A TURTLE STORY

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There is talk on the street. Local media is commenting. Key West’s daily newspaper the Key West Citizen reported the story in detail.

A pregnant turtle fighting for her life.  Turtle professionals fighting to save her and the more than 100 eggs she carries.

It is a story of love and compassion.

Isaac did its damage throughout the Caribbean. The U.S. Virgin Islands were hit. Isaac ran over St. Croix and its surrounding waters.

A beat up sick turtle was discovered on a St. Croix Beach. The turtle was pregnant. The St. Croix persons involved hoped the mother and eggs she was carrying could be saved. The pregnant turtle was airlifted to the Marathon Turtle Hospital here in the Florida keys.

The turtle was badly hurt. She had wide wounds on both shoulders. Thought to be from gaffing or shark bites. She was suffering from drowning. Her lungs partially filled with fluid.

The prognosis is not good. Obviously the hope is to save the mother and her eggs. If the mother cannot be saved, it is still hoped the eggs can be. The eggs then hatched. The baby turtles surviving.

So far the staff at Marathon Turtle Hospital have induced labor and the mother has released 15 eggs. It is hoped more will be able to be induced. If it is determined the mother cannot survive, a caesarean will be performed.

The released eggs are immediately placed in incubators. The incubators have sand in them from the St. Croix beach. This is so  as the eggs hatch, the baby turtles will feel they are in their natural habitat. It will help them to survive now and when they are returned to St. Croix.

Within 24 hours of the eggs hatching, the baby turtles will be flown back to St. Croix. They will be released in the sand and hopefully walk into the ocean and a full life. If the mother survives, she also will be returned to St. Croix.

Why so much time and effort for a pregnant turtle that will probably die anyhow? The reasons are two fold.

First, why not. Saving the mother and eggs is humanitarian. Some believe there is an obligation to help God’s lesser creatures. That is why we have a turtle hospital here in the keys.

The other reason is that hawksbill turtles are an endangered species. Ergo, there is a need to save as many of the eggs and subsequent babies as possible.

That is the story. I will keep you advised.

This turtle story is more important than anything else I could report today. More important than my beard trimming by Lori yesterday,  working on friday’s show and the trip photos, drinks at Don’s Place with Don, David and Herschel, dinner at Pepe’s, Clinton’s eloquent speech,Womanfest, and bocce tonight.

Enjoy your day!

 

MICHELLE OBAMA OUTSTANDING!

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I do not care whether Republican. Democrat or Libertarian, white, black, purple or green…..Michelle Obama’s presentation last night before the Democrat Convention was one of the finest speeches ever made. Put politics and other concerns aside. She did a hell of a job! You do not have to agree with her. You do not have to like her. You do not have to like her husband. But…..you cannot deny the quality of the presentation.

Being the political junkie that I am, I enjoyed the speakers last night. The Democrats came out fighting from the opening bell. Clinton should be fantastic tonight!

Yesterday was ordinary. A simple day. Ran some errands. Sat in the sun by the pool for an hour. Fell asleep in that hour. Continued working on the trip photographs. Getting closer to publishing some. Worked with Sloan.  Dinner at Outback at the bar. Me and the newspaper. Enjoyed the Democrat Convention from the comfort of my bed.

Today will probably be more exciting. Seeing Lori this morning. Need a haircut. More importantly, time to trim the beard. It is beginning to look unruly. Needs a trim every which way.

Enjoy your day!

OUT OF THE PRESCRIPTION DONUT!

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What a lovely morning!

The sun rose with a pink back drop. The hue continued onto my neighbors’ homes. Yellow and light green houses were altered muted colors this morning. Pretty.

I spent several hours yesterday working on the trip photos. Getting there.

Stopped at Walgreen. Had four prescriptions to pick up. I am out of the donut. What was costing me a $100 plus per prescription for a few months is now in the $2 to $10 range. This donut thing is a disgrace. I understand Obamacare helps with it. I am not sure how.

I enjoyed a late  fantastic lunch while enjoying a spectacular view. At the Southernmost on the Beach. Part of the Southernmost Complex. Open aired. Great food. The water a mere 50 feet away. People, beach chairs and umbrellas between you and the beach.

Then to Don’s Place. Stayed for only one drink. The company was good. However, I preferred watching the last few holes of the golf tournament from the comfort of my bed.

Don and David there. Watching the golf tournament. Todd bartending.

Don is sponsoring a bloody mary contest tonight. I am not sure whether it is who can make the best one, or who can consume the most. I may stop in to watch.

It was a good final round for the golf tournament. Tiger hung 2-3 strokes behind. He did not falter on the last day. McIlroy won by two strokes. Tiger was third, 2 behind.

Spent the rest of my Labor Day watching old movies on TV.

Tonight through Friday, the Democratic convention. I will be glued to the TV for most of it.

