GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

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Four score and seven years ago…..

Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address on this day in 1863. The speech less that 300 words took less than 4 minutes to give.

We all learned in school that Lincoln wrote the speech on a paper bag with a pencil while riding the train to Gettysburg. Some say the paper bag was really the back of an envelope.

Both incorrect.

Historians are generally agreed that Lincoln started writing his speech two weeks before he gave it. He worked on it daily.

The paper bag tale is similar to Betsy Ross having sewed the firs American flag.

Recollections of Gettysburg at the time Lincoln gave the address generally leave out the condition of the battlefield. Strewn with rotting horse carcasses.

I did my thing on the anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. Love it! Invigorates me. Each time I finish, I feel I have accomplished something.

AlterG wants pics of Jenny and me. Jenny wanted pics of me on the treadmill with her standing next to me. We did two. They went ou without me seeing them. Saw them last night. No way can they be used! I know I am big. However no where as big as the photos make me appear. Jenny does not know it yet, but we are redoing the picture taking this morning.

The pics will be part of AlterG’s national advertising. They will lose business if they print a pic of me with a huge gut!

Walgreens for prescriptions followed by lunch at Harpoon Harry’s. Ham and eggs. Harpoon Harry’s has the best eggs anywhere. Light. No where else have I enjoyed eggs as I do at Harpoon Harry’s.

Don’s Place last night. Chatted with Don, David, Keith , Toni and Larry Smith. Bocci the topic. Nothing else.

Tonight the last league night. We are presently in third place. Can end up in second. Though I doubt it. Could be fourth. No worse.

Whatever, we will be in the playoffs. The playoffs are saturday and sunday. A long weekend of bocce ahead.

Don, Larry and I then headed to La Te Da. We wanted to see the new inside bar. Wow! Beautiful. Different. The bar I knew for 25 years gone. A new and different one in its place. I can handle the change.

We ate at the outside bar. Tonto bartending once again. I have known Tonto for 20 years.

Two telephone polls down on College Road yesterday. Traffic screwed up all day. A truck hooked into the overhead wires and unknowingly continued driving.

One thing I do not understand is why the poles toppled. The one pictured in this morning’s Key West Citizen shows the top third of one poll hanging. The top third. The polls are concrete. Hurricane polls. I am surprised the one in the paper snapped.

I had a hair appointment with Lori later this morning. Cancelled it. The nickel sized growth the doctor cut off my head is still healing.

Read yesterday that the average cost of a gallon of gasoline is $2.15. We are at $2.49 in Key West. Just once in my life I would like to buy gasoline somewhere at the average price. It does exist. People who drive to Key West from the north country always talk about it. How cheap gas was during the trip.

An interesting article in the Wall St. Journal yesterday. The Koch brothers have a sort of Pac called Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce. Freedom Partners contributed $129 million last year in order to assure Republican control of the U.S. Senate.

The same group is presently raising $899 million for the run up to the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections.

Is this the way to influence elections? I think not. Nor is it healthy for the country.

WordPress still screwed up. Sloan working on it. You are having trouble commenting. Please be patient.

Enjoy your day!

CITIZENS’ VOICE

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The Key West Citizen at page 2 prints the Citizens’ Voice each day. A place where readers can complain about anything and everything.

A comment this morning: “On Big Pine, the Key deer are endangered, but in Key West the locals are far more endangered. Enough!”

My good friend Sheila Cullen is responsible for the column. It is her responsibility to sift through the many comments received and select those she deems worthy of publication. She takes her job seriously.

As Sheila constantly tells me, she tries to select both sides of an issue for print. I smile each time. She sounds fair and balanced like FOX. Fair and balanced she is. FOX she is not.

I did some background digging re the place where the Paris shootings took place. Bataclan. General consensus is ISIS attacked because of France’s participation in Syria. The Times of Israel suggests another reason in addition. Israel/Judaism.

Bataclan was owned for 40 years by a Jewish family. In 2011, a high member of ISIS is reported to have said, “We plan an attack against the Bataclan because its owners are Jews.”

