THE BAND IS PLAYING

When my children were small (oh, so long ago!) and it thundered big time, we used to tell them it was a band playing in Heaven. They came to accept the explanation and it soothed them.

Lightning was hard to explain. We let them curl up with us.

Thunder and lightning are different on the ocean. This morning is overcast and the band plays on! It has not stopped thundering for two hours. Loudly. Like the sky is going to crack open.

A couple of nights ago, I was driving home and observed bright lights in the sky. Lightning! Out over the ocean. When the lightning occurred, the sky lite up as if it were day time.

I enjoyed a treat yesterday morning. I got to watch my TV show from my bed uninterrupted. Because of technical difficulties, I was required to record my friday show thursday morning. A one time event. Worked out well for me. I was impressed with the show. First time I had seen it all, including commercials, uninterrupted. Excuse my humility.

Wrote a bit afterward.

Sloan arrived mid afternoon. It took us quite a while to figure out and eliminate the crackling sound that occurred during last tuesday’s blog talk radio show. I hope it is now ok. I will not know till the next show on tuesday night.

Big time last night! Dinner with Jenna!

Jenna and I have not been out together for at least four months. We had an especially good time!

Jenna does my ego good. She is 27 and I am 78. Besides which, she is a knockout!

We have become very good friends over the past five years.

We stopped for a drink at the Chart Room. Emily was bartending. She came over to me. She appeared concerned. Where have you been, she asked. We have been worried.

It had been better than a week since I was in the Chart Room. The last time there, I mentioned concern with my blood pressure problem. Then I dropped out of sight. She and my bar brethren thought something bad had happened to me.

Nice of Emily and nice of the others to be concerned.

Except for bocce, I did remain home every evening.

Jenna and I picked at this and that at the Hot Tin Roof. Included were a dozen raw oysters and shataki. Shataki consists sushi which you cook/heat a bit yourself over a tiny grill brought to the table.

We had fun.

The Key West Citizen made mention this morning that a prior owner of Sloppy Joe’s bought the property in 1917. It was a restaurant at the time called Victoria’s. The property was purchased for $7,800. $7 million would not buy it today!

Syracuse football tonight. Against Northwestern. Northwestern is ranked #19 in the country. I suspect Syracuse will give Northwestern a battle. Syracuse could win. Syracuse looked good last week in losing to Penn State.

How swiftly fortune passes by! Last week’s Syracuse/Penn State game was nationally televised. No national TV for Syracuse this week.

Enjoy your day!

RETURN TO NORMALCY CONTINUES

I love being back in Key West!

Things continue to return to normal. Which means I am going out and enjoying myself in Key West fashion. My Key West state of mind has returned.

Did the Key West Lou Legal Hour yesterday morning. Just me and Crystal. Mary Deasy was at the studio. Jenna deserted me. She was in Los Angeles enjoying an extended weekend. We spoke long distance Thursday night.

The Nazi/Greek story impacted most people. I received the most comments regarding the issue post show. Basically, people were shocked that a Nazi oriented group can be gaining power again.

I had to go grocery shopping for the third time this week. The cupboard was bare when I returned from Europe. Anna had thrown everything out.

Bought a lot of fruit. Including figs. I cannot tell you how many figs I ate in Greece. In Santorini and Amorgos, my landlords brought me fresh figs daily. Large and plump. Everyone has a fig tree on the Greek isles.

I enjoyed three figs for breakfast this morning. Hope they are not fattening!

Sloan and I spent a couple of hours yesterday afternoon organizing some of the material I will be using in my first book to be published. I will be working further on it today.

Later in the afternoon, I enjoyed an old time favorite of mine.

Mario Lanza was a big time singer back in the 1950s and 1960s. He sang great love songs and opera. He made movies. One was with Ann Blyth. It was the life of Enrico Caruso.

My grandfather turned me on to Caruso. He had a victrola. The one with the dog next to its name on the inside of the top cover. The victrola was big and black. It stood at least four feet tall. It was not run on electricity. It had to be hand cranked. Just like automobiles of old.

My grandfather had a collection of Caruso records. He played them constantly. I would be with him. His playing the records with me sitting along side him developed a love in me for Caruso’s singing. Which made me appreciate later in life the great voice of Mario Lanza.

It was the Chart Room and Hot Tin Roof last night. Enjoyed the company of Emily, Sheila, Jean and Stephanie, amongst others. Stephanie looked especially stunning.