Enjoy your day!

Special note: It is raining. The pink must have foretold the rain.

 

SUNDAY

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I sometimes think I have too much on my plate.

Yesterday, I worked on the Epilogue to my trip. The photos. Still organizing and selecting. A real task when there are 600 pictures.

Work done, I decided to go to the beach. Read the Sunday papers and look at the lovely ladies.

I went to Higgs Beach. My intent was to sit in my sand chair a couple of hours. Then walk over to Salute’s for a fish sandwich.

It was not to be.

Higgs Beach stunk! In fact, most of the Atlantic side beaches smelled. Including Smathers.

Like dead fish.

It was Isaac getting the last laugh. Isaac had thrown seaweed and fish life onto the beach area and beyond. You could see where the water had come over the sea walls. The sidewalk and grass still had sun bleached brown sea weed splattered about. The water at Higgs Beach was also a disaster. Brown. Isaac had churned the bottom. The water not yet settled.

No Higgs Beach for me!

I drove to Fort Zachery Taylor Beach. Also on the Atlantic. But around the corner of the island. Fort Zach’s Beach was clean. I could see my toes in the water. There was no smell.

The beach was packed. Everyone out enjoying a lovely Sunday. Many probably transfixed from Higgs to Fort Zach.

Dinner last night with Lisa and the family. Robert and Ally a joy. As always.

Part of the meal consisted of corn on the cob. Robert had no trouble devouring his the normal way. He has teeth in front. Ally does not. Lisa had to scrape the corn off the husk for Ally. Ally put away two cobs of corn in that fashion.

Stopped at the Chart Room for a few drinks. Knew no one. All tourists.

Duval was also packed with tourists. In Key West enjoying a fun filled weekend. Merchants had to be happy. The visitors were.

Enjoy this last day of the Labor Day Weekend!

 

NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN

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Lazy is becoming my middle name! This is the second day in a row I have stayed in bed late. 10:30. Watched Meet the Press and Chris Wallace. For whatever reason, I am treating this holiday weekend as a holiday.

The older one gets, the more that person believes he/she knows everything. It is the result of the aging process. You have been alive so long, that your experiences make you soooo smart.

And then something happens to prove the error of your thinking. Or maybe that exceptions are common place.

I spoke of my disappointment in not being able to see a blue moon in yesterday’s blog. I actually thought the moon was going to be blue colored for whatever reason.

I was wrong as to the meaning of blue moon. I received more emails, telephone calls and personal comment regarding my error than for anything else I have ever written. As a result, I have learned something new. Which is another way of admitting you are never too old to learn.

One of blue moon’s meanings is two full moons in one month. Not a frequent occurrence. Never in all of my 77 years did I know. Because it is such a rare occurrence, the phrase “…once in a blue moon” developed.

I did a little home work. I wanted to know more about blue moon.

The term has been bandied around some 400 years. It was associated in its earlier times with betrayal.

The significant date for our purposes is January 31, 1980. Relatively recently. There is an observatory at the University of Texas. The McDonald Observatory. Studies the stars, astronomy, space and the like. McDonald Observatory also sponsors a daily radio show. Star Date. The show is very popular. It broadcasts on more than 300 stations. In Star Date’s radio show of January 31, 1980, the term blue moon was used to describe the two full moons in one month phenomenon. Blue moon took off in popularity from that time forward.

For the record, the term had been mentioned off and on in the years immediately preceding 1980 referring to the two full moons in one month, but never achieved notoriety.

College football has returned! Syracuse played Northwestern yesterday. Syracuse lost by one point, 42-41. I caught the second half of the game. Syracuse was down 22 points. But came back! Northwestern was just one play better at the end.

I am not disappointed in the loss. Syracuse’s problem appears to be defense. This is still rebuilding time. I suspect we will have a winning season in spite of this loss.

Shopped yesterday. The cupboard was really bare!

Sloan stopped over in the early afternoon. We are still working on You Tube, amongst other things.

Later in the afternoon, I wrote my weekly column for KONK Life. It will be published next Thursday. The article is entitled Texas Judge Warns of Civil War.

There is a judge in Lubbock County, Texas, who believes that if Obama is reelected there will be a civil war. He claims Obama will turn the government of the United States over to the United Nations. Where this nut theory came from, I do not know. In any event, the judge claims the people will not put up with it. They will take up arms. It will be Concord and Lexington all over again. Obama will send in United Nations troops to put down the revolt. The civil war will then begin in earnest.

The Chart Room first last night. JJ bartending. Many drinkers. I knew none. All tourists. I stayed a while and left.

There is a new restaurant/bar on the waterfront. The Boathouse. It has been there less than a year. It is downstairs from the Commodore. The people who own the Commodore opened the Boathouse.

