THE NATURE OF THINGS

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When it wants, nature commands.

Very early yesterday morning, I stepped out onto my deck. I was amazed at the calm. There are many days when everything appears calm, but yet there is a slight movement in a palm leaf or something. Yesterday, no movement. Nothing at all.

Reminded me of Hurricane Georges. The night before was the same. Quiet. Peaceful. Absolutely nothing moving.

I learned back then the meaning of calm before the storm. Georges hit hard the next day. So too the storming yesterday afternoon and last night. Extremely heavy rain. Joined by thunder and lightning throughout the night.

Yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Continued with the 30 second fast thing. Increased the speed more than previously.

Then to Lee Nails and Tammy for a manicure and pedicure. Lee Nails amazes me. Tammy and her husband have built a huge following.

There was a break in the rain at dinner time. I decided on Hogfish. Mentally it seemed like the place to be after the rain. I was right. You could taste and smell the rain. All pleasant. Enjoyed my time at the bar.

I screwed up. I mentioned the other day that the Boat Parade was this saturday. Fortunately, I received many e-mails correcting me. The Boat Parade is a week from saturday. This saturday is the Christmas Parade. An event! Enjoy it somewhere along Truman.

Boeheim’s NCAA appeal has been decided. The only change was that the 9 game penalty begins saturday with the Georgetown game. Instead of at the beginning of the ACC season. A better result than before. Still sucks.

A raw deal for Boeheim. He had no direct tie to the charges. Which in and of themselves did not warrant the overall harshness of the original decision.

Few know the composition of and how the NCAA works. Worthy of a column at some point.

I have not been a fan of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for some time. They are a traditional group to the far right. Similar to the Protestant religious far right. The Bishops are generally in opposition to the changes Pope Francis is working to bring about.

The bishops recently met in Baltimore. Note that many did not show up for the scheduled meeting. Those present prepared a political document to guide Catholic voters.

The nerve of them! Priests belong in church preaching God’s word from the pulpit. Not in the public market place telling me and other Catholics how we should vote.

The bishops are way out of line.

Trump is beginning to get under my skin again. When asked how things will get done, he says it’s all about management. Skillful management contributed to the death of six million Jews.

Trump is a loose cannon.

Syracuse plays Georgetown tomorrow. A battle between former Big East foes. Syracuse/Georgetown games were always exciting and hard fought. Tomorrow should be interesting. The game is at 1 on FOX.

My weekly interview on KONK News takes place on local radio 104.9 at 12:15 today. Fifteen minutes of me answering questions and discussing this week’s KONK Life column The Eiffel Tower.

Enjoy your day!

EVENING NOT AS PLANNED

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The best laid plans of mice and men…..

My evening was planned. Syracuse basketball. I rarely miss a game. Everything else is pushed to the side.

There were two other things that could have been on my plate last night.

The annual Pier House Christmas Show. Starring dear friends Larry Smith, Kathleen Peace, Skipper Kripitz and Christine Cordone. Syracuse basketball superseded them.

The other was dinner with Cheryl and Roger. Now living in Cape Coral, they are visiting Key West for two weeks. Cocktails instead. Syracuse basketball taking priority.

I had lunch yesterday at the Pier House Beach Bar. Lovely Jaynine bartending. I could hear singing coming from the outer deck by the old Wine Galley. Knew the voice. Kathleen Peace!

I walked back to say hello. Larry and Skipper rehearsing with Kathleen. Hugs, kisses and a few moments of chatting. Told Larry I would not be there in the evening. Syracuse basketball. He could not understand why I would pick basketball over the show.

Different strokes for different folks.

An observation. Larry, Kathleen, Skipper and Christine are Key West. I repeat, they are Key West. None more representative.

I met Cheryl and Roger at the Sq. 1  bar at 5. They knew I would be leaving at 6:30 to watch the Syracuse game. It was good to see them. It had been several months. A couple of drinks and appetizers. At exactly 6:30, I left for home.

