There was no blog yesterday. Sorry. Received a call at the last minute from the hospital that some tests I was having difficulty getting scheduled were set. I had to be there at 11:30. Did not get done till 3. The tests a story for another day. 

Last night, I was scrolling through some blogs I wrote several years ago. Came across an interesting one I published on July 3, 2019. Involved a family trip now some 45 years ago to Italy. I am substituting that blog for a new one today. It has flavor. I trust you will enjoy.

The trip came about due to the intervention of Sister Rose Vincent. A Black Franciscan nun who was Administrator of St. Elizabeth Hospital in Utica. We had become good friends. She was concerned I was overworking and not taking care of myself. Secretly with the assistance of my then wife, she had made arrangements for me to take a one month vacation with my family and parents. Plane reservations had been made for the trip and a villa near Rome rented for the month. 

I tried to beg off. She beat me, so to speak. I finally acquiesced and left one week later with my entourage.

The blog I share with you covers the last 3 days of the trip. Involves the Black Franciscan pension in Rome,  a money exchange, the John Keats Museum, a new Blessed Mother statue, by the grace of God and Louis Petrone. a gold cross. again by the grace of God and Louis Petrone, and customs in New York City.

A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER

Forty years ago, I was concluding my first trip to Italy. A month long family trip. My wife, 3 daughters, 1 son and my parents.

A villa had been rented 45 miles south of Rome in a town called Livonia. The villa was on the Mediterranean. Livonia near Anzio where the Allied troops landed during World War II.

Rented 2 cars also. Utilizing the cars and trains, we traveled Italy.

The last three days of our trip found us in Rome. My group a bit smaller. My son and parents had left a week earlier. My son to begin studying for the bar exam, my parents to attend another grandchild’s event.

Left my wife, 3 daughters and me in Rome for three days.

Italy was undergoing terrible inflation at the time. One American dollar was the equivalent of 2,100 lire. A fortune! The American dollar could buy everything dirt cheap.

My wife made a proposal. She said give me $3,000 American money exchanged for lire. I want to buy clothes for the girls and me. Clothes, pocketbooks, shoes, etc. The works. I will not bother you for any money for one year for clothes for us, if you agree.

I agreed.

Took us all to the American Express office. Plopped $3,000 in Travelers Checks down. The man in the cage gave me lire in return. I do not recall the exact amount. I do recall it took 2 large brown paper bags to carry the money out. Remember, $1 was worth 2,100 lire.

I sat on the steps to the American Express office, organized the money and gave it to my wife. There was so much, she and the girls each had to carry a share.

Off they went. I was alone for a whole day. Not certain what to do, I walked around. Rome obviously an interesting place.

I tired and had sat on the Spanish Steps a while. Then up and began walking again.

Immediately next to the Spanish Steps on one side was a 3 story building. A small villa type structure. The bronze plaque next to the front door had emblazoned thereon John Keats Museum.

I had studied Keats in college. An English poet. Wrote romantic sonnets. The line that came to mind was “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

Keats died prematurely at age 25 in Rome.

Turned out the building I was standing in front was the place where he had died. In his rooms on the third floor.

I went up to the third floor. Viewed the tiny room and bed in which he died. Reminded me of the room across from the Ford Theater where Abraham Lincoln died after being shot.

Keats’ writings were all over the place. Covered in glass. I walked around studying many closely. I came upon a a piece of paper that obviously had at one time been crumbled by someone. Written thereon were the words: A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

An emotional moment. The words and how composed.

Lincoln came to mind again. He had written the Gettysburg Address on a ripped off portion of a paper bag.

When I hooked up with my wife and daughters later in the day, I became extremely upset. The overabundance of lire had purchased an overabundance of goods. My ladies would dress themselves a lifetime on them!

What actually bothered me was there were so many boxes and packages. My immediate thought was it will take forever to get through customs.

Purchasing was not done. Bought several large suitcases. In the end, the number of suitcases and boxes going through customs with us would total 19.

Being anal, I took all the receipts, placed them in order, outlined them on a piece of paper.

There was an additional problem.

The three nights we spent in Rome were at a pension. Run my an American order of nuns, commonly known as Black Franciscans. Their attire was black.

My cousin Rose who I wrote about several years ago when she died had been a Black Franciscan. So too was Sister Rose Vincent. Sister Rose (a different Rose from my cousin) was the Administrator of St. Elizabeth Hospital in Utica.  A big shot in the Black Franciscan order. She had become a family friend over the years.

Black Franciscan nuns actually worked/operated the pension. Since we were friends with Cousin Rose and Sister Rose, we were treated like royalty.

