I was wrong about the helicopters yesterday. They were not part of a US Navy Seals training program. They were out spraying mosquitos.

The lower keys have a mosquito problem. It would be a bad one if not for the Mosquito Control Board. An elected group, its responsibilty is to eradicate and/or keep the mosquito population down. Besides spraying periodically by air, they have trucks driving around in the middle of the night spraying. In addition, surprise visits are permitted on one’s property by Board’s employees. They search for pools of water where mosquitos tend to breed. If any are discovered, the property dweller is required to correct the problem.

The Mosquito Control Board does an excellent job. Rarely would you know there are mosquitos in the lower keys.

A couple of years ago, I was at Boondocks up in big Pine on a Saturday evening for dinner. Boondocks is an open outside bar. You could cut the mosquito population with a knife! I did not know about the problem. Had I, I would not have gone. The locals in the area all had cans of mosquito spray. They were periodically spraying themselves while eating. Fortunately, they were kind enough to let me use their spray. The Mosquito Control Board did not operate that far north at the time.

This past year there was a news release from somewhere that Key West had a dengue fever problem. We had no problem. The news article was in error and corrected in due course. Dengue fever would definitely be a problem were it not for the Mosquito Control Board.

It was haircut time yesterday morning! Me and Lori. She’s a chaming person. I enjoy my haircuts with her. It is almost a social event.

I had an early afrternoon visit with my internest, Dr. Jackie Leffterts. You will recall from yesterday’s blog, I thought/knew she would be upset with me.

She was.

It has only been two months since my last visit. I let things slide. Drinking and smoking, weight up, blood pressure up. She read me out like a drill sargent. I have to see her again in two weeks. She expects results!

Kurt and I went out last night.

We started at the Chart Room. He knew everyone. It was like a bartenders’ convention.

Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Nate, not my Nate, a new bartender there. He and Kurt old friends. John the Manager was genuinely thrilled to see Kurt, also. They are likewise old friends. At one point when Kurt left to visit the men’s room, they both told me what a great guy Kurt was and has always been.

There were a couple of very lovely young ladies at the bar. Heather and Alison. Both from Pensecola. They were staying at the Ocean Key House for a couple of days. Both are critical care/ICU nurses.

They were waiting at the bar for deserts to take to their room. Kurt and I immediately told them about Better Than Sex. A desert only restaurant on Petronia Street. I suspect they will be going there tonight.

We finished the evening on the deck at my home. I have been doing some repair/ maintenance work that had been let go for a while. Kurt wanted to see it. We sat by the water and chatted a while. It was a calm evening. Not even the water was moving.

Golf this morning!

Enjoy your day!

I started the morning with a bang!

No, not that kind. Though I wish it was. It has been a long time!

As I opened the door to step out onto the deck to see how the morning was, a loud banging swoosh could be heard over head. It was a helicopter. Low flying. If I held up a broom handle, I could have touched it. Moving rapidly.

At first, I thought it might be from a Miami hospital on an emergency pick up at the Lower Keys Hospital. It was not. A second flew over. Both were zooming low all  over the place. Appreciate that in the keys, that means over water.

There is a US Naval Base a couple of miles up the road. Boca Chica. I suspect the helicopters might be involved with seal training. They periodically train in our waters. The helicopters drop them into the ocean.

I can place the noise in proper perspective. Twenty or thirty years ago, there was a movie called Apocalypse. Starred Martin Sheen, Robert Duval and Marlon Brando. Duval was the officer/leader of a helicopter squadron in or near Vietnam. He took his helicopters in over the ocean to attack an enemy village. Low and loud. At the same time he had hooked up to the planes glaring classical music which was played loudly as the attack commenced. It sounded like that in Key West this morning, except for the music.

Breakfast yesterday morning was at the Marriott’s Tavern ‘n Town. One of Lisa’s accounts in her business The Social Suite. She is a marketing guru. A social media expert.

Good breakfast. Nice atmosphere. The restaurant filled primarily with hotel guests. Lisa took me for a walk around the property afterwards. Magnificent! Especially the pool area. The whole complex has its own flavor. A welcome addition to Key West.

Last night was big! I thought I had a triple ahead of me as I left home. Turned out to be a quadruple evening.

My first stop was the Gardens and Kate and Ron’s Pre-Committment Ceremony. Kate owns the Gardens. She is a spectaular business woman, a charming personality and lovely to boot!

