Good morning world!

A nice day in the making outside! We need it! Rained heavy again yesterday. A day of pure unadulterated sunshine required!

Started yesterday at Publix. The cupboard was bare! Needed necessities. Like bread, butter, yogurt and fruit.

Spent the rest of the day inside doing paperwork. And listening to the pouring rain!

The Chart Room was my first stop last night. A good time! Marty, Captain Peter, Che and Sheila.

Where to have dinner? The major decision of the day! We finally decided to stay right at the Pier House and eat at the bar in the Wine Galley. Larry Smith was playing.

So Marty and the Captain and I headed to the Wine Galley. We lost Che and Sheila on the way. Che had something cooking at home. Sheila was tired and wanted to sleep.

Larry was outstanding last night! A real talent! A great entertainer! He has a way of making every one feel happy.

Met some interesting people at the Wine Galley.

Rich and Mary Jim! Happy souls! Live off Boca chica. Not on Boca Chica! They live on a boat! Adventurous people!

John and Philippine were there also. They live on Cudjo Key. Not together. They are two souls who have come together late in life. They appear enamoured and happy. But have decided to conform to old ways and maintain separate residences.

Phillippine is an interesting name. Thought it was Italian. Close to Philomena. When I was young, my grandmother had several lady friends named Philomena. Not Italian, however. German. The old country names do stick!

Catain Peter left us right after dinner. He did not want to drink too much. He had to drive out to his boat.

The Captain lives on a sailboat about 2 miles off shore. He dingies in and back each day. He has a light and small motor.

It was already dark when he left. He was not concerned. He has been doing it for years.

Marty and I chatted for awhile. He had flown to Fort Myers and back on a private charter during the day. A friend had business there. Marty had no work. So Marty kept him company on the flight and shopped all day while his friend was working. What a life!

The weather looks terrific outside my window. I hope it stays this way all day. We have had enough rain the past few days.

Do something good for someone today! Come back and visit with me tomorrow!

Rained like hell yesterday! Right up to dinner time. I had to wear a slicker when I went out last night.

We are into the rainy season in the keys. This morning looks good. Over cast, but the sun breaking through. A cool breeze.

The rain kept me in all day. I would have stayed in any how. So the rain is not an excuse. I had paper work to do.

Last night was a quiet one. Not too many people out and about. The rain kept the hordes in.

Stopped for a moment at the Chart Room. Saw Marty and Captain Peter. Then off to the Hot Tin Roof for a light dinner at the bar.

Met some fascinating people at the bar. Tourists. From all over. Good conversations.

Then home to an early bed again.

Yesterday was an unforunate one. A double death. Two celebraties who impacted the world! Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

I was never a big Jackson fan. A question of taste. He and his music did nothing for me. A personal thing. However, he touched many in the world! Yes, world! As is evidenced by the reaction to the news of his death. He was a talent, a cult figure.

Farrah Fawcvett I liked! Enjoyed! A beauty. Charlie’s Angels star! Loved her smile! Loved her hair!

I don’t think she ever achieved the notoriety and following of Michael Jackson. But, she was up there! Her cancer death touched the world.

Two earthly stars are now in the sky! Shining on all of us to the end of time!

I am out of food. So I cannot have breakfast in this morning. Have to grocery shop! Breakfast will shortly be at Paradise Cafe. Cuban toast and coffee. Wish you were here to join me!

Have a good day!

It is raining big time outside! Gray all over. Yet, cool and refreshing!

I love the sound of rain! Always have! Especially along the ocean!

You can see it, feel it and taste it!

Me thinks it is going to rain like this all day. Every now and then it happens, even in Key West!

Golf was wet yesterday. Like the U.S. Open!

We got in 2 holes. Then sat at the Club House for 2 hours waiting for the storm to subside. We finally finished 18, but late in the afternoon.

I played OK. Nothing great. My usual suck game! But I won $3! Don and Larry won big time! Aaron and Randy lost big time! I was happy to have broken even with my $3 in winnings!

Marty met me last night at Aqua to hear Bobby Nesbitt. Great, as usual! I especially enjoy when Bobby and Mark Watson sing a duet together. Terrific!

I was Marty’s guest for dinner afterwards at Antonia’s. Fettucine a la checa! A wow! Delicious!

Then as usual home to an early bed. I needed my sleep. I was exhausted from the golf! I even over slept this morning.