The group playing at the time of the attack were the Eagles of Death Metal. The group played in Tel Aviv’s Barby Club in July.

The family sold Bataclan in September. They now live in Israel.

Merely sharing.

Fine tuned my blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou for broadcast last night. I threw in the Bataclan story just shared. I also shared some portions of this week’s KONK Life column Sex Tales of Old. Post show comments indicate the Betsy Ross and Ben Franklin stories the most popular.

KONK Life hits the news stands today. Read my column Sex Tales of Old. A change of pace article. I had to get away from the heavy stuff.

The Comment section of WordPress was buried yesterday with multiple Chinese I don’t know what. Could not translate, so do not know what was said. Turned out to be spam. Sloan cleaned the section up and hopefully we will not be bothered by the problem again.

My evening was busy. Syracuse/St.Bonaventure basketball 7-9. Tuesday Talk at 9. I caught all but the last minute of the game.

Syracuse won 79-66.

I was not impressed with Syracuse the first three quarters. I had bad vibes. A poor basketball season? Syracuse then turned it around with 15 minutes to go. Went on a 34-14 run.

Recognition must be given St. Bonaventure. An excellent team. Especially good for a small school. I was impressed.

Love that Syracuse is now in the ACC. I no longer have to run around town finding a place with a TV carrying the Syracuse game. Every Syracuse football and basketball game thus far have been televised and were available to me in Key West. I watch the games from home and couch.

The Havana Thunder Challenge is having a hard time getting off this week. Winds too strong and waves too high. Three boats left yesterday and made it to Havana. Three more plan on leaving thursday. Nine have withdrawn from the event.

That I am not a fan of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been obvious. I was unaware till this morning the group was active back in 1966. At that time, the Bishops eliminated the rule against eating meat on friday.

You have no idea the fear imposed on me by the no friday meat rule. I was 7, 8, 9 years old while the rule was in force. Occasionally, I would cheat and have a slice of bologna or something on friday. On saturday, I would stand in line waiting to go to confession scared as hell. In Church! I was afraid of what the priest was going to say to me because of my sin.

My wrongdoing generally ended up in three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys.

Point. The meat thing was a man made rule and could be changed. Much of what the Pope wants to correct/change today involve man made rules. The U.S. Conference of Bishops hold hard in opposition to the Pope’s position.

Wednesday is screw off day for me. My heavy research and writing days are saturday through tuesday. Wednesday, my first day free from responsibility.

Love wednesdays!

Enjoy your day!

 

VIETNAM LIVING MEMORIAL

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There are certain times in our lives that are heart warming and uplifting. Rare. Yesterday was one.

The Vietnam Living Memorial was dedicated. I missed the dedication in the morning. However made the party from 4-7 in the afternoon.

An experience.

There had to be a 1,000 people. Most seniors. Sixties and seventies. White haired, bald, bearded, paunchy. Smiling , laughing and high fiving each other.

The Vietnam War ripped our country apart. Most were opposed to it. President Johnson wanted it. I have always believed he wanted to be a great war time President as Roosevelt had been.

When the Vietnam veterans returned home, there were no welcoming parades, slaps on the back. No thank yous. They never received credit for having put their lives on the line for their country.

Today, the U.S. as a people have come around to recognizing the wrong done. The veterans are from the 1960 thru early 1970 era.

Key West said thank you, we love you, to the Vietnam veterans yesterday with the dedication and then party at Bayview Park.

Six black granite stones with the names of the 362  who served stand proudly. As proud as the veterans celebrating the event yesterday.

After the Vietnam party, I headed to the outside back bar at Aqua. Knew Mark Watson would be bartending. Mark was recently crowned Fantasy Fest King. Enjoyed chatting with him a while.

Then to Tavern ‘n Town for dinner.

The bar quiet. A lovely lady appeared and sat several seats away. We started chatting. When I had finished dinner, I asked if I could move over.

