THIRTY THREE YEARS AGO

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Thirty three years ago this week  I was in Portland, Maine. First and last time. Said I would never return and I have not.

Bob and Helen got married. I was their best man. The ceremony took place in a small Lutheran Church. The same Church Helen’s parents had been married in during World War II. Nostalgia was in the air. Helen wore the same suit and hat her mother had worn. She was lovely!

The ceremony was by candlelight. Not because of the mood it created. Rather because there was an electricity problem which you will understand better as this tale unwinds.

Afterwards, we celebrated with dinner at what was purported to be the oldest restaurant in Portland. I believed it. The structure was just clapboard. Nothing else. No more wood, no plaster board, no insulation.

I froze my ass off! The whole time in Portland. The restaurant being the worst. It was twenty below zero!

I had driven to Portland with a friend. Bob Mazza. I had a cold before I even started the trip. It got much worse in the -20 degree weather. By the time I hit the restaurant, I thought I was going to die.

Heat. forget it. There was no heat anywhere. It was 1981. Carter was President. We were experiencing our first big fuel crisis. An example of how bad it was was when I went to a mammoth shopping center to buy something to help cure my cold. The place was like a refrigerator. No, a deep freeze. The store the employees all wearing winter coats and fur lined boots. The boots still stick in my mind.

The next day Bob and I headed south. He was to drop me off at the Boston airport. I had planned to go to a Club Med in Martinique. Bob thought I was too sick to go. I thought so too. I was feverish and felt like shit. All of a sudden I decided screw it! Take  me to the airport! The sun would kill whatever was bothering my body.

I went to Martinique. Two days on the beach in the sun and I was cured!

Bob and Helen. Happy anniversary! You are two of the loveliest people I know. I was honored  when Bob asked me to be best man. I continue to feel honored to this day. It is unfortunate we do not see more of each other. My fault more than yours.

Bob and Helen have retired to Las Vegas.

Last night was dinner at the Hogfish bar with Pati.

At noon today, the Syracuse/North Carolina basketball game. Syracuse is a 7 point favorite. I will be watching the game at the Sports Pub.

I know Bob will be watching the game. He is a die hard Syracuse fan as I am.

Enjoy your day!

THE QUIET AFTER CHRISTMAS

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Yesterday was a quiet one. At least for me.

I went to the opticians to see if my glasses were ready. They were not.

Then to Lisa’s to do yesterday’s blog. I am back at Lisa’s today doing the blog, also. My computer not repaired/ready yet.

I have graduated. Jake now comes upstairs where the computer is and lays next to my feet while I work.

Most of the afternoon into early evening was spent finalizing today’s TV/internet show. News has been sparse this week. It has to be because of the holiday. I had to dig for material. It was 7 before I finished.

I had intended to go out last night. It was late. I had no desire to shower again and drive back into town. Instead, I made a sandwich which I downed with a glass of gin. Then to bed.

If you have not purchased my book The World Upside Down, you may do so on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

XMAS EVE TOMORROW !!!

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I love Christmas eve!

Santa Claus will be visiting Robert and Ally around dinner time. I suspect this is the last year they still believe. They are on the cusp. Lisa’s dinner will be fantastic. Christmas music in the background.  The evening will be a God is in His Heaven, all is right with the world one. At least at Lisa’s house tomorrow night.

Yesterday morning I laid around in bed watching the news talk shows.

To Don’s Place at one. Chatted with Don and Larry. Hellos exchanged with David and Keith. Stayed a couple of hours watching pro football.

Next was a visit to Lisa’s to see the grandkids. They are patiently waiting for tomorrow night. No question Jake is now my friend. I was reading the Sunday papers when he jumped on the couch and snuggled up to me. He soon was sleeping.

Did a little bit of last minute Christmas shopping.

Spent the evening at home trying to figure out Obamacare. I waited till the last minute. Confusing! Frustrating would be the better word. I still do not have it completed.

Tomorrow night normally would be my blog talk radio show at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. No show tomorrow night. Christmas eve is for family and not dealing with world problems.

Enjoy your day!

THE DAY AFTER…..

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Love Thanksgiving dinner! I overate. Nothing new. I had an edge this time. Recently lost 16 pounds so there was a lot of room to do damage. The scale this morning said I only gained one pound.