I wish you were all here to experience the falling rain from my window. It looks good! It tastes good! The slight breeze feels good! All nice!

Glad I was not planning to play golf this morning! No way!

I will never finish the Truman book. Long! I keep interrupting my reading of it by switching to another novel.

Robert Wolfe is a reporter/commentator who appears on MSNBC often. Morning Joe and Chris Matthew shows.

During the last Presidential campaign, he was with Obama every day. That was his assignment. A book has resulted. It is titled Renegade. Renegade is the Secret Service’s name for Obama.

The book is presently #4 on the New York Times best seller list.

It is interesting reading. Has many insights into Obama’s personal relationship with his wife and associates. Also into Obama’s thinking.

I like the book. I am enjoying it. It is helping me to understand Obama a bit also.

I recommend Renegade for reading.

Have a good day! Stay out of the rain!

Golf this morning!

I am anxious to play. I rarely play well. However, I enjoy the experience. It is the guys I play with that make it so exciting. Different personalities. All crazy! An experience!

A fun time last night!

Started at the Chart Room. Where else!

Che, Marty and Sean present. Good people! Good conversation!

Sean is a local news reporter. He was on a radio talk show yesterday when my blog came up. It is amazing the increasing exposure this writing is receiving.

Marty and I opted to go to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. A wise choice, as it turned out! It was Ladies Night! We were the only males in a sea of women!

Good food! Obviously good company! What more can man ask for!

Talked with many old friends. Made some new friends.

Then home to an early bed.

This morning I had an e mail from Bob Marks. My friend of yesterday. I was his best man 30 years ago in Portland, Oregon when he married the lovely Helen.

We have only seen each other once or twice since then. Shame on both of us! Fortunately the blog has brought us back together!

Bob and Helen are retired and live somewhere in the Carolinas. They also have a summer home near our old home in Utica. A camp on a lake in the Adirondacks.

Bob writes this morning that yesterday he drove into Utica for lunch at Joe’s restauant. Joe’s makes Schooner’s Wharf look good! A dump! But great atmosphere. And sort of good food. Actually, tastey would be a better description

Tuesday is pork day. Bob mentioned that he bought 2 orders to take back to the camp. Cost all of $13!

Tuesday’s pork is absolutely delicious! 90% fat and 10% meat! Buried in a red sauce!

Good for the taste buds! Great for cholesterol! The arteries jump for joy afterwards!

I hope you ate in good health, Bob and Helen. Good health being the operative words!

Have to run! Time for golf!

Enjoy your day!

It was hot yesterday!

Though the actual temeprature was in the mid 90s, the heat scale reached 112! That is hot!

Lucas Glover wins the U.S. Open! A great result for the 29 year old. His life is changed forever! For the good!

Mickelson and Duval made a run for it! Just not enough at the end!

I was happy to see David Duval back in the mix at the end! A once great golfer who lost it. But he hung in over the years and plodded his way back to the top in this tournament. May he continue the fine play he exhibited in the Open and actually win one soon!

The Chart Room was fun last night! Captain Peter, Shiela and others helped make up the round table.

Marty is back in town. Has been gone 2 weeks. He showed up later.

Marty wanted to eat at La Trattoria. Kathy was working. He needed a Kathy fix!

So we dined at the bar at La Trattoria with Kathy!

Beecha was hosting last night. What a lovely person! Got my hug and kiss. I needed that fix!

Marty made the front page of the Key West Citizen yesterday.

Marty is a court stenographer. Key West has a new courthouse. A huge, proud, beautiful building. Imposing courtrooms. Apparently lousy accoustics!

Marty has been complaining since the building opened that he could not hear. A problem! Stenos must record every word. Attorneys and some judges have also been complaining about an inability to hear. Not good in a place where Justice is being administered!

So Marty’s complaints and those of others have been heard. An investigation is being conducted to figure out a way to correct the problem.

The new Justice Center is less than a year old. Someone screwed up in the design of the courtrooms. This acoustical problem, its solution and who is responsible for the srew up will be a new on going Key West saga for a couple of years.

Another hot day in the making! It is 6 am and the air blowing through my window is hot! And the sun is not even up yet!

Be good to someone today!

Good morning!

I slept a little late. The sun is up. Overcast a bit. Very humid! Normally, early morning is sunny and cool. The humidity starts in late morning. Heavy already! Going to be a hot one!