An interesting person. Her name, Anush. Sparkling eyes. Originally from Armenia, she now lives in London. Vacationing in Key West. She is a cyber security consultant.

We talked quite a while of many things. Agreed to meet for dinner friday evening.

It was back to book writing yesterday afternoon. Knocked out another Growing Up Italian chapter. Revised and edited it several times before I was satisfied.

It is about medical attention in the late 1930s. Home bred. Who went to a doctor? Who could afford a doctor? Someone in the family always knew what to do.

I was 4. We lived third floor front. Something like Clorox was bought by families to clean clothes and whatever else. It was called bouledine. An Italian word. I am not sure I am spelling the word correctly. I googled and could not find what I was looking for. If any of you know, please e-mail me.

In any event, the bouledine came in gallon jugs. My mother gave me an empty jug and told me to place it in the hall with the other empty ones.

The hall was long. I was running. I fell. The empty bouledine bottle cutting the palm of my right hand below the thumb. A large piece of glass sticking out of the wound.

My mother screamed. My Uncle Frank came running up from the second floor. Uncle Frank was carpenter. He took care of the problem

He took a large bread knife and worked the glass out. Cutting me a bit in the process. Then took a needle and thread and sewed the wound.  One inch long. Took four stitches. A scar remains today. The four stitches obvious.

Covered the area with mercure com. Everything was covered with mercure com in those days. I do not think it is sold anymore.  He wrapped my hand in a clean white cloth. I was the hero on the block the rest of the day.

Dracula in the Operating Room was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. keywestlou.com.

I have an afternoon visit with the doctor. A follow up visit to my fall last week.

Bocce tonight. Big game! We are in 3rd place. We play the #1 ranked team. They are exceptionally good. Superior. Are first every year. If we win one of the three games, we will consider it a victory.

Enjoy your day!

 

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE BAR

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Last night was interesting. I ate at the bar at Hogfish. My View From The Terrace.

Four couples at the bar. The ladies  had to be fish women. Each a beauty. Each with tanned and weather beaten faces that only come from being out on a boat all the time.

One of the ladies had a tiny dog. Not the smallest of dogs. A step up. The dog quietly sitting in her lap. The dog then sat in her man’s lap. Seated on the other side and next to the man was another lady.

The dog had his nose in the side of the woman’s breast. She turned around suddenly. I knew what was coming. She thought the guy was feeling her up. She started to say something and then paused for a second. Then laughed when she realized it was the dog. She said to the man next to her…..I thought you were feeling me up!

The bartender was young. He knew one of the couples. They said they had not seen him around town in a long time. He said yes, two years. He spends his days with his two year old. Nights working. Another on the way. My life is different, he said. And I don’t mind it!

One of the couples 50ish. Must be a relatively new relationship. Hugging and kissing away.

Another couple came in. Two guys. One a woman, I suspect. No, I would put money on it. A woman trying to pass herself off as a man.

Blond short cropped hair. Discernible breasts. A white man’s shirt. Kaki pants. Shirt tucked in. Tight waist. Spread hips.

They enjoyed a couple of drinks. She then pulled out a cigar. A large thick one. Lite up and puffed away. Knew how to smoke it.

Spent my afternoon yesterday working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick half hour of interesting topics. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include six year old Jeremy Mardis and the court ordered gag on the case, the reason why the cost of food has soared the past three years, police organization planning to retaliate against Hollywood filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, the Catholic Church very similar to the U.S. Congress, Donald Trump and H.L. Mencken, and more.

This morning’s Key West History section had an interesting item. Bagatelle’s building was not always on Duval. Until 1974, the building was at 716 Fleming next to the library. It was moved at that time.

Weather very calm this morning. Nothing moving. A bit eerie.

Syracuse plays Clemson this saturday. Clemson is #1 in the country. Oh, well.

The Republican debates tonight 7-11. I will miss the first part of the first team’s responses. My blog talk radio show at the same time.

I cannot believe the debate by the #1 team will be any better than in the past.

