A little cool yesterday. High 60s. Needed a sweatshirt to be comfortable.

Chillier last night. Needed heat while sleeping.

Today the high will be 75. Tomorrow 65.

Crazy weather!

I stopped at Borders around lunch time. I am into Game Change. No seats. There are about 9. All occupied. So I left. Cannot read standing up or sitting on the floor. Though I have noticed some do.

It was off to the Coffee House. My new found friend from France was there. I read the local and New York papers.

I park my car on South Street and walk to the Coffee House on Duval. The path takes me right past a small white building which posts several signs. The main one describes the place as an adult entertainment center.

There are generally a couple of young lovely ladies sitting on the front porch. Some perky. Some sad appearing.

There is also a verticle sign on the front wall of the building. It is labled as a MENU with a colon after the word. Then there is a vertical listing of what I assume are available services: One-on-One, Private Rooms, Fantasies, Fetishes, Role Play and Escorts 24/7.

A house of ill repute? I don’t know. But only in Key west. The business (?) has been there in one form or another for several years. It was previously known as the Scrub Club.

Part of the Key West flavor.

I returned to Borders. Chairs available! Small black comfortable easy chairs!

I spent a couple of hours reading Game Change. A terrific political book! Poor Hillary was getting stabbed in the back early on by many persons she assumed were her staunch loyal supporters.

Last night started at the Chart Room. Chatted with some tourists. Frank came in. Met his wife Pam for the first time. An attractive lady.

I stopped at the Wine Galley to say hello to Larry Smith. He had a good crowd gathering for Monday jazz night. Kathleen Peace was talking with Larry when I went in. Love her! I have not seen Kathleen in a while. A hug and kiss was in order. Kathleen has one of the finest voices in Key West. A joy to hear!

Then to La Trattoria for dinner.

While walking over, I had to pass the art store on the corner of Duval and Southard. A cheery hello greeted me from inside the doorway to the gallery. It was Stephanie, the shoe girl!

Steph moonlights at night at the gallery. By day she works to help the homeless. A terrific person! And last night she was wearing a glorious pair of black heeled shoes!

Steph is a shoe freak. She spends all her free pennies on them. She probably could use a third job to help pay for the contents of her shoe closet.

La Trattoria was fun!

I ate at the bar. Watched the Villanova/West Virginia game on TV. #4 and #5 in the rankings. Chatted with some snowbirds from North Carolina. Felt some warm breath on my neck at one point. It was Beecha with a hug and kiss.

That was my day. A good one.

Enjoy your new day which is just beginning!

Yesterday was Sunday. It was a great day! A sports day!

I finally found a place to watch Syracuse basketball games. Even when nationally televised, the Syracuse games generally do not reach as far south as Key West.

Some one had mentioned that the Sports Bar on Green Street had a basketball package. So I tried the bar yesterday afternoon.

When I walked in, there were several games playing on different sets. No Syracuse game, however!

The barmaid was talking with a customer and looking for a certain game for him on the TV. I interjected and asked if she could also find the Syracuse/Cincinnati game for me. Turns out the other fellow wanted the Syracuse game also.

His name is Scott. He is a Syracuse undrgrad grad. And a lawyer to boot! Northwestern.

So I had company for the game.

Scott has owned a home here in Key West for several years. On Georgia Street. He still goes back and forth to Chicago where he continues to practice law.

We enjoyed the game together. And Syracuse won! By 17 points. Though the game was in doubt with 10 minutes to go. Syracuse was down by 6 points and came back. A habit this year. Some game they will not be able to make that last minute type run and lose. Oh, the horror of it!

Syracuse is now 23-1. Wow! The team will probably be ranked #2 nationally when the new rankings come out this morning.

Then to Lisa’s to read the Sunday papers, play with the grandkids and enjoy Sunday dinner. As ususal, Lisa out did herself. We had ribs. Delicious!

Lisa, Corey and I watched Super Bowl. Corey was born and raised in Indiana. So you know who he was rooting for.

I lasted till close to half time when I started falling asleep. I said my good byes and went home.

I turned on the TV and hopped in bed. The half time show was just ending. I would be able to catch the second half of the game.

