My health consumed most of yesterday.

Saw my internist in the morning. Thyroid on the mend. Half way to where it should be. Doctor is going to recheck it in a month.

I fell two weeks ago. Cut my head near the left eye and broke my glasses. I fell again yesterday. It is becoming habit forming. This time I ended up with two 1 inch cuts on top of my head. A bit bloody.

The first time I fell, I missed a step going up. This time, a step going down. I am not concerned. But, I am beginning to wonder.

My back aches also from yesterday’s fall.

The fall changed my day. I missed Terri’s show last night at Tennessee Williams. The cuts were still oozing and looked worse than they actually were.

Obviously, I stayed home all day and night after the fall.

A couple of years ago, I read a book on Abraham Lincoln that I enjoyed very much. I told you about it at the time. It was a biography written by a John T. Morse in 1893. The book is entitled On Becoming Abraham Lincoln. I especially enjoyed the book because it was written by a person who was alive when Lincoln was President.

I opened the book yesterday and read a page here and there. I came upon one paragraph I did not recall from my first reading. It spelled out Lincoln’s financial difficulties in the 1830s.

Many are experiencing financial difficulties these days. Mortgage foreclosures are prevalent. Creditors are executing on debtors. People are hurting.

Lincoln went into the grocery business with a William F. Berry.  The business failed in 1833. Berry died. Lincoln got stuck with the business’ debts. Lincoln considered the debt large for one of his means. He had nothing. He was having a bad time economically. He referred to the debt as the National Debt. That is how the large the debt seemed to him

The amount owed all creditors was $1,100.

Lincoln was without work for a period of time following the demise of the grocery business. He was broke. Fortunately, some one gave him a shot at becoming a surveyor. Great tracts of land were being cut up at the time into lots. There was an abundance of surveying work.

Lincoln studied hard and quickly. Learned the surveying business. He was able to buy a horse and surveying instruments.

A creditor was owed $245 of the grocery business debt. The creditor executed upon Lincoln’s horse and surveying instruments. True, Lincoln was working. But not yet making enough nor had he accumulated enough money to pay the creditor. He needed the horse and surveying instruments to keep working.

Two friends came along  and payed the $245 debt.

It took Lincoln 16 years to pay off the $1,100. He paid off every penny in full.

To those who have the sheriff knocking at their doors, take heart. You never know from whence and who help may come. If no help does come, still take heart in the fact that Lincoln went through hard times also. And became President of the United States.

Enjoy your day!

I have been bragging about the weather for the longest time. The best ever in my experience for this time of the year.

Yesterday proved me a liar.

I was sitting on the deck chatting with Donna and Terri. It was 85 degrees. All of a sudden this huge chill came upon us and the wind started blowing big time. Like 30 miles per hour. Within minutes the temperature dropped 15 points to 70 degrees. Then the rain came. A monsoon.

We obviously were driven inside.

It was cold all night. The temperature got down to 63 degrees. The high today will be 68 degrees. Tomorrow every thing returns to normal.

The weather change is called a front. This one a cold front. Makes living in the keys exciting.

Last night was Sunday dinner with Lisa and the family. A happy time. Robert and Ally exciting. They talk like adults now and join in the conversation.

Stopped at Publix on the way home. Cupboard bare again.

Too cold to other wise go out last night. Stayed in. The bed covers kept me warm and the TV entertained.

I have a 10 o’clock doctor’s appointment this morning. To get my latest thyroid results. Should be better.  I feel better.

Lest I forget, Terri sings toninght. At Tennessee Williams Theatre. In Randy Roberts’ Entertainment 3 show.

If you are in the lower keys, go. You will love Terri! Guaranteed!

Enjoy your day!

Syracuse won! What a season!

Syracuse beat Louisville decisively. Their season was 30-1. Only one other team in the country has a similar record. Kentucky. Hopefully the two teams will get to play in the championship game of the Final Four. It is a long way to that point, however.

I was out late last night. I went every where.

David telephoned and said lets go out.

I met David at Don’s Place. We stayed a while. Then to La Te Da for dinner at the outside bar. Next a visit to the Chart Room. David had never been to the Chart Room.

We left the Chart Room and decided to continue the evening. It was the Wine Galley to enjoy Larry Smith. Then back to Don’s Place for a night cap.

