Today’s blog a minimal one. I am up early. I will be driving to Miami for the Volkswagen’s 20,000 mile check up.
I am not looking forward to the trip. It is up to Miami and back in the same day.
Sunday by day was spent writing this week’s KONK Life column. Drought and Water Profiteering. It publishes wednesday. Very revealing.
Spent a couple of hours at Louie’s Backyard watching the view and chatting with those around me.
Dinner was at La Te Da’s outside bar. Duck.
Enjoy your day.
I was having dinner at the Hot Tin Roof last night. A gentleman at a nearby table kept smiling at me. He looked familiar. I could not place him. He finally came over.
It was Eliezaire!
I know Eliezaire from my Yacht Club days. He was part of the Yacht Club staff. It was good to see him again.
We know someone for many years and yet know little about the person. Such it was with Eliezaire. As we talked, I learned he worked only one night a week at the Yacht Club and has been doing so for 10 years. His primary job is at Ocean Key. He has been an engineer at Ocean Key for 18 years. An excellent track record! Originally from Haiti.
Eliezaire was having dinner with his family. I went to his table to meet them. His lovely wife Erica and his three daughters. His son was not with them. Eliezaire and Erica’s daughters absolutely beautiful! Two were excited to meet. The third apprehensive. Like….Who is this guy?
I finally caught up with Jean Thornton. She was at the bar with Eddie. We exchanged big hugs. A mutual admiration society.
Jean had mentioned in Facebook yesterday that she was in her cow costume riding over to the Cow Key Bridge Run at 8:30. The race was not till noon. She was there early because she was working the event, in addition to later participating.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I never made the race. It suddenly became too much work to go out early in the day to walk 300 feet.
This morning’s Key West Citizen has an excellent article and photos of the event. More than 1,000 participated. Most cow look alikes. Ingenious costumes. Dogs participating also.
An utter here, an utter there run.
The Seven Mile Bridge Marathon was yesterday, also. It had 1,500 participants. The Cow Key Bridge event is only in its second year. A 1,000 turn out is excellent. It also shows how crazy Key West is! Any excuse for fun. We are all children at heart.
Stopped at the Chart Room before dinner. Chatted with Vic and a couple from Virginia.
My day was spent at home researching this week’s KONK Life column. It concerns the California water drought. Interesting. Tons of material. One portion will have to do with those who are and will be making big dollars off the suffering of others. It seems to have become the American way.
The bocce rankings are in the paper. We are still in third place. This week’s two losses did not alter our standing. Other near competitors lost also, which kept us in third place.
Key West is into the Conch Republic Celebration. Two of today’s events include a musical breakfast this morning at Smokin’ Tuna and a Conch Cruiser Show at Schooner Wharf this afternoon. Never a dull moment in Key West!
Enjoy your Sunday!
I generally can be found at the Chart Room at cocktail time. Last night was different. I did not arrive till 9:30. Emily was shocked to see me.
I am glad I decided to stop in for a late night drink. Seated at the bar was the lovely vivacious Charlotte. Charlotte from the Carolinas. Charlotte who has lived on a boat for years. Charlotte worked for United Health Care. I used to beat her up with my United Health Care complaints.
The same Charlotte who is and has been in love with Skip. Skip is well known to Key West. He is a premier radio announcer and entertainer. Charlotte was with Skip at the bar.
Turned out they were visiting Key West last night. Sort of. Skip is now affiliated with an Islamorada radio station. They are living in Islamorada. Charlotte is looking for a job. She has an interview monday with the local Chamber of Commerce.
Charlotte runs. A marathon runner. Travels all over the country to participate. Oh, were I she. My body would look terrific.
A month from now Charlotte is running in a 50 mile marathon. From Marathon to Key West. She figures it will take her about 12 hours. It would take me 12 days! I admire her.
Prior to my Chart Room visit, I went to the movies. Saw Woman in Gold at the Regal Cinema. An excellent movie! I recommend it. Helen Mirren was her usual outstanding self.
I had a distasteful experience before the movie started. Buy pop corn, soda and candy was on the screen. I was chatting with the person next to me. There were a total of six of us in the theatre.
All of a sudden, I hear a voice yelling at me. A gentleman two rows behind and on the other side was upset that I was talking. I was talking quietly. However, apparently too loud for him.
