CHRISTMAS EVE

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It is all for the children! But I still get a bang out of Christmas. Especially Christmas eve.

I was at daughter Lisa’ s home. Santa Claus came before dinner. Robert and Ally were excited. I thought they might not believe, were playing us along, etc. However from the look in their eyes, there was no question they believed!

Santa always makes sure to tell the grandkids that Poppa is his friend. I have been doing the Santa thing for years. First for my own children, then for my grandchildren who are adults now, and finally for Robert and Ally.

God is good!

The meal Lisa prepared was excellent. Four fishes. One more than last year. At some point, we will be up to seven. The fish: shrimp, coconut shrimp, clams, and lobster tails. Christmas cookies for dessert. Lisa and Ally baked them. Delicious!

Tim Reynolds invited me to a party he was having last night. I looked forward to joining him. However by the time I left Lisa’s, I had had too much food and too much wine. The car took me home. My apologies to Tim and Debbie.

I have to work today on my friday TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour.

Topics I am playing with include a New Jersey transgender bill, the courts finally permitting a suit against Saudi Arabia for 9/11, France coming up with the first artificial heart implanted that works, where Congressmen get their money from, NSA and RSA back door to security devices we buy for our computers, police now having the right to search your cellphone if you are stopped for a minor traffic violation, and more.

Enjoy your Christmas Day!

CHRISTMAS DIFFERENT IN ITALY

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Christmas is not as you would think in Italy. It is not the big deal it is in the United States. Surprisingly so.

Italy is the most conservative European nation when it comes to Christmas. Again, surprisingly so.

It is only in recent years that Santa Claus has entered upon the scene. Italy’s Santa is not quite the same as ours. He wears a red hat and jacket. Not fat. Skinny. Delivers gifts on January 5, the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany.

An interesting item is that Italy’s Santa Claus does not speak Italian. Makes sense. He is from the North Pole and the Italian language would be strange to him.

Santa’s name is not Santa Claus. It is Babbo Natale. Means Father Christmas.

The real Santa Claus from day one in Italy is Befana. She is uniquely Italian. Extremely popular. The children all believe in her.

Befana looks and acts like a witch, though she is not one. She is a scraggly old lady with a pointed black hat and rides a broom. No sleigh and reindeer for her.

Here again December 25 plays no part. Befana visits the children on January 5, the day before the Feast of the Epiphany. She brings candy and gifts. Leaves them in large stockings.

If a child has been bad, she will leave coal. A tradition no longer discussed in the United states. I recall my parents always warning me to be good or Santa would bring me coal. I doubt very many U.S. children today know what coal is. I know. We used to heat the house with it. I was the one who had to shovel the coal into the furnace two times a day.

Lest I forget, Befana wears a black shawl. She is covered with soot. The reason being of course that she comes down the chimney.

Christmas eve is quiet. Families do get together to eat. Southern Iitalians eat the seven fishes. Northern Italians do not. In fact, I was speaking with Anna in  Novara yesterday. She did not know that seven fishes are considered an Italian tradition in the United States. My southern Italian family always followed it. The best meal of the year!

Anna has her children over for dinner tonight. She decided to serve Maine lobsters. A first. She bought them at a nearby fish market.  They had been flown in from Canada. The store told her to take them home and keep them in water and salt. She purchased the lobsters on 12/22 to be cooked and eaten on 12/24.

Anna put the lobsters in water and salt in her bathtub. They all died.  I assume from soap residue. She was crying. She  did however refrigerate the remains and intended to cook them Christmas eve. It took me a while to make her understand that once dead, a lobster is useless for eating purposes. Unless you want to get sick.

I had dinner with Bebe last night at the Hot Tin Roof. A friend. She has worked 26 years at the Hyatt. She is the administrative assistant to the general manager. Managers come and go, Bebe remains.

Sloan was at the Hot Tin Roof for a party. She sat with us a while. First time I have ever seen Sloan dressed dressed. She looked fantastic!

Banks are whores. They have gotten away with murder in recent years. At the same time making a ton of money.

