HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Belongs to the Irish. For this day alone, everyone is Irish.

Years ago, I did the Duval Crawl on St. Patrick’s Day. Drank green beer. Pissed green. Whooped it up.

No more. Time has caught up with me.

I look forward however to a good meal of corned beef and cabbage. Will do so with Donna and Terri.

Reservations generally required. Even with them, difficult to be seated timely. This year we are playing it smart. Take out from Shanna Key.

Parades a big deal this day. The only time I marched was when I was in college in New York City. I was in the Air Force ROTC. We marched in perfect precision up Fifth Avenue. A sharp eyes right as we passed St. Patrick’s Cathedral where the Cardinal sat.

Interestingly, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in New York City in 1762. As early as then there already was a large contingency of Irish living in New York.

Let me share with you an old Irish blessing: “May your troubles be less, your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.”

Yesterday, a party at a lovely home on the water in Sugarloaf. Hosts Anita and Tom. Great company and food. A magnificent setting sun.

Watched Syracuse defeat TCU last night 57-52. Another squeaker.

Next game sunday against Michigan State. CBS at 2:40 pm. Syracuse the underdog once again.

Big week ahead. Folks coming in.

Today or tomorrow, Don and Chris. Their wedding next saturday at the Hyatt. I see a week of partying ahead. Liver abuse time!

Tomorrow, Tom and Fran Dixon from Buffalo. Recently returned from a trip to Italy. Fran will be bringing me frozen sauce with meatballs, sausage and pork. If I am lucky, home made pasta. Tom and Fran excellent company.

I mentioned earlier this week that long time Key West artist Jon “Tosh” McIntosh had passed on. This weekend’s Key West Citizen has an Editorial Page “cartoon” honoring Tosh. Tosh was the Editorial Page cartoonist for 20 years.

We have bad leaders in Washington. Whose fault? Ours.

Leaders rise from the people. We elect them. Ergo, we are complicit in the fact that our President and Congress are bad or have gone bad.

All cause and effect.

We live in a time where power has gone mad. Two occurrences in the last 24 hours proof. The firing of Andrew McCabe and Trump suing Stoney Daniels for $20 million.

This morning’s news tells us that Russia has found its way into our power grid. The computers, etc. that control electricity, etc. By the push of a button, Putin can shut the U.S. down. Place us in immediate danger. Our nuclear weapons and other defense items work off electricity.

A President’s first obligation is to protect the people. Trump is failing/has failed. First, by his reluctance to acknowledge and do something about Russia’s intrusion into the 2016 election. Now the danger of Russia turning off the U.S.’s power grid.

I am old school. I believe people should stay married, children should live with two parents, etc. I am one of the divorced. My wife divorced me after 52 years. Ouch!

I mention divorce because it has been announced Donald Trump, Jr and his wife Vanessa are divorcing. Apparently her idea.

Divorce is a lifer changer. I feel sorry for both of them and their children.

Donald Jr. may find additional aggravation from Mueller as a result. Vanessa might decide to reveal whatever she knows which might be adverse to her husband. Though certain laws might bar such testimony by her because of marriage, it would not bar her from sharing any information she has with regard to Donald Sr.

A woman scorned thing.

Have we become a society where there is no shame? Michael Flynn is Trump’s former National Security Adviser who plead guilty several months ago to lying to the FBI.  He has opted to take a deal, is providing information to Mueller, and agreed to testify against Trump if it becomes necessary.

Flynn was recently in California. He campaigned with and spoke on behalf of the Republican candidate who is running against Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

Flynn was selling out America on a cell phone on inauguration day while Trump was being sworn in. Flynn seated several rows from Trump.

No one seems to care about character any more. For sure, Flynn, the Republican candidate he was speaking for, and the crowd that gave him a rousing cheer.

I am not sure why. Yesterday’s readership doubled. It happens occasionally. It had to be one of two blogs I wrote.

Enjoy your day.

 

PLAYFUL KEY WEST RETIREES RETURN TO COLLEGE

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A haircut first yesterday. With the lovely and interesting Lori. She has been cutting my hair for 15 years in Key West. We have become good friends.

Just about everyone was wearing green tee shirts. St. Patrick’s Day. I decided to go down Duval to Sloppy Joe’s and Irish Kevin’s to observe the festivities. It was after noon so beer was being consumed by many walking along.

I stopped at Irish Kevin’s. Never made it to Sloppy Joe’s which was just a few doors further.

Love Irish Kevin’s! Get there once a year. Not more often. A young crowd and I don’t fit. I can see, however. The young ladies baring their breasts draws me to Irish Kevin’s that one time a year.

About five years ago, another local couple and I enjoyed dinner together St. Patrick’s evening at La Te Da. My friends were in the mid 70s as I at the time. We decided to go down to Irish Kevin’s to see what was going on.

It was Spring Break. As yesterday. Irish Kevin’s was packed with college kids.

We were near the bar and had been able to get drinks. One of the students asked what we were doing there. My mind operates swiftly. I said we were on Spring Break. He looked at me strangely. I explained we were three retirees who had returned to college. We attended Syracuse University. We had decided age should not be a barrier to enjoying Spring Break.

We never bought another drink. Word spread quickly. The students loved us. A good time was had by all!

I have corned beef and cabbage once a year. St. Patrick’s Day. The Sloppy Joe area is for drinkers, not eaters. I decided to drive over to Shanna Key on Flagler. Assumed there would not be too many at the bar. It is out of the way. Shanna Key serves corn beefed and cabbage every day. Part of its regular menu.

I was wrong re the number of people. Shanna Key was crowded. They were on the sidewalks. I could not get into the parking lot. Decided to go home.

Spent the afternoon and evening relaxing. My body was telling me to rest. Watched NCAA basketball all afternoon and evening.

Syracuse/Dayton today. 12:15 on CBS. Dayton a 1 1/2 point favorite. Not sure whether I will be watching the game at Don’s Place or Jack Flats.

Received an e-mail from my friend Anna yesterday. She is in Courmayeur skiing on Mont Blanc. The highest peak in the Alps. Courmayeur is in the far north region of Italy.

I envy her. I do not ski. However loved Coumayeur during my European travels. A quaint lovely village. The best was sitting in the village square at an outside cafe and enjoying a drink or two.

Anna said she will be leaving for Chamonix today. Chamonix is just over the border in France. Beautiful.

Remember the tune Alexander’s Ragtime Band? Catchy. A song for the ages.

Irving Berlin copyrighted the tune this day in 1911. No records or CDs back then. Sheet music. People bought sheet music and played tunes on their home pianos.

Alexander’s Ragtime Band initially was copyrighted in lyric form. The words came later.

Alexander’s was the biggest sheet music seller up to that time. 1.5 million copies in 18 months.

Times have changed!

Enjoy your day!