HOME…..

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I am back in Key West!

I missed Key West. This is home.

The trip back was uneventful. Delta did its duty by God and country.

Washington, DC was a great place to visit. Probably a good place to live, also. Neat is the term to best describe it. Quiet and clean. Well organized. People and vehicles moved in an orderly unhurried fashion. People welcoming.

An All American City. As it should be!

I would like to return.

As reported, I got rained on big time in Washington. When I landed in Key West last night, I could see it had rained heavy yesterday. Large pools of water on the runway. Streets flooded in certain areas on the drive home from the airport.

No food. I was hungry. No lunch during the day. I headed over to Hogfish. That is when it hit me how much I had missed Key West. Hogfish is Key West. It is my kind of place.

Publix is on the list of things to do today. A necessity.

I have to get ready for tomorrow’s tv/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I screwed off while in Washington. The show is nowhere near ready. I will be spending some time today preparing.

I will definitely be commenting on the surveillance issue in the news. The government’s collecting of telephone numbers and e mails. I have opinions to share. Washington’s homeless another issue. The only negative I found with the city. Plus whatever my research today develops.

Join me for the show. Ten my time. Available on television from Key West through Miami-Dade County via Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Worldwide on the internet. www.weyw19.com.

Till tomorrow…..enjoy your day!

SQUARE ONE RESTAURANT

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I had a special experience last night. Dinner at the new Square One Restaurant. Run. Don’t walk. The place is spectacular. The food exceptional.

Carmelo is one of the owners. A brilliant restaurateur. Experienced. He and his brothers started La Trattoria. Then they opened Virgilio’s. Then the Bottle Cap. La Trattoria and Virgilio’s have been sold.

It is the same Square One Restaurant. Except the colors are a warm subdued brown. The pictures  new. The menu expanded.

The food to die for! I had the seafood lasagna. I could taste every piece of fish. The pasta was light. The sauce just right.

Carmelo stopped by to chat a few times. I congratulated him on what is a winner without question.

One other observation. The place was three quarters occupied. Inside and out. This is off season. Mid week. No restaurant has that kind of occupancy. Carmelo has been open about two months. The large number of customers is a credit to the quality of the operation.

Ran errands yesterday morning. The dermatologist, Walgreen and optician.

Sloan and I worked three hours in the late afternoon. We are into me taking pictures on my cell phone and somehow getting them to my blog. Probably easy for most of you. Hard for me. A generational thing. I do not have it down yet.

I leave today for a few days of play in Washington, DC. I have never really seen the capitol. Though I have been to Washington before. It was always for business. Fly in in the morning, fly out in the evening. The few times I stayed overnight, it was dinner with clients or business associates.

I am going to play tourist. See the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and as many historical places as I can.

I will be writing my blog daily from Washington. At some point hopefully with some pics. www.keywestlou.com.

I will also be doing my tuesday evening blog talk radio show from Washington. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My computer via Skype. I have it down. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

My friday tv/internet show is a problem. I cannot do it simply and effectively. Ergo, a rerun will be available for viewing. View, if you can. It may be one you missed. If so, I believe you will enjoy. Via television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19 from Key West through Miami-Dade County. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

I have picked a good time to fly to Washington. I will be traveling with Tropical Storm Andrea all the way. I question whether I will be able to fly out of the Key West Airport. Andrea should not be a problem for Key West. It will be for northern Florida and all the way up the eastern coast.

Have to hustle once again. Must finish packing.

Enjoy your day!

 

SHE RODE THE DONKEY

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Oia is a town on the Greek island of Santorini.

I spent ten days there last summer. You will recall it as the place where I failed in my attempt to climb the volcano.

Santorini is a huge cliff sitting in the water.  The sides run straight up to the sky. At one particular point in order to get to the bottom, one drives a car or walks. The walk is a wide pathway seemingly attached to the cliff. The cliff is at least 1,500 feet tall at that point.

The pathway is in reality a donkey trail. It has steps, widely apart. Donkeys carry people up and down. People walk the path also. However, they do so gingerly because of the dung along the way.

Others drive to get to the bottom of the cliff. I drove. There are restaurants and apartments at the bottom which sit on the sea. My favorite Oia restaurant Katrina Taverna is one of the restaurants.

About a month ago, my dear friends Bob and Helen Marks visited Oia. They walked the donkey trail. That same day, they climbed the volcano. Bob is 75 years old.

I never met anyone who rode a donkey. Until last night. Her name is Elaine Jette. Met Elaine and her husband Fred. They are visiting Key West for a few days.

Elaine likes to travel. She goes all over the world. In addition to Greece, she recently visited Africa. Fred does not like traveling so he stays home. He mentioned that the only places he travels to are the Bahamas and Key West..

Elaine was in Oia. She rode a donkey! It had to have been a fearful experience. If you fall off, you fall off the pathway also. Into the sea below.

