CHRISTMAS DIFFERENT IN ITALY

Posted on by

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 !!!

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

 

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

Posted on by

 

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

Posted on by

 

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!

FIRST DAY WITH TRAINER…..THINK I BROKE A RIB

Posted on by

 

Yesterday morning was my first work out at WeBeFit with trainer Dan. Dan also owns the gym. It was grueling! I am absolutely and without question out of shape. Felt like I did when I could not climb to the top of the Santorini volcano two years ago. The one hour session took forever. It could not end soon enough for me.

To make things worse, we heard a pop when I was doing  some exercise on my side and stretching my arms with a foam roll under my armpit. The pop was associated with an instant big time pain. Then no pain. Pain now when I move certain ways.

Dan thought I broke a rib. We finally decided I pulled a muscle. This morning, I decided it is a broken rib. I will see the doctor tomorrow.

I cannot win. I am not dissuaded, however. I am committed. Not just to lose weight. To live.

This morning, I was back at the gym at 7. To see Martina. She gave me a metabolic test. Percentage of body fat, etc. I get the results tomorrow. After the test, I stayed around a half hour and did the tread mill. Dan told me to do it on my own as often as possible to gain cardiovascular strength.

My blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. People get pissed off when their government or someone else fails to tell them something. This time it had to do with the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan three years ago. The U.S. sent the USS Ronald Reagan to help. The ship basically was parked 10 miles off shore from the disaster area. When U.S. ships are deployed, they rely on ocean water for their water needs. The salt water is desalinated. The salt is removed. The water is then used on board for drinking, cooking and bathing.

Fifty one sailors have thus far come down with some form of cancer. Primarily thyroid, testicular, and leukemia. They claim it was from the nuclear pollution that was in the water. The Department of Defense says no way. Safeguards were in place. The sailors disagree. The first news of what is happening came forth this week when the 51 sailors sued the company that ran the nuclear facility.

Why didn’t the government tell us about the cancers? Even if they were not assuming responsibility. Shades of Vietnam and Agent Orange. Typical of Agent Orange, the government is refusing initially to assume responsibility.

On this day in 1865, slavery ended in the United States with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. Today, we have a new form of slavery. Economic  slavery.

Some people are just plain stupid. Especially when it comes to race. Do any of us really know what color Jesus was? Whites believe white. Blacks, black . What about Santa Claus?

A New Mexico school teacher her told her grade school children to come to school dressed as Santa Claus, an elf or a reindeer. A little black boy came as Santa Claus. He had a white and red cap on and a white beard. The teacher chastised him. Asked him in effect didn’t he know Santa Claus was white.

There is an investigation.

Several years ago, Shack was published. One of the best books I have ever read. God was portrayed in the novel as a fat black woman. Jesus as a 6 foot 6 inch Jew with a large hooked nose. Who is to say otherwise?

I cannot wait for dinner time tonight. I am having dinner with two old friends I have not seen in three years. Tom and Cindy from Iowa. We are meeting at Square One restaurant.

I have written of Cindy before. She has had six different cancers and seven major surgeries. She is missing one leg all the way up to the groin. She cannot wear a prosthesis. There is no stump  to attach it to. She gets around in a wheel chair or on titanium crutches.

Cindy is not inhibited by her physical problems. She goes everywhere. Gets around. She has the best personality. Always cheerful, always excited. I am having dinner with a special person.

My book The World Upside Down is experiencing an interesting development. It is backlisted on one of the purchasing sites to January 15. Sign the book is selling? I don’t know.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

PAT CROCE

Posted on by

 

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

Posted on by

 

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!

I WAS ENGAGED TO HER !!!

Posted on by

 

I spoke with Larry Smith yesterday morning on the phone. Asked if he knew Mary Angel Coploff. Her name had come up the night before at the Chart Room as being his friend.

Do I know her, Larry exclaimed! I was engaged to her!

It is a small world indeed. Mary lives in Pennsylvania. Larry told me not only are he and Mary still friends, her husband is one of his best friends!

Bocce party last night. Don’s Place. Strictly for the five teams that play their own competition during the bocce season. A side bet sort of thing. The best bocce party yet! Good company, good food. What more could be desired.