It was not to be. I fell asleep.

Just woke and ran to the computer to see who won. I was surprised it was New Orleans and that the team won so decidedly. It was 17-13 Indianapolis when I fell asleep.

It was a good day overall! And I made a new friend in Scott. It will be good to have some one to watch Syracuse games with.

Enjoy your day!

Tradition is the key word today. The type that warmed you in Fiddler on the Roof. But of the Italian variation.

I spoke with my friend Gus last night. Gus lives in upstate New York in Utica. He told me he had just completed that which he does every year. Once a year.

The family made sausage.

Every year Gus and his cousins and aunts and uncles get together for one day to make sausage. About 30 of them. They even come in from out of town.

They get together at a cousin’s home. Two boxes of pork loins. Sixty pounds per box. A total of 120 pounds of pork.

They gather in the kitchen. The pork is trimmed of fat. Not entirely, however. A bit is left for flavor. The meat is then ground and mixed with sweet pepper, hot pepper, fennel and salt. Especially salt. A thousand years ago and today salt is needed for preservative purposes.

The mixed meat is then stuffed.

The sausage must be made in the north country where it is cold. It must be hung in a home that is old. So old that the structure is not insulated well.

The sausage is hung in the attic. The attic must be a certain temperature. Exactly what I am not sure. But it must be hung in the attic of a poorly insulated home. The heat in the home rises. To the attic. Between the cold in the attic the result of poor insulation and the rising heat in the structure, the proper temperature is achieved.

The sausage hangs for two weeks during which time it dries.

At the end of the two weeks, the sausage is taken down and placed in glass jars containing corn oil. It is permitted to soak for a period of time.

The result is sausage in oil. It is considered an honor to receive a bottle of sausage in oil from some one.

Gus and his family have been making sausage for years. Just as their parents before them.

Tradition.

A terrific basketball game yesterday afternoon. Villanova v. Georgetown at Georgetown.

Villanova #2 in the rankings prior to the game. Georgetgown #7.

I have been telling people the past couple of weeks that Villanova was the best team in the country. Even a bit better than Syracuse.

Georgetown killed Villanova yesterday. Villanova was never really in the game. Interesting! Syracuse destroyed Georgetown 2 weeks ago. At Syracuse. They meet again in 2 weeks at Georgetown.

And Syracuse plays Villanova in 2 or 3 weeks, also.

Both games are big time! The biggest! The Syracuse/Villanova game at Syracuse is already a sell out.

I only got out briefly yesterday. I went over to TGIF for dinner. Ate a couple of appetizers at the bar. And then it was home again.

The weather was getting cold last night. Uncomfortable. It dropped into the mid 60s during the evening. It is 66 now at 6 in the morning. The high today is projected at 64. Yes, 2 degrees less than it is now!

Tonight is worse! The temperature is projected at 56.

Turn on the heat weather!

My Sunday today is already set. The Sunday papers and Meet the Press this morning. The Syracuse/Cincinnati basketball game on national TV this afternoon. Dinner with Lisa and the family tonight. And then the Super Bowl game!

What a day ahead!

Enjoy your day!

I met a gentleman from France yesterday. Actually, I had seen him many times before but we never spoke. Yesterday we did. Although I still do not know his name.

He sits near me in the Coffee House. We seem to be there at the same time each day. With one difference. He does not read the papers. He has one of those flat screeened computer books he reads.

Our talk started with my questioning him on the computer book he had purchased. Around $500. The print could be enlarged.

It was the second computer book he has owned. Carried French as well as English novels. He was presently reading a French written novel.

Now that the ice is broken, we will continue to talk. I suspect he is a very interesting person and we shall become friends.

Key West never ceases to amaze me. It attracts all sorts. This week alone I have met a lady from Switzerland in addition to the gentleman from France.

Shonassie wrote me yesterday. I do not know if that is her name. I suspect it is.

Shonassie writes a blog also. It is called Shonassie-Ville. A nice title. She lives in Cereal City, Michigan. Another different name.

I read some of her blogs. She appears to be a very nice person. She basically shares with her readers what she did the day before and books she reads. Somewhat as I do.

