Good morning world!

Rise and shine!

Wow is the only way I can describe the response to yesterday’s blog. I commented on the state of our society. More precisely, the state of our minds. We are pissed off! With government, the banks and everything else!

I heard back big time! As a people, we are outraged. And I suspect the attitude sinking in is that we won’t take it anymore.

Good! About time! Shout your unhappiness from the roof tops! Till we are heard!

The special Massachusetts’ election today to seat Senator Kennedy’s replacement is evidence of the building undercurrent. Regardless of who wins the election!

Yesterday was Poppa’s day! I got to baby sit!

I took Robert and Ally to Boondocks to play miniature golf and have lunch. They were all excited! I was all excited! This was the third time we have made this excursion. So they knew what to expect.

Normally the miniature golf course is empty. Not yesterday. It was packed. We had company. Grandparents and children. Must have been the holiday.

Play was slow. We had a good time, however. Ally got a hole in one on the second hole. After taking a 12 on the first hole. She plays like her grandfather.

We had a good time. Robert and Ally were tied at the end of the match.

Then lunch. The grandkids ordered the usual. Macaroni and cheese. With a side of french fries. I was trying to stay on my diet. Could not. Ended up ordering fried calamari.

Ally did not eat much. So I ate her macaroni and cheese. Robert wanted desert. He ordered an ice cream sandwich covered with whip cream and chocolate sauce. I helped him devour the ice cream. At one point Robert got upset. He said I was eating too much. I was!

Ally started looking poorly during lunch. I could tell she was coming down with somethig. She ended up lying in my lap like a wet blanket. Her forehead was warm.

I was right. When we arrived home, Lisa was there. Poor Ally had a temperature of 103.

It’s amazing! Kids are sick all the time. Seems like every other week. The cause is school and its many sick kids. Lisa says that is how it is. However it helps the young ones develop immunities. Eventually it will all stop. She pointed out that last year, Robert and Ally were sick every week. This year, every other week.

Lisa is a mother. She knows.

It was La Trattoria last night. At the bar. Kathy bartending. No Beecha. How sad!

My friend Gary from Oswego, N.Y. showed up. He said he was in the back with his good wife Tecia and friends. I went back to say hello.

There were about 5 couples sitting in Virgilio’s. Virgilio’s monday night specialty is $5 martinis. Their table was doing well in supporting the monday night special.

I knew no one in the group, except Gary’s wife Tecia. I kissed her hello. The gal next to her was celebrating her birthday. I kissed her also. Big time! Then it became my responsibility to kiss all the women at the table. Their desire! My pleasure!

They were all volunteers at the Fort Zachrey Taylor Park, except one couple where the husband was a ranger. All enjoying their monday night martinis at Virgilio’s. A routine with them.

One of the ladies was from Canadagua. Canadagua is between Utica and Syracuse up north. It has a claim to fame. It is the onion capital of the world.

Joe and Beth Pizzo and Maurizio and Maria were seated at a table. I went over to say hello.

I have known Joe and Beth for about 10 years. Good people. Originally from the Chicago area. Joe has a doctorate in biology. He lived most of his life as a college professor. Along the way, he and Beth started a landscapping supply business. They sold plants and gardening items. One location turned into another. Eventually they had several locations going. Finally retired to Key West. They are a well liked couple.

Maurizio and Maria are new to me.

I met them first about 10 years ago at a Symphony fund raiser at their home on Flagler. My recollection of the event was their library. What a lovely room! Huge. Well appointed. Comfortable.

I never saw either of them again till October 29th of last year when I was sitting at the University of Miami Hospital waiting to be admitted. Maurizio was seated next to me. I was in no mood to chat. Nor was he. We said nothing to each other nor did we acknowledge each other.

The next time I saw Maurizio and Maria was the other night when I was leaving Michael’s Restauant. I stopped and introduced myself. Reminded them of our October 29 hospital visit. We became instantaneous friends! Even more happy that we both were now physically ok!

I was happy to see Maurizio and Maria again last night. They appear to be good people. I am sure we will get to know each other better as time passes.

A fellow by the name of Michael sat next to me at the bar. We started talking.

Michael defends us. He is a U.S. Marine pilot. Flys a FA-18 jet. He recently returned from foreign deployment.

A real nice guy! 32. A captain. Married. His wife is in the service also. A pilot likewise. She flys helicopters off carriers. They recently bought a home in San Diego. For when they are there and together.

