck where the pool sits bare ass. I jumped into the cool pool water in that fashion. The water was terrific! Refreshing! I lolled around with a noodle under my arms for a while till rejuvination set in.

I never went out the rest of the day or night. Beat I was!

Enjoy your sunday!

I had fun doing yesterday’s internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour.http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/. If you missed it, the show is on constant repeat at the internet address indicated. Listen to me rant and rave a bit!

My opening segment dealt with Congressman Weiner and his internet problems. They compound. This morning’s news involves the Congressman and a teenager. Only emails. For the Congressman, internet sex remains a non contact sport.

Every one I ran into after the show yesterday had something to say about Weiner.  Not one person supported him. The mentality was throw the bum out. I disagree. This is not a legal issue. At least not yet. Still in the moral arena. One for the the voters in his district to decide in the next election.

I read a semi gross comment on the internet this morning. I could not resist sharing it with you. It was something to the effect that…..when he resigns, the Weiner will be pulling out.

Enough of sex for the morning.

I was tired by mid day yesterday. So I remained home all afternoon and evening.

This afternoon at 3 the first round in the bocce play offs.

I am excited. My teammates are excited. First time we have ever been in the play offs.

As the thursday night #3, we play the monday night #2 team. I made some inquiries about the opposition. I asked some one knowledgable about our chances. He said…..on a scale of 10 to 1? Yes, I said. He replied…..minus 2.

That hurt. He claims that monday #2 is also the second best team of all four nights combined.

I am babysitting at 8:30 this morning. Lisa is getting her hair done. Corey is diving some where up the keys. The grandkids and I will be at Harpoon Harry’s.

Enjoy your day!