CHICKENS / IGUANAS, NO…..DUCKS, YES

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Chickens and iguanas abound in Key west. Ducks a bit rare. I ran into a family of ducks yesterday.

I was driving on Grinnell. All of a sudden, ducks appeared crossing the street. A mother duck and five ducklings. All in a straight line, mother leading. I beeped the horn. They ignored me. I stopped and beeped the horn again. Still no reaction. The mother led her brood across the street as if she had not a care in the world.

Chickens and iguanas on the other hand run like hell to get out of the way.

I have been cleaning house a bit. Came across a brand new easel. It was a gift some dozen years ago when I decided I would return to painting. Something I had done for two years in the early 1960’s. By the time the easel arrived, I had painted a few canvases and decided whatever talent I thought I had was non existent. The easel never got used.

Granddaughter Ally is 9. She is into painting. One of her recent birthday gifts was a very good set of paints and brushes. She recently did a small painting of the ocean and a boat which she gave me. I was impressed. Yesterday, Ally stopped over. I made her day. I gave her the easel.

Last week, I stopped at Ben Franklin and bought her a pallet. This week I plan to sit with her a bit and show her how to mix colors with white and explain why.

The pool is fixed and filled. Some pea soup. Pool groom came over and shocked it. Should be crystal clear in a day or two.

Spent most of the afternoon yesterday watching golf and college football.

Last night was dinner at Roostica with Keith and Jennifer. Two interesting young people. Hard workers. We had a good time. Roostica also gave me an opportunity to treat my back medicinally with several gins. I do not drink at home.

Daytime was spent with the heating pad as often as possible. Last night the gins. My back was ok when I hit the bed. I slept well. Woke with no back pain.

I have had a bad back for years. I have learned that back ache/spasms come on suddenly and leave just as suddenly. I hope the present episode is behind me.

If the problem returns, I will take the advice of the many who wrote and recommended ice. I am not yet ready to take the advice of those who said see a doctor. I can be hard headed.

Enjoy your Sunday!

A LIZARD IN THE HOUSE

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There was a lizard in my kitchen yesterday. I was not sure at the moment precisely what it was. However, no question it was a member of the lizard family.

I was working at the counter in the kitchen on tonight’s blog talk radio show. I happened to look up. There at the far end of the kitchen was this reptile of old sitting. I yelled hoping to scare him. I did. He scooted off as fast as he could.

I had seen him/her before. For a couple of months, in my garage. Running around. I was not concerned. Figured it was a good neighbor. Ate the bugs.

Somehow junior got in my kitchen. Probably the other day when I left the door connecting the house and garage open in order to bring in the groceries.

The garage was ok for the reptile. Not the house itself.

I opened the door to the deck and got a dust mop. The lizard was hiding behind a plastic garbage bag. In ten seconds, prodding him delicately, I had the lizard out the door and running like hell!

The body of the lizard was 6-8 inches. Plus, a curled tail of 4 inches. Light to dark green in collar. Sort of fat. The body was like a thick cigar. About 1.5-2 inches in diameter. The body smooth.

What was it? At first I thought a gecko. A member of the lizard family, also. Too large and the color too dark. Then I considered an iguana. A lizard, also. No way. None of those things sticking out of the head and body.

Keith and Jenn stopped over for a while. I told them about my lizard experience. Did they know what it was? No. However, an hour later Jenn e-mailed me and said a rock lizard. She gets the prize! I looked rock lizard up on the internet and there it was. There are many species of rock lizard. My visitor fit one of the pictures.

Can you imagine waking in the middle of the night with one of those things running across the bed covers?

I finalized my blog talk radio show for tonight in the morning. Half the show will be dedicated to unholy police activities in recent years. A discussion of beheadings. My thoughts on chasing IS into Syria.

Overall, an interesting and thought provocative show. Join me. You will enjoy. Nine in the evening my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Ray the pool man came over in the morning. Fixed the motor. No big deal. A joint blew out. Pool wall needs a little something to cover the seam opening. This will be done sometime in the next few days.

