This Volkswagen beetle convertible is causing a furor of sorts. Mostly favorable. Like winning the lottery. The big question is “Who?” Only four persons know. The giver, three others. The identity is something best not publizied.

Driving around yesterday, I was lucky I did not have an accident! Shouts of hi and hello from all over. Many with a thumbs up.

The car has unique coloring. It is two tone. For real. I appreciate it is small, but two tone it is. A light blue and white. Turns out someone else in Key West has the identical car.

I received two calls yesterday. Were your at the movies at Sears? No. Why? Your car was in the parking lot.

The other was much the same. This time Walgreens. Saw you! No, you did not. I was not at Walgreens at all yersterday.

I had a one o’clock appointment at Lee Nails for a manicure. The place was packed! Saturday is obviously not the time to go. Working women only have time on Saturday. On the other hand, I was busy all week and had no time to go either.

Maybe I am a working woman in disguise. Ho ho! I feel good this morning!

Erin was at Lee Nails. My bartender friend from La Trattoria. Yesterday was her anniversary and she was getting all dolled up. She looked terrific! Especially her long blonde hair.

Erin was there with her mother. Cheri Smith. Another lovely! It obviously runs in the family. Cheri is Key West City Clerk.

Greer was getting done up, also. I have not seen Greer in a while. She is one of Lisa’s long time Key West friends. Works at Casa Marina in management. She has been there 13 years. I have known Greer since before she went to work at the Casa.

Greer’s parents are Woody and Joan Cornell. A better couple you cannot find.

Woody and Joan met while Woody was stationed in England during World War II. Joan became a war bride. Love her accent!

Woody is unique unto himself. Wears saber type earrings. All the time! His shoes are Dutch in style. Wood. History’s croc.

Woody never wears a jacket. Rarely long pants. One night we ran into each other at the Symphony. Out of respect for the event, I was wearing long pants and a blazer. Woody went crazy!

I spent part of yesterday babysitting. Lisa and Corey wanted to go out. They did an early movie. Around 4 in the afternoon. Hangover II. Then dinner. They enjoyed the movie. Corey said he was laughing so much, he was actually crying. The movie takes place in Thailand. After dinner, Lisa and Corey had dinner on the Thai boat that sits in the water off the boulevard. Neither had been there before. They wanted to continue the movie experience. Both said the food was outstanding.

So it was me and the grandkids!

We started with a couple of hours in the pool. I am old! Too much for me. Really tired me out. But no rest for me. I was the babysitter.

We decided on Hogfish for dinner. We drove over in the new convertible. Robert and Ally had never ridden in one before. I put the top down, their car seats in, and off we went!

They loved it! Shouts of joy!

Hogfish had a guitar player singing. Robert and Ally were fixated upon him. Both have toyed around a bit with Cameron’s guitar.

Ally’s birthday was last week. One of her gifts from a young lady friend was a purse with contents. The contents included a driver’s license and a credit card. Ally proudly showed them to me before we left home.

When the bill came, I had Ally pay with her credit card. It is not for real, of course. A Barbie credit card. The waitress cooperated. I even had Ally print her name on the bill. An educational experience.

Then I took them home.

It was still early enough to be a bit of a Louis Saturday night.

I started at the Chart Room. Emily bartending. Where was Michael?

Emily is a loyal blog reader. Who gave you the car, she wanted to know.

Afterwards, I went to Don’s Place. Michelle was there. I like Michelle. A good person. Kurt was bartending.  We chatted a bit. The proposed golf trip the topic.

The guys want to do a golf trip. Larry is putting it together. Not easy to do. He has his hands full.

First, it was going to be four of us. The four grew to eight. Now twelve. Some want to reduce it to eight. Fort Myers is the location. We were going to take the ferry. A four hour trip. Now some want to drive. Do we rent a house? Some prefer a motel. I am beginning to wonder whether this trip will hold together!

All of a sudden, I tired. Really tired. Kids are tiring. The pool knocked me out. Even more, when you babysit you have to be conscious of the little ones all the time. It is pleasure and work combined.

So I was off to home and an early bed.

Today. What? I don’t know. Whatever.

