Good morning!

Sun shining. Blue sky. Water moving along. A stiff wind from th north. High expected in the low 70s.

Yesterday was cold and gray. Low 60s. A good day to stay in bed. Which is what I did.

I am still recovering from my dental surgery. It will take a while.

Not a bad day to be bed ridden.

Syracuse basketball at noon. Lost to Louisville. 73-69. With 15 minutes left in the game, Syracuse was losing by 20. They brought it back to 3. That was it.

The team is not as good as we thought. Boeheim was correct. The salvation is that the whole team returns next year, except for one senior. Ho ho!

In the meantime, Casey stays in the minors!

The pain killing pills knock me out. I tried not to take them yesterday. However, there comes a time when there is no question they are needed. I am sort of out of it when the pain pills take effect. I have not done my Amazon Kindle legal blog in two days. My fingers and brain do not intertact properly and I cannot think effectively on the pain pills.

My lower lip was huge. Looked like a Ubangi. It has come down considerably. My jaw is still swollen, though much less. Bruising horrendous! Two huge purple ones.

The surgery was apparently more difficult than normal because my bone was so diseased and infected. Had to be cut and scrapped. Then two cadaver bones put in to replace the bone removed.

My next Amazon Kindle blog will be about cadaver use in the human body. Laws governing. Violations of the law. A big business. Dollars being made in illegal trafficing of body parts. Did you know that the human body is worth in resale for its parts $150,000? It will be an interesting Amazon Kindle legal blog!

I lay in bed last night under the influence of my pain killer. Saw two terrific movies. Off and on. I tended to drowse on occasion.

Gone With the Wind and Wizard of Oz.

What could be better! Love the I don’t give a damn line!

I am not eating yet. Liquids and ice cream. Any sort of biting hurts like hell!

The grandkids returned last night. They look at my huge bruises in wonder.

They will return with Lisa and Corey this morning. We are having a pancake party. Lisa got Starwars, butterfly and heart shapers.

I told Lisa I could not eat. Even pancakes. She said I needed the company. She is right!

My thanks to all who have texted and e mailed me. Love you all! Interestingly, no one has telephoned. All apparently knew I had great dfficulty talking. My jaw hurts if I attempt to talk.

Enjoy your day!

I did not do much yesterday. Still in distress. But improving.

Except for a quick visit to the dentist, stayed in bed.

Pain better. Only hurts if I bite down hard by accident. Appearance worse.

Corey, Lisa and the grandkids visited last night. Corey says I look like Fu Manchu. He’s right! I have two large purple bruises on each side of my jaw. The center is clear. The bruises accentuate what is only a two day beard. The clear skin in the center looks like a goatee.

I am still on the pain pills and antibiotics. Need them. I try to go without the pain pills. But then I have no choice.

Another bed day ahead. Fortunately, Syracuse basketball at noon. On ESPN. So I will be able to watch the game from my bed.

Back to the dentist for a moment.

I had two lovely nurses assisting. One was Noelle. A charming personality. Always expressing concern for me over the four plus hour procedure. The other nurse I am ashamed to say I cannot recall her name. My recollection of her is clear, however. She had the loveliest eyes! She was constantly above me. All I could see was her eyes. They were beautiful. Made up lovely. Her eyebrows trimmed perfectly.

The things we remember.

Enjoy your day!

This blog is about my life in Key West. Generally, a reiteration of the previous day’s events. Sometimes interesting. Sometimnes boring. I call it mundane. But whatever the day before was, you get it!

Yesterday was big time dental surgery. Four and a half hours long. Worthy of sharing with you. Especially the economic end.

The last time I had a tooth extracted was 1960. Fifty one years ago. I was 26 years old. I had bone disease on top. Lost all 14 teeth on top at one sitting. Sad!

The cost for the extractions was $250 with novocaine. $350 with gas.

I had neither money nor insurance. I had just graduated from law school and taken the bar exam. I had not commenced working yet. I was married with one child and another in the hopper.

I went for the $250 deal!

It was gruesome. Barbaric.

Over the years, I had a bridge of caps constructed for my lowers. The bridge was cemented onto 9 teeth. I was told the bridge would be impossible to remove. Little did they know that 50 years later anything was possible.

Yesterday was the big day for the bottoms! The cemented bridge was removed. The 9 teeth holding the bridge pulled.

With novocaine again. I could afford the gas this time. But my Key West dentist did not do gas. I would have had to go to Miami to be knocked out. So I opted to have the work done in Key West. My dentist is Dr. George Lindner. I was impressed with him from previous work and comfortable with him.

