GRANDKIDS ON STAGE AT MONTESSORI

Posted on by

I am up very early this morning. I have to be at Montessori at 9:30. Montessori has what might be described as a Halloween educational parade. Each student is dressed as an historical figure. Each must give a recitation as to who they are and what their costume person accomplished in life.

Robert is Michael Phelps. A gold medal is part of his costume. Ally is Clara Barton.

Ally read some where that Clara Barton founded the Red Cross. She wanted to be Clara Barton. Her dissertation will include Sandy and how the Red Cross is helping. It was a stretch to have Ally fit Sandy into her material. Both Robert and Ally are too young to appreciate the significance of the hurricane.

A different morning today. Next to no breeze and the water calm. The lack of breeze and water movement means that Sandy has defintely left us. As recent as yesterday, the wind was strong.

I walked Key Haven yesterday morning. First time in a while. All six blocks. The wind bent me a bit when I did Floral. On one side of Floral sits the Gulf. Less than ten feet from the road. No homes to block the wind.

It was a working afternoon. Jenna and Sloan with me. At separate times. Jenna early afternoon. Sloan came at five and stayed until after six.

Key West seemed too far away when my work day was done. I was tired. I washed my face and headed over to Hogfish. Enjoyed a couple of drinks at the bar and a sandwich. Hogfish. Read the newspapers.

Have to move my ass now. I do not wish to be late for Robert and Ally’s performance. If late, Robert and Ally would be anxiously looking for me and Lisa would chastise me.

Enjoy your day!

THEO ACCEPTS PAINTING COMMISSIONS

Posted on by

Sandyy a WOW!

I was hooked on the storm. Stayed in last night glued to the TV. Went to bed. Could not sleep. I was up all night following the storm.

What can I say? What can anyone say? A major disaster. Most people seem to be handling the storm effectively from the President to local fire fighters.

I was particularly impressed with New Jersey’s Governor Christie. He was on the front lines. On TV last night, he was soaking wet from the rain. I am beginning to think he is a class guy. He gave President Obama credit for his help thus far. No politics here. One responsible person helping another. A responsible person acknowledging the help.

Apparently, Atlantic City’s Mayor Langford screwed up. He told Atlantic City residents not to evacuate. Instead, he sent them to shelters. Christie was pissed off big time at the Mayor’s action.

There are many stories coming to our attention this morning on a rapid basis.

One spoke tons about Sandy’s strength. Sandy picked up railroad box cars from a siding and dumped them on the New Jersey Turnpike. Christie said cranes were working this morning to lift them off the highway.

Key West has a reputation for hurricanes. In my time here, I have never seen anyuthing to compare to Sandy. The last big time destructive hurricane was the category 5 1935 one which leveled Key West.

I did get out and about a bit yesterday.

Started with a noon manicure at Lee Nails. Love Tammy! Her poor husband was walking around with a soft cast on the bottom half of his leg. He broke the leg. Tammy said he got up off a chair and had pain. Turned out to be a fracture.

Walked Smathers Beach a bit. Then sat on one of the benches facing the ocean. Nothing but blue water as far as the eyes could see. Turned into soul searching time for me.

Then to the Plantation Coffee House. I like the place. Comfortable. Relaxing. Good people running it. Diane and Theo.

Diane was working when I arrived. No Theo. A little later I was sitting on the porch reading when Theo came up the steps. He was carrying a painting. About 3′ x 4′. It was of a Key West home. I told him how terrific it looked. I also asked who painted it. Turns out it was Theo. I did not know he painted. The painting was a commission. His first. He was excited. Diane was excited.

If any of you are considering a commissioned piece, check with Theo. Excellent work reasonably priced.

I spent part of the afternoon writing. First for friday’s internet show. Then did this week’s KONK Life article. Different Strokes For Different Countries. A take off on different strokes for different folks. Involved Greece, Italy, China, and the United States.

Busy day ahead for me. Jenna coming over at 1:30 to work with me. Then Sloan at 5. Hopefully, I will get out tonight.

Enjoy your day!

IT’S ALL SANDY!

Posted on by

It’s all Sandy! Everything! The storm dominates the news. Even places the Presidential campaign on a back burner.

No wonder. Sandy is described as a superstorm. A big name! I do not recall any hurricane being so described in the 20 odd years I have had to deal with them.

