GOOMBAY NINE DAYS AWAY

 

Ho ho ho! Fantasy Fest around the corner. Nine days away. Goombay the start. Begins friday October 20. The Fantasy Fest Parade October 28.

Hope Irma does not keep tourists away. Except for debris on some side streets, the town will be ready. Bars and restaurants waiting.

Spent 1.5 hours at the hospital yesterday. The first of many tests I am scheduled for. Tomorrow another one.

One of the topics discussed last night on my podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou was Puerto Rico and solar power.

Telsa’s Elon Musk met a few days ago with Governor Ricardo Rossello. They discussed solarizing the whole island rather than rebuilding the electrical system. Musk claims solar power cheaper and quicker to install.

Musk has already solarized the entire of American Samoa and a part of Hawaii.

The United States is lagging behind in the development of solar power. Blame the electrical companies, their well paid lobbyists, and federal and state legislators who dance to their tune.

China is the U.S.’s major competitor in anything economic. Beating the hell out of us. Solar power an example.

China’s solarization is twice the capacity of the United States. China also manufactures solar panels, etc. for export. China exports 99 percent of the panels it manufactures. Jobs a plenty.

Brilliant! Certain of our leaders have told us over the years that solar panels would be a new industry employing many. The U.S. should be the world leader. The words never turned into deeds. Politics, again.

Stone carbs! My favorite food!

The stone crab season begins October 15. This sunday. I can’t wait.

Irma behind us, Key West boards and commissions are back in business. One is the Tree Commission. For years, their business appears to have been ordering the removal of trees. Too many. To the abhorrence of Key West citizens.

Irma took down many trees. Removal should not be part of the Tree Commission’s agenda any further. Key West needs trees! Many kinds! All kinds!

The order of the day for the Tree Commission is to preserve the trees remaining and add to them.

Jenna Stauffer. My Jenna. Loveliest of the lovely. This 82 year old man loves taking 30 year old Jenna to dinner. We have been friends for 9 years.

Jenna just received her real estate license. Her shingle hangs with the Berkshire Hathaway Home Services team.

Everyone affected by Irma. Even baby turtles. Might never become  baby turtles. Most nesting beaches washed away by Irma.

An unnamed  group has joined together. Concerned. They are working at the preservation and restoration of the nesting beaches.

What follows not a Key West problem. Yet.

Reptiles are being found in toilets world wide.

A lizard was found in a Florida toilet. Probably an iguana.

Malaysian toilets are the squat type. Squat over an opening in the floor. A big lizard resting in the toilet.

The best in Pretoria, South Africa. A five foot snake. The commode the style we are accustomed to. A sit on toilet. The police could not get the snake out with poles and hoops. Finally, one officer grabbed the snake by its head and pulled it out.

Can you imagine sitting on a toilet, looking between your legs, and seeing an iguana or snake cuddled in the bowl? You might never go again!

Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this date in 2002. Carter achieved more in his post Presidency years than while President. The award much deserved.

I am pleased to announce the publisher has agreed to go forward with Irma and Me. The body of the book, the meat, is complete. It is that which surrounds it that I have to complete in the next few days.

Enjoy your day!

 

GOOMBAY!

Finally! Goombay! Last night!

Goombay is of Haitian or some other Caribbean derivation. Goombay is a round goat skin drawn over a round or square wood or metal bottomless pail. Played with the hands. There were a lot of palms slapping on goat skin tops last night.

Goombay has become an annual event for some. Don entertains a group from his bar. He has been doing this for years.

We met last night at Don’s Place. A drink or two. Eleven of us in a cab ride to 801. 801 is one of the most popular Key West gay bars. It sits on Duval at the beginning of Goombay.

After a few more drinks, we headed out. First a group picture. We take one every year. No one has ever seen the finished product.

For some  of us, the initial walk is short. One block to the outside bar of Bourbon Street. Another premier gay bar. It has become a habit to stop there to listen to Blue. A singer. A long time friend of Don and David.

