Water continues to be in the news!

This morning I have seen 3 times already on national news a picture of a waterspout here in Key West. Yes, we had one yesterday afternoon. It appeared near the Naval Base on the Boulevard.
Apparently no damage, no problem.

I also received several telephone calls last night asking if I had seen the spout. No was my response. While every one was getting excited as the warterspout approached, I was seated in a corner of Borders reading Buchanan's Churchill, Hitler and how WW II might have been avoided. Oblivious to all going on outide the building. Borders, by the way, is on the Boulevard also and about a mile from the Naval BAse.

Waterspouts can be dangerous. They are in form and substance a tornado. What you see is a round cylinder shaped funnel running from the water to the sky and moving in a particular direction.

I have only seen one. Several years ago. I was on the Boulevard. Must be the place for waterspouts. And where I was standing was about a quater of a mile from the Naval Base. The Naval Base is apparently not a good place to be. Anyhow, I had never seen a waterspout till that time. Not knowing what it was, I stood there gawking. It was interesting! Fascinating! And it was moving toward me! I had no fear because I knew not what I was viewing. To me, it was an interesting freak of nature. And then it veered away and never made land.

Now to what happened in Washington yesterday.

We have idiots representing us in government. Party affiliation is immaterisal. Republicans and Democrats alike deserve the title. Watch out my fellow citizens! If something is not done soon, we are going to be in deep shit trouble! Main Street will suffer and suffer greatly!

I had a bite to eat last night at Hogfish. They are remodeling!

Hogfish is not much to look at. However the food is good and cheap. Appearance wise, the place has character. Hogfish now has a new roof. One of those big tall bamboo and palm roofs! Just like Boondocks.

It looks terrific! Opens the whole place up.

Antonia's is one of the finest restaurants in Key West. Also one of my favorites. Christopher and Patrick own Antonia's. Another fine restauant before it closed was Alice's. Bart was one of the owners of Alice's.

These three guys obviously know good food! While I was downing my fish and chips at Hogfish, they came over to say hello. They had just finished dinner. Their presence speaks well for Bobby and the Hogfish he runs.

Today is actually Lisa's birthday. 44! My baby! Who now has two babies of her own!

We are celebrating Lisa's birthday again tonight. This time at home where we will sing Happy Birthday! But first we all have to go to the soccer field. Four year old Robert is playing his first league soccer game!

Back to water. I watched when high tide came in yesterday. It was not abnormally high as it had been for the past 3-4 days. So whatever that was is hopefully over. No one is certain as to what caused the unusually high water. Sure, we all know it has to do with the moon and tides, but I have heard nothing beyond that. It makes me wonder and a bit concerned.

Until tomorrow.....

It was Venice in Key West last night! Gondola time!

Flooded streets everywhere!

It all started at high tide just after noon time. The water the last few days has been unusually high at high tide. Higher than the water level during the two tropical storms we just experienced.

Yesterday it was at its highest!

Lisa, Corey and the kids were over to swim. Corey knows about these things. The water and its treasures are his life's work. He said it was celestisal. Had something to do with the moon. However, he conceded it was unusual!

Corey swam in the ocean off my dock. Robert and Ally also. This was the first time they jumped in. They recently learned how to swim and being young, fear not!

Then around 5 it rained. Big time! Heavier than it had rained during the recent tropical storms!

It rained for about 2 hours.

The streets were flooded like I have never seen. Remember, we were doing happy birthday for Lisa at the Yacht Club. I have never seen as much water in the streets of Key Haven where I live as last evening when I went out. Streets that are never flooded were. I grudgingly plowed through. Stupidly also, perhaps!

It reminded me of driving up north during a bad winter snowstorm. You hit the pedal and hope you plow through the snow drifts! Water is just as resistant as snow. It felt the same way.

The Boulevard in Key West was down to 2 narrow lanes from 4. Water flooding the 2 driving lanes.

After dinner, which was fun by the way, I headed out for the Pier House to enjoy Larry Smith and his guest Vasnessa Di Gennaro. Good luck! The streets on the gulf side were badly flooded. There was water where I had never seen water before. And it kept getting deeper!