I hope to do the Gardens at cocktail time. It has been a while. I would like to follow the Gardens with dinner at the bar at La Trattoria. Charming Kathy will be bartending. I can use a little Becha, also.

The Miami/Dallas game is at 8. I want to watch the game.

Too many things in the same time frame.

We shall see how the day develops. I take it as it comes. That is how I live these days.

Enjoy your Sunday!

I had a strange experience this week. Sufficiently strange, then I did not know how to share it.

I have been speaking the past several months of getting a Volkswagen beetle convertible. I enjoy my 24 year old Mercedes. But if you live in Key West, there is nothing like a convertinble!

Volkswagen stopped making the beetle convertible in 2010. There are still a few new ones out there for sale. But expensive. Require a premium payment. I have been looking for a 2-3 year old one. In fact, I was on Facebook the other evening for two hours searching and pricing used and new beetle convertibles.

The other afternoon, I was working on the computer when the telephone rang. It was a friend. The friend said…..I am in your driveway and need some help. Out I went. There was the friend and a brand new Volkswagen beetle convertible.

Magnificent, I said. I have been looking for one.

My friend handed me the keys. It is yours.

You’re kidding, I said. No, the friend responded. You have been talking for months about getting one. I came across this one. Thought you might like it. Bought it for you.

I cannot take it, I said. Too expensive. You’re crazy. No way!

The friend again handed me the keys. Together with the paperwork. The car is yours. Take me for a ride.

A shock! Someone bought Louis a new car! And…..the specific car that had been his desire.

I am 75 years old. No one ever bought me a new or used car in my lifetime. But, I bought tons of new cars for my wife, children and employees. As well as myself.

Now some one was good enough to buy me one. Some one who had no responsibility to do so. Some one who just wanted to do a nice thing. A gesture. You’re a good guy Louis and I want to do this for you.

Normally, I would say…..only in America! But in this instance…..only in Key West!

Look for me as I drive about. The convertible is blue and white.

Enjoy your day! May you be blessed as I was this week!

Good morning! Good morning! Good mornnig!

I feel good this morning!

Big evening last night! Bocce!

We won all three games. Wowie! They were important. We would have been happy with two victories. The three wins should solidify our third place position in the rankings. Only two weeks in the season left. If we end the season in the top four, we will make the playoffs. It would be a first time event for our team.

We also had a side bet with the other team last night. We made some money.

For whatever reason, Don had a cookout grill brought to the bocce court. Brockwurst! I tre two. Good!

Then to Don’s Place to celebrate the victory. Even if we had lost, it would have been to Don’s Place.

On the way home, I did a bad thing. Stopped at Bare Assets. A strip club/gentlemen’s club. It has been at least a year since I was there.

Many women, few men. The women in various states of undress. I watched three ladies pole dance while enjoying a drink. Young and beautiful. Then home.

Earlier in the day, I prepared for this morning’s internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. 10 am. http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/. Worked with and without Jenna. I am ready for the show! Join me!

Have to hustle now to prepare Louis for the show. This is a must shave morning. Probably the only day in the week that I do shave. I am required to pretty up for the camera.

Enjoy your day!

It is the middle of the night. I woke and could not return to sleep.

Golf yesterday morning. Played so so. Don was the big winner. I  won $6.  Yankee Jack took a beating. Lost $22.

But…..it was fun. Even for Yankee.

It rained again yesterday. Off and on. Not while we were playing golf, however. It would not dare!

Yesterday made for two consecutive days of rain. We need it! Key West has had something less than three inches of rain since the first of the year. Yesterday’s Key West Citizen reported this is the worst dry spell since 1906/1907.

Afterr golf, I drove into town to buy Ally a birthday gift. A tiara to wear last night, some kid’s jewelry and a puzzle. Lisa prefers the grandkids not receive ostentatious gifts. Her call. She is the mother.

Good birthday dinner last night! Ally dictated the menu. Crab cake sandwiches, pizza, salad, watermelon and blue berries. The cake white with white frosting. Ally wanted white. Robert had had chocolate for his birthday last week.

Afterwards, I stopped over to Don’s Place for a drink. Don there. Had been there since golf finished. He was his own best customer. Kurt at Don’s, also.

One drink for me and then home to an early bed.

