BEEN UP SINCE 5 AM

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I have been up since 5 this morning. Paying for my sins. Primarily, avoidance.

My KONK Life column for this week was due last Wednesday. I completed research Monday. Never got to writing the column. For whatever reason, I kept putting it off. I should have written the article yesterday afternoon. Forgot it was due. Overdue, rather. Instead I wrote another chapter for what may be my next published book, Growing Up Italian.

When I got home last night, there was a message from Guy de Boer. In effect, where is the column…..you are making my life difficult.

It was too late and I thought perhaps I might have had one drink too many. I went to bed. I would get to he column in the morning.

I did. At 5 in the morning. I woke early and decided to get right to it. Took three hours to compose and refine. At 8, it was on its way to Guy with my mea culpas.

The column is Banks Divorce Porn Stars…..Hypocrisy. Concerns itself with a new bank game called de-risking. A game it is not. The column publishes Wednesday.

Lunch yesterday was at Roostica. I was in the mood for Italian. A hot meatball sandwich. Roostica’s food gets better with every visit. Try the place. Low key and reasonable prices.

Megan waited on me. Lovely Megan. An interesting young lady. If I were 50 years younger, I would court her.

Last night began with the Chart Room. Stopped for a drink. Jean Thornton is back. Returned to Key West only yesterday.  Sheila, also. They introduced me to Linda Grist Cunningham. A Key West visitor for many years. She and her husband finally bought in 2012.

Linda was enjoyable company. She operates a business called KEYWESTWATCH. News, political writings, social media, etc. In her other life, she was an editor and journalist.

She is a liberal at heart. We instantly bonded!

Jean and I had dinner at Hot Tin Roof at the bar. It was catch up time. She and Joe have recently returned from a 15 day river boat cruise through several European countries. It was exciting listening to her describe the trip. She told me English Peter would be returning for a 10 day visit in a month. Good!

I read an interesting article yesterday. Concerned itself with the shrinking middle class. McDonald’s business was down for the year ending in June one percent. Fine dining was up three percent. The thrust…..the poor cannot afford McDonald’s.

I had intended to try Unity Church again today. Too late. Perhaps next week.

This afternoon will be professional football at Don’s Place.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR THE ORANGE

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Syracuse got whipped last night. By Louisville. 28-6. Syracuse now 2-3. Not a good year in the making.

I watched the game at Don’s Place. I was the only Syracuse fan, the only one interested in the game.

Jimmy, Joanie and John sitting near me. Jimmy still complaining about the new Key West parking ordinance which went into effect October 1. For some a benefit, others a detriment. For Jimmy, a detriment. For me, too. Such is life.

One of the reasons, and probably the primary one, why Syracuse is doing poorly again this year is money. A university sports department does not run the program. Academia does. The faculty. Which includes the intellectuals who never played sports in their lives.

When a college is doing well sports wise, the faculty start making noises to the effect that we are nor a sports institution. We exist to teach. The sports budget is then slowly cut over the years. As the budget goes down, so does the quality of the team.

I have seen it happen several times over the course of my life time and relationship with Syracuse.

Then comes the dawn. There is a recession, not enough students applying, money becoming a problem. The solution. Increase the emphasis on sports. Bring in more revenue. The pendulum swings.

Syracuse has not reached the point where the faculty sees a need for an influx of new dollars. When it occurs again, Syracuse will field a good football team.

Basketball is another story. I do not know how Boeheim does it. He is subject to the same faculty pressures.

Lunch at Outback yesterday. I like the place for lunch. Quiet. Good food. I can sit for a couple of hours and read the newspapers. Yesterday it was potato soup, hamburger and a diet Pepsi. $9.85. You can’t beat it!

I had dinner last night before the game at the Boathouse. It has been years since I ate there. No particular reason, except it is sort of out of the way for me. The Boathouse sits under the Commodore on the waterfront.

A definite tourist place. I sat at the bar and watched people come and go. Everyone happy! How could they not be vacationing in Key West.

I had a double order of wings. The bartender to told me only 6 or 8 came with an order. They were delicious, though on the small side. Not as good as Kelley’s.

