FORGETFULNESS

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My radio show tonight! Blog talk radio. Nine o’clock. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

So many things to discuss. So little time. Topics such as the government shutdown, Senator Cruz, Congressional pensions, governmental waste, and Egypt.

The show is quick hitting and entertaining.

Went to see my internest Dr. Jackie Lefferts yesterday. A tough no nonsense female doctor. I visited her because of my swollen hand caused by something that bit me.

She could not tell what type bug. She was concerned with whether the poison had traveled up my arm. She satisfied herself it had not. Prescribed an antibiotic and some other things.

My drug store is Walgreen. Dr. Lefferts suggested for the antibiotic that I go to Publix. It was free at Publix. So I went. No waiting line. My prescription was ready. The bill was zero dollars. I was shocked. No one gives anything away for nothing in today’s society. I smiled and told the woman behind the counter…..thank you. She looked surprised. Must be most people do not say thank you.

There was a sheet of information in the bag. There are several antibiotics Publix provides free. You might want to look into it.

I drive a Volkswagen convertible. Two tone. Blue and white with a black top. A unique color arrangement. Only one other in Key West. I parked my car across the street from Dr. Lefferts’ office. When I came out and went to the car, the door would not open. I kept clicking and nothing happened. I tried the key. Nothing. I tried the trunk. Nothing. How the hell did I get an electrical problem which apparently caused everything to shut down?

I looked in the window. There was a woman’s bag on the front seat. I do not carry a woman’s bag. I looked up and behind the car. Two cars back was another Volkswagen convertible with the same colors. Mine! Who would have expected the only two similar cars in Key West to have been parked within 30 feet of each other.

Yesterday was a bit of a be good to Louis day. I went to the Pier House Beach Bar for lunch.

Lovely! A perfect setting! Sitting on the beach at the edge of the ocean.

A lot of people. In fact, as I drove over I noticed many people on Duval. It reminded me of season.

I had fish and chips, admired the view and read the Miami Herald. Much full page advertising  for senior citizens re signing up for Obamacare. Apparently the time to sign is now through some date in December. The insurance companies are after senior business big time. The prices were much less than I am paying now and seemed to offer more.

I missed Kathleen Peace and Larry Smith. Many times when I would lunch at the Beach Bar, Kathleen would come out of her office and provide a cheery hello and kiss. Larry would be doing some work in the Wine Galley in preparation for his evening show and walk by. Larry did not kiss me.

Then to Publix. To pick up the antibiotic prescription. I went to the new Publix. It is the one I generally use for grocery shopping.

The parking lot is huge. When I came out, I could not remember where I parked the car. For real! Up and down the rows I went till I spotted it.

A first for me. Worries me. A sign of old age. My father used to do it. I have become my father once more. Amazing.

Spent my evening working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Please join me.

Enjoy your day!

WHO IS WINNING…..ANTS OR ME?

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Living on a sub-tropical island is always a joy when it comes to bugs! They are a given. You become accustomed to them. On those occasions when they invade your home, you deal with them.

The ants came in several nights ago. The very small ones. Tons on my kitchen counter and sink area. TERRO is the solution. Everyone’s hero in the Keys! Does the job with ants.

I went to Home Depot and bought TERRO. Little plastic houses with gook inside. You lay them out where the ants are. The ants go in and eat the stuff. They do not die there, however. The ants  return to their nest where they contaminate the rest of the flock and they all die happily together.

No more ants!

Did not work that simply this time. The ants were gone overnight from where they were. However, they moved to another area of the kitchen. The ants moved four times. I put TERRO out on four different days in four different places.

No ants this morning. I think I won.

This was my week for bugs. Saturday night around 6, I took a shower. Picked up a clean towel to dry myself. Felt a sting to the back of my left hand. Something had bitten me. What, I do not know.

My left hand is now almost the size of a softball. I see the doctor at 11:30. Itching was the initial problem. All saturday night and most of sunday. I went on the internet to see what to do. The oracle of our wisdom.

The most popular relief is to use a hair dryer. On the bite area. Has something to do with the proteins bugs leave under the skin. Aim the hot air on the bites. I have no hair so I had no blow dryer.

The backup remedy was hot water. As hot and as long as you could stand it. It worked. The relief lasted about four hours. Then the hand under the hot water faucet again.

Sunday dinner at Lisa’s. Salmon. Delicious.

I had a prearranged meeting with two ladies afterwards. Business. We had a drink and talked.

Happy Columbus Day!

