FRANCES WATSON CLARK

Posted on by

Stop one last night was Don’s Place. I knew Stan and Claire would be there. Wanted to talk with them.

Then to the Chart Room. I was fortunate to sit next to Frances Watson Clark. First time we met.

She is assembling photos of people and places in Key West for her next publication Images of Modern America. Her previous works involved three separate places in Virginia.

She showed me some of the pics she had compiled thus far re Key West. Included was a picture before my time of Che and Marty Leshaw.

Frances’ husband Chris is a retired banker. Their Key West home is on Eaton Street. They bought a dwelling first constructed in 1908 and remodeled it.

Frances and Chris spend two summer months and two winter months in Key West. Their home base is Marietta, Georgia.

Frances’ work is interesting. She agrees with the Chinese…..A picture is worth a thousand words!

Old friends reunited. David came into the Chart Room. Frances said I know you. Turns out they did business together when David was manager of Fast Buck Freddie’s on Caroline.

I intended to go home, have a sandwich and go to bed. Instead stopped at Outback and enjoyed a steak.

The Lobster Mini Season is over. The Coast Guard reports an uneventful season. No accidents, no injuries, no deaths. Some arrests for diving on lobster casitas, exceeding catch limits, and not having a proper license.

Lobster Season starts August 6. Key West will celebrate the event with its annual Lobsterfest August 7-10. A big deal! Lobster every where, cooked every way.

Harry Truman’s Mother In Law unusually enjoyed. Yesterday, I was stopped several times by persons telling me they did not know, how much they enjoyed the article, etc. The column published wednesday. It is linked to my Key West Lou website. Read the article. Interesting and revealing.

I have been critical of our judicial system. Many decisions not making sense. People losing respect for the law. Laws that do not respect them.

Citizens United the obvious case. The Supreme Court decision where the Court said corporations and the rich can contribute politically as much in dollars as they want.

Recall the Aurora theater shootings July 20, 2012. Twelve killed and 70 injured. James Holmes the shooter. Sandy and Lonnie Phillips’ daughter Lonnie Ghawi killed. The parents brought a lawsuit against the four Internet suppliers of the guns, ammunition and whatever else. Holmes’ mental state not the best. The parents felt some investigation should have been made to determine Holmes’ mental state and intentions. None was.

A federal trial court ruled against the Phillips, holding the four suppliers could not have known the shooter’s intentions and mental state.

A bad break for the parents. However such is the law across the country. Such has to be changed legislatively. Good luck! National and state legislators are cut from the same bolt. Owned by the gun manufacturers.

The thorn in the decision was not the result. It was what the Judge ordered after the trial had ended. The Judge ruled the Phillips were responsible for the attorney fees of the four suppliers. $220,000. A Colorado law requires the losing party to pay such costs.

The Phillips have since sold their home and furniture and anything else they could get their hands on. They now live in a trailer. They have paid $200,000 of the $220,000 thus far.

Lose your daughter! Lose your home! A shame. A disgusting shame. The Phillips’ tragedy a clear showing of the poor state of affairs in our legislatures and the courts who enforce the laws they pass.

Looking forward to tonight. Jenna and I are having dinner at L’Atitudes.

Enjoy your day!

 

BEST LOVE STORY EVER

Posted on by

I give thought to what my lead comment should be each day. Generally a Key West or heavy news item. Today, love.

Today is the birthday of Emily Bronte. Her earth time the first half of the 19th century. She wrote Wuthering Heights. Started the book when she was 27. For me, Wuthering Heights is the greatest love story ever written. Heavy.

Cathy and Heathcliff. A wrenching tale. Lovewise and otherwise.

Wuthering Heights was made into a movie in 1939 starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon. Olivier won the Academy Award that year for Best Actor.

Today’s Morning Joe ran a video of New Hampshire voters big on Donald Trump. Interesting. They view Trump as the American man. Their responses reflected their belief that Trump understood their problems and was going to fight for them. He was not the typical politician.

Coud he really get the nomination? Be elected?

A tough day yesterday. Sciatica still bothering me. It had been a week. I decided to try the anti-gravity treadmill. Kept it on low hoping to work out the back pain. No way! I lasted 9 minutes. Had to stop.

Hurried over to Dr. Jackie Lefferts. Need a steroid shot! Got one. Took most of the day to take effect. Did so gradually. Not like the last time when in two hours I was pain free. Ok this morning. Will be on steroid pills a few days. Maybe I could get a professional baseball contract.

The Chart Room first last night. A decent crowd. Mini lobster fishpersons.

Then to Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Tried pork shank for the first time. Oh, so good! I will be ordering it again the next time there.

Suarez should get the death penalty or life in jail. He is the 23 year old Stock Island man who made a back pack nail bomb. His intent was to bury it at night under the sand on a Key West beach. The bomb could be detonated away from where it was buried.

FBI and local authorities were on to him from April. Finally arrested him two days ago when he was prepared to do the dirty deed.

Suarez was arraigned in federal court in Miami yesterday. His lawyer said he was not a “terrorist.” Merely “…..troubled and confused.”

Kill him! He was going to kill and maim people of all ages enjoying our beaches.

Yesterday was day 1 of Lobster Mini Season. I did not see many boats from my deck. Where 10-15 would be sitting, there were no more than two.

The weather was perfect for diving. Water calm. Sun shining.

Nothing better than diving for a few lobsters, running the boat into shallow water, cooking the tails on a grill on the boat soaking them in butter, standing in the shallow water and eating by hand the delicious buttery tails. Knock off a few cans of beer. Then dunk your whole body into the water to clean off.

Ran into Sheila on my way into the Chart Room last night. Why are you picking on Planned Parenthood, she asked. She was referring to my KONK Life column re Planned Parenthood selling fetus cells and baby parts. It was not the place to talk. I was late for a dinner date. I told her we will talk another time.

