A WET DAY IN KEY WEST

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When it rains in Key West, it rains! Yesterday was that kind of day. A blustery rainy day all day.

Key West is at sea level. Which means not much room under the island for pipes. There are two systems. One for sewage and one for drainage. The sewer system always works. The drainage water run off pipes are another story.

The sewers cannot handle a heavy rain. Certainly not one that lasts all day. The streets flood. Deep enough for a canoe or row boat in some places. Perfect for swimming in others. I have actually seen people swim at the Eaton and White Street intersection when flooded.

The flooding screws up traffic. Front Street adjoining the Pier House is impossible to drive through. The Boulevard is under a 2-3 year construction. Only two lanes open. Both going the same way. Into town. Yesterday only one lane. The driving lane was impossible to drive through.

The rain and flooded streets did nothing to dampen spirits. Never do. Tourists move into the bars in mass. Everyone still has a good time.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour was at 10 yesterday morning. Viewed on TV and the internet. Love doing the show!

People I heard from after the show seem to have especially enjoyed two topics. One having to do with title to money passing to the bank once it is deposited. The other concerning the rip off being perpetrated on the public by the pharmaceutical industry.

I spent a bit of time after the show working with Jenna and Krystal. Spoke with owner Rich. He likes the show. People are talking about it. My friday show is being recorded and will be shown three additional times during the week. Saturday at 4:30, sunday at 3 and wednesday 6 in the evening.

Spent some time in the afternoon writing next week’s column for KONK Life. My deadline is 5 friday afternoon. The article is entitled Screwed Again. The story of brand name and generic drug companies working together to the economic detriment of the purchasing public.

Saw the heart doctor late in the afternoon. I keep laughing. My internest told me after my annual physical concluded monday that I was in the best shape since she started caring for me 6 years ago.  I mentioned it in tuesday’s blog which I did in the morning. I also said I hoped I was not jinxing myself by sharing the information.

That evening my ankles were swollen big time with fluid. First time in a very long time. Took me two days to get them down. Concerned me. Ergo, the visit to the heart doctor.

I took my blood and urine results from my annual physical with me. He was impressed! Cut back on two of my heart medications. However, he did not know why the swelling occurred. He has scheduled me for a battery of tests.

Next time I will keep my mouth shut!

My ankles were down and I felt good so I went out last night.

Started at Don’s Place. Spent some time with Hershel and Don. Our bocce team lost 2 out of 3 thursday night. I missed the game. I stayed home because I did not feel right.

Then to the Chart Room. The tourists were in out of the rain. So also were Sheila, Peter, Sean, and Katherine. Jean Thornton came in. She is back. Chatted with them all off and on. Lest I forget, the ever charming Emily was bartending.

I heard some sad news while at the Chart Room. The kids’ toy store on the second floor of the white custom house building is closing down. Sad! A great store for children’s toys. Reasonably priced and  quality.

It was raining. I did not want to walk far. Went to the Wine Galley and ate at the bar. Larry was playing. As usual. He introduced me to his brother. Larry’s father died two weeks ago. His brother drove their mother down to Key West from Dansville, Pennsylvannia. She will be living with Larry and Christine for a while.

Sloan has already been in today. 8:30. Our work for the day is done.

Tonight big! Very big! The Final Four!

I will be watching the Syracuse/Michigan game at 8:30 at the Big Ten Sports Pub. May Syracuse win! I believe they will this evening.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

A NEW WORLD

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I read yesterday that of the fifty largest cities in the world, only ten are located in the United States and Europe.

The world has changed and continues to change. Are we really aware?

I spent the day yesterday researching and writing. Always an enjoyable experience.

Sloan arrived late in the afternoon . We worked together for two hours.

Since I had my blog talk radio show to do at 9, I did not wish to travel far from home for dinner. I made a quick trip over to Hogfish. Enjoyed a small bowel of lobster bisque and a lobster roll.

It never ceases to amaze me how busy Hogfish has become. Standing room only. A gold mine! Deservedly so!