I tried the boathouse for the first time. Good! Great location. Open aired. Excellent food. Reasonable prices. I recommend it.

Enjoy your Labor Day Sunday!

 

VALYNNE BERNETICH

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It is Saturday morning of the Labor Day Weekend. I am mentally and physically into the holiday. I just got out of bed! Ten in the morning!

Yesterday started with my internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Fun! I enjoy sitting with the mike in front of me and sharing my views with the world.

There were many interesting topics yesterday. I was surprised at the one that received the most post show comment. It concerned Solly the hippopotamus.

Solly lived in South Africa.  He was four years old. He got involved in a dominance fight with other male elephants in his herd. He lost. He was cast out of the herd. The other elephants chased Solly away. He ended up falling into an eight foot deep pool at a hunting lodge.

Solly died after 3 days. The vet said from stress. First from losing the dominance battle and being thrown out of the herd. Then Solly’s inability to extricate himself from the pool. It was too much for Solly. His heart gave out.

There were many other tales seemingly more important. Solly obviously touched many hearts.

While I was reviewing my notes prior to the show, a couple entered the studio. I had never seen them before. I assumed they were there to see Guy de Boer, the owner. The woman said no. We are looking for you.

The lady’s name was Valynne Bernetich. His name Paul.

Valynne is a loyal reader of this blog. We communicate occasionally via Facebook. We had never met face to face.

I knew Valynne was in Key West for a few days. My evenings were not normal this past week, however. The Republican Convention kept me away from my usual haunts. I never got to meet Valynne.

She found me. Just before 10 in the morning at KONK Broadcast. She brought gifts. Two bottles of red wine. For which I thank Valynne once more.

Valynne and Paul were leaving later in the morning to return to Portland, Oregon. Soon to leave Portland. They will be resettling in San Antonio.

We talked very few minutes. My show was due to start.

I look forward to their next visit when we can spend more time together.

Lunched at the bar at Harpoon Harry’s. I had a craving for ham and eggs. Satisfied it while reading the newspapers.

Then it was up the street to the Plantation Coffee House.

Theo and Diane own and operate the Coffee House. They transplanted themselves from California to open the business here in Key West. Theo’s origins are interesting. He is originally from Holland. He has an unmistakable northwest European accent.

Dinner last night at Michael’s. Enjoyed the house specialty. A veal chop. My mouth waters even now recalling it.

Womenfest is around the corner. It is an annual international meeting of lesbians. Held in Key West. Womenfest starts Tuesday and runs through Sunday. The ladies take over the town. A few thousand of them.

Three had come in early to enjoy the holiday weekend prior to the convention. They were dining Michael’s bar, also. We chatted. Turns out they are good friends with Donna and Terri.

Stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Kurt bartending. We talked about miscellaneous things.

Then home to bed. Almost forgot. I drove home with the top down. Wanted to see the blue moon. Saw the full moon. It was not blue. Why, I do not know.

Enjoy your day!

BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD…..

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There but for the grace of God go I…..

Change the I to we.

A post Isaac thought.

It could have been Key West and the Florida keys rather than Louisiana and other Gulf areas.

I walked in the morning. Immediately after finishing my blog. A start.

Manicure time. Tammy time. I enjoyed her company once again.

Spent part of the day fine tuning this morning’s internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Many topics of interest to be discussed. Join me. Ten in the morning my time. World wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Bocce last night! We lost 2 out of 3 games. Not a good evening. The first game was a close one. Could have gone either way. The second game was decidedly theirs. We killed them in the third game. Our pride was at stake!

It was a pleasant evening to play. The sun set soon after starting. There was a cool breeze off the ocean. It made for a comfortable time.

Full moon tonight. Almost full last night. The crazies will be out in force.

The Republican convention instead of Don’s Place after bocce. Romney did well. It is going to be a stormy Presidential race.

Have to hustle. Got up late. The Republicans kept me up last night.

Enjoy your day!

WORKED ON KW LOU LEGAL HOUR SHOW

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A good part of yesterday was spent working on tomorrow’s internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Join me at 10 in the morning my time. World wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Topics will include Isaac and the Republican convention, of course. Plus an Assange update, a major medical screw up, women topless in NYC, a failed attempt to save a hippo in South Africa, a man who bit a snake to death, 17 Afghans beheaded for playing music and dancing, an example of the sick society we live in, mosquitos in the keys and Dallas, Catholic Church leader sentenced to jail, an 84 year old woman raped, bigamy, the You Tube video leading to an arrest for speeding, and more.

We live in interesting and challenging times. Join me for an hour of thought provoking exploration as I discuss the topics listed.

Also, published an article on Amazon Kindle: Civil War Ongoing.

Spent some time in the late afternoon with my heart doctor. A scheduled appointment.

Sloan arrived at 5. We worked a couple of hours on this and that. Mostly You Tube. Soon!

