Irma and Me my second book. My first book signing. Next tuesday from noon to 3 at Andrews Inn.
I have a degree of fear and trepidation. Will anyone talk with me? Will anyone buy the book?
Three more experienced authors are participating also.
I visited Andrews Inn yesterday. First time. A quaint small complex where you would expect to find nothing.
I gave directions yesterday. I was wrong. Let me give them again.
Andrews Inn is located at Zero Whalton Lane. Finding Whalton Lane a mystery. It is located off Duval. Across the street from Viva Cafe. A half block off Truman going towards the Gulf.
Drive straight in.
Michael and Albena Dana proprietors. Bought the place 8 months ago. Put it in idyllic shape.
I met Albena. A young beautiful women from one of the southern European countries. She is all excited about the book signing. Their first. Told me food and drink would be available.
Albena an interesting name. My grandmother on my father’s side was named Albina. Excited Albena. My grandmother arrived from Italy. Met my grandfather in Stamford, Connecticut. They fell in love, married and moved to Utica.
If time permits, drop by the book signing. Sounds like a party in the making.
Besides the Andrew Inn visit, my yesterday busy. A haircut with Lori, lunch with Catherine at Sandy’s Cafe, and a manicure with Tammy. My afternoon.
Last night, the Chart Room first. Glad I made it. Interesting people and conversation.
I was chatting with John, Steve and Cindy at the bar. Got into my earlier blog concerning Key West homosexuality the winter of 1979-80.
Steve jumped right in. He and Cindy settled in Key West in 1975. Steve knew exactly what I had written about. A bad time for gays, a bad time for Tennessee Williams.
He described it as a war initiated by a religious faction who wanted gays out of Key West.
I was chatting with David at the round table when Debbie and Eric came by. From Rochester, NY. Ninety miles from my home town Utica.
Debbie is a grammar school cafeteria administrator. Eric runs a liquor store.
Parents of two, grandparents of two.
Debbie and Eric visit Key West once a year. This trip they were staying at the Pier House.
Two guys came in. From Tampa. Visiting for a few days. One originally from Rochester.
It was a Rochester night.
The Rochester visitor a die hard Syracuse fan. We were in all our glory talking about Big Orange basketball and football.
John told me Morgan was stopping by. I wanted to see her again. My stomach said no. I was hungry.
It was off to Tavern ‘n Town for my diet prime rib. I am stuck at 32 pounds. Should have lost a couple more by now. I cannot complain, however.
Trump is destroying our country. Wake up America!
This tariff thing a disaster waiting to happen. Recall Herbert Hoover. The US was sliding into economic problems in 1929. Hoover knew he had to curtail it. He thought a tariff program similar to Trump’s would do the trick.
It did. But not the way he anticipated. The tariffs led the US into the Great Depression.
Trump is the Herbert Hoover of 2018.
Fifty years from now, Trump will be remembered as the person who destroyed the US economy, brought the US to its knees.
Unless he is stopped.
I meet the world in the Chart Room. Over the years, I have met three soybean farmers who own homes also in Key West. The soybean market has been great for them. They are luxuriating in money.
I can’t wait to see them again. All three told me China was their best customer. With the Trump tariff problem, China will no longer be their best customer. Not even their customer for that matter!
Trump cannot see the reality before him. He hit China with $50 billion in tariffs. China came back immediately and hit the US with $50 billion in tariffs.
Trump is not to be screwed with. He just announced he is considering another $100 billion in tariffs re China.
Trump’s head is in his ass. China does not scare. They are a major power. Probably the second in the world. Soon to take the US’s place as number one
Trump also forgets China is the US’ banker. The US borrows money easily as needed from China. The US presently owes China $1.3 trillion. China the US’ second largest creditor.
Suppose China gets pissed off. They could call in US notes, refuse to loan any further monies to the US, etc.
Then what?
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox was on Morning Joe earlier today. He took Trump apart.
Recall in January, Fox told Trump: “Your mouth is the foulest shithole in the world.” This was after Trump referred to African countries as “shitholes.”
This morning Fox referred to Trump as a liar, said NAFTA was working for Mexico that was experiencing full employment, was not aware of the horrible rapes by immigrants in Mexico that Trump has been talking about the past few days.
Money. Everything comes down to money. Fox said Mexico buys $40 billion a year of corn from the US. Because of the tariffs levied, Mexico was looking to Argentina and other South American nations with whom to do corn business.
As to drugs, Fox says the cartel problem exists in the US. He admitted drugs move through Mexico to the US. However, it was the American cartels running the show since the drugs were primarily sold in the US. He could not understand why the US never approached eradicating the drug problem by declaring war on the American cartels.
Fox added that Mexico was opposed to the military deployment along the border that Trump was pursuing in recent days. Not needed, he said
His position basically was that Trump is crazy, does not know what he is doing. Mexico will not be stepped on. He mentioned as evidence that the Mexican Senate very recently passed a resolution calling for suspension of Mexican cooperation with the US re immigration and drug trafficking. Retaliatory to Trump’s moves re tariffs.
Enjoy your day!