KEY WEST WEATHER FRIGHTFUL

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The weather is frightful. Key West experiencing its first cold spell of the season. Sixty degrees last night. Sixty one degrees at the moment. Today projected a high of 65 and low of 59.

I feel sad for the tourists who are here this week. The cold spell will run through thursday. They ae making the best of it. Buying Key West sweat shirts and hanging out at the bars day and night. Still fun!

When I went out last night, my mind was buzzing with Frank Sinatra’s rendition of Let It Snow. The specific line…..The weather outside is frightful.

We who live here have thin blood. The heat does it. Anything under 74 cold! I appreciate it sounds strange. That is the way it is, however.

I turned on the heat 2:30 this morning. First time in the new house.

The fire alarm went off. For 15 minutes. I did not smell smoke so was not concerned. Small particles of soot came flying out the vents.

Turned heat off. Grabbed an extra blanket. Never got back to sleep. Not caused by the noise, cold, etc. Merely woke and could not get back to sleep.

Terrific!

Made me wish I had a body to sleep next to. Body heat  works.

Someone due here in an hour to check the system out.

My only stop last night the Chart Room. Packed. The weather forcing everyone inside. Everyone having a good time. Noise level roaring.

Shaun bartending. Just Returned from a visit home in Minnesota. Minus 10 degrees. Real cold!!!

On the way out, met Jenn and Holly. Jenn stopped me to say she reads the blog. Makes my heart feel good every time I hear it. I believe Jenn lives in Key West and her friend Holly visiting.

Big party tonight! The Sons and Daughters of Italy Christmas party. At the Doubletree. Last year was my first Christmas party with them. One terrific time!

A few Trump observations.

Yesterday, Obama compared Trump’s actions to those of Hitler. Some commenting today on TV were offended. Open your eyes! The man is! He is authoritarian and totalitarian. Democracy rapidly declining. Troubled waters ahead.

Pakistan supposedly our ally. Friend. Till Trump. Keep in mind, Pakistan is a nuclear nation.

Pakistan announced yesterday that its Air Force had been ordered to shoot down U.S. drones. Pakistan claims the drones are violating Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Yes. The real reason however is that Afghanistan sits next door to Pakistan. U.S. air power flies over Pakistan to get to Afghanistan. When the bombs fall, some fall on the Pakistan side of the border. Killing Pakistanis.

In August, Trump publically spoke harshly of Pakistan.

Pakistan has reached a point many other nations have. The United States cannot be relied on.

UN Under-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman returned recently from North Korea. He opined re North Korea: The “world’s most dangerous security issue, and must be resolved fast and diplomatically to avoid war.”

Trump spoke yesterday in Mississippi. The bastion of black love. Trump paid tribute to the “brave men and women of the civil rights movement.”

What a whore!

Demonstrators nearby carrying signs. One read: “No Trump, no hate, no KKK in the USA.”

Keep up the good work, Mr. President!

Modern day pedophilia did not end with the Catholic Church. It keeps rearing its ugly head.

Recently, Alabama’s Moore.

More recently, the Director of Music Publishing for Walt Disney. John Heely. Sixty eight. He has been with Walt Disney since 1981.

Three minors. One for four years.

A religious man. His Twitter bio reads: “Disney concerts and living to glorify God in all things.”

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

TRUMP LOOKED GOOD

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Brevity my middle name this morning. Sloan coming over shortly. We have a number of things to do.

I do not recall ever saying anything nice about the President. My mind has not changed. Yesterday was rare. He was over the top good.

His appearance in Houston, other parts Texas and Louisiana Presidential. Caused a tear on occasion, The people needed him. He was there for them.

Wish he were able to continue being Presidential. It asks too much of him.

Bocce party last night. Arrived late. Group already playing. The Sons and Daughters of Italy. I continue to be glad I joined. Great people!

President Giorgi a first class guy. Chatted with him a while watching his group and he play.

