A MESS…..PARKING AND TRAFFIC

As Key West’s popularity grows, so too its parking and traffic problems. To the point of exasperation!

City leaders have done their best to remedy the problem. The City Commission has spent six figure money on studies.

Nothing has worked.

The newest approach…..Let the people work it out.

The City Commission is considering approving a six member temporary commission to make recommendations re parking and traffic congestion. The committee would sit for six months. Unpaid. Each Commissioner would appoint one person to the committee.

Can’t be worse than those who have been paid. Maybe better. Those who live in Key West year round have a better handle on the problem.

My sense is the only solution must be a dramatic one. Something not thought of yet. The obvious has not worked.

An observation never taken into consideration. Key West is a tiny island. Four by 1.5 miles. The island is capable of sinking.

A humorous observation! Written with tongue in cheek.

Another consideration is the successful advertising/selling of Key West. More and more visitors every year.

If getting around becomes a problem, if the crowd becomes overbearing, people will go elsewhere. Property values will become reasonable. Key West will return to the serenity of days gone by.

Might not be bad.

Aqua last night. Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Rick Dery.  Bobby Nesbitt guest vocalist.

Liz and friends at the bar. Enjoyed chatting with Liz.

Towards the end of the evening, Larry Smith showed up. I was surprised. Larry rarely frequents Aqua. He said he was driving by and saw Tom, Bobby and me. Decided to stop.

Glad he did. Larry and I rarely see each other these days.

We discussed why. Simple, I said. We have known each other 25 years. We got old. We no longer do Duval Street or go to parties as we did. We are old enough to think a night in front of the TV is fun. There are fewer and fewer of us each year.

Horrible!

Houston and the Texas gulf coast terrible! Even today people are being saved. And the rain continues. I worry about one of the dams overflowing. the water held back is inches from the top.

The past few days have been Harvey’s time. The next few will continue so. In 2005, there was another hurricane. Katrina.  A category 3. Devastated New Orleans.

I mention Katrina because it was on this day in 2005 that Katrina made landfall.

Katrina has been regarded as the worst natural disaster in our history. Harvey will replace Katrina.

Remember Paul Newman in HUD. He carried a bottle of Jack Daniel’s around most of the movie.

Jack Daniel sales shot up. Men switched for a while. All wanted to look like HUD’s Paul Newman. The tilt of the head, walk, etc.

Want to share a bit about Jack Daniel’s.

Jack Daniel’s is a whiskey. The distillery opened in 1866 in Lynchburg, Tennessee. One year after the Civil War ended and the passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which ended slavery.

A co-founder of the distillery was Jack Daniel.

A former slave became an employee of the new distillery. Nathan “Nearest” Green. Nearest knew everything about distilling whiskey. He soon became head stiller. In later years, the title was changed to master distiller.

Nearest was the first African-American master distiller of record in the United States.

His descendants have continued to work at Jack Daniel’s. Three of Nearest’s sons and four grandchildren while he was still alive. Several generations of descendants. Three working at Jack Daniel’s today.

Lynchburg has another distinction. Davy Crockett lived there a while.

You may wonder at this point why I am recounting Jack Daniel’s and Nearest.

Lynchburg rests in the heart of the Confederacy. Tennessee. Left the Union. Supported the South.

The name Lynchburg  struck me as strange. Lynching of blacks so popular they named a town after it? My initial reaction was pursuant to the political correctness of today, the name would have to be changed.

Made sense. Till I researched from whence the name came.

Judge Lynch. Some sort of War of 1812 hero. I could find nothing connecting him to slavery.

Should the name still be changed? It does bring to mind a grievous act involving blacks.

I leave the judgment to those who support the removal of statues and memorials.

There is a memorial that should come down. On the lawn in front of the County Courthouse in Lynchburg rests a monument to Confederate soldiers.

No question, it should come down under present standards of political correctness.

So there is no misunderstanding, my position is to leave any remembrances of the Confederacy alone. Like it or not, regardless of color, they are a part of America’s history.

My podcast tonight. Nine my time. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

So many topics. Not sure yet which I will explore in the show’s fast moving half hour.

Enjoy your day!

TODAY SUMMER SOLSTICE

Good morning!

A lovely Key West day in the making.