The game plan is ultimately to end up with 4 implants which would hold the new lower bridge in place. The implant process takes 4-5 months.

As to cost, what a difference 50 years makes! The bill this time is approximately $20,000.

Whereas 50 years ago I had neither cash nor insurance, today I am still without dental insurance . However I do have cash!

The good Dr. Lindner shot me up with novocaine. The only pain I felt through out the entire procedure was the novocaine needle.

Within a half hour, he had the bridge and 9 teeth out. I was impressed! In fact, I asked him when he was going to do the removals. He said they were already done.

The next 4 hours were spent cleaning up the bone and gums. Major work! The bone was diseased and infected big time. Dr. Lindner had to remove parts of it. I sat there as he was chipping and grinding away!

The jaw bone was more infected and diseased than he had anticipated. He had to replace bone with bone. No problem. He inserted new bone on both sides of my jaw. Bones from cadavers. You got it! Dead people!

The reason this whole process will take 4-5 months is so the cadaver bone will fuse to my jaw bone.

After we were done, Dr. Lindner gave me a prescription for a pain killer. He said…..use it right away! You are going to have big pain!

An understatement!

I had to wait 1 1/2 hours for Walgreens to fill the prescription. I stayed home. Had someone pick it up for me. By the time the pain killer pills arrived, I was ready to bang my head against the wall! Pain!!!!!!!!Fortuantely it only took 20 minutes for the pain pill to kick in.

Lisa and the grandkids came over to sit with me last night. Ally made me 2 get well cards and a small ceramic bowel. Robert a book mark. They both sat on the bed with me rubbing my head, holding my hand.

I had a rough night. Took more pain killers to help. I am a bit wobbly this morning when I walk. The pain pills. I am a druggie today!

I looked in the miror this morning. WOW! My jaw is huge. Mussolini style. My bottom lip gigantic. The jaw bruised. Big time!

I am back to the dentist at 11 this morning. I will survive.

I have already shared with you the economics for my dentistry in 1960 as compared to today. Let me share the cost of some other items back then.

Gasoline was $ .17 a gallon. A quart of milk $ .18. A loaf of bread $ .08. I bought a big new Cadillac 8 years later in 1968. A Sedan de Ville. Black leather top. Gray bottom. Cost me $8,000. and I paid cash for it!

Oh, am I sick! Nauseous right now! Big time! The pain killer!

So dear friends, this is the end of today’ blog!

Good morning world!

I am up a bit early. This is the day. I will be in the dentist’s chair at 8. For 3-4 hours.

Yesterday was lovely! Perfect Key West weather!

I played golf in the morning. Did not shoot badly. However, the guys I played with shot better. Much better. Cost me $20! The most I have ever lost!

Don was his usual spectacular self. Shot 85. Mikey was excellent. Shot 90. Aaron 104. Me, 110.

Even with a lot of strokes, I could not handle the onslaught. But…..fun I had! And that is what it is all about!

The season is here. The golf course was crowded. We did not finish playing till after 2. We normally tee off at 8:45. Yestrerday it was 9:30.

I napped a bit afterwards.

Last night started with Syracuse basketball. At the Sports Page Bar. Syracuse and Georgetown. Georgetown won. By about 8 points. It was a good game till the last 2 minutes. Syracuse enjoying a small lead. Then Georgetown exploded and Syracuse could not handle it.

I bled orange!

Casey is never going to get out of the minors at this rate!

After the game, I hurried over to Hogsbreath for the Larry and Jenna show. First time the show was presented there. Upstairs. A lovely place. The perfect venue for the show.

The only problem is that Hogsbreath is located in the center of the tourist area. Parking is a big time problem.

That’s it for this morning! I feel like an early Christian waiting to be fed to the lions!

Enjoy your day! I doubt I am going to enjoy mine!

My day yesterday started with a visit with my doctor. My internest. Dr. Lefferts. She is happy with my present condition. So am I!

Then a brief stop at the dentist’s office. Tomorrow is the big day! I wish it was over!

Someone commented on yesterday’s blog to the effect that if I had taken care of my teeth when young, I would not be facing tomorrow. Absolutely correct. However what the commentator forgets or does not know is that things were different when I was young. I doubt the commentator is 75 years old or even close.

We were poor. I was not fortunate enough to be a member of the boomer or entitlement generation. Times when parents had the where with all to pay for dental and orthodontic bills. A visit to the dentist was a rarity. A luxury.