We sat enjoying a few more drinks. Some of the group danced. On soft sand.

The group at this point consisted of Don, David and Billie, Stan and Clare, Dan and Betty, and Louis. Don was my date.

Now came the walk up Petronia Street. Booths/stands on each side of the street. Music coming from everywhere. All kinds of Caribbean type food. The street crowded.

Similar to New York’s San Gennaro Feast, except San Gennaro is Italian in nature.

I had to eat. Opted for a sausage sandwich.

Once we left Bourbon St., we separated. Impossible for a large group to move together. The goal Blue Heaven.

I got there last.

Blue Heaven is a large outdoor restaurant. Packed.

I stayed for one drink. Exhausted. It was time to leave. I snuck off with no good byes.

As I was leaving, I heard Louis! Turned and it was Jean Thornton. She has been back two weeks and it was the first time we have seen each other. A big hug and kiss.

I will see Jean again this afternoon at a retirement party for Joe Lyles.

My car was at Don’s Place. A big walk. Especially with how my heart has been behaving recently. I took it slow and made it. No adverse physical feelings.

Today busy.

Syracuse/Boston College at noon. Will watch at home.

Then to the Hot Tin Roof for Joseph Lyles’ retirement party. Well deserved!

Tonight became a problem. I had a date scheduled with lovely Jenna for dinner. Does my heart good to be out with a beautiful 30 year old woman.

Then I found out that there was a bocce make-up game tonight. Don’s Place/Hell’s Rangers. Big time game between two big time teams this season. Don’s is alone in first place. Hell’s Rangers in third. Hell’s Rangers generally in first place most seasons.

The match has turned into a party. Hell’s Rangers bringing the food and Don’s the drinks. A cook out!

I wanted to see the bocce match. I gave up Jenna for a bocce game! A sure sign I have gotten old.

Jenna understood. We are going out together tomorrow night.

I mentioned the Rick Pitino situation yesterday. David Taylor wrote me a long in depth review of the situation from his perspective. David now lives in St. Louis. However, spent many years in Kentucky. He was aware first hand of facts I knew not. Will share them with you as the Pitino matter develops.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

GIBRALTAR OF THE SOUTH

There was a time and a man who viewed Key West as the Gibraltar of the South. It was the mid 1930s. The man, Julius Stone.

The 1930s was depression time across the United States. Key West especially hard hit. It was the end of the world. Hard to get to. Little business. No work. Monroe County had filed for bankruptcy.

Julius Stone was the WPA administrator for the State of Florida. He considered things so bad in Key West, that he opened a WPA office there. Only the second in the State.

Stone saw tourism as the way for Key West to improve its economy. He was a precursor. He saw what men like David Wolkowsky would envision in later years.

One of his efforts to improve quality of life in Key West was to have a play locally produced. The Pirates of Penzance.

The historical goodies I share with you I did not find. Credit belongs to snowbird Diana Millikan. Diana is writing a play about Julius Stone and The Pirates of Penzance endeavor. She keeps me informed.

Diana has discovered a rich source of information. The Kennedy Cafe mornings. Elderly conchs meet every morning for coffee and talk. A breakfast club of sorts.

Diana says it is like pulling teeth to get information out of them. She is succeeding, however. A step at a time.

She met Jesse. A woman in her 90s. Her married name she was not able to get. However, her maiden name was forthcoming. Watkins.

Jesse was in attendance at the play on February 19, 1935. She recalled the event vividly. She said George Wills was the leading man. Handsome.

She attended the play with her two older sisters. Diana reported one of the sisters became President of a local bank. Sounds strange for the times. It might have been the woman’s husband.

The write up in the newspaper the next day listed a Mrs. Joseph Cates as seamstress. Diana is trying to find out if the 1935 Cates is a relative of today’s Mayor Cates.

Burt Lancaster was one of America’s great actors. He died at 80 this date in 1994. Lancaster and Key West touched two times.