We shall see.

Enjoy your day!

 

CROCODILE GONE?????

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This morning’s Key West Citizen carries another picture of the crocodile that has spent the past week lolling off Smathers Beach. A brief note under the photo suggests the croc is gone. It was not seen over the weekend. However, there was a sighting off Hilton Haven during that time.

Quite a trip from Smathers to Hilton Haven. Going straight across west, not too long a trip. However only land, no water. It would appear if it is the same croc, it had a very long trip around Key West’s perimeter to get to Hilton Haven.

My suspicion, another crocodile.

Interestingly, since the Smathers Beach crocodile story hit a week ago, there have been further articles and talk that there are more crocs in the area than most thought. An iguana type invasion in the making?

Congratulations to the Marquesa for standing up to the phony lawsuit against them. There is a disabled person and attorney who have brought over 1,400 lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Toilets not proper, improper access, and now no lift for a disabled person to get in and out of a pool. Marquesa was sued re the pool thing.

Marquesa’s defense is that the pool is not public, all amenities are for use by registered hotel guests only, and the plaintiff in the case was never registered as a guest at the hotel.

A court appearance is scheduled for early December.

I have a sense of something that has happened or is happening in Key West. Tourists are not eating as much as they have in the past at restaurants. They are drinking. Eating appetizers or cheaper street foods rather than full meals. Paying top dollar at hotels.

After paying for the hotel room and average $10 drinks, tourists are forced to cut somewhere. It is with the food.

I could be wrong.

Spent yesterday afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. The Doctors Killed the President. The story of President James Garfield’s demise. The doctors screwed up.

Pope Francis opened the Synod yesterday in Rome. A convention of sorts of 270 bishops. To deal with Church problems. Serious business. Especially since the Pope is trying hard to open the doors of the Church and the bishops are opposing him.

A few interesting opening comments by the Pope. “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Church is a “field hospital” whose doors must be open to all who knock. “A Church with closed doors betrays herself and her mission, and instead of being a bridge, becomes a roadblock.”

Denmark has a problem. A falling birth rate. Of concern to the government. Who will care for the elderly one of the concerns. China has a similar problem. Not enough female births. Result not enough women for marriage and child bearing. Caused by China limiting the number of children each couple might have.

Denmark has had a liberal sex policy for years. Sex education begins early in the school years. Birth control one of the items pushed. A contributing factor. Having unprotected sex at an appropriate time in life now being pushed also. Do your duty the cry. Do it for Denmark!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

CROCODILE OFF SMATHERS BEACH

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Front page picture in this morning’s Key West Citizen is a crocodile sunning on a boulder off Smathers Beach. The crocodile was described as a juvenile. Looked pretty big to me. Ominous.

In my years in Key West, I am not aware of a crocodile sighting. Maybe 1 or 2 up the keys. Crocs are not common  to our area. Iguanas, one python, vultures, mosquitoes, cats and dogs. But, no crocodiles!

I hope something can be done about this crocodile. Many swim Smathers Beach waters as well as those of nearby Higgs Beach. The Citizen’s short news report indicated the crocodile had been viewed off Smathers for a few days before the photo was taken. Was the public warned?

The humorous/sad part of this story is that crocodiles are a protected species. I assume that protection  does not extend to the authorities doing something about the crocodile.

I went to Church yesterday morning. Unity Congregational. To show honor and respect to my friend Rick Boettger. Rick announced several weeks ago in KONK Life that his time on earth is limited. Prostrate cancer.

Rick reflected on his life. Touching.

Rick’s wife Cynthia sitting in the front row. Afterwards, we exchanged a hug and kiss. Rick and I hugged, also.

Rick is an intellectual of sorts. He expressed an interest in our sitting down together  to discuss world problems and solutions. I believe such a meeting will take place soon. We did a similar get together several months ago on the rear deck at Rick’s home. Cynthia and Pru Sowers present. With drinks in hand, the world was a better place by the time we finished our talk.