Her blog is good! You will enjoy reading it. http://www.shonassieville.blogspot.com/.

In her blog yesterday she commented on my complaining about the Key West weather when it was in the 50s. Football weather for her! Cold for me! The last time I cried about 50ish weather hers was plus 7 degrees. Without the chill factor as she was wont to point out!

She also mentioned the cold and the “stunned iguanas.” It is obvious my new found friend has not lived with them. They are not nice creatrues. They dump all over the place with no human following them around with a plastic bag to pick up the stuff. And they eat expensive plants! Which periodically must be replaced at an expense.

So iguanas are not popular with Key West residents.

The recent 3 week cold spell did not affect them. They are smart! The iguanas disappeared. News reports afterwards advised that they went into hibernation as bears do. Once the warm weather returned, they returned.

The ocean fish were not so lucky. Thousands died from the cold water. Their bodies could be seen floating. We still do not know the affect the cold has had or will have on the fishing industry.

Turtles took a beating big time. In one 3 day period, in excess of 60 were discovered sick and dying. Fortunately, we have a turtle hospital in the keys. In Marathon. They were taken there. Most were saved. In some instances surgery was required. Most if not all have been released back into the ocean.

The lady who writes Shonassie-Ville asks how I lost 30 pounds in 2 months. Not quite. Only 28 so far. The reason is twofold and simple. First, I am anal. If I opt to do something, I do it! No screwing around. So I followed the diet precisely. Second, the diet is 1,000 calories a day. Tough! Weight loss is inevitable!

Last night was a quiet one for me.

I stopped first at the Chart room. Jam packed! All tourists! Not even a seat. I had one drink and left.

We are into the tourist season. I knew I would have difficulty getting a seat for dinner anywhere. So I decided to go to Hogfish on Stock Island. I had fish and chips and read the local newspapers. Except I skipped the chips. Had a double cole slaw instead. The diet!

Speaking of tourists and crowds, I went over to the golf course yesterday afternoon. I wanted to get my bag of old Pings that had been sitting in the bag shack for years.

I brought a couple of towels. The bag and clubs were filthy. I cleaned them and brought them home.

The crowd! The parking lot was full. They were backed up on the 1st and 10th tees 3 and 4 groups. Wow! I have never seen it that busy. The club made money yesterday.

I am glad I play early in the morning. Nine o’clock being early. Vacationers are still in bed at that time.

Lovely out this morning. Looks like a high 70s day in the making with a clear sky. I feel sorry for those people in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and southern New Jersey who are getting pounded with 20-30 inches of snow.

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday was a wonderful one!

The radio show went terrific! It is exciting doing the Key West Lou Legal Hour.

One of the legal matters discussed yesterday was the Roman Polanski problem. Polanski skipped the United states back in the late 1970s. He was facing a jail term for an episode with a 13 year old girl. He has since been living in Europe. Last year the State of California tried to extradite him. After all those years! The case is pending, legal arguments being made. Polanski remains under house arrest in Switzerland.

Polanski is one tough guy!

He is Jewish. Born and being raised in Poland when the Germans invaded. It was this invasion which was the beginning of World War II. His mother was sent to Auschwitz from which she never returned. His father went to another concentration camp, but did survive.

Polanski was a teen ager. He settled in the Krakow Ghetto and fought the Nazis to survive. He finally escaped the Ghetto. He was fortunate to hook up with a Catholic family. They took him in and he was portrayed as a Catholic for the balance of the war. Thus did he survive the war and the Nazis.

His wife was Sharon Tate. You will recall that she was the pregnant woman hung by her wrists from a ceiling beam and killed by the Charles Manson group.

This Roland Polanski is one tough guy! He has experienced much of the bad in life! A survivor! His background adds to the drama of his present legal problems.

I stopped at Don’s Place after the radio show. I was looking for my league golf partner Rob. I did not know if we were to play a match on friday. Found Rob. He was bartending. No match. Larry Smith cannot make it.

Then to the Coffee House. I enjoy sitting there and reading the newspapers.

