NORMALCY RETURNS

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Got my car back! Yesterday afternoon. Freedom returned. I can once again go anywhere anytime.

The problem was twofold. An electric box above the ignition and the battery. All fixed! The car even feels different.

Food was a continuing problem without wheels. Could not get out to shop. Cupboard and refrigerator bare. So bad that at 7 this morning I was at Publix when it opened.

Jim Wallace of Joy Gallery was over in the afternoon. I am unloading some of my art work. He is a very knowledgeable fellow.

Big night last night! First time out in roughly a week. Stopped at Don’s Place first. By prearrangement, we were going out to dinner. We turned into Don, David, Hershel, Erika, and Randy. A few drinks and we were on our way to Benihana. One of Don’s favorites.

The food and company were enjoyable.

Met Jose and Judy while at Benihana. Jose is originally from Cuba. He nows lives in Marathon. Delivers lobsters up and down the keys. His lady friend was Judy. She makes cigars in Cuba. She is here visiting. I wondered how it was possible. Turned out she is a citizen of Spain.

I did bad things last night. Felt good, however. Had a few drinks and smoked cigarettes. It felt good!

This week end is part of the Mel Fisher Days celebration. Streets will be blocked off all day. Fun time big time, especially this afternoon and evening.

Enjoy your day!

DON’T SLEEP ON THE JOB

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Do not fall asleep when you are supposed to be working! It happened to me last night.

I had an early dinner at Lisa’s. She had me home by 6:30. My blog talk radio show was scheduled for 9. I had time to kill.

Normally, I get ready mechanically at 8:30 for the show. Then at 8:45 connect in with Blog Talk Radio. By 8:50, I am ready. I have 10 minutes to kill till show time. I spend those 10 minutes reviewing my notes for the show.

A few seconds before 9, a female voice comes on. For my ears only at that point. YOUR SHOW BEGINS IN FIVE SECONDS……5 4 3 2 1. There is a brief pause and then the voice returns. This time everyone can hear. WELCOME TO BLOG TALK RADIO!

Back to Lisa dropping me off at 6:30.

I decided to watch some TV. I had two hours to kill. I laid on my bed and inadvertently fell asleep. When I woke, the room was dark. I thought I had enjoyed a deep long night’s sleep. Then it hit me! I slept through the show! I hit the light. It was 8:59. One minute to show time!

The race was on.

I rushed like hell in that minute to show time.  Down the stairs. Completed the 8:30 and 8:45 preliminaries. As I connected with blog talk radio, I heard…..YOUR SHOW BEGINS IN FIVE SECONDS.

God was with me.

I enjoyed an early dinner with Lisa. My car is at the repair shop. Joe’s Auto Repair on US 1. He took care of my Mercedes when I brought it to Key West 4 years ago. I had dropped the Volkswagen off in the morning. He called later and explained the problem. Needed parts from Miami. The car would not be ready till thursday. Which means I am stuck at home till then.

No problem from my perspective. I will hang home for a couple of days and hopefully get my book writing caught up. I am behind.

Yesterday morning, I still had the car. I stopped at Lori’s for a hair cut. She leaves tomorrow for three weeks on Long Island and in Maine. Then I delivered the Volkswagen to Joe’s. He provides good service. Had one of his men drive me home. The car will be delivered to my house on thursday.

I completed writing next week’s KONK Life column. JOHN PAUL JONES Part 1. I had to break it into two parts. There was much to write. Part 1 involves the good he did. Part 2 will follow one week later. Part 2 will center on his shortcomings, most of which are generally unknown, yet nevertheless interesting.

Ain’t no frightful weather in Key West! Another dramatic morning. Another quiet and still morning. Peace abounds. Beauty everywhere.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

TONIGHT…..TONIGHT…..

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My blog will be short this morning.

Comcast screwed me up. Lost an hour. The screen came up no internet service. Telephone help re do this, then that, disconnect, connect, etc. Finally worked after an hour. Made me tired.

I have an early haircut appointment. Do not want to miss it. Lori leaves tomorrow on a three week vacation.

