I can’t win.

I have been completing this blog late recently. I got up at six this morning to get it out early. My computer was down. I checked everything I could in the house. Nothing made it work. Telephoned Comcast. They told me there was a power outage in my area.

It is now 10 AM and I am just able to start. Sorry.

Low 50s last night. Needed everything to keep warm. The cold front will remain with us through Saturday.

Terrific lunch yesterday! Robert and Ally joined me for lunch. We went to Goldman’s. We all ordered the same thing. Cheeseburgers. It always amazes me how well my grandchildren consume food. The cheeseburgers were large. Nevertheless, they both finished them with no difficulty.

As we were sitting down, I heard an hello. I turned around and it was Howard Livingston. Howard was with his wife Cindy and their grandson Michael.

Howard and I moved away from our respective tables to greet each other. Howard’s grandson Michael calmly walked over to our table and started talking with Robert and Ally. Michael is almost nine years old. Robert and Ally are seven and six respectively. It was amazing how well these three communicated. It was as if they had known each other their entire lives.

Love Howard! Who does not. The difference is I knew Howard back when he was Howard Livingston, a Chicago businessman. Cindy is a charming lady. They are lucky to have found each other. We promised to have dinner together in the near future.

After lunch, I took Robert and Ally home. I had bought them each a bag of marbles for Christmas. This was in addition to a big Christmas present I had purchased for them.

Robert and Ally had never played marbles. I had not played marbles in at least 65 years. I promised I would teach them how to play marbles yesterday. They were excited.

We went home and immediately got down to the business of marbles. Robert picked up on it right away. He was actually very good at it. Ally had some difficulty before she was able to get into it. They loved marbles! I fear one of the marbles is going to be rolling around on the floor and someone is going to take a fall. I admonished my grandchildren the marbles are to be placed in bags when they are finished. Hopefully.

Robert and Ally also received sticks for Christmas. Recall sticks? You have a handful of sticks about 10 inches long. Drop them all at the same time on the table or floor. The purpose of the game to pick up the sticks one at a time without moving any of the others.

I showed them how. The only problem was I could not pick up more than three or four. At 76, I have a bit of shaking in my hands. It screwed up my ability to play the game. Robert on the other hand had no shaky hands. He was picking the sticks up like crazy without moving any of the others. Even Ally was better than me.

It was a big day for me! Lunch with Robert and Ally. Teaching them marbles and sticks. Nothing better! God is good.

I stayed in last night to watch the Iowa election results. Amazing! Eight votes separating the top two winners.

Today’s a new day.

As soon as I complete this blog, I am off to the gym. Boxing alone. Just me and the bags. I like it that way.
Syracuse plays Providence tonight. A late game. Nine o’clock. I will not be home in bed till after midnight. Late for me. I will be watching the game at the Sports Page Bar as usual. Syracuse should win easily.

Sandra, I will be happy to have a drink with you. Let me know when you are in.

Enjoy your day!

My hometown is Utica, New York. It is 0 degrees this morning. High will be 14 degrees..

Key West experienced a cold night last night. The front came in late yesterday afternoon. It will be with us till Saturday. The wind off the ocean from the north east is biting cold at 35 miles per hour.

The temperature dropped into the 50s last night. Cold! However, I am embarrassed to complain after noting the temperature in Utica.

Everything is relative, however.

It is going to be cold tonight in Key West. The projected low is 47°. That is really cold!

I worked out with Courtney yesterday. Weight lifting and the like. For those of you old enough to remember, I will soon look like Charles Atlas! What a joke!

I want to comment on the people who use the gym. Extremely friendly people. Mostly from other countries.The place is a United Nations.

They all have great bodies. Abs. I never had abs in my younger days not do I now. I do not believe I will ever have abs. My trainer Courtney disagrees. He dreams.

Stopped at Don’s Place after boxing. Had a cold glass of water. Spoke with Rob, Keith and Todd. The Thursday night bocce playoff game the topic of conversation.

Headed over to Publix to shop. I had run out of food again.

