I slept late. Very late. Like nine in the morning. Unusual for me.

Looks like a great Sunday! The outstanding weather continues. Lucky we are.

I received an email yesterday afternoon from Cat Woman. Want to go to the movies tonight? Tropic Cinema. There is a foreign film I would like to see. We can grab a bite afterwards.

I do not like foreign films. I am not particularly crazy about the Tropic Cinema. However, I am a man who sacrifices. Ho ho.

The film had subtitles. Another thing I am not fond of. The movie was about six women living on the sixth floor of a building.

The movie was funny. Very funny! I must admit, I enjoyed it tremendously!

Cat Woman enjoyed it also. She sipped her double  wine during the movie. Tropic Cinema sells wine and beer for consumption during a movie. They do not sell liquor. I had no gin to consume.

The movie and the company made up for the lack of spirits, however.

After the movie, we walked over to Kelley’s. Sat at the outside bar. I now could have a gin. She another wine. We ordered a couple of appetizers. And enjoyed!

After Kelley’s, I dropped Cat Woman off at her home.

Decided to stop in Don’s Place. A lot of people. Few I knew. Russ and Robert. Kurt normally would be bar tending But he was away on vacation. I said my hellos and left for home and bed.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Yesterday felt like Saturday.

I was up early. Walked. Duval from one end to the other and back. Very few people. Too early. The sun was up. The air was crisp.

Spent the day researching and writing. Till about 4 when I got ready to go out.

My first stop was the Sports Page Bar. Syracuse was playing Stanford.

I was the only Syracuse fan. No Stanford fans either. Quite different from during the season when 20-30 Syracuse fans join me.

Syracuse did not look good till the end of the game. Stanford played the Orange hard. Stanford was always ahead 3-4 points. At one time, 7 points.

I had that uneasy feeling in my stomach.

Then with about 2 minutes to go, Syracuse started playing like they should have the whole game. With INTENSITY. That’s the word. It fits. Syracuse played sluggish till the end when it was becoming apparent that Syracuse was going to lose. The Syracuse players realized what was happening. And decided not to let it happen. They were great on offense and defense and ended up winning by 7 or 8 points.

The lesson to be learned: Syracuse must play the whole 40 minute game with intensity. Otherwise, #1 and/or top 10 will slip away.

The game was over. It was only seven o’clock. I headed over to the Chart Room..

A good crowd.

Captain Peter at the bar. Chatting with Sheila and Emily.

Peter told me he had new eyes. He had cataract surgery two weeks ago and implants put in. Both eyes. He was amazed how well he could see. The color green was most obvious to him. Everything green was a bright green.

I told Peter I knew. I had the same procedures done 20 years ago. I could remember how excited I was at the time.

Jean Thornton came in. She had just returned from her home in Alabama. Her first stop was the Chart Room. Beautiful as always. A charming woman. She brings cheer whenever she walks into a room.

We all talked a bit. There was a group from Westport, Massachusetts and Rochester, New York. They joined in the conversation.

I enjoyed. When I had my fill of good people, I left. Straight home. It was not yet nine o’clock.

While I was researching and googling yesterday afternoon, I came across an article which appeared in the Kansas City Star on 11/23/11. The article had to do with water levels. The thrust was that water levels in Florida had risen over the years. It was suggested global warming was the cause. It further warned that as the ice masses way up north melt, such will increase water levels even more.

Let’s put this whole scenario in perspective.

The story stated that the water levels in Miami had risen 7 inches since 1935. The water levels in Key West 8 inches since 1920.

The article explained that global warming causes the ocean to heat. The water expands as it warms.

The result is that storm sewers spew water into the streets, rowboats navigate the streets following a storm, and water overflows onto thresholds of homes.

Sound familiar?

Enjoy your day!

A great Thanksgiving yesterday!

Dinner was scheduled at one. Lisa likes to eat early. I wanted to watch part of the Macy parade with the grandkids. I was too late. The parade was over. Read the newspapers instead.

Everything smelled good! It was Lisa’s kitchen. No one could enter.

The following statement is correct one hundred per cent. Lisa cooked the best Thanksgiving meal ever yesterday! The turkey was moist and delicious. Stuffing to blow your mind! Lisa made the stuffing from scratch using whole wheat bread. Potatoes smoother than normal. Etc. Topped off with pumpkin pie!

