THERE WILL NOT BE A LIVE INTERNET SHOW TODAY. THE KEY WEST LOU LEGAL HOUR WILL NOT BE BROADCAST.

Instead, a rerun of the audio portion of a past show will be broadcast. No visual.

I am out of commission. Dental work again yesterday. Not as bad as in the past. It is the aftermath which is causing me difficulty. I did not sleep all night. The pain pills are making me sick. Still bleeding. Etc.

The blender and I are dating again. For two weeks, my dentist advises. I am not permitted to chew.

I thought yesterday was the end of it all. I started this whole process January 7th last year. It is not.  I return in one week for removal of stitches. Then in two weeks for what I hope will be the final step in the implant insertions.

My day yesterday was nothing. The dentist in the morning and bed the rest of the day. Took pain pills of course which made me drowsy. A welcomed relief.

I have to get out at some point today. Need groceries. Those that are blender friendly. I did not expect to need the blender. I need fruit, protein drinks, and the like.

Sorry for the uneventful blog. But that was my day yesterday. And yes, it did suck!

Enjoy your day!

My day time quiet yesterday. Ran some errands. Read the papers and enjoyed a cup of coffee at the Plantation Coffee House. Rested. Otherwise, nothing.

Last night was another story, however.

The evening began as usual at the Chart Room. Lovely Emily bartending.

Captain Peter and Tracey at the bar. I have not seen the Captain in months. It was a pleasure running into him.

Captain Peter lives 2 miles out into the ocean. He moors his boat out there. Motors a rubber dingy back and forth.

The story came up about one of his dangerous trips home recently. It was late at night. As he was getting out of the dingy and onto his boat, he fell into the water. He could not get back into the dingy. The water was cold. About 70 degrees. He tried for two hours. Was feeling chilled and then cold. The thought that he might drown occurred to him.

And then, by act of God or pure luck, a boat came by. Peter yelled and was picked up.

He spent the rest of the evening in his bunk under blankets. He could not shake the cold feeling.

Peter should move his boat closer to shore. Actually tie it up some where around Schooner’s Wharf. Or better yet, become a landlubber.

A couple had come into the Chart Room and were seated to my right. Emily told me they were from upstate New York. We introduced ourselves. The couple was from Jamestown. Somewhere south of Buffalo. Upstate yes, but a four hour drive from my home town Utica.

The couple were John and Kim Ognibene. Both school teachers. John the sixth grade. Kim the first. They have two sons. One has already graduated from the college. The other in his last year.

Their second time in Key West. Last year their first. I suspect they are hooked on Key West. They will be back again next year..

As we were talking, John got excited and asked if I was Key West Lou. He has been reading this blog every day for a year!

Nice guy. A nice couple.

The people I spend a part of my life with each day have become characters in the blog. Emily, Captain Peter and Jean Thornton, for example. It was a pleasure for me to introduce all three to John and Kim. John already knew them from the blog. Wild!

I told Kim she must start reading my blog daily, also. If she can put up kindergarten children, she can certainly handle me.

Then it was over to Don’s Place. I knew Don would be there. It was Wednesday evening. Don plays golf in the morning into the early afternoon. Afterwards, he remains at his bar into the evening.

Don was there. Chatting with David.They are best friends. Rob at Don’s, also.

Don beat me up again regarding bocce and the number of prescribed pills I take. Thinks I should throw the pills out and live! I thought I was doing a good job at it. I appreciate Don’s concern, however.

Met a beautiful and interesting young lady at Don’s. Nikki. Twenty two years old. She had the breath of freshness about her.

Nikki is from West Texas. An artist. Why else Key West. She does Japanese animation. She works with pen and ink.

She is in love. Her boy friend was still at work at Home Depot. Nikki was waiting for him.

Nikki has to eat. She works on the side to support herself while she sketches. Two jobs. Across the street from Don’s at Wingmasters. A small diner type restaurant. She also works part time for a catering company.

Nikki is young. Not afraid of hard work. Has her sight set on her goals. And most importantly, she has the enthusiasm of a twenty two year old.

The world is hers for the taking.

Dentist again this morning. He already warned me I would hurt afterwards. I had my pain prescription filled yesterday.

Enjoy your day! I suspect mine will suck!