A great father’s day yesterday! Thank you, Lisa!

We ended up celebrating the occasion at Lisa’s home. She cooked a super big breakfast.

My father’s day gifts were home made by Robert and Ally. They hand painted a plate and coffee mug.

They sell these paint sets for kids. Who then paint ceramic and glass pieces.

Ally did a blaze of colors on a white plate. And then signed her name Ally and 2009! Impressive!

Robert did the same with a coffee mug!

And these things are washable! I am amazed at the toys today! In fact, everything amazes me these days. If you live long enough, that is how it is. I sometimes wonder how things impact on my father who is 21 years older than me!

Then to the Coffee House on Duval to read the Sunday New York Times.

I spent the rest of the day in the cool air conditioned comfort of my home watching the U.S. Open. Who will win? Going to be an interesting day today!

Dinnertime I was out to the Gardens. Friend Skipper was playing the drums and music with his friends. Talked with many people. Had a good time!

I was hungry. So it was off to La Trattoria for dinner.

Kathy bartending. A charming person! Has become a friend.

For some unknown reason, the bar was packed. Unusual for a Sunday evening this time of the year.

I was fortunate to grab an empty seat next to a lovely lady. Lisa was her name. From Nashua, New Hampshire. Her last night in town. First time in Key West.

She loved Key West! Can’t wait to return!

She works two jobs. One is restaurant hosting. She liked La Trattoria. Her second time there this week.

I enjoyed dinner with her.

I have to do some house cleaning today. My office is in one of the bedrooms. The computer is on the desk. Papers every where! My filing system is to make piles of papers here and there. The floor, bed and chairs are all buried. Walking is difficult. You have to be carefull to step over at certain places.

Time to correct it! I have reached the point where I cannot stand the mess! And also, I am beginning to not be able to find things!

Talk with you tomorrow!

Happy Father’s Day!

We deserve the Day!

Soon Lisa and the grandkids will be calling to wish me a happy day! And I will soon be calling my father. 95 years old! I hope he is around when he is 100 so I can do the same at that time!

I am a golf freak! Totally hooked on the U.S. Open!

I stayed in all day yesterday watching the tournament. Too bad it is raining so bad. Screws up what otherwise should and would be an extreme game of skill. The weather does not help reveal the better player necessarily. A lot of luck becomes involved. That is not to say, however, that some golfers do not play better in the rain. And that is a skill in itself.

Some horses run better on a wet track. They are mudders. Some golfers seem to excell on a wet course. Don’t know what they are called. However, one of them is Mike Wier. And he is near the top of the board!

Tiger played well yesterday. However his putting is not yet what it was. And is probably the difference for him. Also, he was having difficulty yesterday staying in the fairway.
The second cut appears horrendous!

Lisa came over in the afternoon with the grandkids. I reluctantly took time off from the TV to swim with them. Fun!

Between the end of the second round and the start of the third, I got involved in an old movie. Grease. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Made in 1978.

Travolta was thin! Very thin! Newton-John lovely! The music fantastic!

Back in the 1975, some threee years prior to the making of Grease, I had the privilege of meeting Olivia Newton-John.

I had a condo at the Jockey Club in Miami at the time. The bar was a friendly group each night. Every one knew every one!

One evening someone said lets go to the Fontainbleu. Olivia Newton-John is singing there. I knew little about her. Knew she was a new singer. From Australia. Not sure if I had ever heard her sing.

Four of us decided to go and off we went!

Turns out one of the four knew her and apparently knew some one at the Fontainbleu. We walked right into the show room without paying. Were escorted to the best table in the house. And enjoyed a spectacular evening of singing by the lovely Olivia Newton-John!

Afterwards we were escorted back stage to her dressing room. I had the pleasure of meeting her. One of my friends obviously knew her well. She was gracious and charming. A bit reticient. A young lady on her way up!

An enjoyable experience.

And 3 years later she is co-starring with John Travolta in the biggest movie of the year! Grease!

She made it to the top! Good girl!

Lisa, Corey and the grandkids just called to wish me a happy father’s day! Love them!

We are doing breakfast together this morning to celebrate the occasion. At Camille’s. It will be fun!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Yesterday was a pleasant Friday!

Golf dominated! The U.S. Open! All day!