Due to the lire situation, I spent much less than I had anticipated during our month long stay in Italy. A donation was in order. I gave the nun who was in charge of the pension $1,000. She refused to take it. Said she could not. We talked. She finally agreed to take the $1,000 if I agreed to let her use it to buy a new Blessed Mother. Their chapel needed one. So I helped in acquiring the new Blessed Mother.

A side story for a moment. A year later, a Utica friend and doctor’s wife visited Rome and stayed at the pension. She was shown the Blessed Mother. She told me that at the foot of the statue were the words: By the grace of God and Louis Petrone.

Maybe the statue will be my ticket to getting into Heaven.

The tale not yet finished.

During the $1,000 conversation with the head nun another issue arose. The pension had a solid gold cross which belonged to the mother house in the U.S. The mother house was located in Syracuse. The cross was heavy. About a foot tall and 6 inches wide. She wanted me to take it to Sister Rose who would see it got to the mother house.

The good nun wrapped the cross in a box in front of me. I became curious and nervous. How was I going to get the cross through customs? She said no problem. She wrote on the box the same words that ended up at the feet of the Blessed Virgin: By the grace of God and Louis Petrone.

I said no way! She said don’t worry. Customs will not be a problem.

Who was I to argue with an emissary of God.

Our 19 suitcases and boxes now became 20.

We were standing in line in New York waiting to go through customs. The woman in front of us had just been taken away. She had hidden an expensive watch in the lining of her fur coat.

I would be joining her soon with the gold cross.

The customs man looked at us and our 20 items. Our eyes met. I smiled and held up the list of receipts. He looked at me expressionless a few seconds and then put the x’s on our bags and boxes and waved us through.

The good nun at the pension had been correct!

You may wonder why I write about Keats, our Rome experiences, etc. today.

I had several other items assembled to write about when I came upon a small article indicating that on this date in 1820, John Keats had his first bout of lung hemorrhaging which subsequently led to his death several months later. It bought to mind “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” Today’s blog the result.

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday was one of those days. Interesting people and places.

The experience began in the morning at Date & Thyme. I was there for a Monkey Smoothie fix. Ran into an Asian woman I had met a few days earlier. From Korea, she has resided in Key West for years. Her name Leila. Forty years old. Engaged twice, never married. A health food fanatic. Her two brothers and nephews are visiting her for the holidays. 

Her companion is Gracie. A small dog. Don’t know the breed. Unusually fat. A round ball with a head and tail. Passive. As well as Leila feeds herself, she feeds Gracie all the wrong foods. Admittedly so.

Good company. I am sure we will run into each other more mornings.

Happy Hour was at The Garden Cafe with Steve. We both enjoyed fried calamari.

The two seats next to me were empty at the bar. A lovely lady sat in the seat farthest from me. An absolute beauty! Steve and I looked at each other with that knowing glance WOW! Her fellow showed up and sat next to her. Can’t win them all.

Soon however, we were talking to the couple. Very interesting visitors from the Columbus, Ohio area. The “male interloper” Jarret Barnes from Huron, Ohio. The young lady Courtney Bergman from Huron also. The two are frequent visitors to Key West. They try to make it one weekend per month. Generally stay at the Pier House or Marquesa. 

Jarret and a sister now run the family business in Huron. A business started by their grandfather, continued by their father and now run by them. It is a landscaping garden business. Their work is within a 100 mile radius of Huron. They employ 120 people. It is no small deal. 

Janet is a salon owner and hair stylist. Her business is located in Sandusky. She rents out chairs.

They will miss their January Key West visit. Have a trip to Costa Rica planned. Will return to Key West in February.

Being inquisitive, I asked if they were ever going to marry. Courtney said probably in the new year. Jarret was reluctant to commit. Amusing!

No question, we will discover each other again when they return.

I was ready to return home. Steve said let’s try the roof at The Studios. Neither of us had ever been there. Steve had run into the bartender the night before and he suggested Steve might enjoy it.

A short walk later, we were at The Studios and took the elevator to the roof. Fourth floor button took us to Hugh’s View, the name of the rooftop outdoor bar.

What a choice! Glad we went! Go my friends. An experience.

The view of Key West spectacular. Especially the Christmas decorated homes.

We sat and enjoyed a drink, assuring each other we would return.

Hugh’s View is open only Mondays and tuesdays.

The first floor of The Studios contains Judy Blume’s Books and Books. You can’t miss it. The corner of Eaton and Simonton.

A good day, an excellent evening!

Tonight is Brady’s Irish Pub for me. Love their wednesday specials. Carola the bartender, also.