I turned around and immediately apologized. He continued his ranting and raving. I politely said I apologize a second time. The guy would not stop. I was ready to say…..Asshole, go f–k yourself! I bit my tongue instead and turned around. He kept mouthing off another 30 seconds.
There is poetic justice in this world. Just before the movie started, about 10 ladies of senior vintage came in. They sat in two rows ahead of the bellower. They talked from the minute they sat down and throughout the movie. Bozo said nothing. He was screwed!
Lunched at Geiger Key. A beautiful setting!
Gasoline prices perplexed me. The Shell station on the boulevard was $2.75 per gallon. The Shell station at Key Haven $2.80. The Shell station at Geiger Key $2.65. Does not make sense.
Sheila Cullen’s brother died. Sad. Sheila is in Indiana for services. I feel bad for Sheila. I can’t wait for her to return so I can wrap my arms around her for a few moments.
The casserta I received is becoming a problem. I love the stuff! It is killing my diet, however. I ate it three times yesterday.
The casserta received was huge. I have only consumed 25 percent so far. I intend to freeze the rest to make it more difficult for me to get at it.
Today is memorable in history. On this day in 1942, Doolittle led American bombers over Japan. Our first significant retaliation of World War II. A dangerous…..you might not return…..type mission.
Enjoy your day!
Two marathons tomorrow.
One is the Seven Mile Bridge run. A 7 mile marathon.
The other is the second annual Cow Key Bridge Run. The Cow Key Bridge is the first a person crosses on US 1 after leaving Key West. The bridge is 300 feet long. For those who might not have the physical dexterity to make the seven mile run. It is also for persons of good humor. Those having a Key West mentality.
At the mid-point of the bridge (150 foot marker), there is a water station. The run starts at on the Marriott side of the bridge. Runs north til the end of the bridge. It is anticipated all participating will finish. In good time. Well under 5 minutes.
Pets with Humans lead off the race. Followed by the Walking Cow Stampede, the rest of the runners.
At the end of the race is located the Hurricane Hole. Runners will receive the first beer free.
Registration for the race is being held this afternoon at the Green Parrot. The race is a charity fundraiser. Tee shirts and # bibs will be available. Registration tomorrow morning at the race site also.
Record time is 25 seconds. Some are committed to beating it tomorrow.
Only in Key West!
My yesterday began with a physiotherapy session. Tough! However I can see where it should have benefit. I was exhausted once again afterwards.
I followed physio with a manicure at Tammy’s. I had difficulty staying awake as she did my nails.
Bocce last night. I knew it was going to be tough. We won 1 and lost 2. I played the first game. We were down 13-5. We came back. Not enough, however. Lost 16-13. The second game was a disaster. Lost 16-1. We won the third game 16-5.
The breeze across the bocce courts was terrific. Especially over the court we were on. Court #1. Two hundred feet off the Atlantic.
I received a surprise yesterday. A friend up north read of my love for casserta. Italian Easter cake. Lisa made a vanilla one for Easter which was delicious. The one I received was chocolate. It arrived packed in hot ice.
The casserta was my lunch. Not good for the diet!
Enjoy your day!
Water is the oil of the 21st century. Water is not only a U.S. problem, it is a world wide one. Demand is constant and growing as the world population increases. Supply is limited. More so with every passing day.
There is another reason for my water/oil observation. It has recently been reported that banks are buying up water sources world wide. Banks are pigs. Guaranteed the price of water will gradually increase as the cost of oil did in the 20th century!
It is amazing how this blog and readers tie up. I mentioned yesterday running into Stevie at Publix. Stevie was bartender at the Wine Galley for years. John from New Jersey forwarded a comment…..”As I recall, Steve the bartender used to get up and sing Cry Me A River when Larry Smith was at the Wine Galley.”
Memories. Unfortunately, the Wine Galley is no more.
A quiet dinner at the bar at Tavern ‘n Town last night.
Bocce tonight. It is getting tougher!
We are tied for third. We play the team tied with us for third. A war!
The Florida keys are running out of telephone numbers. Commencing sunday, area codes must also be used when placing a call. Even if local. The area codes are 305 and 786.