Then the car to the garage. Many thanks to all who wrote and gave me advice as to the cause of the problem. I will let you know what when I know.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou tonight at 9. My blog talk radio show. A half hour of fast moving dialogue re current events. From my perspective, of course. Join me. www.keywestlou.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight will include my warning to the ladies that contraception is back on the table, a police epidemic of murders, an update re the children’s immigration, the disgrace of Marietta, corporate welfare and Eric Cantor, GMO info re Cordoba’s cancer deaths, Australia and milk, and Hillary Clinton supporting GMOs, wood in our food, and more.

My time out was limited last night. I was fearful the car would not turn over at some point. So I limited my travels to Don’s Place. Enjoyed chatting with Grant and Don.

Robert came in. I have not seen him in ages. He now bartends at Smokin’ Tuna. I overheard a brief conversation between Robert and Don. Robert told Don the great score he had shot on the golf course. Don reponded…..Did you play all the holes?

The lines coming out of Don’s Place could form the basis for a funny TV show. The problem is no one seems interested when I bring it up.

Enjoy your day!

KALISPERA

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Kalispera is Greek for good evening. It might also be Greek for hello. I am not sure. My Greek is not that good.

Anna is on the Greek island of Fourni at the moment. She skyped yesterday to wish me a happy birthday. She was at dinner. Standing behind her was a group of roughly 15 persons. Other guests, locals and the restaurant owner.

As soon as I appeared on screen, they shouted in unison…..Kalispera Key West Lou! Happy birthday! How nice. Other than Anna, I knew none of them. I have never been to Fourni.

Then we lost skype. There was not even time to say thank you.

Since yesterday was my birthday, I slept late and lazed around most of the day.

My son in law picked me up at 4 to take me to Lisa’s for dinner. I asked that we stop first at Don’s Place. I wanted to check on the car. I tried to turn the car on, for the hell of it. It started. It started again when I left Lisa’s. I am not sure when it will not start again. It will find its way to a garage today.

Lisa prepared a terrific birthday dinner. Specifically what I requested. Lasagna and chocolate cake with white frosting. I enjoyed. We all enjoyed.

After dinner, we did Happy Birthday! As I suspected, Ally directed the event.

The grandkids each wrote me a card. Lovely! Ally’s was exceptionally long.

Ally also gave me a painting she did at summer camp. A boat at sea. It sits on my kitchen cupboard already. Robert gave me ceramic plant vase. On it was Robert’s thumb print and his initials. A summer camp result, also. Robert had to first break the vase and then glue it back together. Could not have been an easy feat. There were several broken parts. The vase sits on the counter here where I work already filled with pens and pencils.

Bread is the subject of the day.

This morning’s Key West Citizen in its This Day in History section stated that on this day in 1927, an individual invented a machine to slice bread. The term “sliced bread” is defined to include packaging. The invention was a big deal.

The company involved produced Kleen Maid Sliced Bread. A small company. Sliced bread did not take off however till 1930 when Wonder Bread got involved.

Wonder Bread was national. They came up with a slogan that they thought would sell their sliced bread big time. It did. The slogan…..The greatest thing since sliced bread.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOUIS

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Today is my birthday. Seventy nine years old! Wow!

I thought of titling today’s blog Happy Birthday Key West Lou! Would have been an error. Key West Lou is only 8 years old.

Two previous birthdays bothered me. Forty and 50. Forty for a whole year. Why, I am not sure. Perhaps because my 30’s were behind me. Fifty lasted 24 hours. Not even worth commenting on.

Reaching today has bothered me for 3 months. I have a feeling it will continue to bother me after today for a period of time. I suspect it is because the next birthday is 80. A real big number! Whether I like it, I am  getting old.

It is Cindy’s birthday today, also. Cindy of Tom and Cindy. Cindy from Iowa who frequently visits Key West. Cindy my friend who has had many cancer surgeries. She has only one leg and one breast. Yet, the most positive and fun filled personality of any person I have met.

Happy birthday Cindy!