Then to the Chart Room. Packed. Tourists. Knew not a soul. Watched the first half of the Alabama/Florida State game. Hurried home during half time to catch the second half. Number 1 and number 3 ranked teams playing in a season opening game.

The game was not impressive. Alabama won decidedly, but did not show #1 characteristics. Florida State a disappointment. I have a feeling they will be stronger as the season progresses.

Syracuse, my Syracuse! Won its opening game friday night. Decidedly. Beat Central Connecticut 50-7. Have not seen a win like that in years!

Syracuse has not played well for several years. The school’s schedule down graded. Nice to win. But against Central Connecticut?

Brewfest a winner! People lined up around the corner of Duval and South Streets waiting to get in. The party on South Beach.

Sponsored by the Southernmost Beach Resort and Sunrise Rotary. One hundred fifty different brews.

The event will continue throughout the Labor Day weekend.

Filled the gas tank yesterday. Price up $.20 a gallon. Not bad in view of the Houston refinery devastation.

I finish with a Eugene O’Neill quote: “Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.”

Enjoy your Sunday!

SHAME AND DISGRACE

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Abraham Lincoln’s head hung in shame last night as he sat in his monument in Washington. His mind run through with the disgrace of it all.

Charlottesville, Virginia. A moment that will go down in American history. A moment when the dark side of man came to the forefront. Anti-color, anti-Semite, anti-affirmative action, and anti-establishment.

Domestic terrorists. American born and bred.

The trouble makers a significant part of Trump’s base. It cannot be denied. White supremacists, neo-Nazis and the Klu Klux Klan. Dissidents all.

From day one, Trump has encouraged violence. The manner and words he used in the primaries and election against opposition. His yells to those who spoke out against him  at rallies to be thrown out, beaten. His promise to pay the attorney bills of anyone arrested. His chants to jail Hillary.

It goes on. The man is mad. He drives those who are mad. They feed off him.

Breitbart News is a leading white supremacist supporter/outlet. West Wing adviser Steve Bannon was once its CEO. Stephen Miller, who I have likened to Joseph Goebbels, wrote for the publication.

Yesterday represented America’s Arab Spring. With one significant difference. Egypt’s Arab Spring was a protest against a corrupt government. Charlottesville’s in support of evil in its many forms.

Yesterday afternoon was Robert and Ally time. Interestingly, we discussed what was blaring on the TV sets while having lunch at the new Denny’s.

Robert and Ally had a handle on the situation. I was amazed and impressed. At 13 and 12, they understood the right and wrong of Charlottesville.

At first, I was surprised. As I thought further, not. If I and my friends had a grasp on Hiroshima at the age of 10, Robert and Ally a few years older could have an understanding of Charlottesville.

Liked Denny’s! My first time. Robert and Ally had been before and recommended that we have lunch there.

Then to a unique experience. Key West Room Escape.

I questioned when I made reservations whether Robert and Ally would enjoy it. Even if I would. We all did!

Located in the Casa Antigua on Simonton, The Escape consists of two rooms. We were locked in. We were told we had 60 minutes to find the last page of Hemingway’s A Farewell To Arms manuscript.

Not easy! Mentally arduous! Required team effort. We worked together.

I could not have provided Robert and Ally with a better afternoon. Nor Poppa. The grandkids got right into it. Their intelligence obvious. Not an easy task to find the page.

I found Robert and Ally’s mental acuteness exceeded mine. No question about it.

We failed. One step away. The last one. However, we were not able to figure out the last clue.

Young or old, go! You will leave excited. The Adrenalin running.

The proprietor is Kyle Turk. He watches at all times via hidden cameras. Periodically suggests whether you are hot or cold in your quest to discover the next clue.

Turk has come up with a winner. Different and exciting. I hope it takes hold.

I never made it to Giorgio and Sharon’s Sons and Daughters of Italy dinner party last night. I was exhausted by the hunt. Dropped Robert and Ally home. Did not stay. Went to my home. In bed at 6. Never got out.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

SIMPLY STATED…..

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Simply stated…..Yesterday relatively quiet.