And…..all of the above was done and came out warm at one o’c lock. A feat!

Congratulations, Lisa! Thank you for a wonderful meal and day!

After dinner, I watched the football game. Dozed off, of course. I overate everything, except for the pumpkin pie.

When I woke, Lisa and Corey were trying to decide whether to go to the beach or to a movie. Neither turned me on. I went home. To sleep again.

Lisa sent me home with left over turkey and stuffing. I made myself a turkey sandwich with mayonnaise at 7.

I lost 2 pounds yesterday! No question about it! Must be eating the big meal early.

Back in my high school days, I had a friend at another high school in town. Long ago. My recollection is a bit dimmed. I believe his name was John Wrape. John became a Catholic priest. He apparently was smart. He ended up in Rome working at the Vatican.

John was a bit heavy in high school. WhenIi saw him about ten years later, he was a priest and was back in Utica visitng.

John was then! I asked him how. He said it is the way the Italian people eat. The big meal is at lunch. Only a sandwich in the evening.

The reason I lost two pounds after destroying myself at dinner at one yesterday.

Which brings another experience to mind. Twenty five years ago, I took my family and parents to Italy for a month. We rented a villa on the Mediterranean south of Rome. I commented then and recall today…..I never saw an overweight Italian!

Hope to have more fun than usual this weekend. It feels like and is for most the second day of a four day vaction.

Enjoy your today!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I like today. A family and friends day. People get together, eat a bit too much and enjoy each other. May every one be with some one this day to share the occasion.

I am reminded of my youth. A long time ago. Like in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Thanksgiving was always celebrated at my grandparents’ home. Actually an apartment. Two bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and kitchen. The kitchen was huge. The biggest room. There must have been a reason for it. I suspect it was so because in those days a family lived in the kitchen. My grandparents raised six children in that tiny apartment.

We did Thanksgiving at my grandparents’. How all of us fitted into the kitchen, I still am not sure. The table opened up and was huge. Maybe that was it.

I only remember having turkey once. My grandmother cooked capons. Capons are chickens whose testicles were removed. How horrible! This made the chicken meatier and tastier. I always thought I was being cheated by not having turkey. My grandmother was correct, however. The capon meat was superior to turkey.

Golf yesterday! My first time in six weeks. I played like it was the first time in six years. Horrible! Even whiffed three times. Don and Larry were generous with the strokes and wanted to increase them as we played.

It was hot on the golf course. The breeze I have been talking about for days was no where to be found.

I watched Syracuse basketball for the first time this season last night. From the comfort of my bed. Syracuse beat Virginia Tech 69-58.

It was all Virginia Tech in the first half. They led at half time 29-27. Virgina Tech could do no wrong. Their man to man defense had the Syracuse offense off. VirginiaTech’s offense was right on. They were sinking baskets from all over. Syracuse’s fabled zone defense had crinks in it. Virginia Tech was able to get the ball into the middle.

After about 7 minutes in the second half, Syracuse went ahead by 2. At that moment, Virginia tech seemed to collapse. They lost what ever they had in the first half. No composure. Syracuse went on a 17-3 run. It appeared to crush Virginia Tech mentally.

Syracuse is a talented team. Boeheim has a bench. A rarity. However, Syracuse must play as they did in the second half the whole game if they wish to remain at the top.

My feeling is Syracuse will.

Enjoy your day!

Woody Cornell will be 80 years old tomorrow.

He is in for a two day celebration. It starts this morning. At this moment in fact as I am publishing this blog.

Woody was unaware of the planned celebration. He is becoming aware at this moment.

Woody and friends do yoga every morning at six. At Higg’s Beach in the area of the African Memorial cemetery. Following the completion of yoga, they welcome the sunrise.

Some of Woody’s non yoga friends will be there with champagne to kick off two days of partying.

Happy birthday, Woody!

I first met Woody about 15 years ago. Here in Key West. Woody and his wife Joan were kind enough to introduce us to some of their friends. Their daughter Greer became best friends with my daughter Lisa.

Woody and Joan met during World War II. Joan is English. Woody was stationed in England. They married. Joan came to her new husband and new country a war bride.