I chatted a bit with Joseph at the Hot Tin Roof. I ordered a book he recommended from Amazon yesterday. I am anxious to start reading the book. It is a heavy political work.

Someone last evening filled me in on my team’s final bocce game thursday night. You will recall I was tired and left to go home to bed after the second game. We won 16-15. Can’t get any closer than that! We won 2 out of 3. Not a bad start.

When I returned from Europe a week ago, the downstairs air conditioning unit was blowing hot air. Sub-Zero came and fixed it. I got up this morning, it was blowing hot air again. I do not know about Sub-Zero’s weekend service.

Enjoy your day!

CHANGE

 

Change is inevitable. Especially when a property such as the Pier House changes hands.

Something new last night. As I entered the parking area, the attendant stopped me. A new one. The old ones were not rehired.

I told him where I was going. He told me they were in the process of beginning a valet parking system. He gave me something to put on my visor. He also gave me a printed stub. I was instructed to have it stamped by whoever was working in the Chart Room.

Petty!

Friends Sheila, Sean, Katherine and Peter were at the bar. Tourists came in and out.

I wanted light fare for dinner. Stopped into the Hot Tin Roof. Greeted by Joseph, the  manager. A charming personality. Warm.

My meal was light. One dozen oysters and a tomato salad. Outstanding!

I spent a couple of hours mid day continuing to work on my blog talk radio hook up. I will be traveling soon. I want to be able to broadcast from where ever I am. As close as Washington, DC, as far as Armogos, Greece. On my laptop via Skype. Think I have it worked out. I will be trying it when I do tomorrow night’s show.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou will be broadcast at 9 tomorrow night. One half hour. Topics to be discussed are always in the developing stage. I chat about most recent happenings. I suspect I will also be discussing Mc Cain’s recent Syria visit, Catholic Church hypocrisy, and Father Andrew Greeley.

Join me for a fast moving interesting half hour. You will enjoy. I guarantee it. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Father Andrew Greeley died. A Catholic priest. He was 85.

From the 1960s forward, he was a voice for change in the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, his words fell on deaf ears. The Church turned its back on him. The Bishops gave him a hard time.

He was in the forefront of two important issues. Pedophilia and birth control. The Catholic Church shunned his advice. He was considered a maverick.

As a result, Father Greeley was never more than a parish priest. No elevation to Bishop or Cardinal for him.

Eventually, he started writing. About everything. Even some interesting fiction. He published over 100 books. Ten of his novels were on the New York Times Best Seller List.

If I recall correctly, any book of his published had a guaranteed 250,000 first printing.

Father Greeley made some money. He donated most of it to charitable causes. He once wanted to donate $1 million to a particular Chicago charity. Cardinal Cody was in charge of the Chicago Archdiocese. He refused Greeley’s gift.

A good man sits with his God today. A receptive ear, I am sure.

The weather continues to suck. Rain, rain, and more rain. It is going to rain today. The weather report advises heavy rain through wednesday. If it continues as it has, I will soon be able to kayak into Key West!

Enjoy your day!

KILLER WHALES DON’T KILL

 

The front page of yesterday’s Key West Citizen had a photo of some whales. A brief article described them as killer whales and indicated they were discovered about 30 miles offshore of Key West.

A question entered my mind. Who do killer whales kill? I did a bit of research

Killer whales kill no one, except for seals and fish to feed themselves. There is no recorded instance of any human fatality involving killer whales. There have been situations however where those in captivity have turned on their keepers and killed them.

Turns out killer whales are good people, so to speak. They live in groups. Known  as pods. They live their entire lives within the group. Do not go out of it even for sex. Killer whale society is matriarchal. The mother/grandmother rules the roost. Females live to 80-90 years of age. The males only 40-50 years of age.

I learned much more. I plan on sharing additional information during the Key West Lou Legal Hour tomorrow morning.

I was up early yesterday. Had chores to perform. The cleaners, post office, and optician. The optician to tighten up two pairs of glasses.

The optician’s door was closed and locked. A phone number on the window. I called. The optician said she did not feel like working yesterday, might do two hours today and did not know about friday.

I stopped at Don’s Place on the way home to see if he was there. As I was leaving, someone was behind me. As we walked to our cars, he told me he had called his employer and told him he would not be in yesterday. It was too nice to work, he said. This was before the rain storm.