I settled in my recliner and turned on the TV. The game had already started. The score 10-10. The next thing I knew it was the start of overtime. I had fallen asleep and missed the whole game!

Some days I can’t win for losing.

Syracuse lost to Wisconsin in overtime 66-58. The sports news this morning indicates Syracuse played poorly. One problem was the boards. Syracuse was out rebounded 51-25.

On to the next game.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I am into something new. Working on my heart rate. I go fast for 30 seconds and then to a slow walk for 2 minutes. Not jogging. Walking very fast. Reached the highest speeds yet that way. As long as it does not kill me, it is good for me.

Keys History this morning reported that on this day in 1900 a ship left Key West for New York. The ship carried 1,846,000 cigars which had been made in Key West. A lot of cigars! What an industry! Gone now from Key West.

My friend Anna lives in Navara, Italy. We have not communicated in months. Received an e-mail from her yesterday. It was in Italian. Strange. She always writes in English. There was a warning across the e-mail. Do not open. People will steal your money, etc.

I did not open. Forwarded it to Anna, however.

An hour later, I received a telephone call from Anna. She was sitting in the Novara police station. Someone got into her e-mail. One of her bank accounts was already 5,700 euros light. About $8,000 American money. She warned me not to open the e-mail sent me which I already knew.

She telephoned again later when she returned home. She was obviously upset. Anna is affluent. However, also conservative. Watches every penny.

She was in Chamonix last weekend. A small ski town over the Italian border in France. About an hour’s drive from her home. For the first time, she had to show ID before she was permitted to enter France.

It was reported this morning that Saudi Arabia has scheduled a mass execution of 50 persons. All political activists, except for a Palestinian poet. All to be beheaded at one time.

I wonder how it is going to be done. I reported a year ago that Saudi Arabia was publicly advertising for beheaders. More were needed. Understandable. Saudi Arabia big at beheading.

Is each person to be executed to have his/her own beheader? Or, will one do all 50? I am not trying to be funny. Based on the want ad last year, that many executions at one time could be a problem for Saudi Arabia.

I love Saudi Arabia! They gave us $4 a gallon gasoline, 17 of the 21 9/11 terrorists were Saudi Arabian citizens. The same Saudi Arabia that is supposedly our friend. Saudi Arabia also has refused to take any of the Syrian refugees in. Their own people. Muslims.

Enjoy your day!

 

WORLD AIDS DAY

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World AIDS Day was celebrated in Key West yesterday. At the AIDS Memorial at the entrance to the White Street Pier.

Key West remembers the AIDS victims. All loved. Sadly gone.

Key West jumped in to help in the early days of the epidemic. AIDS Help came into being. A special friend Dee Raniuk was part of AIDS Help for 20 years. AIDS victims became her life’s work.

Dee was raised on the Cape. Earned herself a PhD in psychology. She could have worked anywhere with the degree. For significant dollars. Instead, she opted to work with AIDS victims in Key West. She dedicated herself to them.

Dee is now retired from AIDS Help. She has a second home on Cudjoe Key. Tragedy has befallen Dee. Not AIDS. Something just as bad. She is a cancer victim.

The past two years have not been easy for her. A couple of operations. A lot of suffering. Cannot eat. Only drink. And not alcohol. Her drugs too powerful. A couple of sips of wine and Dee is off the wall.

I love Dee. I am glad she has been a part of my life in recent years. I hope she continues to be.

Yesterday afternoon was spent fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Did the show in the evening.

For some reason, I had more material than normal. Twice as much. Not certain why. Perhaps more things happened this past week. Whatever, I got them all in. I can’t wait to listen to the archived edition later this morning. I am concerned I might have talked a bit too fast.

Santa Claus and Don’t Pee On Me were two interesting topics.

A shopping mall in New Jersey decided to charge to see Santa Claus this year. Built a special house within the mall. North Pole thing. Children charged $35 each to talk to Santa Claus. Family fee was $75. Only lasted 5 days. The public outcry was too much. Now free. As it should be.