The Gardens was packed with their friends.

I finally found out what a pre-committment ceremony is. A couple wants to marry, but are not sure it would work out. So they live together a while. Then if it works, the option is theirs to marry. The young kids just live together. Those a little older pre-committ.

It was new to me. But makes sense.

Kate was dressed as a bride. A light long flowing white dress. Bare shoulders. A short white veil. Ron was wearing what I call a Key West tuxedo. A peacock and greenry emblazed on the front of a tuxedo white shirt. No jacket. Rarely a jacket. Much too hot for one.

I love Kate. She is one of the best. I wish her and Ron well.

Though there was tons of food at the party, I opted just to drink. Afterwards, I headed over to La Trattoria for dinner. Remember, I can chew now!

It has been about six months since I have been to La Trattoria. Becha was upon me instantly with a huge hug and kiss. Kathy leaned over the bar and gave me healthy smack. Both wanted to know…..where have you been…..is everything ok?

I ate lasagna. Not difficult to chew. A month ago, no way! You have no idea how important and satisfying the mere act of chewing is…..till you cannot chew.

Then to Don’s Place. He is leaving for a one month vacation at his summer home somewhere up north today. I think, Minnesota, maybe Wisconsin. I am not sure. Wanted to say good bye. He was not there. Kurt was. Shooting pool. With a young lovely. Kurt shoots pool as well as he plays golf. Terrific.

Such constitutes three things I experienced and enjoyed last night. The fourth I would not necessarily label as fun.

I turned the upstairs conditioner off about 4 yesterday afternoon. Did not need it. This is the same unit that I had to replace with a new compressor a few days ago to the tune of just under $2,000.

As I climbed in bed, I heard drip, drip, drip. You guessed it! Whatever that thing is in the closet that operates the upstairs unit, it was leaking. I opened the closet door and was greeted with running water along a pipe and soaked carpeting beneath. I hurriedly got a pan and a couple of towels. And uttered a nasty word.

Fortunately, I have some one who takes care of such problems. I gave him a call. Got him out of bed. He was here in 15 minutes. A pipe was blocked. He showed me the gook. Got everything working properly. He has to return this morning to finish the job.

A good evening in spite of the air conditioning screw up. It is comparable to a heating unit breaking down up north when the temperature is 10 degrees. Plus, I was fearful of the water leaking through the floor into the downstairs ceiling.

This morning is Lori time. A haircut. Then at 1 my doctor.The internest. Jackie Lefferts. I think I am going to be in trouble with her.

To my artsy friend in Miami…..where are you hiding?

Enjoy your day, one and all!

I am up early. Still dark outside. Humidity heavy.

The sunset was different last night. There was a streak of black clouds. The sun behind them a bright red fireball. Striking. Lovely.

The reason I am up early is daughter Lisa and I have a breakfast date. 9:15. At Marriott’s Tavern ‘n Town.

Lisa departed Southernmost after six years as Sales Manager. She is now in business for herself. Been so for 2 months already.

She is the proprietor of The Social Suite. A marketing and consulting service. She is doing well. She is her father’s daughter. Already has acquired several hefty accounts.

One of her clients is Tavern ‘n Town.

Amongst her many talents, Lisa is an expert at social media interaction. She connects everything and everyone up via the internet. I am impressed with the talent.

Take a peek at Lisa’s two websites. http://www.thesocialsuite.com/ and her on line gift store http://www.viakeywest.com/.

I was really lazy yesterday. Never left the house. But…..my home is a good place to be lazy. It is made for it!

I lay in bed (one of my favorite places) in the morning watching the Sunday talk shows. I am a political junkie.

Then Lisa and the family showed up to swim. We spent a couple of hours by the pool. Lisa brought Cuban toast. Robert, Ally and I sat at the pool side table under the umbrella and ate them. My chewing capacity  has returned dramatically. It is 90 per cent there. I have not had Cuban toast in six months. It was sooooo good! Better even than that!

I spent the balance of the day reading the Sunday papers and watching a bit of TV. Then to an early bed.

I was impressed with Steve Stricker’s play on the last two holes of golf tournament. Birdie, birdie. Had to do it to win! Did it!

Besides breakfast with Lisa this morning, I have nothing scheduled till this evening. I will find things to do, however.

