FRIDAY the 13th

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Be careful! Today is Friday the 13th!

Many have a fear of Friday the 13th. The fear has a name. Friggatriskaidekaphobia. Frigga is the name of a Norse goddess for whom friday is named. Triskaidekaphobia means fear of Friday the 13th.

A mouthful!

Bush 1 only served one term. I believe however that he was one of our better Presidents. If he had not raised taxes after promising not to do so, he would have been reelected.

Yesterday was Bush 1’s birthday. Ninety years old! He has a physical incapacity. I was not aware till yesterday when I read about it. He has lost the use of his legs. Totally. He is either in a wheel chair or a motorized cart.

The President wanted to celebrate his birthday by parachuting out of an airplane. He has had previous experience. He was shot down twice over the Pacific during World War II and made 2-3 jumps in his later years. Barbara was opposed. Son Bush 2, also. Father won!

The President was harnessed to another and together they leaped from a plane. To a safe landing. Everyone was overjoyed. The President that he did it, the family that he survived without additional injury.

A rare man.

A belated happy birthday, Mr. President!

I love the Turner Classic Movie Channel. I woke this morning to Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. Key West is Hemingway country. He lived here 10 years.

I have seen the movie many times. Read the book. Visited several times Lake Maggiore, the primary site of the story.

Lake Maggiore is beautiful. Sits at the northern tip of Italy between Italy and Switzerland. I have visited both ends of the lake and places that Hemingway frequented.

Let me share something I only recently learned. We know Hemingway wrote with a unique style. I describe it as abrupt. Short hard hitting sentences. The words pulled no punches. Things were described as they were.

Early editions of A Farewell to Arms were censored. Yes, censored. Shit, fuck and cocksucker removed. Replaced with dashes. Hemingway did not appreciate the situation. Apparently there was nothing he could do about it.

He took two copies of the book and wrote the words in over the dashes. One of those books he gave to another author of note, James Joyce.

The only other place where the book can be read/heard totally as written is on certain audiobooks that were prepared uncensored.

I enjoyed a quiet busy day yesterday.

Lunched at Geiger Key. It was a rainy drizzly day. Gray. Few customers. The setting pleasant, however. Peaceful. The staff became excited at one point. A number of lobsters were discovered beneath the dock. We all took a look. There they were!

Someone mentioned how large they were. I did not correct her. Everything looks big beneath the water. Not so when brought to the top. I recall the first time I went diving for lobsters. I saw huge tentacles beneath a rock. I rushed to the surface and yelled to my companions on the boat that I had discovered the largest lobster ever. They laughed. I went back down and got it. The body was five inches long and the tentacles not much longer.

Spent the afternoon preparing to write next week’s KONK Life column. I will write it this morning. About the close to 50,000 children that have crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into Texas. What a story! These kids made a Pied Piper trip without a Pied Piper.

Went to La Te Da for an early dinner at the outside bar with Tonto. Tonto was not working. I craved La Te Da’s lacquered duck. It was terrific when last I had it. It was not as good last night. I was disappointed.

I was early to home to watch the Heat/Spurs game. A disaster! I was pulling for the Heat. I have come to the conclusion that the Spurs are unquestionably the better team. Amazing! The Heat have so much top quality talent. Perhaps their time has passed. One or two key additions to the team for next season might be ripe for consideration.

Enjoy your day! Watch out for black cats and ladders!

 

SISSY SPACEK

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I did a foolish thing yesterday afternoon. Took a walk. In the heat of the mid afternoon sun. It was oppressive!

The walk took me over Duval. I was thirsty. Dying for a drink of anything cold. I stopped at the outside bar at La Te Da. Only 3-4 people at the bar. I had a glass of water and diet Coke.

While sitting there, a familiar woman walked by and up into the restaurant portion. She looked familiar. It was Sissy Spacek!

She was looking for someone. Came back onto the bar area and chatted with a waiter. Then her lady friend showed up and they sat together in the outdoor dining section.

