BOWLING

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Happy Mother’s Day!

My mother is long gone. I miss her. I sound like a child when I say it. That’s the way it is. We are all children when we think of our mothers.

Yesterday, my second bowling event in three years. Prior thereto, sometime back in the 1960s. Total bowling times in my life, 4-5.

It was a Don bowling party at the U.S. Navy Air Base at Boca Chica. There were 25 of us. Don divided us into five 5 person teams. My team mates were Stan, Tom, Clare, and Hershel.

We played well. Very well! We won! We had the highest score each of the three games played. Don’s team was second. We spotted them 15 points in the third game and still won.

I was of exceptional assistance. 84 in the first game. Followed up by something in the 60s the next two. Everyone was better than me! Did not bother me in the least. I had a wonderful time! Did not bother my team mates either.

One problem. The ball was heavy. Every time I picked it up. For real. I dropped it three times as I was in my stride preparing to throw the ball. I attribute the heavy feeling and dropping the ball to my age and being out of shape. More to being out of shape.

The food and drink were appropriate to the occasion. There was no gin of quality. I drank a brand I never heard of. Tom jokingly told me not to light a match near it. The food consisted of chicken fingers, onion rings and pizza.

Travel time and bowling itself consumed five hours. It was six when I arrived home. I had intended to go downtown for the Songwriter’s Festival. Duval was closed yesterday. A stage was erected in the street in front of Sloppy Joe’s. A free concert was scheduled  for 7. I never made it. Did not even try. I was tired. 

Another open house today. Will my home ever sell? I have to find a quiet place to sit with my computer and work on the Greece book.

Enjoy your Sunday!

THE BEARD IS GONE

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I developed the habit of trimming my two year old beard once a week. On fridays. Yesterday, I screwed up!

I have an electric beard trimmer. The cutting blade trims close to the skin. There is a barricade /guard that has to be placed over it to avoid a full trim. The barricade/guard also permits one to determine the desired length of the beard.

I was doing the friday routine yesterday. Trimmed one side of my face. Don’t know where my mind was. I forgot the barricade/guard. Three sweeps and the left side of my face was bare.

Oh, shit!…..I thought.

Things have to balance. I intentionally shaved off the right side. Left me with a mustache and small chin beard. I did not think it looked good. Shaved the chin beard off. Did not like how I looked with just a mustache. The mustache went.

My face was entirely clean. The skin as smooth as a new born baby’s behind.

I liked what I saw. I have decided to go beardless for a while. The new me!

The interesting thing is that everywhere I went last night, no one noticed my beard was gone. Do people really look at each other?

The Chart Room was my first stop. Sean and Katherine were just leaving. I was glad I got to say good bye in person. They leave for Austin this morning. Katherine has a position with a Leading Hotels of the World there. God bless and good luck!

Ran into Dale. Met him last year. He spends six months in Key West and six months in Ocean City, New Jersey. Lives on a 44 foot sail boat. He is an independent contractor working with the pharmaceutical industry. I learned a lot I never knew about prescription drugs.

Decided to stop at the new Key West Pub to see how they were doing. They were not. A handful of people. The place was basically empty. I had a drink and chatted with the general manager, Eric.

There was a dance floor last week at the opening where a baby grand used to sit. The dance floor was gone. Replaced by tables. I suggested they bring Larry Smith in to play. I was told they had no piano. I said Larry had one. The one he bought when he left the Wine Galley.

My next and final stop was Square One. Ate at the bar. Enjoyed myself immensely.

Jimmy Olsen was seated at the other end. I rarely see him. It was good to say hello.

Good friend Patrick bartending. Always a pleasure to be in his company.

My former bocce partner Frankie the Plumber was having dinner at the bar, also. Chatted with Frankie and his friends. Frankie just returned from a three week cruise through the Hawaiian Islands. Jet lag still affecting him.

Mary Lou Hoover came in and sat next to me at the bar. She and Charley were waiting for a table. Mary Lou and I talked quite a while. The most we have ever talked. The first time I can recollect we have been alone to talk.