Syracuse basketball begins its “serious season” saturday. Plays Pitt at noon. I will be watching from Jack Flats.

Serious basketball because it is the beginning of the ACC season. The quality of the Syracuse team this season will soon be evident.

On this day in 1932, New York City’s Radio City Music Hall opened. My first visit was as a little boy when my father took me. I visited many times over the years into older adulthood. Each visit left me on a high. The musical reviews were outstanding.

Trump is throwing “gasoline on the fire” as judges face death threats. Threats which are on the rise. Especially involving federal judges.

There are 2,700 federal judges. Last year, there were 4,500 threats that were serious enough to merit investigation by U.S. Marshalls. Most Trump inspired. God help us if he is elected. He brings out the worst in people.

White supremacist Nick Fuentes claims there is “an occult element at the high levels of society, specifically among Jews….when we take power, they need to be given the death penalty.”

Fuentes is only 25, yet he receives national attention. Many eat up his declarations that Jews be killed.

As a nation, we are falling apart at the seams. Our only salvation is to vote Democrat across the board in 2024. Otherwise Auschwitz facilities will appear in the U.S. I kid you not.

Trump is not just evoking Hitler, he’s talking like him. Beware!

I held off posting today’s podcast to the end. The appropriate place for it based on the political portion of today’s blog. In it I mention an old friend similar in age to me. The podcast was done 4-5 years ago when Trump was President.  Patricia Tedesco’s comments were made at that time. She has since passed on. A true loss.

The podcast title is Politicians Are Asses.

I am off to Date & Thyme for my Monkey Smoothie fix.

Enjoy your day!

Only 364 days till Christmas. It will be here tomorrow for those who are elderly. I find as I have gotten older the years speed by with increased frequency. Everything has become just yesterday. 

Such is life.

Christmas 1862 in Key West. Henry Hornbeck, stationed with the Pennsylvania 47th, wrote: “Went to Catholic Church, it was a grand sight the Church being decorated with Spruce and with Coconut leaves, and a great number of lights burning…..The day here is celebrated like the 4th of July in the North, firing Squibs, etc.”

On Christmas Day 1952, Key Wester and musician Edward Weech surprised everyone at the V.F.W. Hall by playing a Christmas night saxophone solo. Weech had suffered service injuries to both hands in the Korean War, and it was thought he would never be able to play music again.

A man of extreme holiday sensitivity. Donald Trump. In his Christmas message on Truth Social he called various people he views as “looking to destroy” the Nation to “rot in Hell.” Included were Joe Biden, special prosecutor Jack Smith and a large number of political opponents. Also certain world leaders and those in favor of electric cars.

Trump’s closing words were repetitious. He described all named as “looking to destroy our once great USA, MAY THEY ROT IN HELL, AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

Today’s podcast some 6 years old. Discusses Trump’s quick move to remove U.S. troops from Syria claiming “We won!” I did not look fondly on his actions at the time.

Pope Francis spoke words yesterday similar to those President Eisenhower spoke as he left the White House: “Beware of the military industrial complex.” Pope Francis delivered his thoughts as part of his Christmas address wherein he blasted the weapons industry and its “instruments of death” claiming the weapons industry fuel wars. Francis appeal was part of his cry for peace in the world, especially between Israel and the Palestinians.

Francis’ words: “How can we speak of peace, when arms production, sales and trade are on the rise?” His words are consistent with those he has uttered in the past. The weapons industry are “merchants of death.”

The world has spoken before. Francis, then and now. Yet the words fall on deaf ears Words spoken for naught. Though inspiring, I doubt they will change the situation.

America continues to discover the danger House Speaker Mike Johnson brings to the Nation. He is being described as the “fresh face of Christofascism in America.”

Harry S Truman was one of our great Presidents. Suddenly thrust into the Presidency with the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, he immediately became a global leader at an extraordinary time in human history. He performed well.

On this day in 1972 at the age of 88, he died.

I had “three connections” with Truman. One as a young 8th grader. One while being seated directly next to him on his right at a luncheon when a senior in law school. Finally, involving a “color photo” of the man.

History will never forget him!

“White Christmas.” Performed by Bing Crosby this day in 1941 for the first time.

The Florida Statistical Abstract for 1975 was issued this day in 1975. It showed that in 1974, Monroe County had the highest cost of living of any county in Florida. I assume the same is true today. If not, damn close!

Citizens’ Voice this morning: “The Empire State Building was built in just 12 months and 40 days and completed in 1931. In the Keys, two miles of roadway or any street project takes at least two years with every major development in technology and manpower available. What is wrong with this picture?”