I am running late doing today’s blog. Almost 11 in the morning. Probably being lazy because it is my birthday.

The world responds. It is wonderful. So far I have received at least 15 happy birthday e mails and telephone calls. Some from as far away as China, Indonesia, South Korea, and South Africa.

It is a small world. Thank you all.

Finished my research yesterday for my next KONK Life submission. I will write the column this afternoon or tomorrow. The title is John Paul Jones. Revealing! An interesting figure. He of…..”I have not yet begun to fight” fame. I compare him in many respects to World War II’s General George Patton.

Car problems yesterday. I shaved and showered. Dressed a bit tidier than normal. And was out on the town to celebrate my birthday. Stopped first at Don’s Place. Don had just returned from a family reunion in Buffalo.

I went to leave. The car would not start. A 2010 Volkswagen convertible. Had its 10,000 mile check up in Miami. Due soon for the 20,000 mile one.

The starter was not kicking in/turning over. Jimmy came outside to see if he could get it going. To no avail. I had Lisa and family come over and pick me up and return me home. My night on the town a bust! I was disappointed, but not unhappy. I enjoy many celebratory evenings in Key West. An evening of TV and reading was ok.

Lisa is cooking for me tonight. She and the grandkids baked me a cake. They will also be chauffering me back and forth between houses.

Tomorrow, I will have to get someone over to look at the car.

This morning’s Key West Citizen had JJ’s picture on page 3. Person of the Day. JJ is now at the Galleon Sunset Pier. I stopped three times to see him. Wrong day each time. I have not tried again in a while. Parking a problem.

KONK Life’s E Blast carried a picture of the Vandenberg today. In celebration of the 4th, several divers attached a huge American flag to the Vandenberg. What a sight divers will have to behold!

Only in Key West. It has roughly been three years that we have had to put up with the construction work on North Roosevelt Boulevard. The repair work is not expected to be completed till the end of August. Driving has been a pain in the ass for three years. No one will deny the representation.

I have avoided North Roosevelt as much as possible. Instead, I have used Flagler. Rather than going right at the triangle at the end of US 1, I turn left onto South Roosevelt Boulevard for several blocks till I reach Flagler, where I make a right to head into town.

I read this morning that repair work will begin on South Roosevelt Boulevard tomorrow. To last several weeks. From the triangle at the end of US 1 to the Riviera Bridge. The same distance basically I have to travel to get to Flagler.

Both entrances to Key West will be screwed up at the same time!

Why must this second construction be started before the first is completed? Key West City fathers fouled up here!

Enjoy your sunday!

FIREWORKS!

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I had intended to join Lisa and family at Higgs Beach for the fireworks last night. At the last minute, I decided to stay home and watch the PBS Washington Symphony U.S. birthday extravaganza on TV. Great music, singing and fireworks!

The Washington show was outstanding! As always.

I can hear and see Key West’s fireworks from my home. The PBS show concluded at 9:30. Still no Key West fireworks. Shortly after 10, I began hearing the boom booms. I went outside on my deck. The Key West fireworks had begun. I sat down outside with a drink in hand and watched. A good show!

I did lose out however in not going to Higgs Beach. I enjoy watching Robert and Ally’s reactions to the fireworks. An exciting event for them.

The President and Mrs. Obama were not present for the Washington show. They usually are seated in the front row. A safety concern?

Lisa and family came over in the afternoon. To swim. Turns out my pool is sick. Pea green. Only the second time in 16 years. They went swimming in the canal instead.

Two days ago I mentioned George M. Cohan, the super dooper entertainer. I mentioned one of the songs he wrote. Yankee Doodle Dandy. Late yesterday afternoon, Turner Classic Movies showed the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy starring James Cagney. The life of George M. Cohan. I watched the movie for the 21st time.

Thursday was David’s birthday. I did not know. I feel even worse since I spent some time with him at Don’s Place thursday night. I called him yesterday to wish him a Happy Birthday.

Beware. Contraception is back on the table. More government intrusion. Not from Congress this time. From the Supreme Court.