I watched from my bed in the morning. Then continued watching while having lunch at the Yacht Club. Back home for more golf all afternoon.

What could be better!

Last night I stopped for a drink at the Chart Room. It was quiet compared to the raucus party the night before. Captain Peter was there.

The Captain just returned from Mexico. Visited with his former wife for a few days. Some small town near Cancun. He took a plane, bus and cab to get there.

A lovely place, he says! Right on the ocean. Rents cheap. Like a $100 a month! Dinner for 2 at the best restaurant $15.

Time to move there!

Afterwards, I walked over to Hot Tin Roof for dinner at the bar. Met more friends. Had pleasant conversation, good food and a couple of drinks. And watched more U.S. Open golf on the bar TV.

And then home to bed early!

The weather is fantastic here in Key West! It rains a bit every day. A real down pour. Stops as suddenly as it begins. Lasts all of 10 minutes. That’s it!

I am looking out the window as I write. The water is still. Like a mirror. The palm tree moves not. It is a bit cloudy so everything is colored gray. Neither heat nor humidity yet. Perfect weather!

Maybe I will do the beach today with Lisa and the grandkids. It is either that or be glued to the TV set all day!

Enjoy!

Interesting day yesterday!

I was sitting out on the deck with everything running through my mind. Kind of contemplating my navel mood!

All of a sudden I saw a shark swim by! Not the same one. Smaller. About 4 feet long.

This is the second time in less than a week that I have seen a shark off my dock. Never before in 10 years! Scarry! I’m never going in that water again!

Corey, Lisa and the grandkids came by later on. Of course, I am all excited about the shark. Again, Corey said worry not! They are more afraid of you than you are of them! A philosophy I cannot buy!

Then Corey shared with me a most interesting experience.

Understand that my son in law is absolute modesty. Humble and not assuming might be a more pecise description.

He is the salt of the earth. Typical of the the mid west where he was born and raised. Corey reminds me of Jimmy Stewart. Tall and lanky. Kind and gentle. Rarely excited.

He told me of an experience he had had 2 days earlier.

Corey was at the Winn Dixie Shopping area. He had been to CVS. He saw a girl on a moped go down. He immediately went over to help. She was lying face down. She was groaning. He tried to calm her and told her that 911 had been called.

All of a sudden her body had tremors and went still.

He turned her over. Her eyes were wide open and staring straight ahead. Her face was an odd gray color.

He thought she was dying or had died. He immediately started CPR. Mouth to mouth recusitation. He had learned CPR when he was 16 and a life guard in Indiana. He is now 46. He has never tried CPR in the 30 years since learning it.

As Corey was doing the mouth to mouth, another man came over and did the chest pressing. Corey says they did 8-10 rounds of the procedure.

All of a sudden, the young lady jerked and started breathing. The police arrived with the EMT people and took her away.

Corey says it was an indescribable experience to have helped in bringing the girl back. He was in awe of the whole thing.

A lesson to all of us. We should be knowledgable in CPR.

I rarely do the tourist end of town. However, last night I decided it would be a good change of pace. I figured I would start with the Chart Room and then hit Sloppy Joe’s and Rick’s. My game plan was to eat at Sloppy Joe’s. What else? A sloppy joe! However, I never made it past the Chart Room.

The Chart Room was packed! It was a no room at the inn situation! People were standing outside either drinking or trying to get in.

I squeezed inside and found my round table friends. What’s up, I inquired. Turned out it was a fundraiser for Hospice. The group was honoring the birthday of General Geoff Chapman.

General Chapman? I had never heard of him.

Turns out he was a general with the Conch Republic. General of the Conch Republic Army to be precise!

Back in the early 1980s, drugs were a problem in the keys. They are no more. Anyhow, the U.S. Government, in its divine wisdom, decided to set up a road block somewhere north around Homestead/Key Largo. The purpose of the road block was to check out vehicles for drugs.

Nowhere else in the United States was such a road block being utilized in the war on drugs.

The people of Key West took the road block as an insult. Understandably so. Who wants their car stopped and searched. So a group of Key Westers banded together to protest the blockade and its attendant insult.

They called themselves the Conch Republic. They actually formed a nation. They even had an army. The General of the Army was Geoff Chapman, in whose name the party was being held last night.

The Conch Republic formally protested to the U.S. Government and requested the removal of the barricade. They also formally seceded from the Union.