I experienced a first time event at Publix. I checked out. Put my hand in my pocket to get my credit card. No credit card, no money. I had forgotten both at home.

I was not embarassed. Felt stupid.. The checkout girl was very kind. We will keep your groceries bagged in the cart. Go home, get your money and come back. Which is what I did. No problem. Groceries waiting for me. The ice cream did not melt.

Robert and Ally returned yesterday. I did not get to see them. I plan on taking them to lunch today.

I came across an odd name this morning on Facebook. Elvis Hitler. Did not make sense. Googled the name. Turns out to be a band out of Detroit. The band is described as psychobilly/hillbilly. Strange name in an ever developing strange world!!

It is long pants and a leather jacket today. I am not ashamed to admit it.

Enjoy your day!

Oh, the weather!

Key West winter begins tonight. We have been lucky so far. The weather has been fantastic! However, we are into the winter season and temperatures in the 70s should have been gone by now.

A cold front is coming in tonight. It will last through Friday. A long time.  Tomorrow the temperature will be 63 by day and 52 by night. Not nice. Cold! Several bad nights ahead. Heavy blanket time. A woman would be better.

Then Saturday, the good weather returns. From Saturday forward  the days will be in the mid 70s and evenings low 60s. A return of unusual weather. Something to look forward to. We are tough people. We will guts it out this week.

It was a beautiful warm day yesterday. I sat in the sun quite a while. So much so, that my face was bright red when I went inside. I  neither wrote nor read. I merely contemplated. I thought about the past year and this new year.

Last year was good. I should not complain. However, I had some medical problems which knocked me on my ass. My teeth and my heart. It was not the problem with both that affected me. It was the treatment. Prolonged and tiring. All I ask for in the new year is good uninterrupted health.

I thought about other things.

God is good. I live in Key West. A beautiful home on the ocean. I have many good friends. What more could a person want? I know. In my particular circumstance, a woman. Santa Claus please bring me one!

Syracuse basketball late yesterday afternoon. Watched it at the Sports Page Bar. When I arrived, I was shocked. Very few seats available. People all over the place yelling and screaming. It was professional football Sunday! Not one television set was carrying college basketball.

I immediately sought out owner Patrick. I was stressed. I was there to watch a Syracuse game. I followed Patrick around the bar as he was looking for a TV set to change to the Syracuse game. One was found. Patrick advised that if anyone complained, he had turned the set back to football. Fortunately, no one complained.

I was the first of the Syracuse fans to arrive. Soon there were 20. Syracuse graduate Scott from Chicago came in with a party of six. Another SU graduate Steve, who runs a boat here in Key West, showed up with a date. There were a number of people from other places. We had a good group going.

One of the highlights of the game was the opportunity to meet Jim Boeheim’s sister Barbara. Some one pointed her out to me. I went over and introduced myself. We chatted for a few minutes. She is vacationing in Key West. Lives in Virginia. A nice woman. Very congenial. Thoughtful of  her brother’s position.

Syracuse won. Demolished De Paul by about 20 points.

Syracuse plays Providence Wednesday. Then next Saturday comes the first real test for Syracuse in the Big East. Syracuse plays Marquette. Syracuse is presently ranked # 1 nationally, Marquette # 12.

After the game, I visited the Chart Room. Glad I did. Sheila and Cindy at the bar. Got my kisses. JJ and I exchanged New Year greetings. I did not stay long. I wanted to get over to La Trattoria. It was Kathy’s first night back as bartender.

This week has been very busy in Key West. Tourists abound. More than normal. Ergo, La Trattoria was packed. There was not one seat at the bar! Kathy was good to me however. She called for a bar stool to be brought from the back room and fit me in.

Jean and Joe Thornton were on the other side of the bar. I went over and extended warm holiday greetings to both. They were just finishing up as I was starting.

Lovely Becha gave me a hug and kiss. Made my evening.

Kathy sat me next to a very charming woman. Katherine her name. I had a stimulating and knowledgeable conversation with her throughout dinner. She and her husband own some sort of electrical company  in the Toledo, Ohio area. It employs approximately 500 people. Big time! We talked about banks, insurance companies, cash flow, etc. We understood each other clearly and were on the same wave length.