Happy Hour at 4 today at The Grand Cafe. I look forward to it. It will represent a return to normalcy.

Enjoy your day!

Merry Christmas!

May all of you in one fashion or another feel the spirit of the day.

I want to give something to each of you. It is one of my favorite musical renditions. A song that touches me as I hope will touch you. It is the way the song is offered by the Three Tenors. Especially with their frivolity thrown in. Enjoy!

Christmas Eve dinner last night was with Lisa and family. I was met at the door by Ally and Robert. Huge hugs and kisses. Love these two! 

Exchanged greetings with Jake next. He insists on being acknowledged. Then Corey, Corey’s parents and Lisa. A little while later Myra and Cameron arrived.

The dinner was excellent. Unfortunately, I shall never have one consisting of the seven fishes again. Nevertheless, the fishes provided were prepared well. Lisa’s culinary talents were best exhibited in the salmon as prepared by her. Absolutely delicious! I enjoyed two servings.

Lisa’s Italian Christmas cookies were the best she has ever prepared. I went for two helpings of each also. Over did it, but I had no choice. My desire for them overwhelmed me.

We chatted away as families do at such gatherings during and after dinner. I left at 9. My bed time. The others were still going strong. Normally, I automatically wake at midnight to watch Midnight Mass from St. Peter’s. Missed it last night for the first time in years. Woke at 2:30.

An update re Ally and Robert. They have received their grades for the past semester.

Ally got 2 As and 2 Bs. She admits with a little extra effort, the 2 Bs could have been As. I suspect she will do better this coming semester.

Robert fell from last year’s performance. He had 1 A and 4 B’s. Did not compare with the onslaught of As he received last year. Nevertheless, he advised his overall index is 3.65. He is aware of the reason for the Bs instead of As. The writing and work he is doing for Nole Gamesday. He gave too much to the Nole operation at the expense of his studies. He plans on balancing it out next semester. He will. He has a good head on his shoulders.

Both are responsible for their room and board and pocket money while at school. They are very conscious of this responsibility. Both had contacted their previous Key West employers and within two hours of returning last week were at work. Robert waits tables at the restaurant next to the Green Parrot. Great cash flow. He is earning in excess of $200 a night. He needs $2,200 to cover everything for the next semester and believes he will easily reach that goal working before he returns to school in mid January.

Ally is more conservative in her spending. Her concern is the $84 dollars she still needs to cover her rent.

Cameron is 28. He has a Bachelor and Masters degree from FSU. He is working for the State Department in Washington on an annual study involving sex trafficking worldwide. A mandated study by Congress that the State Department does each year. Loves Washington. Hopes to get into environmental work. He and I discussed it a bit.

My intent was to avoid politics on this holiest of days. However, I cannot. Something struck me yesterday I feel compelled to share.

There was a photo in yesterday’s New York Times of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his former clerks. Some 60-70 of them. Not one was black.

Strange. On the other hand, perhaps not.

Thomas is in a position to do great things for anyone who clerks for him. Former Supreme Court clerks go on to great positions with universities, law firms and the highest rungs of government. He has in his 25 years plus as a Supreme Court Justice had the power to make his clerks achieve great positions and futures having worked for him. Why do no blacks appear in the photo? Am I to assume he has never extended a helping hand to members of his own race? He should have been bending over backwards to help them. Speaks to the very essence of the man. He is totally off base in every regard.

Enjoy Christmas Day!

Last night a fortuitous one. Special. Dinner at Antonia’s. Not TK or the food. It was a lady I met at the bar. Joyce.

My reserved seat at the bar was next to Joyce. Next to her, her friend Emily.

Joyce shared she was on in her years. I interjected I was sure I was older. She doubted it. I am 88. Joyce only 4 years younger. Did not look it!
Her appearance at least 20 years younger. Smooth facial skin. Lovely. Possessed of a subtle charm. Brilliant besides! She is an emeritus professor. Affiliated with the University of Virginia Medical School. A heavy hitter! Her specialty Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. 

She now resides in Key West. She has been a visitor and resident for many years.

Her friend Emily is visiting. Much younger. My sense was she is somehow affiliated with the University of Virginia Medical School, also.

Joyce asked me to join her and Emily this evening. They are going somewhere with friends for dinner. I agreed. Reluctantly because I miss the “family” Christmas Eve and the seven fish meal. I was not scheduled for dinner with Lisa. We have become dysfunctional. However a call was waiting for me to join Lisa and her family for dinner this evening. So I left a message early this morning with Joyce I would not be joining her. I trust she will understand.