Fred and Elaine are from Stuart, Florida. Fred is a civil engineer. He builds roads and bridges. Elaine works for Merril Lynch.

I met Fred and Elaine at the Chart Room.

Frankie came in while we were talking. Frankie is Admiral of the Conch Republic Navy. A big deal! Frankie got into the Sea Battle which takes place every year. Fred and Elaine listened attentively.

I pointed out to them that you can’t experience anything like the Sea Battle in Stuart. They agreed.

I wrote about killer whales yesterday. I forgot to mention how they got the name killer whales.

Killer whales do not kill humans. There is no record of any human fatality, except with whales in captivity. Turns out their name initially was the reverse of what it is today. Whale killers. Why? Because killer whales kill bigger whales of a different breed.

We all know dolphins are not afraid of whales and that whales fear dolphins. Killer whales are not whales. They are dolphins.

Interesting!

This morning my tv/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten my time.

I will be chatting a bit more regarding killer whales. I will also get into Senator McCain’s recent foray into Syria. A bit on the Catholic Church and hypocrisy. Some words about Father Andrew Greeley who died this week. Plus more.

Join me for a fast moving informative hour. The show can be viewed on television from Key West all the way up through Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

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Key West is into it! Memorial Day weekend!

Key West alive. The town packed with tourists. Driving a pain. Bars and restaurants full. I wanted to eat at the Hot Tin Roof. Good luck! There was hardly standing room.

I complain…..but it is all exciting! You sense it, feel it.

Unfortunately, it rained a couple of times. Not long each time. However, heavy! Big drops. The first storm lasted all of five minutes. Enough to start flooding some of the streets.

I wrote of the crocodile shot in  the head recently. I am still getting emails on the subject. The  emails continue to support the crocodile(s). Man cannot win!

I started my day with Sloan. We worked hard on expanding my tablet usage. It comes slow to me.

I started my evening with a stop at Don’s place. Most of the bocce team there. David, Don, Erika, and Hershel. One night left and the season is over. We are already talking possible trades. Negotiations go on off season and players are traded one team to another.

Serious business.

Then the Chart Room. All tourists, except for David and Sheila. JJ bartending. Enjoyed a drink.

I ended up at the Wine Galley for dinner. An excellent one! French onion soup and bread!

As usual, Larry entertained. Christine joined him in  singing occasionally. Larry’s mom Helen was in the audience. She has to be proud of Larry. English friends John and Ali were there. As was Pati.

Michael Dennis was in attendance. He is the well known author. He is a former entertainer. He once owned a bar on Duval and played the piano and sang all night. He played and sang a while last night. I love his music!

No Steven. Steven has been the premier bartender  and caretaker of the Wine Galley for years. He is no longer employed by the Pier house.

I knew something was wrong as soon as I walked in the room. Steven gone. Emily bartending. Emily has never bartended the Wine Galley. The Chart Room is her post. She had been asked to come in last night to help out.

Steven could bartend and wait tables all alone. Rarely needed help. Last night three persons were working the room in his place.

I have a practice blog talk radio show at 11 this morning. I am trying to run it through Skype at my end.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LISA AND COREY

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Today is Lisa and Corey’s wedding anniversary. Congratulations and much love!

They are going out to night to celebrate. Which means I am babysitting. For several hours. We will do dinner and at this point I do not know what else.

Bocce last night. We did it! We won the money match!

We won 2 out of 3 games. The first we lost 16-14. The second we won decisively. The third we won 16-15.

It was a battle!

It was Larry’s team we defeated.

Jessica plays on Larry’s team. She is also Shane’s girl friend. Shane likewise plays on Larry’s team. Jessica has an interesting job. She works for the State. Her responsibility is watching and preserving the reef. She frequently dives the reef as part of her job.

I have been put to shame!

An old and dear friend is Bob Marks. I was best man when he married Helen a long time ago. Bob and Helen were recently in Greece. They visited Santorini as I did last summer. You will recall I failed in my attempt to climb to the top of the volcano. Bob tried and succeeded! On the same day, he climbed up the donkey steps. Perhaps even a more arduous feat.

Bob did it all at 75.

I hate you, Bob!

Show time this morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. On television and the internet. Television via Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

A good show today. So much going on in Washington and the world. Join me for an interesting and informative hour.

Enjoy your day!

SHOW TIME AT 10

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The weeks keep rolling by. Friday again!

The Key West Lou Legal Hour broadcasts at 10 this morning my time. Via television and the internet.

Great topics. Some Washington highlights involving the IRS, Associated Press and Benghazi. Regarding some things with which you may not be aware. Then a Bangladesh update followed by a Syrian rebel story that guaranteed you will find disgusting, 813 new Saints, some Turkey info, and more. The more includes a new federal regulation that scares me and should scare you.