Laid around at home in the afternoon watching the PGA.

First stop in the evening was the Bottle Cap. A fundraiser for Sisters. I was there at the specific request of Donna and Terri.

Never heard of Sisters before. A big hearted and welcomed organization for those in need. Specifically, sick persons. Very sick.

Most Key Westers live paycheck to paycheck. No money set aside for emergencies. Now comes cancer. Can’t work. Can’t pay ordinary bills like the rent.

Sisters steps in. Pays certain everyday expenses such as rent for a brief period. A bridge for the afflicted and unable to work.

Terri was a beneficiary of such relief when she was first diagnosed.

Terri sang last night as part of the program. Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Touched everyone.

Mostly women in attendance. I noticed they were hugging and kissing at different times. More so than normal. I could understand why. Many had been stricken and survived. They were hugging some who helped them get through the early days economically.

Carmelo one of Bottle Cap’s owners. His birthday yesterday. I ran into him at the event. I was pleased to be able to shake Carmelo’s hand and wish him a Happy Birthday.

Then to dinner at Duffy’s with Donna and Terri. Terri all excited. In a few weeks she will be back in Tampa for further tests and word whether her body is prepared to receive some drastic life saving activities.

Today, Robert and Ally day. Sure I have it correct this time!

Lunch and then a visit to a new place. Key West Room Escape.

I look forward to my time with them.

Tonight, more fun! A party at Giorgio’s home. Giorgio President of the Sons and Daughters of Italy. Summertime. No meetings. Giorgio and Sharon having a social evening at their home for club members.

Buffalo’s Fran and Tom Dixon have joined. Fran is of Italian extraction. This will be their first meet with the group.

Trump said yesterday Venezuela should watch out. Indicated he was considering military intervention.

The guy is nut! He’d consider bombing Little Bo Peep!

Venezuela’s problem is four years old. A smoldering civil war in the making. However until the past two months, the people have failed to fight. They protested in numbers. no violence, however.

Now, they fight a bit. Not enough. Some killed. Not a significant number.

Two reasons we do not belong in Venezuela.

First, it is a civil war. None of our business. Second, if the people will not fight in sufficient numbers and force the overthrow of Maduro, why should the U.S. intervene? God helps those who help themselves first.

Enjoy your day!

BOCCE PARTY

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I joined the Sons and Daughters of Italy last year. Actually, a reinstatement. I had been a member years earlier in Utica.

Glad I did! The Key West group are at the top of the fun list. Everyone friendly. Typical Key west, but more so.

The summer is dead. Why not have a party! And so it was last night. A bocce party.

A good crowd. Most had never held a bocce ball before. All anxious to learn. Prior to actually playing, dinner. Pizza, beer, wine and soda.

I did not play. Probably never will again. Amazing! I had to retire from bocce in my old age.

I participated. Sat with players and made suggestions, gave advice. Quietly and non offensively.

Allan Wimer. Loquacious, charming, humorous, considerate, a gentleman. The worst thing he could be accused off is that he left Key West. Transplanted himself to Naples.

Wimer a Facebook aficionado, also. We are FB friends. Came across an Amazing Stuff video he reran: If methadone is free to addicts because they have a disease…..Why is chemo not free for cancer patients?

Allan one smart man!

Some of us forget. Some of us are not even aware. There were times when certain diseases were horrendous. Killed or debilitated many yearly. Cures discovered. The diseases plagued us no more.

In days long gone by, Key West had its share of such diseases. The Key West Citizen in its Today in Key West History section made note of some over the past two days.

On July 16, 1887, the Marine Hospital reported 282 cases of yellow fever. Sixty three resulting in death.

A year later on July 16, 1898, the Army hospital reported a U.S. Army private had died of tuberculosis.

Finally on this day in 1954, 35 cases of polio had been reported for the year to date.

God bless medical research!

As one gets older, time remaining occasionally enter’s one’s thoughts. I know being 82.

Clive Cussler commented on the time issue in The Solomon Curse…..Time is a thief. It steals our memory, our hopes, and our strength, leaving only the sense there’s never enough of it.