Key West has walk nights. A commercial street is selected. And the natives walk for 2-3 hours, visit the stores and partake of food and drink goodies.

Last night was 1st Thursday Art Walk. First thursday of the month. The primary street was Caroline.

I did the Walk!

Loved Barb Grob’s Art Bar! Love Barb Grob! She was featuring last night some paintings by Hatian Sally Binard. Sally lost six family members in the recent earthquake. The proceeds from her sales were to help Haiti.

After the Art Bar, I was off to the other side of Key West. To the other end of Duval. To that end of Duval that I often describe to as the place where locals go.

I did the Keys Piano Bar and La Te Da last night. They are across the street from each other. And feed off each other.

Bobby Nesbitt was finishing up when I first arrived at the Keys Piano Bar. He plays cocktail hour till 9 pm. Always a pleasure hearing Bobby sing!

Jennifer Kruskamp one of the New York piano bar singers. Good. And Mark Watson. Always good.

Across the street at La Te Da, it was Debra and Patrick.

I have not been to La Te Da in a while. Debra and Patrick are mainstays there during the season. For well over 10 years. Debra is the best! Love her! Love her voice!

I am close to my goal with the diet. 28 pounds so far. 30 was and is my goal. 2 pounds to go. Hard! The last few pounds seem to be taking forever! I truly am sick of this diet. The worst I have ever been on. But it works rapidly. It has only been 2 months.

Enjoy your day!

Good morning!

Rise and shine!

A new day in the making! A good one!

It is cold and gray now. The window is open. I can see and taste the ocean. A chilly breeze is coming in.

The Weather Channel says worry not. Going to 76 today!

Played golf yesterday! It was cold! Never really warmed up. It was that chill off the ocean.

I played with Tom, Tino and Aaron.

I was tired from the first tee. I do not understand why. I stayed tired for the whole round. It was work.

Tom was the big winner at $10. Aaron and I the big losers at $4 each. Not bad.

I did not play well till the last 6 holes. We switch partners every 6 holes. Tom was my partner on the last 6. I always play well when I play with him. As I did yesterday, again.

After golf I went home to bed. Slept.

Lisa called at dinner time. It was Corey’s birthday. The for real day. They were going to the Chinese restaurant near Publix. She wanted me to join them. I said no. Too tired.

Eventually I got up, showered and decided to go out to dinner. Stopped at the Chinese restaurant hoping to catch the family. I did. They were opening fortune cookies. The table had not been cleaned. So I tasted a little bit of everything. Egg roll, a rib, some pork fried rice and what have you.

Then I was off to the Chart Room. Che, Sean and Katherine there. Sean and I talked at length about the radio station. He guest appears on many shows.

I left. Where to eat? I was not really hungry due to the Chinese episode. But needed a bit more.

I drove to Publix and bought a small steak. Went home and cooked it. And enjoyed eating it while reading the Confederacy book Tino had loaned to me a few days before. The steak was delicious. Its size in compliance with my diet. And loaded with protein.

I am close to the end of the diet. I am knocking on the door of 30 pounds. It can’t be too soon for me. I am sick of the diet!

Big day today! The radio show. Key West Lou Legal Hour. KONK 1680 AM. At 1 pm. Listen in!

You can watch also on the internet. www.konkam.com.

Give me a call to chat while I am doing the show. 305-294-2769.

Big stuff today. Roman Polanski, medical marijuana, the recent political contribution Supreme Court decision, don’t drink/don’t tell, the Proposition 8 California trial, civilian vs. military tribunals, Lady Al Qaeda, more Florida dumb weird laws, Presidents as lawyers and the proposed AIG $100 million bonus pay out.

Enjoy your day!

I am up and at ’em early this morning. It’s just after 5.

I spent yesterday morning working on thursday’s radio show. Another exciting Key West Lou Legal Hour in the making. Some Roman Polanski, don’t ask, don’t tell and more on the recent Supreme Court decision regarding corporate political contributions.

Listen in. Watch. Conch radio at KONK 1680 AM. The internet at http://www.konkam.com/. Telephone in with questions and comments to 305-294-2769.

