What a night! The Christmas Boat Parade was absolutely spectacular!

First one I have seen in several years. Every boat new, except for the Morah one.

Jean Thornton and I enjoyed the evening together.

First, the Chart Room. Steve and Cindy there. Recall I wrote a bit of Steve’s history a couple of months ago. He first came to Key West in the 1970’s. Made his fortune in tacos…..all over Florida. Cindy was Jimmy Buffett’s secretary/right arm for years when his headquarters was located above Fast Buck Freddie’s in the Kress Building.

We chatted at the round table for about an hour. The room filled during that time. To the point where the noise was so deafening we could not hear each other talk. Cindy and I left to go to dinner. Steve and Cindy remained.

We were fortunate to have a reservation on the Pier 1 deck. Right on the rail as requested.

It was already dark. The temperature just right.

The boats began appearing. Like race horses working out, one at a time. Each, oh so beautiful. All sizes, different type decorations.

We were enjoying dinner when the table next to us got up to leave. Two women and a man. One of the women approached me. Are you Louis? Do you Write?

Her name, Deb. She reads the blog every day.

Deb and husband Louis originally from Wisconsin. Now live in Cape Coral. Hop down to Key West on occasion to party.

My kind of people!

Louis is a retired attorney also. In addition, my age 86.

Louis retired only two years ago. He felt the urge to do something in retirement as I did. He captains a charter boat.

I apologize to Deb who is the one who follows my blog. I mention Jean Thornton often. I am sure Deb was aware of the Golden Girl and would have enjoyed meeting her. Being ill mannered on occasion, I forgot to introduce Jean.

My apologies to Deb and to Jean.

Andre waited on us. He has been affiliated with the Pier House since 2007. Told me he was able to work through the pandemic, but things were tough. Everyone earned less.

One of the Irma refugees at Jean’s Birmingham home Hayward stopped by.

In leaving, Jean and I had to walk past the Chart Room. We had  agreed we would not be stopping in. Late and tired. As we passed the Chart Room door, there were Steve and Cindy at the bar. They had never left. Jean went in to say hello. I knew she would stay a while. If I went in, I would have done likewise.

Not for me, however. Kissed Jean and said good night. It was home to bed for me.

Key West has a birthday coming up. Its 200th. March 2020. The City is scheduling events for March 19-30.

Wild hurricanes! The damage as shown on TV similar to that done by a Category 5 hurricane. Blocks and blocks down. Irma did it in certain places along the Keys.

The worst damage I have ever seen was Andrew in 1992 in Homestead. The entire community flat. Like a pancake.

The tornado in effect was a series of ones. One series ran more than 200 miles.

Kentucky hurt pretty bad. A long time recovery ahead. Already 100 plus dead. There will be more.

Tennessee took a big hit also. Estimated 15-18 tornadoes ran through the state.

The best description of the tornadoes was you could see them “shredding nursing homes.”

Does this most recent natural disaster have anything to do with climate change?

Rand Paul represents Kentucky in the U.S. Senate. He has been a hard ass in previous natural disasters in other parts of the U.S. Always refusing to vote for relief funds. His conduct has been ongoing for 10 years. Disasters which included New Jersey’s Sandy Hook, Puerto Rico, and Texas’ Hurricane Harvey.

His time to ask/beg for assistance. Paul wrote to Biden yesterday saying, I “ask that you move expeditiously to approve appropriate resources for our state.”

Paul’s excuse in the past in voting against immediate assistance was that it should not be from new money which the government did not have on hand. There are never enough funds available for a new huge natural disaster. Paul has always wanted the money to be taken from from a place where it was already voted to go. Who should the U.S. screw? A foreign nation with monies already appropriated to its use?

Congress would take forever to decide who to take the money from. At a time when time is of the essence. Immediately following a hurricane or tornado is when money is most needed. Like yesterday! Not weeks or months ahead after Congress fights to the bitter end from whence the mones must come.

I watched the 1967 movie Camelot yesterday afternoon. One of the better musicals of all time.

Richard Harris played Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave Guinevere, and Franco Nero Lancelot .

I had the good fortune to watch Camelot on Broadway in its first year. Only Nero remained of the original cast. Outstanding then and again yesterday.

Grocery and restaurant prices continue to spike. Food is more expensive than it has been in decades. Consumers cannot win. It’s getting more expensive to dine out and it’s getting more expensive to eat home.

Enjoy your Sunday!