The June 2016 meeting involving Donald Trump, Jr. The number in the room is now 8. Amazing how it grows almost day by day.

Truth a winner. A lack of it most always a guarantee of losing.

Again I revert to the saying of old…..Woe the web we weave when first we seek to deceive.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

AN INSULT

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The White House is where the  President lives and works. It is not his house. It is ours. It belongs to the American people.

I am personally insulted as to what transpired in our house yesterday. The American public should like wise be insulted.

It began with my watching on TV as Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov was greeted by Tillerson and was being led into a conference room. The American press had been barred from the meeting. A group however were standing in the background.

Dauntless Andrea Mitchell shouted out a question. She is getting good at it. It was directed to Lavrov. He looked at her with disdain. A sneer and smile…..like who are you? Then turned his back on her and walked away with Rex Tillerson.

Tillerson had a similar smile. Tillerson should ride his horse back from  wherever he came.

And, screw Lavrov!

Trump barred the American press and photographers from the meeting. He permitted a Russian reporter and photographer. Any photos run later in the American media were the result of the Russians sharing the pics they had taken.

Several weeks ago, Tillerson was in Moscow for a meeting with Putin. Putin kept him waiting three hours. No one kept Lavrov waiting. He was treated like royalty.

Note also that Comey was fired the day before Lavrov’ visit.

Though conjecture on my part, I see it coming. Trump and Russia in cahoots. Even before Trump became President.

Many media outlets this morning were describing Comey’s discharge as a coverup. A coverup between Trump’s campaign people, perhaps Trump himself, and Russia.

In yesterday’s blog, I referred to Rod Rothenstein as a Judas. Today, I would add a Brutus. He and Comey have been friends and comparable professionals for years.

They say Rothenstein is a man of honor. If so, his conduct re Comey does not make sense. A man of honor would not have participated in Comey’s removal. He should have resigned. It is not yet too late for him to resign. A man’s reputation/character is more important than any position.

I am having a video problem. I could not do my Facebook video yesterday. My cell phone keeps indicating no internet connection. Everything else in the house working, however.

I went to Verizon. Video worked ok there. Came home, not working. Plan on returning to Verizon this morning. It is either something in the phone gone blink or my Verizon wi fi connection not working.

Do not know under the circumstances whether I will be able to get out a video today.

I am frustrated. I was anxious to share additional views re Comey’s firing yesterday.

Two months ago, I stubbed my middle toe on the bed post. Broke it. Raised the nail, also. I have avoided a pedicure during that time waiting for the toe to heal and the nail to come down. The toe healed. The nail did not come down.

It was Tammy time yesterday. For the overdue manicure. My concern was the toenail. Once Tammy cut away the excess nail, everything was fine. To my relief.

My concern was toe nail fungus. Never had it. Do not want to get it. My Dad had the problem terribly in his later years.

After my Tammy visit, hurried over to Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. My usual. Cuban cheese toast, Cuban coffee and the newspapers.

Last night, fun time! The monthly meeting of the Sons and Daughters of Italy. A great group.

Good food and good company. Giorgio, Sharon, Lilly, Jerry (the fisherman), Bob (who broke a rib over the weekend), Donna, and Helena. More whose names I cannot recall.

Birthdays were celebrated. Happy birthday sung in Italian. I have to learn.

Robert and Ally’s Santa Claus a member. Mac. Looks like Santa Claus even when not Christmas. He recently had by pass surgery. Lost a ton of pounds. He will need padding come next Christmas.

Mac’s wife Cindy a member, also. She drives Mac/Santa Claus around Christmas Eve as he makes his visits.

The club awarded a Key West High School young lady a $1,000 scholarship. She was proud to receive it. Her parents with her to enjoy the occasion.

Bocce tonight. I shall sit, drink and cheer my former team mates on. It does not seem to be helping this season.

The Sons and Daughters of Italy have a bocce team. The team’s second year. I will be cheering for them also. Tonight may be hell night for them. They are playing the #1 team Hell’s Rangers.