All this occured in a 24 hour period.

The U.S. Government heard them. The barricade came down. The Conch Republic surrendered. And demanded reparations! Why not!

That was a long time ago. However, the Conch Republic has continued. It is an active organization. In fact, each year a water battle is reenacted in the Key West harbor involving the U.S.Coast Guard and boats from the Conch Republic. Shots in the form of water hoses from the Coast Guard boats and tomatos and eggs from the Conch boats are exchanged. Jets and helicopters from Boca Chica fly over. Old double winged bi planes of the Conch Republic fly over also, dropping bombs of unraveling rolls of toilet paper on the Coast Guard ships below.

A big time! A good time! A Key West time!

And last night I ate and drank in honor of General Geoff Chapman of the Conch Republic Army!

The General was not with us. Unforunately he succumbed to cancer several years ago. But his spirit lives on, as evidenced by the fun every one was having last night!

Thank God for the Genral! Thank God for the Conch Republic revolution! Thank God for the people of Key West! I sometime think the only sanity left in this world is here in Key West!

What a difference a day makes!

My diverticulitis problem appears behind me. However, the doctor had me on two heavy antibiotics for 10 days. Yesterday was day 8.

The antibiotics were beginning to take their toll. Seemed to be screwing up my life in every which way.

Yesterday I thought I was going to collapse on the golf course! So tired! So beat up!

I literally crawled to my car after finishing and hurried home to bed. No lunch. Just sleep.

When I awoke I telephoned my doctor. She said OK to stop the pills. It appeared they had done their job and were now adversely affecting me.

I stopped! Needed no encouragement!

Slept like a baby last night! First time in over a week! And feel great this morning! Like a new man!

Golf was obviously lousy. I could hardly swing the club on the back 9. It was stupid of me to continue playing, but I can be hard headed. I bulled my way through the round.

I felt better by dinner time. I stopped at Aqua to hear Bobby Nesbitt. Then to La Trattoria for a light dinner and some great conversation with friend Robert Spottswood.

The Iranian protests are dominating the news. Interesting! Who knows what will develop from the unrest.

It brings back to mind the Hungarian Revolution.

It was October 1956. Russia had occupied and dominated Hungary after World War II. One day a delegation of students went to a government building to protest something. They were shot upon by the Russian soldiers.

In short time, there was fighting on the streets. Guns, tanks, molotov cocktails and the like. The revolution lasted all of 2 1/2 weeks. Then the Russian Army crushed it! Might over right!

Many were killed. Two hundred thousand had to flee the country. Feared for their lives!

One of those who fled was Kolos.

Kolos was a native born Hungarian. A student at the time of the revolution.

He had become a student at Manhattan College when I met him. It was 1957 and January of my senior year at Manhattan.

Many of the students who fled were immedialy accepted into the United States as refugees. And sent off to college right away, to boot!

Kolos and about 15 of his friends were sent to Manhattan College.Three months after their revolution, they were students here in the United States.

They all spoke perfect English. We should be ashamed! How many of us speak Hungarian or any foreign language. The language factor made it easy for them to be absorbed into our college life.

Kolos and I became friends and talked frequently. I was curious how the revolution came to be, his part in it, etc.

Kolos said his people were always unhappy about foreign domination of his country. First, Hitler. Then, Stalin. But they quietly accepted it as a people.

His primary interests just before the revolution were girls, drinking and school in that order. Normal!

Then the student delegation got shot on. He and a bunch of friends left the bar they drinking in and drove to the scene. A bit of chaos was beginning. People were throwing things.

He and his buddies went and got tomatos and eggs. They returned to the scene and threw them at the soldiers. The soldiers shot back. Kolos and his friends took off!

However over the next few days, the tomatos and eggs were replaced by guns. Koslo and his friends were actively engaging the Russian Army. Things were OK till the Russians brought in the tanks. Then the insurgents were lost! Kolos and his friends were no match for the tanks.

What had started out as a lark, with no intent to cause a shooting revolution, turned into an all out war!

Kolos and his friends had to get out of Hungary. College students were being shot on sight.

He fled. So did 200,000 others.

And 3 months later we were sitting together in New York City having a beer and talking about his experiences!

Kolos’ Hungarian Revolution failed. Years later another quieter one succeeeded.

May the present Iranian foment bring a quicker result.

Enjoy your day!