Small town America celebrates holidays the best. Key West and Chatham, Massachusetts two examples.
Key West does Christmas big time. Not just the store and house decorations. The parades.
This past week was the annual Christmas Parade. Like you would not believe. Every year the same. Huge and festive. Family oriented. Special for the kids.
I did one Christmas parade after another with Robert and Ally. From when they were pre schoolers through high school. In their early years, Robert and Ally would sit on the curb on Truman with tons of other kids waiting for the parade to begin. Each with a huge bag. Anxious to pick up the candy canes and other candy thrown from the floats. Their “take” better than from Halloween trick or treating.
Santa Claus came at the end. One huge difference from a big city parade. Several Santa Claus’s, not one. To this day I wonder why Robert and Ally never questioned the more than one Santa Claus.
I did not do the Christmas parade this year nor in recent years. My body can’t handle it. Parking and then walking to Truman too much for me. Standing watching the parade impossible. The legs can’t handle it.
I have to be content with memories. Good enough, however!
Key West has another biggie. The Lighted Boat Parade. Sponsored annually by the Schooner Wharf Bar.
Dozens of boats. Decorated like Christmas trees and the outside of houses.
This year’s boat parade is saturday at 8.
I had the good fortune to actually do three. “Do” meaning on a boat. Many years ago. Each with Donna and Terri. A huge party boat each time. Booze, food, music for dancing, etc.
One negative to the three I did. It was freezing cold! Everyone on the boats dressed winter style. Still froze!
This year will not be that cold. The evenings have turned cool. However not that bad. A sweatshirt or jacket will handle the situation.
The last few years a bike ride has entered the picture. Such was held this past week also. Riders dressed for the occasion. Hundreds of riders.
Lets move to summer time.
I spent two weeks every summer on Cape Cod for years. Generally over the Fourth of July. Chatham was the town and the Chatham Bar Inn was where I stayed.
The absolute best Fourth of July Parade I have ever seen. Never failed to impress me. Unique. What made it so? It was 1776. Can’t explain it any other way.
For a small town, Key West gave birth to many athletes who went on to professional fame.
One was George Mira. Football star.
Mira born and raised in Key West. Graduated from Key West High School in 1960.
Played at the University of Miami where he achieved All American status. Followed by 13 years of professional football.
Following retirement, Mira opened George Mira’s Pizza Huddle. It was located across the street from the junior league football fields. The Huddle became a haven for post game celebrations.
Mira now 80. Still vital. Lives in the Coral Gables area where he owns the Nature Conch, a food concession at the Fairchild Botanical Gardens.
I have lived believing that if you hit me, I must hit you back and strike you harder so you will not think of hitting me again. Translate that into business. I practiced law with such in mind. It was necessary so a person would not consider screwing with me a second time.
It has bothered me that Ukraine has not hit Russia back. I assumed the U.S. and NATO made it a no no for the Ukraine to retaliate into Russian territory.
Apparently the limitation has been lifted. Ukraine attacked Russia on Russian soil twice last week. Both attacks well into Russian soil.
Both attacks via drones. The first two military bases on the same day. The military bases hundreds of miles inside Russia. The second an airfield. One of the attacks took down an energy grid on one of the coldest days in the year.
Civilians not attacked.
Civilians must be attacked as the Ukrainian people have been.
The Russian people must experience pain. Where they live, work. sleep and eat. The Russian people will not put up with it for long. They will be on Putin’s ass quickly to stop the assault against Ukraine.
Trump dined at Mar-a-Lago the tuesday before Thanksgiving with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes.
You are already aware of the backgrounds of the individuals. My concern at the moment is with Kanye West. An anti-Semite. Also an announced candidate for the Republican nomination for President in 2024.
It became public knowledge yesterday that West owes $50 million in back taxes and that the IRS has frozen four of his bank accounts.
Today’s Daily Beast ran an article about West’s Presidential campaign headquarters. Described it as a complete mess, a “shitshow.”
Trump knows how to pick prospective supporters. Just as good as the candidates he forced on the Republican Party for the 2022 midterms.
Syracuse/Oakland basketball tonight at 6.
I have no comment.
Enjoy your day!