Mary Lou is both dynamic and a dynamo. Among her many accomplishments, she started Girl’s Night Out back in 2006 or thereabouts with six attendees. Today, it numbers in the thousands.

I was impressed once again with the crowd at Square One. Many standing and drinking waiting for a table. Happy faces all! Carmelo has done a great job in resurrecting the restaurant.

This afternoon, I bowl! Don is throwing a bowling party. At the Boca Chica Naval Base. The only bowling alleys in the area.

We did a similar party three years ago. We ate pizza and wings and drank.

This will be the fourth time in my life I have bowled. I think three years ago my high score was 70 something and my low 40 something.

No one wants me on their team!

Enjoy your day!

BOCCE…..WE FALTERED

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There is a line in Peter Pan…..Dreams do come true. I don’t know.

All week my bocce team has been hyped about playing last night. We had come back from nothing by winning 8 of the last 9 games. We could be heading for the playoffs. We needed to win 4 of the last 6 games of the season.

We played three of those games last night. Against a team that had lost 9 straight.

They done us in! We lost 2 of the 3 games. Which means we have to win all 3 next week.

I was surprised at last night’s result. We were geared up and ready to play. Confident. It was kill time. We got killed!

I spent all of the day yesterday writing next week’s column for KONK Life. It is titled Misuse of Little Ones. The abduction of the 300 girls in Nigeria, coupled with the crucifixions and beheadings, including children, in Nigeria and Syria, motivated the article.

Yesterday was the 69th anniversary of VE-Day. Victory in Europe. The was against Germany was over.

I was ten years old at the time. The event sticks in my mind as if it were yesterday.

The news first came over the radio. No TV in those days. People rejoiced. They stood on their porches banging spoons against pots and pans. They cried. They yelled words of joy to each other. The streets flooded with people. Everyone crying. Everyone kissing.

There have been several wars since. I can recall no such rejoicing when each ended.

Speaking of anniversaries, today is the second anniversary of my Father’s death. He left us on May 9, 2012. He would have been 100 years old today. He had a good life. The second half was better than the first. I loved him and miss him.

Enjoy your day!

I MISSED SEAN AND KATHERINE’S PARTY

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Sean and Katherine are leaving Key West.

A farewell party was planned at the back bar at Aqua. I went. I thought it was last  night. The only one at the bar was Mark Watson. It was 5:30. Isn’t a party scheduled, I asked. It was last night, he said.

I’m losing it!

Sean and Katherine, in the event I fail to see you before you depart, good luck! You have left your mark on Key West. You will not be forgotten. Keep in touch.

Next was the Chart Room. It was still there. I made no mistake.

Emily was back. She attended the Kentucky Derby. She looked rested. Her pics of her and the Derby were fantastic. I was glad she was back. Emily has become as much a part of the Chart Room as those whose ashes rest in the bar rail.

Sheila and Jean at the bar. They and Emily laughed when I said I had just come from Sean and Katherine’s party. They had been there the night before. They also reminded me I did the same thing regarding another party recently. I could not remember.

Dana and Tim were at the Chart Room. I met them last year, They hail from Wilmington, North Carolina. Dana was Miss Carolina in 2003. She represented North Carolina in the Miss America Pageant. Dana is still a beauty. She could participate in the Miss America this year.

Key West’s Annual Songwriter’s Conference began last night. More than 150 of Nashville’s songwriters are in town to play their music and have fun.

The Songwriter’s Festival is a big deal! Performances last night were held all over the island. Sunset Key Pier, Margaritaville, the Pier House, Rick’s / Durty Harry’s, the Conch Republic, and Smokin’ Tuna.

I heard music and singing as I left the Chart Room. It was coming from the Beachside Bar. I walked back. A special stage had been erected. The performers were warming up. The bar was already packed as well as many of the beach lounge chairs which had been organized on the sand around the stage. I stayed a while and enjoyed what I was hearing.  Could not help but think how fortunate we are in Key West. Goodies like this festival periodically come along. We are privileged to enjoy. Festivals and special weekends are part of our daily lives.

Stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Chatted with Hershel. Politics and bocce. Hershel is a bocce team mate. Our team is on a roll. We have won 8 out of the 9 last games. Two nights left. Tonight the first. We hope to sweep or come close to sweeping both nights. If we do, we go to the finals!

Enjoy your day!

NICE PEOPLE

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I believe most people are nice. I had an experience yesterday that exemplifies the statement.

I went out my front door. There on the porch/stoop was a lovely vase with spectacular type sunflowers. Not flowers common to the Keys.

There had been a wedding next door Sunday. My neighbor rents out his property by the week. It is not legal. The wedding impacted on me. Only part of it bothered me. The rest I took in stride.

When I returned home at dinner time Saturday, there were at least a dozen big garbage cans and about 20 boxes full of garbage, empty booze bottles and the like. In front of my wall on my property! The house looked like a garbage dump.

They had a wedding scheduled the next day and did not want the garbage to show. I had an open house the next day and did not want garbage showing either. Even without the open house, I would have not wanted the garbage.

There were already many people next door. Coming in and out. I asked several about the garbage. No one knew anything. I felt I was getting jerked around. I was getting irritated. Finally I said, screw it and called the sheriff’s department. Within  minutes, two deputies arrived. I explained the situation. They went next door. The deputies returned. They said the people apologized and were already taking care of the garbage. It got buried somewhere out of sight on their property.

Yesterday was the wedding. Cars all over the place. A two way road was one way. A big catering van was parked in the street in front of my home. Then the music and screaming and yelling till the wee hours of the morning.

Such did not bother me. It was a joyous occasion for them and would be over in a matter of hours. I could catch up on my sleep on Sunday.

The next door house was empty yesterday. All were gone.

A handwritten note was tucked into the flowers. “Thank you for allowing us to enjoy our wedding day. Good luck in selling your home! The Normans.”

Nice people.

I felt guilty I called the cops!

Ran some errands and visited Tammy for a manicure in the morning. Spent the afternoon working on the Greece book and fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show.

The show was pretty much limited to some Catholic/Christian issues and the County’s new anti-smoking law imposed on county employees. Both topics hit a nerve based on post show comments.

Previous to yesterday, Attorney General Holder had been responsible for two statements regarding banks that I absolutely did not agree with…..Banks are too big to fail…..Banks are too big to prosecute.

Yesterday Holder came out with a third statement…..No individual or entity is too big to go to jail.

We shall see. The people of the United States have waited too long for justice for the 2008 mortgage fiasco. The banks came out whole and in better shape. The people have yet to recover.

Enjoy your day!

CRUCIFIXIONS RETURN

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Good morning!

The start of another magnificent Key West day! Not a cloud in the sky. A good breeze. Too early for the humidity. A God is in His Heave, all is right with the world moment.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Nine o’clock my time. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. A fast moving half hour commentary on things happening world wide. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Some heavy topics. Revealing, also. Like the return of crucifixions. Hanging Christians on crosses to die because of their faith. Happening now in Syria and Nigeria as part of the conflicts in those countries.

I am also going to touch on the goblin shark that visited Key West waters this week, Monroe County cracking down on employee smoking, top US companies having the most accumulated offshore profits, big banks laundering drug money, the world’s first married lesbian threesome, and more.

Last night was Montessori!

Grandson Robert and classmates had constructed a 9 hole miniature gold course. Took them a month. Even made the putters. The task was in preparation for a Montessori fundraiser. $5 a head to play.

I brought Don with me.

Impressive is the only way to describe what we saw and experienced. The holes were mechanically set out. Tough! No kidding! I picked up after 5 strokes on some holes. Don played his usual solid game. He even pared one hole.

Each hole represented some historical fact. One hole was Rome, another Egypt, and so forth.

The kids did a great job!

It was dinner afterwards at Hot Tin Roof. Don’s wife Stephanie joined us. It was fun time. We laughed throughout dinner.

Enjoy your day!

UGLY…..

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Ugly. A descriptive title.

I was sitting at the bar at Roostica having dinner last night. The buzz centered around one thing. The shark caught off Stock Island earlier in the day. A goblin shark.