Yesterday a work day off and on till about eight o’clock. I had to prepare for Sloan who was going to work with me starting at six.

I did get out in the early afternoon for lunch at Hogfish. Then returned back home to continue working. Enjoyed fish and chips. Hogfish fish. Exceptionally good yesterday.

Donna and Terri are still here. They leave tomorrow after a two month visit. I shall miss them. They are good company. Their visits take the edge off living alone.

Yesterday was Donna’s birthday. I will not reveal her age. But will tell you she is now eligible for Social Security. A big party was planned for last night at La Te Da. The party to start at 9:30. I never made it. I told Donna at six when they were leaving for dinner with Lynda and Bob Frechette first that I would be too tired to clean up and go into town and party. My age affects me on occasion.

The other night as I was walking to Kelley’s, I noticed a new store in the 200 block of Duval. Two doors from Sloppy Joe’s and next to Irish Kevin’s. A Clog store. Nothing but clogs. All kinds and descriptions. The store excited me. I have worn nothing but clogs for five years, with the rare exception of boat shoes. Love them! I have clogs for every season. Summer and winter. The winter ones are fleece lined. Even have golf clogs which I did not like and used only once.

The store should do well. It is in the middle of the busiest block of Duval. It has to do well. The rent is probably $35,000 a month. For real!

I heard from Anna. The superb Italian cook. She had never had wings before her Key West visit. She enjoyed them at Kelley’s. She tried to make wings recently. They did not come out like Kelley’s. She said they lay in her stomach a whole day.

You have heard me mention Larry Harvey. He is the most loved gay person in Key West.

Larry celebrated his 91st birthday last week. This week he is in the hospital. Not well at all. Everyone say a prayer that Larry makes it.

Lynda Frechette is a dynamo. One of her talents is a column she writes advising everyone what is going on in Key West. This morning’s column had what Lynda describes as a pun. I found it to be an interesting one and share it with you…..A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

Bad news yesterday. It was announced that Albertson’s was closing its Key West store April 28.

Presently there are three supermarkets in Key West. Publix, Winn Dixie and Albertson’s. Now there will be two. Albertson’s did a good business. Their prices cheaper than the other two. Sometimes by as much as 30 per cent. The key attraction to Albertson’s besides pricing was that it was open 24 hours and on holidays.

The closing is one of 13 Albertson’s which are being closed through out Florida. There has to be a message here. Probably that the stores were not making money. And further that groceries cannot be delivered as cheaply as Albertson’s had been doing.

Tomorrow is a big dentist day for me. Some gum cutting involved. However the last time I will confront pain in a process which started more than one and a half years ago. This time I will be prepared. I picked up the prescription for the pain killer I will need after the procedure yesterday. I am having it filled at Walgreen’s today. I will be popping a pill immediately when the dentist finishes tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!

Big day today. My Father’s birthday!

The magic number 98!

Wow!

Happy birthday dear Father. And much love.

Dad is still in relatively good shape. Lives with his lady friend Frances. Gets out to breakfast a couple of times a week. Dinner at least once. Goes grocery shopping with Frances. He pushes the cart. Hangs on to it for balance at the same time. He tells me my time is coming, I should learn from what he does.

Fathers never stop teaching.

His sister Mary passed on last year at 102. My Father is now the last of six children.

This blog begins with joy and sorrow. Joy as to Dad’s birthday. Sorrow as to the Sports Page Bar. It closed last night.

I was at the Chart Room when I heard of its demise. I hurried over for a last drink. I expected a crowd for the last evening. I was wrong. I was one of three customers.

The word is that it will reopen in a few days as another type restaurant. Without Patrick.

We shall see.

Lunched at Harpoon Harry’s yesterday. Then to Lee Nails for a pedicure and manicure by Tammy.

Tammy personifies the beauty of the Orient. A pleasure to look at. A nice person.

Wrote for a couple of hours.

Chart Room last night. Mary bartending. Ran into Jean and Frankie. Chatted a while. Stephanie is normally with Jean. Not last night. She was home packing for a trip she is taking this week to somewhere to visit friends.

Then my last visit to the Sports page Bar. Sad. I told one of the bartenders to save the Syracuse flag for me. It’s like taking the colors down.

I was dying for wings. Went over to Kelley’s and enjoyed a plate full.