Big race saturday! A marathon! Saturday morning the Seven Mile Bridge will be the scene. From one end to the other. At last count, 2,100 had signed up. Probably many more before race time saturday.
It has to be hard to run the Seven Mile Bridge. Sun glaring off the water and concrete. No shade anywhere.
The police problem confronting us is not going to go away easily. The police are geared up. They believe they are correct.
There is a bill in the Florida Senate soon to be voted upon. It mandates that videos taken in private places and/or involving medical emergencies and deaths can only be obtained with court approval. And if the judge thinks the video would cause harm to reputation of anyone in the video or reveal personal information, the court can deny approval.
The proposed legislation will keep the public in the dark where excessive police force is used.
What is happening to us? Where did our country go wrong?
I have to hustle. Physio this morning.
Enjoy your day!
My yesterday started with physiotherapy. Grueling. Leaves me completely tired afterwards. Yesterday, a young lady named Amanda contributed to my discomfort.
We may be making progress. After only two visits, it has been determined that I walk with my knees rather than hips. Makes for a shorter step. Could explain step fallings.
Stopped at Publix after physio. Ran into Stevie. Had not seen him in months. Stevie was the bartender at the Wine Galley for years. Thereafter, at Tavern ‘n Town. He is no longer bartending. Has some sort of office job. A good guy!
Spent a portion of the afternoon final prepping my blog talk radio show for last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.
The show went well. Provided an opportunity for me to expose people who do not know what they are talking about. I refer to Social Security.
New Jersey’s Chris Christie spoke yesterday in New Hampshire. He is concerned with the national debt. Said Social Security has to be cut back. One way is to raise the eligibility level to 69.
What no one talks about is why Social Security periodically looks like it may suffer 15-20 years down the road. Either they do not know or do not want us to know. I honestly believe they do not know the true story. Especially members of Congress, from both parties.
The biggest creditor of the United States is the Social Security Fund. The government owes Social Security $1.7 trillion. We only owe China $1.3 trillion.
President Johnson needed money to wage the Vietnam War and support his social programs. Social Security had a ton of money sitting in the bank. Money that would never be used. Note that Social Security takes in more than it pays out. Then and now. Surprising, isn’t it.
Johnson got Congress to pass appropriate legislation. The government was empowered to borrow the money. No promissory note in return, however. Merely an IOU. Not legally enforceable. The intent was to pay the monies back. Per custom, the path to hell is paved with good intentions. Not a penny has ever been paid back! And, the government continues to borrow here and there from Social Security whenever it can.
No one cares. Few know. We are never told.
The Conch Republic Independence Celebration begins friday. Ten days of fun! The best part for me is the Sea Battle. Conch forces defeating U.S. sea vessels and planes.
Key West has a new City Planner. Thaddeus Cohen. He attended his first Commission meeting last night. Suit and tie! Obvious he was new to Key West. He was jokingly told no one dresses in Key West. Casual everything and everywhere.
I remember the first Key West wake I attended. I wore suit and tie. Back home, it was called respect. I was the only one so dressed. Even the deceased was dressed casually. I learned. I attend wakes today in shorts and a sport shirt.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do!
Richard Boettger has an excellent article in today’s KONK Life E-Blast. Peary Court and Walmart’s Scrooges. One of the best articles I have read re the issues.
Michael Shields deserve congratulations, also. Mike organized the Policing in Paradise ACLU Seminar monday night. Key West is buzzing. Everyone complimentary.
The Titanic sunk this day. Sad. More than 1,500 lives lost. Passengers and crew.
Enjoy your day!
Racial bias/selective police enforcement in Key West was a primary topic at the ACLU town hall meeting last night.
I had intended to attend the town hall meeting. Unfortunately, I could not. This morning’s Key West Citizen ran an informative article re the event.
I have spent a quarter of a century in Key West. Having had previous experience with police (I represented 55,000 full time civil service police officers at one time in my legal career), I probably have paid closer attention to police than most. This includes the Sheriff’s Department.
I have never seen the racial bias/selective enforcement complained of. That does not mean it does not exist. I do find fault with Key West police re the Charles Eimers case. Regardless of the official outcome, it leaves me concerned and worried.
Sheriff Department personnel are more congenial. They talk in a respectful manner. Key West officers come across tough, their tone intimidating on occasion.