Bocce tonight.

A big match. We are playing Schoonfields.

Tonight’s play is important for two reasons. First, it is a money game. Schoonfields is one of the teams that we have a side bet with. Second, we need to win two matches tonight to lock in third place in the league standings. With only two weeks of play left, we just might end up in the top four which would mean we make the playoffs.  A big deal in itself. Our team has never made the playoffs.

Tomorrow, The Key West Lou Legal Hour! My internet show. 10 am. http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/. Watch, if you can.

A great show ready to go! Interesting topics! Like Donald and Sarah, Corsi and Trump, a too big to fail dissertation, Facebook lawsuits’ update, cities with the most billionaires, a couple celebrates their 75th wedding anniversary, an Arizona high school that charges students to graduate, why the homeless man in Key West recently dropped his pants near a school, Dutch government bans cannabis shops, Citizen United decision extended, Russia and gay rights, doctors’ and dentists’ new trick of the trade to be aware of and beware of, a comment on Nicholas Kristof’s recent NY Times column on raiding a brothel in India, OSHA rights for porn performers in California, feds targeting top health company execs for health care fraud, Egypt and virginity tests, fewer  than 50 % American households married, the Egyptian banker arrested for alleged attempted sex at the Hotel Pierre in NYC, and more.

A full plate. Interesting goodies. Join me.

Enjoy your day!

Happy birthday, Ally!

Six years old!

I already spoke with her at around six this morning. She is all excited. We are doing the family thing tonight after dinner.

The weather man in me is about to expound. Another great Key West day in the making. Fortunately…..it finally rained yesterday. Off and on. Big time. We needed it!

Today is the start of hurricane season. Now till Novemebr 30th.

When I first bought my home here 12 years ago, the locals spoke of hurricanes. Just talk. There had not been a significant storm since 1935. Then the sky fell in! Several years of hurricanes. Some big! Lots of damage.

The past two years have been hurricane free. Thank God! I hope this season is also.

My day yesterday was a quiet one. I needed the rest after the weekend. Wrote this blog, the Amazon Kindle legal blog, researched friday’s show further and slept most of the afternoon. Last night was dinner with my MTV neighbor Andrew. We did the Chart Room and  Hot Tin Roof.

Andrew has a home in Switzerland. I last saw him about a month ago when we lunched at Louie’s Backyard. Since then he had scooted over to Switzerland for a few days and got married. Her name is Jasmine. They met at St. Moritz. He is here. She still in Switzerland with their 11 month old son. Jasmine and son will be here in about two weeks.

Andrew and I are becoming friends. We get along well.

I was home in bed early. I was anxious to watch the Miami game. Hit the pillow at the start of the second half. That was it! Fell immediately to sleep. When I woke, they were doing the post game interviews. I was happy that Miami had won.

Golf this morning! Love it!

Tonight Ally’s birthday party! Love her and love that event, also.

Enjoy your day!

The Memorial Day weekend is over. It was one of the best I have ever experienced!

Fun each day. And night!

Mikey and Marissa leave tomorrow for Lexington. No more will they live in Key West, though I am sure they will visit. They are as attached to Key West as Plymouth rock is to Massachusetts.

The day started with a scramble in their honor. My team consisted of Nate, Rob, Jeff, Marissa and me. Marissa of Mikey and Marissa fame. I was honored to ride with her. She hits the golf ball better than me! But then, who doesn’t!

Nate is a former pro player. Need Nate on your team. He was our #1. He can drive greens on par 4s! However, not yesterday. But close enough. The rest of us were actually playing pitch and putt.

We won the overall. A minus 5. We all contributed. I sunk a few long putts.

Two other teams won also. One team for having the most birds on the front. The other for the same on the back.

Each winning team won a $100. We put it together and contributed the $300 to the bar tab at the party to be held in the evening.

The party in Mikey and Marissa’s honor was huge! Everyone there. Don’s Place, of course. The $300 ran out early. The food was filling. I enjoyed the people and the evening.

About 2 this morning, I was awakened by a big bang. It was raining Key West style. You really have not experienced a rainstorm unless you have lived on the water. Noise, wind, streaks of lightning. The palm trees a chorus in the background. A bit eerie, a bit scary.