Today is Summer Solstice. the longest day of the year. the day the sun is highest in the sky.

Happens twice a year. June 20 and December 22.

Last night began with Dueling Bartenders at Aqua. Tom Luna and Rick Dery. Lovely Heather guest performer. Heather adding a special touch.

The singing outstanding! The bar crowd mostly seniors. A lot of 50’s and 60’s tunes. A 70’s or 80’s thrown in here and there.

Met Sally. a Key Wester for 8 years. In her other life, she was a San Francisco police officer. Retired a detective.

Sally wanted a life in the law. Did a year of law school. Too subdued for her. Left law school and joined the police force.

Moved on to Tavern ‘n Town. You have no idea how thrilled I am that the season is over. I can now get a seat at the bar any time I want.

Enjoyed some good food while reading the newspapers.

George Bueno has been bartending at Tavern ‘n Town for 2 years. He had 10 plus years at two other places before Tavern ‘n Town grabbed him.

George is being recognized this week. He is Bartender of the Week. His picture and column appearing in the weekly Key West Week.

Any reason for a party! That’s Key west!

The Key Lime Festival saturday July 1. An only in Key West type event. At the Key West Lighthouse. A gravity defying key lime pie drop. From the top of the Lighthouse. Also  known as the Key Lime Drop Contest.

Pies provided. Four inches in diameter.

Goal is to drop the pie to a specified target without splattering it. Pie in the best condition wins. A trophy and a crisp $100 bill.

Contestants are permitted to create a device or container to protect the pie during its fall and impact.

Finally! Key West is getting Uber! Beginning July 1. The City Commission and Bubba system prevented Uber from operating two years ago when it wanted to begin. New state law prevents Key West from keeping Uber out as long as it meets state requirements.

The City Commission has a propensity for screwing up. Especially when erecting or remodeling a building. The cost goes up dramatically. The Commission always buys some half assed excuse and pays the additional monies.

This time it is the repair of the Frederick Douglas Gym in Bahama Village. The original estimate was $1.7 million. When the bids came in, the cost went up to $2.1 million. Now has ballooned to just under $2.3 million. And the work nowhere close to being done!

Working for the City many times is like having an open check book.

Another folly. There are three sight seeing franchises in Key West. Trolley, buses, etc. All three recently renewed their contracts with the City.

Traffic is a major problem these days. Actually, the major problem. Each of the agreements contain a clause that permits duck boats. In the event the Navy changes its mind and permits them.

Why do we need duck boats? There is not enough room for anything more on Key West streets. Previous duck boats were 39 feet long and 8 feet wide.

Permission should not have been granted. All parties should have waited till Navy approval or some remedy to make the duck boats acceptable. Then an amendment to the agreements could have been negotiated. With the traffic issue a main item of contention.

Ingenuity, mostly American, exists in our penal institutions. Contraband has been smuggled into federal and state jails in increasing numbers over the past five years. Contraband consisting of mobile phones, drugs and pornography.

Drones the method of delivery. Authorities are not equipped with the necessary technology to prevent the deliveries.

One of the finest persons I have met in Key West is Betsy Dietz. A kind charming woman. A good friend of Lisa’s. We have done Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together for over 10 years at Lisa’s.

Betsy recently passed on. A Celebration of Life will be held tomorrow at 5 at the Ocean Grill in Duval Square.

I am confident the crowd paying her honor will be overwhelming.

My podcast tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9. A quick half hour of interesting topics. Many eye opening. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

BEGINNING OF THE END…..

June 6, 1944. D-Day. Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy. American, British, and Canadian. One hundred fifty five thousand strong. Within 11 months, Germany would surrender.

This past weekend, Trump and company publicized this week would be a national tour by Trump to share with the people his infrastructure plan. To privatize infrastructure.

I support infrastructure remediation. I do not support privatization.

Instead of infrastructure, Trump appeared in the White House yesterday morning telling us about his plan for privatization of air controllers. I figured tuesday would find Trump into infrastructure.

Apparently not to be. At least not today. Trump news this morning says he wants to work on healthcare and the budget first.

Why the switch?

Aqua first last night. Tom Luna and Rich Dery singing as only they can. Destiny their guest performer. A knock out voice, also.