Lancaster’s first movie was The Killers. The movie was based on Ernest Hemingway’s short story of the same name.

He actually filmed a movie in Key West. The Rose Tattoo. The movie was based on Tennessee William’s play of the same name. The movie was filmed in a house on Duncan Street. Williams lived on one corner of the block and The Rose Tattoo house was on the other.

The Cannonball Run is coming through Key West saturday. Will be on Duval and Front Streets around 3.

The Cannonball is composed of a group of men who own special cars. They like to drive them on strange roads in strange places. Duval not one of those places. However Key West not the destination. The group is headed for Havana, Cuba.

I have a neighbor down the street who participates. He is on in years. The Run is one of the more important events in his live. He has a 1906 or 1914 Rolls Royce. In tip top shape. When last I spoke with him, he had just returned from a run in New Zealand. The cars at some point are shipped to the final destination.

Screwworms on the move. No longer just on Big Pine and No Name Key. Have expanded into Big Torch Key, Middle Torch Key, Little Torch Key, Cudjoe, Ramrod and Summerland Keys. Flies have been found in each place.

The last time there was a screwworm infestation was 30 years ago. Things have become sufficiently bad that the State of Florida has declared a State of Emergency exists.

Tammy for a manicure/pedicure yesterday. Ran into Kate Miano who was getting a pedicure.

Kate is one of Key West’s most dynamic women. Owner of The Gardens. Note that Sunday at the Gardens has opened. Sundays from 5-7. Great music. Good drinks. Excellent company. Mostly locals.

The Judy Wood memorial celebration this evening from 5-7 at Tavern ‘n Town. Sad. Her death continues to bother me. And I did not know her well. Only from the bar.

Afterwards, I shall be off to bocce to watch Don’s Place play. Numero Uno!

Goombay tomorrow night!

The third and final Presidential debate was last night. Trump consistent. An ass. Hillary handled herself well.

Enjoy your day!

 

NEW NEIGHBORS

New neighbors in Key West! Amy Bondurant and David Dunn. Wife and husband. Welcome!

Some 200 hundred homes were visited by Amy and David the past few days. They have been in Key West canvassing door to door for Hillary Clinton.

Amy and David have homes in Washington, DC and Paris. They recently purchased a home in Key West. 1920s vintage. Undergoing remodeling. They plan on moving their furniture down here in December and becoming official Key West residents at the time.

Both have distinguished backgrounds. Amy was the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development in Paris from 1997-2001. She served under Clinton and Bush 2. David is an attorney specializing in international law.

This blog brought us together. David has been reading it. We were supposed to meet for a drink this week. Our schedules would not permit it. We intend to get together when they return in December. I plan on introducing them to the Chart Room at that time.

I have some Trump comments. I apologize. However, we are getting close to election day. I feel compelled to vent my anti-Trump feelings. A number of pro-Trump readers will comment. It will be like the roof falling in on me.

More than a year ago, I referred to Trump as a Pied Piper. Both in this blog and on my blog talk radio show. His followers were blindly following him. Gabriel Schonfeld writes for the New York Daily News. He referred to Trump this past week as the Moronic Pied Piper.

Right on!

In a Washington Post article yesterday, Trump was described as a huckster and charismatic demagogue.

Nicolas Maduro has been Venezuela’s President since 2013. His country ran out of toilet paper under him. Now, food. Even pets and zoo animals have been eaten. I have commented adversely re Maduro many times since the toilet paper incident. In this blog, on my podcast show and in my KONK Life column.

The same Washington Post article suggested Trump was very much like Maduro. The article noted Maduro jailed his political opponents. As Trump has suggested be done with Hillary.

I’m not done with Trump yet.

George Will described Trump well in a recent Washington Post column titled “Putin Buying Back the 1930s.” The last paragraph spoke volumes. “In many worrisome ways, the 1930s are being reprised. In Europe, Russia is playing the role of Germany in fomenting anti-democratic factions. In inward-turning, distracted America, the role of Charles Lindberg is played by a presidential candidate smitten by Putin and too ignorant to know the pedigree of his slogan America First.”