I was beginning to get fearful for my car. The water was that high!

I got to within 3 blocks of the Pier House before I gave up. I took some back streets away from the shoreline and made my way home. Home and bed at 8! An exciting evening!

It is low tide as I write this blog this morning. I wonder what high tide will bring in about 4 hours!

These weather deviations are different and dramatic. Do they foretell anything? Is this all a passing thing or is the island to be totally covered at some point? Something to think about. People are and they are talking about it.

Sunday! Sunday!

Love Sundays!

I am writing late this morning because of my Sunday habits. I was up and out early to buy the papers. Then made coffee and sat and liesurely read the papers. Out on the deck by the water. What a life!

Of course, Sunday morning means Meet the Press! A habit and a love! The program feeds my political junkie nature.

Now it is a little after 11 am. Time to plan the rest of my day.

This afternonn I will be at Don's Place to watch pro football and visit with local friends. Don's on Sunday during football season has become a local tradition.

Tonight I am having dinner at the Yacht Club with Lisa and the family. Lisa's birthday is Tuesday. We are celebrating it this evening. I look forward to singing happy birthday to her with the grandkids!

Yesterday afternoon I went to Borders to continue reading Buchanan's book on Churchill, Hitler and how World War II could have been avoided. A mistake! Saturday afternoon is children's time. Dozens of them! Noise everywhere! There was no quiet place to hide and read. So I left.

Last night I had dinner with my friend Donna Barnett. She bought! Nice of her!

We ate at the bar at Antonia's. It was quiet. In fact, the whole town is quiet. September is the dead month of the year for tourists here in Key West.

Clayton was his usual pleasant self. He is one fantastic bartender. And intelligent! But then again aren't all bartenders! Clayton really is!

Good company! Good food! A very pleasant evening!

Afterwards we went over to Square One to see Patrick. Another bartender! A good guy!

Patrick's partner of 26 years, Lester, recently had a stroke. He is up in Hollywood doing rehab. A difficult time for Lester and a difficult time for Patrick.

I was home in bed and asleep before 11.

The weather is absolutely beautiful! The temperature has dropped. Days it is now mid to low 80s. Evenings mid 70s. No humidity. Comfortable.

I see a hurricane is beating up the Maine coast. Bad! Our weather is screwed up. I am glad that those who claim there is no global warming have become less vocal. We have weather problems, economic problems, international problems and on and on. Not a good time. Oh, for the days of Eisenhower. It was a different world!

Tonight is Larry Smith's Showcase at the Pier House. One of my new found favorite singers is guesting. Vanessa Di Gennaro. At 9 pm. Go! You will love her!

Talk with you tomorrow!

Political leaders have stupid motivations and because of those misdirected motivations make stupid decisions. Decisions which lead to the ruin of socieities.

I continue to read Pat Buchanan's book on Churchill, Hitler and how World War II could have been avoided. Churchill is one of the heroes of World War II. But the political blundering of he and some other leaders of the time, for whatever reasons, led England into that war. Read the book! It is eye opening.

Now we have the Mc Cain/Obama battle. The first debate was last night. I thought Obama had the edge. But who knows. I am watching TV this morning and who won and lost apparently depends on whether a person is Rebublican or Democrat.

Quite frankly, Mc Cain scares me.

Regarding the economy, last week he first took the position the economy was in bad shape. Five days later he recognizes a major financial crisis, suspends campaigning (not really) and is not sure whether he will debate. It all goes to judgment. He was all over the place in a short period of time.

Another judgmnet factor is his choice for Vice President. I watched Palin respond to Couric's questions. I do not want her negotiating with Putin or any other world leader on my behalf!

Then there is the war. He was for it. That alone speaks tons.

Mc Cain speaks of the success of the surge. Yes, the fighting is way down. However we still have over 140,000 of our troops over there. The actual success of the surge is yet to be answered. I continue to have a feeling of impending doom.

I would like to say that a man who has 7 homes and 13 cars cannot understand every day problems. But then Roosevelt and Kennedy were rich and did. So that criticism does not apply. Never the less I continue to have this gut feeling that Mc Cain just does not understand.

Judgment does come into play.