There was no Columbus Day in my earlier years. Italo-Americans wanted a national holiday for one of their ancestry. Columbus got the nod. The Sons of Italy, of which I was a member, was very instrumental in the drive to have Columbus Day recognized.

Enjoy the holiday!

 

 

ANTS

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When you live on a semi-tropical island such as Key West, you become accustomed to an occasional bug invasion. Over time, one becomes knowledgeable as to cause and effect. It helps to diminish the number of invasions.

I screwed up last night. I was preparing something to eat and spilled some olive oil. Extra virgin. On the counter top next to the sink. I cleaned it up. Apparently not well.

When I came downstairs this morning, they were there! Ants! The tiny little ones. Appeared to be in the hundreds. On the counter, in the sink, on the cupboard doors and on the floor.

I looked for repellant. I had none, except for a mosquito one. With a West Nile repellant built in. Obviously to rub on the body. Not for ants in the kitchen. But, I made do. I sprayed the stuff all over. It worked! Terrifically! Though I did not use it as the manufacturer intended.

The ants died in their tracks. Now I have all this sticky stuff on the cupboards, in the sink, on the floor, etc. I am leaving it stand for a while to deter further ants from entering.

The last ant invasion I had was four years ago. Home Depot sells the right stuff to eliminate the problem. I cannot recall its name, but will recognize it when I see it. So when I am done with the blog, it will be off to Home Depot.

Cleaning up the mosquito repellant  later on will be a pain!

My blog talk radio show tonight. Nine o’clock. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The topics I will hit on include the government shutdown, Supreme Court Justice Scailia, and what the banks started doing with ATM machines this week in anticipation of a disaster next week. An interesting show. Join me.

Yesterday was a simple one. A bank visit, lunch at Blossoms, and research and writing the rest of the day. I had intended to have dinner at Hogfish. Wish I had. If so, I would not be dealing with an ant problem this morning.

Yesterday was the second time I have been to Blossoms under the new management. I ordered my usual cheese toast with tomato and Cuban coffee.

They do not have it down yet!

I have spent 20 years eating the same combination. Under three different owners at Paradise Café and now into my third owner at Blossoms. All made the cheese toast the same till the new owners.  The last Paradise owner moved to Blossoms and carried the knowledge as to how to make the sandwich with him..

The bread has been changed. A big difference! Cuban bread is made with pig fat. I do not think the new bread is. Affects taste and texture. The bread being used is also smaller.

The sandwich is not being cooked correctly. It should be lathered in butter and pressed down to a quarter inch. The one now being served does not have sufficient butter and is served about one inch thick. The difference being comparable to a thick bread pizza and a regular one.

The coffee has been luke warm both times. Like dish water.

I was going to tell the new owners yesterday. Politely, of course. As I was getting ready, the door opened and about 15 young men came in to order sandwiches. Tourists. All appeared new to Blossoms.

The young men were making the new owners’ day. I did not want to affect it. The next time I will tell them, however. If I cannot get the sandwich I have enjoyed for 20 years, I will stop going. I will also rarely stop at any Cuban sandwich place. The former Paradise Café/Blossom’s sandwich was unique.

Enjoy your day! I am off to Home Depot.

 

 

ELECTION DAY KEY WEST

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Key West dances to its own tune even as regards elections. Local elections have their own day. Separate and apart from that early November voting time.

Today is election day in Key West. The mayoral race and other local offices.

This election day is particularly important. There is a question on the ballot. It has to do whether Key West should go forth with a study to determine if the channel could be dredged, its expense, etc. The study will cost Key West nothing.

There is a major move underway to dredge the channel. The reason is so the channel can support the mega cruise ships constructed and to be constructed. At this time, Key West channel cannot.

Money comes into play if the channel is dredged. It will cost Key West millions of dollars to do it.

I am opposed first on environmental grounds. Leave nature under the water alone! Additionally, I do not believe the cruise ships sufficiently support Key West’s best interest. Yes, some benefit big time. However, I am one who would like to see the tee shirt and other seedy establishments leave the port area. Return Key West to its natural habitat!

Birthday party last night! Lisa’s. Happy birthday dear daughter once again!

The best laid plans…..Lisa planned a dinner from Syboney’s. Cuban food. When she telephoned, the line was disconnected. We ended up eating two large pizzas. I am not a fan of Cuban food. I was happy.

Blowing out the candles and singing Happy Birthday! is always the best. The grandkids are into it big time. Especially Ally.