So the money that should have been spent in my youth is spent today. Not by my parents, but me. Because that is the way it was and is.

After the stop at the dentist’s office, I visited Lisa. Love that girl! At 45, still my baby!

Stopped at the Coffee House. Rocco is back. He was a waiter last year at Azur during the season. This year at The Rooftop. A nice guy. We chatted a bit. He had a new I pod. He has never had a computer. It is all a learning process for him.

I had an airport pick up at 5. The weather turned out good yesterday. Warm all day. Beautiful. I was waiting in the airport about a half hour. Finally my pick up arrived. His first comment was how cold it was. I told him he was crazy. The weather was fantastic today.

We went outside to go to the car. It was chilling cold! In a short half hour, the weather had turned. At least 10 degrees. Amazing!

I thought I would have dinner at the bar at Michaels. The place was packed! No room at the inn.

Dennis and Emmett are no longer there. Somehow one of them would have accomodated me. New help. I was a stranger. A 45 minute wait. I did not wait.

Headed over to La Trattoria. Packed also. But Kathy got me a seat at the bar immediately. Had hogfish. Sauteed. Delicious. Chatted with some tourists at the bar.

Becha was not working. I was disappointed.

Big day today.

Golf this morning. It will be warm.

Tonight starts with Syracuse basketball at 7. I will be at the Sports Page Bar. Syracuse plays Georgetown. Always a battle!

After the game, I shall hurry over to Hogsbreath. Not Hogfish. Hogsbreath is a restaurant/bar on Duval. The saying affiliated with Hogsbreath is “…there ain’t no breath like hogs breath!”

Larry and Jenna have moved their show to a new venue. Tonight for the first time it will be presented from upstairs at Hogsbreath. Nine o’clock. Stop by if you have time. A fun show.

Enjoy your day!

Island weather is strange.

Key West has had magnificent weather the past two weeks. Generally in the 80s. With a touch of humidity. Air conditioning required.

This morning it is 60. A bit chilly. The high today is projected at 68. A 15 degree drop in temperature from previous days. Then tomorrow it will warm up again.

Live in Key West long enough and you become a half assed weatherman! I suspected a change in the weather. Yesterday the wind was coming from the south. Whenever we have such a wind, it rains. This time no rain. A minor cold front instead.

Even the weatherman is not always precisely correct!

Yesterday started with a manicure. Tammy at Lee Nails. Such a lovely person!

It was quiet. Business slow.

Tammy’s parents still live in Vietnam. She told me they are coming to the United States soon. To live with her. Tammy is married and has two small children.

She laughed as she told me they do not speak English. They will have to learn.

Her parents are 38 years old. Youngsters themselves! People must marry and bear children in their teens in Vietnam.

Then to Publix. The cupboard was really bare! I needed everything.

Food is expensive. I don’t know how families do it in this economy.

I spent the afternoon enjoying my favorite past time. Writing. First, yesterday’s Amazon Kindle legal blog. About new laws banning smoking. In New York city in public parks, beaches and plazas. In the nation of Bhutan, everywhere.

Then I returned to my book. An effort. An experience. A joy to do.

I have not shaved since friday. Did not feel like shaving yesterday. So I opted to go to Hogfish for dinner. My beard fit in!

Sat at the bar, read the newspapers and enjoyed hogfish. Chatted with some local fisherman. Their beards were heavier than mine.

This morning I have a doctor visit. My internest. Just a check up. Amazing all the docotor visits associated with getting older.

Thursday is the bad day! The one I am not looking foreward to! Major dental work! Fear and trepidation are already upon me!

Enjoy your day!

A quiet Sunday yesterday.

I did nothing.

Layed by the pool most of the day. Chatted with Donna and Terri.

Later in the afternoon, Donna and Terri left me again. They will be gone a couple of weeks. Although Terri is performing at La Te Da’s Crystal Room a couple of times a week for the next month, the girls are moving around the keys.

I had my own Super Bowl party home alone last night. I watched from the comfort of my bed.

Sometimes nothing is good. I feel great this morning.

Enjoy your day!

A simple but lovely Key West day yesterday.

The weather perfect. As it has been. 80 degree weather.

Two birthday parties and a basketball game yesterday.

The first party was Jenna’s. At noon. A champagne brunch.

Jenna was 25 years old. So long ago!

She was absoluely lovely. A long flowing gown. Barefoot. Hair free. A bright smile.

She was a gracious guest of honor and hostess. I saw a side of Jenna yesterday I had never seen before.