Lisa cooked a magnificent meal. A typical one. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy and salad. Pumpkin pie for desert.

Ally helped her mother. She was kneeling on a chair by the kitchen cupboard. She made the salad. She mashed the potatoes. The potatoes were a first time for her. She kept asking if she they were finished yet.

Robert was quiet when I arrived. What’s the matter, I asked. His brother Cameron was home from college. Robert had taken over Cameron’s bedroom. Robert could not sleep in what he now considered his bedroom the night before. He could have slept in the room he previously shared with his sister Ally. There are bunk beds in the room. However, he thought he was beyond the bunk bed and sharing the sleeping with Ally. He slept on the couch instead. He then spoke like an adult. He told me the couch was uncomfortable and he did not sleep all night.

Jake had a field day. He was not to be table fed. However, he was there looking up constantly with those sad eyes. Jake ended up having a full meal.

Dinner was at one. I hurried home afterwards. Did not even stay for pumpkin pie. My TV/internet show this morning was not ready. Not even close as it turned out. It took me five straight hours to get it together.

Yesterday was a long pants day. First time in several months. Today the weather is back to warm. Shorts!

Many are telling me they are ordering my recently published book The World Upside Down for Xmas presents or stocking stuffers. A good idea. If you are so inclined, the book can be found on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

I am off to do The Key West Lou Legal hour. If you miss show and want to see it, go to You Tube. Enter Key West Lou and the date of the show. The show is every Friday. The show will appear at the top of the You Tube list. The show is live Friday. It is not You Tubed till Tuesday, however.

Enjoy your day!

DOG DAY

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A part of yesterday was dog day. Good dog day!

It started in the morning when I visited Lisa. Jake was barking like hell at me before I even came in the door. Two minutes later he was lying snuggled against me on the couch sleeping.

Fantasy Fest has something for pets. A Pet Masquerade and Parade. At dinner time. At the Casa Marina. I went. Have done so in previous years, also. Mostly dogs. All pets in costume. Well behaved. Something to see. Proud owners, also. Obvious from the smiles on their faces.

Then it was off to Sunset Pier for the Original Homemade Bikini Contest. A mob scene. Lovelies all over the place in their scanty home made bathing outfits.

I remember the first Homemade Bikini Contest. It was held some 15 years ago upstairs at Hogs Breath. A commemorative event. I was there.

I spent the afternoon re-editing my book manuscript. The World Upside Down. A series of essays. Publication slated for sometime in November. So much to do. I don’t know how we are going to make it.

Tonight is my favorite night of Fantasy Fest. Toga Party! In the street in front of Sloppy Joe’s. I go to look.  Some ladies exhibit it all in exchange for beads.

Enjoy your day!

BANDAR bin SULTAN

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I spent the better part of Sunday yesterday working on my next KONK Life column. The one that will be published next thursday.

The article traces Bandar bin Sultan’s Middle East involvement and importance. He is part of the Saudi Arabia hierarchy. He has been a behind the scenes player in the Syria situation. Bandar is the man pulling the strings. The one seeking to orchestrate developments.

The column took six hours to complete. During that time, it was raining (actually pouring).

It was dinner time. I threw on my yellow slicker and headed over to Lisa’s for Sunday dinner.

Jake was not very welcoming. Our friendship may not be as solid as I thought. He was barking like crazy and confronted me in an attack mode. I think it was the bright yellow slicker. On the other hand, I thought dogs were color blind. I do not know why he did not like me. It took a while for him to settle down.

It was still raining when I left Lisa’s. I headed straight home. A little TV and then to bed.

A quiet day.

Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me. It will be a fast hard hitting half hour. Syria and Bandar bin Sultan will be discussed. As well as Larry Summers. I was glad to hear this morning that he had withdrawn his name from consideration to head the Federal Reserve. I have always thought Summers was out of step with the American people. He consistently favored the banks to the detriment of the public.

You can hear the show at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

PRESIDENT’S SPEECH, 9/11 AND BENGHAZI

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I had competition last night for my blog talk radio show. The President of the United States. I doubt anyone listened to me. The show is archived if you care to listen. www.blogtalkradio.com.

