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Tragedy visited Key West yesterday.
Two men died on the opening day of the powerboat races.
Missouri’s Jeffery Tillman and Robert Morgan were driver and throttle man of the Big Thunder entry in the super-boat unlimited class. They had completed the first turn and were in Key West Harbor in front of Mallory Square. The boat caught air. The boat lost contact with the water. Tillman and Morgan lost control of the boat. The boat flipped vertically upwards. Then came down topside first.

Tillman and Morgan were killed.
The viewing crowds’ reaction was simple and swift. Cheers as the boat made the turn and was before them. A loud gasp as the boat shot vertically upward. Then dead silence.
The picture of the Big Thunder in it’s vertical position was not taken by me. It appeared in the Key West Citizen’s internet report of the accident last night.
I watched the Republican debate from Michigan. My concluding thought…..Can’t we do better?
Perry is turning out to be a real joke. His lapse of memory will forever be remembered as the oops recollection.
My eyes are blessed each morning. I see the rising sun basking on the MTV house across the water.
It dawned on me today I am abusing my body. Tuesday’s colononoscopy and endoscopy were voluntary tests. Today at 8 am I am scheduled to spend two hours in the dentist chair having two metal implant posts put in. I could have avoided the scope tests, though foolish it may have been. My new teeth did not have to be as good as they will be.
Everything is choices.
My thoughts regarding certain current events.
1. Herman Cain. Where there is smoke, there is fire.
2. Joe Paterno. A scapegoat. A fall guy.
3. The Penn State investigation firings. A rush to judgment. Penn State is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Catholic Church. One is moving too swiftly and the other is still at the starting line.
Enjoy your day. One never knows what life has in store. As clearly reflected by yesterday’s events.

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I work from the kitchen counter. I have two desks upstairs, but find it more comfortable to work down here.

To my back are two large glass sliding doors. Forty feet beyond, the ocean.

Frequently a noise can be heard from the water. A splash. Unquestionably always a large fish.

As I was assembling my thoughts to begin writing this morning, I heard that noise. A large thump accompanied the splash. I rushed out onto the deck. There it was. A large dolphin. Leaping 4-5 feet in the air. The expanse of the jump about 10 feet. The dolphin leaped several times before my eyes.

A sight to behold!

With the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky, it was a God is in His heaven, all’s right with the world moment!

I am ok. Did the colonoscopy and endoscopy thing yesterday morning. Glad it is behind me. Behind? I was not trying to joke. The term is appropriate, however.

The drug to knock a person out stayed with me all day. I slept off and on. Watched a little TV. Ate. It had been 36 hours since I last had food.

Big weekend in Key West! The power boat races start today. The 31st Annual Key West World Championships. Start at 10 am this morning. Run through Sunday. The boats race every other day.

The boats are magnificient creatures to behold. Creatures is a proper term. They are long and sleek. Overpowering not only on water, but on land also. If you have the opportunity to stand beside one out of the water, you will understand.

The event brings tons of people to town. It will be a good weekend for Key West from a financial perspective. The owners and crews of these boats are well heeled. They bring their wives and girl friends. They know how to party.

No golf this morning. My medical instructions are to avoid all exercise for 7 days. Not that I have been doing that much of late. I will play bocce tomorrow night, however. I do not consider bocce exercise.

I am definitely going out tonight! I have a need to socialize and eat a good meal.

People are nice. All the emails! Concerned for my health, best wishes, etc. Thank you.

Interestingly, when I was a big shot lawyer and some what of an important person, I never received any where the notes of concern as I did yesterday.

I do pics now with the blog. Did two days and then nothing. No more photos because I have been confined to home preparing for yesterday and then doing yesterday. I promise you tomorrow will have pics. The only photos available for showing today would be the ones the doctor took of my esophogus and colon. Neither would interest you.

Enjoy your day!

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I survived yesterday afternoon and evening. One step left in the preparation procedure and I will be on my way to the hospital. The worst is behind me.

I went out in the morning. Decided to get a manicure. A female doctor is doing my procedure. I want to look my best.

Tammy was terrific, as usual. Business was slow. She turned the usual half hour treatment into a full hour. I appreciated it. Dozed off at one point.

I spent my day reading and writing. The reading being done in the bathroom. The writing in the kitchen.