I had need to be in Radio Shack and K-Mart in the afternoon. Things appeared bad in both stores. A shortness of merchandise. Empty shelves.

It does not surprise me. It was reported this week that Radio Shack might go under. It does not have the money to stack the shelves for Christmas. I have heard nothing re K-Mart.

Earlier this year, I commented on my blog talk radio show that retailers would have a hard time surviving over the next couple of years. Specifically, retailers who sold to the 99 percent. The group did not have enough money to support their usual retailers. I mentioned some companies who were already experiencing the problem. Today, it is Radio Shack. Perhaps K-Mart, also.

As with most other things in the country, the legal system is breaking down. It took only 11 days to indict the fellow who jumped the fence and got into the White House. It is now 56 days since Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson. No indictment yet. It makes you wonder where justice for the little guy has gone.

Fantasy Fest around the corner. Only 12 more days till Goombay.

Enjoy your day!

WE WON!!!!!

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We met the enemy and they are ours.

Bocce last night. We played the #1 team. Hell’s Rangers. The name alone brings chills. It is mid season. Hell’s Rangers till last evening had lost only one game. We ranked in the middle of the standings. We beat ’em! Took 2 of 3 games.

Don’t screw with the Don’s Place team!

The first game was close. We won. They beat us decidedly in the second. We won the third by a respectable number.

Next week, we will play the last team in the standings and lose. We play to our competition.

Lunched yesterday at what I call the old Paradise Cafe. Now located on White, just off Eaton. I had a yearning for Cuban cheese toast with tomato. Topped off by a large cup of Cuban coffee.

I was tried. I don’t know why. All the caffeine in the Cuban coffee should have had me flying high. Spent the afternoon napping.

Syracuse football tonight. Louisville the opponent. At the Carrier Dome. Seven o’clock. Shown on ESPN.

I am not sure whether I will be watching the game from JDL’s or Don’s Place. Louisville a 4 point favorite. I believe Syracuse will lose.

Fantasy Fest is around the corner. Thirteen days to Goombay. You can sense it. It’s in the air. People getting ready, people talking.

As you are aware, I am an historical nut. John Guerra wrote an interesting article this morning in KONK’s E-Blast. It had to do with the assassination attempt on President Truman in 1950. I was in high school at the time and recall it vividly. The attempt played out much differently than the recent guy over the White House fence episode.

Today is a day of historical sport note. On this day in 1951, Bobby Thomson  hit the “…..shot heard round the world.” A three run homer in the ninth. Resulted in the New York Giants winning the National League penant over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

I was in high school at the time of this event, also. I was stacking groceries in a super market after school. The game was being broadcast on radio throughout the store. It was an exciting moment. Everyone went crazy! Customers and staff alike.

Karen and Dan, I would like to speak with you. Actually, Karen. Let’s make sure we meet at Don’s Place sometime this weekend.

Enjoy your day!

 

JOHN D. MACDONALD

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Don’s Place is off the beaten track. It is considered a locals place. Where one sits quietly and chats with a person on an adjoining stool. Nothing fancy about the bar. A bit on the run down.

The whole world stops into Don’s Place. Everyone. Whether local or a visitor, all with unique backgrounds and stories to tell. Don’s personality contributes to the atmosphere. People drop in to meet the man.

I am frequently excited by those I meet. Such personalities, such diverse backgrounds.

Last night was one of those occasions.

I stopped for a drink. Don and I were chatting. A couple sat at the bar next to me. Immediately next to me. I thought it strange. There were many empty stools. They could have sat elsewhere and enjoyed some privacy.

We talked. They were Karen and Dan from Pittsburgh. Karen and Dan immediately shared with me that they had been reading my blog every day for three years. And that they had read The World Upside Down. That was it! I immediately fell in love with them. It excites me when I run into people who read me. It never fails. I appreciate that people take the time to be interested in what I have to say.

Karen and Dan have been here three months. Renting somewhere near Don’s Place. In  Key West till Thanksgiving. Dan is a retired medical technologist. Karen a Shaklee distributor. I sense they will someday move to Key West permanently.