So many Christmas cards received. I thank one and all. One was unique. The best I have ever received/seen in my lifetime. From dear friends Fran and Tom Dixon in Buffalo. Can’t wait for their return in the next few months. Love them both!

Dan Reardon telephoned yesterday from Skaneateles, New York. He will be here January 1 for a two month stay. Will enjoy his company. He also provides a steady friend to watch Syracuse basketball games.

Merry Christmas one and all! Enjoy your evening!

Tallahassee rarely hear Floridians speak. Especially those residing in the Keys. Finally, the voice of the people has been heard. Including the strong loud voices of those residing in the Keys. The issue court consolidation. An asinine proposal which would have stripped the Keys of many of its courts.

At each step in the approval process, the consolidation plan was rejected. The final step, the one that counted the most, was Florida’s Supreme Court. It heard the message of rejection loud and clear. It said NO to the proposal.

How a part of a Christmas meal was once sold in Key West. On this day in 1890, Christmas turkeys were shipped from Galveston, Texas, to Key West. Auctioned in Key West were 1,400 birds which sold at prices ranging from $1.75 to $3.00.

Good people in all aspects of life are under attack for exercising their goodness. Some to the extent of being accused of being involved with the Devil.

There is none better than Pope Francis. Yet even one of his own, a leading archbishop in the Catholic Church, is utilizing Satan to attack Francis re the Pope’s recent approval of blessings for same sex couples. Archbishop Vigano claims the Pope’s blessing proves Francis is a “servant of Satan.”

Sick!

Today’s podcast goes back 6-7 years. Involves Newt Gingrich and his time in the Vatican.

A strange double birth. Not twins. Carried in the same Mom’s womb for 9 months and delivered 10 hours apart. However in separate uteruses. The Mom also had two cervixes.

A double uterus is referred to as uteri. Uncommon. Three in one thousand women are born with uteri. One in a million chance a double birth can occur.

The mother in this instance knew from age 17 she was so equipped. She previously had given birth to singular children 3 times. She rang the bell on the fourth pregnancy. Should I say pregnancies?

Mother and children doing well. No problems. The girls were born on separate days 10 hours apart. Mom labored 30 hours.

The mother believes her recent offspring should have separate birthdays one day apart. Her reasoning is they had their own “houses” for 9 months. Can’t argue with that!

Enjoyed pierogis last night at Brady’s Irish Pub. Watched a basketball game at the same time. Carola decked out in Christmas finery.

Carola gave me a Christmas gift. A bright red bag filled with Irish sconces that she made and different type chocolates from Ireland. I enjoyed some of the candies when I got home last night. Devoured two sconces this morning for breakfast. 

Following my Irish breakfast, I drove to Date & Thyme for my monkey smoothie fix. Love ’em. Dr. Norris thinks they are healthy and is happy I have become addicted to them.

The game plan for tonight is Antonia’s. My cravings are two different appetizers. Escargot and burrata. I plan to have one as an appetizer and the other as my entre.

Sloan due shortly. My cell phone is screwed up. Has me baffled. She has to work on it (and me) and some other things involving the computer itself.

Enjoy your day!

War touches everything and everyone. The Israeli-Hamas conflict a recent example. An Opinion piece in yesterday’s Washington Post clearly identifies it: “Bethlehem usually comes alive at Christmas. Not this year. In the Holy Land, celebrations have been canceled: No parades, no bazaars, no public tree lightings. In my country, Jordan, where Jesus was baptized, our Christian community has chosen to do the same.”

Yesterday’s Stars and Luminaries noted the birthdays at 86 years of age of two major stars of yesteryear, Jane Fonda and Phil Donahue. Contemporaries of mine. Stars I grew up with.

Speaker Johnson’ wife is openly anti-gay. She took down her website last week which reflected her anti-gay advocacy. Her firm Onward Christian Counseling Service had stated homosexuality is equivalent to bestiality and incest.

Florida’s Orange County School District removed 673 books from Orange County classrooms this year because they purportedly violated State rules which prohibit making “sexual conduct” available to public school students. Many of the books are classics and bestsellers.

Included were John Milton’s Paradise Lost, John Grisham’s The Firm, John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, and John Irving’s The World According to Garp. Other classics included A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Color Purple, Catch-22, and Brave New World.

Interestingly, the Bible was not banned. Some school districts have because of its many sexual reflections. Apparently the Orange County School District was fearful of taking on God.

A Washington Post cartoon yesterday reflected that for Justices Thomas and Alito everyday is Christmas.

Today’s podcast trip back in history reflects on politicians being whores.

Syracuse won one and lost one yesterday. Won in basketball, was devastatingly defeated in football.

