MORNING STEW #5

Morning Stew time once again! I got caught up in the Virginia race and sex items and wrote about racism and sexism 2 days in a row. Catch up time now.

Two days of notes shared in no particular order.

Squeaky Fromme. Remember that name? She was part of the Charles Manson cult/family back in the late 1960’s. She did not participate in the Sharon Tate murders, however.

Squeaky spent 34 years in jail for attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford. She was released August 14, 2009.

Why is she of significance to my blog? When released, she went to live at 6772 Benton Road, Marcy, New York, with her boy friend Robert Valdner. He had pled guilty to a manslaughter charge in 1988.

Marcy is next door to my home town Utica. They actually adjoin.

I wonder how many know she lives there.

Marcy is a tiny town. Around 8,000 people. In a Wikipedia listing of Marcy under Notable People, 2 are named. One is Squeaky.

How a town gains fame!

A huge crowd sunday at Hot Dog Church. Close to 200, I would estimate. The crowd to celebrate Nancy’s 60th birthday. An Age of Aquarius party.

Many dressed for the occasion. In the hippy style of the day. Many men in attendance in honor of Nancy’s birthday. They too were dressed. What is good for the goose is good for the gander on such occasion.

The Back Bar, Side Bar and inside rooms were packed. People dancing in between people standing and talking. Everyone having a good time!

Donna and Terri in attendance. Terri sang a couple of songs. Blew everyone out! Donna was dressed as she probably did back when. Looked fantastic! Black pants and blouse. White bandanna around her forehead.

Nancy is very well liked. Helpful to all. All the time. This past year has been a bad one for her. A double mastectomy and then a fall resulting in a broken wrist. May all the bad things be behind her and her future years illness free.

Knew many. Including Laurie, Ingrid, Lynda and Bob. Pam, too. I had not seen Pam in a year. She had a heart attack near the time we last met. Everything fine now! God bless her!

John telephoned from the Chart Room. Someone wanted to see me. Would I come over? Eventually did. Glad I did. Met a terrific couple. Michael and Carolyn. Both extremely interesting.

Presently hail from New Mexico. Michael aka Michael Norviel an artist. His works locally show at the Art Gallery at 830 Caroline.

They have been visiting Key West for years. Michael actually lived in Key West in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. He was 8-14 years old at the time. His Dad a contractor working for the Navy.

Michael is 80 and Carolyn 75. Both young and vital.

Michael still paints. Carolyn is retired from a most interesting position. She worked years at the University of New Mexico. A fundraiser. Her job to bring in the big dollars. We shared many stories. I was a big donor at one time at Syracuse. She knew all the tricks surrounding fund raising. I learned many by being the one solicited.

Chatted with another couple sunday night after Michael and Carolyn left. I am ashamed. I failed to write their names in my note book. Whatever, another great couple. I had met them the night before, also.

Visiting From Syracuse.

The husband into Presidential libraries and the like. He had visited Hemingway House earlier in the day. He was the one who told me about Squeaky Fromme living in Marcy.

Last night was Dueling Bartenders. Terri guest performer. What a voice! Joined with Rick Dery, a volatile combination.

Liz, Josephina, Mary, Myra, and Donna enjoying the evening. As well as the other Mary.

I had never met Myra before. She came over to thank me for being so kind to Liz. Whenever I see Liz, I hurry over to her and give her a hug and kiss.

Liz  is moving on. Now in a wheel chair. They let her sit on a bar stool. However, she must be picked up and placed thereon as well as lifted when returning to the wheel chair.

I met Liz 3 years ago. She was vibrant. We hit it off immediately. She 2 years older than me. Her mind sharp. Liz in her other life had been Dean at 2 law schools and the head of the Law Boards for years. A big time legal career!

We dated for a while. Dinner at Berlin’s and the like. She would prepare lunch or dinner for me at least once a week. Her culinary skills outstanding. Knew her wines.

Always a good time!

Now, she barely talks. In and out of the hospital frequently.

Such is life.

Met Teresa and Sam from southern Illinois at the bar. Corn and soybean farmers. I got into China, the tariffs, cash flow, etc. Teresa surprised me. She said they were not hurting. Their production was selling. No change.

It was difficult for me to follow. I suspect how and who you sell to or through has something to do with it.

Teresa and Sam have been coming to Key West for 25 years. They are renting a condo at Truman Annex for a month.

They have a son and daughter. The son is in business with them. The daughter in investments with Edward Jones. Plus 4 grandchildren.

Mary and I had dinner afterwards at La Trattoria. Tiffany bartending. Tiffany and I have known each other for 25 years. Amazing!

I enjoyed spaghetti with oil and garlic. So much for love making afterwards. Mary went to Virgilio’s and I home.

A measles update.

Mother does NOT always know best. Measles were eliminated 20 years ago. But…..

The epidemic is world wide. In the U.S., in certain areas. Generally where a large number of parents exempted their children from inoculations.

Washington is one of the States experiencing an epidemic. A particular County a large number. Clark County. Fifty three infected. Mostly children. One in 4 overall. Forty percent of them kindergartners.

Clark County parents had gone to court and received exemptions from the law requiring children prior to beginning school to have certain inoculations. The grounds for exemption had to be religious or personal beliefs.

One physician said that letting a child go unvaccinated against measles is like dropping a lighted match into a can of gasoline. The explosion/fire spreads rapidly. How an epidemic begins.

Big time in El Paso last night! Trump and O’Rourke speaking at different places. Close however. At one point, Beto’s group marched across the street to where Trump was speaking.

Numbers in attendance important to Trump. He was in a building holding 6,500. He claimed 35,000 there to hear him.

O’Rourke in a park. Police estimated 7,000. Trump said 600. Even dropped the number to 15 at one point.

I give them a tie as to numbers. As to content, not even close. O’Rourke came out way ahead.

Bum Farto, where are you?

Farto was the Key West Fire Chief back in the mid 1970’s. Highly successful. Besides protecting the populace from fires, ran drugs and hookers.

He was arrested and tried in Federal Court. Found guilty of 3 drug violations.

On the day he was to be sentenced, he left home in his car. Never to be seen again. Disappeared! Did not make it to court. No one sure what happened to him.

Some believe he disappeared Jimmy Hoffa style. Others believe to this day he is lying on a beach somewhere with a beautiful young lady next to him having successfully avoided paying his debt to society.

I close with the lovely Judy Blume.

The world knows Judy Blume. Successful author. Wrote books for young ladies/teenagers initially. Many. Her books have sold in excess of 80 million world wide and have been translated into 30 languages.

She is up there with Hemingway and Tennessee Williams.

Judy now a Key West resident. She and her husband own Books & Books in Key West.

I make mention of Judy today because it is her birthday. She was born this day in 1938. Happy birthday, Judy!

Almost forgot. One last item. My podcast show this evening. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9 for a quick interesting half hour. Listen to me rant and rave about this and that. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

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