POOR JEAN THORNTON

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Disaster has befallen a friend. Jean Thornton. A “…there is no joy in Mudville” situation. Mighty Alabama struck out!

Jean is a die hard Alabama fan. She lives and breathes Alabama. Jean got the wind knocked out of her yesterday. #4 Auburn beat #1 Alabama. With a crazy 100 yard plus run with seconds left on the clock.

Jean, my condolences.

David, my sympathies to you also.

Syracuse won yesterday. Beat Boston College with seconds left on the clock, also. 34-31. Syracuse ends the season 6-6. Makes the team bowl eligible. A disgrace. The bowl eligibility system, that is.

The system is nothing more than a way for the colleges to make more money. A team 6-6 going to a bowl! It has become dollars over academics. There is serious talk of paying football athletes at the college level. The primary argument in support of paying is the amount of money colleges are making on their football programs these days.

I disapprove.

Keith and Jennifer were over yesterday afternoon. Helping with the overgrown greenery surrounding my home.

Decided to do the other end of Duval last night. A break in the normal routine. A change of pace.

Started at 5. My first stop was Aqua. Quiet. Then to La Te Da. Tourists. Ended up having a cheeseburger at the bar at Southernmost Beachside.

Interestingly, I knew no one at the three stops. Where there were customers, they were tourists. Even the bartenders were strange to me. Obviously, I was there the wrong time of the day. Next time I will do it later in the evening. Maybe Wednesday. It has been a while since I have enjoyed Bobby Nesbitt’s early Wednesday gig at Aqua.

The Key West Citizen carried a newsworthy item this morning. Tourism has been up during the summer and fall. I am not surprised. It has been rare that there were few visitors on the streets. Another way of measuring for me is the crowd at the Chart Room. It has been pretty steady.

Enjoy your Sunday!

A WET DAY IN KEY WEST

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When it rains in Key West, it rains! Yesterday was that kind of day. A blustery rainy day all day.

Key West is at sea level. Which means not much room under the island for pipes. There are two systems. One for sewage and one for drainage. The sewer system always works. The drainage water run off pipes are another story.

The sewers cannot handle a heavy rain. Certainly not one that lasts all day. The streets flood. Deep enough for a canoe or row boat in some places. Perfect for swimming in others. I have actually seen people swim at the Eaton and White Street intersection when flooded.

The flooding screws up traffic. Front Street adjoining the Pier House is impossible to drive through. The Boulevard is under a 2-3 year construction. Only two lanes open. Both going the same way. Into town. Yesterday only one lane. The driving lane was impossible to drive through.

The rain and flooded streets did nothing to dampen spirits. Never do. Tourists move into the bars in mass. Everyone still has a good time.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour was at 10 yesterday morning. Viewed on TV and the internet. Love doing the show!

People I heard from after the show seem to have especially enjoyed two topics. One having to do with title to money passing to the bank once it is deposited. The other concerning the rip off being perpetrated on the public by the pharmaceutical industry.

I spent a bit of time after the show working with Jenna and Krystal. Spoke with owner Rich. He likes the show. People are talking about it. My friday show is being recorded and will be shown three additional times during the week. Saturday at 4:30, sunday at 3 and wednesday 6 in the evening.

Spent some time in the afternoon writing next week’s column for KONK Life. My deadline is 5 friday afternoon. The article is entitled Screwed Again. The story of brand name and generic drug companies working together to the economic detriment of the purchasing public.

Saw the heart doctor late in the afternoon. I keep laughing. My internest told me after my annual physical concluded monday that I was in the best shape since she started caring for me 6 years ago.  I mentioned it in tuesday’s blog which I did in the morning. I also said I hoped I was not jinxing myself by sharing the information.

That evening my ankles were swollen big time with fluid. First time in a very long time. Took me two days to get them down. Concerned me. Ergo, the visit to the heart doctor.

I took my blood and urine results from my annual physical with me. He was impressed! Cut back on two of my heart medications. However, he did not know why the swelling occurred. He has scheduled me for a battery of tests.

Next time I will keep my mouth shut!

My ankles were down and I felt good so I went out last night.

Started at Don’s Place. Spent some time with Hershel and Don. Our bocce team lost 2 out of 3 thursday night. I missed the game. I stayed home because I did not feel right.

Then to the Chart Room. The tourists were in out of the rain. So also were Sheila, Peter, Sean, and Katherine. Jean Thornton came in. She is back. Chatted with them all off and on. Lest I forget, the ever charming Emily was bartending.