Guest houses, hotels and restaurants were their way of life for many years. Now the two are settled in a lovely home in the heart of Key West. Woody is handy. Jack of all trades type. Did most of the work in their Key West home. An absolute beauty!

Woody dances to his own tune. Always has. A bit of beatnik, a bit of hippy. For many years he wore two earrings. Swords. The semi circular Arab type. One and a half to two inches in length. Wood shoes, also. Shades of Holland. Short cropped punk style hair.

Woody once told me the story of a trip he made to either France or England.  He went to one country. Wanted to go to the other. To visit his brother. At the new country, customs stopped him. He was subjected to a strip search. He could not understand why. He was a walking invitation to a strip search.

Woody and Joan worked hard for 20 plus years in Vermont. It was a restaurant business. Or a restaurant/hotel business. Woody told me that if they had not made Greer before they got into the business, she never would have been born. That is how hard they worked! There was no time for playy.

I attended my first Key West Symphony. I was accustomed to dressing for the symphony. I wore long pants and a blazer. Woody came rushing over to ask what was I doing. I did not understand. He was visibly concerned/aggitated. He pointed to my jacket.

I never wore a blazer to the symphony again.

I see both Woody and Joan rarely these days. Ran into Woody about 3 months ago in Walgreen’s. Joan a couple of weeks ago while I was getting a pedicure. This has to change. We have to go out. I will be sure it happens. And soon!

How did I become aware of Woody’s champagne party this morning at Higg’s Beach? JJ, my bartender friend at the Chart Room. JJ was telling me last night while I was at the Chart Room that he had a friend who was going to be 80, did yoga at six at Higg’s Beach and then welcomed the rising sun.. Some of his friends were going to surprise this individual with a surprise champagne party at that time.

As he described the guest of honor, it hit me he was talking about Woody!

They say that today’s 80 is 60! A correct observation in Woody’s case. He looks terrific for his age!

Enjoy the next two days, my friend!

And the rest of you, enjoy today!

Yesterday a good day. A mixed bag.

My activities started with Tammy. A manicure. A charming young lady. For whatever reason, I dozed off as she was doing my nails.

Visited with Lisa for a while. We discussed thursday’s menu. It will be the four of them and me. It will be fun!

Then to Publix. Needed only a couple of things. Everyone else was shopping for Thanksgiving. Carts overflowing. Me, I was pushing about six items around. I felt like the lone car on a freeway with trucks zipping by.

I spent the afternoon writing. One of the things I wrote was this friday’s column for Konk Life. It had to do with a recent California case where American students were prohibited from showing or wearing on their tee shirts the American flag. Yet, Mexican students could show and wear their Mexican flag. Involved was a Mexican holiday. The two sides had been feuding as in West Side Story.

The court said it was ok to violate the American students’ right to free speech. The prohibition was to avoid a disruption/fight. Constitutional protections give way in such a situation.

I thought the decision stunk. The court was wrong. America for Americans first! That is how I think. Protect the Mexicans, but not to the detriment of America’s citizens.

 It was a good legal blog.

I had to email it over to Jenna. Required cutting and pasting. I screwed up! Lost the blog! It is somewhere in that place where our writings sometime go and cannot be retrieved. Frustrating.

I had neither time nor inclination to do it over. Told Jenna to report to the powers to be to repeat one of my older blogs or not carry the column this week.

It was late afternoon and Lisa showed up with the kids. Robert and Ally were all excited. They had just come from purchasing a turkey. It was too big for Lisa’s refrigerator. She came to leave it in my  refrigerator in the garage.

This morning at Montessori the students will be performing for Thanksgiving. Guests will watch from a blanket. After the show, goodies will be passed around to eat.

Robert and Ally explained their parts in the show. Then performed for me.

Robert is doing some sort of speech/recitation regarding Thanksgiving. Ally will be standing next to him as he does. Ally will be repeating her brother’s presentation word for word. In sign language! Both Robert and Ally are proficient in sign language. Learned at Montessori.

Cat woman and I hooked up again last night. I may soon start referring to myself as Batman.

We started with a drink at Louie’s Backyard. Always pleasant.  It was dark. Candle light on the table. A bit of a breeze. The sound of the waves.

Louie’s is a Key West wonder!