Don’t pee on me interesting. Apparently, people have taken to peeing outdoors in large numbers worldwide. Generally against a wall. The result an enduring disgusting smell.

Cologne and San Francisco among those with the problem. In San Francisco, party goers and the homeless. In Cologne, men in general.

The solution, a special hydrophobic paint. The walls were painted with the urine paint. It caused urine splashed against a wall to be returned to the peeer (such a word?) at the same angle. The peeer pissed on by his own excretion.

In Cologne, warning signs: You pee on me, I pee on you.

Another item discussed is the new $313 million cloning plant being built in China. Primarily to clone cows. Not enough beef available for China’s middle class.

This morning I saw a news report that the director involved with the cloning plant says humans can be cloned. Now. Today. Public reaction is the only thing prohibiting it.

My column in KONK Life this week is The Eiffel Tower. A biography. KONK Life hits the stands today.

Syracuse/Wisconsin tonight in basketball. Hope Syracuse continues its winning style.

Read an article about Tiger Woods. Doubts he will play golf next year. His back and a nerve condition. His exercise is presently limited to walking.

I feel badly for Woods. At some point, he may have to make the decision to pack it in. Retirement no shame. It will take years before another golfer achieves his accomplishments.

Today, screw off day for me. Other than this blog, nothing to write, no show to prepare for. It will be be an easy day for me. Not sure what I will do, except for watching the Syracuse game tonight.

Enjoy your day!

 

HEMINGWAY’S PARIS

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Tom Oosterhaudt publishes a popular Key West weekly. Conch Color. A well done work. His editorial this week involves Paris and Hemingway.

Hemingway spent seven years in Paris. He wrote of those years. The book Paris Est Une Fete. Translated, Paris Is A Party. The book was published in the U.S. also. The title different. A Moveable Feast. Why, I do not know.

The book was published long ago. Not mentioned in years. Till the recent Paris terrorist attack. The book came alive again. It is #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Tom’s excellent editorial contains a Hemingway quote at the end. Reflective of Hemingway’s ability to blend words. “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”

I spent yesterday afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. The Eiffel Tower. A biography of the Eiffel Tower.  I was motivated to write something about Paris for the same reason as Tom. The terrorist attack. The column publishes wednesday.

Dinner last night at Tavern ‘n Town. I read Conch Color and Tom’s editorial while enjoying dinner at the bar.

Sue Puskedra is lovely, talented and hard working. She owns and operates Susie’s Key West Estates Sales. Does an excellent job. I know from experience.

Susie conducted an estate sale this past weekend that saddens me. I suspect also many Key Westers. After 21 years, Pelican Poop has closed its doors. A Key West icon gone. Never to return.

Paris continues to be in the news. The Paris Climate Summit begins today. Nearly 200 nations attending. Thousands of staff. I agree global warming is a problem. A significant one. However, I doubt the conference will have much success. Too many countries and corporations with divergent  interests affected.

I have yet to visit Paris. A must do for me. Hopefully in the near future. I have visited several small French towns at the foot of Mont Blanc. Ski country. I liked the area. The people not so much. I found the French to be snobbish.

Global warming and climate change being felt in Key West this year. The sea level has risen. Streets normally not flooded are flooded with salt water. Without a major rainstorm.

There is a three day conference beginning tomorrow at Casa Marina to begin dealing with the problem.

Tough to go undefeated in any sport these days. The Patriots found out yesterday when they lost to Denver 30-24. I watched parts of the game. The ability to play a game in snow and cold amazes me.

I am back to Body Owners today. I have not been on the anti-gravity treadmill since last wednesday. My body tells me I have missed it.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

BOCCE SEASON ENDS FOR US

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It’s all over. The bocce season ended for us last night. We lost.

We played the #3 team from the monday night league. We destroyed them the first game. They destroyed us in return the second game. The third game was for all the marbles.

We were losing 13-2. We made a comeback. The score was 15-13. They won 16-13.

The best season ever for us. Ended up second in the thursday night league. Drew a bye in the playoffs before losing last night.

An outstanding season!

The finals today. We will not be playing.

