KEY WEST ROYAL POINCIANA UNDER ATTACK

Key West’s beautiful, flamboyant, orange-red petaled Royal Poincianas are under attack. A plague. The culprit some type caterpillar.

The caterpillars just short of 2 inches long. Attack only by night. The Dracula of the vermin world. Eat the flamboyant flowers and foliage. Destroy the trees.

Major outbreaks occur every 10-15 years. This obviously is the year.

Treatments are available to protect against and/or control the caterpillars. Information is available through the County. Contact Michelle Leonard-Mularz. She is an Environmental Horticulture Agent. mularz-michelle@monroecounty-fl.gov.

There is a concern among some that the City of Key West itself may not be doing enough to help.

Yesterday another busy one. Began with lunch at Sandy’s Cafe. Followed by several errands.

A quick nap late in the afternoon.

An early evening start. Monday night so it was Dueling Bartenders at Aqua. Tom Luna and Rick Dery the best!

A decent crowd for August. Including Liz, Josefina, Mary, and Linda. Another Mary joined me. Mark Watson came hurrying through and gave a wave.

Dinner with Mary at Antonia’s bar afterwards.

Mary Lou Hoover and Charlie Waite at the bar, also. Good people. Mary Lou looked tired. She has been campaigning 9 months for election to the Key West City Commission. The battle over. Enjoying a late dinner.

We chatted a bit. As you are aware, I one hundred percent support Mary Lou. A more interested and concerned person I have never met.

Ran into an old friend I have not seen in years also at Antonia’s. Mary Ann Westerland.

Today is election day in Florida. For local races, today is the day. Not in November. If you are a Key Wester, please consider voting for Mary Lou.

Staying with the election for a moment, today is primary day for federal and state offices. I have been supporting Gwen Graham to be the candidate for Governor on the Democratic ticket. A member of Congress, she also is the daughter of Bob and Adele Graham. Bob the former Governor of Florida and a member of the U.S. Senate.

Politics is in Gwen’s blood.

Tuesday means podcast time for me. My podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine in the evening. A quick moving interesting half hour. I tend to rant and rave.

Join me. Guaranteed you will not be bored. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

A late night ahead. Being a political junkie, I will be glued to the TV for election results.

Love the Key West weatherman. Always a quip following his weather prediction. Today and tonight, showers. Following the report…..Free carwash.

I close with Trump. Not the disrespect and pettiness he exhibited with John McCain’s death. I did enough of that yesterday.

My concern at the moment is the redoing of the NAFTA agreement with Mexico. Yesterday, Trump in effect claimed victory. Similar to his announcement following the meeting with North Korea’s Kim. Not really a victory. Nothing finalized. Many items still to be covered.

Whatever, Trump got on the phone in the Oval Office. Seated behind his mammoth desk. Regal appearing. He called Mexico’s President. Reporters present.

I will not go into the details. They are all over TV and the newspapers today. Trump looked bad. Though a few points were generally agreed upon, it was obvious a deal was not yet close.

Typical Trump. There must always be a victory! A victory he made possible.

Trump already made a fool of the United States and himself re the Kim situation. I compare Kim and yesterday’s telephone call to Neville Brand when he got off the airplane in September 1938. He had rushed to Munich to have a face to face meeting with Hitler in a last ditch attempt to avoid war.

Chamberlain got off the plane waving a paper. “Peace in  our time,” he shouted.

World War II began soon after.

Chamberlain bullshitted as Trump has been. Sometimes Trump bullshits himself.

Enjoy your day!

 

HUMPTY DUMPTY

I just completed my Key West Lou Live show on Facebook. Three minutes of rambling on a particular object. This morning…..Humpty Dumpty. The Mother Goose rhyme.

Remember the words: “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, / Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.”

In 1925, the song I’m Sitting On Top Of The World was written. It was later popularized by Dean Martin, Doris Day and Bobby Darin. A phrase in the song: “…..just like Humpty Dumpty, I’m gonna fall.”

Donald Trump is Humpty Dumpty. He’s gonna fall!

Even though 89 percent of his party love him and a good percentage of the American people do also, his failures are mounting. Most recently, Kim at Singapore, Putin at Helsinki, and the tariff wars.

I have been predicting the tariff wars would take their toll. A recession by next year. It is beginning. Soy bean farmers, lobster fishermen, potato farmers, and car manufacturers, amongst others, are complaining. They are hurting and will hurt worse.