They asked if I knew or was aware of John MacDonald. John D. MacDonald to be precise. He was from Utica. I never heard of him. They thought it strange. They mentioned Savage Arms. I knew of Savage Arms, but again not MacDonald. They mentioned MacDonald was a famous author. Again, I embarrassingly said I had no knowledge of him. I thought perhaps they had the wrong city. It was not Utica.

They mentioned Travis McGee. Who was Travis McGee?

When I returned home, I hit the internet. There was a John D. MacDonald, he was from Utica and he was a famous author. Primarily wrote mysteries. One of his claims to fame was The Executioners. You and I know the book as Cape Fear. Two movies were made. Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum in 1962 and Robert DeNero and Nick Nolte in 1991.

Let me briefly share with you MacDonald’s story. My Utica friends especially, take note.

MacDonald’s time on earth was 1916-1986. He was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania. His family moved to Utica when he was 10. His father was Treasurer of the Savage Arms branch in Utica. The family summered at Piseco Lake.

MacDonald graduated from Utica Free academy. Eventually got a degree from Syracuse University and a Masters from Harvard.

He was not yet a writer.

He joined the US Army in 1940. Before the war. Stationed in the Burma-China-India area. He was involved with the OSS. Spy stuff. He went in a lieutenant and came out a lieutenant colonel.

While stationed in Asia, he decided he wanted to write. After discharge, he, his wife and 7 year old son settled in Utica. He gave himself one year to become a successful author. The family lived on State Street. In a second floor apartment of a large house. Money was tough. They were living on his Army severance pay.

State Street had a mill at one end and the new Utica College at the other. The homes  in between were then considered middle class. Factory workers primarily. He worked extremely hard in the State Street apartment for four months. Seven days a week. Turned out 800,000 words. Sold only one story. To a pulp magazine for $40. He lost 20 pounds in the process. No air conditioning back then. Between the heat and his work ethic, it is not surprising he dropped the 20 pounds.

He then moved to Clinton, NY. Ten miles outside Utica. Home of Hamilton College. He thought associating with academia would help his writing efforts. It did not. All it did was get him involved in deciding which tea party to attend and listening to college gossip regarding who was sleeping with who.

He then moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico. He had read it was a good place for a writer to work. It was not, at least for him.

He finally discovered Florida. Settled in Sarasota and then Siesta Key. Here he blossomed. Spent his summers at Piseco Lake.

MacDonald captured the sense of Florida at the time. The sense of promise, the breath taking beauty, the languid sleaze, the raciness. The short stories came tumbling out. Followed by novels. Paperbacks. Then hardbacks. He was a success! He wrote 500 short stories and 78 novels during the span of his career. His books sold 75 million copies world wide.

Even today, almost 30 years after his death, his books continue to sell. So much so that Random House is planning to publish all his books again in paperback and e-mail.

How did I miss MacDonald? I lived and worked in Utica more than 70 years. I am sure even my friends are unaware of him. My former community never made mention of him. Even stranger since MacDonald’s contemporary Walter Edmonds of Drums Along The Mohawk fame lived in the Utica area for many years and was part of our lives.

The best thing that happened to me yesterday was meeting Karen and Dan. I am excited they introduced me to John D. MacDonald.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

DISHWASHERS…..SOUND DAMPING

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We are in a new era, a new day!

Dishwashers are noisy. No more. They now are quiet. It is called sound damping.

My dishwasher is about 10 years old. I only run it at night when I go upstairs to bed. The racket drives me crazy. I research and write at the kitchen counter. I have difficulty doing so with the clatter from the dishwasher.

Lisa’s dishwasher died. Just like that. Not fixable. It was off to Sears for a new one. Nothing fancy. Actually, the cheapest on the floor.

Got it to Lisa’s and installed. Ran it. Something was wrong. No noise! Not a peep. Wow! A major advancement as far as I am concerned.

Stopped at Walgreens yesterday for a prescription drug pick up. My pills seem to be more expensive. Even the generics. Not my imagination. I read yesterday that insurance companies are raising the price of prescription drugs to make up for what they claim they are losing under the hospital and medical portions of Obamacare. I plan on researching this issue further.

The gentleman ahead of me in line was there to pick up drugs for Nancy Robinson. I know Nancy. Many of you do as well. A Key West icon. Now 90. Effervescent and charming. Mother of Martha and a son. It was her son I met yesterday.