Perhaps Key West has more difficult problems than Monroe County. Ergo, a different attitude is required. I do not know
Such are my impression of things.
I spent a good part of yesterday working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Great topics! One involves the major thieves of all time. Banks.
Water is predicted to be the oil of the 21st century. The mega banks are buying water sources world wide. It is possible at some point that water will be as costly as gasoline and as profitable for the banks as derivative trading, exorbitant interest rates, etc.
Join me. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.
I finished Elizabeth Warren’s book A Fighting Chance. Read it. Worth while.
The narrative portion of the book is outstanding. Warren writes in a talking fashion. Her story easy to follow.
The only negative I thought was what followed at the end of the book. Pages of excerpts from records of her daily professional activities. Boring. I could not complete that portion. The only thing I can think of is that the excerpts were added to give additional volume to the book. Bulk/number of pages enters into the cost of a book.
Pru Somers has done it again. The woman can write. I recommend her article in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast. The topic involves affordable housing. She points out there is a lot of room for construction. However, the City cries it has no money to build.
Key West does not spend its funds in a thoughtful process. It overpays for public buildings, replaces public multimillion dollar structures after 20-30 years, talks of building more parking garages, spends money on studies never used, on and on. In the meantime, the working people of Key West do not have affordable housing.
I have to hustle. Physiotherapy this morning. I hope the program cures my falling incidents.
Enjoy your day!
I am a political freak. No question about it. I love politics!
Not all aspects, however.
Hillary announced yesterday. Several Republicans announced before her. Rubio announces today.
Hillary’s announcement was 575 days before the election. A year and a half. For that period of time, you and I are going to be bombarded with political reporting, bickering, polls, etc. Most, if not all, of little value till September 2016.
As the campaign progresses, I will feel like I am getting beat up. The same thing day in and day out.
575 days are not required to let us know what which each candidate stands for. I do not want to live with Hillary or any other politician for 575 days!
My solution is twofold: Public financing and strict time limits for Presidential elections. Such will remove the big dollars of corporations and the rich thereby guaranteeing the people will be heard. Time wise, elections should be no more than 2-3 months. Start September 1, for example.
I may write re this issue in a future KONK column. I need to do some research first. I suspect it has been tried elsewhere.
Spent a good chunk of yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Iceland Jails Bankers, etc. Interesting. Iceland’s successful battle against greedy banks yesterday and today.
I was able to get out later in the afternoon. Took my tablet and went over to Salute’s. Sat outside in the shade and continued reading Elizabeth Warren’s A Fighting Chance. With an occasional peek at the bikini clad ladies, of course.
Tonight should be interesting. I am going to my first ACLU meeting. Not to join. To listen. At the Florida Key’s annual Town Hall Meeting.
I decided to go when I saw the program is chaired by my friend Michael Shields. An excellent writer. A liberal at heart.
Two items on the agenda. Police policy in Paradise. The other, treatment of minorities and the disadvantaged. Should be interesting. More interesting for me. My first formal town hall meeting.
Terri White sings for Key West tuesday night. At the Waterfront. Try to attend. You will never hear better.
The bocce rankings came out yesterday. We fell from 2nd to a tie for 3rd. Not bad considering we lost 3 games thursday night. This thursday, we play the team tied with us for 3rd place. Nothing easy at this stage of the season!
Enjoy your day!
Happy Sunday!
I watched the Masters’ opening drives Thursday. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. They looked a bit aged. Palmer and Nicklaus definitely. Player could pass for a younger man. Palmer is 85. Nicklaus, 75. Player, 79.
It dawned on me! They are my contemporaries! I literally grew up with them. From early adulthood on. I am 79.
For the first time, I realized how I look. When it is your own face in the mirror and one you have seen daily for years, the aging process appears slow. It does not hit you as dramatically as it did watching the three golf greats. I do not look as young as I thought!
My day was spent doing further reasearch on this week’s KONK Life column. I will write it today. It concerns Iceland and Iceland’s treatment of bankers following 2008. Iceland did not let bankers push them around. Iceland went for the jugular.
My first stop last night was Louie’s Backyard. It had been quite a while since I was last there. The deck bar is one of Key West’s most beautiful locations.