I am into a new and second book about Cheney. I hate to refer to him as a creep, but he was. Dangerous. Knew how to get what he wanted. Knew how to place his people at all levels of government. He was our shadow President.

The writing involved friday’s internet show. It is 95 per cent complete. Another interesting and thought provoking show.

Today is November 7. Also, election day. Thirty three years on ago on another Novemeber 7, also election day, my life took a dramatic change. Altered forever. Someday the event will be shared. In one of the books I am writing.

Lisa is taking me to the hospital and sitting with me. I remember when I used to take her to the hospital. The tides turn.

Enjoy your day!

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I have mixed emotions this morning. I do not look forward to the afternoon and evening.

I will be preparing for tomorrow morning’s colonoscopy.

Reading materials have been stacked in appropriate places.

I am an old pro at this. My seventh colonoscopy. A record I am neither proud of nor unhappy with.

Enough said.

For some inexplainable reason, I spent yesterday inside all day. Except for my outside deck, never left the house. Spent the day reading and writing.

I opened my Amazon Kindle to glance through the Sunday New York Times. Kindle’s opening page contained a picture of John Steinbeck.

Memories.

My parents purchased a home in 1941. I was six at the time.

The home cost $4,000. Financed the house with a 20 year mortgage.

A new home required new furniture. We went from a  small 4 room apartment to a rather large 7 room flat. The house was a two family one.

More rooms required new furniture. Especially a dining room set. A  formal dining room was a new experience for us.

The china was empty. The dishes would come later. My parents initially filled the china piece with books.

Two of the novels were by John Steinbeck. The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men.

I started reading those books and others by the time I was 7 and in the second grade. I used to sit myself in a large easy chair in the living room. It was twice my size. Lying next to me in the chair was a big thick red book. Webster’s Dictionary. I knew not many of Steinbeck’s words. When confronted with the unknown, I looked the word up in the dictionary.

I read many other books in the same way during my early formative years.

Steinbeck’s Kindle picture favorably stimulated my memory. I wanted to share the experience with you.

That was the highlight of my Sunday. No Don’s Place, Lisa’s for Sunday dinner or Kate Miano’s Gardens. Still, a good day.

Enjoy your today!

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There is no joy in Tuscaloosa, mighty Alabama has struck out!

Sorry to use a baseball metaphor, but it applies!

To my friend Jean Thornton, my condolences. Jean bleeds Crimson as I Orange.

One observation. Nick Saban is and has always been a big time coach. He recruits well. Why didn’t he recruit a better kicker? Concededly these were pro ball field goal attempts. Nevertheless, he who wishes to be the best of the best should have the best.

I spent yesterday engrossed in football.

My afternoon with Syracuse. We lost. 28-21 to Connecticut. We are building. Some day hopefully a return to national prominence.

I know both of the coaches in the Syracuse/Connecticut game.

Paul Pasqualoni coached at Syracuse for 14 year some time ago. Now he is at Connecticut. During his coaching days, I was an active alumnus at the University. I got to know him fairly well. Doug Marrone was an assistant coach at Syracuse back when. He is now head coach. I met him on several occasions and was on a hello first name basis. I did not know him as well as Pasqualoni.

Pasqualoni was a good guy. You would want your daughter to marry a some one like him. Clean cut in appearance. Clean cut in attitude. Syracuse was victorious under his coaching. But never seemed to make it to a position of national prominence. He always came up short 1 or 2 victories.

I wish Paul well at Connecticut.

A new day and a new time! My whole life I have been screwed up by the time change. It is a mental thing. It is a bit easier these days. The cell phones, computers and TVs all self correct themselves. My problem remains, however. My head and body.

Jimmy Buffet was in Key West friday for the Parrot Head gathering. No one mentioned it at the Chart Room when his name came up. I was not on Duval during the day.

Buffet flew in and flew out, with generous time afforded in between. He flew from Long Island. Brought his 15 piece musical group with him. Sang for 1 1/2 hours on Duval in front of La Concha. A free concert. Mingled a bit. Then back to Long Island.

I am glad he came. The Parrot Heads were born out of his fame. Besides partying, they do much good charity wise. Buffet cannot make these yearly convention meetings in Key West every year. This was one to show up at, however. The Parrot Heads twentieth anniversary!