The first and only advice I gave Michael was to get down to the Chart Room after dinner. I told him the bartender was named Michael also and was a proud Marine veteran. I hope they got together last night.

We chatted a bit about what he was doing here. Michael said his squadron was training at Boca Chica. Boca Chica is the local naval base. Jet training is not uncommon. Generally there is a carrier some 50 miles out and these pilots fly back and forth doing landings. Whatever.

Jets flying over the lower keys is not uncommon. They can be seen and heard. Noise is a problem. Over the years the communities and Navy have worked things out so landings and low flights do not take place over residential areas. These planes make a lot of noise, cause walls to vibrate and windows rattle.

We are at war. These guys are training to protect us. I have no problem with noise, etc. However many do and did. Anyhow it is no longer a problem. Landing and pass over routes have been worked out.

Except for last friday.

I was wakened by overhead planes. I thought we were being invaded. Boca Chica is all of 2 miles from Key Haven where I live.

The jets were zooming overhead!

My walls shook. My windows rattled like hell. And a large painting by Jack Baron hanging in the dining room fell. The painting had hung without problem for 10 years.

No question. It was the planes.

Michael explained why. Normally the planes land on runway 7. 7 avoids any community problems. Friday however the wind was strong. It was not safe for the planes to land on 7. The planes had to use runway 1. That brought them closer to residential areas such as Key Haven.

I told him to fly over any time he wanted or was necessary. Train as you must. You are out there preparing to protect me. The least I can do is put up with a little noise and vibration.

Michael is here another 9 days. I hope I run into him again. We are fortunate to have people such as Michael and his wife committed to safeguarding us.

Syracuse won again last night! Beat Notre Dame at Notre Dame! What a year!

Lisa just telephoned. Ally is still sick. Robert has a temperature also now. Could I baby sit? Of course! I am on my way over!

Enjoy your day!

7 comments on “

  1. Lou,
    You are correct, emotions are high over the politics of the day.

    I think what drives a lot of this frustration is that the people who are supposed to inform us, the news media, are not playing fair with Obama.

    Most of the major media outlets had no problem framing their coverage of Bush in a negative light. But with Obama, they are not being critical at all.

    This country is, politically speaking, pretty much split right down the middle, half leaning left and half leaning right.

    So you can imagine the wide-spread frustration when the right half of the country sees Obama being favored by the majority of news coverage, undeservedly so.

    Obama has not really DONE anything yet, he's only created a Perception of leading.

    It's time for him to Lead, as Bush did. Make tough decisions and take responsibility for them.

    It is also time for the major news media sources to start asking probing questions that make Obama uncomfortable. Stop treating him like the Messiah, that can do no wrong.

    Once that happens, I think we will see the frustration die down and both sides can then get to work to tackle these issues of the day.

    I also wrote yesterday about Obama stepping up to LEAD.

    Tom

  2. Couldn't Agree More! Obama is nothing more than a digital media-age rock star. Absolutely no experience with anything substantial and full of "shout outs" like "how you doin Boston"?

    Doesn't anyone get that socialism doesn't work?

  3. Thanks for the comments above from our Fox "News" Junkies. If the past week has not brought out any compassion in you nothing will. Go home and recount your money. I will fill sorry for you too.

  4. Couldn't Agree More! Larry King and his friends (that work) spent two hours raising money for those in need last night. FNN spent the evening bashing Obama and trumping up their candidate in MA. Is this what Tom refers to as "not playing fair with Obama??

  5. Fox News has nothing to do with it. It's only one source of news that I peruse everyday, along with the NY Times, Daily Kos, Wall Street Journal, msnbc, National Review, Washington Post, and several others. I think I have a pretty good handle on what news bias is.

    And Foxnews channel is out in the open about being on the right. Try to get the NY Times to admit that they lean left….far left. Never happen.

    One right-wing news organization (Foxnews) against almost all the other media outlets, does not make the Obama coverage fair to both sides.

    Try getting your news from more than one source so you can see what I am referring to.

    My compassion for what is happening in Haiti is unknown to you and not the issue here.

  6. Well Lou, you're certainly getting everyone riled-up.. I've learned never to talk politics, especially with Key Westers[Is that what they call themselves, after 10 years I still don't know].. So Gary and Tecia were getting drunk on Martinis huh?? That can be a good thing, at least they can crawl back to Fort Zach from there..Oh, almost forgot, It seems you've not spent much time west of Utica.. Another month to go.. Patrick and JoAnn..

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