In Key west, we have become accustomed to taking hurricane warnings with a grain of salt. There is always much pre storm hype. Then the storm turns and nothing happens. Hurricanes are fickle. They have been known to change course on a dime.

I do not think this one is fickle. Sandy is headed directly for the northeast. Right now it appears New Jersey and New York will experience the brunt of the storm. Though we never know for certain. Other states may come in for worse.

Sandy is a big girl! With a waist line to boot! Huge! She covers a geographically wide area.

It has been suggested Sandy will sit for a couple of days when it hits land. Sitting means it will stay over an area and not move. The worst from a mental perspective! Dark, windy and rainy outside. You stuck inside. With one mental focus: When will it end?

Point Pleasant and Ocean City are mentioned as places on the Jersey Shore where Sandy will make first land entry. I know Point Pleasant well. Summer vactioned there with the family for several years. Visted Ocean City once. In Maryland. Beautiful beaches. Perdue chicken farms blanket the area. I saw them and smelled them. I do not know what is going to be done with all the chickens to protect them.

Snow, too! My home town Utica in upstate New York is going to be buried. It is a northeaster joining with Sandy. Coupled with cold Artic air from the north.

New York City and its Battery will experience flooding as well as wind damage. Sandy is anticipated to hit at high tide which will make the floodiong even worse. Then will come the surge. Poor New York!

This storm of storms is still being felt here in Key West. Though minimally. A few days ago the wind was coming from the north and north east. The direct off spring of Sandy. Starting yesterday afternoon, the wind was and still is coming from the north west. Every time there is a northeasterly, the wind comes from the northwest. The northeaster is moving into the northeast and will join up with Sandy. A marriage of two giants!

It is also cool this morning. High 60s. Why, I am not sure. Could just be a cold front coming in.

I did not feel well yesterday. A touch of something. Spent the day laying around. Never left the house.

I feel fine this morning.

Enjoy your day!

SANDY UPDATE

Posted on by

As Sandy heads for landfall in New Jersey and New York, its effects are still evident in Key West.

The weather was beautiful yesterday. No clouds. Sunny all day. Mid 80s. The one exception was the wind. It was cut in half to about 25 miles per hour from the previous day. Held steady all day. Blowing a bit less this morning.

I have two large flower pots, one on each side of the glass sliding doors leading to the deck. Filled with dirt. Rather than flowers, they have some green plant that is not affected by the salt the ocean throws at us daily. The pots are exceptionally heavy because of the dirt. I have never been able to lift them.

Yesterday, when the wind was cut in half, both pots were blown over. One broke. It had to be the wind. However, the wind was not as bad as the day before. I concluded the wind direction had changed. Not much. But enough to knock the pots over. A first! The pots have been sitting there for ten years.

I have lived long enough in Key West to have experienced a few hurricanes. I want to share some advise with my friends up north as to what to do.

1. If you know you are going to be in the path of a bad one, get out! Simply stated. It is too late when the storm hits.

2. If you remain, fill your bath tub with water. To flush the toilets. The sewers may not function. Nature does, however. The ability to flush is required.

3. Your power will go off. There will be no electric. Maybe no gas. It may be intermintent or for a few days. You must be prepared for any such eventuality.

4. Have at least 3 flashlights. Make sure they work. Even if they do, buy new batteries.

5. You need candles. There will be times you will live like Abraham Lincoln in his youth. That means matches or a lighter, also.

6. Drinking water. Buy a lot of bottled water.

7. Food. Remember, your power will be off. You do not know how long. Buy only foods that need not be cooked nor kept in the refrigerator. Your refrigerator will be useless to you also if power is off for an extended period. You need foods like crackers, cookies, peanut butter. Whatever requires no preparation. Purchase also canned foods that need not be heated. Like sardines. Make sure you have a can opener. Popeye you are not.

8. There is a small radio that operates on batteries. It is strictly for emergency purposes. It will provide weather reports, hurricane news, and updated survival advice. Nothing else. One can be bought at a Home Depot or similar store.

9. Stay in. Do not go out. You could end up in Missouri.

Last night was the big Fantasy Fest parade. I did not go. When you have seen as many as I have, you can skip a year or two occasionally.

I headed for the Chart Room early. Before 5. I wanted to get in and out. The streets would soon be blocked off. I stayed for a couple of drinks and fun conversation with Captain Peter, Sean and Katherine. Peter was going to skip the parade also. Sean and Katherine were dressed as Swiss yoddelers. They looked good! They were headed for a party at La Concha.