You all know I am enamoured with Greece having spent two summers in a row there. You will further recall my writing at length over the past year regarding Greece. I was especially concerned with the Nazi party. The Golden Dawn Party. I wrote a column several weeks ago about how scary it was and my fears for the future of Greece.

The Greek government in the past 48 hours has been arresting leaders of the Golden Dawn Party.  The arrests are an attempt to rid Greece of a political party that does not support the party now in power.

An Araminta Wordsworth wrote an article today in the National Post regarding what is going on in Greece. I am going to repeat one paragraph. It is right on with what I wrote in my recent column, though she says it better and in fewer words.

“Economic collapse, mass joblessness, uniformed paramilitaries, street violence, political assassinations and, now, a round up of opposition MPs–euro wracked Greece is beginning to feel eerily like Weimar Germany.”

Clemson at Syracuse saturday. Big time football. Clemson undefeated and ranked #3 nationally. Syracuse unranked and 2-2. The Vegas line is 12.5 points. I will consider it a Syracuse victory if we only lose by two touchdowns!

I hope I have to eat my words and Syracuse beats the hell out of Clemson!

On this day (10/1) in 1890, Congress passed a bill authorizing Yosemite National Park in California. On this same 10/1 day in 2013, Yosemite National Park closed because Congress failed to approve spending that would have kept it open. Part of the governmental shut down.

Blog talk radio tonight! My show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Join me at 9 for a fast moving half hour of current commentary. I definitely will be discussing the government shut down and government waste. Plus more. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

If you miss the show tonight, it is immediately archived and can be enjoyed to at any time. www.blogtalkradio.com.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA

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Happy birthday daughter Lisa! Love you dearly!

This is #49 for Lisa. She will not be offended that I mention the number. A father could not have a better daughter. She has been the best! I am a lucky man.

It took four days for us to come up with her name. We expected a boy. Previously, we had a boy and two girls. It was time for another boy. His name was to be Louis. Since it was a girl, we were unprepared!

Lisa’s middle name is Marie. It was easy to arrive at. It rhymed with Lisa. Lisa Marie.

Lisa was born while we were remodeling our home. Typical of construction, the job was two months behind. Lisa came home with the work not quite complete. No furniture yet. Workmen busy. Lisa received her first meal from her mother while sitting on steps inside the house. We had beds and a crib. That was it!

Lisa always was mine. My little girl. Even now at 49.  She showed me great love and attention. From her early years and into adulthood, Lisa would frequently jump in bed with me on a weekend day, cuddle up, and tell me how much she loved me.

She was the fourth of four children. I believe parents tend to be easier and more lenient with each successive child. Which means we imposed on Lisa the least with regard to rules to be followed. I believe she took advantage. She was a hellion. The ultra conservative Lisa of today compares little with the high school and college Lisa.

I discussed on Friday’s TV/internet show the number of arrests in the U.S. each year. Something like 12.2 million. The unusual thing was that only 500,000 were for serious crimes. Over 11 million were for minor misdeeds. Misdemeanors. Of that number, 80 some odd per cent were for drug possession. More than half the possession crimes related to pot.

The U.S. has 5 per cent of the world’s population. However, we have 25 per cent of the persons jailed world wide. An abnormally high number. The reason being that our mind set for more than half a century has been to jail most drug offenders. Even those carrying small amounts of marijuana.

I pointed out it costs $85,000 a year to maintain a prisoner in jail. A lot of money. Especially in these difficult economic times.

A news article this morning stated how much it cost per prisoner for New York City to maintain its jail Rikers Island. $167,731 per inmate. My figure was an average. Rikers has to be on the very high side.

I had to get out my KONK Life column  for next week. It took all of my Sunday!

The article will be published next Thursday. Its title is Governmental Waste…..Buried On Our Backs.

I shared some wasteful activities discovered. What I revealed is a mere drop in the bucket. I was motivated to write concerning the topic because of the House’s cutting $40 billion in food stamps this past week, breakfast food for children coming off the table, Republicans wanting to get rid of Obamacare, etc. Plus the cries for reductions and/or abolishment of Social Security and Medicare. The poor, young, sick, and elderly are under attack!

Some of the wasteful examples included a U.S. Senate barber shop that runs $500,00 in the red each year, a $2.6 million study on how to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly, a credit card abuse by the U.S. Postal Service involving a charge of $13,500 for a dinner party at a Chris steakhouse, the Pentagon spending $998,794 to ship two $ .19 washers from South Carolina to Florida, $500,000 authorized to promote specialty hair and beauty products for cats and dogs, $97,000 for floating outhouses for Oregon fishermen, and $386,000 for a study on how best to massage rabbits.