A big evening! I feel it this morning.

I like David. Enjoyed his company.

I got into the Rush Limbaugh/Sandra Fluke situation a bit yesterday. Some misread what I wrote. Perhaps I was not clear.

My approval/disapproval was not with condoms being paid for. Though I do support the position that women be provided them free of charge. My point was that Limbaugh treated Fluke in a very inappropriate fashion. He shot the messenger with vile and uncivil bullets.

When a powerful man in American society treats a female college student as he did, something is definitely amiss in our world.

Enjoy your Sunday!

The weather yesterday was fantastic! Once again! Key West has never experienced a winter such as this one.

Yesterday it was 85 degrees. Abnormal for this time of the year. It is still winter!

I decided to take advantage of the sun. A mistake.

I put the top down on the convertible and drove around. No hat. No hair. Ran some errands. Then to Lisa’s. I was absolutely exhausted by the time I reached Lisa’s. Too much sun on my bald head.

I fell asleep on the couch. Drove home about 4 and went to bed immediately. Fell asleep quickly again. A deep sleep.

The telephone rang. It was Jenna. I was confused. She never calls me early in the morning. I asked her what time it was. 7:30. Why are you calling so early? Early what? It was 7:30 at night. Last night.

The moral of the story is don’t put the top down on the car unless you are wearing a hat.

Loved yesterday’s show! One problem however. Audio OK. Visual/picture, not.

Guy normally takes care of things. He is on a 300 mile sailboat race. Left it to Jenna and me to get things working. I know nothing of the operation. Jenna knew more, but not enough as it turned out. Sorry for the no picture.

I still received many comments following the show. Every one asked why no picture. However, all said it was like listening to the radio.

The hit topic was Rush Limbaugh’s abuse of a Georgetown University female student. Sandra Fluke. Sandra testified before a Congressional committee easrlier in the week in support of birth control. She believed it should be available free to women under Obama health care.

Limbaugh referred her as a “slut” and “prostitute.” His theory basically was that if  Sandra wanted her contraception pills paid for by another, she wanted to have her sex paid for. Any woman who wanted her sex paid for was a prostitute.

Terrible!

What bothered me the most was that few commentators and politicians were calling Limbaugh to task for his insulting vulgarity. So Louis gave it a shot! My comments were well received.

Turns out I reacted too soon to Limbaugh’s comments. By last night, the media and certain politicians were blasting Limbaugh for his statements.

I was and am also disturbed that the female portion of the population is being put upon. In many respects. Respect for women’s rights is taking a beating. Primarily from certain male members of society.

I warned that the female gender  was in danger of some day being burned at the stake as Joan of Arc and the innocents during the Salem witch hunts. Dramatic, I concede. But makes the point. Female rights are being attacked as never before.

This is another I don’t know day. One thing is certain. I will not be driving with the top down with out a hat. Today, I probably will not put the top down at all.

Enjoy your day!

The sun has not yet risen. But it is goinmg to be a good day. I can feel it in the air.

Show time this morning! The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten my time. World wide. On the Internet. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Join me! Another great show!

The opening topic will involve Rush Limbaugh and his referring to a female college student who testified before a Congressional committee on behalf of contraception as a “slut” and “prostitute.” Where are the voices rising up in protest? Is this war on women to go unchallenged?

Bocce last night. First night of the new season. We won 2 out of 3. We should have won all three. The 1st and 3rd games were won 16-5. We were ahead in the 2nd game 14-5. We lost 16-14.

It was like being ahead in a basketball game by 20 points with 3 minutes to go. And losing!

We are a better team. Better than last season when we ended up in third place. We will do well.

Remember Zelda. I took her out for the first time Wednesday evening. I forgot to tell you in yesterday’s blog that Zelda had a gift for me. A bag of chocolate covered strawberries. I asked her why. She said for Leap Year. Today is February 29.

I was under the impression that men were to give gifts to the ladies. Zelda said no. On February 29 the reverse is correct. Women give gifts to men.

OK by me.

We enjoyed one each as desert following dinner. I have the rest in the refrigerator. I plan on giving them to Robert and Ally.

