I’m back. Two days off. Surgery yesterday. Endoscopy.

Modern day surgery never ceases to amaze me. The anesthesia. A shot. The intravenous and you’re out. No counting back from 100. No dreams during the surgery. When you wake, you can’t believe it’s over.

End of life should be that way for everyone. You drop. You’re gone. Unfortunately, many suffer from dreadful diseases and feel the pain thereof.

The question regardless of your method of dying, is what is next. An afterlife? 

At my age, the question is a constant. I read about those who have died and returned, etc.

None of us will ever know till it happens.

This morning’s Keys Citizen main front page article concerns a “move” to consolidate Monroe County’s court system with Dade County. Reason: Monroe County is a small county not requiring its own judicial system.

Believe it not.

My friends, leave well enough alone.. Tallahassee runs all over us as it is. We don’t need a judicial system that does also.

Keep what has been for decades unchanged. Give up no part of the judicial system. Fight the move. You will regret the consolidation if it happens.

The Keys are unique and require judges who understand its special problems.

Mel Fisher’s day! This day 1985. After 15 years of searching, Mel Fisher found the mother lode of the Spanish galleon Atocha. After years of struggling and never losing confidence, he deserved it!

Man walks on the moon for the first time! This day 1969.

I remember it clearly. Excited me. One of the most thrilling events to occur in my lifetime.

It was late at night. My recollection after 11. I had my wife wake our 4 young children and bring them downstairs. I wanted them to see and remember the event. They saw, but never have remembered. Too young.

Trump seems to claim “everything” is his. First, the classified documents. Now, perhaps Israel’s antiquities.

The Israeli antiquities include part of Israel’s national treasure collection: Clay lamps and ancient ceramic candles.

They were shipped to the U.S. in 2019 for a Hanukkah event. Got “stuck” here due to the pandemic. Somehow have ended up with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

Israel has tried for several years without success to obtain their return. Trump apparently has refused. There has been no comment from Trump thus far re their release.

Enjoy your day!

The hottest spot in the U.S. yesterday was Furnace Creek in Death Valley, Nevada…..125.6 degrees. Normally one of the hottest spots in the U.S.

Other American cities were also record scoring. Phoenix, Arizona exceeded 100 degrees for the 18th consecutive day.

Italy experiencing “one of the most extreme temperatures ever.” Locals go to the mountains. Little air conditioning available in the cities. Unaware tourists arrive in droves and suffer the heat.

Especially Rome where tons of tourists arrive every summer. They end up in the streets and squares sweating like hell not having realized how hot it would be.

I have spent considerable time in various Italian spots. The air conditioning problem the same everywhere. They have little to none. Electricity the problem It has been forever there is insufficient electric power available. The Italians never remedy it. That is why most run off to the mountains for 1-2 months every summer.

This morning’s Washington Post in a headline wrote: In The Earth’s Hottest Spots, Heat Is Testing The Limits Of Human Survival.

Trump announced this morning that his attorneys had been notified he was a “target” of a Department of Justice investigation. It is assumed it has to do with January 6. Trump expects it to be a “third indictment.”

Trump announced over the weekend how he will handle the expansion of Presidential power if elected. He would expand the power into all areas of government based on “his” judgment. No Congressional permission, oversight or judicial review would be required.

Thank you Adolph Hitler. Clearly Nazism. Authoritarianism at its worst. Reminiscent also of Mussolini when he took over the Italian government.

His pronouncement typical Trump. He tells us in advance what he is going to do and then does it. He must believe his conduct in such fashion makes what he does more acceptable. It does to some. If he is elected, I fear it will be to many.

Judge Aileen Cannon has her first opportunity to shine as a judge or show her true ilk when she hears a motion to fix the trial date for the Trump documents case. The government suggests 12/11. Trump wants the matter adjourned till after the election.

Joe Manchin loves the role of troublemaker. He cannot win as a third party candidate. However, he could draw enough votes from Biden to permit Trump to win.

I was under the weather yesterday. Never made it to Toni Tarracino Celebration of Life event or dinner with the Dixons.

No blog tomorrow. I have what I consider minor surgery scheduled for 8:30. I will be knocked out.

Tomorrow is National Hot Dog Day.

Amazing how we have a “day” for everything!

A comment in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice: “Keep Miami out of Key West. Tip your musicians, keep the art alive and the spirit chill. Wear sunscreen and a tutu on your birthday.”

Enjoy your day!