A little more.

I have described the relatively new President Rodrigo Duterte as the Donald Trump of the Philippines. Rodrigo has a dirty mouth. More filthy than even Trump.

Now to Key West. Exciting days ahead!

Friday night marks the beginning of Fantasy Fest. Goombay! I will be out on the street with Don and the bocce team. An annual event for us.

Fiona. Fiona is the sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle who at the end of July was found dying. By a 12 year old boy. Fiona was emaciated, entangled in a fishing line, had ingested a portion of the fishing line, and her blood was low.

On death’s door.

Fiona was hurried to the Marathon Turtle Hospital.  She has recovered. Even gained 15 pounds.

Fiona is being returned to the ocean this saturday at 10 am. Sombrero Beach in Marathon. A couple of hundred will be there to see her off.

I will be home in bed by 9 this evening. Comfortably watching the last of the Presidential debates. Love this stuff! I am a political junkie at heart!

This is take care of Louis day. A manicure and pedicure at noon with Tammy. Then to my heart doctor’s office. Have to give blood. Hate it! Cannot look! When I was 21 and preparing for marriage, New York required a blood test to make sure a person did not have syphilis. I passed out!

Tonight, a couple of drinks at Don’s Place. A quick bite to eat somewhere and then home.

Enjoy your day!

 

GODDESS GALORE and BEATRIX DIXIE

Dueling Bartenders unusually good last night.

Goddess Galore’s appearance outstanding! Her singing special! She added something extra to her songs. Whether tip toeing around the bar or singing from the dance floor.

Beatrix Dixie dressed in black. Wow! A beauty. She told me she almost wore her nails for me last night.

Sheila with friend John at the bar. Sheila agrees Beatrix is a beauty. A woman in every regard. Butt and boobs. Legs. Lovely face. Great hair.

Four tourists from Denmark at the bar. Before I could get to them, they had left.

No Liz. In Tampa for a wedding. Mary and Josefina at Aqua without her.

Drove over to La Trattoria Oceanside for dinner. Ran into Mary Lou and Charlie. We ate together at the bar. Marylou had just returned from Nappa Valley where she had been for a week.

A better couple does not exist.

Spent yesterday afternoon working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. A lot of politics. Could not be avoided at this stage of the campaign.

Mostly Trump.

Topics include business being down 58 percent at Trump hotels, some Trump and Putin, Trump not all there, Trump anti-SNL, Trump wants drug testing before wednesday’s debate, a Republican headquarters in North Carolina firebombed.

A German mayor who was beaten unconscious because he wanted to build housing for immigrants, trust in press and government down dramatically since 1960s, Rotterdam wanting compulsory contraception for druggies and poor women, stats on sex crimes by police, and more.

Nine my time. A quick half hour of interesting commentary. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

High tides still a problem. Yesterday morning, I watched the tide coming in from my deck. The highest I have seen in years. This morning the tide is out. Water level two feet plus less than yesterday morning.

Judy Wood’s memorial service will be held thursday from 5-7 at Tavern ‘n Town.

We are getting closer! Fantasy Fest begins friday. Goombay!

I should buy a set of body paints and brushes. Breast painting earns big dollars. $75-$150. Consider the canvas being painted!

Syracuse/Boston College saturday. I watched the game for many years. Every other year in Boston. Always made the trip.

The only negative was the game was played in an outdoor stadium. Generally cold that time of the year. I was unaccustomed as Syracuse’s Carrier Dome is covered.

In spite of the cold, the weekend was always a ball. Several couples. We stayed at the lovely Boston Harbor Hotel. Dinner saturday night always at the same place. The Blue something restaurant. I cannot remember the name of the fish that made up its name.

The restaurant was casual and laid back. On the harbor. directly across from Lewis’ Wharf. Maine lobsters and fried clams galore. Loved the meal!