Cheap is cheap. I do business with two banks. I wanted those red Xmas envelopes they give out free to people like me who are making money gifts to persons on Christmas. Neither bank had them. Both no longer provide them. Would you believe? Cheap!

There will be no blog radio show this evening. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou will not air. It is Christmas eve. I am selfish, also. I will be with Lisa and family at the time still eating.

Enjoy your day! Enjoy your evening!

XMAS EVE TOMORROW !!!

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I love Christmas eve!

Santa Claus will be visiting Robert and Ally around dinner time. I suspect this is the last year they still believe. They are on the cusp. Lisa’s dinner will be fantastic. Christmas music in the background.  The evening will be a God is in His Heaven, all is right with the world one. At least at Lisa’s house tomorrow night.

Yesterday morning I laid around in bed watching the news talk shows.

To Don’s Place at one. Chatted with Don and Larry. Hellos exchanged with David and Keith. Stayed a couple of hours watching pro football.

Next was a visit to Lisa’s to see the grandkids. They are patiently waiting for tomorrow night. No question Jake is now my friend. I was reading the Sunday papers when he jumped on the couch and snuggled up to me. He soon was sleeping.

Did a little bit of last minute Christmas shopping.

Spent the evening at home trying to figure out Obamacare. I waited till the last minute. Confusing! Frustrating would be the better word. I still do not have it completed.

Tomorrow night normally would be my blog talk radio show at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. No show tomorrow night. Christmas eve is for family and not dealing with world problems.

Enjoy your day!

Christmas….A Legal Holiday

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CHRISTMAS 2010, I WROTE AN ESSAY DETAILING HOW CHRISTMAS CAME TO BE A LEGAL HOLIDAY. THE STORY INCLUDES MANY INTERESTING FACETS NOT GENERALLY KNOWN. THE ESSAY WAS NOT PUBLISHED IN THE BLOG AT THE TIME. I SHARE IT WITH YOU NOW WITH MY WISHES FOR A BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Christmas….A Legal Holiday

 

On this wonderful Christmas Day 2010, most of us are sitting back happy with ourselves. In a joyous festive mood. Thankful for family and friends. Pleased by gifts and food.

And we might believe that Christmas in the United States has always been such. That Christmas as we know it always existed.

Shockingly, it did not!

Let’s go back to the Puritans. Those hearty immigrants from England to the shores of Massachusetts. Those who gave us Thanksgiving.

Christmas they did not give to us. In fact, they took Christmas away from us. The earliest Scrooges of record!

From 1659 to 1681, Christmas was outlawed in Boston. By the Puritans. They believed that Christmas was not consistent with their Puritan ideas and religious reforms. So one of their acts was to abolish Christmas!

Christmas remained a no-no through the American Revolution. The English influence in the colonies prevailed. Christmas could not regain its foothold.

A few years after the Revolution, the colonists, rid of the English influence, started celebrating Christmas. But it was not Christmas as we know it.

The early 1800s found Christmas being celebrated in a bit of a rowdy fashion. Much like Mardi Gras and Fantasy Fest.

Then came a couple of books which influenced the situation.

The first was by Washington Irving. In 1809, he wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon. It portrayed Christmas as a peaceful loving holiday. Many attribute Irving’s novel as setting the mood for present day Christmas.

Irving actually created with words Christmas Day as we know and celebrate it. He mentally conceived his concept of Christmas and wrote it on paper. Christmas to that point had not been as he portrayed it.

About the same time, there was another writing. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This, too, captured the American imagination.

During the 1830s, several southern states legalized December 25 Christmas Day as a legal holiday. The first was Alabama in 1836.

The South continued to favor and celebrate Christmas up to the time of the Civil War. Whereas the North basically paid little attention to the day. Christmas had become a Southern thing.

Now comes the Civil War. Lincoln wanted to demoralize the Confederate troops. He wanted to show that the South’s Santa Claus was on the side of the North. He authorized a famous artist late in 1862 to do a drawing of Santa Claus watching over Union troops. The picture was the front cover on January 3, 1863 of a prominent national magazine. It was sort of God is on our side thing. Some believe it achieved Lincoln’s desired effect.