The case involves Wheaton College. Wheaton College has a lawsuit pending before the Supreme Court. Wheaton does not want to provide insurance for contraception coverage. As with the Little Sisters of the Poor case, they do not want even to sign/self-certify that they are opting out in providing the coverage. They feel doing so makes them complicit in contraceptive activity.

Wheaton will not be heard for some time. Wheaton therefore asked the Court for an injunction allowing them to get off the hook, so to speak. Sign nothing till the Supreme court decides, not be required in any sense in even recognizing contraception. In a 6-3 decision thursday, the six males of the Supreme Court granted the injunction. The three female members dissented.

The gauntlet has been thrown big time!

On monday last, the Supreme Court decided in the Hobby Lobby case that abortive contraceptives were a no no for certain corporations. Twenty contraceptives were involved. The Court’s ruling seemed muddied. Abortion was the issue. Yet the Court intertwined abortion and contraceptives. In the end, the decision seemed to state the four abortion contraceptives did not have to be provided and the sixteen non-abortive contraceptives were permissible.

Louis, the media and some who read this blog were confused it appeared. I was not, though I did not state it. I recognized only abortive contraceptives were involved. As some of you did, also.

This past thursday, three days following the Hobby Lobby decision, the Supreme Court got involved with both feet in the contraception issue.

I did not know contraception per se was still an issue. The other side never gives up. Especially where a woman’s body and private rights are concerned. A bad situation overall.

As Justice Sotomayor said in the dissent, the Wheaton College ruling undermines confidence in the Court. It came out of the blue. It does.

Enjoy your day!

 

HAPPY JULY 4TH

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Happy 4th of July! A day of American pride. Independence day.

To my readers living in foreign lands, this is the day in 1776 that a group of men signed the Declaration of Independence. The written document by which the colonists declared their independence from England. An act of courage by these men. They were now traitors. Never the less, they stood tall.

Arthur continues to vent as it leaves North Carolina. Turned into a #2. Could have done more damage than it did. Fortunately, Arthur is a swift moving hurricane. Hits and gets out. Surge is still a concern.

I find Key West weather at the moment absolutely amazing. Quiet. Nothing is moving. There is not a speck of wind. Yet 800 miles north, Arthur is blowing up a storm.

A big day in Key West. A big day in every community across the United States.

Party time here in Key West. One of the events is the 6th Annual 4th of July Pub Crawl. Key West celebrates everything with a pub crawl! It will be attended by local military personnel. Those making the bar stroll will be attired in red, white and blue. The crawl starts at 2 at Schooner Wharf.

Tonight, fire works! Always a big event in Key West. Per custom, off the far end of the White Street Pier. Everyone will be there!

Last night for me began at Don’s Place. Don has been away for several days. A family reunion in Buffalo. He returns sunday. I chatted with Jimmy, David, and Hershel. Exchanged hellos with Grant, John, and Erika. Michael was bartending.

Jimmy and I were into golf again. His head is totally immersed in the game. We also talked about what precipitated the Revolution. I thought the Boston Tea Party. Jimmy said the Massachusetts Massacre. I suspect both had something to do with it.

Then to the Chart Room. Emily bartending. Looked good! Chatted with Che, Ollie, Sheila, Frankie and others.

As I was leaving, ran in to David. David showed me his leg. Something bit him more than a week ago. It happens in Key West frequently. Whatever it was gave him an infection. David said it hurt like hell and he is medicating. I told him he should not complain, the bug probably died after biting him.

David is one of Key West’s best people.

Stopped at Burger Fi for a cheeseburger. I was not very hungry. Lucas was bartending.

Met Scott from Boulder, Colorado. He is visiting with his wife. Cindy is her name. I met her later in our conversation. They are in Key West with their 13 year old daughter. Scott is in property management.

The family is staying at Casa Marina. Their room $420 a night. Wow! Next weekend, it will be half the price.

I asked about the pot situation in Colorado. Recreational marijuana is now legal. I was surprised at Scott’s response. Thought he would be enthused about it. I view it like gay marriage. It is something whose time has come.

