DOTTIE CLIFFORD…..A FAMILIAR FACE

One of the most thoughtful persons I have met in Key West is Dottie Clifford. We go back 20 years. We used to see each other often years ago. Less starting 10 years ago. The last time 5 years ago.

Dottie is being honored today. The Key West Citizen presents her front page as a Key West Familiar Face.

Dottie an almost Conch. Been here 40 years. The Citizen article notes that when she first arrived in Key West, it was a hippie outpost. Today, a world renown hospitality hot spot.

She has seen it all!

Dottie is President and owner of the Key West Attractions Association.

Calamity befell her a few years ago. Pancreatic cancer. Normally, the death knell. God was with her. Dottie survived. She has been cancer free for two years.

Her illness did not diminish her bubbly personality. Uplifted all the time. You hear her cheery laugh before you even see her.

Dottie, here is to another 40 years!

The Paradise Big Band performed recently. Its 20th anniversary.

I missed the event this year. Ralph De Palma’s photos appeared in this morning’s E-Blast. There were my friends! Holly and Peter Diamond singing and dancing, Skipper Kripitz on the drums, and Larry Smith the piano.

A special time. Sorry I could not make it.

Dueling Bartenders last night. One of the best events in town. Great singing! The kind that busts the walls. Tom Luna and Rick Dery the bartenders. Bobby Smith a guest bartender.

What a trio!

Tons of people.

Liz and her entourage of 4 came in. She is the Queen at Battling Bartenders and treated as such.

Liz looked magnificent! Like just off her motorcycle. Bright red turtle neck sweater, a necklace of white stones, and a black bikers jacket. I looked to see if Marlon Brando was following her.

Friend Liz is 83 and former Dean of two law schools.

With Liz were Josefina, Genevieva, and Debbie. Plus an unknown gentleman.

Skaneateles Dan Reardon and wife came in. Together with Dan’s visiting brother John and his wife.

Dan and I are orange hearted Syracuse fans. We talked about saturday’s defeat.

Then to Tavern ‘n Town for another prime rib. Great for my diet.

I was fortunate to get a seat next to Jean and Ron. They are from Eastern Maryland. Jean a retired school administrator. Ron a general contractor. Grandparents to three. This their third or fourth visit to Key West.

Ron a Maryland fan. Maryland was playing Michigan. Maryland lost by 1  point. The last 5 minutes exciting. A Michigan  foul shot with 1.5 seconds to go gave Michigan the victory.

I got into the game with Ron. Whooping it up! Especially a Maryland 3 pointer with less than a minute to go.

A Mike came from the other end of the bar. Asked if I was Key West Lou. Mike advised he is a loyal blog reader. Loved Mike!

Stopped by to say good night when leaving. Met his wife. Nice people.

I can see! Amazing! I have had my new prescription glasses since friday. The difference they make! Reminds me of when I had cataract surgery on both eyes.

I waited too long to get new glasses. Never again.

I learned I needed them when I escaped Irma. Road signs impossible to read. Turn offs not visible till upon them. Lucky I survived night driving.

Speaking of Irma, my book Irma and Me appears to be selling. If you have not ordered it, please do so. Guaranteed you will enjoy! Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and  Kobobooks.com.

My podcast tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I have a ton of topics to share. Normally get through 10. I have accumulated 25 during the week in anticipation of the show. I will spend the afternoon selecting those to be used and organizing tonight’s format.

One of the topics will include Trump’s shithole countries comment. I read this morning the Alt-Right loves Trump because of the reference. They hate immigrants.

Think about what I am going to write. Immigrants are disliked and a problem world wide. The immigrants of today are the Jews of yesterday. Peoples need a scapegoat, someone to hate.

Enjoy your day!

 

DECEMBER 7, 1941

December 7, 1941. The day after when addressing a joint session of Congress seeking a declaration of war against Japan, President Roosevelt described December 7 as “…..a day that will live in infamy.” It has.

President Roosevelt also provided U.S. citizens with a bolt of confidence: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

This morning’s Key West Citizen provided interesting data re the attack. Two thousand four hundred three American military and citizens were killed. The Japanese lost only 64 of its Navy personnel.

I was six when Pearl Harbor occurred. I distinctly recall evenings sitting around the radio as a family hanging onto every word of the war news. Families wanted to know how the country and their own were faring. This kept up till the end of the war in 1945.

My Sunday was not as planned.. When I discovered yesterday morning that Helen Sperling had died, I decided to write this week’s KONK Life column about her. Helen was a Holocaust survivor. Spent significant time in Buchenwald.

I had neither research nor notes. I was prepared to write about Teddy Roosevelt. I had to start the column from scratch. It took the greater part of the day to get the column out. As a result, I never made it to the Gardens at 5.

The President’s TV speech disturbed me. He said nothing new. The concerns of the American people were not directly addressed.

I do not know what his problem is. Unless I am wrong and he has everything under control, his worry not attitude the correct one. I doubt it. The situation worries me.

Between writing the Sperling column and the President’s speech, I had Chinese delivered to the house.

The new City Hall’s furniture in the news again. Our spendthrift Commission approved the expenditure of $755,000 for furniture for the new City Hall. Top of the line furniture. All the buttons and gadgets. Like hydraulic desks and electric window blinds.

The World Almanac section of the Citizen carried a very fitting quote by Willa Cather: “The dead might as well try to speak to the living as the old to the young.”

How true!

Enjoy your day!