The shark was 18 feet long. Appeared to have a double head. Not really, however. It has a long snout. Underneath and hidden, a jaw that comes out like a second head. The jaw comes out when prey is about to be caught. Big teeth and all.

I say ugly because I saw a picture of the goblin shark caught. Nothing you would want to cuddle up to.

The story of its capture is most interesting. A shrimp boat caught it. Shrimp boats fish daily off Stock Island.

The shrimp boat had its nets down 2,000 feet scooping up shrimp. The net was heavy coming up. There it was! This 18 footer! No one knew what it was at the time. It was still alive. All the shrimp fishers knew was they wanted the thing off their boat!

One of the fisherman took his cell phone out and recorded the event. That is how a definite identification was made.

The fish is actually pink in color. Down 2,000 feet, it takes on a black hue.

Before the shrimp fisherman today, it is estimated there are only 10 people alive who have ever seen a goblin shark.

The goblin shark has been described as a living fossil. It is prehistoric looking. Especially its wicked teeth.

The fisherman who took the pictures is to be complimented.

The other fisherman threw the goblin  shark overboard. They hoisted it up and dumped it back into the ocean. They were not going to screw around with the ugly 18 footer!

I babysat yesterday afternoon. Robert, Ally and I did Burger Fi again. They loved the cheeseburgers the last time and wanted to return.

Some things are too difficult for me at 78. Don’t laugh. These machines where you fill your glass with ice and then your soda selection confuse me. I could not figure out the ice nor could I get diet Coke. I kept coming up with an orange drink. I told Ally, you do it for me!

After lunch, we stopped at Joy Gallery. Jim and Theresa Wallace there. Nice people. I am glad to have made their acquaintance.

Robert and Ally could not understand what I was talking about as we headed to the Gallery. They could not put together that my Barons were now hanging in a different place. When they saw them, they understood. They kept pointing out which had hung where in my home.

Crystal Marie is an avid fan of this blog. She was in Key West yesterday to be married. Two in the afternoon at Smathers Beach. She invited me via e mail yesterday morning to stop by if I could. I could not because of the babysitting. Crystal Marie, many congratulations! Next year when you return to celebrate your first anniversary, we will get together.

Tonight, Montessori! Robert and Ally’s school. There is an open house at 5.

Robert and four other classmates designed and built a 9 hole miniature golf course. Even goes upstairs, Robert says! You have to putt the ball uphill from the first to second floor.

Don is coming with me. He is interested, as I am, in the type of job the kids did. Don’s Second Annual Miniature Golf Tournament will take place next year. Don says if the kids did a good job, he might hire them. For real!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

ANTI-SMOKING FANATICS

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1984 again!

Key West is located in Monroe County. The County either recently passed or is considering passing a law prohibiting County employees from smoking. Even at home. Nicotine testing will be done to make sure no one is cheating.

Perfectly proper to oppose smoking. This however would be a step too far.

I will be writing a column on the issue soon in KONK Life.

Recall “…that government is best which governs least.” History is not sure who uttered the words first. Thomas Jefferson or Henry David Thoreau.

I sometimes think I am becoming more Republican by day.

Kentucky Derby yesterday. I joined my friends at Don’s Place for the event. Always a fun time. Joanie won the prize for best hat. Congratulations, Joanie!

During the coarse of my lifetime, I have been fortunate to attend many major sporting events. Never a Kentucky Derby. Hopefully, some day.

The Chart Room’s Emily was at the Derby yesterday.

Met a couple from Rochester, NY who were watching the Derby at Don’s Place. Mike and Sarah. They were married in Key West seven years ago. And return yearly to celebrate the event. Mike owns a bar in Rochester. O’Laughlins. My upstate New York friends, stop in. Mike appeared a nice guy with a warm personality.

Thursday evening was spectacular at bocce. When I left, my team had already defeated one of the best teams in the league 2 games to 0. I got the result of third game today at Don’s. We won number 3, also! Wowie! We needed it!

We had been playing poorly. However the last three game nights, we won 8 out 0f 9 games. Maybe we have returned! From close to the bottom, we have edged up to 5th place. There are two nights left.  Six games. We have to win 4 of the 6 to make the playoffs.