In basketball, beat Niagara 83-71. Syracuse played well and was even more ahead with 4 minutes left in the game. They stopped playing as they had throughout the game. They sort of walked up and down the court knowing they had won the game. Niagara closed the gap. If a few more Niagara 3s had dropped, the game could have been lost. Coach Autry was upset with what occurred and spoke clearly about it in his post game comments.

Syracuse’s play in the Boca Raton Bowl ended what was a crappy season for the Orange. South Florida beat the hell out of Syracuse 45-0. I’m glad the football season has finally ended. It was a horrible year. As the Brooklyn Dodgers of old would say, wait till next year.

Next year has all the indicia of being a much better one. Perhaps a great one. A star quarterback and new coach. Ohio State’s quarterback Kyle McCord opted for the transfer portal and signed with Syracuse for next year. He led Ohio State to an 11-1 record this past season. He and new coach Fran Brown attended the game together.

I had planned to watch the games at Jack Flats. The first game began at 5. Around 3, I was suddenly very tired. Decided to skip both games at Jack Flats and watch on TV at home. Could not get the games on TV. Only where the games stood every few minutes. It was ok. I was that tired. Missed nothing as far as the football game was concerned.

The NRA’s finances are declining. Hooray for the bad guys! May their pain continue!

The NRA’s most recent tax return shows deposits taking in $211 million last year. However, the organization ended “deep into the red, leading to a $22 million deficit.”

The return “reveals dramatic declines along almost every conceivable metric revenue, assets, member dues, lobbying, and political spending – with conversely sharp increases in legal costs and defeats.”

Couldn’t have happened to a better bunch!

A World War II hero in his own right. U.S. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe was in the midst of the Battle of the Bulge.. Hitler’s forces were initially winning. A German victory would have led to defeat of the Allied forces overall. Perhaps loss of the War itself.

The Germans offered/demanded the surrender of American forces. McAuliffe rejected in a one word response: “Nuts!”

His reply has been memorialized in history and will ever be recalled. 

On this day in 2010, President Barrack Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time to serve openly in the American military, repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Tonight, Brady’s Irish Pub for  its friday special Polish pierogis. The place will be packed. Ed Swift’s second friday night of trolley car rides around Key West to view the beautifully decorated homes for Christmas begins from Brady’s. People will arrive early in typical Key West fashion. Dressed in Christmas attire and full of the holiday spirit.

Enjoy your day!

A change of pace blog today. Enough of Trump, anti-Semitism, wars and everything else. A day off won’t hurt.

I start with robotic sex brothels. Came across a podcast I did about six years ago on the subject. Interesting. As the podcast will reflect, robotic brothels as such failed. Due to the improvement in AI, there may be a resurgence in robotic sex extending into actual purchases for home use. Time will tell. I have lived long enough to have learned never to say never. 

A bit of additional history re robotic sex brothels. Referred to as a “doll fetish.” If robotic sex resurges as some believe it will, it will be goodbye to loneliness. For the elderly, for the bashful.

The first company that attempted to franchise robotic sex brothels was Lumidolls in 2017. Lucerne, Switzerland the location of its first brothel facility. The company’s game plan was not only to franchise brothels world wide, but also offer for sale female dolls. Lucerne lasted less than one year. Paris, Barcelona and Toronto were the next locations. Each lasted only a very short time.

Lumidolls was the franchisor for most.

Kinky Dolls another franchisor hoping to make a bundle on the concept. Determined Texas was the place for the first in the U.S. Texas being prone to accepting off the wall ideas, Houston was selected as the city of choice. Never even got to open.

The Mayor and City Council were up in arms. Since the ladies involved were inanimate objects, the usual sexual objections did not apply. A special local law was passed opposing sex with inanimate objects in a place of business. The health department questioned the physical safety of using an inanimate object for sex. The need to clean before and after. How became the question. 

The opposition won before much got finalized. Kinky Dolls decided the fight was not worth it and withdrew its application for a permit.

Some odd ball occurrences which suggest the use of robotic sex is on the rise includes the development of AI intelligence, six international conferences since 2017 re robotic sex, a study revealing 17 percent of U.S. men have tried robotic sex and/or have purchased robotic sex dolls for home personal use, and companies now gearing up to manufacture robotic dolls for use by the gay and lesbian communities.

Basic costs at the moment range between $1,000 and $2,000 to purchase. To acquire the best of the best with all the bells attached $15,000.

It was Brady’s Irish Pub for me last night. Fish and chips. Carola and a small bag of Irish cookies. A man purported to have been from Auriesville, N.Y., who turned out to be an ass.