Liz at the bar. With girl friends Josefina and Mary. First time i have seen Liz in a few weeks. She is still with cane. Looking questionable whether her second hip surgery worked.

Photographer Larry Blackburn at the bar. We exchanged hellos and shook hands.

Then down the block to Bourbon Street. Wanted to hear Bria sing. No Bria. Discovered she has left for New Hampshire for the summer.

I was disappointed. Not for log, however.

Rocky Bottom was filling in for Bria. A terrific entertainer!

Bourbon Street is a gay bar. One of the top ones in Key West. Rocky Bottom, a female. Kept the guys entertained. Her tip bucket filled up rapidly.

Rocky Bottom sings to a different tune. A little wild. One song had fuck every other word. She sang the tune not sensuously. Hard and tough!

Joe Schroeder opened Bourbon Street twenty plus years ago. He was looking to establish a Beads, Boys and Booze operation. He succeeded big time.

Stopped at the VFW for a bite to eat on the way home. The VFW is open to the public. Prior military involvement not a requirement for admission.

I was at one end of the bar. A mature couple came in and sat at the other end. About a dozen people at the bar.

The new guy bought for the bar. He knew no one. His first time in the VFW. His name Mark and he was from Michigan.

On my way out, I stopped to thank him and shake his hand. He said, “Thank you for your service.”

I never served.

My meal was meat loaf. Mother’s cooking.

You can tell the humidity is heavy. Glasses fog up immediately when you get out of an air conditioned car.

Tomorrow at 10 am at the Custom House, Dr. Cori Convertino is giving a walking lecture telling the story of Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railway. Dr. Convertino is the KWAHS curator who devoted months putting the Flagler Railway exhibition together.

Coomey appears before a Congressional Committee thursday. Too much hype. Expectations running high. Too much may be expected. Certain of his testimony will be classified. Additionally, Special Counsel Mueller may limit what Coomey may reveal.

We shall see.

The emblem of the Democratic Party is the donkey. From whence did it come?

Andrew Jackson was running for President. The Party’s mascot at the time was the Rooster. Shades of Key West 175 years later.

Jackson’s opposition used a play on Jackson’s name to make fun of Jackson and his followers: Jackasses. Donkey in due course became the more tasteful replacement for Jackasses.

The Rooster did not completely die. The Democrat Rooster remains to this day on ballots in some states.

Tonight, my podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Usually, I list topics to be discussed in the evening in the tuesday morning blog. Not this week. With Trump out there, things change hourly.

The past few weeks, I have spent my tuesday afternoons adjusting my topics to fit breaking news. Today, I am waiting till one to formulate tonight’s program.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL DUELING BARTENDERS EVENING

Some nights, some events, can be absolutely over the top. So it was last night with Dueling Bartenders at Aqua.

The room jumped!

I was supposed to pick Terri up and bring her with me. donna had to work and would be late. Lately typical, I forgot. Forgot to pick Terri up.

I was on my way into Aqua when the I remembered. Simultaneously, Donna was on the phone. Where are you? Going into Aqua. I know, I forgot to pick Terri up.

Back to car and on to mid town. Terri waiting outside for me. A lady about the whole thing.

Tom Luna and Rick Dery singing. If Terri is there, she sings also. As Terri and I walked in, Tom Luna brushed aside me and gave Terri who was behind me a big hug. Also, a microphone. Terri was welcome to sing when ever moved to do so.

Terri is special. Her vocal chords unique. the walls move when she gets into a song.

She got to me with Suddenly Seymour. Brought tears to my eyes.

A strange existence. Here she is singing and dancing while singing on occasion with Rick. You would never know she has  a heavy cancer she is battling. Been on chemo for several months now. Hopefully a special surgery in Tampa in late May.

Terri put a little joy into everyone’s hearts.

Sitting next to Terri at the bar were four young males. Off the Carnival Freedom which was docked at Mallory Square. The four from Texas, New Jersey and Los Angeles. Havord a dancer. Tim a singer, Justin a yoga instructor. The fourth, John. I cannot recall his function on the Freedom.

Terri blew them out!

Looked for Liz. No Liz.

Saw Lynn. First time in a couple of years. Lynn ran a popular optometrist business here for years. Fell off the face of the earth two years ago. Obviously has returned. She said she intends to remain.

Welcome back, Lynn!