Scott is concerned. Apparently, there are problems. Pot comes in many forms. One is candy bars. It is suggested that one square at a time be eaten. Teenagers are getting hold of the candy bars and eating the whole thing at one time. With adverse consequences. Alarming. Better control is obviously required.

Enjoy the 4th!

US SOCCER HAS ARRIVED

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U.S. soccer has arrived. No question about it. The team has distinguished itself.

What made me a believer was what I viewed at Roostica last night while having dinner. The TVs were on. The game playing. Each time the U.S. team did something good, the people jumped up and cheered. The same reaction I experienced three years ago at an outdoor cafe in Athens while watching Greece play in a European soccer tournament.

When I was a youngster, there was no soccer. We knew nothing about it. Everything was baseball and football. When I was a young lawyer in Utica, I noticed that some immigrants had created a make shift field just outside the city limits and were playing soccer. I thought at the time the game would never fly. How wrong I was!

My compliments to the U.S. team. They distinguished themselves. They also garnered respect for their country.

When I woke yesterday, I thought I would be tired and achy all day from my exercise routine on monday, I was not. First time the day after was ok. I must be making progress. I go again this morning. I hope I am in as good shape tomorrow as I was yesterday.

A good show last night! I love doing blog talk radio!

The Hobby Lobby Supreme Court decision disturbed me. It was wrong. I chatted about the case for half the show. This corporate person thing the Court has relied on in the Hobby case and a couple of years ago in Citizens United is neither good nor proper.

What of the rights of the Hobby Lobby employees who are being denied their right not to have their religious beliefs infringed upon? They may find abortive contraceptives not inconsistent with their beliefs. In the end, the Court gave deference to the five people owning the company over the 7,000-8,000 female employees Hobby Lobby has.

There is a bit of hypocrisy involved also. Hobby Lobby sells toys. Most the toys are purchased in China. A China that has a one baby per family limit, recommends contraception, and mandates forced abortion whenever there is a second pregnancy.

Hobby Lobby should buy their toys elsewhere. Or is money the compelling factor? Perhaps they cannot buy them as cheap elsewhere. Religion appears not to come into play on their part as regards China purchases.

One other consideration. When our forefathers wrote the Constitution, they were concerned with people having the right to be whatever they wanted. Whether Calvinist, Puritan, a Knox follower, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Catholic, Jew, or what have you. Sperm, the egg, the uterine wall, a woman’s vagina…..none of these things came into consideration. I believe we have gone many steps too far as regards Constitutionally protected religious rights.

Additionally, the framers of the Constitution did not appear to intend nor did they spell out one person’s right to impose his/her religious beliefs on another. And that is precisely what Hobby Lobby does.

Olivia de Havilland turned 98 yesterday. A beautiful woman when a young actress. A beautiful woman in her senior years. She played the younger sister in Gone With the Wind and Maid Mariam in Errol Flynn’s The Adventures Of Robin Hood. She also won two Academy awards.

The gym at 11. Albert is Dracula in gym clothes.

Enjoy your day!

FROM KEY WEST TONIGHT…..BLOG TALK RADIO

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Let the drums roll…..Tonight my blog talk radio show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. A fast paced half hour of interesting chatter. My view point on rapidly changing events.

I plan on starting with my thoughts regarding the Supreme Court decision rendered yesterday concerning Obamacare and contraceptives. An appropriate title would be hypocrisy revealed. Then the results of a recent Gallup poll indicating the Supreme Court has an approval rating among the American people almost as low as Congress.

Plus, the U.S. plan to give money to the “moderates” in Syria who happen to be Al Qaeda by another name, the shame developing with the 52,000 child refugees, the UN targeting Detroit for turning off the water of half the population, one out of three pregnancies in Detroit resulting in abortions (Supreme Court note: contraceptives needed!), beef prices on the rise, the cost of gasoline the highest since 2008, a cute JP Morgan life insurance scheme that has enriched it coffers by billions of dollars, and more.

The gym yesterday morning. Albert. I thought I would not complete the session. The hardest yet!