Auriesville is about 55 miles from Utica. It is the home of a Catholic religious complex. Primarily constructed many years ago to honor Jesuit priests killed by Indians they were attempting to convert. Other martyrs are honored also.

Over the years, I probably have attended Sunday Mass at Auriesville a dozen times. Even did a retreat at Auriesville when in high school.

While I was eating, a fellow half way down the bar was shouting to someone he was from Auriesville. Told whoever he was communicating with it was in New York State. As I was leaving, I decided to stop and mention I had visited Auriesville on numerous occasions, etc. The guy looked at me like he did not know what I was talking about. I said I was from Utica. He knew from nothing.

I smiled, turned around and left.

Tonight a big evening for Syracuse. Syracuse plays basketball against Niagara at 5. At 8, Syracuse appears in a football bowl game in the Boca Raton Bowl against South Florida. I am not sure I can handle that much Syracuse in one evening. My evening would begin at 5 and end around midnight. Way beyond my bed time. I suspect I will watch the basketball game and call it a night. Also, my interest in Syracuse football this season has waned. Star quarterback Garrett Shrader will not be able to play because of injuries. The teams appear equally matched. A toss up as to who will win.

Just heard from Fred Klein. He sent a photo of a woman singing. Asked if it was Carola. Told Fred it did not look like her. Fred is due back around January 3. It will be fun to share his company again.

Nice to have done a non-political blog.

Enjoy your day!

The Key West Lou blog has made many friends for me over the years. Close personal friends. From all parts of the world.

Theo Markis telephoned yesterday from Greece to wish me a Merry Christmas. Love the man! We have become close personal friends over the years. The blog first having brought us together.  Theo and his wife now visit Key West twice a year. His next visit in 3-4 months. Can’t wait to see the both of them.

Tonight Brady’s Irish Pub. Carola, good people, good food, and good drinks. Carola has become a friend. Stories of her native Ireland, stories of her still alive Dad, Irish foods she shares with me, etc.

Carola is divorced. Lives with her 11 year old son. She is a typical mother. Especially loves decorating her home inside and out for holidays. Her Halloween decorations were terrific. Christmas even better. Her son helps with the decorating. Minimally as most children do. He held the ladder as Carola was hanging lights on the roof.

Carola shared some Christmas pictures of her home with me. I share two with you.

A Christmas surprise. The White family in Lexington, Kentucky, chop down their Christmas tree. This year’s tree was in their living room decorated for four days when a baby owl was found in the tree. It was caught and released into their yard.

A “Robert” (not my grandson) commented on my observation in yesterday’s blog re Trump’s statement that immigrants were spoiling America, poisoning our blood, etc. Robert’s comments were right on! To a T! 

     “Yes, I too read where Trump said in a public speech that it’s immigrants who are spoiling America, not himself. I immediately thought he was talking about his mother Mary, his grandfather Frederick, former wife Ivana, his current wife and her Communist parents, Victor and Amaliija Knavs.

     Then there is that boat load of different immigrants he imports every year to work at his vineyards in Virginia and the many many immigrants that can be found working at Mar-a-Lago and various golf clubs around the country.

     Amazing how this two faced walking douche bag can be taken seriously (or allowed to speak publicly).”

The Grand last night. Another wonderful Happy Hour! Guy de Boer joined Steve and I. As well as Cindy, Ed, and Christina.

Guy and Steve go back to 1974. Guy rented a room from Steve in the same house Steve still owns on Olivia Street where I am staying. Guy recalled Steve being in the taco business on Duval Street at the time. Guy met Cindy for the first time last night. Steve and Cindy married in 1980 or 1981 when Guy was no longer a tenant. 

I did not enjoy the crispy duck I had been yearning for. It was not crispy.

Today’s podcast goes back 6 years. Involves a revelation by TK concerning Irish White Slavery in the U.S. First time I ever heard of it. Probably a first for most of you.

Those of you my age or close will recall the Mickey Mouse Club. Five o’clock mondays – fridays on TV. For kids and young adults alike.

The best part were the Mouseketeers and singing along with them the Mickey Mouse theme song: M I C K E Y M O U S E, Mickey Mouse…..”

I was in college and most of the guys in  my dorm would gather for the show in the game room each day to watch the show. We all sang “Mickey Mouse” when the Mouseketeers did. Foolish perhaps, but fun. 

Those were the days!

I mention “Mickey Mouse” today because one of the original Mouseketeers Tommy Cole became 82.

A court finally said Trump was disqualified from a Presidential ballot. In this case, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Trump was ineligible to be on the Republican primary ballot based on the Constitution’s 14th Amendment “Insurrectionist Ban.”