This evening I will be at Kate Miano’s Gardens. Kate is in love. So is her beau Ron. They are having a Pre-Committment Ceremony. I am invited.

I am a bit confused. Never have been to a pre-committment event before. Sounds like an engagement party. Maybe just an excuse for a party. Do I bring a gift? Whatever, I guarantee I and everyone else will have a terrific time. Kate knows how to throw a party. She is the Perle Mesta of Key West!

Enjoy your day!

A gorgeous Sunday morning!

Unfortunately, only a smathering of white clouds. Like a brush stroke across the sky.

We need rain! No rain yesterday. Looks like no rain today.

Yesterday was a good day for me. Pleasant best describes it.

I spent the day writing. Outside under the tiki hut by the water. I write like I read. Generally, three books at a time. I am writing three novels at one time. I skip back and forth.

Writing is an interesting experience. Each sentence is a work of art. Better said, each word.

I may never finish any of the books I am writing. Regardless, I am enjoying the effort.

I wanted to be alone last night. I was in that kind of mood.

I started at the Chart Room. Initially just me and JJ the bartender. Then a lovely young lady appeared. Lovely is not sufficient to describe her beauty. Tall, thin, tanned. A sparkle in her eyes.

Her name Kristin Heinichen. She has only been in Key West four days. She has decided to settle here for a while. She was sailing the Carribean and put into Key West. Key West impacted her immeditely. She is living out on the ocean on her sail boat.

Kristin is a photo journalist. Takes pictures and writes. She wants to do a work on Key West figures/characters. In only four days, she discovered how interesting they are and how interesting Key West is.

She is originally from Chicago. An Ohio University graduate. Majored in journalism.

I volunteered some people and places she should get into. She wrote like mad taking my suggestions down. She then was off to Mallory Square for the sunset. I told her that was not Key West. The locals are where it is at for her purposes.

I wish her well. I am sure we will run into each other again.

It was 9 o’clock. I had not eaten since 11 in the morning. My stomach was growling. I decided to go to the Wine Galley for dinner and Larry Smith. Larry chastised me at the golf course the other day. He said it was over a year since I had been to the Wine Galley to hear him perform. He was correct.

Larry was glad to see me. He gave me that about time look.

I was seated at the bar. Some woman was at the piano talking to Larry. He introduced her to me . Key West Lou.

She came to the bar and sat next to me. We had a pleasant evening together.

Her name is Candy Sargent. She lived in Key West at one time for 26 years. Then traveled a bit. Now lives full time in Hawaii. She widowed about a year ago. She is now on a long term trip to mainland USA visiting old friends. Tonight, girl friends of old. Next week to Boston to visit relatives. Then a week or two on the Cape.

A small world it is. One of her best friends in Key West is Jackie Lefferts. My doctor! Jackie picked her up at the airport when she arrived. Candy is playing golf this morning with Jackie’s husband Michael. They are teeing off at 7 in a scramble. Michael and I have played golf together on occasion. He is pretty good. My sense however is that Candy is better. A smart move on Michael’s part to have her on his scramble team.

When I told Candy what I shoot, she looked startled. Like no one can be that bad! I am.

This morning a winner! I woke to an old musical on TV. The life of Sigmund Romberg. He wrote the likes of The Student Prince, The Desert Song and My romance.

Jose Ferrer starred. He won a couple of Oscars in the late 1940s and early 1950s. His first was for his performance as the Dauphin in Joan of Arc. If my memory is correct, the second was for the lead role in Cyrano de Bergerac.

A ton of actors played cameo roles singing Romberg’s tunes.

Great music and acting! I lay in bed and enjoyed.

A good twenty four hours. Hopefully, today will be just as good. Probably will be. It is hard not to have a good day in Key West.

Enjoy your Sunday!

The rain came and went. All in two days.

It did not rain yesterday, except for a few occasional drops.

This morning is absoluitely lovely! And…..not one cloud in the sky!

I do not understand. This is the rainy season. We need rain.

The Larry Smith Award.Three catrons of cigarettes. True to my word, they are gone. Every pack. Not for me.

Yesterday was quiet. I stayed in bed most of the morning. Read a bit. The air conditioning got fixed. A new compressor.

After 3 nights of difficult sleeping conditions, it was great to have a cool bedroom. I opted to take a nap. Slept all afternoon!

At some point during the day, Lisa telephoned. Could I babysit? Of course. I cancelled my dinner date for the evening. Babysitting is a priority.