Then came John the Baptist. The words fell out of my mouth. Someone next to me said, no. It’s Moses.

In reality Joseph Lyles. Former manager of the Hot Tin Roof. Now retired. Ninety nine percent recovered from a serious back surgery. Walking not with a cane. Rather, a six foot pole. Joseph a bit shorter. The pole and his new beard rendered him John the Baptist or Moses.

We agreed to have dinner together next week.

My yesterday morning was spent running around town taking care of some business matters.

My afternoon split between watching Love Story and preparing for tonight’s podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Love Story got to me in similar fashion as Terri’s Suddenly Seymour. A few tears. I have seen the movie many times. It still hits the soft spot in me.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou is at 9 my time. A quick moving eye opening half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics will include a little Trump. How can he be left out? Trump’s invitation to Kim Jong Un to visit the White House, still refusing to back off Obama a “sick and bad guy,” claiming Andrew Jackson upset with the Civil War and would have kept us out of it.

Followed Attorney/General Sessions and the Congressional bar against him prosecuting state medical marijuana laws.

Also, a Venezuelan  update, the new Fourth Reich, cobalt big money, John Tyler’s marital prowess, white people sub-human re certain black advocates, and more.

Duval not always as it is today.  Take O Duval. Where the Pier House and Ocean Key House sit today. Two magnificent resorts.

The Key West Citizen this morning in its Keys History section ran a photo of O Duval 1946. No Pier House, no Ocean Key House. Instead the beginning of a small distribution center for Gulf Oil. A very small building. Nothing more, except bare dock top.

Enjoy your day!

ANTI-SEMITISM ON RISE IN U.S.

The Anti-Defamation League issued a report yesterday. Claims anti-Semitism on the rise in the United States. Statistics provided in support.

In the first quarter of 2017, there have been 541 incidents. An increase of 86 percent over the same period last year.

Viewing 2016 alone, a larger number of incidents occurred over 2015. The leading states were New York, California, and New Jersey. Florida alone saw a 50 percent increase in number of incidents.

The cause? The article suggests Trump. The article accuses Trump of using anti-Semitic memes during the campaign.

2016 saw an overall increase of 34 percent over 2015. One third of the increase occurred in the last two months of 2016.

Spoken words of hatred beget hatred. Mouthing hatred encourages hatred.

Is Trump anti-Semitic? I don’t think so. He is a man with a Jewish daughter, son in law and grandchildren. I sense Trump to be a man who uses any tool to get ahead. Not actually believing what he says. Not thinking or concerned with the impact of his words.

Still makes Trump responsible for his spoken words. He creates problems whenever he opens his mouth.

By the way, anti-Semitism is down in Europe.

Spent yesterday afternoon researching tonight’s podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Exciting and revealing. Fast moving. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics will include anti-Semitism, Netanyahu’s wife in the process of being indicted re using state funds for private spending, bomb attack on Monsanto plant in Italy, middle class continuing to collapse in 20 major U.S. cities, reflection on recent power outages in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles.

Also, a Venezuela update, Trump’s neocon conversion, 900 high school students searched and groped by police, former Trump county chair and Judge arrested for child sex trafficking, United and American Airlines incidents, and more.

Arrived at Aqua early yesterday for Dueling Bartenders. An hour early. Read newspapers till show time.

Tom Luna and Rick Dery singing. Tom a Notary. Married Rick and his spouse this past week. Congratulated a happy Rick re his marriage.

Liz showed up! I had not seen her since her hospitalization. Still  with cane. Looks much better. Face relaxed. The eternal hip pain gone.

We decided to have dinner at Antonia’s. Closed. I forgot it was Taste of Key West. Mangoes was open. As unhappy as I was with my last visit, it was the closest open restaurant.

I must admit, the meal was terrific. I thoroughly enjoyed a shrimp pasta. I will return. Lesson learned, I should not condemn a restaurant based on one poor meal.

Technology amazing! Moving super fast in recent years.

We are testing driverless vehicles. First probably will be marketed by the end of this year or next year. Now comes flying cars. Not driverless. A big move forward, however. Expected to be market ready in three years.

Arkansas should be credited! Tried to squeeze 10 executions into one week. Got most in. Two last night. What a claim to fame!