President Ulysses S. Grant is given credit for making Christmas a national holiday. I question the accuracy of the representation. In 1870 Grant signed a bill into law regarding Christmas Day. The new law read that Christmas “…shall be a holiday within the District of Columbia.”

The District of Columbia is not the whole of the United States. However, Grant is usually given credit for making Christmas a national holiday by that act.

The last state to legalize Christmas as a legal holiday was Oklahoma in 1907.

I suspect that it was the combination of Grant’s signing regarding the District of Columbia and all of the states legalizing the holiday that finally made Christmas Day a national holiday.

Christmas Day received a further boost by the 1897 editorial in the Sun of New York. We all know it. “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”

Christmas was practiced and recognized as a holiday through World War II. For whatever reason, it received its most gigantic step forward recognition and celebration wise following World War II. Everyone got into the act after the war! Maybe because people were happy and grateful to have won.

Such is the story of the legalization of Christmas Day.

GARDEN GIRRRL

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I spelled Girrrl correctly.

Last night at the Chart Room, I met Laura and Gary from Virginia. Laura is National Sales Manager for Dish Network. Gary, a gun dealer.

Laura is also the Garden Girrrl. She writes a blog! We bonded immediately. Her blog can be found at gardengirrrl@wordpress.com.

We chatted about blogging, WordPress, and related matters. She was excited when I mentioned I had just published my first book. The World Upside Down. She asked where it could be found. I happily told her Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Read Laura’s blog.

Kevin is a snow bird. In Key West for the winter. We had met before. Howard came in. He and Kevin are friends. The three of us sat together.

Howard is originally from Manhattan. Now retired, he lives on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. He used to own a coffee shop on the Outer Banks which he sold. He still works there part time.

Emily comes into the picture. Emily knew Howard well. Chart Room Emily once lived and worked on the Outer Banks. She braided hair.

I enjoyed talking with Kevin, Howard, and Emily.

Kevin has a terrific party planned for Sunday afternoon. He invited me. Nice guy. Not sure I can make it.

I left and drove over to Don’s Place. David was leaving as I arrived. Met a woman who knows Lisa. Her name escapes me. I sat down to talk with Grant. He stayed five minutes and left. Apparently did not enjoy my company. Only joking!

I was hungry. Stopped at Outback for a prime rib dinner. My concession to good health was I ordered the small portion and steamed vegetables.

My doctor called me. X-rays showed no fractured ribs. Probably bruised, however. I still hurt. Between the pain pills and a few drinks the pain disappeared. Slept good, also.

The morning was involved with my TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. The issues that interested most people were twofold.

One involved police brutality, courts that support such activity, and legislation that permits unreasonable acts by authorities. My comments were motivated by the strip search of the Indian Deputy Consul General in New York City this week.

Also, a New Mexican woman aged 54 that was anally searched for drugs, compelled to move her bowels in front of hospital staff and police officers and otherwise infringed upon. No drugs found, of course. The hospital billed her $6,000.

Crazy world! Getting more so by the minute.

I visited Tammy at Lee Nails after the show. Manicure and pedicure. Tammy is a joy! A tiny and beautiful Asian woman. We have interesting conversations.

Key West weather continues to be delightful. Low 80s by night, low 70s by evening. Sleep with the windows open. I can feel the breeze coming in over the ocean.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

OH, THE PAIN

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I am into pain big time! The rib I did something to Tuesday. Pain yesterday afternoon horrible! Ended up seeing the doctor and taking x-rays. I do not know the results yet. My doctor furious with me.

The pain has been joined by a large bruise.

Painkillers and a gin last night. I was feeling no pain afterwards. Plus, a heating pad. My doctor seems more concerned about me developing pneumonia in a week. Breathe deep, she told me several times. When we have pain in the chest, we tend to take small breaths. Deep  breaths  cause pain. Breath, she exclaimed! Every few minutes, I remember and take several deep breaths.

This getting old is a pain!

