A DISAPPOINTING ISAAC

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Isaac never made it as predicted. Not even a limp dick.

Isaac started around 1 yesterday afternoon. The winds picked up. Rain a steady drizzle. By 2, Issac was blowing. A swift wind. The rain continued  a steady drizzle. By 6, it was all over. The worst of Issac had passed Key West by.

Isaac never achieved the intensity predicted.

Good. No question about it. I would rather have it this way all the time. Preparation no problem. We have become accustomed to it. Better safe than sorry.

I do not think Isaac ever achieved hurricane level. It stayed a tropical storm. Fortunately!

Winds yesterday were generally 40 miles an hour. Gusts may have gotten up to 60.

I just walked out the back door onto the deck. A beautiful morning! Sun shining. Scattered clouds. Warm. Wind blowing. About 20 miles per hour. I suspect we will have rain off and on today.

Television reporting regarding Isaac sucked. Hype! All the time!

TV continued reporting….. IT IS COMING! THE BIG ONE! Then a nothing comparatively as yesterday turned out. I felt sorry for Al Roker. He was standing on the Weston Pier saying it is coming. It never came. The picture behind him was one of basic calm.

I went out on my deck around 3. During the height of the storm. Normally, I would not be able to do it. I would be swept up by the wind and my body would become a flying missile. They would probably find me in New Orleans.

My walk on the deck was uneventful. A strong, but not overwhelming, wind. My body did not even bend with it. A steady drizzle.

The only problem I encountered during all of Isaac was TV. During the height of the storm, my TV went off 3 times. For only 5 minutes each time.

It will take Adam a couple of days to get here to take off the plywood panels covering the doors and windows. The grandkids, Corey and I threw the deck furniture in the pool. It will be Adam’s responsibility to get it out. It is much harder to take out than throw in.

The one good thing about Isaac were the experiences Robert and Ally enjoyed and will remember. Their first hurricane. They will never forget the joy of tossing deck furniture in the pool.

Enjoy your day!

IT’S ALL ISSAC !!!

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It has started. During the night. Issac’s precursor. Forty mile winds and rain.

Issac is not scheduled to hit till sometime tomorrow evening or early Monday morning. By that time it will be a 1. Possibly a 2. Winds around 75-85 miles per hour, if a 1. Around a 100,  if a 2.

A pain in the ass! A bit of fear and trepidation is starting to set in. It is the unknown.

Complacency is evident. Reflected by all of us who live in the lower keys. It has been six years since the last hurricane hit. There have been numerous since, but none that affected us. Most hurricanes start out heading directly for Key West. People are told to evacuate. Hotels and businesses close down. Then the path of the storm deviates and it does not hit.

We thought Issac was going to be another one of those misses. Does not look that way at this point. Headed directly for Key West! Passing right over us!

No problem if Issac is merely a tropical storm or 1. A bit of a problem if a 2. But we will survive. If a 3, we are in trouble. A 4 or 5 and we could be dead.

Issac is projected to become a 1 before it hits Key West. Hurricanes are fickle. They change swiftly. Direction and speed. Could be a 2.

I started preparing yesterday.

Water is important. The water system breaks down or gets contaminated. Publix had little water left. I should be ok. I have about 60 regular size bottles and 2 gallon jugs. I will fill the bathtub with water tomorrow morning. If the water system breaks down, the toilets do not flush. That is the reason for the bathtub water.

I bought all kinds of goodies to eat that do not need to be refrigerated. The electricity is sure to go. If down a substantial time, everything in refrigerators and freezers spoil. There are few stoves, etc. run by gas. Electric is generally used. Cannot cook.

So it is peanut butter, crackers, cookies, tinned fruits that need not be refrigerated, bananas, apples, cakes, canned sodas, etc. Neither a normal not healthy diet. But hurricane time is sort of party time, so what the hell!

Today the windows must be boarded. The wind at the moment will not make it easy. I never purchased hurricane shutters. I have sheets of plywood I have used for years. They are marked as to which window or door. Adam will screw them in. By some point this afternoon, every window and door in my home will be covered, except for a small door leading to the deck. There has to be  a way in and out. It will be dark dark inside.

I purchased two additional flashlights yesterday at Home Depot. I have a ton of candles. Again, the electricity will probably go. Which means no TV also.

All deck furniture will be thrown in the pool. That is how it is done. Garbage pails and other incidental items will be stacked in the garage.

Then I will be ready!

Oh, I forgot. No air conditioning if the electric power goes. Very uncomfortable!

I have a party tonight. Though the one I am attending was planned, there will be many pre hurricane parties. That is how locals react.