Did my blog talk radio show at 9. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Chatted about the huge difference between the salaries of the rich and the rest of us, banks that no longer care for their customers, explained the Boston College birth control problem, and rattled a bit about the Final Four. Syracuse, my Syracuse! Go ‘Cuse!

I quoted my friend Dee when speaking of banks and disparity in income. Dee had a recent experience with a local bank. She raised hell. In the end won. However, Dee left the bank unhappy. She wrote a comment born of the situationt on Facebook yesterday…..If you have a gun, you can rob a bank….. if you have a bank, you can rob EVERYBODY.

Key West weather for this time of year has returned. 81 degrees yesterday.

My friday morning television/internet show is called the Key West Lou Legal Hour. There is a site change for those of you who watch via the internet. No more www.tvchannel19.com. Now www.weyw19.com. For a while, the tvchannel19 one will kick over to the new wey19w. I suggest you start  using weyw19 now.

Finally……You Tube! I hope. I think. It takes forever to get everything straightened out and moving properly with these shows. You Tube supposedly locked in as of yesterday.

The friday Key West Lou Legal Hour will be available on You Tube. Easy to find. www.youtube.com. Enter in the name of the show: Key West Lou Legal Hour. Up will pop a listing of the shows. The shows will be listed by date.

One thing you must be aware of. The show will not You Tube immediately the day it is done. Each show is You Tubed one week later. In other words, last friday’s March 29 show will be available one week later on April 5.

Right now the March 22 show is running on You tube.

Simply stated, the You Tube show will always run one week late.

Confusing? Not really. A pain, yes. If you have any problems, let me know.

Enjoy your day!

TRICYCLES / TRIKES

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The streets of Old Town are fraught with danger. Tourists crossing streets without looking, crossing against the light, the trains and buses. One of the worst problems involves bicycles and now tricycles.

Bikes are rented all over Old Town. Key West is one of the best places in the world to ride a bike and enjoy scenery and serenity. Key West provides bike paths on many streets. Some streets are without.

Bicyclists appear to be under he impression that they are the only ones on the street. They forget there is automobile traffic. The bikes travel not on the bike paths and not to the left side. Generally down the middle of the road. Red lights and stop signs are ignored. It is as if they do not exist. Turns are made without signaling.

Driving a car can be a pressure packed experience.

Florida laws state that bikes are to be treated the same as motor vehicles. Bikes must follow the same rules of the road as autos.

Bicyclists do not.

The vacationing society is becoming older. Baby boomers are vacationing. Those older, also. A bike can be a difficult thing to maneuver as one ages. A wobbly ride as opposed to a smooth one. Ergo, the tricycle business has boomed. A tricycle is a three wheeled bike. Also known as a trike.

The tricycles are even a worse danger. They are wider than an ordinary bicycle. Especially the back wheels. More for a car to hit!

I have written this dissertation not because I do not like bicycles and tricycles. I own two bikes. Ride them often. I write because accidents are occurring and more will occur. Simply because bicycle riders are not careful in the operation of their bikes.

Riding a bicycle/tricycle and driving a car have become sad events waiting to happen on the streets of Old Town.

Cold! Very cold during the night and this morning. Fiftys during the evening. Fifty seven at the moment. The high today is projected in the low 60s.

The cold front will have moved out friday and the temperature for friday and the weekend will be in the mid 70s.

Technically, this cold front is not a normal one. Key West cold fronts generally come off the ocean. This one from the northeast U.S. Whenever the weather is extremely cold up north, it stretches down to the Florida keys. We feel the impact. Our temps drop. Though no where near what it does in the north country.

Visited Jake yesterday. He was outside chasing tiny lizards/geckos. What a happy life!

Did Dante’s for lunch. An outdoor restaurant/bar on the water front. I ate at one of the bars. There were heaters overhead so the cold was not a problem.

Afterwards worked on last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou.

Sloan came over and worked with me a while.

The blog talk radio show last night was a good one. Discussed at length two topics. The Cyprus bank situation and the U.S. Supreme Court same sex marriage issue.

For the second week in a row, a screw up occurred. No one could hear me!