We needed the rain. Things are very dry in the keys this year.

Today is a day of rest. Breakfast, a shower and a walk. Tonight dinner with my neighbor Andrew who soon will be returning to his other home in Switzerland.

Enjoy your day!

I am beginning to worry. I actually think that thus far this has been the best Memorial Day weekend of my life.

Wow! 

And I still have another day!

Today can’t miss. A scramble golf tournamnet this afternoon and a big party tonight at Don’s Place. All in honor of Mikey and Marisa who are leaving Key West. Mikey has been offered a lucrative position with a major corporation in Louisville. Which also happens to be the home area from whence both Mikey and Marisa originally came.

Last night was Jean Thornton’s surprise birthday party. All of sixty years old! Still a kid!

The party was at the Chart Room. Everybody there. Like David, Sheila, Clayton, Valerie, Stephnaie, Frankie and Jean’s husband, Joe. Plus, Jenna and me. And many more I did not even know.

Jean came in wearing a tiara. A Key West thing done by woman on their birthday. The celebrant and friends wear tiaras and do the Duval crawl. Jean did the crawl with part of her gang last night. They were in five bars before they arrived at the Chart Room.

Jean is a little girl at heart. She literally jumped with joy when she arrived. Surprised she was!

The birthday cake was a key lime pie. Delicious!

I have spoken of Jean many times. She is one of Mel Fisher’s golden girls. Jean was an Indiana school teacher. She and another school teacher friend visited Key West a number of years ago. They wanted to dive with Mel fisher. They persuaded him to take them out. The girls found emmeralds and gold! Ergo, the golden girls title.

It was a life changing event for both ladies.

Jean and husband Joe now have a condo here in Key West and a home in Alabama. They shuttle back and forth. Jean still dives. Primarily with the Mel Fisher group. And, she has found more goodies on the ocean floor since that first time many years ago.

Some one described Jean’s party on Facebook this morning. EPIC was the term used. It was.

David told me to mention something on the blog this morning. Dementia is setting in. I have no recollection what you asked, David!

I have been able to continue on my low carb diet while undergoing all this dental work. Not yesterday, however. It was Key lime pie last night at Jean’s party. During the day it was brownies! Yes, brownies!

Jenna made me brownies. I ate them all yesterday afternoon. I was only going to have one. One lead to two, two to three, and soon I had consumed the whole plate.

I had absolutely no guilt!

Enjoy your day!

Good morning!

It is the middle of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

In my former life up north, we readied for the weekend. Got the yard clean. Pulled out the lawn furniture. Opened the pool. Cook out time!

We had our cook outs. Rarely swam, however. The weather did not generally work hand in hand with our desires. It was always too cold to go in the water. Pool use took another 2-4 weeks. Sometimes as late as July 4th.

I woke early this morning. I watched the sun come up. There was a bank of black clouds over the horizon. The sun came up behind the clouds. A dull orange across the sky. Beautiful!

The black clouds are gone. A few white ones remain. The weather is the same as yesterday and the day before and the day before. Going back several months. Sunny. There is a strong wind coming in off the Atlantic. I hope it helps with the humidity.

Another big night last night!

Jenna was my companion. Becoming a habit. We are merely friends, however and unfortunately.

We started at the Chart Room. Michael bartending. Sean there. No Katherine. She was working. She coordinates weddings and parties at the Ocean Key . She had a big wedding last night.

Then it was off to Sloppy Joe’s. My idea! I had not been there in roughly 3 years. Neither of us were that hungry. I said then we are off to Sloppy Joe’s. I know just the dish!

Sloppy’s serves a side order that is sloppy! But…..oh, so good! Fries covered with ground beef, melted mozzarella and red sauce. To die for!

Jenna and I shared one order. It was just enough.

And I was able to handle the food. My mouth was not a problem.

We then walked to Maison de la Pepe on Mallory Square. I probably spelled the name wrong. We went specifically for some salsa dancing. Wowie!

When we left, I was still full of vim and vinegar. Jenna was not. She died on me. I dropped her off at her home.

My car then found its way to Don’s Place. I am glad it did!

It was party time! Just like a fraternity party. Darts, pool, dancing and booze! Lest I forget, beautiful women!