Wrote this week’s KONK Life column in the afternoon. Young Man To Pope. Unusual human events in Pope Francis’ life that contributed to the man we have come to know today. Events that helped mold Francis into the person he is.

Watched the end of the golf tournament and race to the FedEx Cup. Jordan Spieth impressive. Twenty two years old. He won $22 million this year.

Sunday night for me has been Roostica. The special is spaghetti with meatballs, sausage and pork. Like my grandmother made.

When I left home, it was not raining. Roosstica is 2 miles from my home. At the end of one mile, it started pouring. By the time I got to Roostica, the rain was extremely heavy. Limited vision.

I sensed the rain was not going to end shortly. I did not want to run the ten feet to Roostica from where my car was parked. I would have been drenched!

I turned around and drove to the Marriott’s Tavern ‘n Town. The Marriott’s parking garage is covered. The lobby a door away. No rain cascading down on me.

Yesterday’s Citizen carried the bocce listings. Our team is tied with another for second place. Our records 13-2. The number one team is 14-1. A great year so far!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

SHEILA CULLEN

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Sheila Cullen is part of the Chart Room round table. The place where several of us resolve Key West and world problems several nights a week.

Sheila is on the staff of the Key West Citizen. One of her responsibilities is the Citizens’ Voice column which appears daily on page 2. It is the place where readers can give vent to that which is aggravating them. Some comments are favorable and laudatory, though a rarity.

The comments sent in for Citizens’ Voice publication are numerous. Too many for all to be printed. Sheila’s job is to read all and decide which are to be published. She tries to do a good job. Actually, she does. So many letters and so little space.

One thing Sheila is proud of his her fair and balanced approach. If there are two sides to a story, she endeavors to publish both.

One of the comments this morning was right on…..Politicians are like baby diapers, they need to be changed often and for the same reason.

A perfect choice, Sheila!

This is a Key West Citizen morning. Bottom right hand corner of the comic page carries The World Almanac. Things that occurred this date in time. One of the items involves birthdays of the famous, dead or alive.

This morning Engelbert Humperdinck was listed. His years 1854-1921. Could not be! I know Engelbert Humperdinck. A singer of international fame back in my days. The 1960s and 1970s. Must be a mistake, I thought.

It was not. Turns out the Engelbert Humperdinck listed was for real. He was a famous German composer. Including operas. One of his most famous Hansel and Gretel.

The more recent Engelbert Humperdinck was and still is an English pop singer. His real name and the name he initially performed under was Arnold George Dorsey. His manager said Arnold needed a new name. So he took the original Engelbert Humperdinck’s.

Both men successes. Both big time during their respective eras.

I started my yesterday on the anti-gravity treadmill. The best thing I have done exercise wise in years. I go a bit faster each day.

Then to the Marriott Beachside Beach Bar for lunch and the newspapers. Simon bartending. Originally from Poland, he has resided in Key West 11 years.

Simon likes to travel. He does it as often as possible. His goal is to see the world. He returned two weeks ago from Hawaii.

I spent the afternoon preparing for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting topics. Most, revealing.

Topics include Congress failing to fund the U.S. Navy sufficiently so that we are now way behind China and Russia in naval vessels, the Eurounion willing to pay African countries 1 billion euros each to take back immigrants, a new study bolstering the bad effects of Roundup, food stamp use dramatically on the rise under Obama, a one month old new Middle East war the American media fails to report, Illinois not having the money to pay a $250,000 lottery winner, and more.

Join me at 9 my time for a fast moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Last night, the Chart Room first. Sheila Cullen, Jean Thornton and I the round table group. Met Dan. He is the new political cartoonist for KONK Life.

Jean and I had dinner at the bar at Hot Tin Roof. It has been a while since we dined together. A most charming woman. Found gold and emeralds when diving with Mel Fisher years ago. Has not worked since. Enjoys life.

Obama in Alaska today. A global warming trip. The issue needs to be emphasized and I am glad Obama is doing it.