I heard some sad news while at the Chart Room. The kids’ toy store on the second floor of the white custom house building is closing down. Sad! A great store for children’s toys. Reasonably priced and  quality.

It was raining. I did not want to walk far. Went to the Wine Galley and ate at the bar. Larry was playing. As usual. He introduced me to his brother. Larry’s father died two weeks ago. His brother drove their mother down to Key West from Dansville, Pennsylvannia. She will be living with Larry and Christine for a while.

Sloan has already been in today. 8:30. Our work for the day is done.

Tonight big! Very big! The Final Four!

I will be watching the Syracuse/Michigan game at 8:30 at the Big Ten Sports Pub. May Syracuse win! I believe they will this evening.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

TOMORROW’S INTERNET SHOW

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Tomorrow is friday. Friday means The Key West Lou Legal Hour. My internet show. World wide. Ten in the morning my time. KONK Broadcasting. www.konknet.com/tv/personalities.

Great topics. Interesting. Some thought provoking. Included tomorrow is the story of a girl raised by monkeys in the Columbian jungles, the United States suing Bank of America for mortgage fraud (about time!), the story of two new Catholic saints who both had ties to my hometown, the first televised Presidential debate, cow manure being used at a Vermont ski resort to generate electricity, an Arizona ski redsort making snow from sewage, the man with size 24 feet, Panama wanting to use the euro as legal tender, a French man who died in bed whose body was not discovered for 15 years, the Miami Archdiocese filing a lawsuit over birth control, and more.

Of course, there will also be comment regarding the Presidential race.

I spent most the day yesterday working on tomorrow’s internet show. I also published a new article to Amazon Kindle: The Popcorn Lung Lawsuit.

I was a babysitter when Robert and Ally got out of school. Picked them up. Always a thrilling experience! Ally was quietly sitting on a bench waiting for me. Robert walked out a few minmutes later. Both could not wait to run over and hug and kiss me. God is good!

We went to Dairy Queen for ice cream. Then to the gas station. I was near empty. I asked if either wanted to hold the pump. No. Neither was interested.

Then home to Lisa.

The Chart Room was my first stop last night. Early. Actually before 5. Emily bartending. Still setting up. I do not think I have ever been to the Chart Room that early. Had two drinks and chatted with Emily. I like her.

Emily made fresh popcorn. The best! Buttery and just enough salt.

Since it was so early, I decided to walk Duval a bit. Glad I did. I am a voyeur at heart. I saw enough to satisfy me.

A significant number of women of all ages walking around exposing their breasts. Most were spray painted with a palm tree or bird or what have you. Some of the younger ladies were basically bare ass. A slight thong and painted breasts. Such beauty!Magnificent!

Some men were wandering around with next to nothing on. One was a gentleman easily weighing over 400 pounds. He had a g string type thong on. It barely covered his privates and covered his ass not at all. He was a hit! People were going up to him and putting dollar bills inside the g string.

There was electricity in the air. The crowd was building. The evening would provide a fun time for all involved.

I wanted to sit and watch. I walked myself out on the European trip. I ended up on the second floor of the Bull. On the terrace sitting on a stool. Duval and all its excitement below me. I chatted for a while with a Jersey couple seated next to me. The lady was kind. She had two roses made from palms. She gave me one.

Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. On the way, I stopped at the Chart Room for a minute. Saw the lovely Jean Thornton and Captain Peter at the bar. Hellos and hugs exchanged. As I was leaving, I spotted this lanky young man standing at the end of the bar. He was dressed like a Swiss yoddler. The hat and short pants with shoulder straps.

He looked like Sean Kinney. Could not be, however. Sean was in Arkansas for the week. So I walked by and said nothing. It was Sean as I later found out. My apologies Sean for not saying hello. And a chastisement for not saying hello to me!

Dinner was great. I was into my appetizer, when Jean walked in. I invited her to join me for dinner. We had a good time!

Jean was going to at least three Fantasy Fest events after dinner. I went home to bed. I cannot keep up with these young people!

Sandy is with us. Ran over Cuba during the night. Winds all night. Around 30 miles per hour. Dark and overcast this morning. A light rain. The weather the result of Tropical Storm Sandy. Soon to be a #2 hurricane. It will not hit the Florida keys. However, Key West and the rest of Florida will experience adverse weather from Sandy for the next couple of days.

