A KEY WEST SYRACUSE DAY

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My cold is better. Just a tinge left. I only went out for the basketball game yesterday afternoon. Afterwards, came home and went to bed. Slept from 4 to 8. Up to eat. Back to sleep at 10 till 7 this morning. My body apparently was in a healing mode.

A typical Syracuse game. Tough on the heart! Syracuse was winning by 18 ten minutes into the game. We were going to kill Miami, I thought. With 8 minutes to go in the game, Miami was one up. Syracuse won by 12 points 64-52.

Syracuse knows how to win. This was the seventh close game they have played tight with minutes to go and went on to win. It cannot be done all the time. There will be a first defeat. I wonder where it will come.

Next game is Wednesday at 9 against Wake forest. I will be watching the game at Don’s Place. Saturday is Duke! Could be the  one. I hope not.

Dan and Lisa were at Lukas’ place to watch the game with me. They brought David and Judy from Orlando. Dan and David were born and raised in Auburn, NY. David and Judy moved to Orlando 26 years ago. He is in the import/export of sea food business.

David and Judy were very likeable people. Much like Dan and Lisa. Hope I meet them again.

It is interesting. Both Dan and David grew up in Auburn. They left to make their fortunes elsewhere. Dan in Skaneateles and David in Orlando. I occasionally tried lawsuits in Auburn Supreme Court. My recollection of Auburn is a sad one. I thought the city was depressing. Uniquely so. It hit you in the face as soon as you entered the city limits. I am originally from upstate New York, also. Utica. Some 65 miles from Auburn. Utica was and is old.For whatever reason, the depression factor is not as evident in Utica.

The problem is these cities are all part of the northeast rust belt. The mills left 60-80 years ago and these communities continue to find it difficult to dig out.

Lest I forget. David told me he was reading my book The World Upside Down. Made me feel good! Dan told me that he especially liked the last essay. The one having to do with Greece and the rise of a present day Nazi Party.

Traffic driving into Key West was atrocious. It took me one hour to get to Key West itself once I entered onto US 1. The Bone Island Triathlon was going on. The participants were at the last stage. The bike riding one. Right down US 1 into Key West. My usual 5 minute drive turned into a long one.

Bone Island is the English translation of the original Spanish name for Key West. It was called Bone island because the Indians would bring their captured persons to Bone Island to cook and eat. The Indians were cannibals. They left the bones strewn around when they returned to their homes on a different key.

John Lukas is the owner of the Sports Pub. There was an article in the Key West Citizen a few days ago telling of a tourist who went to six different places to eat and drink  in one day and left all without paying. John was one of the ones hit. The bill was something like $66. The thief must have been entertaining.

This weekend is the Key West Craft show. Always an interesting and exciting event. It is on Whitehead by Truman Annex. Art, wood work, jewelry, clothes, etc. All good stuff. No junk. White tents for several blocks from whence the merchants sell their wares.

Jack Baron is one of the finest persons I have met in my lifetime. Smart, also. He died six years ago. I used to visit his art studio in Square One. There were several of us who would gather mornings to chat. We solved world problems.

Though I admired Jack’s work, I never bought one of his paintings. I did not want to get involved with local art. Jack’s forte was black women. He worked with acrylics. He had painted a black Madonna and Child. I loved he painting! It had been unsold for a year. Jack knew I wanted to buy it. But if I did, it would have been contrary to my decision to avoid local art.

At the Key West Craft Show 15 years ago, I came upon Jack’s white tent. His featured painting and the one having the most prominence was the Madonna and Child. I became excited. It was my painting! What are you doing, I asked. Selling it, he said. I have to eat! I bought the painting on the spot. Jack was laughing. It was a gotcha moment.

I ended up buying  a total of twelve Jack Baron paintings. Most hang in my dining room. The dining room is all Jack Baron. The Madonna and Child hangs in the living room in its own special place.

Enjoy your Sunday!

GARLIC…..OVERCOMES COMMON COLD

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My cold got worse overnight. It is now in my chest. My nose runs constantly, the sneezes are frequent.