Ally was better. It is amazing how little ones recover. She had spent two days in bed looking like the living dead. Would not eat. Fortunately, drank. High fever. Yerterday, up and around. Went to camp. Full of energy.

Robert got whatever his sister had had. No  camp for him. He was home on the couch sick.

Robert spent the evening in his parent’s bed watching TV. Did not want to talk or anything. Just lay there. He had a leave me alone atitude.

Ally was in the living room with me. Wound up. Revitalized.

She “wrote.” She is six. She writes. Wrote Dear Poppa letters to me, get well messages to her brother and I love you Mommy and Daddy to her parents. We talked. About all kinds of things.

Both Robert and Ally do a strange thing. We will be together conversing or not conversing. All of a sudden, one of them will throw themselves on my lap and lay there holding me tight for a while. That is a God is good time for me!

Lisa and Corey were home early.

I headed over to Don’s place. Had one drink and chatted with Don. Then home to bed.

A quiet, but good day.

Cameron is still in Mongolia. We have not heard from him in almost a week. Not surprising. He is living with a typical Mongolian family somewhere in the desert in a tent home. I can’t wait to hear of his experiences when he returns.

The Happy birthdays are still coming. Thank you one and all, again.

Enjoy your day!

Hello world!

Welcome to Key West!

A nice morning. Sun shinning. Blue sky sprinkled with some white clouds. No wind. Water moving, but slowly.

It is going to rain!!!

We are into the rainy season. It has poured the past two days. Yesterday not a break in the clouds. No sun. Pure humidity.

No one is complaining about the rain. We need it. In due course, the rain will temper down to about an hour a day around one in the afternoon. Till then….. pour, pour, pour!

The lack of sun yesteray was a blessing for me. My air conditioning was still broken. My bedroom was minimally bearable. I just received a telephone call. The compressor is in and the repair man on his way. Great!

I received additional Happy Birthday greetings via email yesterday. Never before have I received so many.

Thank you, one and all.

One of the emails was from Cindy and Tom from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Cindy, the one legged and one breasted woman I love. Cindy’s birthday is July 6, also. Cindy wrote that she and Tom were celebrating her birthday on a Mississippi river boat cruise. At 8 in th evening of the sixth while having dinner on the boat, she and Tom toasted me. How nice! She wanted to know if I felt the moment. This is an example of why I like these people so much.

Dentist time again yesterday morning. Not bad. We are making progress. Took a couple of hours. No more cutting. I was tired from the experience, however. And a bit sore. I decided not to do today’s Key West Lou Legal Hour at 9 this morning on http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/. I was not up to completing my preparation for the show. Instead a rerun of last friday’s show can be seen and heard. If you missed it, watch it! The show was good!

Such modesty. It was, however.

Bocce party last night! Big time!

This is the second bocce party in two weeks. The first was for the entire bocce league at Cowboy Bill’s. Last night’s was limited to four teams from the thursday night portion of the league. We play thursday nights. Thursday has 14 teams. Three years ago, four of the teams, including mine, decided to have a side bet limited to our four teams. Each team throws in $150. The winning team pays nothing. We have a big party at the end of the season. We are the money teams!

The food is always outstanding. Russ plays on one of the 4 teams. He is a New Yorker and St. John’s fan. A Big East man! He presently is Chief Chef at The Strip House. The best steak in Key West! Russ cooks at the restaurant and then brings the food over to Don’s Place.

A Strip House meal! Sliced tenderloin, creamed spinach, creamed corn and a special mashed potato. Oh, my God! That good!

For the first time in six months, I was able to enjoy steak. I could chew! Easy. The meat was so tender. And the sides were easy. Russ told me he cooked the sides with me in mind. He knew if I could not chew the steak, I would be able to enjoy the sides.

Thank you, Russ!

As part of last night’s festivities, we also have a pool table bocce competition. Third year for the pool table bocce competition. Fun! I played and lost in the first round. I have no athleticism.

Don makes a speech at the end of the evening. Compliments to the winning team, comments regarding the other teams and finally the presentation of the Larry Smith Award.

We all know Larry Smith. Musician supreme. Terrific golfer. Good bocce player. And…..the world’s most obnoxious individual! We all love Larry. But he can be difficult at times.

Relax, Larry is not offended by this type banter. He is proud he is obnoxiouis. I sometimes think he needs a psychiatrist!