Today, a double anniversary. A day to remember in both instances.

First, 9/11. Forget not those who died, forget not the persons responsible.

Benghazi is already a year old. Seems like yesterday. The same mind framed people involved. Forget not the four who died, forget not again the persons responsible.

Babysat last night. Till late. It was after 11 when Lisa and husband returned. The only one still awake was Jake. He was laying on the couch next to me.

Robert and Ally were good. As usual. Baths and everything else done. In bed at 8:30 without a complaint.

Visited my doctor yesterday for the ankle pain. She has referred me. I see another doctor this morning at 9. Interestingly, no pain yesterday. It makes me wonder.
Dr. Lefferts suspected I might have a bone spur or small fracture. Dr. Louis does not think so. I believe it to be nerve related. We shall see.

I live and learn.

I have always admired Peary Court here in Key West. Initially, Naval housing. Private rentals after the Navy pulled out. Peary Court was sold this week.

Keys History in this morning’s Key West Citizen made me aware of something I never put together. Peary Court is named after Robert E. Peary, purportedly the first man to reach the North Pole. The feat was accomplished in 1909. In the 1880s, Peary was stationed as a Naval officer in Key west.

Have to move my butt. I do not wish to be late for my doctor’s appointment.

Enjoy your day!

JAKE AND I

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I think Jake and I may have finally become friends.

Lisa and family were over yesterday afternoon to swim. Jake was with them. He swam a bit. Made no fuss about it. He rested at my feet. Made no fuss about that either..

Last night was Sunday dinner at Lisa’s. Both before and after dinner, I sat on the couch reading the newspapers. Each time, Jake jumped up and laid down next to me.

I finally made it! Jake likes me!

Robert and Ally love the water. It is a pleasure to watch them dive and swim.

I spent part of the afternoon watching golf. May Sergio Garcia hold onto his lead today to win. He fell into the background after a great start his first years playing the game.

Mickelson and Woods are disappointments. On the other hand, the greats cannot be great all the time. Not in golf.

I stopped at Don’s Place. Chatted briefly with Don. A lot of people at Don’s. His bar is like a social club. His followers are there all the time.

Needed to grocery shop. Cupboard was bare again. I enjoyed the experience, as usual. Also, I find it good exercise pushing the cart up and down the aisles of the new Publix. A huge store!

Sunday’s Key West Citizen carries the bocce standings in its sports section. Surprise of surprises! Our team is tied for third place. Only 2 games out of first. We have only played 3 weeks. Two of the three we played well. The middle one a disaster. My sense is that every team is having a difficult time early in the season. There is no consistency.

Diana Nyad will add to her famous career this evening when she puts her feet down on a Key West Beach. Diana is 64. A long distance swimmer. She left Havana a couple of days ago. Her destination Key West.

This is Diana’s fifth attempt to swim the distance. It is only 103 miles. A tough 103 miles. The problems are sharks, jelly fish and the tides. She is doing the swim without a shark cage to protect her. The waves reportedly are 3-5 feet high.

It is claimed that the area between Cuba and Key West is the most difficult in the world to swim.

This morning finds Diana only ten miles off shore. I hope she makes it.

The Key West Citizen reminds us today of the Hurricane of 1935 which destroyed the Keys. The hurricane hit on Labor Day. Hundreds died. Buildings and homes were leveled. A train was actually blown off its tracks.

The hurricane was a Category 5. Winds reached 200 miles per hour. The tides were 18-20 feet above normal.

It was not a good holiday!

Tomorrow is tuesday. which means my blog talk radio show tomorrow night. Nine in the evening. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me for some interesting chatter about hacking the new way to wage war and Obama and Syria.

Enjoy your day!

A LAZY HOLIDAY

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My yesterday was spent as a holiday should be. A day off is a day off. I appear to have done a lot. In the end, it was nothing.

I hung around the house till about 4. Read, wrote and napped. Lisa and the family came over to swim. Everyone in the pool. Except Jake! Ain’t no way he is ever going in the water.

My reading and writing was in preparation for tomorrow night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting topics. Like the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church regarding providing insurance coverage for birth control. Turns out the New York Archdiocese has been providing it to union employees for 12 years. The coverage includes abortions, also. Then nutty parents who deny their children medical care on the grounds of religion. Plus, what Jodi Arias’ mistrial means as a practical matter.