Enjoy your day!

 

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ITALY

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I attended the monthly meeting of the Sons and Daughters of Italy last night at the Bottle Cap. Always enjoyable. Good food, good people. Interesting conversations.

Giorgi sponsored me in the club. He was elected President last night.

I sat with Paul, Sharon and Donna.

A new member and first timer was a woman whose name I cannot recall. Sorry. She recently arrived from Italy. Her family has been in the gelato business for years. Like three generations. In Italy. A store recently opened in Key West.

A daughter in Key West. She is managing the store for her father.

The family was not happy with the machinery used to make gelato which was available in the U.S. She brought family machinery with her.

The new store is called Gelateria Nuovolfiore Key West. Address 407 e Front Street.

She brought samples for us to enjoy. All terrific!

I have been dieting three weeks. Cheated last night. Big time. Ate everything. Did not feel guilty at all.

Edward Toppino is a Key West icon. A giant. Today around 90 years old. He is a member.

His father built US 1. For real. Ed got into the business. Today his sons and grandsons. Ed a neighbor. Lives around the corner from me.

Ed told us about the 1935 hurricane and its impact on US 1. The hurricane was a 5 and one of the worst to hit the lower keys. Certain railroad bridges down or broke. The road in bad shape. If my memory is correct, over 400 dead.

Ed spoke about some of the railroad bridges resupported and used for the highway. The difficulties in building the highway at that point.

One of the problems was where to live. Tents used prior to the hurricane. Ed’s father built a motel in Marathon to house his family and some of his employees.

The railroad, Flagler Railroad, died with the hurricane. Flagler’s dream no more. The motel in Marathon still stands.

Stopped at the Chart Room afterwards. John off. A new female bartender. She said she would be working four nights.

Friend Ken at the bar. He is in and out of Key West. Leaves tomorrow. Will return in a month.

Met Mark and Jim. From outside Flint, Michigan. Interesting conversation.

Spent the afternoon listening to Trump and Tillerson. I fear they are leading us into a war.

Bocce tonight, depending on the weather. Has been pouring big time all morning. May clear up. If it does soon, the courts will dry by bocce time.

Conch Republic Days begin friday. Seven at Schooner Wharf Bar. A short exciting parade. Lively costumes. Shell Blowing Contest.

The famed commentator now dead Charles Kuralt was a frequent visitor to Key West. Schooner Wharf was his favorite place. He referred to it as the “…..center of the universe.”

Sarin gas has been in the news since Assad bombed his people with it. Sean Spicer got sarin gas and Hitler screwed up two days ago. The news has been following his mea culpas.

No one has mentioned that Hitler was in fact involved with sarin gas. The Nazis developed it. Then stockpiled it. Hitler refused to use it against the Allies.

The gas used in the death chambers was not sarin.

I spoke of Attorney General Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions and his Civil War Confederate namesake General P. C. T. Beauregard yesterday.

A follow up re the General.

The General bombarded Fort Sumter for 33 hours. The Union force was not prepared for the battle. Little ammunition, cannons, food, etc. The Union surrendered.

Turns out Beauregard was a gentleman. He did not take the Union forces and contractors working on the fort prisoner. He permitted them to leave and march north.

There were 118 military and 43 construction workers. Not one had sustained an injury during the fight. The South lost a dog during the battle. Plus one soldier who was killed by an accidental explosion after the battle.

Robot, robots, robots! They are everywhere! Moving in on everything we do.

Today, chess. An expert chess team played two robots. The robots won most of the matches.

Enjoy your day!

 

SILENT COUP

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Silent coup. The quiet sneaky attempt to overthrow an existing government. Sometime successful, sometime not. Part of a banana republic experience.

Breitbart is an ultra right publication. Believes in white supremacy. Anti-Semitic. Opposed to present day U.S. government.

Trump’s senior strategist and adviser is Stephen Bannon. Word is he runs the White House and exerts the most influence over Trump.

