HOUSEBOAT ROW

I am late getting started this morning. Had to be at the hospital early. Heart CAT scan. Part of annual check up.

The Keys History Section  in this morning’s Key West Citizen made mention of houseboat row. A part of yesterday’s Key West. A series of houseboats were tied off South Roosevelt Boulevard. In the area now fronted by an expensive condo complex.

The boats were of all sizes and shapes. Young and old. Some tied in a line. Others, helter skelter. A beautiful sight! A slice of the real Key West.

The houseboats were parked illegally. The State told them to get out. It took more than 25 years before the State succeeded. Most of the houseboats moved to Garrison Bight.

I loved the houseboat scene! I was disappointed when they were finally forced to move. A real Key West site forever lost.

I like the condos. The pristine water view where the houseboats once stood. However, it is Naples to me. I did not move to Key West to live in a Naples environment. I wanted to live in Key West time as my friend Howard Livingston would say.

Watched Jeb Bush yesterday. His Presidential announcement great show. Well orchestrated. One of the best I can recall.

I do not think Jeb Jush has it to win. The Bush family argument does fly. His comments from another time. He is out of today’s loop.

Bush lacks charisma. A necessary ingredient in a national and TV campaign. John Kennedy would not have won without it. Bush does not have it.

Judy Blume still on the road. She is touring introducing her latest book In the Unlikely Event. She is presently on the west coast. Every where she speaks, she is well received. a respected woman. a woman with a talent.

We await Judy’s return to her Key West home.

I started yesterday on the anti-gravity treadmill. I took it slow because of my recent sciatica problems.

Drove over to the Cuban Coffee Queen afterwards for Cuban cheese toast and coffee. I parked behind the new fire station on Simonton.

Key West has crazy parking machines. One gets a ticket out of the machine which is then placed on the dashboard of the car. There are two machines in the parking lot. Next to each other.

Both were broke. A City employee was trying to fix them. Success was not coming easy.

I stood around five minutes so I could get a ticket. No ticket on the dashboard and I would get a ticket! The gentleman from the City saw me standing there. He asked how much time I needed. I told him 1.5 hours. He said, ok. Be back by 1:30. I am calling in so no tickets will be given out till 1:30.

I asked…..Are you sure? No problem he retorted.

When I returned at the specified time, he was still working on the machines. I gave him a thumbs up and smile. He returned the same with a wave and smile.

A nice guy.

Big basketball tonight! Cavs and Warriors. Cavs have to win. Otherwise, it is all over for them.

My blog talk radio show tonight, also. Nine my time. Join me for some interesting comment. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include getting drunk on the front steps of your home not public intoxication, another police assault involving a 13 year old boy, why big company and government computers are being hacked, banks involved with FIFA scandal being investigated for failing to report money laundering activities, some Jeb Bush, an Austrian brothel owner who is protesting high taxes on his business by offering free sex in the afternoons, a Greece update, and more.

Enjoy your day!

JUDY BLUME

Key west has had Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and other famous writers. The run continues. One of today’s is Judy Blume.

Judy Blume is a young vibrant 77 year old. Two days ago, she published her most recent book In The Unlikely Event. Her 29 published novels have sold 86 million copies world wide.

Judy is also known as the Fairy Godmother of Puberty. Early in her career, she wrote books for young girls . Regarding topics young ladies confront. Menstrual periods, sex, religion, etc.

Her early books on sex related subjects were banned in some quarters. The thought was too much knowledge for young girls/ladies.

Respected and loved. Another Key West luminary.

My yesterday started with the anti-gravity treadmill. Still not up to speed. Going cautiously. Tomorrow, I will blow it out.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen. Cuban cheese toast and coffee. Spent about two hours. Reading the newspapers and watching people come and go.

Bocce party tonight! At Don’s Place.

Fourteen teams comprise the thursday bocce league. Five of those teams have combined to have an additional competition. Sort of side bet. Those are the money games.

We won this season! Don’s Place. It has been four years since we last won.

The party is fun. There are trophies for everything. Even one for the most obnoxious (for want of a better term). It is known as the Larry Smith Award. I won it once. Though I do not consider myself obnoxious. Not even close. I think they wanted to give me something and the award was the only one left.

Don’s Bean Bag Throwing Tournament was last saturday. I keep referring to Key West as the place where adults come and become children again. Two sixty year olds won the contest. Don and David.

Life can be difficult. It has its moments. An event happened in Syracuse this week evidencing it.

A couple, 41 and 36, were having sex. They mistakenly used industrial glue instead of lubricant. Stuck together! Emergency people called. The couple were delivered to the hospital joined and bare ass.

An embarrassing moment!

I keep waiting for a story about the man who took Viagra and had a problem after four hours. Does it really happen?

Enjoy your day!