In between football games, I drug and grocery shopped. Tuesday I am having a colonoscopy and endoscopy. Needed to buy the goodies to prepare for the colonoscopy. Ugh!

Another beautiful Key West day in the making. Sun bright. A bit of a breeze. Not a cloud in the sky. Powder blue.

Enjoy your sunday!

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Yesterday was a perfect Key West day! In every respect! Sun shining, not a cloud in the sky, 80 degree weather, with  a coolness coming in off the ocean to balance out the 80 degree temperature.

I started my day with my internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Loved doing it! 
The topics were exciting. We live in a screwed up world. I love chatting about what is happening.
People are into government. Wall Street and perimeter issues. Yesterday’s top hits based on post show comments were the lobbying expose and what is going on behind the scenes with Occupy Wall Street.
I visited Lisa for a while after the show. Love her! Love everything about her!
I had lunch with the informal business men’s group at Salute’s at noon. About a dozen guys. I sat in the middle of the table. Stimulation was coming at me from every angle. A great lunch! A great gathering!
Mike Dennis was there. He is the former professional gambler turned author.
He is doing a reading next week at 7:30 at that place across the street from Banana Cafe. I am going to try to stop in. Mike is an interesting and smart person. His reading and comments will reflect that about him.
Last night was the Chart Room.
It was jam packed. Unusual. It is Parrot Head weekend. The Jimmy Buffet fans are in from all over. One of their stops was the Chart Room.
At one point there was a buzz.  Every one got excited. Some one had telephoned and said Jimmy Buffet was in the Chart Room. He was not.
Don’t even know if he was in town.
This week end is the twentieth anniversary of the Parrot Head week end celebration in Key West. Buffet does not always attend. Most hope he will this year because of the anniversary.
I had to smile to myself when the Buffet excitement occurred. You will recall that several months ago I shared a Jimmy Buffet/Chart Room story with you.
Buffet started his career in the Chart Room. He used to sit in a corner, play his guitar and sing Key West songs he had written. The old timers at the bar used to yell at him to quiet down. He was disrupting their conversations.
Little did they know!
Captain Peter stopped in. I see him not enough lately. He did not stay. Too many people for him.
My love Sheila was sitting at the corner of the bar. A great girl! She is back to work driving a trolley car and happy to be doing so.
Emily was bartending. A smart gal. We had a disagreement. Regarding the dredging of the area where the cruise ships come into Key West. The area is too shallow for the newer big boats. Should the channel be made deeper is the issue. Emily was for it and I against. The proposed dredging is a current Key West controversial item.
Emily is the pretty young lady with me in the Chart Room picture. 
Met some interesting new people at the bar.
Donna and Al. Newcomers to Key West. Have been living here for six months. Donna is employed with the State Attorney’s office. She is an IT person. Al works for the City of Key West as a welder. Both are extremely happy to be living here. It was their first time in the Chart Room.
Met Carol last night. She is best described as a snowbird. Works in the catering business. As a chef. While in Key West, she does parties for Small Chef at Large. While home in Michigan, she has her own catering business known as Harbor Springs.
Ran into an old acquaintance at the Chart Room last night. Tim Hill. From Fort Myers. He is the Mercedes dealer there. Gulf Coast Auto Sales. I proudly told him of my 1987 Mercedes 420 SEL which I still have and occasionally drive.
Business must be good. Tim flew in with a friend for dinner in the evening. They will be returning to Fort Myers today. However, he will be back next week for the boat races. I hope to hook up with him at that time again.
Tim gave me his business card for his second business. He lists himself as the owner of a Female Obedience School.
I have no comment.
Sean and Katherine showed up. Always glad to see them. Sean said his week was quiet reporting wise.
That was my Key West day. Not bad.
Enjoy your day!

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Today is friday. Which means…..The Key West Lou Legal Hour. 10 am. http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/. Viewed world wide. Join my friends from Papua, New Guinea, Seoul, Korea, Beijing, China, Jakarta, Indonesia, much of Europe and Africa, and many areas of the United States in watching.
Topics are always interesting. We live in a crazy up side down world.
This morning’s topics include a story about the most harassed and discriminated peoples in the world who are now practicing their own discrimination. The Hasidic Jews in New York City who require women to sit in the back of the bus. Shades of the south fifty years ago.
Then there is a peek at wife sharing in India, a most interesting look at lobbying from the inside, Bloomberg and the Occupy Wall Streeters, a Wall Street occupier who defecated on the American flag, Bank of America caving in on its $5 a month debit card fee, M. F. Global filing bankruptcy, the new Barbie tattooed doll, this year’s flu vaccine only 60 per cent fool proof, the Zimmbabe man who paid $25 for a prostitute and ending up doing a donkey, and more.
I spent yesterday fine tuning today’s internet show.
Last night, bocce. We won 3 out of 3. Killed the opposition. Nothing to be proud of however. They only had 3 players to our 4. So they had two less balls per frame. Had to lose under the circumstances.