The oldest religious text on Earth is not the Bible. It is The Kesh Temple Hymn. Dates back to 2600 B.C. and was found in Sumer, one of the world’s oldest civilizations.

A judicial comment and defendant after statement that would fit in divorce court: “Mr. Clark, I have reviewed this case very carefully, and I’ve decided to give your wife $775 a week.”

The defendant responded: “That’s very fair your Honor. And every now and then I’ll try to send her a few bucks myself.”

A perceptive Facebook question this morning: “If money doesn’t grow on trees, then why do banks have branches?”

A sex counsellor commented over the weekend, adding she thought her words were right on: “Men need sex to feel loved. Women need to feel loved to have sex.”

A significant Key West land deal. A new marina. The Happy landings Marina. To be established along North Roosevelt Boulevard, down the driveway past the Lions Club Building.

Is any portion of this property part of the choice bay front bottom site on North Roosevelt Boulevard that the Monroe County Commission in 1953 approved a 99 year lease for $1 a year with the Key West Lions Club?

Rory McIlroy won the Scottish Open yesterday by 1 stroke. He birdied the last 2 holes to tie and then win.

McIlroy putted great, opposed to his previous day’s play. Drove long, but poorly. Hit only 4 fairways. His iron shots from the rough were dramatic.

My cell phone screwed up and I lost a lot of names, numbers and addresses. Looking for someone whose name I cannot recall. Old age. She does read the blog frequently, however. So I spell out some of her background. She is in her 80’s, lives in Fort Lauderdale, has had a condo in Key West for years, her husband a deceased dentist, I met her and her husband in the Chart Room many years ago. She thought me arrogant. No longer does. She, her aide and I have had dinner together frequently in recent years.

If she reads this, I ask her to please e-mail or call. No, she has not won the lottery.

Lunch at noon yesterday at Harpoon Harry’s. It was sunday. Never again. Packed! I had to stand and then sit outside in the sun waiting for a table for 40 minutes. The food was excellent, the wait too long. I will limit my visits to weekdays.

Parking was no better.

Dinner at Brady’s tonight with the Dixons. They have never been.

Enjoy your day!

Over the years, I have made some great friends. Most funny. Typical are Fran and Tom Dixon from Buffalo. They visit Key West 3-4 times a year. Tom is involved with Ocean Key. This photo was taken friday night at La Te Da. Says it all. Fun is what Key West is all about.

It has been extremely hot the past week. Low 90s in Key West. Not as bad as other parts of the country. However, bad enough. Not the time to be outside.

Ocean temperature has been in the mid 90s when normally it is in the mid 80s. Makes a hell of a difference. 

A meteorologist made an interesting comment yesterday re one of the effects of the high ocean temperature re the Keys. He claimed the coral, which has already been in trouble for years, would be dead by the end of the summer. Sounds pretty severe. I am not a meteorologist. Find his statement hard to believe. Hope he is wrong.

A next door neighbor is 85. Our cars are parked next to each other. As I was leaving Friday, he drove in. Sopping wet. His tee shirt soaked. He had been hitting golf balls.

My neighbor visits doctors as frequently as I. I told him he was a flaming ass. He shrugged his shoulders and said he had gotten bored from staying in.

Are we anti-everything? A remake of Disney’s Snow White deletes the seven dwarfs. Only one will appear.

Why? Issue appears to include “dwarfism.” No one buying the line. Movie people are upset. They claim viewers will be very unhappy in 2024 when the movie is released. 

Watched Rory McIlroy in the third round of the Scottish Open yesterday. He leads the field by 1 stroke at the end of 3 rounds.

He should be leading by 5 or 6. Driver and irons terrific. Putting sucked.

If he loses today, his putting will be the blame.

Nothing is sacred. Even religious persons want to tear down that which has been acceptable for over 2,000 years.

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell is one of the Church of England’s highest ranking members. He has taken issue with “Our Father” in the Lord’s prayer. He claims the basis for his position is “earthly fathers have been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have labored rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life.”

Something must be in the air. Got to be. Too many crazy people.

An article in Sportsheedo Health and Fitness claims: People with the longest life span have two common truths. Not dieting or exercise. It’s personality traits. A positive attitude and high emotional awareness aka emotional intelligence.

Not established gospel. Yet. May never be.

I’m 88. Rarely exercised. Dieted frequently with little long term success. I do have a positive attitude. Though intelligent, not emotionally so.

Ergo, not certain any of this is valid. It does make interesting reading, however.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Happy Birthday Cindy Thompson! Seventy seven years young. She looks young. A good 20 years younger.

