HE RODE INTO TOWN ON A DONKEY

Today is Palm Sunday. A Christian holiday. The day Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

A donkey instead of a horse. Reasons two fold. First, to show humility. Second, to evidence to the people that He came in peace and not as a warrior king.

The people scattered palm branches in front of Jesus.

His entry into Jerusalem triumphal.

Less than a week later, Jesus would be dead.

Though not a major holiday, Palm Sunday was one my Italian family celebrated. Generally at my grandparents’. The whole family. Aunts, uncles and cousins.

The meal not unusual. That would come next week on Easter Sunday. A huge bowl of ziti. If a special touch at all, melted mozzarella on top of the ziti. A meat sauce, of course. Meat consisted of the meatballs, beef and pork which were part of the sauce. A huge pasta bowl of such meats. Salad. The meal concluded with espresso and fruit.

My grandfather would start dinner with a blessing. He would take a small piece of palm and dip it into a bottle of Holy Water he kept. He would say a few words and sprinkle us.

The palms were a big deal. You had to go to Church to get palms. They were given out during Mass. When I was a kid, all the palms a person wanted. In later years, each person attending Church got one. Cost, scarcity, or what? I could never figure it out.

My uncles were pros at making crosses and other things out of palms. Small crosses, large crosses. Horses and other animals. Like the balloons of today which can be molded into anything.

The Italian custom was to visit the homes of friends after Mass. To exchange palms. A hug and kiss. Followed by a Happy Palm Sunday!

I was invited by friends on Sugarloaf to party last night. Drinks at someone’s house first. Then dinner at Square Grouper.

About 20 miles each way. Too far for me if I was drinking. I wanted to have a few drinks since I have been avoiding as best possible alcohol while on a diet.

So, I opted for Berlin’s alone.

Shawn and Gage bartending. The lovely Bria singing. Tuna for dinner.

After dinner, I sat in the lounge for a while listening to Bria sing and sipping a Bally’s Irish Cream.

While at the bar, a hug from behind. It was Lynda Frechette. Together with husband Bob, ML and Brad. All good people. Especially Lynda who does for everyone. They were having dinner inside at A&B.

Bob was wearing a blazer. Confirmed my thought expressed earlier this week that the no jacket Key West no longer existed. Bob had jumped over the fence.

Another couple was listening to Bria also. Charlie and Margo. Margo visiting from Maine. Charlie originally from Fonda, New York. Like 70 miles from my home town Utica. Small world.

Bob now lives full time in Key West. On a boat located in a Stock Island marina.

Walmart, where fort art thou Walmart?

Roughly 10 years since it was announced that a private group was going to build a Walmart on Rockland Key. 335,000 square feet with some smaller stores.

Still not built. Key West Citizen reported yesterday size now 150,000 feet. No date to begin construction advised.

The problem has involved the land owners and developers. Ten years of fighting over money, including a court case.

I wish they would get the project off the ground. We need a Walmart in the lower keys. We wear shorts and t-shirts. Brooks Brothers we are not.

We also need a cheaper place to purchase groceries.

The Key West Citizen wrote on the first page of this morning’s paper that taxis are going the way of the dinosaur. No question about it. Such the case, the City Commission should get off its ass and approve Uber and Lyft for Key West operation.

Let me finish with Trump’s bombing of Syria.

I was/am generally opposed. Not our war. I don’t see the English, French or Germans bombing anyone. They’re too smart.

On the other hand, once the Rubicon has been crossed, Trump should have done the job correctly. Destroyed Assad’s Air Force.

What did Trump do? Fifty nine missiles. Directed at one air base. Twenty planes destroyed. Twelve killed.

In retaliation for 70 plus lives lost. Proportionate? No way!

Even worse, not one of the runways was damaged. It is said the U.S. spoke with Russia in the afternoon and advised what we were going to do. I suspect that during any conversations, Russia said no potholes in the runways, please.

The Democrats describe the bombing as a pin prick. I have to agree. Not a political conclusion on my part. A common sense one.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

2016 REAL ESTATE SALES DIP

Running late. Slept late. Feel good.

This morning’s Key West Citizen ran a major story regarding real estate sales. They fell in 2016.

Since 2009, real estate sales have increased each year over the previous year. Not 2016. Key West sales dropped 17 percent. Sales in the lower Keys outside Key West 8 percent.

There is a message. Real estate prices are not realistic. People have become aware. Prospective buyers are reluctant to spend the dollars required to live in  Paradise. Especially when they can buy better and significantly cheaper on the mainland.

More and more homes were listed last year with asking prices of $1 million and more. Some, several hundred millions of dollars.

What’s the saying…..Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg. The goose is being killed. By piggish exorbitant prices.

The next to feel this experience will be the hotels. Tourists will go elsewhere. To Florida vacation sites with cheaper hotel facilities.

I have seen the high price impact over recent years. People staying in high end hotels going to their rooms at dinner time with a pizza and six pack.

Next to suffer will be the restaurants. High prices and smaller portions will not be tolerated. Even alcohol costs.

All will happen because Key West became a pig. A gluttonous one.

Treated myself yesterday morning. Eggs benedict at Camille’s. Sat at the bar. Read the Sunday papers. First time in a couple of years I have been to Camille’s.

Last night, Don and Chris. My friends from the Syracuse area. Both world travelers with their work. Don primarily South Korea and China. Chris, Europe and Asia.

They are snowbirds. Visit 3-4 times a year. Love Key West!

They had a major announcement for me. They are getting married! Wonderful! Both around 50. This will be a second marriage for both. Two better people cannot be found. Last night, two happier people could not be found.

The wedding to take place in Key West. March 24. That’s next year. Chris advised that it had to be that far ahead. Venues not available that fit into their schedules.

We met at the Chart Room first for a drink. Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. A good time throughout the evening. We chatted about everything. Especially Syracuse basketball. Die hard fans as I.

Dinner over, I headed home. Don and Chris left me to take a walk down Duval. The difference in our ages responsible for our different paths.

My Facebook quickie video had to do with matelotage yesterday. Sailors marrying. In pirate days. Gay marriages. Generally the French. The English and Spanish frowned on homosexuality.

Rules/laws applied. If one partner was killed, the surviving partner automatically was given his share of the bounty.

The gay marriage bit began in the early 1600’s. Sex partners were scarce. Pirates in port would import for a time a ship load of prostitutes from another island.

Final Four tonight. How exciting can it be?

Cow Key Channel Bridge Run yesterday. A new record. Fourteen seconds. The previous, 21. A tough 350 feet to travail.

Key West has advised Lyft to cease and desist. Otherwise, drivers will be arrested. Per local law passed last year to protect taxi drivers to the detriment of the public. The Bubba system in operation.

Leotards. Credit therefore attributable to The Daring Young Man On the Flying Trapeze.

Jules Leotard graduated from law school. Decided not to practice. Wanted to be an aerial acrobat. Not yet known in those days.

He joined the circus. Invented the aerial trapeze in 1859. Two years later, The Daring Young Man On the Flying Trapeze was written in recognition of his aerial activities.

Leotard’s clothing was loose and dangerous while doing his aerial act. The clothing also failed to show off his exceptional physique. He designed what today is known as the leotard. Tight fitting with long sleeves. Initially called a malliott. Twenty years later, became known as a leotard in honor of its designer.

Trump says the U.S. is ready to act alone on North Korea if China does not take a tougher stand against North Korea’s nuclear program.

Suggests a pre-emptive strike.

Scares the hell out of me!

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Secreting unpaid tax dollars a big business. There are 214,488 offshore tax haven entities.

Enjoy your day!