Many tourists in the Chart Room. In and out. All dressed in costumes. All having fun. It was another evening when the elctricity could be felt in the air.

When I drove out of the Pier House parking lot, Front Street was blocked at its intersection with Simonton. I was stuck for the parade. I would not be able to get out till at least midnight. Necessity is the mother of invention. I got out of the car, moved the barricade, drove through, then got out again and returned the barricade to its proper position. Fortunately, there were no police officers nearby.

I stopped at Don’s Place. Parade traffic no problem at Don’s. Many costumed people. Drinking and playing pool. Soon to leave to walk to the parade. The same electricity again.

I kissed and hugged Joanie. Danced a bit with her. Said hello to Jimmy. Greeted Boomer. Chatted a while with Kurt.

Then to Outback for dinner.

I was home in bed before 8:30. Watched two terrific football games. Alabama continues on its role to a national championship. Notre Dame looked fantastic. A great college football year.

Must hurry. Want to watch Meet the Press.

Enjoy your Sunday!

BREASTS…..THE FEMALE KIND

Posted on by

I got eye strain last night. Bad!

I walked Duval from the Pier House to 801 and back. Naked breasts galore! Spray painted or with pasties. Some ladies even painted their privates.

It was a good night to be a man!

Sandy was still affecting Key West. Winds and a light rain. The winds are cut in half this morning. Down to 20 miles per hour. A few scattered clouds. White ones. Not gray or black. Palm trees no longer bending. Sun bright already.

The bullet missed us again. Fortuantely. I fear for those up north where ever Sandy hits. Sandy is a triple cocktail. The hurricane, a northeaster and an Artic cold front all coming together. A first! All three have never joined before. Even the experts are not sure how bad Sandy will be.

To my friends north of me, listen to what you are told to do. Get ready. Sandy will not be a joke once it hits.

I was enjoying doing the internet show yesterday morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Love doing it. About 35 minutes into the show, everything went crazy. A song came on. A 4.5 minute one. I good not get rid of it. I was alone in the studio. An engineer I am not. I assumed my face could still be seen. No voice, however. Just the music. I said screw it and waved good bye to everyone.

Though shorter than normal, the show did arouse significant interest with one topic. Sandy! Hurricanes are interesting and serious business.

After the show, I stopped at the Plantation Coffee House. Read the newspapers and enjoyed a coffee. The place was packed. Fantasy Fest. Sandy also helped get people into Plantation. The dark clouds and rain kept visitors off the beaches.

Diane was working. Swift and hard. Lovely as usual. She must have gotten sun earlier in the week. What a tan!

Ally telephoned while I was at the Coffee House. No school yesterday because of Sandy. Poppa, will you take me and Robert to lunch at the new Five Guys? Of course. What else would I say. I was pleased she asked.

We have a new Five Guys in Key West. A big one. In the Winn-Dixie Plaza. Real big! Packed. It was lunch time. The line about 20 deep at all times. Moved fast, however. There is twice the staff as the one at Truman and Duval.

We each had a small bacon cheeseburger and a cheese hot dog. Robert and Ally said they were still hungry after downing the burgers so we tried the hot dogs. These grandkids of mine have healthy appetites!

My evening started at the Chart Room. Emily working. These are big nights for her. Peter and Ollie there also. Chatted a bit with each.

Then I took the trek down Duval where my eyes were hanging out of my head. Evryone in a festive mood. Some in wheel chairs. Some of the ladies in the chairs proudly exhibiting their twin sisters. Good for them, I thought!

I was hungry. It was back to the Pier House for me. I ate at the Wine Galley. Enjoyed Larry Smith while dining. A good crowd in the Wine Galley. Mostly locals. Exchanged a lot of hugs and hellos.

The parade tonight. Fifty to 60 floats participating. Tomorrow’s newspaper will tell us 80,000 people watched the parade. I believe the figure. Key West will be busting at the seams tonight. The parade is the big event of Fantasy Fest.

I wonder every year where they all sleep. There are not 80,000 rooms in Key West. Not even 40,000. If you drive half way up the keys, like 60 miles, there are still not enough rooms. Some will sleep on the beaches. Some in their cars and vans. Where do the rest go? The question perplexes me every year.

Enjoy your day!