I met Dan and Mitzie. They have been together five years. Dan has spent time in the keys about as long as I have. He is a retired Michigan marine owner.
We talked of many things. Especially, aging. We have comparable experiences. Like forgetting. The discussion was ultra humorous. I wish it could have been recorded.
Then it was to Tavern ‘n Town for dinner. The season is definitely over! The bar empty. I enjoyed some good food and Bobby Nesbitt. Judy was her usual lovely self.
I was supposed to have dinner with Donna and Terri. They backed out at the last moment.
Walgreens in the news! Walgreens plans to close 200 stores this year. Not sure where yet. Walgreens recently merged with a European drug retailer.
Walgreens is the largest U.S. drug chain. Were you aware? I was not.
Tom Cotton in the news again. He is on a roll since his Iran letter. He was on a TV talk show yesterday. One of his brilliant comments was to the effect we should bomb Iran now and destroy its nuclear danger once and for all. He failed to see value in the negotiation process.
Cotton is 37. He speaks like a 20 year old. He worries me. Especially since he is being groomed as Presidential timber.
I am reading Elizabeth Warren’s most recent book. A Fighting Chance. I am about two-thirds through it. Great reading!
Warren is one smart woman. Comes from a humble background. Never intended to be where she is. Her efforts over the years and her ability to get things done continue to be recognized. No question in my mind, she will be a serious candidate after Hillary is done.
Enjoy your Sunday!
My base of those I call friends has expanded greatly because of this blog. Many e-mail me from all points of the world. They share with me their joys and sadnesses. I learn of their children and parents. They offer comments and political observations to what I may have written the day before.
The friendships are genuine. Though we rarely meet face to face.
One of my blog friends is Bob Saraceno from the Buffalo area. He reads me daily, e-mails every couple of months.
Bob is in Key West this week. We made arrangements to meet last night at the Chart Room. The evening turned out to be one of the most pleasant I have experienced.
Bob is here with Susan. They are a couple. They have purchased a home in Fort Myers. Key West will be their vacation spot. It is a mere four hour ferry boat ride away.
No question, I am a liberal at heart. Bob, a conservative. Our respective political leanings have never affected our relationship.
The three of us talked about everything. We were together quite a while. At least three hours.
Bob is Sicilian. I am not. My people are from the Naples area. I told him I was fearful of Sicilians. They had a reputation of cutting throats in the middle of the night. I also offered that my mother in law was Sicilian and we never got along. I attributed it to her Sicilian ways.
We drank a little too much. Laughed more. Had a great time!
They asked for a place to dine tonight. I suggested the Hot Tin Roof. I am having dinner there tonight with Donna and Terri and will probably run into them.
Key West has a reputation of being a drinking town. It is. Tourists, especially. Many indulge a bit too much. Something bad occasionally occurs as a result.
The word on the street last night was that someone had dived into the water at the Hyatt, struck his head, and could not feel from the neck down. Terrible. Potential for a serious injury. As bad as a paraplegic or quadriplegic.
The morning paper ran the story. It was not the Hyatt. It occurred at the Galleon. The Galleon’s Tiki Bar.
A 40 year old tourist dove off the pier at the Galleon. Normally shallow, it was even more shallow at the time. The tide was out. The water only three feet deep. Hard rock at the bottom.
A tragedy.
It is not easy to dive into the ocean off the Galleon deck. There is a thick rope fence/barrier. Formidable.
An article in this morning’s Key West Citizen projects an easy hurricane season ahead. Minimal. The report worries me. I would rather it was predicted that a bad hurricane season was ahead and nothing happened.
Key West got hit bad by hurricanes for a number of years. The last big one was Wilma in 2005.
My recollection is Wilma was only a #1. It was the water that followed. Like a tsunami. About an hour after the wind departed, the water arrived. There was no warning. The water height 6-7 feet. Lisa ended up with 6 1/2 feet of water in her home. Larry and Christine were sitting on their back porch chatting about how lucky they were that there was no damage to their home. Larry says all of a sudden the water started trickling in and within seconds was one foot deep and on its way up.
I learned something from reading the article. Key West and Pensacola are the two most hurricane prone areas in Florida. One end of the State to the other. Key West to the extreme south. Pensacola is part of the Panhandle. An area to the extreme northwest of Florida.
Enjoy your day!