MEA CULPA

I screwed up!

Recall that tuesday evening, I could not get the Syracuse/Wake Forest game on TV. The game was at 8. I went to bed and fell asleep. Woke around 10:20. Tossed around a bit. Suddenly recalled the game. I was anxious to know the score.

I went downstairs to the computer. A basketball game is normally 2 hours. I assumed the game was over. It was not. Anyhow, I came up with a score that showed Syracuse losing by 1 in overtime. Not correct! The game was still on and the score represented the game to that point.

I marked down on my pad the score and that Syracuse had lost. Such led to my tirade in yesterday’s blog about good bye NCAA and hello NIT.

Sorry. Mea Culpa.

Surprisingly, only one person commented on what I consider was a big time error. Don of Don and Chris. Normally when I misstep, the world crashes down on me.

Worked with Sloan late in the afternoon. Some of you will be pleased with what has finally been accomplished. My KONK Life weekly column will be available on keywestlou.com starting today. Now.

The column can be found under the second narrative title at the top of the page. Click it. The phrase Key West Lou KONK Life Column will repeat itself. Hit on the repetition. The second line. And you will be there!

I cannot advise the day the column will appear each week. It depends when I write it. Any day wednesday thru sunday normally. It will be available on keywestlou 1-2 days later.

The column will be archived. Starting with this week’s article. Rank Insubordination. Concerns the NYCPD and Mayor de Blasio. My right wing readers will be tickled by it. Not favorably. I expect a slew of comments tomorrow morning from  them.

Dinner last night was at Tavern ‘n Town. Ran into Dr. Jackie Lefferts and husband Michael in the lobby. Jackie is my internest. Good people!

Weddings have been held for years on the beaches of Key West. Especially Smathers Beach. Lovely to behold. Part of the Key West ambiance. The couples marry and leave the beach.

The City of Key West is not happy unless it taxes everything. Where ever a dollar can be made, the City will be there.

The City has been concerned with the private use of public property. Any use of public property is private. Think about it.

Wedding planners are a key component of the Key West way of life. At a recent meeting, the wedding planners agreed to pay the City a fee and also carry liability insurance to indemnify the City. In return, the wedding planners could use the beaches and Bayview Park to marry people. The wedding planners were also promised a better beach clean up and a 2nd bathroom facility on Smathers Beach. The City will also maintain  a list of “qualified and licensed” wedding planners.

Once regimented, always so. Wedding planners have come under the thumb of the City and will remain there forever. In future years, they will be imposed upon more.

Sissy Spacek’s new Netflix show Bloodline will be available sometime in March. People have been asking me when.

I believe that any action has an equal and opposite reaction. The tide may be turning against New York City’s PBA President Patrick Lynch.

Lynch has been President for many years. The last time he had an opponent was 12 years ago in 2003. A slate of officers have announced they are running against Lynch and his ticket in the June elections. Their position basically is that they do not care about an apology from the Mayor. They believe the PBA should be more concerned with their grievances and problems. Proof again that all politics is local.

Bocce party tonight. Our end of the season bocce banquet. Will be fun!

Enjoy your day!

LESLIE CARON

Beauty is beauty! Cannot be denied! Leslie Caron was a beauty.

Leslie goes back a few years. Late 1950s. Her first movie was An american In Paris. She co-starred with Gene Kelly who discovered her. Cyd Charisse was scheduled to co-star with him. She got pregnant. Kelly was in Paris at the ballet. Saw Leslie dancing and convinced her to perform Charisse’s part.

The rest is movie history. She starred in many films. One of the best known is Gigi with Maurice Chevalier and Louis Jordan.

Why Leslie Caron this morning? The History portion on page 2 of the Key West Citizen noted that on this day in history she visited Key West and was the house guest of Tennessee Williams. Yes, she stayed at the lovely corner house on Duncan street.

Big day yesterday! I walked! I am not walking enough.

I walked Duval back and forth. It was cool/cold. Sweatshirt time. The coolness made it easier to walk. The cold lasted all of 36 hours. Today it is predicted the temperature will be in the high 70s.

On my way home from downtown Key West, I stopped at the Marriott Beachside. Sat in one of the comfortable lobby chairs and read the newspapers. Whereas most  hotels have free coffee in the morning, the Marriott was serving champagne. They even came around pouring and refilling glasses.

A New Jersey couple arrived to check in. The wife was seated near me. Not a happy camper. She was complaining of the cold. I assured her it would pass and she would be happy. I don’t think she believed me.

Stopped at Don’s Place last night. Thought I was to meet Don at 5:30. Apparently not. He was not there. I stayed a while and chatted with Jimmy.

Then to the Chart Room. Busy. Jean and Joe Thornton in attendance. Celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary. Congratulations to the both of them!

Met Jill. She has lived in Key West for years. She is a bartender at the Rum Bar. Not the Rum Barrel. The Rum Bar is in the tiny white house at the far end of Duval near La Te Da. It is also a guest house called The Speakeasy. We had an enjoyable time. Jill has a place in Maine on a lake where she spends a good part of her summer each year.

I looked forward to KONK E-Blast this morning. My column Rank Insubordination was to appear. Never made it. There was a screw up. My Christmas column from three weeks ago was run.

I am told Rank Insubordination will run tomorrow. I consider it one of my better columns and definitely of interest. It concerns Mayor de Blasio and the New York City police.

Enjoy your day!