Dinner was outside at Salute’s. Good, also.

Frankie the Plumber was there with his wife. Frankie and I hugged. He is the star of our bocce team! I am proud to call him team mate.

Saw Jean Carper, also. Jean has made zillions of dollars writing books on what to eat and stay healthy. She has a world wide following.

I have not run into Jean in quite a while. It was good to see her again. She never changes. Always beautiful.

I recall about 15 years ago, I was in Utica and had the head cold of head colds. Sneezing, runny nose, red nose. Felt lousy all over. Pills were not helping.

I had one of Jean’s books some where. I found it. Looked up head cold with my symptoms. It said to eat two cloves of garlic every two hours. I tried it. Within minutes of eating the first two, I was symptom free. I could breath. Stopped sneezing. Felt normal.

Two hours later, I could feel the garlic assistance wearing off. I chewed two more cloves. So it went every two hours.

I was alone all day while I was treating myself in such fashion. When the rest of the family came home around dinner time, they all wanted to know what the smell was. They thought the house smelled of garlic. They were almost correct. Better stated, me and the house smelled of garlic.

The house was permeated. I reeked so badly that my then wife would not sleep with me that night.

But….Jean’s prescription/recommendationn worked. The funny part of all this is that he who ingests garlic cannot smell it. The odor bothered me not at all!

Enjoy your day!

Absolutely gorgeous days!

Today another beauty! Temperature moving up to 80 degrees. Sky pure blue. Not a cloud any where. A moderate breeze. The blue water moving with that breeze.

Night time weather is also a winner! Lows 70s. I was out driving around last night. Windows open. A cool breeze coming in the car.

A month from now I will be complaining about how cold it has become. Like 55-65 degrees. Unless this is one of our lucky years.

I spent the afternoon at the beach. Higgs Beach. Salute’s behind me.

The ocean water is too cool for me to go in. The sun is warm, however. Many are still going in  the water. Tourists, probably. Or heartier locals than I.

I am reading an exciting book. I recommend it. Angler by Barton Gellman, the Pulitzer Prize winner. The book is about Cheney. It is an honest book. Reveals how devious Cheney was. Almost to the point of evil. A shadow President.

About a month ago, I read Cheney’s recent autobiography In My Time. A waste. Do not read it. Self serving. The man never did anything wrong. Claims he was fortuitously in the right place at the right time all the time.

I can thank my friend Pati Wilson-Crimmins for loaning her copy of  Angler to me. Pati is a liberal liberal.  Daily spreads interesting articles and quotes on Facebook about what is going on in the world. She participated in Occupy Key West recently. Her picture appeared at the head of the march carrying a sign.

I admire Pati because she lives what she believes. Described another way, she is caring and honest.

Go Pati! We need more like you.

Cat Lady again last night! We went to the movies. Saw J. Edgar.

I am a political and historical freak. The movie did nothing for me. It was way too long (I was falling asleep at the end) and shows garish scenes that detracted rather than add to the quality of the film. Clint Eastwood directed. He missed the boat with this one.

Three things on the agenda today. Visit Lisa, get a manicure and write.

It’s an exciting life I live!

Enjoy your day!

Sunday morning. I slept late. A comforting thing to do on occasion.

I had a date last night! For real. A blind date.

I have had several blind dates this past year. I swore them off. They were all difficult. I said, no more!

I gave it a shot again last night, however. Glad I did. Had a terrific time!

The lady is a strange duck in one regard. There may be more, but I am not aware of them as yet. She considers herself a private person. She does not want to be named in the blog. Prefers anonymity.

What to do? How can I share what turned out to be one of my better Key West evenings unless the lady has a name.

I came up with a solution which she agreed to.

A little background is required.

The lady is a snowbird. This is her second season in Key West. She formerly used to do Palm Springs. However after a brief visit three years ago, she decided Key West was more to her liking. She considers herself a Key West type.

She is.

Home for the lady is the Jersey shore. A good place to be from.

She appears to have a kind heart. She takes in stray cats and dogs. Besides homeless, they are generally sick or hurt. She brings them back to good health and keeps them.

The lady presently has 13 cats and 1 dog living with her in New Jersey. She brought 4 of the cats with her to Key West. The others are with her children up north.

