JENNY FROM ARKANSAS…..BIG TIME FOLLOWER

I was sitting at the bar last night at the Chart Room when a lovely lady sat next to me. She started chatting immediately…..I was in last night looking for you, met you with my husband in November, etc.

I did not recognize her until she mentioned she was a librarian, her husband a dairy farmer and they lived in Arkansas. The bell rang!

Jenny 45, married to Spence.

Jenny’s mother Rita was with her. Karen’s husband Spence back home in Arkansas working the farm.

Rita told me she and the family have been coming to Key West for Christmas for 15 years. Impressive.

Jenny and I spoke at length. She is a fan. Reads the blog daily, has purchased and read Irma and Me, and listens religiously every tuesday to my podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Loves the podcast!

Jenny is the first person I have met who religiously follows the podcast. I have noticed the blog and podcast are distinct and separate audiences. Different.

Rita’s son, Jenny’s brother, was married saturday in Memphis. Mother Rita was stressed out from the event. Ergo, Jenny took mother to Key West for a few days of rest and relaxation.

I have become interested in farming. Especially farms that are in competition with or have become associated with the big corporations like Monsanto. In addition to dairy farming, Jenny’s husband Spence grows rice.

We had an interesting discussion re the pros and cons of doing business with major corporations.

Seated next to Jenny was Karen. Karen and husband Jim visiting Key West for the second time. From Cleveland. Two grown children. Son an architect, daughter a financial forecaster. Karen refers to her son as a Doctor for Buildings.

Jim an electrical equipment salesman.

Karen charming.

Made sure I got home in time for the Syracuse/Duke game. Close. Syracuse lost 69-65.

Good game. Both teams using zone defenses. Penetration difficult.

Syracuse lost the game near the end of the first half. It was neck and neck up to that time. Then Duke went of a 10 point run and went into half time with a 7 point lead.

I am proud of Syracuse. The regular season was disastrous. Syracuse did not have it. Then improvement began appearing in the ACC post season tournament. Major improvement in the 3 NCAA tournament games.

It is called redemption. A job well done!

The big students’ march today. High school students demanding improvement in gun laws. The big demonstration in Washington. World wide, also.

And in Key West! The Key West portion begins at noon at South Beach. It will go straight down Duval to Mallory Square. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

Irma still with us. There are post Irma effects. This morning’s Key West Citizen pointed out two.

Florida lobsters one.

The lobster season ends April 1. During Irma, 24,000 traps were lost. Translated into a 60 percent smaller harvest. The dollar loss totaling $38.6 million.

The hospitality industry hurting, also. Revenues down 20 percent. Tourists think Irma wiped Key West out and we are still rebuilding.

Key West an island of writers. Yesterday and today. One of the famous ones Tennessee Williams. Lived in Key West more than 30 years.

On this day in 1955, Williams’ play Cat On A Hot Tin Roof opened on Broadway. Two days before his 44th birthday. Twenty eight years before his death in 1985.

Williams lived on Duncan Street. My Lisa and family live 1.5 blocks down the street from the Williams home.

There is an excitement associated with passing the homes of Key West notables. People like Hemingway and Williams. I get a thrill.

An interesting article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal re human sperm.

Demand for human sperm is a fast growing market. U.S. sperm most in demand. In many locales world wide.

Demand for American sperm for example has skyrocketed in Brazil. In 2011, the demand was 16. In 2017, more than 500.

Wealthy Brazilian women creating the demand. Rich singles and lesbian couples. The DNA most in demand light complexioned, blond haired, and blue eyed.

Modern science absolutely amazing!

One of the most popular donors is #9601 at the Seattle Sperm Bank. He has all the characteristics demanded.

Tubes of semen from young men are frozen in liquid nitrogen and flown to Brazilian airports.

This is the day! At 7 this evening as the sun sets, the guns will roar, the band will play. Chris and Don will be saying their I Do’s.

Two special people tying the knot.