I cancelled all gym activity till after January 1. Then we shall see.

I did stop in at the gym in the morning. Merely to get my metabolic results. I need something. I was in the bad in all classifications.

A tragedy in London. The falling of the Apollo theatre’s ceiling. Some five stories. On a full house!

Eight years ago I was in London for a week. A great city! Most of the theaters are in the Piccadilly Square area. Apollo was just outside the Piccadilly. I saw three shows. None was at Apollo. What I do recall specifically was a pub near Apollo. Pubs are popular in London. I visited this one several times. It was my favorite. Got into warm beer. Not bad. Different from our beers which cannot be drunk warm.

Already finished my TV/internet show this morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Fun!

I am off to see Tammy for a manicure and pedicure. Want to look my best for the holidays.

Enjoy your day!

AN EVENING WITH TOM AND CINDY

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I like Tom and Cindy. Great people! From Iowa. Black hearted Republicans, but we get along.

We had dinner last night at Square One. Cindy looked lovely. A charmer. Life has not gotten her down. One breast and one leg gone to cancer. Still cheerful! She is amazing!

They wanted to go to Don’s Place after dinner. We went. Fortunately, Don was still there. He and Tom bonded. They were talking business all night.

My day started early yesterday. The metabolic test for WeBeFit. I am in terrible shape. worse than I thought. Stayed a while after and did some time on the tread mill. Then an hour at Plantation Coffee House reading the papers.

My TV/internet show tomorrow at 10. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Via television from Key West through Boca Raton on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

My chest/rib is killing me. I did not work out today. Already! I see the doctor at 4.

Enjoy your day!

DAY ONE

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Day one. I am not looking at the words and thinking this is the first day of the rest of my life. Though it is. For you and for me. Day one refers to the fact that today will be my first time at WeBeFit with a trainer. I am taking another shot at getting healthy. I cannot seem to do it on my own. Ergo, the trainer.

Up early to get the blog done before I leave. Temperature 69. Was a bit lower in the night. Will reach mid 70s today.

Yesterday was cold! First cold one of the season. Little sun and a cold chill blowing in off the ocean. Sweatshirt time!

The cold spell is only going to last a day or two. Then low 80s again.

The mundane occupies all our lives. Yesterday afternoon  was my time. I had to run errands. Nothing important, but had to be done. Places like Office Max, Walgreen, and Sears.

Chart Room first last night. Busy. Very busy. Sat at the round table and chatted with Jean, David, Sheila, Frankie, and Peter. Robert was at the bar. I went over to say hello. Back when, Robert and Kurt shared a home in Key Haven. I met Robert through Kurt. Played golf on occasion with Robert. A long ball hitter. Robert bartends at the Tuna place off Duval. We spoke of Kurt who is now in Indianapolis.

Stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Just briefly, I thought. Two hours before I left. Sat with Grant. We talked. about everything. It was the first time Grant and I have had the chance to chat so long. He is an interesting person.

It is Tuesday again. Time for my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine this evening. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. I will be ranting about the winds of revolt in Italy, McCain not having any business in Ukraine, the media and Iceland’s revolt, a woman who was operated on to remove a 40 year old fetus she had been carrying, some anti Saudi Arabia comments, and more.

Guaranteed you will enjoy.

Have a good day!

 

PAT CROCE

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Pat Croce has come into our lives.

I was babysitting for a couple of hours yesterday. When I went to pick up Robert and Ally, Robert showed me a book he had purchased earlier in the day at a garage sale for $1. The Pirate Handbook by Pat Croce. He is into pirates.

I asked 9 year old Robert if he knew who Jim Croce was. He did not. I proceeded to tell him about the Pirate Museum that no longer was, the Rum Barrel, Island Dogs, and the Green Parrot. He knew of the Rum Barrel having seen it while riding by. He knew not the other entities.

I explained who Pat Croce was. The Philadelphia 76ers, his entrepreneurial background. Robert was duly impressed.