Spent the day time yesterday researching this week’s KONK column. Paris has been in the news frequently because of the terrorist attack. I wanted to write something about Paris. I decided on the Eiffel Tower. The column will be written this afternoon.

A double header in effect yesterday re Syracuse.

The football team won the last game of the season. Beat Boston College 20-17.  A poor football season for Syracuse. Glad we won the last one.

Coach Shafer was fired last week. He agreed to coach the last game, however. The players carried him off the field on their shoulders after the game.

Syracuse basketball big this past week. Beat two ranked teams in winning the Atlantis tournament. CBS Sports Top 25 (plus one) ranks teams daily. Yesterday, Syracuse was ranked #13. Great! Unreal at the same time.

I don’t know how Syracuse will end the season. They played terrific basketball in the tournament, however. The team deserves to be ranked.

The Putin/Erdogan fiasco continues. Putin yesterday imposed severe sanctions on Turkey. Putin said he was throwing the gauntlet down. He refused to accept telephone calls from Erdogan.

The defense analyst who said the two were measuring their dicks was correct. Yesterday was Putin’s turn.

Enjoy your sunday!

 

MEASURING DICKS

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We live in dangerous times. You do not need me to tell you.

A recent crisis that has the capacity to bring matters to the boiling point is Turkish planes shooting down a Russian jet. Russia’s Putin and Turkey’s Erdogan are issuing inflammatory statements. Each threatening the other.

Turns out Putin and Erdogan do not like each other. There is personal animosity between them for other reasons. These guys will go nose to nose.

Pavel Felgenhauer is a defense analyst. He bluntly described the situation as follows: “Right now they’re measuring dicks, and that’s very dangerous.”

My yesterday began with a doctor visit. I decided to have breakfast out following the visit. Tried Sq. 1 sitting outside. Years since I have done it. I was pleased. Good food. A great place for people watching.

The Key West Aloe store is on Duval just around the corner from Duval Square. I stopped in. Wanted to try their shaving gel. No shaving gel.

I thought how sad the old Key West Aloe store on Front street is gone. The new owners moved the store and everything else several years ago to another spot in Florida. The new Key West store tiny. Well done in brown and white colors, as are the tubes of aloe products. No aroma.

A lovely place. However, nowhere as large and as nice as the one I remember.

Yesterday was Syracuse basketball again. The final game of the Atlantis tournament being played in the Bahamas. Syracuse beat Texas A & M 74-67. An excellent victory.

The other three teams in the tournament were all ranked. Syracuse, not. Syracuse will be when the new rankings come out monday.

Good wins for Syracuse. The two games tested Syracuse. We still lack that one extra tall muscle bound big guy unfortunately.

An interesting season ahead.

The Keys Coral Reef is bleaching. Not good. Could be bad, though not necessarily. Depends on things I am not familiar with. Extreme warm water doing it. Second consecutive year the bleaching has occurred.

The hurricane season ends in a couple of days. November 30 to be exact. Vultures have returned. Large congregations of them.

We do not need the date to tell us the hurricane season has ended. The return of the vultures signifies the end of the hurricane season. Nature telling us.

I continue to be repitious. Truman loved Key West, Key West loves Truman.

On today’s date 1949, Truman, wife Beth and daughter Margaret arrived for a three week vacation.

Two China items of interest.

China has a large growing middle class. They want all the things the middle class of any nation expects. One is good food. Beef to be precise.

China does not have enough beef to satisfy its middle class. No problem. A 14,000 square meter factory is being built at a cost of $313 million. Its purpose, to clone cows. The plant is expected to produce 100,000 embryos a year.

Reports indicate cloned beef ok to eat. Tastes like the real stuff. A question arises. Is this another GMO situation?

China continues to expand militarily. China is establishing its first military base in Africa. In a little country called Djibouti. The base is the first expansion of China’s military power beyond the Asian Pacific.

Bocce playoffs today. A big deal, as I continue to tell you. Exciting. We play at 3. If we win, at 6. If we win again, tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

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Happy Thanksgiving one and all! May God’s blessings fall upon each of you.