Lisa and the grandkids took me to dinner last night. Roostica. Robert and Ally did the pizza dough thing at the table. I helped to flatten the dough even more after they were done. Robert showed me how to do it. You make your hand into a fist and pound.

Three pizzas were ordered. Lisa wanted pizza also. The grandkids’ pizza was the same size as an adult one. I wanted baked ziti and wings. We had too much food!

I took the leftovers home. I could have a pizza party with what is in my refrigerator. I did. This morning. I had a cold slice for breakfast. First time in years. Delicious!

This is primary day in Key West. Those of you here be sure to vote. Primary races for Mayor, Judges, and School Board.

I have the second half of my physical today at 1. I get the test results from last week and the Doctor herself will do today’s prodding. My internist is Dr. Jackie Lefferts. I have a lot of respect for her ability. I remember the year she told me I had a heart condition. I told her she was crazy. She was correct. A year later, she told me I had a new and separate heart problem. Again I told her she was wrong. Again, she was correct.

I respect her judgment.

Enjoy your day!

A BOBBY NESBITT SATURDAY NIGHT

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My saturday nights have become routine. A good routine. Bobby Nesbitt!

Bobby entertains saturday evenings at Tavern ‘n Town. He has long been a favorite of mine. Going back at least 20 years.

Lately, I have been having dinner at Tavern ‘n Town saturday evenings just to hear Bobby.

I grab a couple of newspapers on the way in. Find a corner bar seat. Have a couple of drinks and dinner and read the newspapers. All the while enjoying Nesbitt at his best. I generally quietly sing along with him. I can be multi-faceted.

The bar was packed last night. A noisy crowd. Mostly tourists. I thought how sad they do not take a few minutes to quiet down and give Bobby time to enrich their souls with his singing.

I was reading saturday’s Keynoter. A twice a week local publication. On the editorial page, there was an old photo. Jack Williams’ Saloon at 101 Simonton. Back around 1890. The sign in the window said…..Draft Beer 5 cents.

No more 5 cent beers. No more Jack Williams’ Saloon.

I discovered a great article on Key West female foot attire in the Keynoter. Written by Leah Maki. She is a blogger and claims to be a fashion obsessed one. I enjoyed her column. I am adding her blog to my list of must reads. LeahsFabulousFinds.com.

The article was titled…..Find Your Keys Sole. Her knowledge and writing style caught my fancy. A discovery!

Five beauties walked into the bar at one point. Knockouts! Absolutely beautiful! Just passed the age of consent. One wore a sash saying Miss Centaro. They walked in smartly. Saw the bar was crowded and walked out just as smartly. I was disappointed.

I ran Centaro through the internet. I could not determine which Centaro the sash applied to. There were tons of them.

Cindy came by and gave me a kiss. Cindy is a casual Key West friend. Looked devastating in a black pants outfit.

Today’s Key West Citizen has on its front page with both a large picture and title, an iguana story. Iguanas are all over out island. My rear deck and front yard, roadways, the golf course, where ever you go. They are stoic. They generally sit and face the sun. They fear humans not. You can walk right up to one and the iguana will not flinch.

I dislike iguanas. They eat my shrubbery and flowers. Defecate in my pool and on the deck. I am not the only one who has no love for them. Most do not.

The Citizen article had a subtitle…..The Rats of the Reptile Kingdom. Says it all.

Interestingly, iguanas are considered good eating. In Central and South America. Not here. Though some have tried iguana. It supposedly tastes like chicken. I cannot envision myself indulging!

I spent my daytime yesterday researching next week’s column for KONK Life. I am getting a head start on the column this week. It will be about politics. I think I may title it Politics As Usual. It will begin with Eric Cantor’s recent defeat and go from there.

The Second Annual Key Lime Festival is July 3-5. Typical of Key West, it starts with a bar crawl on July 3. Spelled in this instance K R A W L. Pink lime martinis and margaritas the featured drinks.

