FULL DAY AND NIGHT

Posted on by

Busy day yesterday. One thing after another. All fun.

Syracuse played Boston College at noon. I figured I could watch till 1:15 before getting ready for Joseph Lyles retirement party at Hot Tin Roof. Got hooked on the game. Stayed till half time. Syracuse ahead 14-13.

Obviously got to Joseph’s party late. People were streaming out as I arrived. Joseph the last to leave. I was able to apologize, hug him and wish him well.

The party was moving over to the Pier House Beach Bar. Walked over with Joseph and Methias.

One end of the bar packed with party persons. Sat and chatted with Jean Thornton awhile. A lovely person.

Only one drink. A bloody Mary. Following which I was off and running. Home to find out how Syracuse did and watch some Alabama/Texas Tech football before leaving for bocce.

Syracuse won 28-20. A good victory. Any victory a good one. Syracuse now 4-4.

Bocce was a make up game with Hell’s Rangers. It had rained the night scheduled.

I would have been better off keeping my date with Jenna Stauffer. Don’s Place lost all three games. A beating! Lost the middle game 16-0.

Prior to last night, Hell’s Rangers had lost 5 out of its last 6 games. They were out for blood. They played very well and we were simply not with it. One of those nights.

The cheeseburgers, hot dogs and salads were delicious. Compensated for the defeat.

The temperature by day yesterday was 82. Last night 75. A very cold 75. The breeze off the ocean makes it feel cold. I was in a sports shirt and shorts. Froze the whole time! When I got home, I turned off the air conditioning, had a hot cup of tea with honey and buried myself under the covers. I did not kick the cold feeling till 3 this morning.

Big night tonight! Jenna! Love her! We have known each other close to 10 years. Early on she produced my TV show for three years. We are having dinner at Berlin’s.

I will not be doing Fantasy Fest every evening. After all the years attending, I now pick and choose. Probably will not return till Thursday night. Toga Party! I go to watch, not participate. It is the voyeur in me.

Fantasy Fest’s King and Queen were crowned Friday night at the Coronation Ball. King Christopher Rounds and Queen Jane Rohrschneider. I know Chris. have never met Jane.

King and Queen are determined by the number of dollars each candidate raises for AIDS Help. Chris and Jane raised the most ever. $368,000.

Chris is much younger than me. He grew up in the Boonville, New York area. Some 15 miles from my home town Utica.

I first met Chris when he bought Antonia’s. Sold it several years later and purchased La Te Da. Three years ago he did a complete renovation of La Te Da.

At all times, La Te Da’s food and entertainment the best. Conversation great. People friendly. La Te Da’ is a gay/straight venue which I believe contributes to its ambiance.

Diana Millikan sent me a site to read. The History of the Rotary Club of Key West. Authored by a Wright Langley in 1935. Covers the years 1915-1971.

Boring but interesting. Every now and then a happening that surprises. New knowledge.

When the William Hackley saga began appearing in the Key West Citizen, I thought it was a waste. I quickly became hooked on it, however.

I think the Rotary history  might result in a similar experience for my readers.

The History is lengthy. I plan on breaking it down into segments based on years. Everything will not be reported. Really boring. I will be picking and choosing. The result will be a history of Key West during the years in question as well as a Rotary history.

Tomorrow will be installment #1: 1915-1919.

Hope it tickles your fancy.

Enjoy your Sunday!

GOD IS GOOD

Posted on by

I have not been feeling well the past few days. Yesterday was no different. I decided to stay home and relax.

My planned event for the day was to watch the Syracuse/Virginia Tech game at 3:45. I had no expectation of Syracuse winning. A seventeen point underdog. Virginia ranked #17 in the country.

Syracuse won! Decisively! 31-17.

I felt better! Decided to shower and go out.

Ended up at Berlin’s. I craved stone crabs. First day of the season. Enjoyed three jumbo ones.

A Syracuse victory and stone crabs! The Lord was good to me.

Guy deBoer was at Berlin’s enjoying a cigar. We had dinner together.

The nuisance flooding Key West is experiencing is a twice a year event. Spring and Fall. It is called King Tides. The flooding caused by the location of the Earth, moon and sun. Resulting in the highest ocean tides of the year.

The screwworm invasion a burgeoning problem. Locals met at the Big Pine Key Park recently with officials. More and more Key deer are suffering and being euthanized. Also several home pets. The authorities are on the problem. The cure is known. Everything in the works. Time and patience now.