I stopped at the Coffee House around noon to read the papers and sip some coffee. A good crowd. Made a new friend and met an old friend.

Michelle sat in the chair next to me. A lovely lady. Nattily attired. A constant smile on her face. She is originally from Switzerland. Has lived in Key West since 1994. And we have never met before! I though I knew everyone here.

Gail stopped in. I am always happy to share her company. I also need her help with some computer postings. She knows everything about computers. She gave me her e mail address and I will be writing to her later today for help.

Then it was over to Borders to continue reading Game Change by John Heilmann and Mark Halperin. An interesting book! It is like being a fly on the wall inside a room when all sorts of discussions and moves were being planned during the 2008 Presidnetial campaign. Turns out Obama was a hard sell about running. He could not make up his mind about making the race. Michelle was not in favor of it either early on.

I spent a bit of time at the Chart Room last night. Michael bartending. No more Mark. He has moved over to Don’s Place.

Michael is a former Vietnam Marine. A sharp shooter. I asked him about gays in the military. He said he did not care. Nor did he ever meet anyone who did care. All he and any one else was concerned with was that every other combatant with him did his job. It was life and death. Every one had to function as trained. Otherwise it was good bye. Sex had nothing to do with staying alive in battle.

The gays in the military was all over the TV yesterday because of the Senate hearing to change the don’t ask, don’t tell rule. That is why I engaged Michael on the issue.

Jack Baron was a very good friend. He was a Key West artist who died 5 years ago.

Jack and I used to have all kinds of discussions covering all kinds of subjects. One was homosexuality. Jack was gay. Jack once said to me…..Louis, there is nothing different between you and me. I have to work for a living, have bills to pay, am concerned for my health and the health of others and so on…..I get sick……I am happy…..I worry…..The only difference is sex. You like women and I like men.

Jack was right! He always was!

So…..if the gays can fight and die for us, they should be able to openly live as a gay person.

It is time.

I went over to Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Valerie bartending. John hosting and managing.

Val is married to former bartender and New Zealand offspring Clayton. Clayton no longer bartends. He and Val have opend a tee shirt business. Dirty Dog Tees. What a name! Funny tees! Take a look at http://www.dirtydogtees.com/.

Speaking of tee shirts, my Key West Lou tee shirt continues to sell well at Lisa’s internet department store Via Key West. It is the only place where you can buy it. Lisa tells me her four biggest sellers are the Key West Lou tee shirt, Key West bunt cake, Terri white’s new CD and Key West books. http://www.viakeywest.com/.

It is always good to be in John’s company. While busily managing Hot Tin Roof, he still has time to chat with me. John is a college basketball freak, as I am! His school is Wisconsin. Wisconsin is ranked #16. They played Michigan State who is #5 last night. I caught the game at home. Wisconsin destroyed Michigan State. John must have gone crazy!

Syracuse also won last night. No big deal though. They beat Providence handily. Syracuse is ranked #3 and #4 in the two polls this week.

Golf this morning. The weather should be perfect. In the low 70s.

Enjoy your day!

It rained big time yesterday! Heavy, off and on.

The temperature was good however. Low 70s by day and night.

I finally got over to Borders. It has been a while. I wanted to start reading Game Change. The book gives snipits of insights into the 2008 Presidential race. Interesting! Surprising! Many big Democrats in the Senate privately encouraged Obama to run while they were openly supporting Hillary.

Two novels going at one time. At home I am reading Confederates in the Attic. It describes why some Southerners today live a weekend life of reenacting Civil War battles. Really interesting! Different! Tino gave it to me to read.

I had to send one piece of paper to Utica, N.Y. Had to overnight it. Decided to use Fed Ex. Expensive! $28!

Later in the afternoon I visited with Lisa after she returned home from work. Robert and Ally came home from school. Played with them a bit.

Last night started with the Chart Room, as usual. No Marty. Still in Hallendale. Spoke with him on the phone. He does not know when he will be returning. He does not love us any more!

Dinner was at La Trattoria. Kathy bartending. Always friendly. Lovely Beecha hosting. Actually Beecha manages the whole place. She’s the boss! A heavy responsibility job! We chatted off and on during the course of the evening.