The Chart Room and Don’s Place or the Republican convention last night? My choice. Picked the convention. I am drawn to political discourse.

Paul Ryan established his credentials last night. Unquestionably. Just as Sarah Palin did four years ago. Ryan will be formidable opposition for Obama and company.

Condoleezza Rice’s performance outstanding. A talented well educated woman. I have mixed emotions about her. Based on a couple of books I read several years ago. An opportunist of the first order. Perhaps not a bad attribute for leaders of government.

It is going to be an interesting race. My thought…..It’s a long way to the finish line!

Bocce tonight! Fun time!

Poor New Orleans and the rest of the south being battered by Isaac. It could have been Key West. It is amazing how much damage even a category 1 hurricane can do. The work done after Katrina apparently was well done. The levees have held, with one exception.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

A POLITICAL JUNKIE’S DREAM

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Last night was stay at home time. Layed back in bed and watched the Republican convention.

Ann Romney impressed me with her charm and delivery. She was every woman last night. She connected with the ladies in the audience and at home.

What she failed to do was reveal to the world the personal Mitt Romney. Nothing about their personal life, his time with their children as they grew up, etc. Other than he was a support during her medical problems, Romney the husband was missing in action. As was Romney the father.

Cris Christie did a terrific job for Cris Christie. His speech left me confused. I thought a keynoter’s purpose was to speak of the Presidential candidate and knock the opposing candidate. Not last night.

Regardless of the presentations, it was my kind of night. I am a political junkie. It was thrilling to watch. Even if the two main speakers did not go on till 10 and after. I am genrally asleep well before 10.

Key West missed the bullet with regard to Isaac. Isaac stayed a tropical storm and passed over our island quickly. Now over New Orleans, it is a #1 hurricane and is stalled for a couple of days. New Orleans is getting beat up again. Even Al Roker was taking a beating. Some day one of the hurricane TV announcers is going to get hit by a flying piece of metal or wood. Then they will all do what we do when a storm approaches….stay inside!

A special luncheon yesterday. With Robert and Ally. 5 Guys! Fun! They both had bacon on their burgers. Lisa is still not buying real bacon. The grandkids are hooked, however.

I later took them for a walk at the Weston Pier. Robert and Ally had watched Isaac on TV. They had seen Al Roker. I took them to the spot on the pier where Roker was announcing from. They could visualize it all.

I wanted to do something special with them. We talked. We agreed it was a visit to the new Pet Store on the Boulevard. The former location of Borders. We wanted to see the pets that were for sale.

The parrots and cockatoos excited them. The baby mice freaked them out. The ferrets, also.

The tropical fish were the big item of the day. There were many. The grandkids were impressed.

We were disappointed there were no puppies.

I drove Duval both ways going and returning from Weston’s. Duval was basically deserted. Less than that. It is the same every year at this time. It is the first week of school. Ergo, no family visits. Parents are broke. Spent their extra money on school clothes. It is stay at home time for them.

Wrote a bit later in the afternoon. I have found the grandkids are inspirational for my writing.

Enjoy your day!

ISAAC ONE MORE TIME

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Isaac is long gone. The aftermath good weather. Yesterday was magnificent. Today will be also.

I said yesterday that Isaac had been a nothing. I was wrong. It did cause some problems. I did not know till last night when I visited the Chart Room.

Before I tell you, let me say that whenever it rains heavy, the street in front of my home is flooded. One foot or more. It did not flood at all during or after Isaac.

Duval did, however! Front street, too! Plus some side streets. Anywhere from one to three feet.

I did not know. I never read yesterday’s local newspaper. At the Chart Room everyone was talking about the street flooding. Some showed me pics on their cell phones.

Two vessels took a beating. One was a large power boat. Sank in the water at the dock. Ass end up.The other was a sailing boat that somehow sailed off unmanned and got damaged.

Wind direction has been peculiar the past two days since Isaac passed. It is coming from the southeast. The wind normally comes from the east, northeast or northwest. When it comes from a southerly direction, bad weather is on its way. There was no bad weather yesterday and none is anticipated today.

I am sure this southerly wind has something to do with Isaac. Just cannot figure it out. Isaac is now way to the northwest of us heading for New Orleans.

Good friends Don and Chris are in town. We got together last night at the Chart Room. They hail from the Syracuse area. Don is involved with solar panels. He spends most of his time in China selling solar panel products. Chris works for the same company. She is in charge of marketing. The two travel together on many of the China trips.

Don got promoted! He is now a Vice-President. Congratulations, my friend.

Sheila, Sean and Katherine were at the Chart Room, also. Three great people. We chatted a bit.

The honeymoon is over. Robert and Ally return to school tomorrow. I am taking them to lunch today to celebrate either the end of their summer vacation or the beginning of school.

Enjoy your day!