The preceding sets the ground work so you will understand why I came up with the name for her that I did.

Cat Lady!

Cat Lady is ok with her.

Cat Lady and I did the Chart Room together. Few people. A dead time in Key West.

Dinner later was at the Hot Tin Roof. Very few patrons there also. It was John’s last night as restaurant manager. In mid December, he is opening a sports page bar at the old Pt’s on Caroline. John formerly owned and ran three sports bars in Minnesota. I am confident his new place will be a huge success

After dinner, we went over to the Wine Galley. Cat Lady had never been there. Larry Smith was playing and singing. Occasionally Mary Deasy joined in.

Cat Lady and I talked long into the night.

After I dropped her off, I headed over to Dons Place for a drink. Thought Kurt might be working. He was not. He is on vacation some where up north. Don and Russ were at the bar. Chatted with both for a while and then headed home.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Another great morning! Another great Key West day in the making!

Yesterday’s weather was the same. Except around 5 in the afternoon. It poured! Big time! For about a half hour. I had intended to go out last night. I never did. Island Shoe Girl Stephanie Kaple was a celebrity bartender at a charity fundraiser at the Bottle Cap. Sorry I did not make it, Stephanie.

My internet show yesterday morning was outstanding! Excuse the modesty. But…..it was! If you have not seen it yet, try some friday morning.

I was buried in post show comments regarding Penn State and Paterno. And some involving Syracuse’s Bernie Fine. Syracuse and Bernie fine were not on the agenda for the show. After the blog went out, I started receiving e mails and telephone calls which brought the situation to my attention. I worked it into the show.

I am a Syracuse graduate. A die hard fan/alumnus. Bleed Orange.

I am acquainted with Bernie Fine. His last name says it all. A finer person cannot be found.

I got to know Bernie initially because I acquired 8 basketball seats immediately behind the Syracuse bench. Got the seats when the Carrier Dome opened around 1980. Those same seats have been kept over the years by me and now my family. No one gives up their Syracuse basketball seats!

My grandchildren grew up in the Syracuse atmosphere. That included attending the basketball games on occasion. They started as toddlers. They crawled around the aisle between my seats and the team. They also crawled in my air box at the Dome.

Bernie has at least two daughters. They were always at the basketball games. As little girls, they were running around while at the games with their father. They generally sat near Bernie on the Dome floor. I saw Bernie’s girls grow up at the games.

I went to many Syracuse related events over the years which Bernie also attended. We chatted on occasion.

I know Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim well. A person of character. He says the charges levied against Fine are “…patently false.” I believe him. And I believe what my eyes showed me over the years.

The two alleged victims are now adults. Thirty nine and 45. They have come forward many years after the alleged events. They are also stepbrothers.

There are numerous investigations ongoing. The truth will out. If Bernie is guilty, he will pay with jail time and humiliation. If determined innocenl, he will carry the scars of the accusations for a life time.

Enjoy your day!

Today is Friday! This is friday morning! Which means The Key West Lou Legal Hour!

Join me and my world wide friends at 10 this morning my time for another exciting show. The world is crazy and provides me with interesting topics every week. http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/.

In addition to Penn State/Paterno, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and topics I touched on yesterday, there will be a discussion concerning the Occupiers and police and Russia’s treatment of gays

My day started yesterday with another dental visit. I should own stock in my dentist’s business!

A nothing visit. Just to remove stitches from last week’s activity. My next appointment is a month from now and then three consecutive months to see how things are going. The dentist will be checking the two implant posts and additional cadaver bone put into my jaw last week. In the fifth month, assuming everything goes well, I shall be fiinished. Hopefully.

Bocce last night.

There were only two weeks left in the season. Last night and the thursday after Thanksgiving. The top four teams at the end of the season make the playoffs. My team and two others are basically tied for fourth. Ironically the other two teams are our scheduled opponents these last two weeks.

It is for all the marbles!

The first game was tight. Each team played extremely well. I was impressed how good we played.

We lost 16-14.

I left at the start of the second game. I was not feeling well. I do not know what happened thereafter and it is too early to call anyone. I will learn today and you will learn tomorrow.

Again, join me at http://www.konkbroadcasting.com/ at 10 am. The material to be shared is exciting and interesting. Shocking in some respects.

Enjoy your day.