The President announced yesterday that Alaska’s Mt. McKinley was being renamed. to Denali. Republicans are up in arms. Let me share the facts and you make up your mind.

Mt. McKinley is the highest mountain in North America. When McKinley was running for President back in the late 1890s, the mountain was named after him. A political move. McKinley never visited the mountain before, at the time or thereafter.

The people of Alaska have historically referred to the mountain as Denali. The High One, The Great One. In 1975, Alaska by law renamed McKinley Denali. The people of Alaska preferred it that way.

Sounds to me like an ok judgment by the President.

Enjoy your day!

ROB O’NEAL’S EMBASSY STORY

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This morning’s Key West Citizen front page lead article had to do with the raising of the American flag yesterday over the U.S. Embassy in Havana. The article was written by Rob O’Neal. Writer and Photographer. Cuban expert.

Outstanding!

I was especially taken by the paragraph which told the story of the three Marines who under very adverse circumstances took the flag down 54 years ago. They were front row at the flag raising ceremony.

Only out of the house once yesterday. Not planned. Just the way it went.

Started my day at Body Owners with the anti-gravity treadmill. Then home. Never left.

I got involved in researching next week’s KONK Life column. I became so engrossed that I worked into the early evening. The column concerns the Black Lives Matter group, Oath Keepers, and George Soros. Revealing.

There is more research to do today. I will write the column tomorrow.

I thank Cara for opening my eyes to the subject.

Today is August 15. August 15, 1969 was a big day in American history. Opening day of Woodstock. Estimated 400,000 attendees. Wild! Revealed a new America.

Larry and Christine Smith were at Woodstock. Larry and Christine seem to have been everywhere. They just returned from a six week holiday. Most of the time spent in Italy and England.

I came across the following a few days ago on Facebook. Worth sharing.

WHY DO WE HAVE WARS? Because we are ruled by an elite group of psychopaths who own the banks that control the governments and media. They fund both sides of war for profit and they manufacture the consent of the public through the propaganda of the media.

Enjoy your day!

BABY ANGELINA

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Another beautiful Key West morning! A calm one. Nothing moving. Water still. No breeze. Birds chirping. I stepped out on the deck. I felt the whole world was mine.

President Obama’s eulogy at Reverend Pinckney’s service moved me. My emotions got involved. Tears filled my eyes. I thought it was one of man’s great orations. The feeling apparently mutual. Media persons over the weekend have expressed themselves in a similar fashion.

Amazing Great was part and parcel of the eulogy. In fact, part and parcel of the service.

Several years ago, I wrote an article for Amazon Kindle titled Amazing Grace. The story/history behind the Amazing Grace of today. Several times I have reprinted the article. I did again yesterday. Called it Amazing Grace Revisited.

I was motivated by President Obama’s singing of the classic during the eulogy.

Amazing Grace Revisited is this week’s column in KONK Life. Publishes wednesday.

Love Publix! The crossroads of Key West!

Yesterday afternoon ran into Albert and his family. Albert was my trainer at WeBeFit. A terrific guy. Special. Albert was pushing his cart accompanied by his wife. Inside sat Angelina. Their eight month old daughter.

First time I had seen her. A beauty! The face, the hair, the eyes. The eyes especially. Reminded me of the Gerber baby.

God bless!

A week ago on June 23, this blog was titled Cuban Hemingway House. Hemingway’s Cuban home called Finca Vigia. Run down. Filled with Hemingway books, letters and photos. Beat up from the humidity over the years. The home is closed. No tours, etc. as here in Key West.

My article was motivated by the news that an American foundation was providing a not for profit Cuban group with just under $900,000 to save the items. An example of little things beginning to happen because of warming relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

This morning’s Key West Citizen retold the story. With much more detail and photographs.

The Citizen article revealing. Dink Bruce is a local. Everyone knows Dink. A warm sociable guy. The article reveals that Dink’s father Bruce was a good friend of Hemingway. Bruce did the renovations to Finca Vigia when Hemingway acquired the property. Dink still has some of the renovation drawings.