Spacek is in the Keys for a while. She is filming a new TV show. Its primary location is Islamorada. The show is yet unnamed. News reports suggest the show will cost $8 million a week to produce.

I loved spacek’s appearance! The woman is 65. No shame. She looks 65. No shame. We all get older each day. What impressed me was how comfortable she appeared with herself. Her walk, her appearance, her smile, her clothes. Especially her clothes. She was in a Key West frame of mind! I cannot accurately describe the outfit except to say some sort of baloony black shorts or skirt with a crazy deigned/colored blouse. Her sneaks and socks were the thing, however! Very Key West. Black, white and I don’t know what else. Sloppily worn. It was the sloppy that was the key.

Spacek has only been in the Keys a couple of months. She has made the transition. She looked terrific! Right at home!

I returned home to review my notes for last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Then an early light dinner at Roostica. Antipasto.

Patricia waits on me. Found out last night she is sister to Bobby’s wife. Met bobby’s wife and Patricia’s son who also works at Roostica. A nice family.

The blog talk radio show went well. I enjoyed the pace last night. I opened with a last minute thought. The 50,000 children that have crossed the border into Texas and some of whom are now in Arizona. More are expected. My thought was I hoped we would not drop the ball. Immigration is a many faceted issue. These are kids, however. Most 10-12. It is our responsibility now that they are here to take care of them. Very well! The world is watching. Let’s not drop the ball.

After the show, I ran to the TV set. The Heat/Spurs game. I could not believe the score. The Spurs had a bang up night. No team shots as well as they were. They made 19 of the first 21 shots they took. Miami has its work set out for themselves.

I woke to the news this morning that Eric Cantor was defeated by a Tea Party candidate in a primary. Good! I am not in tune with Tea Partyers. Nor have I been in tune with Cantor politics. He looks like a mean guy and generally acted like a mean guy. Not the type to be in a leadership position in Congress.

Key West’s chickens. The Key West Citizen reported this morning that many have chicken pox. Technically called avian pox. The pox is an annual event. Generally, during the rainy season. We are in the rainy season. It is initially caused by mosquito bites. The pox is dangerous to the chickens. Not all will survive. It is not contagious as regards humans.

My shoulder still hurts from my monday night fall. I sat up in an easy chair all night with my feet on an ottoman.

Enjoy your day!

 

DONALD DUCK

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It is amazing the range of stories/issues I get to cover here.

Today, it is Donald Duck.

Yesterday was Donald Duck’s 80th birthday. A belated happy birthday to Donald!

The world is heavy today with saddening news. Donald’s birthday was important. He is an American icon. Loved by most, if not all. We grew up with him and Mickey Mouse and Pluto. Why was his birthday basically forgotten yesterday?

I did not know till later in the day when I heard it on the car radio. I believe the media should have shared the news of Donald’s birthday with us. The media basically failed. Good feeling news does not hurt. It can bring a smile to one’s face.

The Key West Citizen failed to make any mention of the event. Nor did KONK Life E-Blast. The New York Times failed, also. Except for a brief article it published on the internet, but not in the paper.

I was out and about driving yesterday afternoon listening to the radio. Sirius station 6. Music from the 1960s. My time. The announcer interjected it was Donald Duck’s 80th birthday. Later in the day, someone I had complained to called me to say she had just heard of it on another Sirius radio station, NPR.

Newspapers wonder why heir sales are going down. One reason may be a failure to print all the news that should be read.

It was time gym again yesterday morning. Day #5. Albert killed me! The worst yet! I hurt and he laughs!

Sloan was over later in the afternoon. I needed to be spoon fed some steps to be able to accomplish more with the computer. I truly am computer illiterate. You may not think so because I use the computer so much. However, it is true. I envy my grandchildren. They are already adept at computer use. The school have them and the kids are required to use them. Computers did not exist when I was their age.