The Larry Smith Award has been given for three years. Larry won the award two of those years.

The Committee deciding this year’s winner thought Larry had toned down. So he was out of the running. They could find no one obnoxious enough to win this year. Rather than not make the award, the Committee decided to award it to some one for whatever reason. That’s Key West.

I am embarassed to report I won! The Larry Smith Award. What a shame!

There was a speech by Don. He explained the basis for the award this year. Instead of a trophy, it was decided to give me three cartons of cigarettes.

Let me put all this in perspective.

I stopped smoking 30 years ago. Started again 5 years ago for 3 years. Stopped 2 years ago for 15 months. Started again in the last 6 months.

Bad you don’t have to tell me. I know.

I have been half heartedly fighting the urge to smoke. I refuse to buy my own cigarettes. I figure buying them is a commitment. Bumming them, there is still hope.

At bocce, I smoke the cigarettes of three team mates. Don, Erika and Jenn. Forunately, they all smoke menthols which are my favorite.

The three cartons were special. All white. A colorful picture of Don’s Place on each side. The brand name: Other People’s Cigarettes. Don, Erika and Jenn’s names appearing one on each carton.

The Surgeon General’s Warning appeared also: Mooching cigarettes from your teammates may make them cranky…..Be responsible, buy your own pack.

A mesaage!

As pleased as I am to have won and to have been the brunt of a humorous award, I cannot smoke these cigarettes. I will be doomed! I intend to give them to those already so damned.

This does not mean I am stopping smoking. Not yet. Soon, however. In the meantime, I will continue mooching!

I was curious where the specially packed cigarettes had been purchased. No where. Erika and Herschel did the tedious work of designing and making the cartons up.

Thank you Erika and Herschel.

Enjoy your day!

What a wonderful birthday yesterday!

I received approximately 250 email greetings. At least 30 telephone calls from within the U.S. Plus, three international telephone calls. Milan, Italy, Athens, Greece and Calitzdorp, South Africa.

I have always been under the impression that as one got older, one had fewer friends. Some died off. Others moved away. The internet and younger elderly lifestyle have changed things. We all have more rather than less friends, regardless of age.

Thanks everyone for remembering me. It made me feel good.

Yesterday was someone else’s birthday. Cindy. Of Cindy andTom. My friends from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Cindy and Tom snowbird in Key West during the season. We met two years ago via this blog and then hooked up when they came down. Better people I have never met!

Cindy is special. She comes with only one leg and one breast. Plus a few other missing body parts. She has had five differnt cancers and seven separate operations. Regardless, Cindy is undaunted. Cheerful, happy all the time. Outgoing. Kind and thoughtful. I love her!

Happy birthday Cindy, again!

I sucked at golf yesterday. Terrible. The worst.

Played with Don and Yankee Jack. Don was the big winner. $28. Yankee and  I each lost $14. And we only played 14 holes. We were rained out.

Yankee’s granddaughter is visiting from New Hamshire. She is 13 and going into the 8th grade. Catholic school. Studies Latin. Don and I were impressed. We both studied Latin back when. I had three years of it.

Yankee’s granddaughter drove the cart. Yankee rode in regal style. Proud that his granddaughter was with him. He beamed all 14 holes.

Last night was happy birthday time at Lisa’s.

Ally was sick. Cuddled up in bed when I arrived and the whole time I was there. She had a high grade fever. 103 plus. You could see it in her eyes. Did not want to eat. Did not want to be bothered, except for a soft and pained Happy Birthday Poppa!

Robert helped me blow out the candles. The cake was chocolate with a white frosting. My favorite. Thank you, Lisa.

I went home afterwards. Wanted to be alone. Sat out by the water and thought for a while. The things you think about at age 76. Some good, some bad. Some happy, some sad.

The upstairs air conditioning still screwed up. Corey gave me a fan. The fan, ceiling fan and fact that the rain made it cooler last night helped. I slept upstairs in my bed. Sweated less. Slept better than the night before, however.

I spoke with the air conditioning people yesterday. I need a new compressor. It is on order coming from Miami. It will be installed tomorrow. One more hellish night to get through.

I have a ten o’clock appoinment with the dentist this morning. More major work. I am not sure I will be able to do tomorrow’s KONK internet show at 10 am. http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/. If I can, I will. If not, last week’s show will be rerun. My problem will be enunciation.

