WOODWARD’S THE PRICE OF POLITICS

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No question. This is the rainy season!

It rained big time twice yesterday. Heavy. In between, sunshine! Hard to believe it had rained.

I needed to walk. Normally, I walk in Home Depot to avoid the heat. Yesterday, to avoid the rain.

Lunched at Hogfish. Read the newspapers. It had been a few weeks since I last was at Hogfish. There is something magical about sitting under Hogfish’s thatched roof while it is pouring outside.

I spent the afternoon at home reading. No place to go what with the rain.

I recently started reading Bob woodward’s latest book. The Price of Politics. The story of how President Obama and Congress tried to save the economy. The time frame is just before Obama took office through this past summer.

I am not deeply into the book yet. Let me share some initial impressions with you, however.

President Obama appears to be a person too much within himself. He is President. He has fixed opinions. He does not listen. Many conversations with him are one sided.

Biden is the master of compromise. Much like Lyndon Johnson. The result of many years of Senatorial experience. He would make an excellent President.

Eric Cantor. A worm.

Sloan came over at 5. We continued working on the trip pics. Hopefully next week I shall start publishing them. The next time I do a trip, the photos will be placed in the blog as that day’s blog is done. The reason I did not was that I did not know how. Still do not know how. Soon will be learning, however. Some things I am slow at.

Tonight, the first Presidential debate! I can’t wait! Love politics!

Enjoy your day!

LOTS HAPPENING

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I wrote yesterday that Robert was attending a one week fun trip under the auspices of the Miami Childrens Hospital for youthful cancer survivors. The group consists of about 32 kids. Boys and girls.

Saturday night they attended the Marlins game. The group received all kinds of goodies and acknowledgements. Met the players, practised on the field, one threw out the opening pitch, etc.

I write this blog and everyone things I am very computer savy. I am not.

Lisa received a picture yesterday of Robert at the Marlins game. He is standing in a line with the other cancer survivors. Some Marlin players behind them.

Lisa posted the picture on Facebook this morning. Go to facebook and see it. Search Lisa Malcom. Robert is the third from left. The one with the blond hair. The picture will touch your heart. Guaranteed.

Because I am computer inept when it comes to posting pics, I have to send you directly to Lisa on Facebook.

These children are cancer survivors. Lisa talked with the mother of one of the other children last night. The mother had visited with the kids briefly yesterday. When she came upon them, they were openly talking about having had cancer and that they could have died. They were showing each other their scars.

Robert is aware of what he went through at birth. Even though cured, he is aware it affects his life. For example, he has to be checked at Miami Childrens Hospital till he is 21. He and the family pack up the car and go several times a year. How could he not understand!

God bless these kids!

Sloan and I worked long and hard yesterday morning. Our early Sunday was committed to organizing the 600 pictures taken on my trip. Soon some will be exhibited in epilogue fashion. Not all 600. That became clear yesterday. We have decided on showing the best 50. We are still getting down to that number. If 50 does not do it, I will figure some way of showing more. You shall not miss the good ones.

Walked big time again. After Sloan and I had finished. Longer than the previous day. I must keep it up! That last comment sounds sensual. Not meant to be. Sounds good, though.

There are many tourists in Key West. I am pleased. Both tourists and merchants are happy. This is a good time to visit Key West. Prices are generally half off. Meals 2 for 1. A bargain.

I spent a lot of time at the Plantation Coffee House. Reading the Sunday newspapers and sipping coffee. Both Theo and Diane were there. A hard working couple. Pleasant people.

There were several tourists seated in one area. They were chatting about the weather. The topic of discussion was whether it was going to rain yesterday. It was around one. The sun was bright and hot. Few clouds. The morning had been the same. They were convinced it would not. One of them even said he checked everything out on the internet and he was certain that it was going to be a dry day.

I wanted to tell them how wrong they were. I did not want to bust their bubble, however. It rains every day in Key West in the summer. it is our rainy season.

Sure enough around four, the deluge came. Torrential rain.

Chickens have been a problem over the years in Key West. Several years ago the city fathers paid someone to remove the chickens. Chickens are some sort of an endangered species in Florida. They cannot be killed. They must be captured, properly crated, and sent to a chicken farm somewhere in northern Florida to enjoy the rest of their days.