The Mueller investigation is at Trump’s door.

He is in his last mile.

Dueling Bartenders last night at Aqua. Terri my date. She was not working. A customer, though she did sing a song or two. Donna arrived later. She had been working.

Rick Dery and Heather-May performing. Tom Luna not for some reason.

Jean Thornton was there. My friend forever. I am indebted to her.

The girls from saturday night at Blue Heaven. Debbie, the other half of the Golden Girls, Sharon, Megan and Mary. Kevin and Holly experienced Dueling Bartenders for the first time. Good friend Joseph arrived with Linda and Barbara.

Hank came over to say hello. He was in the Hemingway Look-a -Like contest this weekend. One hundred fifty one Hemingways participated.

He said we had met 5 years ago at the Chart Room. Hank has been participating for 25 years. Says he will never win. But fun!

He gave me a gift. A Hemingway chain he received during the competition. Inscribed on it: “Write drunk, edit sober.” Signed, Ernest Hemingway.

A pleasing gift. I will wear it on occasion. I an Italian-American who never wore neck jewelry in his life!

Thanks again, Hank.

Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe with Donna and Terri. Ribs. So good! I could not finished them. My lunch later today.

Tonight, my podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A slew of interesting subjects. Join me for a quick moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Lauri, Lauri, Lauri. Seventeen years worked at Aqua. She gave her notice. She is moving on. To the Rum Barrel. She will be working the bar wednesday, friday and saturday nights.

A new watering hole for me.

Key West is experiencing budget problems. In all my years in Key West, this is the first time I have heard it. Irma a contributing factor.

City Commissioners are doing the right thing. They are cutting the budget. I have no objection. Every now and then, we all have to tighten our belts.

My concern is that if one is to suffer, all should suffer. Ergo, I do not understand why City employees are scheduled to get a 4 percent pay raise.

BOB is recovering from last night. Says he plans on completing the Fantasy Fest portion of his story tomorrow. Recommends it be read.

One portion will cover that time when women walked about nude with their bodies covered only with paint. From the hairline down to the toes. Breasts and genitalia merely painted over.

Trump is upset with Kim. The results of the Singapore summit not as Trump thought or reported. What really got to Trump was that he and Kim shook hands on whatever was purportedly agreed to.

Makes me laugh. How many hands did Trump shake in construction deals and then screw people in the end. Not making full payment, claiming work was improperly performed, etc.

His way of doing business. Kim’s also.

The Singapore Summit is turning out to have been a colossal failure and utter waste of time.

When Pompeo flew to North Korea to see Kim and straighten things out, Kim did not meet with Pompeo. He was busy in the fields picking potatoes.

I wrote recently that if China were to sell off U.S. Treasury bonds or fail to purchase new ones as others reached maturity, it would have a dire impact on the American economy.

If we are to believe Trump, Putin is our friend. Friends help, not hurt each other. In March, Russia held $96.1 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds. In April, that number was down to $48.7 billion. In May, $14.9 billion.

Friend Putin is selling us out!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRITISH PETER

Bob Smith shares the Key West of the 1990’s in his book BOB. One character of that time and still alive is Peter. Commonly known as British Peter.

I was fortunate to know Peter. As many today who still enjoy the Chart Room. It was the Chart Room where we all met and became friends.

Peter was British through and through. Appearance wise, tall, thin, with a white mustache. His accent decidedly British. His demeanor conservative. BOB says “a more polite and erudite fellow you will never meet.”

Peter for many years lived on a sailboat. Moored it 2 miles out into the Gulf. Used a dingy to go back and forth. One night, Peter had a bit too much to drink. A moonless evening. He went out to return to his sailboat.

He left the dingy when he thought he was at his boat. He was not. Dingy floated away. Peter floating. Had to find the boat or die. He swam around a while and fortunately bumped into his boat.

Another Peter tale involves his world travels. He was somewhere in the Pacific off a small island on a sailboat. Pirates came upon him in the dark of night intending to rob and perhaps kill him.

Peter no slouch. Always prepared. He shot and killed one of the pirates before leaping off his boat and swimming to shore. As Peter tells the story, he fully anticipated the pirates to find him the next day and kill him for having killed one of their own.

Peter was off the island as dawn broke.

BOB talks about Bob running into the Peter at the West Indies Lounge on one occasion. I do not recall the place nor could I find it on the internet. However, I am sure it was den of inequity with Peter and Bob observing, not participating.