Love thanksgiving! Love the meal! Love the family time!

Last year, I was dieting. Did not partake of much that covered the table. This year, not dieting. I plan on pigging out.

What I am about to share will blow your mind.

The Pilgrims and Indians did get together for three days in 1621. Did they dine or fight? Historians not sure.

What is sure is that following the first years of Plymouth settlement, the settlers and Indians were at each other’s throats. More the settlers than the Indians. They did not get along. Money initially the problem. Who owned the land? The settlers thought it was theirs. The Indians disagreed.

Massacres became common place. The settlers massacring the Indians. In large numbers. In 1637 near Groton, Connecticut, the settlers massacred 700 Pequot tribe members. Men, women and children. In one morning. Clubbed and shot them to death. Few Pequots escaped.

As a side note, the Pequot tribe today owns Foxland Casino and Hotel in Connecticut. Larger than the Pentagon, the facility generates from gambling alone billions a year.

Settlers/colonists continued raiding Indian villages and killing the occupants for well over a hundred years. Slavery was in vogue. Women and children over 14 were herded into slave boats carrying 500 and transported to the West Indies where they were sold.

At one time, Indians were captured and beheaded. Shades of ISIS. Our predecessors did it! In a Stamford massacre, the heads were kicked up and down streets as if soccer balls.

In 1779, George Washington as head of the Colonial forces ordered a General Sullivan to eradicate the Iroquois Nation. The Iroquois had supported the British. They were a thorn in Washington’s side. Eradicate meant kill. Thousands were. The Colonial troops scalped the dead bodies. The scalps were later sold for profit.

Following every Indian massacre, the settlers/colonists would party. The party was one of Thanksgiving because they had won. Such Thanksgivings were common  place.

When Washington became President, he thought there were too many Thanksgivings. Such did not reflect well on the new country. Ergo, Washington declared there would be one Thanksgiving Day a year. The excuse given was to celebrate the new Constitution. In reality, to cut back dramatically on the number of Thanksgivings being celebrated because of the Indian genocide.

Syracuse playing basketball in the Bahamas tournament. Beat Charlotte yesterday 83-70. Syracuse looked good most of the game. They faltered on occasion in the second half which made the game closer than it actuality was.

Today, Syracuse plays Connecticut. A former Big East opponent. Syracuse’s first test of the new season. Game at 3:30 this afternoon on ESPN.

Key West pisses money away. The City Commission authorizes all kinds of mucho expensive studies and generally pays more than expected for everything they do.

This morning’s Key West Citizen reports the City will be spending $754,000 on furniture. New furniture for the new City Hall. A disgrace! A waste! None of the old furniture to be used, Regardless of condition. The $754,000 figure excessive. The sellers have to be making big commissions and profit.

When will the City Commission begin spending taxpayer dollars as if such were their own money?

Eat much! Enjoy the day!

SU DAY

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Syracuse, my Syracuse!

Scott Shafer, the football coach, got fired. I hate to see anyone canned. However, he has been making bad decisions. Especially in the Clemson and LSU games at times when the chance to win existed.

His major achievement was in recruiting. If Syracuse becomes successful in the next three years, it will be because of Shafer’s recruiting.

He has one year left on his contract. He has agreed to coach the last game of the season saturday against Boston College.

This is overlap time. Basketball season has started.

Syracuse plays Charlotte today in the Bahamas. Part of the Battle for Atlantis Tournament. Syracuse favored by 14 points. The game is at 2:30 on ESPN2.

I will be watching the game, of course. However, I will have to take a break at 3. The KONK News interview I do fridays will be recorded at 3 this afternoon for airing friday. I am not available friday.

I will be interviewed re this week’s KONK Life column Muslim Refugees…..No.

My blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou aired last night. A topic that garnered considerable comment had to do with what I described as the unknown Thanksgiving story. Thanksgiving not the way we know it, have been taught to believe. Surprising. Too long to spell out here. For another day and format.