Nancy is ill. Martha mentioned recently that her brother had come to Key West to assist in caring for Nancy. I asked him to say hello and extend my best wishes to his Mom.

Nancy, I believe you occasionally read my blog. I know you read my book The World Upside Down. I hope you are reading me today. All of Key west wishes you well. Get better soon. I miss seeing you around town. The world misses seeing you around town.

It was humid. I wanted a cool place to read. I headed to the Marriott Beachside. Spent an hour sitting in the lobby reading the various newspapers and sipping the free lemon water the hotel provides.

The Marriott Beachside is a touch of New York in Key West. Love the atmosphere, love the flavor.

Lisa was 50 yesterday. We celebrated with a family dinner at home. The in laws were in to join the festivities. The grandkids all excited. Robert and Ally had done paintings on canvas for their Mom. Great paintings! Lisa was pleased.

Lisa did not want to go out. She wanted to cook. The compromise was we sent out for pizzas.

Lisa did make the desert, however. A sponge cake sliced down the center and filled with lemon creme. The whole thing buried in whipped cream.

Ally was in charge as usual with the lights, singing, etc. A good time was had by all!

My blog talk radio show later last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Great fun for me once again. Hope you enjoyed listening. Those who may have missed, the show is archived and available on Facebook and Twitter also.

There is always a particular topic or two that tickles the fancy of listeners. Last night it was the one involving banks de-risking. A new game banks are playing. The word whorish might describe it best. I plan to write next week’s KONK Life column concerning the issue.

Enjoy your day!

MY BABY IS 50 YEARS OLD TODAY

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Time moves on. Lisa is 50 today. Happy birthday, Lisa!

It makes it easier for me to accept I am 79.

I remember the night Lisa was born. Lisa was to be our fourth child. It was night. Her mother said it was time. We hurried to the car and started the drive to the hospital. Ten to 15 minutes away. Half way there, her mother said…..We are not going to make it….. the baby is coming out!

The hospital emergency room was configured so there was a long walk to it. I sped around to the back of the hospital to where I knew it was located. Jumped out of the car, ran up a ramp and into a hallway shouting…..My wife is having a baby…..hurry!

Everyone did. In seconds, not minutes, mother and prospective child were being stretchered into the hospital. Ten minutes later, Lisa was born.

For me, the experience was not difficult. It never is for the father.

Turned out Lisa’s mother never made it where ever in the hospital babies were delivered. Nor were her clothes removed. Back then, it was customary to shave a woman’s personal parts prior to delivery. A shaved pubic area was not in vogue as today. Mom never got to be shaved.

Lisa was a beautiful baby. Then a beautiful girl. Followed by a beautiful young lady. Today, a most beautiful person inside and out!

There is one other aspect to Lisa’s birth. We expected her to be a boy. We had already had a son followed by two daughters. It was natural to expect the next would be a boy. He was to be Louis.

It took us four days to come up with a name. I cannot recall how we decided on Lisa.

Fifty years ago, it was not in the hospital today, deliver today, and go home tomorrow. It was a 4-5 day stay. We needed the time to come up with the name Lisa.

Saw the sunrise this morning. One made for Lisa. The orange ball broke over the horizon midst some small clouds. A pretty sight!

Lunch yesterday was at Harpoon Harry’s. I went in for ham and eggs. Had meat loaf instead. I must have needed comfort food.

I spent the afternoon working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A half hour of political and social commentary. Join me. Guaranteed you will enjoy. www.keywestlou.com/key-west-lou.

Stimulating topics. Like, I am glad Holder is on his way out, Iceland still throwing bankers in jail, JP Morgan Chase de-risking porn star accounts, the Secret Service in need of shaking up, Ferguson updates, men only streets in London, and more.

Visited a bit with Jenna. She is interviewing me again for her morning TV show. She advised the prior taping screwed up. We will be taping friday. We also talked about her interviewing Congressional candidates at a forum last night at the Tennessee Williams Theater. I suggested she hit them with the high cost of maintaining federal prisoners for bullshit crimes.