Peter no longer with us in Key  West. He had inherited a home in the State of Washington years ago. Five years ago, he decided to move to the home and spend the rest of his days there. Peter has returned at least 3 times over the years to visit.

BOB shares another Peter story. One involving Rockland Key and cock fighting chickens. Saved for tomorrow.

One of Peter’s closest Chart Room buddies was Che. They discussed everything. Argued a better description. Che an in your face type. Peter would not let him get away with anything.

Che now 85. Ailing. None of us have seen him at the Chart Room in at least 6 months. He has become a recluse.

Jean Thornton thought it was time he got out. She has arranged for Che to be at the Chart Room at 5 this afternoon to meet and greet friends.

Che has a distinction. One of the holes in the Chart Room bar bears his name. He is one of two remaining alive. A portion of his ashes will be deposited in the bar when he passes on.

Spent yesterday afternoon researching this week’s KONK life column. Ten pages of notes. Not sure of the title yet. The topic involves Kim and Trump. Kim’s background emphasized. Trump is in bed with a dog who has fleas.

I will write the article this afternoon.

Snuck out for an hour for a pedicure and manicure with Tammy. Love Tammy! Respect and admire she and her husband Ricky’s success. They deserve it!

Last night, the Chart Room. Met Mary Anne. Has lived in Key West since 1990. We never met before. Amazing!

A small world. Mary Anne knows Bear. And, Donna and Terri. Mary Anne is the assistant manager at the Lower Keys Animal Clinic on Kennedy. A vet’s office. The Doc Bear’s vet.

Cori Convertino stopped by to say hello. Talented. Hard working. She is actually Dr. Cori Convertino. Has a Ph.D. She is in charge of the exhibits at the Custom House. Ever changing, time absorbing to erect. Each one a “work” in itself.

Jenna! My love! We have not seen each other in months. My fault. She calls, I am too busy. Accidentally saw her last night.

Jenna and her beau stopped in for a drink before seeing a movie at Tropic Cinema. We swore we would get together soon. Very soon!

Read an interesting report this morning. A recent study shows millionaires now control half of the world’s wealth.  Personal wealth globe wise in 2017 totaled $201.9 trillion. Up 12 percent from 2016.

The rich getting a lot more richer and doing it a lot faster.

Happy Father’s Day to all who will be remembered and to all who will not. Life moves in strange ways.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN VISITS

Finally met Barb last night. Iowa Barb. A devout blog reader. She had written she would be visiting Key West and wanted to meet. Also wanted me to sign her copy of Irma and Me.

We finally got together last night at the Chart Room.

Barb a charming woman. She has been a librarian for 39 years at the Iowa State University Library. Has visited Key West 9 times in the past 10 years. Loves Key West! Knows her way around.

Interested in politics. Dislikes Trump. Understandable. Her father was a Teamster for years.

Her sister Debbie with her. Debbie’s first Key West visit. She is the Cambridge, Iowa City Clerk. Made sure to tell me her politics were different from her sister’s. Debbie a black hearted Republican.

I had not planned on going out last night. Spent the afternoon researching for this week’s KONK Life column. Rudy Giuliani’s recent comments about Stormy Daniels motivated me to look up Giuliani’s sex history. People in glass houses should not throw stones.

My intent was to write the column last night. It has to be to the publisher today.

John called and said a Barb was looking for me. Would I come down? Ergo, I will not be writing about Giuliani and his sexcapades till this afternoon.

My today a busy one. Have to finish the blog. Watch Robert in a tennis competition at one. Write the Giuliani column.

I definitely will not be going out tonight.

Dorothy Downs was at the bar. I have not seen her in a couple of years. Her husband was a dentist. He had an office in Miami and one in the Keys. They frequented the Chart Room often.

Dorothy told he her husband had passed away last year. Sad.

We talked at length. I learned more about her last night than in all the times we had met previously.

She is a writer. Five books. Dorothy is an art historian, specialist in American art, wrote and produced the PBS documentary Pillars of Power about Seminole and Miccosukee women.

Dorothy’s most recent book is Canoe Back In Time. The story of a special Miccosukee girl who was given the gift of being an artist.

The book is selling.

My handwriting is poor. Dorothy’s worse. She wrote down her e-mail address for me. Impossible to read. Dorothy, you have mine. Write me soon so I will have yours.

Three pirates came in. Two men and a woman. One of the guys was soon asleep head down on a table. They had been doing the Duval Crawl.