I stopped at Hogfish a bit late. Very few people. Had a sandwich and drink at the bar. Made three new friends. Fishermen, of course. We got along well. I bought them each a beer and shot of Jack Beam.

I fell last night. When I was leaving for Hogfish. Was going back into the house to get something I forgot. Using the front door. A six inch stoop. My right foot only went up five inches. My whole right side still aches. I was fearful as I lay there that I might have broken my wrist, elbow, shoulder and/or hip. All hurt immediately. Apparently not. I merely ache this morning.

I fall a lot. Though not much recently. The reason generally is I do not lift my feet enough to make a step. Or, so I think.

The Key West Citizen carried a brief news note of an event with which most Key Westers are familiar.

In the early 1930s, Karl Tanzler Von Cosel was in love with Elena Hoyos. She 22, Karl 44. She died of tuberculosis. Karl could not live without her. He stole her body from its tomb in a mausoleum. Karl took Elena home and laid her on his bed. He kept her there for seven years. Ugh! A true story.

Today is tuesday and tuesday is my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine this evening my time. A quick half hour of interesting and revealing things. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include my Donald Duck dissertation, Putin screwing American banks this past week, American oil companies doing business with Russia the past couple of weeks, Argentina appointing their own Joseph Goebbels to the new post of Secretary for National Thought, a Katharine update, the story of turtles Yertle and Mack, an update concerning the Sudanese woman who refused to renounce her faith and was sentenced to death, and more.

Enjoy your day!

 

TODAY’S DOLLARS YESTERDAY’S BULLETS

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Physics teaches us that each and every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The rule applies in international politics as well.

Russia stole Crimea. The United States and other nations sanctioned Russia. The thought was the sanctions would bring Russia to its knees. It did not happen. No one took into account Putin’s boldness.

Russia’s economic life depends on the sale of its oil and gas to other countries. Retaliation for Crimea included cutting off some of those lines. No problem for Putin. He turned in another direction. Asia. In six months, he has cut new oil deals with North Korea, South Korea,and China. He is presently negotiating a major gas deal comparable to the China one with Japan.

Another part of the United States’ retaliatory strategy was to freeze the bank accounts of Russian citizens in the United States. The big Russians.

No problem again for Putin It was announced this week that Russia was removing money it had in U.S. banks. Russia had $21.6 billion dollars sitting here. Russia thus far has pulled out 61 percent. Only $8.4 billion remains.

That is not all.

In the past several months, Putin has been negotiating mega contracts for Russian state owned oil companies with major oil companies. Exxon Mobile and BP recently signed such mega contracts with Russia’s Rosneft.

So much for major companies supporting Obama’s decisions arising out of Ukraine problems. The same oil companies that eat big time off the American people and benefit from favorable laws that Congress has passed to their benefit. To the benefit of the big oil companies and to the detriment of the American people.

Wars will continue to be waged in remote places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine with guns, bullets, tanks and other machines of war. Major countries such as the United States, Russia, England, France, and others, will fight each other with dollars. Each is fully aware of the devastation that a fighting war would bring. The major countries do not want blood and guts on their streets. Economics can be used to destroy a nation as effectively as war.

The issue/concept has been bothering me and so I burden you with my thoughts this morning.

The best of my yesterday was the Heat/Spurs game last night. Great basketball!

Enjoy your day!

A BOBBY NESBITT GATHERING

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Good morning! Happy Sunday! An absolutely glorious morning! Key West at its best!

Spent yesterday afternoon writing next week’s KONK Life column. Human Organs For Sale. Got it to de Boer two days late. He will not be happy.

Watched the Belmont at Don’s Place. A happy jovial crowd. I felt sorry for California Chrome. I question whether any horse today is capable of winning all three races of the Triple Crown. Horses of yesteryear were trained for stamina. Today’s horses, speed. One and a half miles is a long jaunt. Especially after running two big races within weeks of the Belmont.