Then there is the age issue. No one seems to want to directly talk about it. The issue does not appear politically correct.

Well, I do not mind talking about it. This John Mc Cain is too old to be President. There have been other mature men who have succeeded. Reagan being one. Each individual has to be evaluated standing alone.

Mc Cain looks and acts old to me. He is not mentally quick.

And I can be critical here. I am 73. I could not be President! No way! And I think I am in much better shape physically and mentlly than Mc Cain. I know my limitations. Those that age has brought. I have a hard time thinking about two problems at one time. A President has many! I tire easily. He has to also. His body language speaks loudly in this regard.

The job of President is a killer!

Mc Cain's time has passed him by.

Bocci last night! Great fun!

However we lost all 3 games.

Without intending to make excuses, we did play a very good team. They were third in the overall playoffs last year. Third out of 60 teams! We did not make the playoffs. Not even close.

I feel good about my play last night. Even in defeat, I played the best bocci I probably have ever played. So the evening was a personal plus for me.

Don of Don's Place is our captain. He says we have now played through the best of the best teams in the league. The rest of the season should be easy. And we will probably win a lot of games! May it be so! Our opponents last night were spectacular. I would like to play a team we have a chance of beating.

Larry Smith is captain of one of Don's other teams. We watched Larry and his team play after our defeat. By the way, our 3 games were over quickly. Larry's team was just starting its second match when we went down to defeat for the third time

Drinking is part of the bocci experience. From the streets of Italy to the courts of Key West, it has always been such. And as with everything else, there are those who drink too much and their ability wanes as the evening progresses.

Such was the problem with Larry's team last night. It appeared one or two of the players overindulged and were sufficiently dissipated by the third game so that it was lost.

The White House charade yesterday further contributes to my fear of the manner in which our government is being conducted. And at a time when we face the most severe economic decline since the depression of the 1930s.

Back in 1931 when Hoover was still President, he had passed and signed into law something to strengthen a failing banking industry. Hoover's plan turned out to be a band aid. It lasted all of 6 months before disaster befell our country.

Is what is being proposed the same? I do not know. And I believe very few do! However what is certain is that something must be done. Too many former economic giants are failing on almost a daily basis. It is already affecting you and me. Soon it will swamp even us.

So something must be done!

What irritates me this morning is the political gameship being played in Washington with such an important issue. Shame on our leaders for having brought us to this point and now failing to come up with a solution! I do not want to sell apples on a street corner!

Golf was good yesterday!

My game is improving!

I won $12!

Yankee was the big winner. $37. Tino the big loser. $33. Don and Larry somewhere bewteen Tino and me.

It was fun! I pared the first hole to win it. Then lost the next 3 holes where I shoot an 8 each hole. Who knows?

The problem is that after 2 consecutive weeks of better golf, my friends want to take some strokes from me. No one cared when I was losing $15-20 every week. It is an eternal battle!

Ally is beginning to like school. Robert is older and so in a different class. She walks her brother to his class room each day, kisses him good bye and tells him not to cry. He never cried! She was the one that was crying! But the system apparently works and Ally has is becoming acclimated.

Vanessa Di Gennaro last night! At Aqua. She is sitting in for Bobby Nesbitt who is in Europe.

I enjoyed her performance. She has much gusto!

Her father was with her. He is always with her. He is the Mayor of Monroe County. A proud Dad!

Then to Antonia's for dinner at the bar.

Great grouper last night! Spectacular!

Seated next to me was an interesting lady. Her name is Jeannie. Jeannie is sister to Patrick, one of the owners of Antonia's. Patrick and Christopher are in Provincetown on vacation. Their 2 dogs needed sitting. So sister Jeannie came down from Baltimore to house and dog sit.

Jeannie works in the administgration of the Governor of Maryland. I forget his name. He is a Democrat. She worked for him when he was Mayor of Baltimore and he took her with him when he became Governor.

So we had an exciting conversation! Politics!

I hurried home to catch Bush's address over TV. I don't know what to make of him or this whole mess. Most things we have been involved in under Bush have been crisis situations requiring immediate last minute solution. No way to run a business! No way to run a government!