I am one day late. So it is belated greetings.

Cindy is wife to Steve. They have been married 43 years. God bless! Two daughters, five grandchildren.

Cindy has another distinction. An interesting and exciting one. She has worked for Jimmy Buffett since 1985. First in Margaritaville. Then in Buffett’s offices in the Kress Building. His girl friday, right hand. She and Sunshine. Still his helping hand in Key West, even though the office here is no longer open. Permanently on call.

She and Steve are two of my best Key West friends.

Key West sucks when it comes to housing. There is too little in Key West and that which is provided too expensive. The City always talks about solving the problem. However does little. And what is done takes forever. Again, expensive.

I am not an architect. I can see and think I understand some things. A question. Why are the Sears Shopping Plaza and Key Plaza expansive empty spaces going unused? Why can’t another floor be added to each thus providing quicker and hopefully cheaper housing? Two floors at each site.

Back in 1935, there was no pipeline running from the mainland to Key West to supply drinking water to Key West residents. Cisterns and wells were the sole sources.

The two were also places where mosquitoes would breed. A plan was initiated in 1935 to hopefully eradicate the mosquitoes. Small fish were distributed to residents who were to place them in their cisterns and wells.

Malaria has returned to Florida after 40 years. The malaria cases are solely in Sarasota County. So far. They call for caution. Malaria is mosquito caused. Best protection is to avoid being bitten and to stay away from standing water.

The heat wave continues. Experts claim it will intensify this weekend and push temperatures close to 130 degrees in some western areas of the U.S.

The heat wave was heavy in Key West yesterday. I really felt it for the first time going to and returning from my manicure with Tammy.

Soon after returning home, I felt funny and lousy. Stayed with me into the evening. Cancelled dinner plans with Fran and Tom. Don’t know if it was the heat or not. Whatever, put me down.

The defense bill normally receives broad bipartisan support. Not this year! Kevin McCarthy ceded the Speakership to the far right again.

The House adopted conservative amendments, most woke in nature, that have no place in a military defense bill. Like abortion and transsexual rights.

Then there is the nutty Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) who is blocking one hundred percent of military promotions in the Senate over an abortion issue.

U.S. support for Ukraine an issue also.

The U.S. does not need these type amendments/discussions when the military defense budget is the issue.. Republican actions place the security of our Nation at risk.

An event which symbolized the start of the French Revolution occurred when citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille prison. The attack on the Bastille took place this day in 1789.

Similar to our January 6 insurrection. With an important significant difference. The French Revolution succeeded, the January 6 insurrection failed.

Makes you wonder. If the January 6 insurrection had succeeded, would thousands of Americans have been beheaded? Probably hung. Don’t say no. Thank God we will never know. Hopefully.

Recall Hitler’s takeover of Germany was a successful modern day one. It resulted in 6 million Jews being killed. Gas chambers instead of beheadings.

Booker T. Washington words of wisdom: “A lie does not become truth, wrong does not become right and evil does not become good because it is accepted by a majority.”

Applies to some pontifications of false statements in today’s society.

Bess Levin’s recent article: DeSantis’ Lack of Personality Is Now Costing Him GOP Super Daddies. She wrote: “Rupert Murdoch apparently isn’t the only one who can smell a loser.”

Enjoy your day!

Hemingway Days begin next tuesday July 18 and run through sunday July 23. An exciting time!

Two events especially appeal to me. The Hemingway Look-Alike Contest and the Running of the Bulls.

The Look-Alike Contest will have 125 or more contestants. They come from all over the world. Most will be exact replicas of Hemingway. A friendly crowd. All over the lower end of Duval during the contest. Meeting and greeting everyone.

The Running of the Bulls is “almost” for real. The bulls will run down Duval. Plywood and cardboard. The flavor the same as if for real. People yelling and screaming along Duval. Some running in and out of the rushing bulls.

A great summer party!

Most parts of the U.S. are encumbered with heat or rain or heat and rain. Disasters each.

Can global warming be denied?

I read this morning…..If you get too hot, you will die. Heat is the invisible killer that is ruining the summer.

Someone in Austin, Texas was asked how the weather was. Response: “Relatively cool outside…..in the 90s.”

Says it all.

Inflation dropped to 3 percent in June. It was 9 percent one year ago.

Slowly but surely, the dollar killer is being reduced.

Biden is responsible. His goal is 2 percent. Hopefully he will make it by this time next year.