I lucked out last night. Caught two great old time movies on TV.

It must have been Peter O’Toole night. Man of La Mancha and Lawrence of Arabia. Wow pics!

Man of La Mancha had a long Broadway run. I recall seeing it 3 times on Broadway with 3 different leads. I can see the face of each lead clearly. However I cannot recall any of their names. Alshiemers!

Enjoy your day!

Sunday is supposedly a day of rest. Yesterday was.

It may have had to do a bit with the weather. It sprinkled off and on all day. Gray. Made it sort of an extra lazy day.

I spent the morning in bed watching Meet the Press and the other talk shows.

Then I was off to Don’s Place. A Sunday place. Not yesterday. There were all of about 20 people. No football and no free eats make for no business. The weather had something to do with it also.

So I headed over to the Coffee House on Duval. Glad I did. I had the best time. I read the New York Times, cover to cover. First time I have done that in such detail in a while. Took about 3 hours.

There was an interesting article on the front page of the first section. Left hand column. A major article.

It basically set forth that China was the world leader the past 2 years in the manufacture of items for solar power, wind power and nuclear reactors. Items of renewable energy and otherwise. That the United States really has yet to begin.

The article contained an observation that sticks with me. The United States has depended on the Middle East for years for its power supply, to wit: oil. That if the United States did not get into the manufacture of renewable energy quickly and in big time, our energy dependency in the future would move to the Far East. China!

And we would have replaced one less than friendly peoples for another in satisfying our energy needs.

All very interesting. Thought provoking. Part of Obama’s State of the Union speech.

Talk is one thing. Action another. Obama has to move us in the direction of manufacture and use of renewable energy dramatically. Now, not tomorrow. And everyone, Democrat and Republican alike, should support him in this endeavor. This is not a No issue.

Lisa’s for dinner!

Terrific!

Turkey and all the goodies that go with it.

I cheated on my diet. The food looked too good! Hot rolls were my downfall. Buttered and dunked in gravy. I have been on a low carb diet. I made up for it yesterday.

Corey’s birthday is tuesday. He will be 47. We celebrated it at dinner last night. We will be celebrating it again tuesday at dinner.

Lisa asked Corey what kind of a cake he wanted. He said strawberry. None of us know how he came up with that flavor.

She asked Robert and Ally what they wanted for frosting. Chocolate with sprinkles.

So birthday cake ended up being strawberyy with chocolate frosting covered with sprinkles. Delicious!

Remember Mike and Tina from Hartford. They have owned a home here in Key West for years. They are part of the Key West fabric.

Both Mike and Tina are members of the military forces of the Conch Republic. Mike is in the Conch Air Force. He flies a World War I bi plane during the annual battle commerating Key West’s secession from the Union some 25 years ago. He is a bombadier. He drops rolls of toilet paper on the U.S. Coast Guard vessels. Tina is a member of the Conch Navy. She mans a pirate ship and throws eggs, tomatoes and heads of lettuce at the Coast Guard cutters.

Like these people!

Enjoy your day!

I am ashamed. Embarassed is a better word.

I forgot Kate Miano’s birthday party!

It was Friday night at the Gardens.

I never went out Friday night. I was tired and went to bed early.

Sorry, Kate. I now wish you a Happy Birthday! I understand your party was terrific! Good for you! You are a class person! Everyone loves you! Deservedly so!

I visited with Lisa and Corey yesterday afternoon for a bit.

Lisa was excited. She started featuring Terri White’s new CD on her internet department store Via Key West a couple of weeks ago. The sales are going crazy! CD sales overall seem to move slowly. So this is a phenomenen! http://www.viakeywest.com/.

Robert was home and playing. Wow, is he getting tall!

Ally was away for the afternoon enjoying a play day with some girl friends. At the age of 4! They were having a tea party. Ally had dressed for the occasion. A dress. And jewelry and a purse. And even white gloves!

The Chart Room last night was packed. Tourists and locals combined. I visited briefly with Captain Peter. He is looking well and was his usual charming self. Che there also. Holding up his end of the bar. Che is an icon. A Key West legend in his own life time. And one of the two remaininig empty holes in the bar awaits his ashes when he leaves this world. Che considers his ashes in the bar will be his greatest accomplisment, even though the time for them has not yet arrived.