The blog talk radio show is linked to my Key West Lou website where you can listen to the story in detail any time. keywestlou.com.

The Keys History section in this morning’s Key West Citizen commented on the Keys/Key West visit in 1952 by Princess Martha of Norway and her two daughters. Princess Martha came up in my research for Sexual Tales of Old. Sex being  common place, I overloaded with instances to report. Due to space and wanting to report instances several hundred years back in history, I left the Princess Martha story out.

I briefly share it with you today.

Martha was first the Princess of Sweden where she was born. She married Crown Prince Olav of Norway, thereby becoming Princess Martha of Norway.

The Princess and her family escaped Nazi occupation during World War II. The Princess and children went to live in the U.S. The Crown Prince, England.

The Princess and President Franklin D. Roosevelt were good friends. Before World War II, the families were close. During the war, the Princess and FDR had a full blown affair. She had access to the White House and Hyde Park. She would visit when Eleanor Roosevelt was away. She referred to  Roosevelt as Dear Godfather.

Roosevelt was disabled. Confined to a wheel chair most of his adult life. Apparently not sexually disabled. The President had five affairs/relationships from the time he was Governor of New York till the time he died.

The Chicago video recently released is shocking. The police officer was correctly indicted for murder.

The black victim was 10 feet away and moving away from the police officer. He was carrying a 3 inch knife.

From the time the police officer arrived till the shooting ended, the police officer was at the scene 30 seconds. He shot 16 bullets at the victim in 13 seconds. The victim was on the ground after the second shot.

Chicago paid the victim’s family several months ago $5 million. Paid without a lawsuit being instituted.

My criticism of the process is that it took more than a year for the police officer to be indicted. If the situation were reversed and the police officer shot, the black man would be indicted in 48-72 hours.

Not equal justice.

Tripped onto an article yesterday re germs on airplanes and in airports. Not the bathrooms in planes. They are relatively clean because they are frequently sanitized.

The table trays the worst. Rarely cleaned. Running a close second, the drinking fountain button in airports.

Many other germy areas. None close to the degree of germs found on the trays and water fountain buttons, however.

Enjoy your day!

 

KEY WEST ALOE

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On this day in 1971, Frank Romano and Joe Liszka opened the Key West Aloe store on Front street. They called it Key West Fragrance & Cosmetics. However, the shortened Key West Aloe took hold and the store became so known.

I initially disliked the store. A woman’s place! Perfumey! Too pretty! Over a period of time, the very essence of the room captured me. I would enjoy entering just to walk around breathing in the sweet aromas and enjoying the subtle colors of everything..

I never got to know Frank Romano. I do have a large Jack Baron painting of him. Bought it at a charity auction many years ago.

I was fortunate to get to know Joe Liszka the last couple of years. A nice guy. Great sense of humor.

Now both gone. As is their Front Street store. Frank and Joe sold out many years ago. The new owners over the passage of time closed the sales store on Front Street and the factory on Green Street.

Stopped at Publix yesterday. Just to pick up a few things. The wrong time. Packed! Thanksgiving shoppers! A lot of stop and go in the aisles. Each crowded.

Publix had to have had a good day. The carts overloaded with holiday goodies.

Spent yesterday afternoon preparing for my blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick hard hitting half hour. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

One of the topics tonight will be excerpts from this week’s KONK Life Column. Muslim Refugees…..No. I go beyond the terrorist issue. I go where France, Britain, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands are today. They have accepted Muslim immigrants in large numbers the past several years. Their experience is lesson enough to close the door to these refugees.

Before you accuse me of being anti-Muslim, uncharitable and un-American, read the column which publishes tomorrow in KONK Life.

Other topics tonight include a couple of Trump items. His approval of waterboarding and the media capitulating to his rants. Some little known facts thrown in about Thanksgiving. Not nice. And more.

Winter is moving into Key West. The nights are chilly. Around 70-72. There was a chill in the air this morning when I went outside to get the mail. The days are warm. Around 78 degrees. No humidity.