The season as we call it in Key West is over. The tourist season runs to Easter Sunday. You can see its end by the traffic. Forty eight hours ago, it was heavy. Bumper to bumper in many places. Bicycle riders  all over. People dashing across streets. A dangerous time to be driving

Driving into town last night was  a piece of cake. Most of the tourists are gone. The few left will leave by Sunday.

Then quiet till June.

It is the same every year.

Sloan is coming over this evening. I have to spend the day getting ready for her. I am in the process of optimizing and opening new sites. A lot of work! Beyond me!

Enjoy your day!

Hello world!

Key West is bright and alive this morning! So am I!

To be contrasted with yesterday morning. I never made the egg hunt and breakfast at Lisa’s. I woke tired. Stayed in bed.

The egg hunt turned out to be at sunrise. Robert and Ally could not wait to see what the Easter bunny brought. It was too early for me.

When I finally got up, I realized I had forgotten to buy Easter baskets for the grandkids. I was off to Albertson’s. Albertson’s had a whole aisle of them. All sizes, all prices.

The baskets were lined up on shelves. The top shelf about four feet high. As I was picking at the baskets to decide which one, I committed a grievous error. I somehow knocked a whole shelf of baskets over and onto the floor. About fifteen of them.

It is called embarrassed.

Fortunately, there was a lovely young lady nearby who worked for Albetrtson’s. She came over, gave me a big smile, and said don’t worry. My shame immediately disappeared.

The baskets I selected were terrific. The grankids liked them. Lisa thought they were perfect.

No candy. Just several small toys right for their ages.

Afterwards, I went over to Home Depot. Walked again. One time around the store. I was still tired. Especially my legs.

Then drove to Plantation Coffee House. The Sunday papers!

I was seated across from a man who I sensed was a minister. From his dress. Black shoes, black socks, black pants, white shirt, and black tie. Not normal Key West attire.

He was chatting with Theo, Plantation’s owner. I could not help over hearing. Even participated a bit. The minister was interesting, though I did not always agree with his positions. I was a stranger to the group. Remained silent, except for the few incidental comments I made. I would like to run into the minister again and engage him in depth.

The Masters dominated most of the rest of my day. Great golf! Bubba Watson played extremely well. Some outstanding shots and putts. His emotion afterwards was warm and genuine. His victory is a life  changer for him and his family. The $1 million  plus prize is nothing compared to the endorsements he will contract for over the next few weeks. He will become a millionaire several times over!

Easter Sunday dinner was at Lisa’s, of course. Robert and Ally had been at a birthday party at the beach. They came home in wet bathing suits.Their hair was a mess from the water. Both looked cute!

Once changed, they started skate boarding in the house. They are not there yet. I give it another two days before they will be proficient.

Lisa out did herself as usual. The meal was fantastic. Fish and pasta. I miss the gazzad and sausage pie. Hope I spelled gazzad correctly. They are Easter foods from another life.

Enjoy your day!

Happy Easter!

I enjoy holidays. I think it is because when I was young we were less than affluent. As were most at the time. However, on holidays that seemed to change. The food was out of sight. Each child in the family received some small gift.

The Easter gift was a colored Easter egg. Not done as today. My grandmother would boil onions till they were reduced to a brown liquid. She would then place the eggs in the liquid. Voila! Brown Easter eggs.

We egg colored yesterday at Lisa’s. It was supposed to be Robert, Ally and me. However, every one has the child in them. Before we were done, Lisa and Corey had joined the adventure.

I always fear when egg coloring that a cup of coloring is going to spill. Robert and Ally were moving swiftly across the table. Their arms. To mix colors, to change eggs. Disaster in the offing. It never happened.

I was blessed with two women last night. Golden Girl Jean Thornton and Island Shoe Girl Stephanie Kaple. We had drinks at the Chart Room. Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner.

A big night for Key West! Tourists all over the place. The Hot Tin Roof was unusually crowded. We were lucky to grab three seats at the bar. At some point, Frankie joined us.

The company and food were good. We were there quite a while.

After dinner, I headed home. The ladies hopped on their bikes and went to Vino’s. I seem to be the only Key Wester who goes home after dinner. For most, it is the start of the evening.