One of California Chrome’s owners spouted off after the race about horses that only run one of the races. As happened yesterday. The winner did not run the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. I thought the owner was out of line. Showed poor sportsmanship. He should have saved his heart felt comments for a week from now. Rules and tradition are rules and tradition. The horse that won yesterday won within the rules and traditions of a great race.

I was on my way home when I decided to stop at Tavern ‘n Town for dinner. Glad I did.

Bobby Nesbitt was playing. His singing makes me happy. Bobby is one of Key West’s best entertainers!

It was old home week! Bobby’s fans follow him. I saw some people I have not seen in a while. Like Lynda and Bob Fraschette. Jimmy Olsen. And Stevie! Steve is the former bartender at the Wine Galley. The new management upset him and he told then to shove it. About a year ago. I have not seen him since. He looked good. Thinner. Was as happy to see me as I him.

I did my bar routine. Read the newspapers and listened to Bobby sing while enjoying a first rate dinner. I had salmon over risotto. Wow! Delicious! I was pleased by my choice.

I was too overjoyed with the evening, perhaps. I finished it off with a snifter of Grand Marnier. It did me in! I could not believe it! I have been exercising and watching what I eat of late. My drinking has been substantially less as a result. My drinking was out of training last night.

Enjoy your Sunday!

MACK AND YERTLE

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Remember the badly injured turtle I wrote about a couple of weeks ago? The one that was all wrapped up in fishing line, had lost one flipper and was close to losing the other. Well, he is alive and thriving at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. His condition is reported as guarded but improving.

Hospital staff have named him Yertle.

Yertle found the Turtle Hospital, the hospital did not find him. He showed up one day in the boat basin outside the hospital.

Now comes Mack. First time I am discussing Mack. Mack showed up later the same day in the boat basin. Mack is a baby green turtle. Wrapped in fishing line, also. He was spotted with binoculars. It took two weeks to capture him.

Mack’s problem is he has tumors over his eyes. He is not responding well. He is scheduled to be seen by a veterinary ophthalmologist.

Only three patients have ever found their way into the Turtle Hospital via the boat basin. Yertle and Mack on the same day. The boat basin has become the waiting room for those seeking admission.

Slept late this morning. Till 7:30. Why, I do not know. However happy to get the extra sleep time. Woke to a beautiful sun shiny gold morning. Sparkling blue waters and sky. The slightest trace of a breeze. You can’t beat it!

I walked yesterday morning. Only a half hour. A little bit at a time.

Screwed off in the afternoon. Had no ambition. Laid around and watched TV. I am already one day late in submiting next week’s KONK Life column. Guy de Boer will be on my ass. I have to get it out this afternoon.

Last night at the Chart Room was special. Met Gary Sadler for the first time. The meeting was prearranged by us.

Gary reads this blog! Already on my hit parade list! He also reads the blogs of several other Key Westers. He is enamoured with Key West.

Gary hails from Nashville, Tennessee. He is an anesthesia assistant. Married to Barbara. He and Barbara are parents to two daughters. All are here for a three week stay at the Galleon. Gary bought his time shares way back when the Galleon first opened.

He and his wife love Key West. I can see them settling here when the time comes.

I enjoyed out discussion. Gary appeared to be especially interested in local politics. We talked of restaurants and bars and a multitude of other things. We hit it off! We liked each other and plan to have dinner together before his three weeks run out.

Emily was bartending. Per her usual custom, she was quick to correct me if I misspoke even the slightest when talking with Gary. My conscience! How did I get along before Emily?

Sheila came in and sat with us for a while. Her cheery self.

I walked over to Kelley’s for dinner. Wings. The best in Key West. On the walk back passed the Bull. The place only a third full. Decided to stop in for a drink.

The same blond woman who has sung there for years was entertaining. Some people dancing.

You have to have visit the Bull to appreciate it. It is from another time. Probably during and after World War II when the Navy was stationed in Key West. A bit dark inside. Poor lighting. I always get the feeling that some part of it, perhaps the upstairs, had been a house of ill repute back then.