I will be there! On time!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

LlCENCE TO KILL / JEFFERSON STARSHIP / CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

Recollections refreshed.

Key West happenings.

James Bond. A small part of the 1989 movie Licence to Kill was filmed in Key West. The rear area of 707 South Street. A wedding reception. Bond a guest.

The home recently sold for $5 million.

Tennessee Williams again. On this day in 1955, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof opened in New York City. An instantaneous hit. Won Williams his second Pulitzer Prize.

Jefferson Starship. An American rock band. The group has been around since 1974. Not all members the same. As time moved on, older performers dropped out to be replaced by new performers.

Jefferson Starship is performing at the Key West Theater sunday. On the saturday before at 3 pm, a free greet and meet is being held at the Gates Hotel. You must be a ticket holder to attend.

Spent my yesterday researching.

Visited Tammy at 6 for a manicure. Tammy her usual charming self. For a 34 year old, she is wise beyond her years. Has to be her Asian background.

Then to bocce. All of 10 minutes.

It suddenly got dark. A huge black cloud moved over us. Cell phone weather inquiries showed a huge green mass beginning to move over the lower keys.

At the same time, the wind blew up. Not a simple 20 mph. More! Much more! Dirt and sand swirling.

Everyone ran for their cars to get out.

Most of my group headed for Don’s Place. I decided to go straight home. I do not enjoy driving on US 1 when the rain is so heavy it is difficult to see.

Beat the rain home. Beat the rain in its entirety. The wind blew for a while. The rain never came. This morning, I looked outside to see if it had rained during the night. No. Everything dry.

Key West weather strange. Storms hit quickly. People are wise. They get inside quickly. Wind and rain not a pleasant sea shore combination.

Enjoy your day!

 

HIS WORDS AND LETTERS…..SPECIAL

Two years ago, I wrote an article for KONK Life involving Tennessee Williams and Frank Merlo. Merlo was the love of Williams’ life. The relationship tender and then tumultuous.

Tennessee Williams’ birthday is being celebrated this month. Many activities. One last night at Studios of Key West. His Words and Letters. Words and letters written to Williams’ closest female friend, Maria Britneva. Substantially involving the Williams/Merlo relationship.

Merlo’s influence on Williams is reflected in the fact that Williams wrote his finest works during their time together. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Rose Tattoo, and Night of the Iguana.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. A production well done.

Williams also wrote The Glass Menagerie. The Glass Menagerie was playing across the street at the Key West Theater while I was enjoying His Words and Letters.

Prior to the Williams’ show, I enjoyed La Concha’s happy hour while browsing the Sunday newspapers.

One of the items mentioned in yesterday’s Key West Lou video on Facebook involved outhouses. Details immaterial here. Final video comment was that Hemingway had the first indoor plumbing in Key West. Put in his home on Whitehead when he purchased it in 1931.

Bad day at Black Rock. Two basketball giants felled at the NCAA Tournament. Louisville and Duke.

So it goes

Congressional hearings begin today re Russia’s interfering in a U.S. Presidential election. Not the first time. Occurred once before. The election of 1796.

John Adams and Alexander Hamilton running for President. Great Britain and France had just concluded a war against each other. Bad feelings rampant in each country.

For some reason, U.S. support was important to each nation. John Adams, with the support of George Washington, backed Great Britain. Hamilton, France. Hamilton’s position was that France’s assistance during the Revolution mandated U.S. support.

France threatened open warfare with the United States if U.S. support was not forthcoming.

Adams was elected President. No war occurred.

I mentioned yesterday that Florida reported the screwworm problem was no more. A tried and true process had defeated the maggot type insects. The release of sterile screwworm flies. One hundred forty million since October.

Jean a female loggerhead turtle found sick in December. Taken to Marathon’s Turtle Hospital. She was impacted.

The hospital named her Jean. Cared for Jean till friday. A recovered Jean was released back into the ocean at Sombrero Beach.

Enjoy your day!