I do not know the source of the problem. Those who called in could hear me as they waited. Everyone else, nothing.

Frustrating!

The show is archived and available 24 hours a day. Even though I was not heard at the time of the broadcast, for whatever reason the archive recording was not affected.  Ninety per cent of my listeners tune into the archive and will be able to hear it at any time. Not all was lost.

I have been in communication with the blog talk people. An Allan is supposed to call me to work the problem out.

I apologize to those who could not hear me last night. Disappointing to all of us. Please return next week.

The Key West Citizen reported this morning that the lobster and stone crab fishermen are complaining that this has been one of the worse seasons ever. One fisherman claimed it has been the worst in 40 years.

We Key Westers have been aware of the situation. Fishing friends frequent the Chart Room and Hogfish. May next year be better!

I must go out on the town this evening! I have been in 2-3 nights in a row. Need to have a couple of drinks and enjoy the company of others.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

JUST DONALD AND ME…..

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It was a Donald night last night!

I stopped into Don’s Place. I knew Don would be there. Wednesday is his golf day. He follows the game up with time at the bar.

Don and David were chatting. I joined them. One of the items discussed was bocce. This evening is league night. We are playing a team that has won only one game. Hopefully, we will win three. You never know, however. Bocce can be like the recent college basketball season.

Our team is in 4th place. Not bad. There are 14 teams. Fourth place is where we have been the past couple of years. Better than last place or way down in the rankings as we used to be.

The team won all 3 games last week. Without me. I could not make it. Perhaps I should stay away more often.

I said my good byes. Told Don and David I was off to the Chart Room. Don decided to join me.

As interesting as the Chart Room can be, it was more so last night with the presence of Don. He chatted away with Emily, met Peter. We  met Mary from Chicago. In Key West on vacation. She visits frequently. Knows Key West well.

Chicago Mary had been to Don’s Place before. We were returning there. She asked to join us. I took her in my car.

We chatted some more at Don’s Place. It was time for me to leave. Mary asked for a ride to Willy T’s on Duval. A tourist place. Across from La Trattoria. I drove her over.

I was home in bed early.

My morning began with a manicure. With Tammy at Lee Nails, of course. Tammy is the personification of Asian beauty. It is always a pleasure to be with her.

Then to Lisa’s. I am still bonding with Jake.

Lisa had taken Jake to the Vet’s for the first time earlier in the morning. She said he was very swell behaved. The Vet told Lisa that Jake is as big as he is going to get. He is a terrier mix of sorts. Stands about 15 inches tall and weighs 9.5 pounds. One year old.

It was a beautiful day. I have become pale. I do not spend enough time outside. I put the top down and drove US 1 to Sugarloaf and back. My sun lamp. Thirty minutes. It did some good. My cheeks are rosy red this morning.

I spent a couple of hours at home working on friday’s TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Some interesting material has been accumulated. I will be speaking on the Iraqi War and its effect on the national debt, the Cyprus situation, the shame of Congress regarding its failure to entertain the assault weapons ban, a money strapped city that required male employees to bring their own toilet paper to work, the Gutenberg bible, a 1349 massacre of Jews, the early New York Yankees, and more.

Join me. Good stuff!

The show is at 10 in the morning my time. It is available on television via Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19 from Key West through Miami-Dade County. The show is available world wide via the internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

All of a sudden, I was tired. I plopped on the bed and slept for 2 hours.

Sloan arrived. We worked on perfecting the blog talk radio show.

Emily told me last night another cold front was coming in today. Not a bad one, however. It is here this morning. It is a bit chilly. The high today will only be 73. Cool for us. Warm for you folks up north. I am not complaining. Merely sharing information.

The Florida keys are experiencing a manatee problem. Better stated, the manatees are experiencing a problem. An algae has developed out in the ocean that is not healthy for the manatees. Over 100 have died so far. I feel bad. I am sure most others in the keys do also. Manatees are big friendly hulks. Loved by all.

When I have bocce, I go out for lunch. Bocce starts early so I do not have time for dinner. Today my thought is Hogfish.

