The first time…..

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The first time…..

My friend Anna wrote me from Milan this morning.

Italy is celebrating an annual holiday today. She referred to it as a Freedom Feast. It celebrates a time during World War II when the Germans had been substantially driven out of Italy. Today’s date commemorates that event. April 26, 1945.

Anna was five years old at the time. She was living in Novara, a town about 30 miles from Milan. The American troops came through. Tanks, jeeps, soldiers on foot. The whole works. The liberators.

Anna ran out of her house to see them up close. The soldiers were throwing chocolate and gum to the people.

Anna had neither seen nor tasted chocolate and gum up to that time.

She recalls the sweetness of the chocolate. The pink of the gum.

Anna had no idea what gum was. She swallowed it.

The things we take for granted were unknown to a five year old that day. Lets hope that none of our five year olds ever share a similar experience.

Spent most of yesterday working on Friday’s Internet show. Sloan joined me in the evening and we worked further on spreading Key West Lou to more followers.

I have not done the show in two weeks. Because of my dental problems. I look forward to returning. The topics will include the column I wrote for this week’s KONK Life about eyeless shrimp and clawless crabs in Gulf waters due to the BP aspill.

There will be a bit on the Catholic Church. My Church. The Church is bending far right and supports many of the recent anti-female venom. Most recently the Vatican ordered the U.S. Bishops to step on the nuns in this country. There are 55,000 nuns. They have openly come out against the Church’s position on many feminist issues. The nuns are not listening to Rome. Their attitude is don’t tread on us.

Plus more interesting topics currently impacting our lives.

Vincent Zito is a well known man about town. A very much respected Key West person.

Some thirteen years ago, Vincent started the Key West Pops. He was its leader, its motivator and its director. He was the man up front waving the baton.

The Key West Pops was a class operation that presented class shows. Always the highest level of performance.

Vincent announced this week that the Pops was closing down. The reason economics.

Vincent and the Pops went out with the same class that both showed over the yeasrs. The Pops left no debt. Vincent was proud to say that as the doors closed, all bills had been paid.

Key West will miss Vincent and his Pops.

It was 76 and cold yesterday in Key West. Don’t laugh. That cold front off the ocean is still lingering.

This morning is bright and sunny. There is a wind however. That same wind that has been affecting us the past several days. I am wearing a sweat shirt.

Enjoy your day!

I got hacked last night.

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I got hacked last night. It was limited to my p0221 Yahoo address. It was enough. Sorry. However these things happen.

The problem was cleared up last night as soon as discovered. It is ok to write me at p0221 Yahoo. Again, my apologies.

As in the world itself, there are nuts out there who have nothing better to do than cause havoc. The admonition Get A Life applies to such persons.

Spent my entire yesterday home. Never went out. My day was devoted to writing. Since I did not finish till around 8, my evening became a home one also.

My appetite was ravenous after a day’s work. I am still married to the blender. Everything blended thus far has had at the very least an acceptable taste to it. Not last night.

I blended two cans of Chef Boyardee Ravioli.

I keep the product in my home because (1) I like it, crazy as that may be, and (2) it is a quick meal to prepare.

The blended result was bad. I could not consume even half it. So bad that I probably will never eat Chef Boyardee again.

Donna emailed me yesterday. She and Terri have arrived in Los Angeles. She described their appartment. Marvelous! She told me that the view from the apartment is of the HOLLYWOOD sign in the distance and Silver Lake. Terri starts rehearsal Friday for the west coast opening of Follies.

Remember that cold front I mentioned coming in Saturday. It is still here. Sixty nine this morning. With a sharp cold 20 mph wind. The weather is scheduled to turn this afternoon. Temperatures in the mid to high 70s which will remain.

I read some where this morning that the cold front is not exactly like Siberia, but cold it is!

I know. The north east is buried in snow. We all suffer. I have to laugh. I complain about 70 degree weather and people up north are freezing.

That’s it. The message for today. Do not blend Chef Boyardee Ravioli and stay out of the cold.