Boston College a 4.5 point favorite. After last week’s game, I am back to hoping.

Last but not least, we are all aware the Republican headquarters in Hillsborough, North Carolina was firebombed and a swastika/negative words written on a wall.

I question who did it. I await the investigation results. Would not surprise me if everyone is surprised when the perpetrators become known.

Be that as it may, a Democrat group issued the call for $10,000 to be raised to repair the damage. Within 40 minutes, $13,000 had been raised.

Would Republicans have done the same were the situation reversed? I doubt it.

Enjoy your day!

GREAT GOOMBAY

Last night, one of the best Goombays ever!

Droves of people. The beginnings of Fantasy Fest in the air.

We started at Don’s Place. About 15 of us. Then 2 big cabs to 801. We were at 801 a long time. It had started to rain.

Once the rain stopped, we were off. Everyone going their own way. The plan to meet later at Blue Heaven.

I ran with Don and David. First stop was the outside back area of Bourbon Street. For the unaware, 801 and Bourbon Street are Key West’s most famous gay bars.  The three of us get to 801 once as year. Bourbon Street was a first.

Don and David know Blue. A local singer/musician. I had never heard of him. He was playing in the backyard at Bourbon Street.

Let me say first, I was very impressed with the back outside of Bourbon Street. A great layout! Two pools, an attractive bar, stage, tons of tables and chairs.

Blue was good! Don and David correct. We stayed quite a while. Friends joining us and leaving.

Finally, we had our full of Blue and Bourbon Street. It was off to Blue Heaven. I left first. I had not had dinner and was drinking. Needed food. Enjoyed a large sausage sandwich I bought at one of the food stands. Walked to Blue Heaven eating the sandwich.

Blue Heaven packed as usual for Goombay.  I found a chair at the bar and settled in. Everyone showed up at some point. A lot of drinking.

I ran into many friends last night. Some I have not seen in a while. Added to the pleasure of the evening.

David and I folded first. We both agreed we were tired. We walked back to Don’s Place. A bit of a hike. Good for us, however. Burned some of the alcohol up.

I was home in bed asleep before 10. The evening ran from 5-10.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I pushed myself farther than ever. A bit too far. I was exhausted at the end. Took me the afternoon to recover.

I never got to be interviewed on 104.9. Technical difficulties at the other end.

Fantasy Fest King and Queen announced last night. My fried Mark Watson won. He is King. A big deal!

Syracuse/Pitt at noon. Syracuse a 6 point underdog. I suspect Syracuse will lose. I plan on watching the game.

Dinner tonight with Jenna.

Enjoy your day!

REPUBLICANS KICK THEMSELVES

I fear we may be seeing the disintegration of a great political party. The Republican Party. Though a Democrat, I respect and see the need for an opposition party. It keeps everything in balance.

The sub-committee hearing of Hillary Clinton yesterday was a disgrace. I could say Hillary blew them out. The more accurate observation is the Republicans blew it. Beat themselves. A scary thing is the Republicans think they were doing the right thing. They delude themselves. This group would have voted to burn Joan of Arc at the stake.

A few nuts on the Republican side. Gowdy the chairman, or whatever his name is, was nothing more than a side show. He gives the impression he is doing God’s work. Several commentators said what a great prosecutor he must have been in his other life. No way. He would have been a piece of cake for defense counsel.

Jim Jordan impressed me as the outstanding mental case. He is Chairman of Freedom Cause, the group that is screwing things up in the House of Representatives. He is the #1 obstacle person in Congress.

Let me share some additional thoughts by Mike Lofgren. I quoted him also yesterday. A retired 28 year Republican Congressional staff person. He said, “…..the Republican Party is becoming less and less like a traditional political party in a representative democracy and becoming more like an apocalyptic cult.” Also, “By sabotaging the reputation of an institution of government, the party that is programmatically against government would come out the relative winner.”