Join me. On television from Key West through Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

Bocce last night!

The cookout was great! I enjoyed a hamburger and hot dog. All cooked on site on a charcoal grill.

We lost all three games. We did not play well, we did not play poorly. We just did not have enough. The games were close and then slipped away at the end.

Next season!

Uncertainty continues to prevail at the Pier House. So I was informed by some one close to the situation. I have not visited the Chart Room since monday. Hope to this evening. I should get a better feel for the situation then.

Have to hustle. Show time soon.

Enjoy your day!

 

PARTY WITH HELL’S RANGERS TONIGHT

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Hell’s Rangers! Would you believe! Yes, here in key West. A bocce team!

Tonight is bocce. Our team (Don’s Place) is playing Hell’s Angels. Don told me last night we are going to party. Our team will be providing the liquid refreshments. The Hell’s Angels food. Sort of cook out time. I anticipate the food will be terrific.

Notice how some times bocce becomes incidental to whatever else is going on.

I shopped for Robert’s birthday gift yesterday. I did not want to buy him clothes. He has everything else…..basball glove, bat, basketball, soccer ball, books, etc. He even has his own tablet.

I finally decided on a $50 gift card for the movie theater at Sears. He is into movies. Goes with Lisa and the family. $50 will just about cover one show. Terrible!

Robert’s birthday was fun. Dinner and cake. Chocolate with chocolate frosting. Robert’s choice. I ate two pieces. We blew out the candles and sang Happy Birthday! Jake could have cared less. He aimlessly wandered around.

Dinner and cake done, it was still early. I stopped at Don’s Place. Caught Don, Hershel, and Tom. Then there was just Don and me.

All in all, a good evening.

I spent most of the day yesterday working on friday’s Key West Lou Legal Hour tv/internet show. A lot happening. I plan on talking a bit about how women in Saudi Arabia are treated as opposed to here in the U.S., the Associated Press, IRS and Benghazi of course, Greece, France and the euro, a new law that should make you uncomfortable, the Syrian rebel eating a soldier’s heart, and more.

I watched a film of the Syrian soldier incident on the internet yesterday. Gruesome!

The Pier House? I know no more. Rumors abound all over Key West. When there is something concrete, I will share it with you.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

I BABYSAT JAKE

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It is amazing what my life has been relegated to. It is only seven years ago that I was handling multi-million and billion dollar environmental lawsuits.

Today it is babysitting the family pet. Yesterday was Jake’s day. I babysat him!

I was driving to get my glasses fixed. Lisa telephoned. Where are you? I need you right away. I have an appointment outside my home. There is no one to watch Jake.

I sat Jake for two hours. I had some apprehension. Jake and I have not bonded well. He growls at me. I think it is my voice.

As soon as I arrived, I sat on the floor with him. Rubbed his head. Then his back. Then Jake turned over. He wanted his belly rubbed.

I periodically fed him a pretzel.

Thereafter, I sat on the couch watching the golf tournament. Jake sat on floor next to my feet. He kept looking up at me with those big sad eyes. A rub or two and he was content.

I think Jake and I have made it. We are finally friends!

My morning started with a haircut. Lori also cleaned up my beard where I had missed.

Then to Publix for some groceries. Not much. The bill was $60 plus. I do not understand how families do it. What with the high cost of food and gas.

Bocce last night. A good time. Very warm. The sweat was running off my forehead.

We won 2 out of 3 games. Not good. We played the newest team. They had only won 3 games before playing us. They beat us in the second game.

We almost lost the third. A young lady who had never played before played for the first time. At the beginning it was obvious she was a novice. Then God was on her side! She was devastating. Almost caused us to lose the third game.

We destroyed the other team in the first game 16-4. As it should have been all three games.

Larry Smith brought his Mom to watch. Larry yells and swears a lot when playing bocce. He expresses himself. His mother had to think…..I did not teach him to behave like that!

I think Larry’s mother is 86. She has it all going for her. Sharp. Does not look her age either.

Finished the night at Don’s Place with other bocce players.

The federal government issued some numbers regarding the diversity in hospital costs. The report was a study based on Medicare and Medicaid charges. An amazing revelation! Hospitals in the same community charge different prices for the same surgery/care. Close to a $100,000 difference in some instances.

Hospital expenses are a killer. As are drug costs. I hope Obamacare gets a handle on these items.

A Great White shark has been sighted off Marathon. You will recall one was sighted off Key West last week. It is not certain whether it is the same shark or another. The suspicion is it was another. That is the fourth sighting in recent weeks.

Great Whites are not common to our waters. Scientists say they have traveled this far south this year because our waters are warmer than normal.

Authorities are trying to tag the Great Whites for all obvious reasons. So far they have not succeeded in tagging even one.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour at 10 this morning. I recorded the show wednesday because Krystal would not be available today. I plan on watching myself from the comfort of my bed.