Enjoy your day!

LIFE FRUSTRATING ON OCCASION

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A life frustration hit me squarely between the eyes last night!

I did my blog talk radio show at 9. Immediately thereafter, the phone calls and e mails started coming in….. Where were you?….. I could hear nothing!

That is the way it goes! I do not know what happened.

To compound the situation, people were also advising me they could hear the archived version which is published immediately following the show.

Tell me why!

Visited with Lisa in the morning. Spent some time bonding with Jake. Apparently I needed it. I thought we were friends. When I walked in yesterday, Jake started barking like I was the enemy.

Jake got out of captivity. Lisa’s rear yard is fenced in. Somehow Jake got out into the front yard. Fortunately, the front yard is also fenced in.

Jake has come king pin in the Malcolm household!

Key West weather the past few days has not been very good. On the sucky side. This morning brings a change. It is magnificent outside! Blue sky. No clouds. Bright sun. Comfortable temperature. I suspect we are on the way to an 80 degree day.

The mighty fall! The mighty have been falling all year in college basketball.

Last night it was Kentucky’s turn. Kentucky did not make the NCAA tournament. The team was not considered good enough this year. An insult since Kentucky won it all last year and was ranked #1 nationally.

Second class teams get invited to the NIT. Kentucky was so invited this year. They were seeded #1. First round games were last night. Mighty Kentucky lost to pipsqueak Robert Morris. Insult upon insult!

Friday’s TV/internet show is around the corner. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Nine in the morning. Join me. Interesting today topics discussed.

Enjoy your day!

TUESDAY TALK WITH KEY WEST LOU

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Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou is my blog talk radio show. Tuesday at 9 on the internet.

I did the blog talk radio show last night. That is not what I wish to share.

Statistics are maintained by some one out in the internet world or by the site itself. I receive weekly stats regarding my tuesday night talk show.

The numbers received yesterday blew my mind! Just under 1,800 people listened to the show last week! A WOW!

I have been doing the show 6-7 weeks. The first week I had an audience of 8. In less than two months, that audience has increased to almost 1,800. Dramatic!

The show is received two ways. The show can be listened to live on tuesday evening. It is also archived, if that is the correct word. It is thereafter run for seven consecutive days 2-4 times a day on several different sites. With a click of the button, a person can hear the show whenever they want.

Most of my listeners are from the archived repeat show.

I thank each one of you. Whether on tuesday at 9 or during the week. I was becoming disillusioned with the early numbers. I am reenergized.

My yesterday began with the dentist. Again. I think we have it, however. One more visit should do it. I know, I keep saying it. It has been roughly two years since I started the process. I cannot wait for it to end.

Then another father/daughter sit down with Lisa.

The weather turned yesterday. Warm. Back to shorts and a tee shirt. I walked a bit. The hot sun felt good. I sat by the pool in the sun for an hour reading. I am still trying to get through the Ulysses Grant book. Lengthwise, it reminds me of War and Peace.

I was wide awake after the blog talk radio show last night. I stayed up till midnight working on my friday TV/internet show, the Key West Lou Legal Hour. Came up with goodies like Tehran and its rat problem (comparable to South Florida’s python problem), UN members  drunk at budget meetings, certain toilet paper religiously offensive, and Budweiser’s answer to the claim it has been watering its beer.

Syracuse basketball tonight. De Paul. At 6. I anticipate Syracuse will win. I hope. I do not know any more. I will be at the Big Ten Sports Pub watching.

Some things happen fortuitously. Some coincidentally. Yesterday, I wrote regarding Medicare and hospital cleanliness. Too many nasty bugs in hospitals attacking patients.

This morning, one of the major news items involves hospital cleanliness.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced/warned of a new superbug. An untreatable bacteria. A nightmare bacteria. Resilient to most antibiotics. The bacteria has a high mortality rate.

The short name for the bacteria is CRE.

CRE is an infection which occurs post admission.

So far CRE has only been detected in hospitals and nursing homes. Nowhere outside these two facilities.