Mc Cain is grandstanding with this lets adjourn the debate thing. What bullshit! A President doesn't multi task? We all do every day. Look at the number of people with more than one job to work every day.

Bocci tonight. Hope we play. The talk is that a storm is coming in. Not a bad one though. Just a lot of rain.

Enjoy your day!

Good morning!

I am up early. Still dark outside. When you live on the water, there are no lights out on the ocean to be seen. So dark is black. Black black!

The nice thing is I can hear the water. My desk is next to an open window on the second floor. Even though there is nothing to see, the sound of the running water is delightful!

I spent yesterday glued to the TV. This banking crisis intrigues me. It also scares me.

I cannot claim to totally understand it. Or even closely understand it. But obviously we appear in deep shit trouble! And time is being portrayed as of the essence!

A couple of random thoughts I would like to share.

The written 3 page instrument submitted by Secretary Paulson and the administration provided for no oversight and no accountability. A good deal for the Bush crew who permitted this problem to occur and develop.

My problem is that Paulson in his oral remarks stated clearly that he wanted oversight, etc. What a dramatic turn around!

I spent 46 years practicing law. If I ever dramatically deviated from the printed word in a court room, the judge would been all over me. But apparently not in government. Write one thing today and articulate another tomorrow. And no one deficates on you!

Strange. Especially where $700 billion dollars is involved.

Another concern is the quality of the security. These defaulted properties are described as "toxic." Which means they suck! I wish I could go to the bank with lousy security and borrow money! All I ever heard in my banking experiences was what do you have for security and how good is it.

Maybe I was not borrowing enough money. It seems the more you want to borrow, the riskier the security can be!

Every one loves to spread blame. We are hearing words like greed and irresponsibility. Perhaps so. No, probably so. However it appears that what was done in making these loans was legal. The rules were lessened over the years. Deregulation became popular.

However when there is a problem of major concern, some one has to pay the peddler. Some one has to be responsible. So now the FBI is investigating AIG, Bear Stearns and the other companies involved. The witch hunt is on! Get the bastreds responsible! Some will be indicted. Many will be investigated. Persons and their familirs will live in fear. Lives will be destroyed.

And why? Because in our culture some one has to be responsible. After the fact, that is.

And that is what I do not like. Every one has a skeleton or two in the closet. Look long and hard enough and they will be found. And some one will pay.

But are they really the ones who should pay? I have no objection to pursuing and punishing those flagrantly wrong. However I do cry out that it is wrong to chase those who just happened to be there doing their jobs. And doing them properly under then existing laws.

However some one must swing from the gallows! Because that is the way it is.

I prefer just voting the actual wrongdoers out of office! Bring in new people. We need a breath of fresh air in Washington!

One last thing bothering me. This haste factor. Hurry up and pass this proposed legislation in a week. For that kind of money!

If any of us ran our businesses that way, we would never have succeeded in business. It sometimes scares me how government is run.

My primary concern again is this immediacy factor. Cheny was before the Republican members of Congress yesterday pushing them to support the legislation. The last time Cheny did that was when Bush wanted approval to invade Iraq. Remember, weapons of mass destruction!

I do not know the answer. But I hope Congress is not fooled again. They get paid to make the big decisions. I hope the right one is made, no matter what it is.

And now I have more important things to think about. It is Wednesday. The golf course awaits.

I continue to be intigued by the beauty of the keys!

I had to be in Marathon yesterday. A 1 hour drive north on US 1. I put the top down on the car and away I went! Green water on both sides of the road as far as the eye could see. No radio. Just the sound of the wind to hear and the water to see. What could be better!

Dinner at the bar at La Trattoria in the evening. Kathy bartending. I like Kathy. Probably because she is from the north country also. Albany. Beecha was her usual beautiful self. And I like Beecha, too!

Then to the Chart Room at the Pier House. Hemingway's old haunt. A small cluttered bar. Really an enlarged closet.

It was Donna the bartender's last night. She leaves friday for Knoxville, Tennessee. We shall see her no more! Sad! We have all enjoyed her company and charm. A sweet southern belle! Accent and all!