Enjoy your day!

 

JUNE 6

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A day of days. June 6, 1944. D-Day!

Today is the seventieth anniversary of that memorable day. The Allied invasion of Europe.

Wars and the folks back home do not appear to be the same today. Everyone was into World War II. It was part of everyone’s life. Our soldiers were heroes when they returned home. We did not need television to tell us. Emotion and warmth for our soldiers was common place.

Today, things do not feel the same. We seem to take wars for granted. Perhaps we have been in too many. The enthusiasm here in the States is not the same. Perhaps with time, people change.

June 6 has another significance. My Cousin Rose.

Rose died three years ago following a difficult cancer battle. Today would have been her 69th birthday. She is in my mind. We grew up together. She lived second floor front and I third floor front in the Petrone family home. We played together daily.

Rose became a Catholic nun. Did she get into it! She was one of the first to throw off the habit and dress in civilian clothes. She moved out of the convent and into a poor Syracuse neighborhood. She spent her life living amongst those who needed help on a daily basis.

I miss her.

Yesterday, no blog. Sorry. My plate was full. A busy day. Non stop from 7:30 in the morning to 10 at night. No way could I have gotten out a blog of any decency. Ergo, I opted not to do one at all.

Last night was our second bocce party. The big one last week, the smaller one last night. For the five teams that have an inner league and a side bet of their own. Ball Busterz won the inner league battle.

The party as usual was at Don’s Place. One of the best parties yet! Company and food outstanding. Everyone had a good time. Even me.

We had an additional competition last night. Bocce played on a pool table. I will not go into the details. My partner was David. We made it to the semi finals. Fun!

I did the gym routine for the fourth time wednesday. Survived! My trainer Albert is beating the hell out of me. Tough! Pushes me to the limit. Carefully. I could not believe what he had me doing in only our fourth meeting.

Later this morning, I hope to go to the gym and spend some time on the tread mill.

Enjoy your day!

 

WALKING IN THE RAIN…..

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The title should be read with the tune from Gene Kelley’s Dancing in the Rain in mind.

Yesterday was a rain day. Big time! Rain is forecast for the rest of the week. We are into the rainy season.

It is amazing how the weather changes so dramatically in the Keys. Storms come out of nowhere. As do cold fronts. If anyone had told me sunday that this would be a rain week, I would have laughed.

Merely for information purposes, the hurricane season started June 1.

Rain flooded the streets. As usual. I was wandering around downtown. Front Street was flooded. Only ankle deep. People were walking through the water shoes in hand.

I attended Ally’s graduation in the morning. Wearing a yellow slicker, hat and crocs. Rain attire.

Cute is the only way to describe the ceremony. They were 9 year olds. A bit uncomfortable. All proud. Ally was beautiful! Robert was there as a school elder I assume welcoming the graduates with a rose.

My blog talk radio show has been going smoothly the past several months. Audio perfect. No hitches. Not last night, however. When I went to sign in, I could not. Technical difficulties. I could not figure it out. I improvised. I ended doing the show over my cell phone. I did not even know if anyone could hear me. Apparently everyone did. Two e mails this morning said sound was ok No hiccups.

The Spectrelles are new to me, though old to Key West. I think they are terrific singers. They are appearing tonight at the Bull, tomorrow night at the Key West Pub, and friday night at La Te Da. Enjoy them, if you can.

Police raids across the country are getting out of hand, Too much modern equipment and too much aggressiveness.

Habersham County Sheriff Deputies were conducting a drug raid. The county is in Georgia. Middle of the night. No warrant required. Just bang on the door and rush in.

The Phonesavanh family were visiting. Mom, Dad and four little ones. One of the children was 19 month old Bou Bou. Bou Bou was sleeping in a play pen. When the deputies opened the door, one of them threw a flash bang grenade in. It landed in the play pen and went off in Bou Bou’s face.