I worked on one of my books yesterday till 5 when I left for Don’s. It is about Greece. My first Greece trip 3 years ago. My publisher wanted the book. It is not hard. I am taking my 31 days of blogs re Greece and elaborating on some of the experiences. Like my attempt at climbing the volcano. As funny as it read, a rereading recently indicated I had left out a lot of truly other amusing things that happened to me that day. I am glad I survived the attempt.

Growing Up Italian is taking a brief back seat. Greece should be wrapped up at my end in 2-3 weeks.

My house is still on the market. Another open house tomorrow from 1-4. I am becoming discouraged as to whether it will sell. Such is life!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

A WONDERFUL EVENING

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Every Key West evening is good. Some are just better. Last night was one of the better ones.

The early evening was at Joy Gallery. The Jack Baron exhibit. Over 50 paintings. Several mine.

The gallery was packed when I arrived. Owner/curator Jim Wallace and his wife Theresa. It was the first time Theresa and I met. She was aware of me initially from the devastating operation I underwent in Key West about nine years ago. I lost 25 per cent of my colon needlessly. She had recently undergone some sort of stomach surgery with the same doctor. A disaster also from her perspective.

Some of my friends were in the crowd. Tom and Kathy from Connecticut. Larry and Christine with England’s John and Ali. I was honored Christine attended. She is a for real artist. Her works are selling well. Whereas, I did not paint. I merely collected.

People were taking pictures of me with their spouses or alone in front of some of the Baron’s. I met Ed Krane for the first time. He took pictures of me with Jim and Theresa Wallace. Ed was at one time with the same TV station I had been. We had interesting war stories to share.

I ended up explaining certain of my Baron acquisitions and how they came to be. Everyone  had an interest in Jack Baron.

Jim Wallace did an excellent job showing Baron’s paintings and bringing out the crowd he did last night.

My next stop was the Chart Room. No one I knew. A bunch of younger guys whooping it up. I had one drink and left.

Last night would have been Emily’s night to work. She is in Lexington for the Kentucky Derby later today. She has attended many. She is originally from the area. She told me before she left that she was making the hat she will wear herself.

Larry let me know as he left Joy Gallery that they were heading over to the Key West Pub. A new place. Across the street from La Te Da. In my 26 years in Key West, I have seen several businesses come and go in the building. They all start with a bang. Hard to survive, however. The rent! The last tenant was paying $14,000 a month. You have to sell a lot of booze to cover that nut!

Perhaps this place may make it. I hope they do The inside is different. Multi colored walls and bright lights.

The Pub was jam packed. Fortunately, there was an empty seat at Larry’s table. The booze was flowing. Food was free. Huge sliders. Everyone spoke well of the sliders.

I was impressed with the greeting crew. There were two men standing on the sidewalk outside the entrance. One said hello Louis. The other…..Key West Lou. I do not recall having met either before.

Met Sean the manager inside. A hug and big kiss on the cheek. He was kissing everyone. As I was leaving, the owner came up and introduced himself. Stephen Pointer. Garbed in a sharp tuxedo. He is from England. I wished him well. Time will tell. The fact that La Te Da is across the street does not hurt. People tend to enjoy both. They will move from one bar to the other several times a night.

Then it was across the street to La Te Da. There was new owner Christopher standing in the entrance. Christopher is the former owner of Antonia’s. You will recall I stopped going to Antonia’s several years ago. It had nothing to do directly with Christopher. It was, if you will excuse the vernacular,  his asshole manager at the time. Christopher gave me a big hug.

It had been several years since I was at La Te Da, also. No reason. Just stopped going.

I ate at the outside bar. I have been a customer at La Te Da off and on for 25 years. Tonto has always been the outdoor bartender during that time. Love Tonto and her partner. Old friends, we generally meet in Publix while grocery shopping.

Twenty five years ago and ten years ago, I always enjoyed La Te Da’s lacquered duck. I enjoyed it again last night. Wow! Outstanding!