I spoke with the two sober ones. Explained I had recently written about the pirate Black Caesar and also the pirates of Port Royal.

The three were part of a pirate group. A nightly thing in Key West. Called Eat Drink Discover Key West. An eat and drink venture.

Sounds interesting. If you are, the group can be booked online at www.EatDrinkDiscoverKeyWest.com.

Everyone was gone, except for Kevin and me. We chatted a while. He is recovering well from his horrendous accident.

Needed to eat. Stopped at Hogfish on the way home. Sat at the bar and enjoyed hogfish. What else!

It began pouring on the way to Hogfish. Continued raining when I left. Fortunately, I am always prepared for rain. Two umbrellas. One at home and one in the car. Large black ones.

A BOB comment about waking in Key West: “A cat fight has set off the dogs. The dogs have set off the roosters. The din moves back and forth across the island in waves. Human sounds join in. There is no way anyone is sleeping through this, that’s it, I’m awake…..it looks like a nice day. Another beautiful day in Paradise.”

The Belmont later today. Hope Justify wins.

Trump’s words yesterday re his summit meeting with Kim and the degree of his preparation: “I’ve prepared my entire life for the North Korea summit.”

I worry.

Trump is on a high. He has screwed up G7. He is on his way to meet with Kim. He figures the world and the Nobel Peace Prize are his if he succeeds with Kim.

I do not see it happening.

Weather around 90 this past week. Heavy humidity. Weather man says some thunder today. Describes it as “rock ‘n’ roll thunder.”

As Porky Pig was wont to say at the end of his cartoons of yesteryear…..That’s all folks!

Enjoy your day!

 

PINOCCHIO

Donald Trump is Pinocchio. He only lacks the growing nose. If it were possible, his would be 10 feet long by this time and require a crane to hold it up.

Trump’s problem is he has no Mr. Geppetto to counsel him, to guide him.

Trump loves notoriety. He seeks glorification. History will remember him. Not for a Noble Peace Price. Rather for being the biggest Presidential liar of all time. Perhaps simply the greatest liar of all time.

Ally’s birthday dinner last night.

As suspected, Ally was beat. The whole family was.

Ally had a total of 5 girl friends for a sleepover. They fell asleep around midnight. Robert said they were loud. I told him women generally are when they get together.

The family and the sleepovers were up at 6. The sleepovers left at 3:30. Lisa prepared breakfast and lunch. One of the young ladies was gluten free. Lisa had to be concerned with that factor. She was not  pre-warned.

The group to Higgs Beach early in the afternoon.

My family was beat. Everyone quiet by the time I arrived.

Lisa had not had time to shop. She threw together a carb dinner. Pasta! Great for my diet! I was not concerned. Figured it would shake up my diet a bit and cause me to lose a pound. It did not nor did it cause me to gain a pound.

A brother/sister discussion ensued while we were at the cake stage. Not an agreeable one. Adult, however. Robert wanted Ally to do something for him. Nothing of consequence. Ally said no. He should do it for himself.

The two went at it for a few minutes. I was enjoying the give and take. Excellent.

Then the parents got involved. Supported Ally’s position. I would have supported Robert’s. Kept quiet, however.

Robert was slowly getting hot under the collar. Finally told his family they could expect nothing from him in the future.

All amusing. Impressive on the part of Ally and Robert. They are growing up well.

Watched the Warriors/Cavaliers game last night. Warriors won big 122-103. The last quarter crucial. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 33 points.

I knew it was going to be the Warriors night when Curry, with the clock running down, threw a one handed shot at the basket while standing sideways. He never expected the ball to go in. No one did. It did. Clean.

It’s monday. Dueling Bartenders tonight.

Today an important one in American history. On this day in 1942, the Battle of Midway began. A 4 day encounter. A naval battle. The U.S. decisively defeated Japan.

It was the first American victory of the U.S./Japan conflict.

The Japanese lost 4 carriers, the U.S. 1. The Japanese lost 292 aircraft, the U.S. 145. The Japanese suffered 2,500 casualties, the U.S. 300.

Guadalcanal was next on the path to victory.

North Korea’s Kim a strange duck. A careful suspicious man.

Next week, he will be in Singapore for several days for the Summit. The farthest he has been from home ever. He fired his top 3 generals. Did not think he could trust them in his absence.

Drinking and driving not a wise combination. We know it!

Pot becoming popular in the U.S. Several states have legalized its use.