I decided to do the other side of the island last night. Visited Louie’s Backyard. One of Key West’s prettiest settings.  Enjoyed a couple of the drinks and the magnificent view.

I had intended to grab a fish sandwich for dinner at Salute’s. Decided against it. The meatloaf lunch was still with me.

Enjoy your day!

I WENT TO CHURCH

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I went to Church yesterday. I did.

I am a fallen away Catholic. I did it all. Altar boy, Catholic grammar school, high school and college. Sang in the choir and processions on high holy days. I did a good Pange Lingua.

The last time I went to Church/Catholic mass, the Pope died. For real. The very same day in 1978.

I had not been to Church in years. Was asked to be Godfather at a Baptism. Meant mass and communion first. Did it all. Went to confession and the next day mass.

The Pope was John Paul I. His claim to fame was he died 33 days after becoming Pope. I figured if going to Church did that, better I stayed away. Joking, of course. To be frank however, the thought did occur to me.

The church was Unity. Full name Unity of the Keys Spiritual Center located on the corner of Virginia and Watson. All of two blocks from Don’s Place.

Larry Smith is responsible for the Unity Church visit. He had played there last week and told me how different Unity was, etc. I decided to give it a try. I worried the roof might fall in. It still stands.

Interesting service. Interesting minister. Interesting people. I sat in the very last seat in the very last row. Tried to look inconspicuous. Good luck! This is a hugging hand holding congregation. I was discovered and made a part of the service.

Parking is a problem. Unity has permission to use Bare Assets’ lot. Two blocks away. I was given a Bare Assets parking card to place on my dashboard.

Unity is truly a Key West place. Unity, Don’s Place, and Bare Assets…..all within two blocks of each other.

Will I return. I don’t know. We shall see.

From church to Don’s Place for sunday afternoon pro football. Watched the Buffalo Bills game. What else! Chatted with Don, David, Keith, Angus, and Larry. Met Sue and Gerry. Gerry is Jerry spelled with a G. Husband and wife, they are from Depew, NY, a community outside Buffalo. They were at Don’s to watch the Bills game. I asked how they knew it would be featured at Don’s Place. The internet!

Gerry is a nurse practitioner. He is in cardiology. His specialty aortic stenosis. The problem that concerns my heart doctor the most about me. Wife Sue is a nurse, also. A unit charge nurse at another hospital. They have two children, 22 and 20.

Good people. I hope they return to Key West.

Sunday dinner was with Lisa and family. Her mother in law Karen is visiting. She is a vegan. Karen cooked. The meal was 100 percent vegan. A first time for me. Ok. However, I am not ready to change my eating habits. I enjoy beef, chicken and fish too much.

The Ryder Cup, the Ryder Cup. What can any of us say? The tide will turn. It is the law of nature. Watson as captain failed to impress me. It was his attitude more than anything else. I thought Mickelson was correct in speaking out. Mickelson and Watson are golf greats. Merely from different eras.

Navy pilots on the way. Boca Chica Naval Base is 8 miles outside Key West. The USS Ronald Reagan will be in and the pilots will be training till mid October. There will be a lot of whites on Duval!

This is Man of La Mancha day. The Broadway musical and Hollywood film based on Miguel de Cervantes novel Don Quixote. Today is the birthday of Miguel de Cervantes. The novel was written in the early 1600’s.

Don Quixote…..he fought windmills, was the knight-errant, the last of chivalrous men. He dreamed the impossible dream. He loved and sought to protect Dulcinea.

A moving insight into the unattainable.

Enjoy your day!

MARY TODD LINCOLN AND JACKSON POLLACK

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An interesting title! Only peripherally related to some of yesterday’s happenings.

I was at Don’s Place last night for the Syracuse/Notre Dame game. Dave sitting next to me. He watching his Ohio State team win big time. I watching Syracuse take a drubbing from Notre Dame. Thank god for basketball! Otherwise, I might never get to cheer and feel good about a Syracuse team.

Don and Steph had gone to the movies and then stopped by. Dave, Don and Steph all left me at the end of the Ohio State game. There was yet the final half of the Syracuse game to play. It was a boring game.