After dinner, I grabbed a snifter of Grand Marnier and walk into the inside bar. Sassy no longer bartending. He was a mainstay. A Key West icon. Casey is the new bartender. A lovely. She said Sassy now lives somewhere in Pennsylvania.

I was hoping to catch Debra and Patrick. Regulars at La Te Da for more than 20 years. They were away for the weekend. Instead the Spectrelles were entertaining. If I recall correctly, they used to appear in the Utica area at the Turning Stone casino. Absolutely outstanding. I stayed at the bar listening to them longer than I had intended. The three ladies wore wigs. The bouffant style of the late 1950s and 1960s.

Randy Roberts was at the other end of the bar. We nodded hello to each other. He is a female impersonator at La Te Da. He has been performing there more than 20 years. It must have been his night off. He was dressed casually. He looked amazing! Younger than when I first met him years ago.

Today, the Kentucky Derby. I have not paid attention this year. Have no idea who is running. I will watch the race at Don’s Place. The ladies will all be wearing bonnets of sorts.

Sorry this blog is a bit long. It was a long evening, however. Filled with all kind of good happenings.

Enjoy your day!

 

TONIGHT…..JACK BARON EXHIBIT AT JOY GALLERY

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My dining room walls are empty. So too my center hall. Two spots in the living room. Three wall spaces upstairs.

My Jack Baron paintings are gone!

Tonight from 6-9, Joy Gallery at the corner of Simonton and Eaton is exhibiting Jack Baron’s works. More than fifty. Fourteen of which are mine.

The exhibit is a tribute to Jack Baron. Jack was my friend. A close friend. I miss him to this day. He passed on some six years ago.

An e mail announcement went out yesterday by Jim Wallace. Jim is the curator at Joy Gallery. It announced the exhibit this evening. Two Baron paintings were shown on the face of the announcement. Both mine!

My home is naked. My dining room was all Jack Baron. Except for two mirrors, nothing remains. A lonely feeling.

I suggest you visit the exhibition this evening. From 6-9. See the great work Jack did with acrylics and black people.

The season has changed in Key West. It is now humid all day. Need air conditioning all day. Besides being uncomfortable without it, the humidity invites mold inside a home.

I spent my daytime yesterday working on next week’s KONK Life column. A story about Thomas Jefferson and how he died poor. The title: He Died Broke.

Bocce last night. We have not done well this season. To say we sucked would be accurate. Not last night. We played the #2 team. They will end up #1 before the season is over. They have been champions three times.

I stayed for the first two games. Played in the first. We won both! The first one that I played in 16-8. The second 16-15. My ass was dragging so I left at the start of the third game. The two wins a major victory!

John and Ali are good friends from England. They live outside London. They spend every December in Key West.

Last night Tom introduced me to Phil and Joelle. They live in Guildford, just outside London also. Phil is into landscape gardening and Joelle works for an engineering exhibition company. They have visited Key West six times. This year for two months. Joelle said, next year for three!

Phil and Joelle are good friends with Tom. I figured they should be good friends of John and Ali, also. I called Larry Smith over. Made the introductions. He is going to contact Tom to set up a meeting between Phil and Joelle and John and Ali.

My age was evident last night. Someone asked me Erika’s name. She was score keeping. I know Erika. I love Erika. I could not remember her name. I asked team mate Norman her name. He is 15 years younger than me. He looked at her with a blank expression. Finallly, her husband Hershel said…..Erika.

This Russia/Ukraine mess appears to have no end.

The book I recently published The World Upside Down contained a chapter entitled Floras’s Story. I also wrote a blog about Flora last year while I was in Greece. Flora lives in Albania. She was in Greece working at a summer job.

Flora is 41. A school teacher. She has lived in Albania her whole life.  Albania was part of Soviet Russia as Ukraine was. Flora lived her first 21 years under Russian rule. She told me being independent was better. Things were very tough under the Russians. I mentioned her comments in this regard in Flora’s Story. You might want to read the tale in its entirety.

I have a busy day today. A business meeting at 2. The Baron exhibit at 6. Two things in one day is busy for me!

Enjoy your day!