Terri White! My Terri White! Reborn in Key West. Terri is doing a performance at San Francisco’s premier night club, Live at the Razz. The show is March 13. Readers and friends in the San Francisco/Bay area, catch her show. She is the best!

Enjoy your day!

 

NO DUVAL CRAWL FOR ME

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There is a Key West tradition known as the Duval Crawl. You start drinking at one end of Duval, continue to the other end, stopping at as many bars as you can on the way.

I have never done the Duval Crawl. One reason is I could never drink that much. The other is I do not drink beer. Can you imagine me stopping at 10 or more bars and having a gin at each one?

I was invited yesterday afternoon to join two lady friends for a Duval Crawl. It was 2 pm. They were at La Te Da. La Te Da is located at the Atlantic end of Duval. I declined.

I received a call from them this morning. They had a wonderful time! Ended up at the outdoor Cuban restaurant at Mallory Square dancing. Following which they attended the sunset. The sunset is at the Gulf end of Duval. Their Duval Crawl lasted all of 4.5 hours. Not bad. They both felt good. This morning, not even a little hangover between them.

I intended to be up early yesterday morning. Number one on my agenda was grocery shopping. The cupboard was beyond bare.

I did not make it. I got engrossed in the Sunday talk shows and stayed in bed till one in the afternoon.

My first stop early afternoon was the Plantation Coffee House. I enjoy reading newspapers. Sundays are the best time because there is so much of them. I sipped coffee and read for more than an hour.

At that point, it was Publix time.

The worst time to grocery shop is sunday afternoon at Publix. It is the high traffic time. The aisles are crowded with carts and stockers. Most of the cart drivers do not know what they are doing. They would never pass a cart driving test. They go in every direction and park their carts in the worst places. The stockers are a similar pain. Why Publix has them stocking the shelves on a busy sunday afternoon, I do not know.

It was cold yesterday and last night. As anticipated! 65 was the day high. Last night it dipped into the high 50s. Today it will be in the mid 60s at best. Cold for Key West! The natives wear winter jackets. So do the tourists, if they have one with them.

I have learned something in the eight years I have been living alone. When it is cold, you need a body next to you in bed. Not for sex! To keep warm!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

COLD FRONT HITS KEY WEST

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It started yesterday afternoon. A cold front came in. A damp one. It will be with us through monday. High 60s by day, very low 60s by night.

Get out the long johns!

The Key West Lou Legal Hour this morning. Great TV and internet viewing. Topics like Burlusconi saying Germany’s Merkel had a fat ass, the Oreo and Walmart, Bud Beer allegedly watered down, Exxon winning again in court, the Keystone Pipe Line, use and abuse of 911, a lawyer locked in jail, and more.

The show is at 10 this morning my time. It can be viewed on TV on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19 from Key West through Miami-Dade County. It is also available world wide on the internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

My yesterday began with a visit to Lori for a haircut. She trimmed my beard a bit, also. All five chairs in her beauty parlor were filled. Another sign Key West is experiencing a very good season.

Then to the dentist. For only a five minute adjustment. Or so I thought. I spent 1.5 hours in the chair. No pain. All mechanical. I have another appointment scheduled for tuesday. When will it end?

The diet ended a month ago. However, I have been watching what I eat. As a result, I have lost an additional  4-5 pounds. The effort has been to avoid fats. Blew it yesterday at lunch time!

I have been dying for a Cuban cheese toast with tomato. All that delicious melted butter. Cuban bread made from pork lard. What a marriage of ingredients!

I did it! Magnificent! It had been four months since my last one. If I am to maintain my present body shape, it will have to be four months before I have another.

Bocce last night. Turned into a weather disaster. The cold front moved in dramatically just as we were to start playing. It rained. Lightly, then heavy. You could see the water starting to pool on the clay courts.

The rain was cold. The dampness ate through to the bone. About 15 of us were huddled under a tree with room for five before the games were called.

Everyone went to Don’s Place. Where else? It is like a private club.

I was hungry. Did not eat prior to leaving for bocce. Decided on Hogfish. The rain had stopped.

Hogfish packed also. Another sign the season is upon us.