I have noticed the past couple of weeks TV ads decrying the use of marijuana while driving. Too soon, perhaps. Insufficient evidence.

I would agree in any event, people should not smoke pot and drive.

The TV ad decrying pot and driving was funded by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association. The Association has nothing to do with Governors. The organization is a front for the alcohol industry. Regarded as the alcohol industry’s voice.

Trump has become an expert in pissing off our Allies and sucking up to our enemies. The steel/aluminum tariff imposed on Canada, Mexico and the European Union the best example.

His numbers also wrong. The U.S. will lose significantly more jobs over the next two years from lay offs in the peripheral industries.

Recall that similar onerous type tariffs were imposed by the U.S. in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Many economists believe such the cause of the great Depression and additionally an action giving impetus to Hitler’s rise.

Forty one million Americans live in poverty. One third or 14 million of them children.

Trump not responsible. The numbers calculated to the end of Obama’s time. No numbers yet re Trump. However, Trump is grossly aggravating the situation.

The UN issued a report recently claiming Trump was making life harder for the poor. He seems to be deliberately designing programs to remove basic protections for the poorest, to punish those not employed, and to make basic health care a privilege to be earned rather than a right of citizenship.

I agree with the UN observations.

Harvard’s recent report setting forth what it believes are the correct number of deaths in Puerto Rico mind blowing. Harvard says the actual number is 4,645. Contrast that with the U.S. government’s claim of 64 and the New York Times number of 1,052.

The Harvard study was a hands on, on the ground, doors knocked on, inquiry. Houses were randomly chosen. The deaths recorded began on the day of Maria September 20 and extended to December 31.

The New York Times arrived at its number by comparing previous deaths in certain areas, etc. A mathematically arrived at decision.

No one knows how ICE came up with 64.

Shame on Trump! He failed to help our fellow Americans. Our people. Why?

I suspect two reasons.

First, Puerto Ricans are tan. People of color. Trump is a racist.

Second, Trump years ago failed in an economic venture in Puerto Rico. He walked away with a pretty dollar. However, the project went nowhere.

Maybe Trump bears ill will because of his failed Puerto Rico efforts.

I was viewing TV yesterday. The Mayor of San Juan was interviewed. Pictures were shown of the devastation as it exists today. Horrible! Living conditions disgusting. No electricity and water in certain areas.

So much going on in the world. Trump the initiator of most of the events.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLY

An important thing in life. Children’s birthdays! Today, my granddaughter Ally’s is being celebrated.

Thirteen years old. Definitely a young lady. The flower is blossoming.

Ally’s birthday was Friday. Conflicted with Robert’s graduation. Ally wanted her own day. It began Saturday. She had her hair striped.

Terrible! Too young! I am merely a voice in the wilderness, however. Not the parent, not my decision.

What I really was expressing is it pains me to think she is maturing. Not a little girl any longer.

Last night, a sleep over. Which means Ally will be beat this evening for the family birthday dinner, cake, etc. Perhaps a bit grouchy.

Can’t win them all!

In any event, I love you Ally. A big Happy Birthday to you!

My yesterday began with a manicure. Tammy and her husband Rick are entrepreneurs. Mid-thirties at best. Tammy in the U.S. about 14 years. From Vietnam. Became a citizen last year. Rick of Vietnamese extraction. Born in the U.S.

They have a great business. Employ many. Work hard. Achieving the American dream. I doubt they are the type people Trump would praise and acknowledge. They do not rape, kill, pillage, rob, do drugs. Why not?

Chart Room last night. Quiet. Enjoyed a couple of drinks and moved on to the Beach Bar. John was working the Beach Bar last night.

Glad I stopped by. Ran into Dan and Stephanie from Ohio. Never met them before this week. Have enjoyed their company three evenings, however.

Their time in Paradise coming to an end. Leave Tuesday for home. Expect to return some time this summer.

Dan and Stephanie were heading to the Pride Follies. Good choice, I advised. Mentioned that Rick Dery of Dueling Bartenders was the director. Recommended Dueling Bartenders on Monday nights to them.

A quiet Saturday evening. I was home in bed before 9.

The Key West Citizen’s weekend edition ran a major article re Mallory Square and the homeless. The homeless becoming a problem.

Mallory Square is where the sunset is watched every evening. Hundreds of people. All ages. A cat through a wheel of fire, a man swallowing a sword, etc.

A growing group of homeless are getting drunk, argumentative, threaten each other, harass customers and vendors for money, sleep illegally, etc.

