KATE MIANO…..1,000 STRONG

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Everyone wants to be the next Mayor of Key West. Twelve candidates have announced already. Two or three more expected.

Though our small island is a world wide vacation destination, Key West has its problems. Most cities are concerned with snow removal and garbage collection. Snow not a problem here. Garbage collection down to a science.

Key West’s problems involve continued recovery from Irma, affordable housing, the homeless, parking, traffic patterns, and whether Duval Street should become a pedestrian walk way. We have growing pains. More and more tourists visit each year. I sometimes think the island will sink under the weight of them all.

Kate Miano one of the candidates. I support her. I am sure her views are not totally in line with mine. People differ. I support Kate because I know her. I know her to be a woman of character, honest, a successful business person, kind, always available with a helping hand to those in need.

Key West recognized her nature in January when she was awarded the prestigious Humanitarian of the Year Award.

All of which bring me to last night. Kate’s campaign kickoff party. At The Gardens. Her Gardens. The community came out to wish her well, to extend their support. At least 1,000 strong! Perhaps more!

A turnout exceeding expectations. Evidence of the esteem in which Kate is held.

My friends…..Kate Miano, the next Mayor of Key West!

I was with Catherine, Donna,and Terri at Kate’s event. Afterwards, we went to Le Petit Paris for dinner. Robert the owner. Originally from Paris. Opened his dream in 2012. A success. His food spectacular. Prices reasonable. Located at Duval and Olivia. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We had a good time.

Terri has been told by her doctors to go out and live. She started in the last two weeks. Good to see her out and about. Most importantly, enjoying life without fear.

The weather sucks. Sixty one degrees last night. My heating unit on the blink. New one will not be here till wednesday. Two heavy blankets and I was still cold! Today will be better. Mid 70’s by day, low 70’s during the night.

I do not understand police behavior involving the recent Douglas High School shootings.

The police officer on duty did not go in the building. I would have assumed his first responsibility would have been to confront the attacker.

Two more officers appeared on the scene. They did not go in. The claim is they were told to establish a perimeter and not enter.

In the meantime, people were being killed inside. I have to believe if they did do something, some lives would have been saved. Even one would have justified their engaging the attacker.

The story gets better.

Two members of the Miramar Police Department were in the area. Both detectives, both members of the SWAT team. They immediately responded. What they did when they arrived, I do not know.

They have been suspended. They have been required to surrender their SWAT issued rifles. The reason for the chastisement: They failed to follow protocol by not getting permission from a superior prior to rushing to the scene.

Unusual circumstances call for unusual activity. Initiative becomes the order of the day. Not with the Miramar Police Department, however. The two officers are being punished for doing the right thing.

The Russian revolution began about this time in 1917. In Petrograd. Russia’s army was fighting the Kaiser somewhere else. Czar Nicholas II leading the Army. An inefficient, timid man. The cost of the war breaking Russia’s back. Food scarce. The people were demonstrating in the streets. The demonstrations turned into outright rebellion.

The rebellious leader was Alexander Kerensky. The leader of the White Bolshevists.

Czar Nicholas II was quickly deposed and abdicated.

Germany wanted Russia out of the war. The Kaiser offered Kerensky a good deal to withdraw Russia from the conflict. Kerensky opted to keep Russia in the war.

The very thing which brought the Czar down brought Kerensky down. The war continued to be expensive, the people still starving.

Vladimir Lenin was the leader of the Red Bolshevists. He returned to Russia and overthrew the Kerensky government. Communist Russia was born.

Kerensky was a doomed man. He fled Russia. First to England. Then to the United States.

I was fortunate to have had Kerensky as a professor while in college. I took two courses in the Russian revolution from him. Exciting! To hear it first hand from a man who was an integral part of the revolution.

Lets suppose for a moment.

If Kerensky took Germany’s offer to get out of the war, history would have been different. Lenin’s group would have failed. Probably not even have attempted to overthrow Kerensky. There would have been no Stalin. There would have been no Hitler. Germany would have won the war and the depressed Germany which resulted in Hitler never would have been.

Kerensky’s mistake was that he wanted to establish a democratic monarchy. Lenin was smarter. He knew the people had had it with the Czars. They wanted to run the country.

Interesting might have beens.

Enjoy your day!

 

A MIRACLE…..A BABY MIRACLE

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This is a Christmas story that has nothing to do with Christmas. It represents a Jesus like miracle, however.

Twenty two years ago, twin girls were born prematurely in a Massachusetts hospital. Twelve weeks premature. Each weighed 2.2 pounds.

Their parents named them Kryrie and Brielle.

They were placed in separate incubators.

Kyrie did well. Gained weight, etc. Brielle went the other way. Lost weight. Cried constantly. It was obvious Brielle was not going to make it. Death inevitable.

Nurse Gayle had been taking care of the babies in ICU. She needed to do something more for Brielle. What?

At the time, European hospitals in similar situations were placing the twins  into one incubator together. Next to each other. In some instances, the dying twin survived.

Such was not permitted in Massachusetts hospitals at the time. Specifically against the rules.

Gayle disregarded the rules and placed the dying Brielle next to Kryrie in Kryrie’s incubator. Both were placed on their stomachs. Immediately and without assistance, Kryrie’s arm lifted over her sister’s back and remained there. In a holding pattern.