I grapped a newspaper and sat at the corner of the bar. The lobster bisque is the best. I ordered a bowl to warm up. It was lobster night for me. I followed the bisque up with a lobster roll.

I knew no one. I spoke with no one. I was content with the newspaper.

Again, please watch my show this morning. You will be entertained!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

BEER WATERED DOWN

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It is all over TV and the internet this morning! It is the news of the day. Even pushed sequestration aside.

The report is that several lawsuits have been filed recently against Anheuser-Busch alleging the Company has been watering down certain of its beers since 2008. In other words, what was in the bottle was not as potent as the alcohol content on the label.

The news definitely will be of interest to Key Westers. My sense has always been that Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser was the beer of choice in Key West. Budweiser is one of the brands it is claimed was watered down.

The topic of choice today on the golf course, at Don’s place and the Chart Room, will be the claim Bud is watered down.

It was blog talk radio time last night. The Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou show.

The numbers post show indicate a definite increase in listeners. Still the call ins are not there. I had only one last night.There is an old song that has a line…..all alone by the telephone. Please, do not make me an old maid!

I had planned on writing a bit this morning re Key West weather. It has been absolutely perfect the past few days. Hovering around 85 degrees. Even hit 87 two days ago.

Not this morning. Raining a steady drizzle and damp. It is rare for Key West to feel damp, rain or no rain.

Strange weather this year.

I spent yesterday afternoon researching. I got tired after a while. Went outside and laid on a lounge for about an hour. I have not been getting enough sun lately. I am beginning to look pale. Like tourists their first day in Key West.

Syracuse basketball again tonight. We play Connecticut. Connecticut beat us two weeks ago. They should not have. But did. I suspect Syracuse will win tonight. The team has to make up for that defeat and the beating Georgetown gave them over the weekend.

We shall see. I will be at John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Bar watching the game.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

TALK SHOW MOVING TO 9 TUESDAY EVENINGS

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The Key West Lou Blog Talk Radio Show is moving. Time wise. From 7 in the morning to 9 in the evening. The day will still be tuesday.

The name is being changed also. From this point forward, it will be known Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Sounds better, moves off the tongue easier.

I am moving the show to 9 for two reasons. First, getting up at 4:30 is bothering me. Yes, I have to be up that early to be ready to open the show at 7. Second, many of you tell me 7 is too early…..do the show another time. I am listening.

I hope 9 in the evening works better. The 7 time slot had many listeners. Not enough from my perspective, however. I hope 9 proves to be better.

And all of you who argue with me in person, via comments, and e mails, this is your opportunity to discuss our contrary positions live.

I invite you to join me tueday evenings at 9 for Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Find me the same way as before. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Cold this morning!!! Like 59 degrees at the momnet. Today’s high projected at 62 degrees. Key Westers will be dressing warm! No shorts today!

The cold front hit yesterday. It is a 48 hour one. It will leave tomorrow. The high tomorrow is 72. The rest of the week 80 degrees. We can live with two cold days.

My heart is taking a beating watching these Syracuse games! Seton Hall last night. Syracuse was down by 10 points after 10 minutes of play. Syracuse came back, however. Beat Seton Hall 76-65. We played well the last 30 minutes of the game. Not well enough though. Seton Hall had lost six straight coming into last night’s game.

Trische looked fantastic. Scored 29 points.

The Vienna Boys Choir is appearing in Key West for the first time this evening. The Choir is guesting with the South Florida Symphony at Tennessee Willaims. Should be a great show.

I am going. As Jenna’s guest. How nice!

The South Florida Symphony is the old Key West Symphony. It has broadened its base to include Miami and other mainland cities. The Symphony also moved its primary location from Key West to Miami.

I was a board memebr of the former Symphony for a couple of years. My former wife for eight.

Today is the middle day of a three day holiday weekend. It is sunday. So far the weekend has been good. Sushi with Jenna friday evening. Syracuse basketball last night at John Lukas’s place. The Vienna Choir and Symphony this evening at the college with Jenna.

Enjoy your day! Enjoy the long weekend!