I spent yesterday afternoon and evening in bed. I take care of Louis when I am under the weather. The last time I recall a cold of this severity was about 12 years ago. I was in Utica and it was the middle of the winter. Freezing cold. I had the same symptoms then that I have been experiencing the past 24 hours.

One of Key West’s most famous persons is Jean Carper. A delightful lady. Jean has authored many books about foods and the remedy they provide for common ailments. I had one of her books home with me in Utica at the time. I looked up cold, runny nose, couphing and sneezing. The answer……Eat garlic cloves! Two or three raw garlic cloves would provide immediate relief for about two hours. Then eat two more cloves.

I did it. Absolutely amazing! Within minutes, I stop sneezing, coughing and my running notes disappeared. A welcome relief especially for my poor red nose. I could breathe easily. I felt terrific. Two hours later when the cold symptoms returned, I ate two more garlic cloves.

I was home alone all day. When my former wife came home later in the afternoon, she immediately said the house stunk of garlic. What have you been eating? I told her.

She was impressed that it worked. She knew Jean, also. She  as aware that Jean was a wise woman when it came to food remedies. The only problem that arose was my wife would not sleep in the same bedroom with me that night.

Interestingly, I am not a fan of garlic. I try to avoid eating anything seasoned with garlic.

I have no garlic cloves. I am going to shower and go out today. To buy garlic cloves. I will offend no one. I will be home alone all day and all night.

The cold bothered me so much yesterday that I neither researched nor wrote. I stayed in bed all day and watched television.

An interesting homeless story. Every State in the Union has a homeless problem. Utah came up with a unique solution  eight years ago. They gave the homeless apartments and houses for free. They also gave each a social worker to assist them in getting back into the stream of life.

Utah found it costs $16,670 per person in 2005 for jail stays and emergency room services provided the homeless. By following this give them an apartment approach, the figure has been reduced to $11,000. More importantly, in a mere eight years Utah has reduced its homeless problem by 78%. It is anticipated that the problem will be totally eliminated by 2015

Amazing!

Stephanie Kaple take note! Though I am sure I am not telling you anything you do not already know.

Syracuse plays Miami tomorrow at one in Miami. The odds/Vegas line confuse me. In one place it is seven points, another 17 points. The important thing is that everyone sees Syracuse winning. I do, also.

I will be watching the game at John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Pub. I can have lunch while enjoying the game.

Enjoy your day!

SAINTS COSMAS AND DAMIEN

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Good morning! Good morning! Good morning!

I wish I felt as peppy as the introduction. I have a head cold. I cannot remember when last I had one. That long. It hit me early yesterday afternoon.

I lunched at Blossoms. Had to stand. A bunch of senior ladies were having some sort of luncheon. They had taken all the stools. The women were my age. Each uniquely beautiful. I could not keep my eyes off them.

The new owners have parrots. A big one was out of the cage. About 18 inches tall and a bit stout. Colorful. I looked at him (?) and said hello. He immediately responded hello. Took me back for a moment.

The cold kept me at home during the afternoon and evening.

The afternoon was spent researching for my new book Growing Up Italian. I needed some background information from Italy itself. I wanted to be sure my facts concerning the land of my ancestors were correct.

Two Catholic saints have a moment in the book. Saints Cosmas and Damien. Though born and died in what is now Turkey, they are revered to this day by many Italo-Americans. They were twins. Became doctors. Never charged. Provided medical services free.

I feel that some present day killings in the Middle East and Africa are less than nice. Brutal is the word. Saints Cosmas and Damien were killed in a fashion beyond that of today. They were hung on crosses, stoned, shot by arrows, and then beheaded. All because of their Catholic faith.

None of the preceding will appear in the book. I thought it interesting and wanted to share their experience with you.

Last night was early to bed. Turned the heat on. I am one of the lucky ones.

I keep autographing books. I am honored to be asked. I continue to suggest to those of you who might not have ordered the book to do so. It is a series of interesting short stories. The title is The World Upside Down by Louis Petrone. It is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!