There must be something in the air or water in Key West. Two people who did not feel like working and did not. Typical Key West.

Stopped at the Plantation Coffee House. Enjoyed the coffee and morning papers. Diane working.

Theo her husband is an artist. He is painting up a storm. Every time I visit, there are new works on the walls. The place is turning into an art gallery. A lovely one.

Rained again yesterday. I do not know where all the rain is coming from. Torrential. Went on for a while. Streets flooded again.

I was driving north on Fogarty. It had not rained yet. All of a sudden, I saw this dark gray wall four blocks ahead. It was coming straight at me. It was the rain! It hit like a ton of bricks.

Florida’s Governor Scott signed a bill into law yesterday. A much needed one. An anti-texting law. No texting and driving from this point forward.

The Key West Citizen does a Day in Key West History. One of yesterday’s entries  set forth that Sloppy Joe’s had its grand opening on Duval on this day back when. Sloppy Joe’s advertised the grand opening. Its ad stated…..Free Dancing!

My Tuesday night blog talk radio show was a total screw up. We switched to Skype and everything became confused. I thought I was not on the air. I telephoned Sloan while the computer was still on. I said a bad word. The whole world heard me. The show had been broadcasting correctly. I heard from Italy, Indonesia, Key West, and Iowa that they heard me say a naughty.

I still have the Skype problem. Sloan and I worked on it with the blog talk radio people for two hours at dinner time. Still screwed up. I finally called computer guru Tim Reynolds and asked if he knew what to do. He will hopefully have an answer this evening.

On my way into town last night, I stopped at Don’s Place. Chatted a bit with Don, Hershel, David, Tom, and Joanie.

Then to the Chart Room. Not many people. Emily, Peter and I. Plus, two tourists. Don showed up. He never goes to the Chart Room unless he is with me. He came to find me.

Don and I had dinner at Hot Tin Roof. Lite fare. We shared shataki, mashed potatoes and a shrimp cocktail.

Please watch my tv/internet show tomorrow morning at 10. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I have a terrific show prepared! Comcast Channel 87, U-Verse Channel 19, and www.weyw19.com.

Haircut time this morning. I have to hustle.

Enjoy your day!

CRAZY ANTS

 

How many of us have said on occasion…..I hate fire ants! What with the intolerable itch and puss heads.

The fire ant may not be long for the Florida keys. The crazy ant is coming. It totally eliminates the red ant. The red ant is no more when the crazy ant arrives. The question is whether the crazy ant will migrate to Florida.

Maybe.

The crazy ant is from South America. It got to the United States on ships, in people’s clothing, etc. It likes neither cold nor dry. The dry may save our butts. The crazy ant is presently in Georgia and Alabama in the southeast.

Whereas the fire ant bit humans big time, the crazy ant does not physically bother humans. It will get into our homes, however. In the walls. Eat our electrical wires.

The crazy ants move in large swarms.

The crazy ants are expensive to eradicate from one’s property. The pest control person becomes your best friend. About every three months, he is needed to get rid of the most recent infestation.

Which is better? The fire ant or crazy ant? Until the crazy ant arrives, we will not know. From what I understand, the fire ant will have been a picnic. We will regret its departure.

One last crazy ant observation. Jeff Zucker is an ant expert. The scientist stated in a recent article that the crazy ant is the “…..single most difficult ant to control in the southeast.”

Man cannot win.

I enjoyed a unique experience last night. I was not that hungry. Stopped into the Hot Tin Roof. Ordered six oysters. I have not had oysters in years. When I finished the first six, I ordered another six.

That good! Big and juicy!

Stopped into the Chart Room first. Emily, Peter and Jean Thornton there. Plus four strangers. English friends John and Ali stopped in to say hello.

Apparently the Chart Room never closed down. A good thing!

Many employees have been let go and replaced. From what I understand, the whole security team, except for one. The parking lot attendant. Top echelon, of course. And others.

Began my yesterday with the Key West Lou Legal Hour. My tv/internet show. Went well.

Post show comment indicated two topics garnered the most interest.

The first was Benghazi. I did not get into the details. We have heard them repeated for months. I conveyed a simple observation. Twenty 6 year olds were killed in Newtown. Four Americans in Benghazi. Congress has spent significant time arguing Benghazi’s event. Little regarding Newtown. They even failed to vote for a new and simple gun control law.