Nine tomorrow night. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Don was having a holiday cookout at 3 at the bar. David cooking. Roast pork the entre. I got there one hour late. Some food remained. Very few people, however. I chatted with David and Pati.

Then off to the Chart Room. I got there early. A little before 4:30. I have never been there that early. The door was locked. JJ was inside. He opened and let me in.

I watched some golf and chatted with JJ. Then Peter arrived. Soon followed by Sheila.

John showed up. First time I met him. Originally from Kentucky, he has lived in Key West 28 years. Everyone knew him. Turns out John fishes professionally. His specialties are yellowtails and kingfish. Just him and a mate. He sells his catch to the wholesaler.

A nice guy. We had a good conversation. I look forward to running into John again.

John is a fisherman. Peter a boater/sailor. Others last night Key West locals. As the conversation grew, it got into the waters surrounding Key West, the channel vote, the reef, and other ocean matters. I was impressed as to how knowledgeable each was of matters affecting the ecology. Concerned, also.

When I left, I headed to the lobby to pick up a free newspaper. I spend enough money at the Chart Room and Wine Galley to  warrant one.

No newspapers! Gone was the bookcase where they were stacked. A chair in its place.

I hurried back to the Chart Room and announced how unhappy I was with the Pier House’s new management. Taking away the free newspapers! Cheap, I thought. JJ said wait. They did not. Yes, I said. JJ walked me over to the lobby. There they were. The newspapers. In a different place on a table in a corner.

Happy I was! Relieved also that the new owners are not tight fisted.

Where to eat? John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Pub.

John had stopped into the Chart Room earlier. We had a drink together. I knew his place would be empty. I wanted quiet to enjoy my meal and read the newspapers. Which is what occurred. Sat at the bar. One of three customers. Enjoyed a meal of meat loaf and mashed potatoes. Divine!

I headed home. My intention was early to bed to watch the Miami/Indiana game.

When I arrived, Pati and Blackie were there. Blackie Pati’s dog. Pati’s place was being fumigated and she needed a place to stay. I had offered one of my bedrooms.

I was enjoying the game. Then I fell asleep. I conked off sometime during the second quarter. When I woke about 2 in the morning, I could not figure out who won.

That was my Sunday of the Memorial Day weekend. Seems like a lot. Was not, really. Pleasant, however.

One more day to go. I have no plans for today, other than to enjoy it. You do, also!

 

 

 

 

PARTY WITH HELL’S RANGERS TONIGHT

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Hell’s Rangers! Would you believe! Yes, here in key West. A bocce team!

Tonight is bocce. Our team (Don’s Place) is playing Hell’s Angels. Don told me last night we are going to party. Our team will be providing the liquid refreshments. The Hell’s Angels food. Sort of cook out time. I anticipate the food will be terrific.

Notice how some times bocce becomes incidental to whatever else is going on.

I shopped for Robert’s birthday gift yesterday. I did not want to buy him clothes. He has everything else…..basball glove, bat, basketball, soccer ball, books, etc. He even has his own tablet.

I finally decided on a $50 gift card for the movie theater at Sears. He is into movies. Goes with Lisa and the family. $50 will just about cover one show. Terrible!

Robert’s birthday was fun. Dinner and cake. Chocolate with chocolate frosting. Robert’s choice. I ate two pieces. We blew out the candles and sang Happy Birthday! Jake could have cared less. He aimlessly wandered around.

Dinner and cake done, it was still early. I stopped at Don’s Place. Caught Don, Hershel, and Tom. Then there was just Don and me.

All in all, a good evening.

I spent most of the day yesterday working on friday’s Key West Lou Legal Hour tv/internet show. A lot happening. I plan on talking a bit about how women in Saudi Arabia are treated as opposed to here in the U.S., the Associated Press, IRS and Benghazi of course, Greece, France and the euro, a new law that should make you uncomfortable, the Syrian rebel eating a soldier’s heart, and more.

I watched a film of the Syrian soldier incident on the internet yesterday. Gruesome!

The Pier House? I know no more. Rumors abound all over Key West. When there is something concrete, I will share it with you.

Enjoy your day!