Enjoy your day!

Today is my birthday. I am 76.

Wow!

I can recall when I was in my 20s, people in their 40s were old. Those in their 70s ancient.

Certain birthdays are bother some. Thirty was nothing for me. Never gave it a thought. Forty, a disaster. Took a whole year to get over the thought I was aging. Fifty took only 24 hours.

Sixty, 70 and 75, nothing. I swept through those birthdays not paying attention to the number of years.

Seventy six has become a mental disaster. The past week has been bad. I think it must be because I have had a bad year health wise. Heart and jaw. Causes you to dwell on occasion on the inevitable.

I decided last night this is all bullshit! It must stop. The aging thoughts, not my life.

I thought about my Father and it did the trick.

Dad is 97.  He has some health issues. A bad aortic valve for one which limits his activities. He complains a bit. But….he continues on! He lives with a woman 73. They have been together for well over 10 years. They are very good to each other and good for each other. Dad looks to topping 100. His sister Mary died this year at 102.

The issue is behind me.

 I hope.

Air conditioning upstairs still not working. Think it is the compressor. Repair people returning today to do whatever. I had to sleep downstairs last night on the couch. The heat upstairs was overwhelming. I am going to sound like an old man. Always complaining. The couch sucked. A bed it is not. I slept poorly. My neck and back ache this morning. I am up early.

Yesterday was enjoyable. Two separate business meetings with two unusually interesting people. I am confident I shall be developing a relationship with both.

I was at Lisa’s for the Anthony verdict.

I did not follow the trial at all. I was involved in too many as a lawyer and have lost interest in watching legal battles. I miss the combat. Perhaps, that is why I do not watch.

Not guilty means there was insufficent evidence. She is entitled to the benefit of the doubt now. Remember 12 jurors, her peers, her fellow citizens, decided her fate.Their unanimous and swift decision is entitled to full faith and credit by the rest of us.

Lying to police is common. Lying to each other, also. Many do it on a regular basis. I have always thought that lying to authorities investigating a crime should not be a crime. My position is we have a legal right not to implicate ourselves. Unforunately, it is an add on to many charges by the prosecution. The thought being that if the prosecution loses on the big charge, it will get the alleged criminal on the small one.

I do not like that type playing field.

That is how it turned out yesterday in Anthony. Tomorrow she will be sentenced. The lying guilty verdicts  are misdemeanors that carry a one year sentence for each. Anthony has been jailed for almost 3 years awaiting trial. She is entitled to credit for that time served. She can only be sentenced to a little over a year. The judge has the power/discretion to suspend the balance of the sentence and set her free immediately.

We shall see.

After the verdict, a maincure at Lee Nails with Tammy. Love Tammy and her husband. They continue to do it the American way. The old American way. They immigrated from Vietnam. Broke. Worked their butts off. Now they have a successful business, a family and appear happy.

I admire them.

Ate home alone last night. Then over to Don’s Place for a drink.

Don and Larry showed up. They had played golf. Rob was bartending. Michelle and Alex chatting off to the side.

Michelle told me Sheila had graduated to a wheel chair. Congrats, Sheila. Careful operating it! Don’t want you falling off and breaking the other leg! Ho, ho. Love you, Sheila!

United States’ weather since last December. Record snowfalls, killer tornados and devestating floods. We now know why. La Nada. First it was El Nino, then La Nina. La Nina left and its absence left nothing to constrict the jet stream. Resulting in La Nada. La Nada has been compared to an unruly teenager.

It is.

How will I celebrate today, my birthday? The same as all days. Each of my Key West days is basically good. Will play golf this morning with friends. This evening I will celebrate Louis’ birthday with Lisa and the family. As it should be. Robert and Ally will have made the cake. My favorite. Chocolate with white frosting. They will help me blow out the candles.

What more can be asked!

Enjoy your day!

It was a pleasant soft Fourth.

I spent the day reading and writing and napping.

Last night fireworks. Jenna stopped by with a bottle of champagne and her special long stem flute glasses. We lay outside in the dark by the water on lounge chairs and watched the fireworks. And sipped  champagne.

After I put Jenna in a cab to take her home, I went upstairs to bed. It was hot! Steaming hot! The upstairs air conditioning unit had joined the kaput macinery in my home. It was blowing hot air.