Our politicians’ priorities are screwed up!

The other involved Syria. Whether government or rebel forces, they are crazy. Both sides behead. Assad’s group gang rape rebel  2-11 year olds.

I made mention of the film wh ich was all overthe internet this week. The video of a rebel leader cutting the heart out of an enemy soldier and eating it. While the crowd behind him shouted in their language…..God is Great!

My point. These are crazy people. Let us not get involved. They have been killing each other for hundreds of years. They are different from us, have different values.

In my opinion, Syria is not worth one American life.

Grocery shopped after the show. I always seem to be grocery shopping.

I spent most of the afternoon writing next week’s column for KONK Life. Stay Out Of Syria. Basically consistent with my comments made earlier in the day.

My tv/internet show is You Tubed. It has also been recorded and will run at 4:30 today on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBERT!

 

One of the nice things about living in Key West…..I saw the sun rising this morning. A bright golden ball.

The band is playing. The drums roaring. Today is grandson Robert’s ninth birthday! An event! We celebrate tonight with dinner and cake. This will be Jake’s first birthday party. I wonder how he will react.

Nine years ago today was a tragedy. Robert was born…..with cancer of the liver. The tumor larger than his liver. Robert had two major surgeries the first 8 days of his life. At Miami Children’s Hospital. A great place.

Robert is ok today. You would never know he came into this world facing great odds.

I have yet to buy my grandson a birthday present. As soon as I finish this blog, I will be off on the search. Not easy in Key West. Stores are limited for a gift for a 9 year old. For me it will be K-Mart and Sears. Ain’t no place else to go!

Yesterday’s Key West Citizen in its historical Key West section made mention of Thelma Strabel, a book she wrote, and her obtaining a building permit to build a home in Key West. The year was 1940.

What captured my attention was the name of book. Reap The Wild Wind. It was made into a movie. I recall it clearly. About salvaging out of Key West back when. John Wayne and Paulette Goddard starred in the film.

I have seen the movie. I did not like it. The reason simple. John Wayne played a bad guy. The only John Wayne movie where he was not a hero. It did not fit his mold.

Reap The Wild Wind was written in 1940. Made into the movie mentioned in 1942.

Thelma Strabel scored with the book! The Saturday Evening Post serialized it. The movie followed.

Strabel took the Saturday Evening Post monies and built a home at 400 South Street. It became the southernmost house in the United States. Her property attracted visitors galore.

400 south Street was supposedly the last house on the block. Looking south, a person could almost see Cuba.

Strabel’s home no longer exists. It was torn down by a subsequent purchaser and a larger home built.

I am not sure exactly where 400 south Street is. I do not know if the number still exists. I assume it is whatever the last house is on South Street. Next to the present day tourist attraction recognizing the spot as the southern most point in the United States. Today or soon, I am going to go to that point and see if I can locate a #400. I will share my finding with you.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou last night. My blog talk radio show. Loved doing it! Glad many of you are listening via the internet. The show is archived and can be heard anytime.

I spent yesterday afternoon working on last night’s show. Breaking news daily so there is always last minute adding, detracting, and/or editing to be done.

Monday night I had dinner at Hot Tin Roof. With three lovely ladies. All related. Jenna and her Mom and Aunt who were visiting. I had a wonderful time. How could I miss? The only man in the company of three women!

I have done two recent blogs regarding the Pier House. Zeroed in on the Chart Room and Wine Galley. I am absolutely amazed at the response. Everyone loves the Pier House! Especially the Chart Room! All are saddened by the sale. All hope the two special rooms remain as is and open.

Enjoy your day!

 

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

 

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!

 

MEDICAL REPATRIATION

 

There is a new term out there. Few have heard it. Many will as time goes on.

It is medical repatriation.

Formal sounding. Serious in its implications.

I spoke of medical repatriation on the Key West Lou Legal Hour yesterday. The term involves illegal persons and hospital bills.

The law in the United States is that a hospital is required to care for an injured or sick person till that person is “stabilized.” Not cured. Regardless of ability to pay. Until recently, hospitals have been caring for illegal persons till cured. The result was increased billing to those who had the ability to pay. An unfair but Christian like approach.

Medicaid does not pay the medical bills of those illegally in the United States.

