THOMAS CLINTON

The weather!

Worthy of being mentioned first. Continues to be outstanding. Everything still this morning. Nothing moving. The silence deafening. If there is a negative, it is the humidity. Heavy. Key West is experiencing August/September humidity late in June.

Made a new friend yesterday. Tommy Clinton. His name sounds much like one half Thomas Jefferson and the other half Bill Clinton. A nice guy. A charming personality.

I was at the bar at Don’s Place when Tommy came in and sat next to me. He carried a large camera with him which he laid on the bar. Expensive, I asked. Not really, he said. And so started the conversation.

You can find Tommy on Facebook. He goes under two names. One is Tommy Clinton-Key West. The other was something like Tommy Nikon. Not correct, however.

Tommy is a retired government employee. Retired after 30 years. Now lives full time in Key West. Rides his bicycle around Key West everyday taking pictures. He claims he takes upwards of a half million a year. He even took one of me at the bar.

He has a track record. He has published five photo books.

I haveĀ a new friend.

Before Tommy came in, I was talking with Jimmy and John. Jimmy has recently returned to golf. He is in to it. He explained thumb position, wrist position, stand tall, bend over with your ass out, hit the ball this way, hit it that way, etc. Once again, no question. Golf is back in Jimmy’s life!

After Don’s Place, I headed over to La Te Da. Enjoyed dinner at the outside bar. I sat in the corner and listened to the back and forth talk between the locals and tourists.

Earlier in the day, I stopped to see Dr. Jackie Lefferts. My right shoulder continues to hurt. No change. It has been three weeks since I fell. She thought it might just be some sort of internal bruising. Sent me for an x-ray. I do not have the x-ray result yet. We talked of the possibility of a rotator cuff tear. We shall see.

Spent part of the day writing next week’s KONK Life column: EPA…..Government Shutdown?

I received a happy birthday e mail from June Hudson this morning. My birthday is next week. June was all excited. She leaves today for Italy with a granddaughter. I told her to keep an eye out for Larry, Christine and Journey.

My friend Anna reports that Athens is quiet. No where near the number of tourists that usually are there this time of year. Significantly more stores closed on Athen’s busiest commercial street. No beggars to be seen. No people, no money. The lack of beggars is a sure indication things are dramatically worse. There were beggars all over the street the times I visited Athens.

What am I going to do today? I don’t know. My day will develop as it goes. Whatever, Key West is always a pleasure.

Enjoy your day!

 

HEMINGWAY HOUSE

The last time I visited the Hemingway House was 15 years ago. I decided to give it another shot yesterday. I am a fan and admirer of one of the world’s great writers. Imagine, he lived in Key West for ten years!

I did the touristy thing. Stood in line for a short while to purchase my admission. I think, $13. I thought the amount a bit steep. Did not recall paying that much 15 years ago. But then, it was 15 years ago!

The thing that impressed me the most was the same that did 15 years ago. The room where Hemingway wrote. It was over the garage. The garage was not attached to the house. No stairs to the room. Entrance was gained by sliding a board from a second floor window in the house to a window in the top floor room of the garage. Hemingway’s intent was to isolate himself. Not to be disturbed while he was writing.

The six toed cats intrigued me once again. Unusual.

There are a couple of urinals sitting on the lawn. By urinals, I mean those things men step up to and relieve themselves in. About five feet in length. Made of ceramic tiles. Bright tiny tiles.

The urinals have been hooked up to water lines and now serve as the cats’ drinking fountain.

The urinals are from the original Sloppy Joe’s on Green Street. Now, Captain Tony’s. When Joe was moving from Green Street to his present location on Duval, his friend Hemingway helped him. A bunch of guys literally carried the bar furniture from one place to another sometime after midnight one evening. A bit tipsy, I am sure.

Joe was not taking the urinals. Hemingway thought they were too attractive to leave. He disengaged them from the wall and had them removed to his house. The story is Hemingway carried them. I doubt it. Two or three together would be too heavy and cumbersome. On the other hand, Hemingway was a big man.

Then to the gym. One hour with Albert. Tough! I could get to dislike Albert.

Spent the rest of the day researching next week’s KONK Life column. It will involve the House of Representative threat to shut down the government again. This time over the EPA. The column will be revealing. I spent the last 25 years of my career in the environmental field. I know the motivations of the players first hand.

I find it interesting that this Congress that has passed little legislation has the time once again for a government shut down. And as of yesterday, Speaker Boehner announced the House intends to sue the President for purportedly over extending hisĀ Constitutional powers. Better the House do what they were elected to do. Pass legislation. Not be involved in political ploys.

The Supreme cCurt decided yesterday that cell phones are free from police seizure and inspection without a search warrant. Strange that the conservative portion of the Court supported the decision. Chief Justice Roberts even wrote it.

There is an Op-Ed column in this morning’s New York Times by Linda Greenfield. The title explains it…..Supreme Court Justices Have Cell Phones, Too.

Enjoy your day!