Everyone I have run into since Ian passed by Key West say the same thing: “We’re lucky.” Truth be told, I agree.

Sloan was here yesterday removing the fallen foliage round the house. She is my helping hand in every regard. She echoed what everyone else was: : “We’re lucky.” She had an addition, however. Recall I had difficulty sleeping the night Ian slowly blew over and it rained like hell. The mere sound and knowledge of the event exhausted me.

Sloan added to it: “The house shook.” Her house. During the night while she was in bed.

Let me explain the why of “we’re lucky.” Irma.

Irma was a category 4. It was aimed straight at Key West. For several days prior to landfall. Never deviated. That is why I left 5 days before its anticipated landfall. Prior to hitting, it had been projected as a Category 5.

Irma was narrow compared to Ian. Just before reaching Key West, it deviated west slightly. Enough to avoid a major impact to Key West. A hurricane is wind. My sailing experiences have taught me wind is fickle. Never know when it is going to turn one way or another. Irma avoided Key West. However came back over the Keys 20.5 miles later. Landfall and significant destruction to Cudjoe Key.

That experience remains locked in the minds of Key Westers.

Lets turn now to Ian.

Ian a big storm. Could be the largest ever.  The meteorologists claim it was anywhere from 500-1,000 miles wide. It passed by Key West 30 miles west of the Dry Tortugas. The Dry Tortugas are 70 miles west. Which means Ian passed Key West 100 miles to the west. No big deal considering Ian’s width. It could easily have swung east, made up the 100 miles and left Key West buried in debris and perhaps death.

Note also the hype was Ian was going to make landfall at Tampa-St. Petersburg. Deviated at the last minute and hit Fort Myers. Fort Myers is 144.5 miles to the south. The Irma, Key West, Cudjoe Key scenario on a larger scale.

“We’re lucky.”

Seventy one years ago on this day in 1951, the City Planning Board approved a zoning change for the Dairy Queen to build on United Street near White Street. Still standing and busy. Continues to give pleasure to so many, including Louis, Robert, Ally, and Lisa.

Guy DeBoer reported yesterday that Spirit was on a jack stand ready to be hauled to a repair yard. Total exterior damage was visible for the first time. One side beat up. The other, nothing.

Major damage to hull, bottom of keel and a tick on both sides of the rudder. More than Guy had anticipated. However, fixable. Guy in going to begin the repairs himself.

For those on in their years like me, a Phyllis Diller quote is in order: “I’m at an age where my back goes out more than I do.” So true it is.

Putin and Trump both have a propensity for saying and/or doing the wrong thing.

The Putin way. Ihor Murashov is the head of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine’s largest. Russian troops stopped his car Friday, blindfolded him, and took him to an undisclosed location.

The Trump way. Trump called for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s death. Trump posted late Friday on his Truth Social Platform: “He has a DEATH WISH.” Why suggesting McConnell’s death? Why perhaps subtly encouraging his MAGA followers to kill McConnell? For agreeing to a deal to fund the government through December.

Many states have gun buy back programs. New York is one.

Kim lived a 6 hour drive from Utica, my home town. He drove to the Utica Police Station to have some guns purchased by the State. The program applied to real guns and those that appeared to be real.

Kim had 110 phony guns. They were 3D-printed guns. He had received the computer program for Christmas from which he made the “guns.”

Kim sold the 110 guns to the State for $21,000. He received from the State 42 gift cards worth $500 each.

The State negotiated the amount to be paid him. The State was reluctant to pay the full value for 110 guns printed out on a computer.

The whole thing made the Attorney General’s office uncomfortable.

Since the sale to Kim, the State has adjusted the program so 3D weapons would not be honored. The State after paying out the $21,000 felt it had been exploited.

Syracuse beat Wagner 59-0 yesterday. Syracuse was favored by 55 points.

I’m surprised by the size of the victory. I expected a significant Syracuse win. Not 59 points, however.

Enjoy your Sunday!