Key West hired a chicken catcher. He was to receive $20 per chicken. The caging and trucking expenses north were to come out of the $20. The chicken catcher did not last long. He quit. Said he could not make money. The chickens still rule the streets of Key West.

Yesterday’s Key West Citizen had an interesting article. Somewhat related.

Page 2 of the Citizen daily publishes historical events. The paper calls it Today In Key West History. One of the items mentioned occurred 100 years ago. It involved the city and county commissions getting together at a special meeting to combat what apparently was a problem at the time. The bubonic plague. Heavy stuff. The two commissions voted to pay anyone who would help to eliminate the rodents who caused the problem. Five cents per rat, one cent per mouse. Dead or alive.

Hemingway Days start to day. Run through Sunday. One of the big events is the Hemingway Look A-Like Contest. It is held annually at Sloppy Joe’s. Now that I have a beard, all of seven weeks old, I considered entering. On second thought, I realized I am not ready. The beard needs to grow more. Perhaps next year.

I feel good. The jet lag seems to have gone. However, I layed down again yesterday afternoon at 4 for a short nap. Did not wake till 9. Screwed up my game plan for the night. It was to have been dinner at the bar at La Trattoria and visiting with Kathy and Becha. Perhaps next week.

Enjoy your day!

FIRST DAY BACK

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Yesterday, I looked like a homeless man coming out from under the bridge in the morning. Ravished! Could not make myself look good. Did not feel good. Did not care. The condition is called jet lag.

The first thing I did was the last two days of my blog. The travel blog. Today, back to normal. I shall miss the travel portion. However, I am glad to be home and writing again about the mundane things in my life.

In my Key West wanderings yesterday, I missed something. Something I saw on an almost daily basis in Europe. Clotheslines full of wash. Things do look better howeverr without the wash hanging outside.

There is one thing I definitely do not miss. The computers. European computers have different key pads. Italy was the worst. Many letters were not where they are on American computers. @ was different on Italian and Greek computers. Both in different places. These thingst made doing the blog at least one third longer in time. So many mistakes to correct!

Epilogue comming. I have a double disc of over 600 photos. Doing it beyond my capabilities. Need Sloan. We will start in the next couple of days.

I lost some weight on the trip. Thought I did. Only 5 pounds. But, 5 pounds is 5 pounds. It was the hills and stairs. Not the food. I ate everything. My stomach is down. More than 50 per cent. Again, the hills and stairs.

Unpacked a bit off and on yesterday. Plain did not feel like doing it. Have more to do today. Need to get Anna over. I have a ton of dirty clothes. The longer I was away, the less I washed.

Need a couple of naps during the day. Went to sleep at 7 last night. Up now at 3. I stayed up as long as I could last night.

Needed a manicure. Saw Tammy at Lee Nails. She did not like my beard! Crushed me! The first one who did not. Even my daughter Lisa liked it. Tammy said it made me look older.

Tammy followed my blog day by day while I was on the trip. Made me feel good.

The cupboard really was bare. Anna had cleaned out the refrigerator. I had to go to Publix. I only got half of what I needed. No fruit. My head was screwed up.

Ran into Ryno as I was pulling into the Publix parking lot. Ryno is one of Key West’s premier radio people. Every day for several hours. Ryno started me out on radio at KONK three years ago. He was the station engineer. He is from Watertown, N.Y., about 15 miles from my hometown of Utica. A sweet person.

I rolled the window down and we chatted a bit. He referred to me as the globe trotter. He was reading the blog, also. Thank you, Ryno.

I need a haircut. I have hair for the first time in years. Growing out every which way. I am going to keep some hair. Needs trimming bad, however. Even Tammy said…..Get a haircut!

My appointment with Lori is 10:15 this morning. I should look beautiful and ready for my Key West world afterward.

Two stops definitely today. Don’s Place around 4. Then the Chart Room at 6. Then I will really be back!

When I left Key West, the sun was shining. Little, if any, rain. I return two months later and Key West is into the rainy season. Night and day. Pouring outside right now. Thunder and lightning over the ocean. Nothing like ocean lightning at night! It joins you in bed.

Enjoy your day!