The charming Michael was bartending. A good guy! A former Marine. And proud of it!

I lucked out. I ran into Mike and Tina.

Mike and Tina are from Hartford, Connecticut. Mike is a business consultant and Tina works in the insurance industry. They have a home here in Key West also. Across the street from the cemetery. Tina said last night she keeps a small bottle of holy water nearby in the event there are ever visitors from the cemetary. For real!

I spent a lot of time with Mike and Tina last night. I enjoy their company. Good people. I hope they enjoy mine as much. We seemed to have chatted endlessly last night.

Two large international companies are merging and Mike has been offered the job of running the new company’s Japan business. In fact, he only returned from Japan a few days ago. He was still suffering from jet lag.

The conversation regarding whether to take the new position was interesting. By the way, be impressed. It’s a big deal! They would live in Japan.

What happens to Tina? She has a very responsible position in Hartford. In Japan she would not be working for a number of reasons. I enjoyed listening to them analyze the problem. It was a today one.

Then we got into Italy.

Tina was born in Italy. Just outside Naples. Her Dad still lives there. He is my contempoary. 72 years old. I visited Italy many years ago with my family and parents for a month. I shared some memories of the trip with them.

I decided on steak. Went to Michael’s for dinner. No room at the bar. So I waved good bye to Emmet. I decided to try old reliable, La Trattoria. Packed. Erin said no way.

Saturday night and I was all alone by the telephone. Poor me.

I ended up at Hogfish. Ate fish and chips. Read the local papers. And watched the Kansas/Kansas State basketball game. Great game! In fact all of the college basketball I snuck a peek at yesterday was outstandig. Some great teams out there this year!

I woke this morning to Saratoga Trunk. A 1945 movie. Starred Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman.

I remember seeing the movie when I was a kid. The movie takes place in Saratoga, New York. It is set in the Saratoga Hotel. I remember and know both Saratoga and the hotel well. I have done August during the racing season and have also had a satellite law office in Saratoga. I even built and owned at one time a shopping center in Saratoga, as well as having constructed some 250 units of housing. I have even sat on the large front porch of the Saratoga Hotel in a rocking chair.

A great movie that recalled a lot of memories!

There are some who think that all Key West is is the 200 and 300 blocks of Duval. The tourist section. These same people think that Sloppy Joe’s, Hogsbreath and Schooner’s Wharf are the only places to go.

Well, wrong they are. These people are generally tourists themselves who have only spent a few days in Key West. They never discover the other places that offer beauty and enjoyment in Key West.

They miss much. There is more to Key West than Sloppy Joe’s.

Those who limit themselves to the tourist area never get to know the joys of Louie’s Backyard, Debra and Patrick at La Te DA, the great singers at the Keys Piano Bar, Patticakes and Square One Restaurant, the great German food at Martin’s, Antonia’s and La Trattoria for fine Italian food, Virgilio’s on Monday nights for $5 martinis, Michael’s buried in the heart of Old Town for steak, Kelly’s on Whitehead for wings at cocktail hour, Larry Smith at the Wine Galley, the Hot Tin Roof for pure pleasure, Don’s place for real people, the Strip house at the Reach for steak and pictures of bare ass women and Barb Grob’s Art Slut Bar.

I rarely visit Sloppy Joe’s or Hogsbreath. Too touristy for me. I don’t like being joustled around by a bunch of partying drunks. Schooner’s I do stop at on occasion. Another tourist place. But I love Angus the bartender who I occasionally get to play golf with. Also Schooner’s is some what across the street from Pepe’s and I like to stop at Schooner’s for a drink before going over to Pepe’s.

It is Sunday morning. Raining. TV says rain all day. I hope not.

I will stop at some point at Don’s Place. Then to the Coffee House to free load read the Sunday papers, including the New York Times.

Dinner at Lisa’s tonight. Publix had a sale on turkeys. We are doing Thanksgiving again tonight!

Enjoy your day!