The Easter bunny visits Robert and Ally. He leaves colored eggs and gifts hidden in the bushes in their back yard. The big gift from the Easter bunny this year were skate boards. I do not approve! But then, I am only the grandfather.

Easter dinner later today with Lisa and the family!

Enjoy your day!

A brilliant gorgeous Key West day in the making. Bright sun. Cool breeze. Blue sky. No humidity.

God is in His Heaven! All is right with the world!

Another interesting Internet show yesterday morning. I spent some time discussing the Supreme Court. An analysis of the court overall and a look at the political thinking of some Justices which is plaguing the Court today.

Turns out the Supreme Court was the topic which drew the most post show comment. Most considered it an eye opener.

After the show, I chatted with Jenna for a while. She was at the radio station. Dressed to kill! Beautiful! You always look good, I said. But why so special today? Jenna is the star at the new local TV station in Key West. She was attired to tape a show later in the day.

We made a date to attend Larry Smith’s show at St. Paul’s Church a week from tomorrow. It will be at 4 on a Sunday afternoon.

I stopped at the Plantation Coffee House. I did not have time for breakfast before the show. Read the newspapers, drank coffee and enjoyed a large toasted bagel with cream cheese.The cream cheese is lumped on the plate, not the bagel, and resembles a huge scoop of ice cream.

Spent the afternoon at home. Wrote next week’s KONK Life column. Had to get it out. The deadline was 5 yesterday afternoon.

The subject matter was a bit scary. I titled it 1712 Slave Revolt In New York City. The revolt in and of itself was not the thrust of the column. It was the punishment which twenty Africans suffered afterwards. They were burned at the stake!

Burning has been a favored method of punishment from the earliest days to the present. The world should know it is still with us. An example being 400 women who were burned in an Iraqi city in one year as recently as 2006.

Last night was Passover. Happy Holiday to all my friends of the Jewish faith!

For the past several years, Christian Louis has celebrated Passover with Donna and her family. I have been honored to be invited to the Passover dinner. I do it all when I attend. From the skull cap to the readings to singing to sipping the wine to eating the special foods.

I was invited again this year. Never made it. As I was getting ready to leave, I fell down the stairs. The center stair case in my Key West home. Only two steps. But enough to bang my head on the tile floor and some how hurt my leg.

I spent the evening in bed with an ice pack on my head.

Tomorrow is Easter. Terrific. Love family holidays. There will be an egg hunt for Robert and Ally in the morning. Easter dinner with Lisa and family. Sitting around gabbing. Watching the final round of the Masters on TV.

What could be better!

I am not ready for Easter, however. I still have to buy Robert and Ally Easter baskets. It will be done today. I might even get Lisa one. A daughter is a little girl to her father forever.

Jean Thornton, where are you? You are back in town. So I am told. Since Thursday.

Enjoy your day!

I met only nice people yesterday.

I was trying to get my passport done.

My first stop was the Federal Building. I assumed that was the place to go. It was not. However the deputy at security was very helpful in directing me to the correct place.

It was the Community College on Stock Island. Drove over. Huge parking lot. Huge buildings. Where to go? I lucked out. The first door I entered was the place. How’s that for good fortune!

An extremely knowledgeable and pleasant woman in charge. Within minutes, I had a short form application in hand with specific instructions jotted down by her on a piece of paper. Complete the paper work and mail everything yourself to Philadelphia. She even gave me a black pen to take away. The application required black ink only.

The application was a piece of cake. When finished, I took it to the Post Office. The one in the Winn Dixie Plaza. The helpful woman at the college advised me to send it priority mail traceable. The post mistress behind the counter was a charmer. She smiled constantly. Helped me with the special envelope, etc.

Three public servants in one day. All pleasant. All helpful. Not a grouch among them.

The rest of my day was busy. Too busy.

I fine tuned today’s Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. World wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Some interesting topics. Like today’s Supreme Court, the Connecticut death penalty, a slave revolt in New York City, a tax on beards, Brigham Young and his 27th wife, the birth of Hostess Twinkies, and more.

Spend an hour listening to me challenging the world!

Bocce last night. Terrible! Me and the whole team! No one any good. We were killed, decimated and destroyed! It was a money game. We lost to a very good Larry Smith team. It was bad!