The baby’s face is badly burned and swollen. A picture was exhibited on the internet. Bou Bou is in  a medically induced coma. Doctors give the child a 50 percent chance to survive.

No drugs were found. Later the next day, the son of the homeowners admitted to police that he was involved with drugs. Bou Bou’s family had nothing to do with the drugs and were leaving to return to Wisconsin the next morning.

All of Georgia is upset from the Governor down. Bou Bou needs our prayers.

Judges are getting cantankerous/out of hand, also. Such was evident in a Viera, Florida courtroom this week. Judge John Murphy got upset with defense counsel. He invited the attorney outside with the following words “…..let’s go out back and I’ll beat your ass.” Prior thereto, the Judge told the attorney to “…..stop pissing me off.”

They did go outside. The Judge hit the attorney.

The Judge is not working today. He is undergoing anger management counseling.

The events in the courtroom were recorded on a closed circuit camera.

I am back to the gym later this morning. Neck and thighs still hurt, though not as much. Will advise trainer before I start.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

ALLY GRADUATES TODAY

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Grandaughter Ally having a big time! Her ninth birthday Sunday past! Today, she graduates from third grade at Montessori. Without getting into the whys, Montessori graduates their kids from the third and sixth grades. Ally is all excited! So am I! I will be there.

Gym and trainer yesterday. Day 3. Harder each day. Still not as bad as first day in December. I woke this morning with neck spasms. Not often. However when one hits, wow! Hope I am better by tomorrow morning when I have another hour with the trainer.

The gym yesterday was 11-12. I went straight home and to bed afterward. I was exhausted! The workout tires me out big time.

Spent last night working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me for a quick paced half hour of interesting and revealing items. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include the government wanting to close all Social Security field offices, the government’s big return on student loans, Medicare’s new ruling that sex change surgery now covered, why the price of food is so high and continues to rise, the human organ trade, and more.

Larry and Christine Smith are talented and well respected Key West entertainers. Christine is also a noted artist. Their daughter Journey lives in Hawaii. She is visiting. Mother, father and daughter will appear together next Tuesday evening at Virgilio’s. Journey is a musical talent in her own right.

Larry told me a trip to Europe is planned for the near future. First stop will be England to visit John and Ali. Then here and there in Europe. One stop will be Camogli on the Italian Riviera. I love Camogli, having been there several times. Apparently it is one of Journey’s favorite places and she wants to show it to her parents.

My friend Dee from Cape Cod and Cudjoe Key has an interesting family. Her uncle (her father’s brother) was baseball great Stan Musial. Turns out movie star  and Oscar winner of yesteryear Jack Palance was a close friend of her grandparents. He used to winter one to two months with them at their Florida home each year. Dee posted several photographs of her grandparents and Palance on Facebook yesterday.

Dee’s grandfather is still alive. 100 years old, blind and lives alone! The family is of Ukranian heritage. As was Palance. All tough people. Worry not about Ukranians protecting themselves against Putin and his thugs.

You have discerned from my writings the past three years that one of my favorite places world wide is Courmayeur. A small village in northern Italy sitting half way up Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps.

A beautiful community. Out of books. Swiss chalets, streets without vehicles, high end shops, warm people. A money town. Must be the local government wanted outsiders to know Courmayeur as a ski town. A referendum was held to rename the town Courmayeur-Mont Blanc. Voted down overwhelmingly. Properly so.

Two Key West eateries changing hands. Square One has been sold. Presently closed for renovations. Finnegan’s to close June 19. The new owner plans renovations also before reopening.

Sad to see the proprietors of both places moving on. Good people who significantly contributed to the odyssey known as Key West. Square One’s Carmelo and Carolyn will remain in Key West. They still own and operate the Bottle Cap.

A stupid study of no significance was worthy of comment on Morning Joe and in the Key West Citizen today. The study revealed that female named hurricanes were worse than male ones.

One of my favorite poems is Casey at the Bat. The opening line fits every sports occurence wherein one’s team loses. “There is no joy in Mudville, Mighty Casey has struck out!” How many times I have used the line to refect Syracuse defeats.