Brielle immediately stopped crying. She improved from that moment on. Survived, of course.

The twins are 22 years old today. Lovely. Live vibrant lives.

God is good! He works in strange ways.

Picked up my second new set of eye glasses at the optician’s late yesterday. Wore a pair last night. From 4-6 feet forward, I could see nothing. Blur!!!

I was in the Chart Room. Told John to turn the lights up. He said they are as high as they go. Took off the glasses, the room was bright. Could not read the labels across the bar. Took off the glasses, could read them all. The TV was on 30 feet away in the corner where Jimmy Buffett used to play. Glasses on, could not read the print on the screen. Glasses off, no problem.

I don’t believe it! It is back to the optician and doctor tuesday. It has been six weeks and I still do not have new glasses I can see with.

The Chart Room last night. Quiet. Only me and three others. Strange because Christmas tourists are filling Key West. Driving was difficult because of the crowds as I drove to the Chart Room.

Met an interesting couple. Brian and Justine Anderson from just outside Houston. Brian and Justine were married in Key West in 2014. Return yearly. Had been coming down several years previous to their marriage also.

They love Key West!

Brian a college professor. He is Chairman of the English Department at a Houston area college. Justine on the staff at Macey’s. Sells furniture and mattresses.

She gave me a quick mattress education. I am unhappy with my soft mattress on the new adjustable bed I recently acquired. I wake with a sore back every morning.

Sounds like all of a sudden nothing satisfies me. Not true, even though I am presently having eye glass and mattress problems. The problems are genuine.

Brian is Dr. Brian Anderson. He too writes a blog. I read it this morning for the first time.The Virtual Cocktail Napkin. dbanderson.blogspot.com.

Perfectly composed blogs. On the intellectual side. As would be expected from a Ph.D degreed English major.

Brian, please send me your e-mail at louispetrone@gmail.com. I would like to communicate with you.

A local biggie tonight. Larry Smith’s annual Christmas show! Titled Holiday Jazz Concert. The Studios of Key West at 8. See you there!

Syracuse/St. Bonaventure tonight. Will miss the game due to Larry’s show.

Syracuse could lose. St. Bonaventure rated by CBS as the best college basketball team in New York.

A study recently released states Florida has the fourth worst credit strength in the United States. Based on average credit score, credit card background, auto and mortgage delinquencies.

I am not surprised. Especially with the large number of mortgage defaults since 2008. Florida is either #1 or 2 re mortgage defaults/foreclosures nationwide.

Don’t be mislead by Trump’s comments re the major corporations that have announced in the last 24 hours that they are going to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees because of the tax bill recently passed.

Most of the corporations have earning in excess of $40 billion a year. They can afford to pay out $200 million to impress Trump, to place themselves in a favorable position regarding acquiring government contracts in 2018.

Friend Tim Reynolds just called. He lives in Tampa now. He called to tell me he just bought a sailboat. I will be sailing in the near future!

Irma and Me sales continue to excite me. Much more than I expected. Especially at this early stage.

Join the crowd. Buy the book. You will enjoy. The story of how Irma chased me from my Key West home to Pompano to Atlanta and finally to Birmingham. I began to feel like a black cloud was over me.

Irma and Me is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KoboBooks.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

GREAT HAPPY HOUR

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I am not an enthusiast of Happy Hours. Too many people, too much confusion. After a number of years, I did a happy hour last night. It was just right!

Martin’s. Four to six. Appetizers/tapas half price. well drinks the same.

Food outstanding! I had 3 little lamb chops and brie.

Crowd perfect. After one hour, every seat filled. No one standing.

Finally ran into Dan Reardon. Thought he was skipping Key West this year. We are Syracuse fans. When he loved me, we watched games together. Now, no. I watch them from home so he does not bother with me.

We agreed to meet for saturday’s Syracuse game. We thought it was the next one. A saturday game. Syracuse/Georgia Tech. However, there is a game tonight. At 7. Against Notre Dame. Syracuse a 3 point favorite. Surprising.

I will watch tonight’s game from home. A triple header! The game, the Republican debate, and Trump’s solitary debate. An exciting evening ahead!

Dan, lets not forget each other saturday.

Followed up with a visit to the Little Room Jazz Club. Bobby Nesbitt time. Ran into Lynda and Bob Frechette. Bobby always good. A pleasure to listen to him sing.

Then to Sq. 1. I was on the road.

Karen and Aaron at Sq. 1. Had not seen them in a while.

My day yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill at Body Owners. New found friend David there.

Hurried to Lee Nails afterwards for a manicure with Tammy. Always a pleasant experience. Tammy a terrific person!

Tammy’s business amazes me. There are few customers. All of a sudden the place fills up. In a matter of five minutes.

I am always running out of food. Yesterday, even bread. Had to stop at Publix to pick up a few things.

Finally got home at 2 in the afternoon. Had to leave for Martin’s at 3:45. Too much activity for one day.

Trump a disaster. Even if he wins the Republican nomination. Lacks the balance to be President. He is a hot head. A harsh one. Too emotional. Appears to lack control when attacked.

Learned something yesterday. The cars soon to come out that drive themselves will probably have a different type steering wheel. A horizontal bar replacing it. Just like cars first built almost a century ago!

Enjoy your day!