A small world. One way or another, we all seem to be connected.

Lest I forget, two of Hemingway’s greatest works were written while he lived at Finca Vigia. For Whom The Bells Toll and The Old Man And The Sea.

Greece. WOW days ahead! Greece and the Eurounion are split. Greece is on its own. Unbelievable money problems ahead for Greece. Perhaps also the Eurounion.

Greece has already announced that banks will be closed for six days. Only 60 euros a day may be removed from ATM accounts. The problem is that there are only enough euros left to supply the ATM machines for 3 days. Then, what? Will the drachma return? Or as far fetched as it sounds, will Greece adopt the American dollar as its currency?

My friend Anna telephoned from Novara yesterday. She is scheduled to fly to Greece for a month’s vacation tomorrow. She is fearful of going. I e-mailed her this morning and told her to go somewhere else. Greece will be uncertain for a while.

I would love to be in Greece at this time. Athens and the islands. It will be exciting! Protests, demonstrations. Who knows what else. A moment in history. Not in my plans however.

Have to hustle. Anti-gravity treadmill later this morning.

Enjoy your day!

 

DINNER WITH FRIENDS

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Dinner last night with friends. Karen and Dan Visnic. Karen a Pittsburg Shaklee distributor.

We met through this blog. Karen and Dan are loyal readers. Have been for years. Also frequent visitors to Key West. Three to four times a year. Renting a home on Olivia for the month of June.

We met about a year ago. Lunched at Salute’s where we dined last night. They were in Key West during Fantasy Fest. Their daughter and son in law joined them.

I am ashamed to admit, I had never read anything by John D. MacDonald. Their daughter when she returned home shipped me MacDonald’s The Deep Blue Good-By.

Karen and Dan return for another visit in July. I look forward to seeing them again.

Yesterday began with a late morning session on the anti-gravity treadmill. I swear by this machine. Whereas I recently lost 35 pounds, my gut remained. The treadmill is removing or redistributing my belly. Thrilling!

Then to Lee Nails and Tammy for a manicure. Tammy the best! Her keen sense of humor frequently peeked out yesterday.

It was lunch time. The Cuban Coffee Queen. It is becoming a habit. Parking is easy. I love Cuban pressed bread and coffee. The setting perfect.

This morning’s Key West Citizen carried an interesting front page article. Key West hotels are doing terrific. Occupancy up. Hotel rates have increased 55 percent over the past six years.

Key West is an expensive place. Whether a resident or tourist. The major hotels have been taken over by the big corporations in the last five years. My fear is the ever increasing cost of a hotel stay is going to hurt the chicken that lays the golden egg. Gluttony a terrible thing.

I write frequently about turtles. We are crazy for anything having to do with the water.  The keys fortunate to have a turtle hospital in Marathon.

Two Marathon Turtle Hospital staff recently visited Cuba and met with a primary gamekeeper of turtles there.

The Marathon team brought simple medical tools with them. Medical equipment such as microscopes and a box of slides. Simple is not available in Cuba. Basics of any kind not available.

The trip impresses me. Another step in reuniting the bond between the U.S. and Cuba. These little things move ahead more swiftly than government interaction. It appears it is going to take a long time for the U.S. to become friends with Cuba again. People to people appears more effective.

I am unhappy with the Trans Pacific Pact vote yesterday. A victory for Obama and the Republican Congress. History repeats itself. Rarely do nations learn. Ten years from now the bad will be obvious, the damage already done to the U.S.

Clinton had his NAFTA. Cost the U.S. millions of jobs. Jobs alone are not at stake this time. Foreign control of American businesses is. Obama way off base on this one.

I woke this morning to a gray Key West. Even gray, the vista beautiful to behold. The gray is now lifting and the sun coming out.

I always have had a problem re the spelling of gray. Gray or grey? I looked it up this morning. Both spellings correct. Merely different spellings of the same word. Gray commonly used in the U.S. Grey in England. Take your pick!

Enjoy your day!