Actually, disgraceful!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

EMPOWERED

Last night was Donna and Terri evening. My guests at dinner to celebrate their anniversary and Terri’s birthday.

We were going to meet at Lucy’s. A new restaurant at the far Gulf end of Grinnell. Arrived first. Spent $12 to park my car in the garage next door. Ridiculous!

Lucy’s packed. A dozen people waiting for tables. Air conditioning appeared to be out.

Telephoned Donna and said Lucy’s a no go. We decided to meet at the bar of Half Shell Raw Bar. We would decide where to eat from there.

Key West is into season. Every restaurant would be packed. I saw what had been anticipated as a great evening turning into a pain in the ass getting a table somewhere.

As I was walking past the old PT’s on Caroline, I noticed it was now called the Bite. Basically a sandwich place. Sports bar of sorts. Had heard good things about the place.

Stepped inside. Not packed. Air conditioning working. Called my lesbian wives and told them to meet me there.

We had a great time! The food good. Many locals we knew filtered in during the course of the evening.

Terri bald. The chemotherapy. Thin. Lost a lot of weight. She was bundled. Cold. Her hands freezing.

She continues with chemo into April. Then the two of them are off to Tampa. A procedure available in Tampa. They will have to remain in Tampa.

The plan is to take Terri’s stem cells and grow bone marrow from them outside her body. Following which the new bone marrow would be introduced into Terri’s body.

Amazing! Terri a trooper!

The Women’s March entered into the conversation.

Donna’s daughter Stacie is the manager of Blue Heaven. One of her daughters is Hannah. Hannah a 17 year old high school senior.

Stacie, Hannah and some of the other Blue Heaven ladies made the trip to Washington and participated in the Women’s March.

Donna said she got a call from her granddaughter Hannah during the March…..Grandma, I feel empowered!

Donna’s son Scott and his wife Kathy marched in Boston. Scott described the Boston march to his mother…..There are no words!

I have another birthday to celebrate tonight. Dee’s. She wants to go to La Trattoria Oceanside.

Tomorrow night the bocce fundraiser at the bocce courts.

I will have had three busy nights by the time I am done.

Rick Dery one of the Dueling Bartenders. His picture appears in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast. He looks terrific!

On this day in 1943, the U.S. Army Air Force bombed Germany itself for the first time. The 8th Air Force did it. Took off from England. Fifty three bombers made Germany. Only three lost.

The bombing described as retribution. Germany deserved it. More would follow.

Former Mexican President Fox described Trump yesterday as Hitler. Many others have during the campaign and even to today.

Enjoy your day!

 

HERMINE ON ITS WAY?

I continue to learn.

Had I not decided to spend the last end of my life in Key West, I would have known little about hurricanes. Still little. However more than I knew back then.

The hurricane Gaston is out there some where. It will not make US landfall.

However…..Behind Gaston is tropical wave 99L. Tropical wave and with a number new to me. A tropical wave can turn into a tropical depression/storm. A tropical depression/storm can turn into a hurricane.

We have been told tropical wave 99L is behind Gaston. Also behind Puerto Rico. It is some 900 miles away. Presently over or soon to be over Hispaniola. Hispaniola and Puerto Rico part of the Greater Antilles.

Whether 99L turns into a tropical storm or hurricane depends what happens as 99L passes over Hispaniola. Hispaniola’s mountains are 10,000 feet. 99L could break up as it passes over the mountains. Such would be the end of any hurricane danger.

Whatever 99L is after the mountains will determine what will happen as regards the southern US. Could be a heavy wind/rain storm. Or, a hurricane.

If 99L turns into a tropical storm or hurricane, it will receive a new name. Hermine.

Whether wind and rain, tropical storm, or hurricane, it will be over the Keys sunday, monday and tuesday.

Truman Capote died on this day in 1984. Best known for In Cold Blood.

Capote once spent a couple of months in Key West. He booked into David Wolkowsky’s Pier House as it stood at that time. Wolkowsky lived in a trailer next to the Pier House ten feet from the water.

Capote was in a suite. After arriving, he was in Wolkowsky’s trailer having a drink. Wolkowsky’s trailer was very well done. Capote said I want to stay here. Wolkowsky said this is my home. So the conversation went on. Wolkowsky finally relented and gave up his trailer to Capote. Wolkowsky moved into Capote’s suite.