We were going to lunch. We had earlier decided on the Ocean Key House deck. The grandkids enjoy sitting by the water at a colorful table under an equally colorful umbrella. Robert had the hot dog the last time we were there. Delicious! I had tasted it. Robert and I both wanted a hot dog. Ally never changes. A cheeseburger and French fries.

We discussed stopping at the Rum Barrel. The Ocean Key won out because of the hot dogs.

The Ocean Key House deck was a mistake. The hot dogs were nowhere as good as the last time. Robert and I looked at each other after our first bites. Bad! Robert finished all of his. I not even half. Ally of course put everything down. They are good eaters.

Our waitress irritated me. From the second we sat down, it was like she did not want us there. Cool. Showed us none of the cheerfulness she showed other customers. Robert and Ally both made mention that she did not like us. We needed more diet soda. Could not even get the waitress’ eye. Never the less, she was running around refilling free glasses of water at two tables near us.

We were customers, too! The grandkids and I discussed the situation. I explained to them she probably thought we would not be spending much money or looked like we were poor tippers. The situation quietly irritated me a bit. The three orders of fries cost $2.50 extra for each of us. The sodas were equally as expensive. No water for us. We were spending money!

My heart is always in the right place. I said nothing and left her a 20 per cent tip on a $53 bill.

We agreed we would not be returning soon. Not because of the waitress. We did not like the hot dogs.

We further agreed the next time it would be the Rum Barrel.

My afternoon was spent finishing this week’s KONK Life column. It is about Iceland’s revolution that had its beginnings in 2008. The one we never heard about. The thrust of the column is the U.S. mainstream media’s silence. Which I attribute to the mega corporations that own our TV, radio, newspaper and magazine outlets.

The column was a bit long. Detail was required that made it long. I had to cut it in half. A Part I this week and a Part II next week. Guy de Boer was going crazy over the phone. Too long to print!

I am still autographing books. My recently published one. The World Upside Down. An interesting experience.

The book is available on the internet in e book and soft cover paper back. Love the cover! Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Absolutelyamazingebooks.com. The book makes for a thoughtful Christmas gift.

My blog talk radio show tomorrow night at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Two things for certain I will be discussing. The winds of revolt in Italy and questioning why McCain was in Ukraine. He has become an irritating troublemaker.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

A WONDERFUL DINNER PARTY

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The dinner party I attended last night was one of the best. I have gone to many. This one turned out to be special. From the people to the food to the conversations.

Larry and Christine Smith were the hosts. The party at their lovely home. About 20 people. Christine dressed in season attire. A red dress and Santa cap. A  great hostess. The martini glasses were chilled. I was impressed.

There was one more hostess. Kathleen Peace. Kathleen is visiting and staying for a few days with Larry and Christine. Kathleen did the cooking. Everything tasty. Especially the best chicken I ever tasted which turned out not to be chicken. It was pork! At that point, I only had had one drink.

Kathleen prepared a special sauce. It would have made steak taste like chicken! She cooked the roast seven hours.

I was back at the buffet table for my second helping of the “chicken.” Kathleen was nearby. I told her the best chicken ever! What chicken, she asked. I pointed. She laughed. It’s pork!

John and Ali are visiting Key West once again. They come every year at this time for one month. They reside in Leeds, England. Great people.

Larry is getting along well. He can stand. He can walk with a cane. He is driving. Still in pain on occasion.

There came a time when there was only Larry, Don, and I sitting outside by the pool. Don and I had overstayed our welcome. Everyone else had left. The three of us were having a fun conversation. A lot of Roger Bell talk. I knew I should have left earlier when Kathleen came out of the kitchen and announced she was going to bed.

The party conflicted with the Christmas Boat Parade. I made the wise choice. As good  as the boat parade generally is, the party was much better.

I babysit today at noon. Lisa is going Christmas shopping for Robert and Ally. Gifts from Santa Claus. They still believe.

I never made it to the turtle event yesterday. A once very sick turtle now healthy was being returned to its natural habitat. The Atlantic. I did find out the turtle’s name. Hunter. The Turtle Hospital people want Hunter to go forth and make baby turtles. For real. It is the season.

Enjoy your Sunday!