One thing people neither realize nor understand. Inflation this time is a world wide problem. Slowly but surely, Biden is kicking it in the ass in the U.S.

The Key West Airport is undergoing a much needed reconstruction. Part of the money is coming from Biden’s infrastructure law. The Biden law allocates $1 billion spread over 99 airports. The Key West International Airport one of the beneficiaries. The Airport is receiving $13 million.

Our airport is in dire need of the work being done.

Congressional Republicans, including Florida House and Senate members, are committed to slashing funding in the law. Even after it has been passed.

Wise up Key Westers. Those voted in to represent us now want to take that money or some portion thereof away from us.

Who needs these people? Forget about woke. Lets go back to running government like it was. Things like the airport are more important.

A bit of history re teaching about gays and lesbians in public schools. In 2011, California became the first state to add lessons about gays and lesbians to social study classes in public schools. Jerry Brown was Governor.

The HOLLYWOOD sign in huge bold letters on the side of a hill in the Los Angeles area was constructed in 1923. The letters 50 feet high.

The original sign actually HOLLYWOODLAND.

In 1949, the LAND portion was removed.

This day in 1960, John F. Kennedy won the Democratic nomination for Presidnet on the first ballot at his Party’s convention in Los Angeles.

Kennedy was not Presidnet long enough for us to know whether he would have been a great one. I was impressed however with his handling of the Cuban missile crisis. It could have been war with Russia. His skillful handling of the situation saved the day.

Fran and Tom Dixon are back in town. We are having dinner together tonight at La Te Da.

A manicure at 12:30.

Enjoy your day!

The old saying go to bed with dogs, wake up with fleas is always correct.

Trump has a habit of inflicting the flea problem on his supporters. Many destroyed as a result of the Trump relationship.

The latest to fall is Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow. A strong supporter of Trump. One who had easy access to the While House while Trump was President.

MyPillow is auctioning off hundreds of pieces of equipment and subleasing some manufacturing spaces based on what Lindell calls “a massive, massive cancellation.” Lindell claims MyPillow lost $100 million from “attacks by box stores, the shopping networks, the shopping channels, all of them did cancel culture on us.”

Several retailers, including Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Kohl’s pulled MyPillow from their shelves after Lindell continued to claim the 2020 Presidential election was stolen from Trump.

Bess Levin published a Vanity Fair article yesterday titled “Trump Says Hunter Biden Should’ve Gotten the Death Penalty for Not Paying His Taxes on Time.”

Levin asks what Trump thinks the penalty should be for someone “accused of inciting an insurrection and obstructing a federal investigation should be.”

I ask what the penalty should be if Trump falsified his tax returns so as to pay less taxes.

Burger King has introduced The Real Cheese Burger in Thailand.

Cheese is an ultra popular food in Thailand. Burger King is tapping into the market. It has introduced a new meatless burger. Only 20 slices of American cheese. Nothing else. No tomato, onion, etc.

Blog late and short today. Sorry. My morning tied up with tests.

Enjoy your day!

Jean Thornton telephoned from Birmingham last night. She was watching TV and there was a show about Italian restaurants in upstate New York. My home town Utica was featured, of course. Home to some of the best Italian food in the United States!

The TV  featured Utica restaurant was the Chesterfield. An old time Utica mainstay. A neighborhood Italian restaurant. It was probably in existence when I was born in 1935. I dined there several times a month for years. Occasionally threw a small party in its back room.

The house specialty: Chicken riggies! 

The TV show claimed chicken riggies were “discovered” at the Chesterfield in 1989. Not correct. Chicken riggies were the talented result of another popular Utica area place called the Clinton House. Run by Richie Scamardo and Bobby Hazelton. Unquestionably an Italian restaurant. Called the Clinton House because it began in the Utica suburb Clinton. First a small dining operation in a shopping center. Later a large Italian restaurant in the heart of Clinton. Finally years later ended up in the Utica suburb of New Hartford. Much closer to Uticans who were its largest number of customers.

No matter where located, I was a diehard Clinton House fan to the tune of at least two times a week. The food was spectacular! Outstanding!

Richie and Bobby first produced chicken rigiges in 1979, ten years earlier than the Chesterfield.

What are chicken riggies? Also known as Utica riggies. 

A pasta based dish. Generally rigatonis. Buried in greens, chicken, sweet and hot peppers, onions, Romano cheese, white wine, and a spicy marinara sauce.

A bit on the heavy side. Nevertheless delicious! 

The last time I was in Utica was 15 years ago in 2008. I do know if the Clinton House still exists. The Chesterfield must. It’s eternal.