Bannon is a former CEO of Breitbart.

Breitbart ran article last Friday claiming U.S. intelligence agencies were involved in a “silent coup” against Trump. The Wall Street Journal in a Monday article re Trump mentioned the quote.

Silent coup to me infers banana republic involvement. We are not yet a banana republic. Not even close. Never will be. Even though some lie hoping the seed will be planted that we become so.

Silent coup was the topic of my Go Live video on Facebook yesterday. Thought it interesting enough to repeat here.

If you have not yet, check out my Go Live Key West Lou video. Short. The silent coup one took all of 1 minute 8 seconds.

Poor Liz. Yesterday was day 2 of her hip replacement surgery experience.

Spent the day with her. She was much better. Most if not all of the drugs withdrawn. She slept peacefully in the afternoon. Made sense while talking. Had physiotherapy for the first time.

If all continues as it is, she will be discharged tomorrow.

I missed my Sons and Daughters of Italy meeting last night. Opted to remain with Liz. The Sons and Daughters meetings are part parties also. Fun!

Oh, the pain! Syracuse lost yesterday. To Miami. 62-57.

The end of the road to the NCAA Tournament? Perhaps. Probably, yes. Syracuse is 18-14. Eighteen wins difficult to get in. On the other hand, Syracuse is 10-8 in the ACC. ACC tough. Ten wins carry a lot of weight.

Spring breakers have arrived! All over Key West. Publix and Smathers Beach. I assume Duval bars in the evening. I can not be sure. As much as I do of Key West, Duval bars I rarely frequnet.

From what I have seen, the spring breakers are enjoying themselves responsibly.

Never did spring break when I was in college. No money. Worked holidays at a meat packing plant in Utica. Big hourly. Made a good pay check for two week’s work.

Never missed spring break. Hard to miss that which you have never experienced. Retirement is my spring break.

Aqua’s new Side Bar has entertainment! Got to be great. The bar has a modern flavor. Something different for Key West.

The ladies were at it again yesterday. International Women’s Day. In the U.S. celebrated as a Day Without Women. The ladies stayed home from work. Went out and demonstrated. To show the economic clout of women.

Have to hustle. A late morning manicure with Tammy.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

ELENA…..YOU’RE HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY

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The Count Carl von Cosel / Elena Milagro Hoyos tale is a story following Elena’s death in the 1930s. The Count was a Key West U.S. Marine  Hospital staff member. Elena a patient.

The Count loved Elena.

Elena died. Tuberculosis.

Two years later, the Count removed her body from its tomb and relocated it to his home. There she remained for several years in his bed. He cared for her. Did his best to keep her decomposing body attractive.

The title of today’s blog a tongue in cheek one: ELENA, YOU’RE HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY.

The Studios of Key West is presenting a musical based on the love story. March 2 and 3.

Should be interesting.

Spent my yesterday in the hospital. Liz had hip replacement surgery in the morning. The day spent helping her through the anesthesia withdrawal. Seemed to take forever. Not easy for her.

I was exhausted when I returned home in the evening. To bed and sleep immediately.

Syracuse/Miami at noon on ESPN. Miami a 2.5 point favorite.

I spent some time this morning talking to various hospital personnel. I want to watch the game and be with Liz at the same time. The hospital personnel probably thought I was nuts. I wanted to know if the TV sets in the rooms carried ESPN.

No one knew.

Sons and Daughters of Italy meeting tonight. Should be interesting and fun. I am in the mood to imbibe a bit.

Walgreens. Today a Walgreens in Key West. Part of one of the largest drug chains in the U.S. In the year 2017.

Charles R. Walgreen was the owner of the drug chain bearing his name in 1938. He visited Key West on this date on his 98 foot yacht Virago.

Drug stores obviously big business even back in the depression days of 1938!

An important day in Russian history! An important day in world history! The Russian Revolution began this date in 1917. People hungry. Wanted bread.

Ninety thousand demonstrators hit the streets in Petrograd. One week later, Czar Nicholas II abdicated.