Summer is not a time in Key West to be with out air conditioning.

I put the ceiling fan on high and made it through the night. The unit will be fixed today.

There has to be a goblin that has moved in with me. First, the computers went down. Then my cell phone. Now, one of the air conditioning units. The air conditioning unit bothers me for more than the usual reasons. Both units were checked out and cleaned two weeks ago. No problems.

Busy day ahead. Two business meetings. Each of a differnet nature. One at 11 and the other at 12:30. It is called retirement.

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday turned out to be totally screwed up!

My cell phone went kaput Saturday afternoon. I think my body must be giving off magnetic rays of some sort. First, the computers. Now the cell phone. I am lost without the cell phone! We all are!

I took the cell phone to AT&T. Had to wait 40 minutes for attention. They were short handed and busy. Fortunately, there was no problem. The guy rebooted the phone, for want of a better term, and it worked fine!

I was irritated I had to wait so long. I was irritated the phone went down. I was just plain irritated. Guess I was in a bad mood.

The cupbpoard was bare. Off to Publix.

I never shop on Sunday afternoons. Everyone in Key West does. Too busy. But I had no choice.

The days before Christmas and Thanksgiving are the worst times to shop. For obvious reasons. Yesterday was like that. Everyone was doing their holiday shopping at one time. No one knew how to drive their carts. Aisles blocked all over. Publix restockingf their shelves at the same time.

My irritation got worse. It was not my day! The only good thing about the grocery shopping spree was I ran into many friends. Even my dentist. I felt strange as he and I talked. He kept looking at my mouth.

Mike Yutzy was supposed to be in from Vegas. I was not sure he made it. We were scheduled for dinner last night with his girl friend, Don and Jenna.

Note, I could not telephone him. I had e mailed him earlier in the day with a where are you? No response. So I called Don off. Told Jenna we would go out alone.

At six last night as I was getting into the shower, Yutzy texted me. To the effect…..getting on a sunset dinner cruise…..let’s hook up for a drink later. My text response was text me when you get back.

That was it for my cell phone till this morning. Whether it was me or the phone , I am not sure. My text response to Yutzy never left my phone. The phone went into airplane mode. Which means my phone was off.

When I woke this morning, I could not understand why Yutzy never got back to me nor why no one had called me yet. I generally receive several good morning calls. I checked the cell phone and discovered the problem.

It will be back to AT&T today, assuming they are open.

Jenna and I had drinks at the Chart Room. The new bartender JJ working. Seems to be a nice guy.

Sean was there. We spent a lot of time chatting with him. Sean has success written all over him. I wish I could be here in 25 years to see where he ends up.

Sean hit me with Panamah Peat right away. The ash ceremony will take place in August. Peat’s ashes will be buried and sealed in the bar rail.

Sean was impressed with the internet info re Panamah Peat. I had written about Panamah in a blog in May 2009. The only present internet reference to him was mine of that date in a Key West Lou blog.

Being a holiday and being a bit frustrated over the happenings of the day, I decided to drink a bit. I had two at the Chart Room. Jenna and I then headed over to Hot Tin Roof for a light dinner. We enjoyed some terrific appetizers. I had one more drink.

As we were leaving, I said to Jenna…..I’m gone. I was tipsy. I could not beieve it. And only on three drinks.

I told her I would not drive. I doubt she would have let me. Jenna drove me home in the Volkswagen and then herself home.

When I woke this morning, all the lights in the house were still on, including two bedroom lights.

I feel fine this morning. Slept well. No hangover.

I cannot understand why the three drinks hit me as they did.

Fireworks tonight. Not sure from where and with who I shall watch them. I am invited to two parties. Then There is the huge community party at the Casa Marina, also. Lisa, Corey and the grandchildren will be watching from Higgs beach.

It is raining at this moment. Great! We need it. Unforunately, it does not look like it will last long.

It already ended.

I almost forgot. During the day, I received an e mail from a friend advising that the Facebook link to my blog was rejecting the transfer. A w was missing from the www. I had no cell phone service at the time. No one was home to receive my e mails as to what to do. Even at my age, I am not yet computer literate. It took me two hours to find someone to correct the problem. Why the problem even occurred I am not sure.

The w situation further contributed to my frustrating day. Somewhere along the day, I lost my Key West cum si, cum sa attitude.

It was a bad day at Black Rock!

Enjoy the holiday!