Jean returns to Key West today. We will be having dinner together a few times. Not chicken riggies, however. No Key West restaurant features them.

Enjoy your day!

Today is National Pina Colada Day.

Funny, I never drink pina coladas in Key West. Yet when visiting a beach in Europe or the Caribbean, drink several a day. All while lying on a beach under a beach umbrella. I developed a schedule: 10, noon, 2 and 4 o’clock. An extra shot of rum, of course.

Our sins follow us and pop up at later times to cause us concern. A perfect example is Donald Trump’s discussing seizing voting machines and invoking martial law in December 2020 at a White House meeting. Special Counsel Jack Smith is interested. A number of U.S. citizens are interested also.

On this day in 1847, six enslaved men who had been put to work on the construction of Fort Jefferson escaped on a schooner from the Dry Tortugas and attempted to sail to the Bahamas to find freedom.

THE SIX WERE LOCATED AND CAPTURED NEAR INDIAN KEY BY KEY WEST WRECKERS WHO FILED A CLAIM ON THEIR VALUE.

Humans sold as “property.”

The way it was then.

DeSantis’ consistent attacks on LGBTQ, coupled with his recent video, have me wondering if he has “closet” problems.

Some Florida LGBTQ residents are acquiring the mental attitude of better safe than sorry. They are leaving Florida and moving to blue states. One commented: “We sold our home. We are moving sunday or monday. It’s bittersweet. We’re leaving behind a lot of people we love. But I’m excited to live in a state where people of color, where Jews, gay people, and trans people are valued. And there’s a governor who welcomes us.”

Key West is part of Monroe County.

On July 2, 1823, Monroe County was established as the Florida Territory’s sixth county. It was named after the then sitting and fifth President of the United States, James Monroe.

Monroe County was huge back then. Part of it was located on mainland Florida. Its boundaries extended north to the south shore of Lake Okeechobee and west to Charlotte Harbor.

Remember Joan Rivers? Her humor made sense: “I don’t exercise. If God wanted me to bend over, he would have put diamonds on the floor.”

Enjoy your day!

On this day 1933, Ernest Hemingway was fishing with Captain Joe Russell. Russell was one of Hemingway’s best friends and owner of Sloppy Joe’s.

Hemingway caught a marlin measuring 12 feet 8 inches and weighing 468 pounds while they were fishing in Cuban waters.

Malaria is becoming threat in Florida. At a time when DeSantis has two top public health positions vacant.
This is the first time malaria cases have occurred in Florida in 2 decades.

The two top health positions have been left unfilled for quite a while under DeSantis. The two vacant positions involved are for persons to track and prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Health experts say the vacancies leave Florida facing a “serious health crisis.” Six malaria cases so far. All in Sarasota County.

The 1945 Christmas Carol…..Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful. Still popular today. Frank Sinatra recording a Christmas time favorite.

Refers to snow. Not hot humid summer heat. Substitute “Let the sun shine” for “Let it snow” and the song has a 2023 summer application.

Yesterday’s weather. Hot in Key West, though not as warm as some other parts of the country. Went out at 5 yesterday afternoon. Temperature 92 degrees. Five hours later on the way home, the temperature had dropped to 87 degrees. Still warm.

Pope Francis named 21 new Cardinals. They will be instilled at the Vatican on September 30.

Trump’s downfall coming. What is amazing is how many others he has taken and will continue to take down with him.
Rudy Giuliani represents the downfall of a former U.S. Attorney and Mayor. He “lost it” in his senior years. He wanted to be a “bigger man” and jumped on the Trump team to achieve the goal.

Foolish! Non-sensical!

His challenges to the 2020 election results were “utterly false” and “recklessly so.” A D.C. Court of Appeals Committee so said and recommended his disbarment to the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Giuliani already has had his license to practice law in New York temporarily suspended.

Last night a pleasant one. Steve Thompson and I enjoyed the Chart Room and Brady’s.
Drinks first at the Chart Room. Not too crowded.

Four middle aged men were partying. Respectful appearing. Obviously tourists. One bellowed “this place is a dive” and that they were waiting for two 24-25 year olds they had met to meet them there.

The ladies never showed.

The “dive” comment irritated me. Though I have been unhappy with the Chart Room of late, never in my 20 years of frequenting the place have I ever considered it to be a “dive.”

Dinner at Brady’s was good. Steve was excited. He enjoys Brady’s liver and onions.

Enjoy your Sunday!