Mary Todd became the wife of Abraham Lincoln. Mary Todd had nothing to do with last night. Mary and Todd did.

Mary and Todd are newly settled in Key West. About two weeks. Mary is originally from Don’s area in upstate New York. She grew up in Dunkirk. Todd is out of Pittsburg.

Todd is a banker. Prefers a smaller banking operation as opposed to a larger one. He has worked for banks in Phoenix and Naples 16 years combined. He wants Key West and one of its smaller banks. I am sure he will find the position he seeks.

I was more interested in Mary. Turns out Mary has been religiously reading my blog since 2007. Welcome to Key West, Mary! I love you!

The two have already settled in. They are living in Peary Court. A 20ish daughter living with them.

I look forward to sharing their company more.

One of the Yacht Club staff stopped in. I am forgetful. Could not recall her name. It was good to see her, however. We talked of Greece.

Jackson Pollack! One of the greats of the art world! He came into the picture yesterday with grandson Robert.

Ally has been painting. Easel, canvases, etc. She draws/sketches well. Still getting into the actual painting thing.

Robert has not wanted to participate. I feel bad since I am spending so much time with Ally. I do not wish him to feel neglected.

Turns out Robert does want to paint. His way!

He took a canvas outside and with brush and otherwise threw several different colors on the canvas. A Jackson Pollack masterpiece!

Robert came back into the house. Both Robert and the canvas were totally covered in paint. Lisa had Robert in the shower immediately.

Afterwards, I took Robert to the computer and showed him that some artists do paint in the fashion he had. One being Jackson Pollack.

I suspect I now have two artists in the making.

I spent my day otherwise working on next week’s KONK Life column. It will have to do with banks. The enemy of all!

Banks have a new game they are playing. It is called de-risking. They are dumping certain groups of customers. Those that might reflect unfavorably upon a bank. Like adult porn stars. What bugs me is that they still handle Mexican and Latin American drug cartel monies and those of terrorist groups. Billions in fees to be made. I call it hypocrisy.

Oh my Syracuse! I knew we would lose last night. Ergo, I was not disappointed. Syracuse played a good first quarter. Part of the second also. That was it. Notre Dame remains undefeated and ranked 8th nationwide.

I am going to Church this morning! The roof will probably cave in.

Larry Smith has been playing at Unity Church. He said I should hear the preacher. His sermons are fantastic. Not hail and brimstone as we Catholics were raised. Rather love. I will let you know what I think.

Enjoy your Sunday!

DEREK JETER

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Derek Jeter. His name will forever be remembered in the annals of baseball. As former Yankees Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Lou Gehrig. Properly so.

Jeter is an unusual professional athlete in an era where many others have brought shame to themselves personally and professionally. We should all share in his pride.

Note that he did it his way last night in his last game at Yankee Stadium. A single in his last at bat to drive in the winning run. Typical of his 20 years of play.

Pool finally well. Took a second search. Leak finally discovered. Once the pea soup is shocked out, the grandkids will be back in.

I did it again yesterday. Lunched at Outback. I am turned on by their lunches. Potato soup, a hamburger, and diet Coke. Plus, the AARP discount. Total bill $9.85. And the food was good!

We did well last night at bocce. Won 2 out of 3 games. Should have won all three. That is the way it goes, however.

Norm is one of my team mates. He works at Home Depot. Has been there a number of years. Home Depot and every other retailer in town are selling Halloween items. Norm told me last night that K-Mart already has Christmas goods on the floor. Why not? Christmas is only 3 months away!

Stopped at Don’s Place after bocce. A festive mood prevailed. Spent some time chatting with Larry Smith about my blog talk radio show. I want to upgrade the show with a brief 5-6 second musical introduction.

Eric Holder is leaving. Good! I have been disappointed with him since day one. He never took on the banks. He went after them civilly. Settled for dollars instead of putting some in jail. I never bought his position that banks were “…..too big to fail” and “…..too big to prosecute.”

Giving the devil his due, he was an outstanding Attorney General in the area of civil rights.

I came across an interesting article on rape yesterday. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a new study. Men today are raped as often as women. I am still waiting!