Orchid growing popular in the Keys. Orchids grow well in our climate.

Many homeowners plant orchids on the trunks of their palm trees. I had it done when I purchased my home 18 years ago. A few months later, beautiful orchids! The orchids renewed themselves each year. Mine lasted 10 years till for whatever reason they stopped appearing.

The Orchid Society is having a presentation of their home grown orchids today at West Martello. I have seen the event a few times over the years. Beauty to behold. Worth seeing.

The Presidential election continues to give me concern. No question, I am anti-Trump. The man is demented. How can he talk or suggest the election is rigged, rebellion, assassination, if he loses he will not accept the results, and most recently that Hillary was on drugs during the last debate.

Add to it Trump and Bill’s sex lives. What happened to issues, the economy, fair wages, international problems, the Affordable Care Act, etc.?

“John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in the grave.”

On this date in 1858, John Brown attacked Harpers Ferry. He was captured, tried and convicted. Hung December 2, 1858. Buried December 8, 1858.

No prolonged appeals in those days.

John Brown was buried in front of his home in Lake Placid, New York. Actually the village of North Elbo, a part of Lake Placid.

Fifteen years ago, my former wife and I were visiting Bruce Evans and his wife at their second home in Lake Placid. Bruce lived in the Utica area.

Bruce was my golf partner at our local golf club. He quietly put up with my poor playing for several years.

Bruce belonged to a golf club in Lake Placid, also. He invited me up to play in that club’s member-guest tournament.

We won our flight by the way. It was hard to lose with my gigantic handicap.

We were rained out one day. We took a ride on the back roads. Lake Placid is part of the Adirondack mountains. High up. Cool in the summer. Freezing cold in the winter.

We came upon John Brown’s home and grave. Bruce had not seen it before, either. The grounds now a New York State Historical Site.

Brown was buried in front of his home.

The home tiny. Rectangular. Simple. Two floors. Two rooms downstairs and one up.

Brown fathered 20 children. Thirteen by his second wife Mary Ann Day. His first wife died. When Brown was home, he lived in the small house with Mary Ann and thirteen of his children.

Tight quarters. Everyone had to sleep tight against to each other. Not a bad scenario in the winter when the cold wind and snow came storming down from Canada.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

A CHARMING DINNER COMPANION

Posted on by

I made a new friend a couple of weeks ago. Lizabeth Moody. We had dinner together for the first time last night. The bar at Berlin’s.

Liz is an exceptional person. At 82, mentally sharp.

Liz’s life is one of dedication and success in the field of law.  A Yale Law honor graduate, person to score highest on her bar examination, Dean of two law schools, Cleveland State and Stetson, a good friend of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, active in the highest levels of the American Bar Association, first woman President of the Cleveland Bar Association, and on and on.

A lover of Key West, also. She and her husband purchased their Key West home in 1981. Her husband now gone.

Liz was President and CEO of the LSAT operation. The organization that runs the examination that dictates whether you are qualified to be accepted in law school. During her time with LSAT, she worked arm in arm with Craig Christensen. Craig was Dean at Syracuse Law when I was Chairman of the Board.

Intellectually superior. When studying several weeks taking a cram course for the bar examination, she and a girl friend slept late, played 18 holes of golf and attended a 4 hour lecture in the evening. Every day. Liz scored the highest of all taking the bar examination. A feat!

I contrast her bar exam cram course experience with mine. Did the same 4 hour lecture in the evening. Out at midnight. Studied till 2. Up at 7. Studied all day. For six weeks. Only one day off. The Fourth of July.

I was happy to pass. Liz was happy to be first.

Liz Moody, a star in the legal profession.

We chatted and laughed over  a few drinks. Each of us had a 2 pound Maine lobster.

A great evening!

Yesterday, a manicure with Tammy, the Key West Aloe Store for after shave gel (Men: I have been using it 20 years. Absolutely the best.), and stopped to look at the former Sq.1 now the Ocean Grill & Bar.

The Charlotte videos confuse me. There is something we are not being shown.

Early yesterday morning, I saw a video on TV of a police officer wearing a red shirt bend over and drop a gun on the road. In the same place in an earlier video where the gun did not appear.

The video has never been shown again. All day yesterday into this morning.

We seem to have a negative impression of protestors who cause property damage. Destruction of property appears to make a protest illegitimate.