Enjoy your day!

The weather! Plays a big part in our lives.

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The weather!

Plays a big part in our lives.

Yesterday, I commented on two days of wind and rain. Observed that it was coming from the south and moving north. It did. I suspect Key West’s unusual stormy weather was in some fashion connected with the nor’ easter which hit the north Atlantic states late yesterday. Snow. Big time! Like 8 plus inches in Jamestown, NY.

The sun came out towards the end of the afternoon yesterday in Key West. Temperature was in the low 70s. Warm for you northerners, cold for us in South Florida. It did not make any difference to my grandchildren. Robert and Ally showed up with Mom and Dad around 4 to swim. Crazy.

Sloan visited me for a couple of hours yesterday morning. We worked hard on all the things we are doing to expand this site. I would never have been able to do this alone. I would not even have known where to start.

I appreciate there are a lot of screw ups. Bear with me. We’ll have it down and correct in due course.

The balance of the day was spent researching and writing.

Solares Hill is a weekly publication. It comes with the Sunday Key West Citizen as  an enclosure. There is a column entitled Soundings by Mark Howell. An interesting column. I would describe it as a conglomeration of useless and little known information. I enjoy reading the column. Occasionally, I come across something to be shared.

Recently, Soundings commented on the coming Republican convention this summer. It is being held in Tampa, Florida.

Tampa officials issued a list of items considered security threats and prohibited at the convention. Included were water pistols, masks, and pieces of string. Not on the list were firearms. Why?  You can pack a concealed gun in Florida. It is legal. Florida law prohibits local restriction on the right to carry arms.

Perfectly legal. The Supreme Court said so some time ago. The Second amendment is to be upheld, with little if any restriction.

An inevitable scenario will develop. At some point in the near future, persons will walk around with a gun belt and gun on their hips. Shoot ’ems will occur. Like in the Old West and prohibition days of the 1930s.

Again why? Because the Supreme Court said it is ok to carry a gun, concealed or otherwise. Literal Constitutional interpretation overcame the need for reasonable restriction.

I got out for dinner. At Lisa’s. Mashed potatoes covered with gravy for me. Not bad. A change from blender created food.

Enjoy your day!

I did it! I went out last night!

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I did it! I went out last night!

Terrific!

Went to the Chart Room first. Except for JJ, I knew absolutely no one. Did not even have a drink. Left.

Headed immediately for Don’s place. Everyone there.

Don and David at the bar. Erika, Herschel and Tom seated along the windows. Tom gave me a big hug. Every one seemed genuinely pleased to see me again. I was more pleased to see them!

The names in the preceding paragraph are all members of my bocce team. Much of our conversation centered on bocce.

In the my two week absence, the team went 2-1 and 3-0. Six games. Five wins. Not bad! Obviously my bocce talents were not missed!

Position changes were made in my absence by Captain David and Don. Fortunately, I was left alone. I have played from the same end of the court for 5 years. It would be traumatic to go to the other end.

Tino stopped by. Walking his dog. He leaves next week to return to Chicago. He will be missed.

I had a couple of drinks. Enjoyed the companionship. It was a pleasant evening.

Yesterday’s day time was rain, rain, rain. I never left the house. Worked on friday’s Internet show.

The Drag Race was scheduled for Duval at 2. I don’t know if it took place. I suspect it did. Drag queens move where others fear to tread.

The weather is blistery this morning. No rain, yet. It will come. The wind is from the south. A sure sign that the weather will be bad. I have learned over the years that a southerly wind carries with it horrible weather.

I checked the weather report after I noted the wind direction. There is a Severe Weather Alert. From Miami north. The keys were warned to beware. Tornadoes and hail. The report also said a front was coming in from the south that was driving the bad weather.

I should have been a weather forecaster!

My best companion continues to be the blender. It will so be for another week. I am accustomed to it.

Today is sunday. The very least I will do is have dinner tonight with Lisa. Maybe more.

Enjoy your day!