Before all women dump on me, let it be known I have always been a supporter of Planned Parenthood, believe in a woman’s right to choose, support abortion rights and birth control. However when an organization sells parts of the fetus/baby aborted, it is another story. Illegal to begin. Also I cannot believe a woman who is about to undergo an abortion understands that the body parts will be sold, if the woman is told such at all.

Right turns into wrong under the circumstances.

This week’s KONK Life column is Harry Truman’s Mother In Law. It hit the stands yesterday. This morning it was linked to my Key West Lou website.

Enjoy your day!

HEMINGWAY DAYS SADLY OVER

Posted on by

Key West empty last night. Hemingway Days ended. Everyone heading out of town. Sad that Hemingway Days had come to an end. From my perspective, one of the most enjoyable Key West events.

One hundred twenty two participants in the Hemingway Look Alike Contest. Charlie Boice from Palm Beach Gardens won. He had been trying for 15 years. There were winners in the Hemingway Days Arm Wrestling Contest at Sloppy Joe’s. Males and females participating.

I was out and about yesterday. That is why I knew the Hemingway people were moving out or already gone.

It was Martin’s for brunch. Dee was supposed to meet me at noon. She never showed. I telephoned her. She had forgotten. An indicator of how much she thinks of me. I enjoyed eggs benedict alone.

Spent the afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. Harry Truman’s Mother In Law. Did he have a mother in law! A cross he silently bore. You will find the article interesting.

Schooner Wharf to start the evening. Unusually quiet. About a third of the bar occupied. Again, the Hemingways had departed. I enjoyed a couple of drinks. Missy from Don’s Place bartending. Met Devin who is in charge of maintenance at Sunset Key. He is maintenance! We talked about L’Atitudes.

Then to Pepi’s for dinner. Very few customers, also. Ate at the bar. Kelley bartending. My usual. Barbecued chicken and mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes buried in brown gravy.

Pepi’s had an historical listing on the back of the menu. Pepi’s was founded in 1909. The menu listed other historical events which occurred in 1909. One was the granting of the first patent for a gasoline electric hybrid auto. Took a long time to become a reality!

Randy Roberts is one of the great Key West entertainers. He has starred at La Te Da for 17 years. As Cher, Judy Garland, etc. He is Cher and Judy Garland. Outstanding drag performances!

Randy will appear tomorrow night on America’s Got Talent. Eight o’clock on NBC. Watch! Hope he wins!

Lobster Mini Season wednesday and thursday this week. The enthusiasts have already begun arriving. There were a bunch who apparently rented the house next door to me. Around 11 last night the noise began. Big time! Till 2 in the morning. Music to deafen by!

Thirty thousand visitors expected for the two day mini season.

I have been critical of recent court decisions. Too far out. People are losing respect for the judicial system.

An example is a federal appellate decision involving a Texas case. The police pulled a car over. The reason being they thought the occupants were engaged in criminal activity. Bullshit items were the alleged justification for pulling the car over. The court held that air fresheners, rosaries and pro police stickers could be construed as indicators of criminal activity.

Would you believe!

We are edging closer and closer to becoming a police state.

Ignition key works. My back does not. Sciatica. Wow! No anti-gravity treadmill this morning. They say that today 80 is 60. I never had sciatica at 60!

Enjoy your day!

RUNNING OF THE BULLS

Posted on by

Pamplona, Spain and Key West were one yesterday. The Running of the Bulls!

I was there. Hemingway look alikes. Dressed Pamplona style. White shirts and pants. Red berets and waist bands. White hair and beards, of course.

The bulls machete and wood on wheels.

The race as in Pamplona. Pure chaos. If real bulls, several of yesterday’s Hemingways would be no more. Fun to watch. Exciting.

Paula Deen in Key West again this year for Hemingway Days. Her husband Michael Grover a Hemingway look alike contestant. I did not see her this year.

Lunched at the Pier House Beach Bar afterwards. Duval was too busy and hot with all the people. Chatted with Janine.

I have always had difficulty spelling Janine’s name. What I am writing today is correct. First time I have had it right. I mentioned my problem with spelling her name. I added it was fortunate her sister Mary had a simple name. Janine looked at me and said no she doesn’t. Her name is spelled Mari. With an i and not a y.

Ran into Michael at the Beach Bar. Michael was already a Key Wester when I started coming 26 years ago. I first met him at Atlantic Shores. He was a regular. Bare assed and bronzed. I had not seen him in 15 years. He is still bronzed. As to bare assed, I do not know. He was not yesterday.

Spent some time later in the afternoon researching this week’s KONK Life column. More research to do and then writing it. Will be done today. The topic/title Harry Truman’s Mother In Law.

Dinner at Roostica last night.

Lobster Mini Season a few days away. Wednesday and thursday. Thirty thousand expected for the event.

This is year 50 for Christ of the Deep. A 9 foot bronze statue of Christ was planted under water in the John Pennekamp State Park near Key Largo fifty years ago. Only 25 feet down, many have seen and enjoyed the statue. Even to the point of touching Christ’s hands and face.

Heard from Anna again. She is still on Amorgos. Has a problem. She has to be out of her accommodation 7/31. Her ferry boat reservation is for 8/5. She is having trouble finding a room. No wonder. Things are cheap in certain areas of Greece this season. Even cheaper on a small hidden away island such as Amorgos. A place that has few accommodations to start.

Maybe she will have to sleep on the beach.

Anna tells me there are many French tourists. The reason is that a good portion of the French movie Le Grand Bleu was filmed in the waters off Amorgos. The French and others visit because of the film. It was a winner when first filmed. Won many awards. Today, a cult film.

The car works. The key turns easily.

Enjoy your Sunday!