Recall the 1773 Boston Tea Party. Property damage big time. I guess one’s conclusion is based on which side he or she is on.

As with the Boston Tea Party, you must admit it got the Brits to pay attention. Not enough, however. A war was still required.

The blacks want to be heard. The problem ended. The protestors are doing whatever it takes to get the nation’s attention riveted to the problem.

The Civil War ended 150 years ago. The problem still exists.

Trump talks about building a wall. Not a new concept. I am not referring to the Great Chinese Wall.

France and Great Britain are experiencing the immigration problem big time. Black Muslims are coming out of Africa into France. From France, the route for many is to Great Britain.

All kinds of issues. One, whether the immigrants be searched/vetted in France or Great Britain?

France and Great Britain got together. Decided to build a wall at the Port of Calais. Sixteen feet high. Coils of razor wire running along the top. Cost was $29 million. The two countries split it.

Great Britain out foxed France in one respect. The immigrants would be searched/vetted on the French side by the French. Turned out to be cumbersome and costly. Britain has agreed to pay France $20 million a year to do the job.

I suspect I have gotten Diane Millikan involved in my William Hackley comments. Diane has begun digging behind what is written. Good show!

Her present search involves the Kate mentioned in today’s diary. Hackley paid William Randolph $8 for her services. Diane suspects Kate was a black slave owned by Randolph and rented to Hackley.

Lets see what she comes up with.

Syracuse/Connecticut at 1. Connecticut a 3 point favorite. Just maybe Syracuse will win this one.

Enjoy your day!

EDWARD HENRY

Posted on by

The Key West Citizen daily runs on page 3 its Citizen of the Day. Photo and biographical sketch.

Today’s honoree is Edward Henry.

I do not know him personally, yet feel I do know him personally. Edward works in the pharmacy department at Walgreens on the Boulevard. Always a smile, always helpful. Sometimes difficult I am sure. Prescription purchasers are not always happy campers.

Edward is a big guy. Reminds me of Shaquille O’Neal. Carries himself with the same humility.

Congratulations, Edward! You are much deserving of the recognition.

Spent my day time yesterday writing thus week’s KONK Life column. An American Revolutionary War Hero Who Lost His Head. The Joseph Warren story. Interesting. More revealing, the treatment of the colonists by the British during the war. The column hits the stands wednesday.

Intended to have dinner at Tavern ‘n Town. Thought the bar would be empty on a sunday night. Not so. No room.

Went to La Trattoria Oceanside. No room at the bar. However, I was able to get a well located table with a magnificent view of the water. Enjoyed spaghetti and oil. A dish I have not had in ages.

My waiter was CJ. I did not recall him. He did me. He worked years ago at La Trattoria on Duval when I was a regular customer. He recalled me by name.

His step mother is Erin. She was bartender at La Trattoria on Duval for years. Now bartends at Smokin’ Tuna.

CJ is getting married in November. He is all excited! Good luck to him and his bride.

I mentioned Berlin’s yesterday. I had been there friday evening. New singer, I thought. Was not sure of her name. An excellent entertainer.

A comment to the column corrected me. Devin. I thank him. Brie her name. Brie not new to Key West or singing. She has been here 10 years.

I have  mentioned a couple of times this past week that Helen Mirren was in Key West making a movie. Together with co-star Donald Sunderland. Shooting was taking place at Higgs Beach and the Hemingway House.

The movie is titled The Leisure Seeker. It is the story of an elderly couple. The wife a cancer patient. Her husband entering into Alzheimer’s. They decide to take a road trip to Key West in a Winnebago.

The weekend bombings. What can I say? What can we say? Eventually, the problem will be resolved. Could take a number of years. In the meantime, vigilance the key.

The problem will not be resolved here. It will be in the Middle East by the total destruction of ISIS.

President James Garfield died this date in 1881. An assassin’s bullet on July 2 started the sequence of events leading to Garfield’s death.

I wrote a lengthy KONK Life column on the subject five years ago.

Garfield was shot at the Washington Railroad Station. One bullet in his arm. The other on the right side of his back behind the pancreas.

Garfield laying on the filthy railroad station floor. Robert Todd Lincoln was with him. Lincoln called a Dr. D. Willard Bliss to care for the President. Bliss turned out to be an arrogant individual impressed with his own perceived self-importance. He cared for Garfield till his death some two and a half months later.