Frankie is our star of stars! Known as Frankie the Plumber. He is a plumber. And an excellent bocce player to boot. We are thrilled to have him on the team.
A couple of his pictures are part of this blog. One is of Frankie warming up. He was practising his blaster shot. He ends up on his belly each time he tries the shot. The other is of Frankie in one of the matches.

I am getting sexy with the blog. I have learned how to attach pics. Will try to share with you visually as well as in writing from this day forward.

Playing on the opposing team last night was Diane. I always liked Diane. A bubbly personality. Friendly.
Diane is going to start law school. In January. At Iowa State.
Her background is especially interesting.
Diane is 45 years old. Scored in the top  three per centile of the law boards. Had a 3.8 GPA way back in her college days. She is a Cherokee. And female.
I told her she could have gone to Harvard with those credentials.
Iowa State is giving her a free ride. Room, board and tuition.
Good for you, Diane! Study hard and make your dreams come true.
Enjoy your day my friends!

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Sometimes we make mistakes! Big time!

I did yesterday. I am so embarassed.

Angie is my friend from Jakarta, Inodonesia. She reads my blog daily. Religiously listens to my intenrnet show with her friends. I refer to them as my groupies.

Angie obviously speaks English. I do not speak her language. She writes big time on Facebook. Generally in English.

Not yesterday morning. It was in her native Indonesian language.

Several people were emailing back and forth in her native language also.

I figured some big deal fun thing was being discussed.

I was wrong.

I initially wrote, “Whatever…..I hope it was good.”

Angie responded to me in English. She said, “My best friend’s mother just passed away Lou…..and my friends are saying their condolences”.

I felt like an ass. Still do.

I wrote and offered my aplogies to Angie. Never again shall I comment unless I know full well the meaning of that which was written.

I saw another doctoor today. I am in need of a colonoscopy. It was the pre-colonoscopy physical. We are going to do a double header. Tuesday at 8. A colonoscopy and endoscopy.

I worked the early evening with Sloan for a while. We are making progress. Creeping towards a book!

Afterwards, I headed to Don’s Place. Chatted with my friend Kurt for a while. Everyone there. Angus, Jeff, Rob, etc. Spent some time with Don. We ended up talking to a woman new to me but not to Don. One of his loyal customers. Lisa. She works at the outdoor restaurant on Duval accross from Hard Top Cafe.

Joanie was there. Withr Jimmy. Love Joanie! We talked.

Bocce tonight. I will definitely be playing. Unless, I am benched for recent poor playing.

Enjoy your day!

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Jean Thornton, the Key West golden girl, an admonition. Buy a new furnace!

Jean lives up north, also. Presently there. Cold and colder. Furnace broke down again.

Even better, sell your northern home. You and Joe move down here to Key West full time.

The weather continues to be a steady 80 degrees. Overcast. A few drops of rain each day. Humidity back. I thought it was gone. Yesterday was sticky.

I started yesterday with the dentist. Thought I was near the end of the road with implant replacements. I have been at it since January. Not yet. Shocking. I was told at least another four months.

Vanity has its price and is expensive in more ways than one!

Today I see a new doctor. Time for a colonoscopy. Colonoscopy every five years. The visit today only a pre-colonoscopy physical.

I hate all this doctoring. It seems that is all I do in my old age. If I were having sex as much as I doctor, I would at least die happy! With a guaranteed smile on my face!

All I did last night was the Chart Room. Me and four ladies. Sheila, Myra, Bobbi and Mary. I knew them all previously, except for Bobbi.

Sheila drives a trolley car, Myra sells tickets from a street booth for all kinds of Key West events, Bobbi is front desk manager at the Southernmost white guest house, and Mary bartends the Chart Room one evening a week.

