Some lead exceptionally noteworthy lives. One is Edith Amsterdam. Referred to as the Grande Dame of Key West.
Edith died yesterday at 91. May she rest in peace.
The Lady spent more than 50 years in Key West. Doing for everyone and everything. Known and loved by all. She and her husband restored Curry Mansion. Today, one of Key West’s premier guest houses.
We live and learn. Edith is originally from Syracuse. She also maintains a summer home at Alexandria Bay.
Edith was a contemporary of David Wolkowsky. David still up and at ’em at 96. David is the subject of next week’s KONK Life column.
My yesterday started with a manicure at Lee Nails. Tammy takes care of me. She and her husband the owners.
Tammy is lovely. Typical Vietnamese. Short, thin, long black hair. A beauty inside and out.
Tammy is 32. She came to the U.S. at age 16. Made the trip alone. Initially lived with relatives in New York. Then spent a year in Atlantic City. Not working at the casinos. Going to school to learn how to do nails.
Last night began with Don’s Place. Chatted with David and Keith. I frequently mention both. I do not recall ever telling you they are father and son.
Then to the Chart Room. A long night. The place was jam packed with tourists. That time of year.
I knew no one, except Emily and David. David and I sat at the round table. David always good company.
The table was empty when first we confiscated it. During the evening, three women joined us. Probably tired of standing.
The women made my night. Especially two of them. We talked forever about everything. Charming and intelligent. I had to finally break away. Too long and too many drinks. Sometimes, I have to remind myself I am not on vacation.
My note taking system failed me. It was noisy and the drinks were flowing. So ladies, forgive me if I have some of the facts mixed up.
All three were from Ohio. Each with successful husbands. Kristen’s was Geragd. French.
One of them, and I suspect it was Kristen, lived with her husband in Thailand for 13 years. He ran some company. She taught at the International School in Bangkok. World travelers.
They have a son Alex, 23.
Kay a teacher, also. Her husband an insurance agent. They have a son 30 years old. An attorney.
The third woman’s name escapes me.
Two of the ladies and I sat for a long time chatting. The attorney’s mother had concerns about her son’s career. Both ladies were anti-Trump. The politics discussed interesting. Neither liked any of the candidates of either party.
The ladies are here a few more days. Hopefully, I will run into them again.
My corrected KONK Life column appears today in KONK’s E-News Blast. The article is titled Goodbye Handwriting.
I write of many things. Comments galore follow. However, the Handwriting column brought the most. I am surprised such a topic would garner such interest.
One women’s comment was long. Long long. Longer even than the column. She criticized everything from my writing structure to historical correctness. Authoritized most of what she wrote.
One item in the article was that Thomas Jefferson had poor penmanship. That a master penman had to be hired to rewrite the Declaration of Independence. His name Tim or Tom Matlick.
She challenged my representation re Jefferson’s handwriting. Yet noted that I had incorrectly set forth the wrong first name from Matlick. She was aware because she had seen Matlick’s bill which is preserved for the rewriting.
An inconsistency there.
Anyhow, I am glad to have heard from her. I learned much from her writing. It was a fine term paper. Worthy of an A plus. Said with all sincerity.
I wrote of Comet earlier in the week. Comet returns to his home in the sea at noon today. Cured of all maladies by the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Noon at Higgs Beach. Two hundred plus will be in attendance.
Comet is a big boy. A one hundred pound loggerhead sea turtle.
My last cell phone was six years old. It was not working properly. I lost many calls. Did not really bother me. People got to me in due course.
Bought a new cell phone two days ago. A Samsung Galaxy. It does not stop ringing. I didn’t realize how many calls I was missing.
Two political notes.
Vice-President Joe Biden was with Mexican representatives yesterday. He apologized for Trump’s remarks re Mexico claiming that most of the people in the U.S. were not of his thinking.
Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson titled a recent column….. Trump, The Product of a Failed System. His description of Trump a “wrecking ball.”
Enjoy your day!