Today is Casey at the Bat’s birthday. 126 years old. It was first published on this date in 1888 in the San Francisco Examiner.

Enjoy your day!

 

ALLY’S BIRTHDAY…..NOT TODAY

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I screw up re birthdays, anniversaries and the like. I forget or do the happy greeting on the wrong day. I cannot blame it on age. I have been this way my whole life.

I did it again this morning.

I thought it was Ally’s birthday. Nine years old. I telephoned to wish her a Happy Birthday. Poppa…..My birthday is tomorrow!

Oh, well.

I returned to the gym yesterday morning. Not for a scheduled work out. Just to use the tread mill for a while. The gym by the way is WeBeFit.

I figured I would do an hour. Slowly. Like 3 mph. Good luck! I was fortunate to make 20 minutes. A mere 3/4’s of a mile. I was tired! Felt it the rest of the day. My body got more tired as the day progressed.

Worry not. I am not pushing myself.

Lunched at the Pier House. The Beach Bar was packed so I sat on the outside deck. Spent a couple of hours reading through newspapers and watching the bikini clad ladies prance about. Always an enjoyable experience.

I arrived home a little after 3. Laid down. I was feeling the tread mill experience.

Decided to stay home again. I was too tired to go out!

It was an interesting evening of television.

I watched Havana with Robert Redford. About the Castro revolution. At the end of the movie, it is 1963 and Redford is driving his car down this street running along the ocean. I said to myself…..That’s Key West! It was as was made known seconds later. He was driving along Smathers Beach, stopped his car and walked out onto the sand. Reminiscing about Cuba and the love he left behind.

Another movie was of 1955 vintage. It starred Rhonda Fleming. A most beautiful woman!

I met Rhonda Fleming around 1980. I would have been 45 at the time and she 57. We were both at La Costa. La Costa was a well known fat farm in those days. As the Golden Door is today. I visited at least a dozen times.

The men were placed on 800 calories a day and the women 400. More, if you liked. I did the 800 one. Not much to eat! Exercise was constant from 9 to 5. No stragglers permitted. Not hard to handle, however. Each day included a massage and facial.

Lunch was in a large dining room with floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking La Costa’s famous golf course and mountains on the other side. I used to sit at lunch and dinner with my back to the dining room and its guests. I would stare out at the mountains and wonder about the safety of the homes I could see which were built on pilings on the sides of the mountains.

I noticed Rhonda Fleming sat at the table next to me. The seating was prearranged. I recognized her from her many films. She still looked good! High cheek bones, magnificent skin, a winning smile.

She asked one day if I disliked people. My back being always to the other diners. I responded everyone looked drawn and tired from the diet with very sorrowful faces. The mountains were much prettier and comforting.

We became friends. We lunched and had dinner together the next two days. We also hung out in the bar for a while after dinner drinking Perrier or some type water. No alcohol permitted on the diet. One glass of gin would have blown it to hell.

The brief time with her was a most enjoyable experience. I checked her out on the internet this morning. She is still alive and 91.

Vera Schiff was an integral part of Key West for many years. A widow from Pennsylvania, she moved to Key West. Loved by all. Threw great parties. Exemplary parties!

She left several years ago. I understand she is back in Key West. I assume for an extended visit. I look forward to running into her.

Big party tonight! The league bocce party. As opposed to the special 5 team party next thursday at Don’s Place. The bocce parties remind me of the bowling banquets of old. My team is meeting at 5:30 at Don’s Place and will go together. The party is at the restaurant next door to the Green Parrot. The name escapes me. It is a relatively new owner and name.

I sense a good party. Good food and drinks. We will probably all end up at the bar at the Green Parrot. The Green Parrot is one of Key West’s oldest and favored spots. A touch of old Key West like Schooner Wharf. I rarely go to the Green Parrot. I look forward to it tonight.

Enjoy your day!