I intended to start my evening at the Back Door with Mark Watson. Closed. Mark never shows up if it is raining. The Back Door is outside.

It was not raining at 5. It had stopped around noon. The sun was out and blazing hot at 5.

Mark just wanted a night off.

I went inside to Aqua’s main bar. Rick Dery bartending. My Joe’s Chicken Shack friends Tim and Todd at the bar. Sat and talked with them. Good guys. One drink only.

Then to Sq. 1. John recently purchased it. Wanted to congratulate John. John not there. Met Ryan. The new bartender. All the employees were new. Recognized none of them

I asked if Jay was cooking. Ryan asked me who Jay was. Guess Jay is gone, too.

Ryan has only been in Key West one month. From Montana.

I enjoyed an appetizer and one drink.

Then home. Before 9. Early to bed.

Disaster!

I fell going up the stairs! Stubbed my toe on the last step. Went flying.

My fault. I was hurrying up the steps and not looking. At my age, I am not supposed to do either. No reason to hurry. No one waiting for me in bed.

At my age, when you fall, you fall hard. My nose. Where the bridge of my glasses rest. Thought I broke my nose. Swollen this morning. A bit bruised. A couple of small cuts. Talked to my doctor. Does not think it is broken. Don’t worry about it.

My wrists and knees hurt. Really bad. My left arm/shoulder, also.

I had a cut on my left foot shin bone. Bled more than a small cut should have.

My major problem after a fall is getting up. Big time difficult!

Whatever, I am alive and well this morning.

The Custom House celebrates its 125th birthday this year. Construction was completed 1891. At the time, housed federal offices. Courts, post office, etc. The building plans used were from a previous federal construction.  The new federal building in Aberdeen, Mississippi completed in 1887.

The William Hackley saga continues. Baby still sick. Fever till 2 in the afternoon. Fever returned in the evening. Matilda’s breasts continue to be a problem. Boil on one broke. Painful.

Hackley called for the doctor in the evening. To check out Baby. The doctor had a bit of a concern. He had just returned from treating a smallpox patient. He was concerned whether he should visit the child.

The doctor finally decided it was ok. He had no knowledge of anyone becoming infected by a doctor who had recently cared for a smallpox victim.

Glad we live today rather than back then.

Bob Saraceno and wife Sue are in town. Will be getting together with them at some point.

Enjoy your day!

 

CROCODILES CLAIM THEIRS

Two photos in this morning’s Key West Citizen kick off today’s blog.

The first of a crocodile. The picture not of concern. The place where taken is.

The four foot crocodile was photographed off the seawall on South Roosevelt Boulevard. One quarter mile from Smathers Beach.

The crocs are moving in. Not in large numbers yet. But every few months another sighted.

It bothers me. Whether Orlando was a croc or alligator, I do not recall. However, the story of the 2 year old frightening.

Many tell me the area belonged to the crocodiles and alligators before man arrived. It is their home man has taken. The crocs are merely reclaiming what was theirs.

The other photo was a 1967 one of the newly constructed Key West Towers. Ain’t no more Key West Towers in Key West. Looked like Key West by the Sea to me. Could not be, however. I have always been under the impression that Key West by the Sea was initially Navy offices and barracks during World War II.

Did a little internet searching. Hard to find a Key West Towers. Finally found an historical piece advising that Key West by the Sea was built in 1967, Ergo, Key West by the Sea initially was Key West Towers. The Navy never was involved.

My day yesterday began with a manicure with Tammy. Tammy is Vietnamese. Wears her black hair long. Yesterday it was streaked. Typical woman. She wanted a change.

Looked good. The Americanized version of a Vietnamese beauty.

We were engrossed in conversation while she worked on my nails. An hour after I left, I discovered she had forgotten to buff the nails on my left hand. One hand is bright and shiny, the other bland and dull.

I am returning thursday for a pedicure. She can fix my nails at that time.

I was hungry hungry. Decided on 5 Guys. It had been a long time. I knew I would be sorry when I finished. I was. Shot over to Home Depot to work the bloat feeling off by walking.

