BEARD or NO BEARD

Without question, I am well! God bless!

Felt ok yesterday. Thought about going out. Decided to remain in and try eating normally first. Toast with preserves for lunch. Dinner, a Thanksgiving meal. Several had sent Thanksgiving dinners.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and pumpkin pie. Easy. Did not over indulge.

Handled it all without a problem.

Watched Syracuse/Boston College in the afternoon. Syracuse won 42-21. Season over. Syracuse’s record 9-3. The best in 18 years. The best team we have had in 18 years. Finally! We are thankful Lord. Next week bowl bids will be announced.

The issue to be decided today is beard or no beard. I have gone a week without shaving. The start of a beard obvious. Messy, however. I look like a bum. Another week and it will look ok.

What to do? Not sure yet.

Wore a beard for 2 years several years ago. Enjoyed it. No shaving. A light trim once a week. Thought it went well with a bald head.

Problem is I am not sure my vanity will permit me to go the next week to get to the ok zone.

I plan on a normal Sunday out and about. The Chart Room, Blue Macaw, Rum Bar, and Sandy’s Cafe. Publix, too. Little food I had had to be dumped.

No Name Pub. A dining establishment of renown in the lower Keys. Pizza, chili, burgers, fries, etc.

I have not been there in a year. It’s a once or twice a year place. Sits in the deep woods outside Big Pine. On No Name Key. That is how it got its name.

People go for 2 reasons. The adventure in finding the place and the food. You can get lost. Proof of the pudding is a sign outside: You Found It!

The place is funky as is the food. An old beat up 2 story home. Tradition is to nail dollar bills to the walls and ceilings with your name and the date signed on them. Then try to locate the next time you are there. Impossible. There’s another $10-20 stapled over your bill!

Irma did minimal damage.

No Name Pub was a whore house back in the late 1930’s into the early 1940’s. Most famous old houses in the Keys were at some time in days long gone by.

Quotes turn me on. Words of wisdom generally from one smarter than I. Came across a Ernest Hemingway one yesterday: “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn were required reading in my third year American literature college class. Tom Sawyer written first. Huck a character in it. Then Huckleberry Finn with Huck in the starring role.

The quote brought to mind Huck, Tom, Jim, and Pap Finn.

Wow! One of the great writers of all time acknowledging  a predecessor as perhaps even a greater writer.

Came across a Biblical quote yesterday also. Referring to women who cheat. Violate their marital vows. Before you get all discombobulated, I appreciate men do also.

The quote hit a sensitive cord. Reminded me of divorces involving persons close to me or who I randomly knew where the lady strayed. Proverbs 14:1 “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson played a match against each other a couple of days ago. The prize $9 million. Winner takes all!

Mickelson won on the 22nd hole.

A big prize! Turner Broadcasting the sponsor. The match on TV. Pay for view. $19.95. The reason why so much can be paid to the winner of such a sporting event.

A glitch occurred.A Bleacher Report Line ran it free. Everyone is being reimbursed their $19.95.

Lineage difficult and costly to trace. Someone did. The result amazing.

It was 1620. John Howland was on the Mayflower traveling to the new world. He was to serve a period of time as an indentured servant upon arrival.

The Mayflower carried 132, including crew.

A furious storm arose. Caused the Mayflower to lay heave. A rogue wave rode over the vessel. Howland was caught by it. He grabbed a line as he was thrown overboard. He was carried beneath the waves. Fortunately, the crew was able to pull him back in.

Extremely fortunate they did. American history would not have been the same if Howland went down and stayed down.

Howland worked off his indenture servant obligation. Married Elizabeth Tilley. They had 10 children who produced 88 grandchildren.

The 88 grandchildren over the next 200 years produced 200 million American descendants.

Including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Joseph Smith, Dr. Benjamin Spock, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Humphrey Bogart, Chevy Chase, Alec Baldwin, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

Appreciate further from whence they all came. The reason they sought the new world. Howland and the others on the Mayflower were religious outcasts from Europe. A “migrant caravan” of sorts. These “migrants” changed the world for the better.

Enjoy your Sunday! I plan on enjoying mine!

 

 

“NOBODY RESPECTS WOMEN MORE”

“Nobody respects women more.” So says Donald Trump.

From the heart the mouth speaks. Trump’s words opens his heart for viewing. Clear viewing. Gropping/debasing women ok.

“I did try to fuck her.”

“I moved on her like a bitch.”

“”Just start kissing them.”

“Grab them by the pussy.”