Hospitals have begun to change the format for handling illegals. Now they hire a plane and ship these still sick persons back to their country of origin. The expense of the plane is on the hospital. It is cheaper for a hospital to go this route rather than absorb the balance of a cure bill and rehabilitation.

A recent case involves two Mexican illegals who were working. Their employer provided each with a $100,000 medical policy. The two men had an automobile accident resulting in serious brain injuries. The $100,000 per person was eaten up in less than one week. The hospital flew them back to Mexico on the eleventh day. While both were comatose, a state they had been in since the happening of the accident.

Bad business! Such conduct sets a precedent for a hospital to throw the sick out when the money runs out. I am talking about U.S. citizens who are sick and have no insurance or have insurance that has run out.

I fear that what happens to others today, will happen to us tomorrow.

I discussed the above on my tv/internet show yesterday.

Afterwards, I hurried home to write next week’s column for KONK Life. Vengeance Is Mine Sayeth The Lord. It has to do with the 19 year old Boston bomber and forgiveness. Cardinal O’Malley last week said we should forgive. I say no! Execute him! After a fair trial, of course.

From my previous writings and shows, you are aware that I am against the death penalty. My concern is that an innocent person could be put to death. The system is not perfect. However with the Boston bomber the story is different. From the videos, pictures, television and everything else, there is no question of guilt. Guilt for a horrific and heinous crime. Let him die!

The Chart Room last night was crowded and fun. Jean Thornton invited me to watch the Great Sea Battle from the porch of the Hot Tin Roof with some others. She was buying. I could not refuse such a generous offer from such a beautiful lady.

We ate and drank and watched the Conch Republic win another battle against the forces of the United States. There was no way the Conch Republic was going to lose. Four airplanes. Two bi of World War I vintage, another post World War II, and a sea plane. All dropping unfurling toilet paper rolls as bombs. Biodegradable, I might add.

The U.S. Navy had two jets flying over. No competition for the four Conch planes.

Four pirate ships made up the Conch Navy. Frankie is Admiral. The pirates were appropriately dressed.

The United States was represented by a small 14 foot power boat with a red stripe on the side. No competition. Sequestration prevented the Coast Guard cutter from participating.

The bombs fell, the pirate ship guns hosed the 14 foot power boat and threw cabbage, tomatoes and eggs at it.

The war was easily won.

Stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Erika, Hershel, Michael, Don, and Stephanie in attendance. Erika’s brother was there. He has just returned from six years in South Korea. He taught English. He had many interesting stories to share.

The weather continues to be magnificent. Several people commented last night that yesterday had been one of Key West’s best days.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

KEY WEST LOU TV SHOW TOMORROW

 

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

Stimulating topics. Like the Boston bombings from several different perspectives, the New England-New Jersey tsunami risk, a dirty Tulsa dentist and an equally dirty Philadelphia doctor, food poisonings on the rise, Congress mini-managing rather than legislating, an NRA tee shirt gets an eighth grader suspended from school and arrested, kilts enhancing sperm count, more avalanches, the TSA pocket knife issue, FBI arresting the wrong person in ricin case, and more.

One of the more includes U.S. hospitals shipping immigrant patients back to their home countries to avoid the hospitals getting stuck with non-covered medical costs. The hospitals even pay for their flights to where ever they came from. An example of care being overridden by cost. A shame situation.

The show can be seen on television from Key West through Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. On the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

Again, 10 tomorrow morning.

I trimmed my beard yesterday. All of it. By myself. First time. I have been doing part and Lori part. I figured it was time for me to do it all. Came out good!

It was wonderful getting out last night!

My evening started at Don’s Place. Don, Jimmy, Hershel and another person playing cards at the bar. Erika having a drink. I stayed a while. It felt good being there.

Then to the Chart Room.

Emily had the popcorn waiting. Finger licking good! Just enough butter and salt.

Kisses from Sheila and Jean who were sitting at the bar.

Buffalo friends and Key West lovers Tom and Karen Dixon were in. Spent some time with them. Good people. Good company. It is a family trip for the Dixons. Met their daughter and her husband. They have a son here also. Did not meet him. He was in bed resting from the rigors of Key West.

Dinner at the Hot Tin Roof with Jean and Frankie. Dined with celebrities last night. Jean is Key West’s  Golden Girl. Frankie is the Admiral of the Conch Republic Navy.