Last night, Aqua. Monday cocktail time is Dueling Bartenders. I enjoy the place. The mixture of music is delightful. They play and sing old, relatively new and in between music. I am not familiar with today’s music. 1940s, 50s and 60s is what I know and recall. I get my shot of it monday’s at Aqua.

Tom Luna bartending. Always bartending. A magnificent voice.

Tom has been in Key West close to  30 years. Arrived January 2, 1989 and never left. He has achieved iconic status. Everyone loves and respects him.

Goddess Galore aka Rick Dery was not to be found.

Beatrix Dixie was working the bar and singing along with Tom. I am relatively new to Aqua on a steady basis. I suspect Beatrix is new. Not sure. Whatever, she is a beauty! Sultry. sexy.

Beatrix has an ass, boobs, great legs, lovely face, wonderful hair. Even her voice is feminine. Looks real. Hard to tell.

A couple of weeks ago, Sheila was around the corner of the bar from me. Beatrix was singing. First time Sheila had seen her. Sheila came to me and said…..Would you believe! A compliment to Beatrix’s talents.

Tonight my podcast broadcast. Tuesday talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Generally, I am behind. This week, I have already prepared three times the material needed. My problem this afternoon will be to pick and choose. Then organize.

I am beginning to receive comments to the show. Same as those of you who comment here. One difference. So far, all nice. Listeners must be a different breed of people from readers.

Enjoy your day!

GOING TO GREECE

Going to Greece. Not me. The bartender at Roostica. For a whole month. September.

I think her name is Sarah. I will be seeing her soon again and get it straight.

We chatted long about Greece last night. I ended up the last customer to leave. They were cleaning up when I left.

The first thing I am going to do is have her read the day by day blog account of my trips. Will tell her a lot she wants to know. She intends to island hop.

Started my evening last night at Aqua. The Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Rich Dery. Rich dressed. Both bars packed. Always a good time.

The best part of the evening came as I arrived home. The July 4th concerts and fireworks on TV. I kept flipping the dial among Washington, Boston and New York.

Trump says many negatives about America. He dwells on the unhappiness of Americans. I could not see it on the faces of the thousands attending the three events. It was pride time!

Before going to the TV fireworks, I watched a while the Key West ones. Terrific! Shot off Knight Pier. Watched from my deck. A perfect view. Several years ago, Jenna joined me to view the fireworks from the deck. Two lounge chairs and a bottle of Dom Perignon.

I found Key West busy last night. The restaurants packed. That is why I ended up at Roostica. The crowd surprised me. Generally the last night of a holiday weekend is dead.

Worked on my blog radio show in the afternoon. Fine tuning today for this evening’s show. Interesting topics. Like Clinton Foundation misdeeds, Italy working on referendum re out of Euro Union in the Fall, 40 percent of monies U.S. pays out each year goes to pay interest on loans, Rudolph Murdoch and Newt Gingrich digging for oil on Golan Heights, who pays for booze and balloons at national political conventions, the birth of the bikini, a GMO baby in the works, and more.

Join me for a quick moving half hour. Not just news. My opinion always shared. You will disagree with some. Whatever, the show is interesting and revealing.

Nine my time. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. The show now has some national advertisers. Means the numbers are up. People are listening. People are enjoying.

Thank you.

I will never climb the Santorini volcano. My heart won’t permit it. The doctor told me last week the reason I easily tire is the cardiomyopathy discovered several years ago. An enlarged heart.

I corrected the problem. Gave up drinking for 1 1/2 years. My heart shrunk to normal size.

The problem is 30-40 percent of my heart is soft tissue as a result. Makes it harder to push blood through my heart when I exert myself.

I am paying for my past sins. No question, as ye sow so shall ye reap.

I have a 10:30 visit with my heart doctor this morning to verify the results.

Crocodiles in the news. The Florida and Keys ones. Hatching season similar to turtles. Mother croc buries her eggs in sand.

Crocs an endangered species in Florida. Down to 200-300 in 1970s. Now estimated at 1,700-2,000.

I fear crocs and alligators. An article I read said fear not crocs. No record of a croc death exists in the U.S. Only one of a bite.

Still scare me!

God bless the French! A French designer Louis Reard introduced to the world on this day in 1946 the bikini. First time! Men and women alike have benefited. Men like to look. Women who wear bikinis happy with them.

Enjoy your day!