A nice bunch of ladies. Savvy.

We talked of many things. I shared with them my thoughts on post divorce dating by a male senior citizen. Based on my experience. They looked at me shocked when I finished. No one seems to believe what I say. Basically, it sucks!

I had a very good time with the girls and hope we get to do it again.

Then to Don’s Place for a night cap. Herschel and Erica at the bar. Erica’s birthday. Gave her a birthday hug and kiss.

How old, I asked. She said 28. Hell I said, you do not look a day over 22!

Erica and Herschel are heading up to Tampa this morning. Someone tried to rob Erica’s Mother. In her home. Mother got beat up pretty badly. In the hospital with some broken bones. They expect her to remain hospitalized for two weeks.

Sad.

No golf this morning because of the doctor visit. Things are really bad when I let doctoring interfere with golf. The problem is it is hard to schedule a colonoscopy in Key West. Only one or two doctors and too many people requiring the procedure.

Enjoy your day!

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It is amazing what I am able to share with this blog.

This morning, Dante.

Dante had two impacts in my life. One minimal. The other major.

Dante was the famous writer of the 1300s. His major work was Dante’s Inferno. The story of Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. Rodin was a sculptor who came later. One of his major works, of many significant works, was Dante’s Inferno.

Yesterday, I was communicating with a Chinese friend. Zhaoyao. The conversation involved bath tubs/jacuzzis. I described my Key West bathroom to her. It is quite unique. She mentioned…..something like Dante’s Beatrice.

Her comment put me on a search. Who was Beatrice? Turns out Dante had a girl friend. Beatrice. She became a character in many of his written works. In one, Beatrice is bathing.

Dante of the 1300s’ Beatrice was further memorialized in the 1600s by the painter Rossetti. Rossetti had a girl friend also. Lizzie. Rossetti painted Lizzie as Dante’s Beatrice. A painting of Beatrice lying/floating in a tub of water.

That is how I got back to Dante. My modern day jacuzzi precipitated a response involving Dante’s Beatrice.

Which brings me to how Dante had some impact with my life.

I went to college in the mid 1950s. Studied Spanish for three years. My teacher was Professor Cantatore. Italian, from the old country. Accent and all. Short. Salt and pepper hair standing upright. Uncommon in those days.

Professor Cantatore often shouted out to us, as was his way, to read one page of Dante’s Inferno each day! Had nothing to do with Spanish. Again, just his way.

I never took his advice.

Scroll ahead some thirty odd years. I am now an attorney. My practice took me to New York City often. By this time, I was also a failed former painter and now a collector of fine art.

Whenever I was in New York City, I made time to visit some museum for a while. One of my favorites was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was a frequent visitor.

The sculptor Rodin had always turned me on. One of his greatest known works is The Thinker. That huge unclothe man sitting with his chin on his hand.

I read that Rodin’s Dante’s Inferno was on loan to the Met from I believe the Louvre in Paris. I had to see it.

It was a special showing. Required much space for viewing. Huge crowds were anticipated.

The work was displayed in the extremely large garden entrance to the American exhibit. The American exhibit was new at the time.

The sculpture blew me out! Overwhelmed me! Instantaneously took my breath away!

I had never seen any thing like it.

It was huge. Rodin did .many works on a large scale. The Inferno required it. It was a large rectangular piece. Tiny figures of people were sculpted into the body of the work. Each had a face. Those involving Hell especially impacted me. The pain was excruciating! I could feel it in every sense of my body.

I sat on a bench for hours just looking at it. Some times I would walk up and inspect a small portion. Then return to sit again.

I hope I have not bored you.

Yesterday, an ok day. Heart doctor in the morning. Blood pressure 110/60. That is where we are leaving it. Now attacking g the fluid problem. Change of some pills. We shall see.

Visited with Lisa. Then spent the afternoon at home writing.

Yesterday was Halloween. I was to do trick or treating with the grandkids.

They were ready to go after dinner! Robert especially excited. I would descibe it as hyped!

Robert a ghoul. Ally a witch.

They attacked the streets. Off and on porches. Did well. Each had a heavy bag of goodies afterwards.

 Lisa, Corey and I stood in the shadows as they knocked on each door.

Dentist this morning. I am anxious to bring the implant thing to a conclusion. I started January 7.

Enjoy your day!