During that time, roughly 80 physicians also were called in. Bliss always in charge, however.

The problem was no one could find the bullet in the President’s back. Fingers and instruments prodded the hole searching for it. Dirty fingers and instruments. This was before the medical profession realized there were germs. Bacteria.

Infection set in. The President’s body became accessed big time internally.

The bullet had to be found and extracted. Bliss called in Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Bell had invented a metal detector that was supposed to locate bullets in the body. It had been successfully tested on Civil War veterans.

The detector did not work on the President. A scratchy buzzing sound was constantly heard. Something was wrong.

Garfield lay on a mattress which lay on a metal coil bed spring. The metal bed spring had recently been invented. A patent pending. Not yet on the market for sale. One had been given Garfield for publicity purposes.

The metal bed spring mattress screwed up the metal detector. No one realized it at the time.

An autopsy showed that the prodding by fingers and instruments had moved the bullet from the President’s right side to his left. The bullet could not be located because it was not where it was supposed to be.

Charles Guiteau went on trial for the murder of the President. His defense was that medical malpractice had killed Garfield, not his shooting. The jury did not agree. He was found guilty and hung.

Guiteau made his own closing argument to the jury. “Yes, I shot him, but his doctors killed him.”

Enjoy your day!

 

 

PARTY TIME!

Posted on by

The Chart Room and Berlin’s walked hand in hand last night.

The Chart Room was packed. Standing was tight. The group in their 60-70s. From the Fort Lauderdale area. Obviously affluent. Celebrating the birthday of one of the group.

The guest of honor was outfitted in a white tuxedo jacket, white shirt, black tie, black shorts and sandals.

I left before the partiers did. Headed for Berlin’s. Dinner at the bar. Emilie bartending. Introduced me to her fellow bartender Sean.

Before you knew it, the Chart Room party group showed up. They had to wait for their table. Ordered drinks. The same for all of them. Key Lime Martinis. Twenty six of them.

Ellie and Shawn lined the 26 martini glasses on the bar. Then proceeded to make the drink and fill the glasses. Done very efficiently. In record time. Not a drop missed.

When things quieted down, Emilie and I chatted a bit. She vacationed in Iceland for two weeks. Loved it! I would like to try it some day.

Sean is an Alabama graduate. A new friend for Jean Thornton.

Everywhere I go lately, I hear people ordering Tito’s vodka. New to me. A relatively new drink. John poured me a very short shot. Tasted good. Did not taste like vodka. Worry not, I shall not be deserting Beefeaters.

I bought the new tire yesterday and had it put on the car. A simple task. Should not take long. Familiar however with how Sears can take forever, people waiting in line, etc, I called and asked if I could make an appointment. Yes. At 8 or 1. I picked 1. Promptly at 1? No, means you are the next car in line. Ok. Better than the other way.

I got there a half hour early. 12:30. Was told it would take 1-1 1/2 hours, in spite of the appointment. Told the counter man I would be in the sitting room reading the newspapers. Ok, I’ll call you.

He forgot me. Two hours later, I went to the counter and asked about my car. Oh, he said. It’s finished. It has been sitting outside quite a while.

You can’t win!

I listened to a Hillary talk mid afternoon. I am getting depressed. She failed to impress me again.

She was speaking quietly and slowly. I have to assume to contrast Trump. Does not come over well.

Her hair was a mess. A real mess. I would assume she has a hair person traveling with her.

I hate to say this, she looked like she was sick.

I saw her in the give and take with reporters an hour later. Hair still a mess. However, it was Hilary talking. Perky! Brightly!

I was home early. Wanted to watch the Syracuse/Louisville game. Caught the second half. A knife in my chest! Syracuse lost 62-28. Defense and offense sucked! Obviously!

This Zika thing is out of control. From Key Haven to Washington to the rest of the world. Out of control as to what to do, allocate money, etc. Not out of control as to number infected in the U.S.. Not yet. Maybe never.

The Oxitec war with Key Haven is turning into Goliath/David situation.

Oxitec is owned by the British company Intrexon. It was recently announced Intrexon had hired a Tallahassee public relations firm to assist Oxitec with the Key Haven and full key votes. The PR firm appears to have raised its ugly head. Jumped into the fray.