I sat at the end of the bar and chatted with Russ, Erica and Herschel. Jiummy was wandering around. Rob and Bebe were shooting darts. Kurt was bartending. He said he knew about 6 people in the whole place, including those I mentioned. The rest were tourists partying big time! They provided another dimension to Don’s Place last night.

Today is Sunday. I have a party tonight. Other than that, I have absolutely no idea what I will be doing.

Enjoy your day!

Saturday morning! Bright and lovely! Sunny and cheerful! Another great Key West day in the making!

Someone has been commenting recently that I write too much about Key West weather. True, I do write a lot about it. But…..you must remember that weather was the driving force which brought most of us here. We wanted bountiful sun. What better place than Key West!

Additionally, the weather is part of my day. Part of the Key West experience. So it belongs in a blog about my life in Key West.

Finally, the weather is not always perfect in Key West. You will recall we have hurricanes! And tropical storms! I write about them, also. They are part of the Key West experience. You have not lived till you are forced to remain in a boarded up home for 3-4 days with power off and on, your food supply down to peanut butter and crackers, and no bottled water left. All the while it is black outside for 24 consecutive hours and the wind and rain are howling and beating.

I write about those things, also. They are part of my Key West experience.

So my friend Anne, whoever you are, I love you dearly. But…..I hope you now understand why I write about Key West weather, good, bad or indiffernt, as part of my daily blog. I thank you for reading the blog. Hopefully, some day we may meet. In Key West, of course.

Yesterday afternoon was a treat! I took Robert and Ally for their haircuts. Lisa was still under the weather.

They go to Lori, also.

Robert and Ally were fighting as to who would get their hair cut first. I solved the problem by flipping a coin.

Ally likes her hair long. At 5, soon to be 6, she knows what she wants! Lori cut it a big shorter yesterday and also put her hair in pigtails. I almost did not recognize Ally! I could see her face! Her whole face! She looked like a different person.

The three of us took a short walk on Duval afterwards. Fun!

Jenna and I were scheduled to do dinner and a movie last night. I canceled. I was too tired. Not from the haircuts, but from too much activity the past three days. We are back on for tonight.

I was in bed by five and had a long restful sleep.

Ally will be six years old wednesday. Today is her kids’ party. All girls. She wanted no boys. Ten years from now it will be a different story.

Ally telephoned me earlier this morning and invited me to today’s party. I told her I would stop in for a moment. I was too old to stay. She said she understood. I also told her I was a boy. She said no, I was not! I was Poppa!

Love her!

Getting back to the weather, summer is definitely here. Each day the humidity increases. It is where it is becoming uncomfortable. I am not complaining, just sharing. I am aware as to what is going on in the northwest.

Enjoy your day!

It is late. Close to 2 in the afternoon. I was in a hurry this morning because of my internet show. Blog got delayed.

My apologies.

It was The Key West Lou Legal Hour this morning over the internet world wide. Another great show! It is not me that makes the show so good. It is what I report. The world is full of crazy people who do whacky things. Makes for great material.

For example, during the 1930s Hitler spent millions of dollars in an attempt to educate dogs. To do what? To read, write and talk, of course. A nut from his very beginnings!

After the show, I hustled over to see Lisa. She is sick. Not the kids this time. A big bug.

I never got to babysit last night. When I arrived at Lisa’s to do my duty, she informed me she was sick and my services were not required. So, I was off to the bocce courts!

We won all three games last night! The first time this season we have won three games.  We all played well and poorly. The ladies were the best. Jennifer and Erica.

We are playing well enough that we just might make the play offs. It would be the first time. We need to win six out of the last nine games to do so.

Time will tell.

Don’s Place was jumping after bocce last night. Met a new lady. Deamma. Yes, that is the way it is spelled. Lovely. Around 40. I apparently was too intent watching the Miami game. Harry stole her from me.

My Buffalo friend Tom asked if now that I had the grandkids into golf, was I planning to get them into bocce next. They have already been there, Tom! For about 2 years. Occasionally I take them to the bocce courts. I have my own balls. The problem is the balls are heavy for them. I fear one dropping on their tiny toes.

Enjoy the rest of the day!