Initially, insertion was required as an element to prove rape by a man of a woman. Feminism came into vogue. The definition of rape was expanded to include sexual coercion. The new laws applied to men as well as women. Sexual coercion balanced the playing field.

The article also commented on campus rape. It claimed campus rapes were falling sharply. Ergo, it was difficult to understand the current moral panic over campus rape. The article attributed the clamor to unwarranted political and mass hysteria.

I have to hustle. Trying to get my back x-rayed again this morning.

Enjoy your day!

MOONSHINE

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This blog seems to be getting more interesting. Ladies panties, yesterday. Moonshine, today.

Till I settled in Key West, I had heard of but never seen nor tasted moonshine. Moonshine appears to be a Keys thing just as cockfighting is. A bit here and there. I have probably shared a sip on a couple of occasions over the years.

This morning’s Key West Citizen reports on a “moonshine still” arrest. An apparent moonshiner advertised on Craigslist a moonshine still for sale. $375. Some undercover police authorities contacted him. Not only did he offer to sell the still to them, he also admitted having used it to make moonshine. He still had almost a gallon available.

He was arrested.

I learned something new reading the article. Not that I should not advertise a moonshine still on Craigslist. Rather, the word moonshine derives from those who made the stuff years ago in Appalachia. They worked by the light of the moon to avoid detection.

One of the best things in the Keys is the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Another heartwarming turtle story.

Sapphire is a subadult female turtle. Weighs 129 pounds. Sixteen months ago, she was brought to the hospital. She could not dive and had a breathing problem. She still cannot dive. Weights must be glued on her back to give her the ability. The weights fall off eventually and Sapphire is/would be in trouble.

Sapphire is going on a 2,500 mile plane trip to a new home. To a place called The Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista, California. There she will live in a 21,000 gallon tank of properly temperatured ocean water and be attended to daily.

Sapphire is flying via Fed Ex. Two Marathon Turtle Hospital personnel are accompanying her.

Yesterday was Rosh Hashana. To my Jewish friends and all other friends, I wish a Happy Rosh Hashana!

Which leads me to…..Donna and Terri, where are you?

Went for my back x-ray yesterday morning. No x-ray. Technician out till friday. Have to return friday morning.

My back is considerably better. If I do not use it to any extent. The steroids are terrific. Keep the pain away and make me sleep well.

Yesterday, I decided to walk at Home Depot. Felt no pain so I thought it would be ok. I walked ever so slowly. A 20 minute walk took 40 minutes. At the end, my back and leg were hurting. Pain increased during the day.

What happens when I am off steroids?

Lunched at Harpoon Harry’s. Wednesday lunch there is becoming a habit. The special a turkey dinner. All the trimmings like Thanksgiving. Delicious!

Spent the afternoon writing next week’s KONK Life column. Bank Robbers. An interesting twist on an old time story. From Jesse James to the bank robbers of today.

Ally and I still painting. Actually Ally painting and I observe, comment, and direct. She is doing well. I think she is talented.

Yesterday, Ally learned it is not all painting per se. There is work involved. We have already gotten past keeping the brushes clean. Yesterday, it was the pallet. She had left the paint globs on overnight. She had a difficult time getting the pallet clean. All part of being an artist.

I had a very enjoyable time last night at the Hot Tin Roof. My first drink since sunday. Only one. The doctor said it would be ok. The meal as usual was outstanding.

My waitress was Shanya. A young beauty. She has worked at Hot Tin Roof several months, though last night was the first time we spoke. She is from the Boston area. Of Serbian extraction. That led me into Flora and Albania. Both Serbia and Albania are parts of the former Soviet Republic.

Shanya is in love! Good for her! She soon will be relocating to St. Petersburg to be with her man.

The Hot Tin Roof is perched directly on the Gulf waters. From the second floor location where I was sitting, I could see way out to the horizon. It was 1-2 hours before sunset. The sun shining. A sailboat drifted along the line of the horizon. It was another one of those days. God was in His heaven, all was right with the world. At least in Key West.

Bocce tonight. I have only played once in the past three weeks. It was either my back or shoulder. Tonight, I plan on playing. The steroids will help. I will not be moving around as much as I did walking at Home Depot. I look forward to playing.

Enjoy your day!