Terri sings Monday night at Tennessee Williams as part of the Randy Roberts show. The event is entitled That’s Entertainment 3. Other Broadway personages will also be appearing. Should be a great show! If you are in Key West, go

Enjoy your day! It is Friday. The weekend is around the corner.

I have to hustle this morning. I have two doctor appointments back to back starting at 8:30.

Yesterday was Lori in the morning. Haircut time.

I discovered the Coffee House I had gone to for years was alive and kicking. It has reopened on Southard, just a few steps off Duval. It is known as the Coffee House. Small and quaint. Has an outside patio area. Lynn running the place.

I had a coffee and read the  morning paperrs. Sitting in one of the green wing backs from the old place.

One problem. Parking.

I finalized tomorrow’s Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Join me. Interesting topics. Like New York borrowing from its own pension fund to make this year’s contribution to the same fund, airport scanners reported safe, a lobster who found mercy, 2 adverse lesbian incidents, Virginia Governor at it again–this time repealing a gun control law, Monsanto trying to screw a whole town with a less than adequate settlement offer, a Babe Ruth story.

And more. An Ohio mom who was injecting her two children with heroin before sending them to school, three judges who will not hear the Egyptian trial of 16 Americans, the Quaran burning incident in Afghanistan, Sharia law wins in Pennsylvania appellate court, and more.

It was Zelda time last night. Drinks and something to eat at the bar at the Beachside Marriott. Then a drink at Don’s Place. Don joined us.

Zelda hails from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Owned a small ladies’ shop. Retailed women’s clothes. Lived in Key West way back when. Decided to return.

An interesting woman.

Bocce tonight! The start of a new season. May we do as well as we have the past two seasons.

We are confident!

Enjoy your day!

Is it Happy Leap Year or Happy Leap Year Day? Whatever, will anyone ask me to marry this day?

Lisa invited me to lunch yesterday. Poolside at the Marriott Beachside. A very pretty setting. Nothing special involved. Lisa just wanted to take her Dad to lunch. Nice!

I spent the afternoon outside on the deck researching and writing. The girls were there, also. Donna and Terri. Terri was rehearsing the songs she will sing Monday night when she appears with Randy Roberts at the Tennessee Williams Theatre. Terri’s singing was an added bonus for me.

It was the Chart Room last night to visit with Larry Govendo. Larry is from Syracuse. More importantly, he is a die hard Syracuse fan.

I first met Larry three years ago at the Sports Page Bar while watching a Syracuse game. Larry is the person responsible for the Syracuse flag which hangs at the Sports Page Bar. Larry obtained the flag, mailed it to me, and I took it over to Patrick to have hung.

This was Larry’s first trip to Key West since sending me the flag. He never saw it hanging at the bar. One of his highlights this week was visitng Sports Page and viewing it.

Larry was with Staci. Another Syracuse resident. She is a guidance counselor in the Syracuse shool system.

We talked for quite a while. At least two hours. Then it was good bye until hopefully next year.

I stopped at Don’s Place briefly on the way home. Not too many people. Chatted a bit with Rob and Todd and left for home.

I have a hair appointment with Lori this morning. Somewhere either she or I screwed up. An appointment was missed. I have hair!

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday afternoon, it was the gym. With the trainer, Corey Aman. He beat me up. Increased my weights on everything and the number of times I had to do each exercise.

With one of the routines, I lie semi prone on a bench. I lift two 8 pound weights up over my head and down again. I had been doing 5 pound weights. Three more pounds felt like a ton.

There was a fellow next to me. Doing the same exercise as me. Except his weights were 60 pounds each.

How could I complain! I will tell you one thing however, there is no way I will ever be able to lift 60 pound weights! I don’t care how long I work out!

I spent the balance of the afternoon writing a column for KONK Life. It will be published in the edition that comes out a week from Thursday. The topic is pythons. A problem most are unaware of. They are coming out of the Everglades and have already reached Key Largo. Soon the middle and lower keys.

I wrote my column sitting outside in the shade of the tiki hut. Donna and Terri with me. We were all busy and engrossed with whatever we were doing on our respective computers.

Last night was a fun experience. I was Don and Stefanie’s guest at the Rooftop for dinner and then Kathleen Peace’s show at the Red Barn. Dinner was great. Scallops over a crab cake. Company good. Bill Schrufer was with us.