Key West is a great venue for the homeless. Many are snowbirds. Visit our island for the season. Then drift off till next Fall because the humidity becomes heavy and uncomfortable. A size able group remains, however.

Key West takes care of its homeless. Two very huge air conditioned tents, showers, cots with clean sheets each night, food at several locations, etc. No reason for them to camp at Mallory Square. A business place for vendors and tourists.

One thing sure in our country, the rich are getting richer while the poor poorer. Corporate America is not and has not for a number of years shared its successes.

An example is Toys R Us. Filed for bankruptcy. One week before the filing voted top echelon people $8 million in bonuses. The 30,000 workers who will be without jobs, nothing. No severance pay. Not a penny.

To compound the wrong, in the year before the filing the CEO was paid $11.2 million.

Much federal legislation has been blocked by a handful of far rights who were elected to Congress. Some, not all, appear a bit wacky when on television.

There appears to be a larger number of crazies running for Congress this year. This group’s ideologies different from the far righters. Some will be elected. It is the way of elections in recent years.

Three examples.

Nathan Larson. A Virginia Libertarian. Running as an independent. Supports abolishing age restrictions for marriage (a nice way of saying pedophilia is ok), supports abolishing laws opposed to marital rape, believes women should be under the control of men, is a white supremacist, believes Hitler was a good thing for Germany, believes incest should be legalized.

Patrick Little. A Republican candidate for the Senate representing California. Denies the Holocaust and calls for a country “free from Jews.”

Little is popular. He is running second in polls to Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein. California’s strange election laws could result in him being elected.

Arthur Jones. Chicago area. A candidate for Congress. Denies the Holocaust, a former leader of the American Nazi Party, believes people of color are mentally inferior to whites.

Jones is the official Republican candidate. He is running in a very strong Democratic district where no other Republican wanted to waste time running.

Some things are hard to understand. The Kim/Trump Summit is scheduled to begin in Singapore June 12. Kim will be staying at the 5 star Fullerton Hotel. The Presidential suite costs $6,000 a night. Kim’s staff has to be housed also.

Kim/North Korea refuse to pay the bill. The U.S. looking for a means to legally pay the bill.

Sung-Yoon Lee is a Tufts University Korean expert. He says re the payment quandary, “North Korea can build nukes and ICBMs, but claim they are too poor to pay for foreign travel costs.”

Trump apparently considers himself the summit king now that the meeting with North Korea is locked in. Trump indicated yesterday he wants a summit with Putin arranged.

Putin will eat him up.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

SYRACUSE KIM

Last night was exciting and fun filled. All at Tavern ‘n Town.

Sitting next to me at the bar were Kim and Cecil.

Kim is originally from Syracuse. Made us instantaneous friends. Utica is 50 miles from Syracuse. I went to law school in Syracuse. Tried many cases in Syracuse.

Kim of Italian extraction, also. We talked of Utica’s restaurants. Purported to have the best Italian restaurants outside of Italy.

Cecil, her husband. Not from Syracuse. It blocked him out of the conversation on occasion.

Kim is a waitress at Michael’s. Cecil a sales representative for BREAKTHRU Beverage, a liquor distributor.

Nice people.

I was reading the newspaper when I heard behind me…..You’re sitting at a reserved seat. A seat at the bar? It was Tom. I did not recognize his voice at first.

Tom was with his lovely wife Nancy. Nancy always charming. Tom a former bocce team mate.

With them were Dan, Betty and their daughter.

Dan and Betty only visit Key West. They are here so often one forgets they are visitors. Their home is in Tampa or Fort Myers. They keep running down to Key West for fun times with the many friends they have made here over the years.

I joined the group at their table after I finished dinner. Enjoyed a couple of drinks with them. A lot of political talk. No one seemed to like Trump. Amazing! Very few like him. Nevertheless, he constantly wins.

Another part of the discussion involved Dan’s heart. He recently had three stents placed. God bless him! Should be good for another 15-20 years.

I was up at 5 this morning working.

My KONK Life column this week very interesting. Involves Afghanistan and heroin. The title Afghanistan and America’s Heroin Addiction. An eye opener.

I researched about five hours yesterday. Not enough. That is why the five o’clock starting time this morning. Took another three hours to complete the research. I will begin writing the column at one this afternoon.

My day is an all writing one. I hope to get out tonight. Absolutely out of food! Have to eat and shop for groceries.

Enjoy your Sunday!