Enjoy your sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY WEST LOU LEGAL HOUR TOMORROW

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The weather is spectacular! 87 degrees yesterday. Not a cloud in the sky yesterday or this morning. No humidity.

The north is suffering. It is cold! Below freezing. I remember those days well.

Tomorrow morning my TV debut. Last week does not count. I was only on for 4 minutes. The audio went dead. I start anew tomorrow.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour will be both televised and available via internet. Scheduled time first. Ten in the morning my time. Comcast Channel 87 for TV viewing throughout the Florida Keys. The internet showing is available world wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

There will be many United States’ viewers. In addition, people will be watching from 35-40 different countries on the internet.

Interesting topics. It has been a crazy week world wide. Topics will include the fiscal cliff, Los Angeles voting to require porn movie makers with in the City to wear condoms, Bernie Fine avoiding the bullet, an abuse of power story involving a 3 year old, a woman masturbating in a Florida Starbucks, Romney’s claim that Obama bought the election, secession, European demonstrations which have gone unreported, the Battle of Guadalcanal, Birds Eye Peas, Wendy’s, a bad Irish pregnancy/hospital situation, and more.

Join me! I guarantee you will enjoy!

I had a dermatologist visit yesterday. There was a small growth on my back. I wanted it removed. The doctor found 3 other bad things to deal with. All four were cut out. No big deal. A shot of pain killer. A slice. A band aid.

I do not know what it is. In recent years, every time I have a medical procedure, no matter how small, I get tired afterwards. Yesterday was no different. I crashed on the bed for a few hours.

Before getting tired tired, I headed over to Blossoms for lunch. Blossoms first line of business is not sandwiches. It is feed for animals. You sit with large bags of various feeds nearby. Only in Key West!

I had an interesting experience driving home.

When I purchased my Key West home 14 years ago, my island (Key Haven) was loaded with raccoons. Not rabid ones, fortunately. On the maps, my island of Key Haven was and still is listed as Racoon Key. That in and of itself tells you how many raccoons were here.

I have not seen a racoon in several years. Not even one. In their place, I have seen many iguanas. Did the iguanas chase out the raccoons? I do not know. What I do know is that iguanas are a pain in the ass! They are all over, eat your planted flowers and shrubbery, and shit all over the place. If in the pool, the pool has to be drained and cleaned before refilling.

Because of construction, I take side streets to avoid the traffic jams. I was on one of those Key West side streets yesterday. All of a sudden, there was an iguana in the road in front of me. Right in the middle. A big one. About three feet.

I slowed and beeped my horn. I stopped and beeped my horn. The iguana was completely oblivious to me. I finally got out of the car and walked in front of the iguana. About 5 feet away.

The iguana still did not move. I clapped my hands hard. No movement. I moved towards the iguana. Nothing.

I stood there looking at him. The iguana finally looked up at me. Our eyes met. He proceeded forward and walked around me.

I wonder how it will be when the pythons are here in large numbers. One thing is sure,  I will not get out of my car!

Before collapsing into bed, I published an article on Amazon Kindle: Is A Fertilized Egg A Person????? Another way of asking whether life begins at conception. A today political issue dealing with birth control, contraception, and abortion.

There were major demonstrations in Greece, Italy and Portugal yesterday. All about the euro, austerity and Germany. 70,000 persons in Rome alone. Damage and injury.

There has been little reported by our media concerning these demonstrations. Why?

Interestingly, youth make up the majority of protestors. Recent college graduates and persons in the 20-30 age bracket. The group that cannot get jobs. To place the situation in perspective, unemployment in Italy is pushing 35 per cent. Look how hard it is in the Unite States with unemployment hovering around 8 per cent. Keep in mind also that the Egyptian revolution of two years ago was driven by recent college grads who could not find employment.

What am I saying? Trying to say? I am not sure. However, it bothers me that there appears to be a concerted effort to keep the American public unaware of the demonstrations.

Romney’s comments yesterday to the effect that Obama bought the election drives home a point that I understood while the campaigning was going on. Romney just does not get it!

Enjoy your day!