A communist nation around the corner.

Many books written. Movies, also. Two of the best War and Peace and Dr. Zhivago.

The Wall St. Journal made comment in a Monday story which made me feel we sometime live in a banana republic. The column stated: “The conservative media outlet Breitbart published an article Friday based on the allegations of a right-wing radio host that intelligence agencies were conducting a ‘silent coup’ against Mr. Trump.”

Crazies in and out of the Trump White House.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

CHEAT NOT LEST YE BE KILLED

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Woe the web we weave when first we seek to deceive.

Includes extra-marital affairs.

The ruination of many marriages. Occasionally, the death of a spouse.

This morning’s Key West Citizen in its Keys History section made mention of the Hawkins/McRae duel February 9, 1829. The participants wounded. Neither died, however. Hawkins was upset because he saw McRae leaving his wife’s bedroom via the window.

Triggered my interest. Did a little research. The whole story follows.

Charles Hawkins was a Commodore in the Mexican Navy. William McRae, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Hawkins saw McRae jumping out of his wife’s bedroom window. He challenged McRae to a duel.

Duels back then were fought on Key West beaches. Four shots fired. Two each. Both men wounded, but not badly. Hawkins in the wrist, McRae in the thigh.

Hawkins not happy with the result. Wanted the ultimate vengeance. He ambushed McRae and shot him through the heart. McRae died.

Key West is rampant with ghosts and ghost stories. McRae is one of them. It is said his spirit frequently visits the spot where he was murdered. He continues to have a thing for the ladies. He presents himself to them. They scare, scream and run off.

My evening began with a stop at the Bottlecap. The monthly meeting of the Sons and Daughters of Italy. A fun group. Glad I joined.

Someone had made two large trays of lasagna. Delicious!

I sat at the bar with Maggie. A new member. Her first meeting last night. I suggested Maggie and her sister join when I met them at the bocce fundraiser.

Maggie’s sister in Colorado for two weeks.

Maggie and her sister have a place on Little Torch Key. Maggie a physician. Family Practice. Works six months in Alaska. Does not pratice when in the Keys. An occasional Colorado visitor.

A charming woman.

Then to the Chart Room. John bartending. I sat next to David. Kurt and Vicky at the other end of the bar. We met on their last trip to Key West.  They are from Colorado Springs. Kathy was lamenting how frizzy her hair was. She blames the humidity. I thought she looked absolutely beautiful.

On the other side of me sat Dan Schalk. Lives in Pompano. With PYI Inc. His company sells quality marine equipment. His sales route took him south to Key West. He returns to Pompano today.

We conversed quite a while. Schools and sports. He is a proud Wisconsin grad. Super Bowls. Etc.

A nice guy. Would enjoy running into him again.

Rules do not seem to apply to Trump. At least from his perspective. Now this Nordstrom thing re his daughter Ivanka.

Trump tweeted: “My daughter…..treated so unfairly by Nordstrom…..Terrible.”

One of his sons made a statement today against Nordstrom.

Trump and his family’s conduct wrong, wrong, wrong! Will they ever learn a President and his family give up certain things when one of them becomes President. No one is allowed to use the Presidency for personal gain.

Note that Ivanka’s husband sits in the West Wing as one of Trump’s advisers.

Read a recent article in Vanity by Tina Nguyen. She writes Sean Spier was a nice guy well liked in Washington. Till he took his position of Press Secretary with Trump.

He has become Trump’s attack dog. He handles the press meetings as a “…..Hyde-esque Trump stalwart, his force contorted between anger and shell-shock.”

A news comment this morning indicates Trump wants to replace him. Not tough enough.

A major historical event. On this day in 1964, the Beatles were introduced to the United States for the first time. They appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. The audience was mass hysteria. Teen age girls gone crazy.

I recall the evening distinctly. When you have lived as long as I, your mere existence at the time makes you a part of the historical event. I was 29 years old. Father of four. We had just purchased our first home.

Enjoy your day!