There is more in the article!

Congress and branches of government are wasting tax dollars at the same time there is a movement to deny the least of our citizens the benefits needed to properly survive.

Tomorrow night Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My blog talk radio show. I will be discussing the government shut down amongst other things. Plus, the wastefulness already described.

Join me. A quick half hour of interesting material. Nine in the evening my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

 

THE ROSE TATTOO

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The Rose Tattoo was a mid 1950s movie. Starred Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani. Lancaster was a big time hero type Hollywood star of that era. Magnani was an Italian star.

Magnai played a wild woman in the film. Lancaster loving and submissive to her. An unusual role for Lancaster. The movie won Magnani the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress.

The significance of the movie is that it was filmed in Key West.

Hal Wallis was the producer. During this week in 1954 he was in Key West scouting locations for the film.

The selected site was a small house on Duncan Street.

Duncan Street is key here.

Tennessee Williams wrote the play from which the movie was derived. Williams lived two blocks away on Duncan at the time. My lovely Lisa lives on Duncan today. Her home is three blocks from the Rose Tattoo house and two blocks from Tennessee Williams’ home.

The Rose Tattoo house still stands. Run down. Covered with unkept shrubbery. I believe it is presently a rental.

The Tennessee Williams house is owned by others now. The house looks terrific.

A lovely morning here in Key West. Sun shining. A few white clouds. Water green.

I spent my day time yesterday researching and writing. The writing has altered my life style. Most of my days lately are spent inside typing away.

It was the Chart Room last night.

Merri bartending. Notice I have spelled her name differently. One of my readers emailed me and told me her name was not spelled M A R Y. It was M E R R I. I asked Merri last night if it was so. Yes, she said. Merri is a loyal blog reader. I asked why she never told me I was misspelling her name. She said it made no difference to her.

Sat next to Brian. First time I met him. A Key West local. He works for a boat towing operation. An interesting business! I learned much from him. His company comes out to get you if you run out of gas or get stuck on a sand bar. They also do salvage work.

I wanted Italian for dinner. Stopped at Roostica on Stock Island on the way home. Enjoyed baked ziti. I have thus far eaten three pastas at Roostica. Lasagna, spaghetti and ziti. The pastas were all good. The sauce leaves something to be desired. Too light. Tends to be watery. I enjoy a thicker and more bodied red sauce. My Italian upbringing!

Roostica has been open less than a year. It is a gold mine. Always crowded. I must be the only one the sauce bothers. Actually the place is more of a pizza restaurant than pasta one.

You will recall when I returned from Italy in August, I flew Delta from Atlanta to Key West and seated next to me were Paul and his daughter Katlyn. Paul was a reservist and also a fire lieutenant in the keys. Katlyn a high school student. We had a great time. The conversation most enjoyable.

At the Key West Airport, Paul introduced me to his wife Tracey.

As I was eating, a woman came over and said hello. It was Tracey. She called over to Paul and Katlyn. Nice people all. I was happy to see them again.

Show time tonight! Blog talk radio! My show!

Join me at 9 for a half hour of interesting chatter about world events. Some topics eye openers. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

TOM DIXON IN CHINA

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I received an email this morning from my friend Tom Dixon. He, his charming wife Fran, daughter, son in law and son in law’s parents are in China. Good for them!

Tom told me they have been in four cities. All sold Beefeater Gin. He and the family have become accustomed to Beefeater martinis. Good once more!

Tom is an interesting guy. He comes from Buffalo. Still lives there. Visits Key West 3-4 times a year. He owns a piece of the Ocean Key House. A Syracuse fan. I enjoy his company immensely. I enjoy wife Fran’s company also, though she does not make all the trips.

Yesterday was Meet the Press time. I spent my morning in bed watching the political talk shows.

Lunch time found me at Higgs Beach. I needed sun. My body was looking white. My eyes required a bit of relaxation, also. Watching the bikini clad ladies.

Two hours was enough for me. I headed downtown to Duval. Poker Run festivities were still ongoing. I walked several blocks. Some had magnificent motorcycles parked one after another. I enjoyed a late lunch at one of the food stands. An Italian sausage sandwich.

Sunday dinner once again at Lisa’s. Jake went crazy when I came in. He is doing it again. I fear he is going to attack me. Then it is over and we are friends. Robert was doing last minute homework. Ally playing games on her tablet.

I changed my mind on the column for this week’s KONK Life. I wrote yesterday and early this morning about Pope Francis and why I believe he is a flaming liberal. Written with respect and admiration. Relatively short. If you have the opportunity to read it, I suspect you will agree with my characterization of the Pope.