This is Conch Republic Week. The nation that seceded has survived 31 years.

Big doings tonight. The parade down Duval. Described as the World’s Largest. People step off the curbs, come out of restaurants, etc. to join in the walk.

I made a mistake yesterday. Misinformed you. The Conch Republic Sea Battle is not saturday. It is friday. Tomorrow night. At 7. Get to the gulf side of the island early to get a good spot to watch from. The event is very much worth seeing.

Bocce tonight. I missed last week. I am anxious to play tonight. I was advised our team won only one game last week. Probably because I was not there. Only joking! We are not doing well this season. I doubt we will make the play offs. But…..We are having fun!

Larry Smith will not be playing tonight. He has a special show at the Wine Galley. I attended his last special event. Terrific! Limited seating, an admission fee, great entertainment. I recommend the event to all.

Enjoy your day!

 

SYRACUSE…..SYRACUSE……SYRACUSE…..SYRACUSE…..

There is much I could lead off with this morning. Like Easter Sunday or Donna and Terri. However, Syracuse dominates!

The 55-39 victory over Marquette tops everything. A real WOW! I am obviously a Syracuse fan. My blood runs orange. I must admit that I shed a tear or two at the end of the game. Players and Coach Boeheim deserved the glory which accompanied the victory.

On to the Final Four!

I must be candid. I have not been impressed with the team this season. Syracuse started well. Began dying in the middle of the season. Experienced a total collapse at the end of the season. March Madness marks a rebirth. I am going to say it. If Syracuse can play as they have defensively the past three games, it will be Syracuse all the way!

I hope my new found confidence does not jinx the team.

Now for Easter.

Happy Easter!

Things change. Such is life. I can recall when everyone dressed for Easter. Women in hats, men in suits. It was the holiday where I was sure my parents would buy me new clothes. People walked the streets showing off their finery. People crammed the churches. No more.

Change is one of the two certainties in life. The other is death.

Lisa is doing a big Easter morning brunch. All kind of goodies I suspect. Immediately preceding will be the egg hunt for the grandkids in the yard. Jake will get himself involved some how.

I could not attend. Business first. On Easter Sunday morning. I had an 8:30 computer/telephone conference with the blog talk radio people. The audio problem is resolved. So I was told. It tested ok this morning. This blog was next on the agenda. The brunch and egg hunt missed. I do not feel bad. I have seen and/or participated in enough of them over the years. Only the grandkids’ excitement is missed. The food I do not care about.

Tonight, Easter Sunday supper. Lisa tells me manicotti and ham. Cheesecake for desert. I am looking forward to the meal!

I stopped my diet at 22 pounds. Have been watching myself since. I keep losing weight. It has been about two months since I ended the diet. Weight loss is up to 33 pounds. I am not sick. Rather, I do not believe so. I am in the midst of my annual physical. Told the doctor and nurse about the weight loss. When I was in to see the Doctor last November I weighed 251. Today 214.  Tomorrow, the second half of my physical. If anything is wrong, it will show up. I attribute additional weight loss to having been a good boy eating wise!

Donna and Terri last night! They refer to themselves as my lesbian wives. A compliment from my perspective.

The ladies are in for one week. Seder time. They now live in Los Angeles. Terri also has a booking in Florida. Tomorrow night and Tuesday evening she sings at the Crest Theatre in Delray Beach. My friends in that area, go see her perform. She will knock your socks off!

Terri’s is an amazing story. Several years ago, she was homeless. Sleeping on a bench in New York City’s Washington Square Park, washing in McDonald’s. Today she is a star! Big time! Happily married to Donna.

Terri and Donna love Louis and Louis loves them.

Dinner was at the Hot Tin Roof. A long slow one. We had much catching up to do.

Afterwards, we stopped at the Chart Room for a drink. A mistake. Except for JJ bartending, I knew no one. The place was packed. All tourists. We sat at the round table.

Several couples vacationing from Michigan were at the Chart Room. Mid 30s to mid 40s. All obviously drunk. One of the guys got out of hand with Donna. He wanted to touch her privates. The southern one. He was persistent. I thought I was going to have to get up and protect Donna’s virginity. I should have known better.

Donna can be a sharp tongued Jewish woman when the occasion requires. Last night did. She put the drunk down quietly and masterfully. I did not have to get my ass kicked.

Enjoy the holiday!