The only good thing was that I got to meet Jessica. Jessica is new to Larry’s team. I think she is Shane’s girl friend. Young and pretty. Of Italian heritage.

I found her employment fascinating. She is a civil servant. Works for the State of Florida. She assists in breeding/growing/raising coral. Coral is dying. The reefs and fish are not becoming endangered, they are endangered. The ocean is important to Florida in many respects. The coral Jessica is developing will eventually be taken out into the ocean to be replanted at and repair the reefs.

Good going, Jessica!

Everyone enjoy their day!

And the band played on!

It was that kind of night.

A storm came through.

Rained non stop. Could hear it beating against the house. The wind was as drums playing. All octaves.The lightning. Nothing like it when you live on the ocean. Big and bright. Fills the bedroom. Through closed shutters.

The weather report this morning says there is in effect a severe weather warning alert. I already knew it.

Winds at 35 miles per hour. Wind gusts on top of that number. Minor flooding and pooling of water in streets. There is at least six inches of water sitting in the street in front of my house.

The weather report also indicates minor wind damage. It had to have been a hell of a wind. I went out on the deck before I started the blog. I have a potted plant. The pot itself is about two feet high. Filled with dirt. It would take two men to move. It is laying on its side five feet from its original position.

That is wind!

The weather report indicates rain off and on this morning. Then clearing. This afternoon will have a record high of 85 degrees. It always amazes me how the weather in the keys changes so swiftly.

Some one commented to yesterday’s blog that the pink sky was perhaps the result of dust from the Dallas tornadoes. Key West’s pink sunrise was roughly 24 hours later. The commentator could be correct. I checked wind direction, etc. The wind over Texas was coming down on the keys in a direct line.

I am contemplating an Italy/Greece trip. Need a new passport. The present one is thirteen years old. Started the process yesterday. Passport photos. Walgreen’s does them. The man took my picture. Told me to come back in a half hour to pick them up.

I decided to have lunch while waiting. Went across the street to Goldman’s Deli. In the middle of my lunch, I heard….. Poppa! A second later, Robert and Ally were all over me. Lisa had brought them for lunch. It was an accident that we ran into each other. A good one.

Got the photos. I look like a gangster. An old one.

This morning I have an early dentist visit. Right after I shall hustle down to the Federal Building to make application for the new passport.

Dinner last night at the Yacht Club with Cheryl and Roger. Lovely people from the Chicago area. Dear friends. We had fun.

Afterwards, the three of us headed over to Don’s Place. Don was still there. He beat me up on bocce. Was I ready for tonight’s games against Larry Smith’s team? I will let you know if I was tomorrow morning.

Enjoy the day!

Pink sky this morning.

Unusual. Never saw one before. Perhaps never noticed.

Why pink? I researched the issue.

The answer interesting. There had to be an increase in patches of pollution, dust or water in the atmosphere. Such creates red particles in the atmosphere. As the particles move through the atmosphere, the blue sky combines and creates the pink color.

Do I now qualify as a meteorologist?

Yesterday was a nice day. Today will be a nice day. Every day is a nice day. This is Key West!

I drove around yesterday with the top down. Wore a hat this time, however.

My first stop of the day was Dr. Lefferts. I was scheduled for the completion of my annual physical. The first time the good doctor has ever told me I was in good shape. It scares me!

I ran into Norma. Have not seen Norma in ages. Nor her husband. She and husband Chuck live in Truman Annex. They have had a home in Key West longer than me. They are originally from some where in the midwest. Owned a chain of Dairy Queens.

Key West has a Dairy Queen. On United, just below White. A very popular ice cream stand. Always a line. The ice cream is absolutely delicious! We often take Robert and Ally there. I occasionally will stop alone for a small cone of soft chocolate. When the top is down on the car, I have to lick fast. Or my clothes will be covered in melted chocolate!

Walked the waterfront. I mix my walking venues. Gives me a change of view. The boats and waterfront bistros make for interesting viewing. Any time after seven, the bars are already doing a bustling business. I sometimes think if the bars were permitted to open even earlier, there would be a crowd.

Spent most of the afternoon till about eight in the evening writing. Under the shade of the tiki hut. With the time change, I can work later outside. I prefer working outide. I enjoy the boats going by, the breeze and the salty taste of the water.

Enjoy your day!