I just heard from Dee. She is up in Boston teaching. I had not heard from her in several weeks.

Anna emailed me from Camogli. She spent yesterday in Portofino. Her son and my friend Antonio has been trying to reach me via Skype. He is working somewhere in southern Italy at the moment.

The weeks run by fast. Tomorrow is tuesday again. Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show. I will be chatting about the Pope, guns, and I don’t know at the moment what else. Join me. The show is a fast moving half hour. Nine in the evening at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

SYRIAN SETTLEMENT, SUMMERS, NAVAL YARD SHOOTING…..TONIGHT

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What a week! Already! Unanticipated developments world wide!

Tonight, I do my blog talk radio show. Come join me. It is simple to locate. Turn on your computer and enter www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. I will be there! At 9. A one half hour quick moving talk show. Listen to me via your computer as if it were a radio.

I will be discussing the folly of the Syrian settlement and why it will not work as anticipated, the good fortune for the United States that Larry Summers withdrew from Federal Reserve consideration, and the Washington Naval Yard shooting.

Spent yesterday researching and writing all day. Conferred with my publisher.

Last night was the Chart Room. David and I were at the end of the bar. I enjoy his company. We talked about everything from mountain bikes to billiards. We agreed to meet some Saturday afternoon soon at the Monkey Bar to shoot a few games. I have not played billiards since I was in high school.

Peter and Mary at the Chart room, also.

I was hungry. Craved a full meal. Went to Outback. A rib eye steak, baked potato with butter and steamed vegetables. I always smile at the inconsistency in my vegetables when I eat there. A baked potato buried in butter and steamed vegetables. I am satisfying my desire for the bad and need for the good when I eat them.

Enjoy your day!

BANDAR bin SULTAN

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I spent the better part of Sunday yesterday working on my next KONK Life column. The one that will be published next thursday.

The article traces Bandar bin Sultan’s Middle East involvement and importance. He is part of the Saudi Arabia hierarchy. He has been a behind the scenes player in the Syria situation. Bandar is the man pulling the strings. The one seeking to orchestrate developments.

The column took six hours to complete. During that time, it was raining (actually pouring).

It was dinner time. I threw on my yellow slicker and headed over to Lisa’s for Sunday dinner.

Jake was not very welcoming. Our friendship may not be as solid as I thought. He was barking like crazy and confronted me in an attack mode. I think it was the bright yellow slicker. On the other hand, I thought dogs were color blind. I do not know why he did not like me. It took a while for him to settle down.

It was still raining when I left Lisa’s. I headed straight home. A little TV and then to bed.

A quiet day.

Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me. It will be a fast hard hitting half hour. Syria and Bandar bin Sultan will be discussed. As well as Larry Summers. I was glad to hear this morning that he had withdrawn his name from consideration to head the Federal Reserve. I have always thought Summers was out of step with the American people. He consistently favored the banks to the detriment of the public.

You can hear the show at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

PRESIDENT’S SPEECH, 9/11 AND BENGHAZI

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I had competition last night for my blog talk radio show. The President of the United States. I doubt anyone listened to me. The show is archived if you care to listen. www.blogtalkradio.com.

Today, a double anniversary. A day to remember in both instances.

First, 9/11. Forget not those who died, forget not the persons responsible.

Benghazi is already a year old. Seems like yesterday. The same mind framed people involved. Forget not the four who died, forget not again the persons responsible.

Babysat last night. Till late. It was after 11 when Lisa and husband returned. The only one still awake was Jake. He was laying on the couch next to me.

Robert and Ally were good. As usual. Baths and everything else done. In bed at 8:30 without a complaint.

Visited my doctor yesterday for the ankle pain. She has referred me. I see another doctor this morning at 9. Interestingly, no pain yesterday. It makes me wonder.
Dr. Lefferts suspected I might have a bone spur or small fracture. Dr. Louis does not think so. I believe it to be nerve related. We shall see.

I live and learn.

I have always admired Peary Court here in Key West. Initially, Naval housing. Private rentals after the Navy pulled out. Peary Court was sold this week.

Keys History in this morning’s Key West Citizen made me aware of something I never put together. Peary Court is named after Robert E. Peary, purportedly the first man to reach the North Pole. The feat was accomplished in 1909. In the 1880s, Peary was stationed as a Naval officer in Key west.

Have to move my butt. I do not wish to be late for my doctor’s appointment.

Enjoy your day!