Tonight is Lobsterfest at the Yacht Club. I am throwing a small party. Ten guests. It was supposed to be outside. Has been moved inside. Should be fun. I will bitch big time as I drive in and from the Yacht Club. Because of the rain and wind. It will be…..Louis. you are stupid…..you should have stayed home!

One other comment of note. Yesterday’s show was terrific. People are very much into the Todd Akin rape controversy. I spent about 20 minutes on the issue. Revealed the “doctor” authority Akin was relying upon. There are two. One is a medical school professor who takes the position rape sperm and the woman’s egg do not unite. He says generally ovulation does not occur in a rape situation. His authority are Nazi studies done during World War II at extermination camps.

Women were grouped together who were due to ovulate. They were placed in gas chambers. Everything was as if they were to be executed. But they were not. They screamed and reacted as if it was the real thing. They did not know. They were then retested and most had not ovulated.

Sick.

Ok…..this is it! Bring on your worst Issac. We are ready for you!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

BOCCE RETURNS !

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Bocce is back!

Last night was the start of a new season.

We won 2 out of 3 games. Normally, we would be proud. We should have won all 3.

Most of the players on the other team were young and had never played before. One was a 12 year old girl. We won big the first two games. By 10 points plus. The third game we lost. 16-14. Because of the 12 year old girl! She was deadly! Made four impossible shots. Brought us to our knees.

It was hard to believe. I kept thinking…..Here I am 77 years old and a 12 year old novice is taking me and my team to task!

Such is life.

My bocce team has a new name. Don’s Place. Previously, we had played as D & D. Larry Smith’s team was known as Don’s Place. We are having a minor internal bocce war. Don wanted his name back. Larry renamed his team Not Don’s Place.

An example of why Key West is such a fun place to live.

This morning is show time! The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten this morning my time. World wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

It has been a wild week! Man’s foolishness evident all over the place. Such become today’s topics.

I will start with hurricanes and Issac. At this point, I doubt it will be bad. However, the winds are already blowing this morning. The palm trees are starting to bend. And Issac is not expected till Monday morning.

Other topics include types of rape, the basis of Todd Akin’s beliefs regarding rape, some Todd Akin background, Republican inconsistency, a Texas judge warning of a possible civil war if Obama wins, the word hell denying a high school senior her diploma, corporations not only not paying taxes but receiving significant refunds, and an example of why we sometimes live in a sick society. Plus more.

All topics timely and interesting. Certain challenging.

My day yesterday started with a morning haircut with Lori. She spent considerable time trimming my beard. It was getting out of control.

Then ran several quick errands.

The afternoon was spent fine tuning this morning’s show.

Last night was bocce which I have already reported.

A full day.

Enjoy your day!

 

HEART OK / ISSAC COMING

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Saw my heart doctor yesterday. Test results ok. Nothing different from last year’s tests. No new heart problems.

Why the pain? It has been more frequent this week. Doctor thinks it may be gastric. Two new pills added to my daily regimen.

It has been six years. Six calm years. No hurricanes. Issac is around the corner. Probably a Monday arrival.

Will it hit Key West? Present projections have Issac coming right over us. I think we are in for a bit of trouble.

Hurricanes are fickle. They move suddenly in a different direction. Hope it happens this time. The projected lines make me uncomfortable.

Presently, Issac is either a tropical storm or about to become one. That we could handle. It is thought Issac will be a 1 when it hits. One not bad. Maybe a 2.  Not bad again. With either, I and every one else in Key West will be staying.

The problem is that a 1 or 2 can suddenly become a 3. Then we would be in trouble. The die will have been cast, however. We will be stuck here.

The Yacht Club for dinner last night. With Sean and Katherine Kinney.

Sean and Katherine married two months ago. I could not attend. I was away in Europe. Last night’s dinner was my acknowledgement of their marriage.

Some of us had stuffed florida lobster. Others, steak. Both good.

Howard Livingston was at the bar when we arrived. Good friend, Howard. The problem is we rarely see each other. We hugged and chatted  briefly. Howard was with Paul Toppino and others. Howard’s group was concerned about Issac. As we all are.

I did not have dessert at the Yacht Club. On the way home, a desire for ice cream hit me. I stopped at Publix. Bought cappuccino fudge. Ate two dishes  when I got home.

This morning a haircut. Lori. Going to trim the beard a bit. It is starting to get unruly.

I found another company that made big dollars in profit and paid no tax. Travelers Companies. The President is Jay S. Fishman. He was paid $15,837,099 last year. Good for him! He is not my concern. It is the tax Travelers did not pay. Travelers paid no tax. Got a refund!  $176 million.

Something wrong here. It appears the United States survives on the taxes paid by the middle and low income classes. These two groups support the government. Big companies such as Travelers do not.

Something wrong with that scenario.

Enjoy your day!