The sliced tenderloin was exceptionally good. David cooked it on an outdoor grill. I had two helpings.

Inside and out were packed with bocce partiers. Larry Smith showed up. He is doing good. He is now walking with the aid of a cane. His legs are straight. He had the worse case of bow leggedness I had ever seen!

Larry brought Kathleen Peace with him. Everyone loves Kathleen! Everyone misses her! She has moved to northern Florida. She is visiting Key West for the weekend.

I joined a health club yesterday afternoon. WeBeFit. It is located on First Street. In Doc Covan’s building. I can see my psychologist and trainer at one time. Joking, of course. Though I probably have always needed a psychiatrist/psychologist, never did it. doubt that I will at this age.

I start my actual workout on Tuesday. three days a week. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Hopefully, my body will become beautiful.

I am signing an increased number of the book each day. Humbling and interesting.

The book is The World Upside Down. By yours truly, Louis Petrone. It is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

GARBAGE JOURNALISM

Posted on by

 

I am irritated. So let me get right to the point. I take umbrage with that segment of the Bill O’Reilly Show entitled Watters’ World. A deplorable piece concerning Key West was recently run on the show. Disgraceful. A bald faced misrepresentation.

The man is Jesse Watters. A traveling reporter. He recently did a video piece on Key West. He was here in Key West. He asked the questions and did the interviewing. Someone else filmed. The product he brought back to the Bill O’Reilly Show was unrepresentative of our community.

Watters must have envisioned the show he wanted to film. He cherry picked his characters and set  the scene. Rigged the production, in effect. He made it look like Key West was composed of homeless, derelicts, druggies, and mental defectives. He interviewed all over Key West. The Southernmost Point, the waterfront, several spots on Duval, and in front of and in the parking lot at Don’s Place.

My friend Rob was interviewed. How he got caught up with this bunch I do not know. He was the only intelligent person interviewed. That does not mean I agreed with everything Rob said, however.

The video was unquestionably insulting. It stomped on Key West with both feet!

O’Reilly and Watters chatted a bit after the video was shown. O’Reilly described Key West as an outlaw town. He said he had been visiting Key West since 1971. I would like to know when. I have never seen him or had knowledge he was here. I question whether O’Reilly is a Truman of sorts. In addition, O’Reilly appeared to suggest that Key West was not a good vacation spot for children. I do not know if he only visited the strip clubs and the clothing optional bar on top of the Bull. Did he visit at all Fort Zachray Taylor Beach, the Fort Zach Museum, The Mel Fisher Museum, the  Custom House, the Hemingway House? Did he partake of the various fishing trips,  fish off the sidewalk next to the Atlantic, experience sunset at Mallory Square? Just some of the things that parents and their children do.

Fair and balanced the O’Reilly Show was not with regard to the Watters’ World report.

There is a Key Wester who writes a blog of sorts. He goes by the name of Jester. His comments concerning this situation are better than mine. He calls it as it is in no uncertain terms. Read it. Jester/Key West.

There are honorable people in Key West. I was pleased this week to note that Home Depot had the flag atop its building flying at half mast. A respectful company . Watters should have gone to Home Depot and interviewed the staff and customers if he wanted to meet real Key Westers. Home Depot being merely one example.

Larry Smith is still on the mend. His name came up last night at the Chart Room. I was chatting with Emily and David. Then a couple sitting next to me. Scott and Cathy Walker from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. A town near Penn State. They have visited Key West before. In fact, they were here celebrating their anniversary. One year ago on December 7 they were married in Key West. Not kids. A mature couple.

Either Scott or Cathy has had a knee replacement. They told me to say hello to Larry. They had met him on one occasion and were sorry that he was no longer at the Wine Galley.

They told me their friend Mary Angel Coploff was a close friend of Larry’s and that I should mention her name to him. And let Larry know that Mary had both knees replaced at one time as Larry had. Mary did it two years ago.

Scott is in an interesting business. He builds log cabin homes. They are built for the cold. There was and is a market for them up north. There were many in the Utica area. What surprised me is that several years ago,  he was sent down here to build one on Big Pine.

Bocce season has been over for a month. We do not start again till January. This past season’s bocce party is tonight. At Don’s Place. It will be a good time!

Enjoy your day!