Great food and great company! Champagne, mimossas, bloody marys, omelets, fresh fruit and everything else. Pleasantly served by Jenna as she glided around making sure everyone was properly cared for.

I left the party early. Some things are more important than a party. Like Syracuse basketball!

I got to the Sports Page Bar as the Syracuse/South Florida game was starting. Syracuse won by 23 points. As they should have. South Florida is not that good this year. Syracuse played as a top team should.

I was releived and happy at the result.

I watched the game all alone. What is happening? Last year the bar was crowded for a Syracuse game. Perhaps it is too early in the season and the Syracuse fans have yet to arrive.

Yesterday was son in law Corey’s birthday also. 48. We went as a family to Outback.

Robert and I played tick tack toe while waiting for our meals. Ally played with Lisa. Ally has gotten much better. She concentrates and at 5 knows now to block her opponent’s moves.

After dinner, we went back to Lisa’s to sing Happy Birthday! And eat cake.

I have no plans for today. It is Super Bowl Sunday. Where I shall watch the game, I have not yet decided. Invited to several parties. Even Lisa is having a party. For her, Corey and the kids. Nachos and salsa! Robert and Ally are excited!

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday started with my radio show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour.

Love doing it!

Post show comments zeroed in on two items.

The one receiving the most attention was Malawi’s new anti-farting law. Malawi’s Justice Minister in a radio interview Wednesday said that the “anti-fartinjg” law would clamp down on unruly bowels and promote “public decency.”

Some things you can’t make up!

The other item creating much discussion was this weekend’s Super Bowl in Dallas. Pimps selling children for sex. The Dallas Police Chief says, “This is a very big issue.” Apparently child prostitution at Super Bowl games has been on the rise since 2008.

After the show, I visited Lisa at her office. Ally was better and had gone to school. Amazing the recuperative powers of the young!

Spent some time at the Coffee House. Glanced throught the Citizen. Browsed the New York Times. Many locals in and out. Chatted with a few.

Then home to write my Amazon Kindle legal blog for the day. About? What else! Malawi and the anti-farting law!

Dinner was at Orgami last night with Jenna. Sushi. Sat outside. Pleasant conversation.

Jenna is a thin girl. Very thin. I sometimes think her waist would fit in the palm of my hand. She never eats. Last night she did. The first time I have ever seen her devour food. She apparently is into sushi!

I have a full day today. Jenna’s birthday party at noon. A champagne brunch. Should be fun. Jenna is all of 25! Syracuse basketball at the Sports Page Bar at 2. Then dinner tonight with Lisa and the family. It is Corey’s birthday. 47. We are celebrating it at dinner tonight.

Enjoy your day!

Friday!

Radio show day! The Key West Lou Legal Hour!

A great show! Based on the week’s happenings. Its been a big week news wise. Today’s show will be interesting and informative. Funny on occasion. Chilling on others. Definitely thought provoking.

From Homestead to Havana, Cuba, the show can be heard on the radio. KONK 1500 AM. Ten this morning. Worldwide on the internet for viewing and listening. www.konkam.com.

Poor Ally. My 5 year old graddaughter. Sick yesterday. The bug. Bad. Lisa called me to watch her. She sat in my lap. Cried, slept, hurt. Warm. Her body fevered.

Hope she is better today! Too tiny and fragile to be pained.

Later in the day, Jenna and I got together. Two hours. Fine tuned today’s radio show.

Got a telephone call while Jenna was here. From Barbara Klein.

Barbara is from my home town. Utica, NY. We went to high school together. We have not seen each other in 30 years. She was in Key West for one day. With her friend Carole Mohave. Another Utican and someone I knew slightly. She wanted to meet for a drink. I had no time. Bocce banquet last night!

I met the two of them for a quick half hour. Wish I had had more time. Enjoyed the conversation. Enjoyed them. Told the both of them that the next time they are going to visit, give me some advance notice. I will take them out on the town!

The bocce party was terrific! The best yet! Good company, good food! Russ cooked filet strips and cut them in pieces. Russ is the Chef of Chefs at the Strip House.

The party was at Don’s Place. Everyone there.

A special award is presented annually. The Larry Smith Award. Named after Larry. Awarded to the most obnoxious and difficult person on the bocce courts. Larry won the first time several years ago. He won again last night. He was terrible this past season!

Have to hustle. Besides showering, I must shave. It has been a week. I have been living in Key West time. Can’t do the radio show with a growth.

Again, join me for the radio show if you can. Like the guy with the suits on TV, I guarantee you will like it.

Enjoy!