Katherine and her husband own a condominium. They have been Key West snow birds for 13 years.

Poor Kathy. It was a tough night behind the bar. She worked hard. I could see her tiring. Occasionally, she would sit down on a box behind the bar to resurrect herself. Body wise, she is still about one third of her normal size. She lost a lot of weight as a result of the two surgeries.

Then it was home and bed.

Lisa and Corey expected any moment. They are returning my Christmas tree and the extra chairs I brought over to them for Christmas Eve dinner. Robert and Ally are returning today. Lisa and Corey are driving up to Florida City to pick them up. They are traveling with Corey’s parents from Cape Coral. Florida City is the mid point.

 I have missed Robert and Ally. I am anxious to see them.

My good friend Mike Yutzy was in for the weekend.  Mike is a mortgage broker in Las Vegas. He apparently is in love with Emmy who is a CPA in Fort Lauderdale. I had met her before. This is a cross country relationship. They visited with me for a while. We sat outside on the deck and chatted. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Mike.

Courtney introduced me to Carol Tedesco while I was at the gym Saturday. We talked a bit. What a nice lady! She works out with Courtney also. Carol is an artist. She told me that she recently had listed a ceramic rooster  with Lisa’s Internet department store Via Key West. Carol is happy and charming. I hope to run into her again.

Turns out Carol is married to Michael Shields. Michael is one of the founders and initial general manager/ executive director of the Tropic Cinema. He does an Internet show on movies. In fact, his Internet show follows mine on Friday. Michael is well known in the arts.

Enjoy your day!

Happy New Year!

May this be the best year yet for each and every one of you. I wish you health, happiness and wealth. In that order. If you do not have health, nothing else matters. Happiness is better than money. Unhappy is a heavy burden even though rich. And if you have health and happiness, wealth makes everything even better.

It is an absolutely beautiful morning here in Key West. The sun is shining. There is a pleasant breeze. I seem to be the only one alive. None of my neighbors are out drinking coffee or chatting. They must all still be recovering from last night.

May the beauty of this morning be an omen for the rest of the year.

I had a different New Year’s Eve last night. Dinner at Outback!

Robert and Ally are in North Florida with Cory’s parents. Lisa, Cory and Cameron joined me for dinner. I had received a bunch of Outback cash cards for Christmas. Lisa wanted an early dinner. So Outback it was.

Dinner at six. New Year’s Eve.

We had a hell of a time. I was the only one drinking. The other three do not drink at all. But we were all in a festive mood. We laughed and joked throughout dinner. I was pleased to see Lisa so relaxed. Perhaps because she has had a few days off from the kids.

New Year’s was not always January 1. It was March 25. In the 1600s and 1700s, most countries changed from a Julian to Gregorian calendar. January 1 became the new first day of the year. Even China today recognizes January 1 as New Year’s. Although the Chinese still retain their own Chinese new year about 30 days hence.

When I was younger, I was always out on New Year’s Eve. As I became older, New Year’s Eve became large house parties. As I became even older, New Year’s Eve became either my wife and I alone or my wife and I and a handful of close friends at our home.

Last night was another step in how I spent a New Year’s Eve. I was home alone in bed at midnight. Do not feel bad. I absolutely enjoyed. Had a great dinner with Lisa and family. I slept. I woke at 11:50. I watched New Year’s Eve all over the world on television. And went back to sleep. I am refreshed this morning and ready to face the new year.

The best New Year’s Eve ever was one I spent with my father alone. It was about 10 years ago. He had had a bad year health wise. I had a feeling he might not see another New Year. I opted to be alone with him
My wife went to her brother’s. My children were everywhere.

My father and I sat before the burning fireplace in my living room chatting and sipping for four hours. It was a very sensitive experience for me. Now a sentimental one. I know my father enjoyed the evening also.

Fortunately, Dad is still here. He is 97 years old.

Syracuse basketball tonight! Syracuse plays DePaul at five. I will be watching the game at the Sports Page Bar.

May this first day of the year be a good one for all!