The case will go to the U.S. Supreme Court. No one is certain which way the Court will rule. Legal experts held in the highest regard are divided.

This cold weather is killing me! Hate it! Still waiting for the floor heater I ordered from Amazon.

The temperature is 64 degrees at the moment, 8 am. High today will be 71.

A Newsweek appropriate headline: “Stop Talking About Biden’s Mental Acuity. Start Talking About Trump’s Signs of Dementia.”

Crazy, weird thinking. Steve Bannon is and has been a big Trump supporter. He is an all out advocate for tearing down the American democratic establishment.

His latest “hard to comprehend theory” calls for arming kids with guns to stop school bullying. He intends they be trained first in how to use the guns.

Pure insanity! Advocating shoot outs by children. Every school will become a shootout similar to the one historically known as Gunfight at OK Corral.

Enjoy your day!

I’m back after two days off. Sunday and monday. Sunday because I overslept and then had to hurry to catch a one o’clock Syracuse game at Jack Flats. Yesterday because of my annual physical, etc. beginning at 8 in the morning. Followed by a manicure at 10 and a couple of business matters thereafter.

The weather is off major concern. It is COLD! Eight am at the moment and 63 degrees. High today will only be 67. A  long pants day definitely.

Syracuse played Oregon sunday. The team’s finest game this season. Syracuse continues to improve with each game. Syracuse won by 20 points 83-63.

It was a comeback game, so to speak. Syracuse was down by 10 points 14-4 after 8 minutes of play. Despondency was setting in. I feared the basketball season would be as the football one. Then Syracuse started playing basketball. The team was ahead by 8 at half. Demolished Oregon offensively and defensively in the second half.

Actually, Syracuse was not playing bad in the early minutes when they wee down by 10 points. The problem was the ball was not dropping into the basket. Even easy shots were being missed.

Syracuse’s next game is thursday against Niagara. Should be an easy one for Syracuse. Never know, however. Game begins at 5.

Guy de Boer is back in town. He has been away for a couple of years racing in Europe and elsewhere. Spent some time living in the Canary Islands. Called me yesterday. Said he was back to stay a while.

Yellow fever during the Civil War was considered by some to have been more deadly than bullets. Many, in and out of the service, died from the disease.

Key West’s renowned treasure hunter Mel Fisher died at his home in Key Haven this day in 1998 at the age of 76. His 16 year search ended in success when he found the “mother lode” of the Spanish galleon Atocha in 1985.

September 11, 2001, better known as 9/11, was a devastating day for the United States. New York City’s Twin Towers came down following attack. Nearly 3,000 were killed.

It took 3 months for the fire that burned beneath the ruins to die out.

A developing reality. Young people are not attending church in increasing numbers because they are sick of preachers praising Donald Trump instead of Jesus Christ.

I heard on a radio talk show an interesting comment yesterday. It was to the effect that regarding anti-Semitism, American universities are where Germany’s  were in the 1920’s.

Scary.

Today’s podcast goes back 5-6 years. If I had to title it, it would be Politicians Are Asses.

So much the Devil and Saddam and Gomorrah talk these days. Satan has become part of our everyday discourse.

The Satanic Temple is on the move. It is in the process of launching an After School Satan Club at Chineyrock Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee. The community is not happy about it.

The Memphis – Shelby County School District Board Chair Althea Greene told a group of concerned parents, religious leaders, and school officials, that “Satan has no room in this District.”

However, it seems the Prince of Darkness just might. The Satanic Temple says it can and already has 4 other clubs in the U.S.

The path for Satanic after-school clubs has become possible because of the ease by which evangelical Christian groups have created religious clubs which have gone unchallenged.

The Trump world is furious over the “massive” Rudy Giuliani defamation verdict.

Good! Let them be furious. Let them learn you cannot lie about important things which bring pain upon those you lied about. Let them be aware the mighty cannot defecate upon those of lesser status without recourse.

Power is no license to walk on anyone.

Trump continues to evoke Hitler when it comes to immigrants. He did so again at a recent rally in New Hampshire stating that migrants coming into the U.S. are “poisoning the blood of our country.” Hitler’s quote in Mein Kampf: “All great cultures of the past perished only because originally creative race died out from blood poisoning.”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was attending a concert recently when he fell and broke his hip. He has had surgery. He is 76 years old.

His fall was a mere simple trip as was described by him. It happens as we get older.

Pope Francis celebrated his 87th birthday this past week. Happy Birthday! to a good man. The world needs more people like him.

Tonight, the Grand Cafe hopefully. Their crispy duck has been on my mind.

Enjoy your day!