The show will be available on its usual venues. Television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. All the way through Miami-Dade County. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

Topics include some interesting items regarding global warming, my thoughts on Benghazi, some revealing historical data, psychiatric patient dumping, Bangladesh, euro problems in France, Germany and Spain, and more.

Join me. An interesting show. A bit of an eye opener.

Enjoy your day!

 

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES…..

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Most of yesterday, I was in a stupor. This morning I feel great! Rarin’ to go!

During my recent back problem, I was on pain killers. I had difficulty sleeping. So I took Advil-PM. Supposedly helps to relieve pain and makes a person sleep. It did. I slept terrific the two nights I took the Advil.

I have had trouble sleeping the past few days. Two nights ago, I decided to pop an Advil-PM. I slept 10.5 hours straight without waking. Wow!

A problem was evident when I woke yesterday morning after my long sleep. I was heavy headed, moving slowly. The word stupor I used earlier is the correct description. I even had trouble doing yesterday morning’s blog.

I was still in the condition described when I went to the TV studio at 3 to record friday’s show. My sense was whatever my thoughts were, the words were coming out slowly. My biggest problem was pronunciation. Bangladesh and blasphemy would not come out right. I finally looked the camera in the eye and said…..I have difficulty pronouncing big words!

I am anxious to see friday’s show. To see how bad it all came out.

Krystal was engineering the show. She said she could see nothing wrong. I don’t know.

If you are interested in watching, the show is available via television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19 from Key West through Miami-Dade county. World wide via the internet. www.weyw19.com.

The Key West Lou Legal hour airs at 10 in the morning my time.

The show is also You Tubed. People are apparently viewing the show on You Tube. Many who are unable to watch at 10 in the morning have told me they are watching the shows at their convenience via that mode.

Returned home after the recording and decided to trim my beard. A mistake! I was still feeling tipsy. I ended up chopping my moustache too short on one end. Went back to the other side and cut some off to balance it. Cut more than I should have. So it was back and forth. Needless to say, my tache is a bit shorter this morning.

I also did a number on my neck. Irritated the hell out of it.

By dinner time, I felt better. The clouds had left me. I was famished. Dee joined me at the Yacht Club for dinner.

Bocce tonight! Can’t wait!

Enjoy your day!

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

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There is a sense of pride in living on an island where writers such as Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams once resided.

Williams lived in Key West for well over 30 years. As I mentioned earlier this week, his former home is one block from Lisa’s.

Today’s Key West  Citizen notes in its Keys History section that on this day in 1955 “…Key West resident Tennessee Williams” received the Pulitzer Prize for his Broadway hit Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

I never saw the play. I did see the first movie made of the play. It starred Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman.

Thunder by the ocean is special. At least to me. I have always enjoyed the booming sound while next to the water. I recall years ago when I frequented the Jersey Shore. I would sit on a bench during a heavy rainstorm under an umbrella enjoying the drama of it all.

Yesterday was a similar morning in Key West. It thundered all morning. My home is on the water. No need for a bench or umbrella. It was a thundering morning followed by some heavy rains.

The weather forecast is for similar rains today. At the moment, it is overcast. No rain yet. My concern is that tonight is bocce. We cannot play on a wet/flooded court.

I worked most of yesterday on friday’s Key West Lou Legal Hour. Some terrific topics. Like the Catholic Church becoming too political, a millionaire child support fight, cancer doctors attacking drug companies, psychiatric hospital patient dumping, money rip offs  such as Karzai, extra terrestrial hearings and Con Edison, what we are not told about Social Security, the Bangladesh building  collapse, horse meat being produced in the United States, Syria and chemical weapons, the Japanese war crimes trials, Machiavelli, Joe DiMaggio, and more.

A combination of diverse subjects. A lot to cover. It will be a fast moving interesting hour. Join me. Via television from Key West through Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. World wide on the internet. www.weyw19.com. Ten in the morning my time.

Last night started at Don’s Place. Don wanted to join me for dinner. We stopped at the Chart Room first. Ran into fellow Manhattan College alumnus Jack Kelley. The three of us went over to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. The dinner conversation was interesting.

While I was at the Chart Room, a fellow by the name of Jerry came over to introduce himself. He is a local, though we had not met before. He lives on White Street. He told me he reads this blog every day. Thank you, Jerry. And thank you to every one else who does so also.

I screwed up already this morning. I had a 9 am appointment with my heart doctor. Not to get the results of my CAT scan. Rather for a 4 month check up of how I am doing in a special study I agreed to be a part of. Has to do with fish oil and specifically how it affects the heart. Some miniature aspect is being studied. World wide. I am one of many in the study.

I forgot blood work was involved. Fasting blood work. I ate. Must return monday at 9 to do it correctly.

Enjoy your day!