The last statement and especially the last word of the sentence reveal most clearly what we knew about the man: He is not Presidential timber.

Trump has already advised that he will attack Hillary tomorrow night re Bill’s misdeeds. Won’t fly. Yesterday’s news. No one is interested.

He will further attack because Hillary spoke poorly re some of the women who claimed sexual affairs with her husband. I thought then and think now that she was a woman defending her husband against attacks that at the time she considered false.

Few marriages are perfect. Hillary opted to make hers work. Apparently it did. Trump is in his third marriage. He bailed out of the first two when his prick led him in different directions.

In the meantime…..Last night after the Trump revelations had become public, Wikipedia came out with some more e-mails. Some of Hillary’s speeches to Wall Street and corporate America.

Hillary obviously has changed her position on things said 3-4 years ago. Hell, Trump changes his position on things he said last week.

A wonderful evening last night. The Chart Room. John back from his Puerto Rico vacation. It was exciting!

Sheila and Cori at the bar. Spent my time with the ladies. Sheila is at the Key West Citizen. Cori is Curator at The Key West Art and Historical Society aka The Custom House.

Good conversation. We got into everything. Interestingly, little Trump. More of what is going on in the world. The Middle East, Euro Union, London, afterlife, etc.

Tonight special. Dinner at the Hot Tin Roof with Lizabeth. Love talking with her. Liz’s former life included the Deanship at two law schools. Stetson and Cleveland State.

The Key West Airport has an unusual problem.

There is an all glass cross walk from the second floor of the garage to the second floor of the main airport building. Birds are flying into it and either being killed or injured. Especially warblers. The County has allocated $25,000 to tint the windows in a horizontal pattern to warn the birds.

Screwworms. The federal government this coming week will drop 2.5 million radiated male flies over Big Pine and No Name Key. A proven tested method used for years to eradicate a screwworm problem. For several weeks following, an additional 1 million per week will be dropped.

Matthew still out there. Now a category 1. Beating the hell out of Georgia and the Carolinas.

Key West has been advised not to be concerned about Matthew looping back. If it does hit, it will be sufficiently dissipated so as to do no damage.

I loved Great Balls of Fire. Jerry Lee Lewis standing up at a piano keyboard bellowing the song out. One of his best sellers.

Raised in the southern Assembly of God Church. At first, Lewis did not want to record the tune. Said it was anti-religious, contrary to his upbringing, etc. Finally gave in.

He was the new Elvis Presley. Not for long, however. His reputation went downhill after he married his 13 year old cousin. Apparently not contrary to his religious upbringing.

This evening at 7, Syracuse/Wake Forest. Dinner with Liz will be more fun than watching the game.

Enjoy your day!

GOING OUT TODAY

I continue to heal. Black eye lighter. Still obvious. Cuts by eye not totally healed. Scab fell off lip. Cuts still obvious, however. Back better, but not good.

It is called progress.

I have not shaved since wednesday. I have a good start on a beard. Not sure which way I will go.

I have been in since wednesday night. Time to get out of the house today. A brief walk somewhere. Tonight the Friends of the Key West Library at St. Paul’s. Author Edward Hower is speaking re his latest book about writing personal essays and travel stories.

Syracuse plays Virginia tonight, also. Normally, I would miss the Friends event and watch the game. It does not make any difference this season however. Syracuse plays Virginia, #2 in the country. I expect it to be as the Duke game went saturday.

If I work things properly, I should be able to watch the second half of the game.

Syracuse only has two games remaining. They have won 18 so far. The goal is always 20 wins. It has been years since Syracuse failed to reach 20. Though two games are left, I see Syracuse losing tonight. Which would mean that at best it might only be a 19 win season.

Nobody’s fault. It was a hard year for Syracuse from the beginning. Three players from last year expected to return this year did not. They went pro. Our big freshman center was injured early on and has not been able to play. I am not even throwing the NCAA investigation into the mix.

Wait till next year! The whole team returns with the exception of Christmas.

There was an article of interest in this morning’s Citizen. A four year study has revealed that Big Pine, No Name., and Bahia Honda have the lowest death rates in the County. Makes sense. The area is quiet country. Limited hell raising. Tranquility.

On this day in 1951, Harry Truman started a three week vacation at the Little White House. I often wonder if he ever visited the local haunts in the Duval Street area. We know he read, swam, fished and walked. Enjoyed a drink. Truman is recognized as a regular guy. He had to be at Sloppy Joe’s on occasion looking for the next Hemingway to talk with.

Enjoy your day!