I told Dr. Lefferets how hard it was. She said it was good for me. I was out of shape. I was and am.

Albert told me to eat as soon as I got home. My body needed to reenergize. I ate. Two ham sandwiches with tomato. Then to bed. I slept four straight hours. That is how beat I was from the exercise.

I am not complaining. Merely sharing.

Sloan came around dinner time. We worked for an hour. I was alive and bright by that time. The sleep had helped.

Dined in last night. Though I felt good, it was too much work to shower again to go out.

My dinner was one my Mother last made for me probably back in my high school days. Campbell’s Chicken Noodle soup and crackers.

For some reason, it did not taste the as I remembered. Perhaps because my Mother did not prepare it. Actually, I think the Campbell people have altered the taste of the soup.

I continued to be invigorated after dinner. I worked on tonight’s blog talk radio show and completed it. Normally, I complete it with 3-4 hours work on the day of the show.

Something is wrong. Different. I have finished my KONK Life column and tonight’s show both early this week. Never before. Could it be the workouts are energizing me?

Arthur is turning. It has achieved tropical storm status. It is predicted it will turn into a #1 hurricane. Seventy five mile an hour winds. Seems definite it will track north at some point. By the weekend, it will either be off the coast or over the northeast.

Glad it will not be over Key West! You have to experience a hurricane to understand. Not nice.

Enjoy your day!

FAIR SKINNED, GREEN EYES, RED HAIR

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I began sunday with a walk at Home Depot. Twice around. Forty minutes. At a fast clip.

Outside was too humid to walk. The humidity is heavy for this time of year. It feels like August and September. If it is this way now, how will it be in August and September? Makes me wonder if global warming is at play.

The first storm of the season is somewhere off the east coast of Florida. Arthur. It is questionable whether Arthur will develop into anything. It is predicted to turn just before hitting Florida and moving north. Nothing to be concerned with in the Keys. Unless Arthur is fickle!

Driving home from Home Depot, I saw Red Zorro. I see Zorro 3-4 times a week. Many locals and tourists have seen him. He is a runner. Short and thin. Wears only shorts. Plus a big brimmed red hat. Something like Cardinals wear. Except, larger. He generally carries a large American flag on a pole across his shoulder. And shouts “whoop!” as he runs by.

Red Zorro is a Key West fixture.

My KONK Life column is due at the paper on wednesday each week. It is does not appear in print till one week later. I sometimes get tired, forgetful, what have you and am late getting the column in. As late as sunday night or monday morning. Much to the chagrin of publisher Guy deBoer.

Yesterday, I decided to get the column done early. I spent the afternoon doing it. The research had been done the day before. It is titled Politics As Usual. The story of Eric Cantor’s downfall and what has resulted therefrom. You will enjoy it.

I did not e mail the column to deBoer. Early delivery might spoil him. I am holding it till due day wednesday when with a touch of the keyboard, the article will be in his hands.

Dined at Geiger Key last night. Gray sky. Humid. I enjoyed a hogfish sandwich while starring at the open water. It was a contemplate my navel time.

Friend Anna is on the Greek isle of Fourni. Fourni is part of the Greek archipelago islands. Very small. Less than 1,000 inhabitants. Quieter than Amorgos.

Anna wrote that many of the local Greeks are fair skinned, have green or blue eyes, and red hair. Pirates are involved. Hundreds of years ago, corsairs (pirates) used Fourni as their home port. The corsairs were fair skinned, green or blue eyed, and had red hair. They intermingled, copulated and/or married the local ladies. The corsair gene is still there to this day.

Greece is full of fascinating revelations. Recall Amorgos and Greek food. It was my grandmother and mother’s Italian cooking I was eating. Greece way before the birth of Christ, sent a large number of its people to settle southern Italy and Sicily. They remained, married, etc. They brought their Greek cooking with them. That cooking became southern Italian cooking as we know it today..

It also suggested to me I must have Greek blood in me. My people came from southern Italy.

Have to hustle. Torture at the gym with Albert at 11.

Enjoy your day!