Perfect weather from my perspective.

My annual physical this afternoon. Dr. Jackie Lefferts will be prodding me.

Syracuse’s football season ongoing. Syracuse plays Boston College saturday. Boston College a three point favorite.

I am not sure where the game is being played. Obviously every other year in Boston. For years, I made the trek with several other couples for the game. A fun weekend. Though always cold. We dressed appropriately for the games. Hats and gloves included. An outdoor stadium.

We usually stayed at the Harborside or Harborfront Hotel. Lovely. Ate well, partied well.

A must for at least one meal was the Sail Loft Restaurant. On the water. Not fancy. Fresh Maine lobsters to die for. Great fried clams.

Has the Reply problem been corrected? I know it has for some. I want it to be for everyone. If any of you are still having a problem, write and let me know at louispetrone@gmail.com.

Editing blog to add: Great White shark seen off Marathon.

Enjoy your day!

INTERESTING SUNDAY

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I live in Key West time. Words made famous by Howard Livingston. I go with the flow. Never quite sure what I will be doing each day. Never disappointed by how the day works out.

Yesterday was a Key West day. Knew I had to get the daily blog out. Then write this week’s KONK Life column. The column took me six hours. Controversial. I titled the column Muslim Refugees…..No. Not so much because of the terrorist thing. More because they want to take over once they arrive. Everything must be their way.

Guaranteed interesting!

It was close to 5. What now, I thought. Showered, shaved and headed out to Kate Miano’s Gardens. The best Key West venue early sunday evenings.

I only stayed a half hour. Enjoyed the music. Said some hellos. Suddenly, I was bored. I like to meet new people. Generally do at the Gardens. Last night, not.

Stopped at the Chart Room for a drink. Turned out to be a good idea.

Victor bartending. They say bartenders know everything. Victor does. He is an intellectual. For real. He gave me a political philosophy book to read several months ago. I could only get 50 pages into it. Too heavy for me. Not for Victor though.

Victor sent a comment/observation into the Key West Citizen’s Citizens’ Voice. It ran sunday. The first one listed.

Rents and rental property availability crucial issues in Key West today. Victor brought up military housing. Most military opt to live off base. When they do, they qualify for a housing allowance. Around $2,000 a month.

Victor believes the housing allowance amount is a contributing factor to high rents. The government setting the amount. He also believes that the military use of housing takes rentable properties off the market, thereby contributing to higher rents. Not enough rental properties available.

While chatting away with Victor and some tourists, a relatively young couple came in. Thirtyish. All over each other. The male said they were merely friends and were waiting for their spouses who were still upstairs. They then went to the bar along the window. I glanced over. The male was sitting on a stool with his legs open. The female with her posterior backed into his you know what. Laughing. Obviously enjoying themselves.

The spouses came in a little later. Beaming. Explained to all they were not married to each other. Their spouses the ones at the window bar.

What a country America! What a place Key West! I am 80 years old. This is the first time I have seen public swinging inference/activity.

Time to eat. Hot Tin Roof across the street. A couple of weeks since I had been there. Ate lightly. Mac lobster and cheese and asparagus. A healthy combination!

A new bartender. Matt. He reads my KONK Life column. I was thrilled! He especially enjoyed last week’s Sexual Tales of Old. The Julius Caesar part the best. He said he also enjoyed Hemingway’s First Love written several weeks ago.

Keep reading me, Matt! Love people who take the time to read what I write.

Weather looks good today. A bit cool this morning. Around 72 degrees. Wind strong. Twenty plus miles an hour. Palm trees bending a bit. Ocean water very bumpy and moving fast. I would not want to be out on a boat today.

The Studios of Key West is opening a bookstore. First floor on the corner of Eaton and Simonton. To be called Book & Book. Apparently a chain. My understanding is that Studios will own it, however.

I love book stores. Especially those with comfortable chairs. I hope Studios puts a few in. I loved going to Borders and reading a couple of hours some afternoons. Borders probably went out of business because people like me were free loading. I read much, bought little.

Enjoy your day!