There is a lengthy Letter to the Editor in this morning’s KONK E-Blast. Tears apart every argument made by Key Haven residents. Skillfully slices away. Representations not all correct. Some  twisting of the facts. False reasons claimed as to why Key Haven residents are opposed to the testing.

The letter is purportedly by Big Pine’s Walter Lagraves. I question whether he actually wrote the letter. Could it have been the PR people? I do not know Lagraves. If he wrote the letter, I apologize for suspecting he did not. The letter is too long, too knowledgeable and too scientific. A professional opposition paper.

If Lagraves is serious, I suggest he go a step further. He should recommend the testing be done in Big Pine rather than Key Haven.

It’s called put your money where your mouth is!

Enjoy your day!

 

CONNIE GILBERT

Posted on by

Key West makes claim to many interesting diverse persons. Recently unfortunately, several have passed on. One sunday.

Connie Gilbert.

Connie was a Key West resident some twenty years. Made her contribution primarily as an activist. She was not afraid to speak up.

A thoughtful supporter of women’s rights and civil rights. An advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Carol Tedesco was a close friend. She best describes Connie as “…..a person who stirred things up in a good way.”

Spent the day yesterday preparing for tonight’s podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include Obama being insulted at the Asian meeting, Hermine still making trouble, private mercenaries mauling even children at pipeline protest, Melania’s lawsuit, France’s driverless buses in use, Israel’s driverless gun vehicles protecting the Gaza border, and the surprising number of police arrested for sexual abuse crimes.

Plus, 9 million more people employed in government than the private sector, private jail a debtor’s prison for children whose parents cannot pay juvenile court fees, finally people talking about TTP’s corporate courts, and Colin Kaepernick.

Got a telephone call yesterday from Guy de Boer. Driving in Georgia. On his way back to Key West. After three wonderful weeks on Martha’s Vineyard.

The Chart Room first last night. Glad I decided to stop. George and Dillon at the bar. George a lady, Dillon the man.

Years since I have seen them. I recalled the only time George and I really talked. An interesting conversation. Thirteen years ago at Lisa’s wedding reception. At the martini bar. George made an impression. Over the years, the meeting and conversation have crossed my mind.

George an extremely lovely woman!

She has been a bartender at Hogs Breath 19 years.

Dillon is from Indiana. That automatically makes him a great guy. Dillon is in charge of the collection at the Mel Fisher Museum. Some thirty odd years now.

Then to Berlin’s for dinner. Sat at the bar.

Berlin’s is a cigar bar. Rarely have I seen someone smoking a cigar there. Last night was different. Twelve people sitting in the alcove. Most puffing away. Even some of the women.

Emilie bartending. First time we have met. Charming. Has worked the Berlin bar several years. She is enamored. With a bright smile on her face, she told me about her boy friend. He is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY. He presently is at sea. Second mate on a Merchant Marine vessel.

Met Thomas also. Executive sous chef. A nice guy. We had a brief but good conversation. He is in Key West while his son finishes school.

Food! An appetizer. Large. No room for anything else. A Maine lobster/escargot dish baked in a partial pastry shell covered with a cream sauce. To die for! Finished the evening with a cappuccino.

My friend Howard Livingston’s Southernmost Coconut Castaways’ Friend Club has a Jump Up scheduled for saturday. 11:30-6:00. Sandbar Sports Grill on Greene Street. A fundraiser for the Xena Club.

Anna telephoned yesterday. She was in Chamonix, France. Has been there a week staying in a hotel. Unusual since her Swiss chalet is only 20 miles away in Courmayeur, Italy. I suspect I know why. Coumayeur is quiet. Chamonix a party town.

Both communities sit half way up Mont Blanc. Highest mountain in Europe. Snow and ice on the mountain tops all year long. Anna said the weather has been unusually warm. The ice is cracking, snow sliding down the mountain. Mini avalanches. There have been a couple of deaths and several injuries.

I read an article over the weekend about northern Italy during World War II. Especially the northern portion including Milan and its surrounding area. Anna lives in Novara. A twenty minute ride from Milan.

The article had to do with the Nazi killing of Italian resistance fighters. Fifty thousand. Many from the north area.

I recall when visiting Anna, she walked me to a place where many executions took place. Less than five minutes from her apartment.

A large brick wall stands. Long. The Nazis lined people up against the wall for execution. The bullet pock marks evident everywhere.

The thought alone leaves me with a chilling feeling.

Enjoy your day!