Sandy will not affect Fantasy Fest, unless it pours during the float parade saturday night.

Tonight is Pretenders at the Pier House and Toga Party at Sloppy Joe’s. My favorite Fantasy Fest evening. Especially the Toga Party. It empties into the street. Something to see!

I shall see neither event this evening. There is no bocce scheduled. However, we have a bocce make up game to play. It is being played tonight. Duty ahead of pleasure. I will be at the bocce court instead of on Duval with all the crazies.

Enjoy your day!

A GRAND EVENING

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MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: My European trip photos will start posting Monday! Finally! Thank you for your indulgence.

The pics will be spread over 12 days. Each grouping will involve a particular activity or place.

The photos are not as good as I would wish them to be. Took all of them with a couple of years old cell phone. Next time, I will do it better. A camera. In addition, I would post the pics daily rather than save them to the end.

Nevertheless, you will enjoy!

Last night was one of the most pleasant I have spent in quite a while. My evenings are always good. Some however are better than others. Last night was one of them.

I attribute the quality of the evenining to the people I ran into. All a pleasure.

I started at the Chart Room. Jean Thornton was back. Seated at the bar. Next to her, Stephanie Kaple.

Jean is known as Key West’s Golden Girl. She found gold and jewelry on a Mel Fisher dive years ago. Changed her life.

Stephanie is Key West’s Island Shoe Girl. She wears the most expensive high heel shoes. The higher the better. She may not eat well, have extra money to spend, but she does have shoes! Stephanie also writes a blog every one should read. Whatever the topic, she ties it into women’s shoes. Many of her writings involve social issues. You can find the blog under IslandShoeGirl.com.

I saw two familiar faces at the end of the bar. Dan and Nancy. We had met before on one of their previous trips to Key West. Dan is from Toronto and works for Dow Chemical. Nancy is a nurse from Detroit. She is a colonoscopy expert.

Love Nancy! She reads my blog every day! Dan is less diligent. An occasional reader. Nice people. I spent a bit of time with them chatting. They are here for at least annother week. I look forward to running into them again.

While I was talking with Dan and Nancy, Jean came over and invited me to join Stephanie and her for dinner at Hot Tin Roof. Jean specified she was paying. I could not say no.

I was a lucky man. Two ladies to dine with. Two lovely intelligent ladies.

We sat at the bar at Hot Tin Roof. Talked a very long time before ordering. One drink too many too long.

While I was sitting there, a couple stopped by. They had been looking for me at the Chart Room. Emily sent them over to Hot Tin Roof.

I am a Manhattan College graduate. A few miles up the road is Cudjoe Key. A fellow Manhattan graduate lives there. He reads this blog religiously and occasionally comments. He too is a Jasper. Jasper is the nick name for Manhattan grads.

His name Jack Kelly. Graduated from Manhattan College in 1968. A young man compared to me. I graduated in 1957.

He was with his charming wife Sabina. A real nice person.

We talked a while. I was excited to have finally met him. He likewise was excited. We are probably the only Manhattan graduates in the Keys.

Jack did the Air Force ROTC while at Manhattan. Later was a fighter pilot. Retired from the military at some point. Now enjoys Key West and the lower keys.

Jack brought back memories of Manhattan College. He was wearing a tee shirt with writing and an emblem on it. The Pershing Rifles. The organization was a gung ho extension of the ROTC at Manhattan. Meant Jack was really into the military thing while a student. Contrasted with Louis. I left the ROTC after two years. It was enough. I hated the marching, left face, right face, etc. Officers were always shouting that I was out of step. Mentally, I would respond that it was not me. It was the rest of the group.

I actually did not go on with the ROTC after two years because a four or five year committment was required upon being commissioned. I wanted to go directly to law school. A four or five year delay was not part of my plans.

We intend to have dinner together soon.

My evening out turned into a big time winner! Dan and Nancy. Then Jack and Sabina. In between, Jean and Stephanie.

I loved last night!

I finished the evening at Don’s place. Toni and Puff at the bar. Puff watched the end of the Syracuse/Pitt game with me. Syracuse won 14-13. I chatted with Kurt a bit. Don came in. Sat next to me. We talked a long while. I like Don. He is first class.

There was some day time activity, also. A haircut with Lori. A manicure by Tammy. A visit with Lisa.

Today is Saturday. I have no plans. Lets see what happens.

Enjoy your day!