The Hillary hearing took 11 hours, including breaks. I watched all of it, except for 1 1/2 hours. The political junkie in me ate it up.

I called David in the afternoon. We had bocce last night. Told David I would not be there. I wanted to watch the hearing till it’s bloody end.

I have received the bocce results. We lost 2 games last night, won only 1. We are on a downslide the past three weeks. The number one spot is no longer possible. We may end up fighting to make the playoffs.

I forgot Fantasy Fest starts today. I thought it was next week. Lori reminded me as she was cutting my hair yesterday. Tonight, Goombay. With Don and friends. It has become a tradition. We will meet at 801, do Goombay and end up at Blue Heaven.

I will be on the radio at 12:10 on the KONK New Hour. 104.9. Guy deBoer will interview me about this week’s KONK column Lincoln The Man. Ten to fifteen minutes.

Enjoy your day!

 

YESTERDAY’S RECOLLECTIONS

Two of my dearest and long time friends were Jim and Sara Van Sickle. Some 20 plus years. Jim and Sara owned a small motel in New Hartford, NY, when first we met.

I remember them lucking out with the motel. A huge shopping center was to be built. The motel sat right in the middle of one of the two entrances to the shopping center. Later on, they operated a small neighborhood grocery store.

Solid people.

Both now gone.

Last night, I met their son Ron and his wife Betty. Strange as it may sound, I did not recall Ron. As soon as I saw him, I knew he could be no one else but Jim’s son. A dead ringer for his dad.

The three of us sat and chatted at the round table in the Chart Room. Much of the Van Sickle family came to mind. Ron’s sister Joyce who I knew. She and I are now FB friends. Her husband Bill, who I also knew. Lisa. Not my Lisa. Their Lisa. Knew her through her college and early teaching years. Lisa was Jim and Sara’s granddaughter.

I especially miss Jim. We had a strong bond. We were always there for each other. At the very least, communicated with each other by phone daily.

Jim and Sara…..One of the special relationships in my life.

While we were chatting, in came Sheila and Charlotte. Two lovely ladies. Charlotte spending the weekend with Sheila. Charlotte is here to run the marathon.

Ran into Dave in the Pier House parking lot. He was nearing the end of his friday night bar crawl.

I ended up having dinner at SQ 1. At the bar.

A special article ran this past week in KONK Life re SQ 1. Pictures of some of their special dishes featured. One was Shanghai spicy calamari. It looked so good, I had to try it.

The photo did not lie. Outstanding taste! A bit spicy, but good.

Nodded a hello to Mandy as I entered. Never saw her the rest of the evening. David bartending.

A fellow sat near me. Was eyeing my calamari. Asked if it was good. Absolutely! He ordered it.

His name T.J. Federer. From Louisville. Works for Humana.

His last visit to Key West 25 years ago.

We talked of many things. Horses, obviously. We hit it off. I stayed a bit longer enjoying the conversation with him.

There was a third gentleman near us. He joined the conversation near the end. Turned out he is Mandy’s husband. Mandy, the manager of SQ 1.

My morning yesterday was the anti-gravity tread mill. I am feeling that fourth day recently added on. The fourth day makes it three days in a row. I will adjust in due course. And then go to five days a week! Probably around Thanksgiving.

Rushed to do my portion of the KONK News Hour on 104.9. I get 10 whole minutes to discuss my weekly column with Guy. No radio show. Mechanical problems.

Fantasy Fest two weeks away. Crazy time! Begins with Goombay October 23.

Congressman Paul Ryan is in the news. I hope he does not succumb and take the Speaker’s post. The man is quality. Presidential timber. Although a conservative Republican, I like him. The Speaker’s job could make him enough enemies that someday down the road he would not be able to get the Republican endorsement.

Syracuse football today! Syracuse and Southern Florida. Three thirty. I am assuming I will be able to get the game on television. Hope so.

Syracuse a 2.5 point underdog. Why, I do not know. Syracuse is 3-1 and Southern Florida 1-3.

Enjoy your day!