Kathleen did the show together with Larry Smith. They fit each other. Like a glove in a hand. They have played and sung together about 15 years. The performance was outstanding! I personally love Kathleen and think she is one of the best singers I have ever heard. She brings joy to my heart and to every one who hears her.

I learned an interesting thing about Kathleen last night. She chit chatted between songs. Kathleen never took a singing lesson nor can she read music. Wow!

Enjoy your day!

Sunday, Sunday!  My Sunday was a full and late day. I needed to sleep late this morning. Some idiot telephoned me at 6 AM. Wrong number!

I stopped at the Plantation House in the morning. Coffee and a toasted bagel. Dry, nothing on it. Browsed the New  York Times.

The Plantation House was full of people. My former haunt, the Coffee and Tea House, used to be also. An observable difference between the two is obvious. Plantation is  located on a quiet part of Caroline Street. The  Coffee House on busy Duval. Plantation’s clientele is locals. The Coffee House’s used to be tourists.

Lisa’s for Sunday dinner. Lasagna. Delicious! Enjoyed my grandchildren.  When i arrived, they were doing homework. Both very serious about it. Especially Ally. Lisa served her children cookie ice cream for dessert. She made three dishes. One for Robert, one for Ally and one for me.

Enjoyed the Academy Awards! From the comfort of my bed.

Some observations.

Billy Crystal is getting old. Just like me. He has put on weight and was more rigid than usual. Poor George Clooney. I never heard of Dujardin.The Artist is the first black and white movie to win an Academy award since Wings in 1929. I watch Wings whenever I can. Gary Cooper was an unknown at the time. He had a small part in the movie. Poor Angeline Jolie. The fellow who mocked her was an ass. Angeline could use a good meal.

Panamah Peat died six months ago. I never met him. I never knew him. He was a Key West icon for a number of reasons.

There was a party at the Chart Room last night for Panamah Peat. I did not make it.

Why the Chart Room? It is those holes and brass plates on the bar rail.

Many years ago, well before my time, the locals who frequented the Chart Room decided to commemorate themselvds.They added to the bar rail a small brass plate. Each had one. Next to the brass plate, a small hole was drilled. About 1/4 inch. The purpose of the hole was to hold a small portion of each’s ashes after they were gone. These guys never wanted to leave their beloved Chart Room.

Panamah Peat is one of those holes. Last night’s event was to fill his hole with a bit of his ashes.

Only two holes remain to be filled.

I never got  to meet Panamah. He had a drinking problem and stopped drinking years ago. Thereafter avoided places of temptation such as the Chart Toom. He stopped visiting the Chart Room.

I saw from pictures David Hecht posted on Facebook this morning that it was a great party. I recognized Sheila and Captain Peter.

The Key West Ctizen had a major front page story yesterday morning about Panamah Peat. An interesting life. Reporter John Desantis wrote a great piece. One problem, however. The Chart Room and its bar holes were never mentioned.

Panamah Peat will soon be forgotten. However the Chart Room bar and his ashes will remain. The bar and ashes have become part of Key West folklore. The bar and ashes should have been part of the story.

Tonight Kathleen Peace sings at the Red Barn. She is appearing with Larry Smith. I will be there! Kathleen is the best!

Enjoy your day!

Not a good day yesterday.

The weather continued to be perfect. But not me. For whatever reason, I felt under the weather all day. Sluggish.

I did get out around one for a manicure and pedicure with Tammy. I spent the rest of the day home in bed.

Syracuse played Connecticut last night. I was scheduled to watch the game at the Sports Page Bar with Dan and Lisa. Never made it. Watched the game from my bed.

Dan and Lisa are vacationing here in key West for a month. The month ends shortly. I have neither Dan’s phone number nor know where his rented house is, except that it is on Watson Street. Ergo, Dan and Lisa I assume showed up for the game and I did not. Sorry, my friends. I am sure you understand.

These Syracuse games are getting difficult to watch. Syracuse won a squeaker last night. By 2 points. Syracuse was up by 17 points in the first half. I thought for sure last night was going to be Syracuse’s second defeat of the season.

Only one season game left. Louisville next week. Will Syracuse end the league season 30-1 or 29-2? I don’t know any more.

Today is Sunday. I feel better.

Enjoy your Sunday!