This banking problem is a major scare! No one was paying attention! Except those who were benefitting, of course. Does government intercede? Apparently it must. It seems that decision has already been made. But in what fashion? And how much? And who watches how the money is disbursed? And on and on. And these decisions must be made in a week or less. Wild! Major screw up!

It seems like the American people are being asked to buy a pig in the poke. No good.

And the dynamics of this thing change daily. No, hourly! So confusing!

We are in trouble!

My friend Roland Grimm died.

Sad! Very sad!

Roland was the best. A good guy. What more can one say of a person.

We met about 10 years ago when I bought my home in Key West. Actually I met Roland's wife Jackie first. And thru her Roland.

Jackie and I first hooked up at Jack Baron's art gallery. She would stop in to solve the world's problems with the rest of us. It continues to amaze me how many friendships were developed at Jack Baron's.

Roland and I would occasionally have dinner or lunch together. The dinners were heavy nights. We would sort of drink to excess.

The dinner conversations were fantastic and endless. Roland was the smartest money man I ever met. He knew and understood money. It had been his life work. It was his passion.

Roland was born in a small community on the Hudson. Saugerties. His father was President of the local bank. Roland at some point ascended and succeeded his father as President of the same bank.

At some point in his life Roland decided to spread his wings. He was off to Boston and became a financial advisor. Apparently he did very well as such. He developed a national reputation as an investor and finacial counselor.

It was in Boston that he met and married the lovely Jackie.

Roland was proud that he had been a memebr of the Board of Trustees of Notre Dame University. He used to describe himself as the token Wasp on the Board. That token comment reflects Roland's subtle sense of humor.

I shall miss Roland. His company, his counsel, his friendship.

I believe in the Hereafter. I think people meet there again and in some instances for the first time. Two people who are there are my Mother and Jack Baron. I think Roland should hook up with them. They are the same kind of people.

I was glued to the TV yesterday. Ryder Cup time! Great golf!

I had dinner last night at Square One. Saw many people I had not seen in ages. It was like old times! I enjoyed myself.

After dinner I walked over to La Te DA. Had a drink at the outside bar.

It was a perfect location. A seat on the world. I watched the bikers going by.

A fierce looking bunch. But ever so mild!

There was a news release that because of the bikers Key West merchants, hotels/motels and restaurants will experience a $7.5 million weekend. Good! After Fay and Ike, they need it!

My blog is intentionally short today. The Ryder Cup starts at 8. Have to run!

The bikers are in!

This is Biker Weekend!

10,000 strong!

An annual event. They are here at this time every year. The town will rock this weekend!

I drove into Key West twice late yesterday afternoon. The bikers were driving south on US 1 in groups of 15-30. More motorcyles than cars! And the noise! Horrendous!

As I understand it, the bikers are from all over the country. Maybe the world. Most of them have their bikes transported to Miami. Then the bikers fly to Miami, join up with their bikes and make the ride down the keys to Key West.

Duval is closed off for the weeked. It belongs to the bikers!

More than half the bikers riding in had a woman on the back. The interesting thing was that most of these female passangers were much younger than the men driving. By 15-20 years. Must be some thing about being a biker! I should probably look into it!

And the bikers all dress the same. Denim and black leather. Headbands and cowboy hats. Some helmets. The ladies are in tight shorts. And I mean tight! With a halter or T shirt, tight also of course, accentuating their boobs.

The bikers and their companions fill the bars and restaurants of Key West this weekend. They will have a great time and the merchants will have a well deserved big weekend!

The biker crowd consists of gentlemen and ladies. Not the Marlon Brando type of old, except in dress. Today they are doctors, lawyers and indian chiefs off to have a fun filled weekend. And they conduct themselves as professional and business people.

Everyone has a good ole time! And why not!

The weather is getting crazy again. No, not a hurricane type storm. Just rain. The last 2 days it has rained hard for about an hour each day. When I say hard, I mean hard!

Yesterday it started about 4 in the afternoon. With lightning big time! Living on the ocean is interesting when it comes to lightning. You have never seen lightning till you've seen it over open water!

Anyhow, the rain screwed up bocci. No bocci! Don called to tell me the courts were too wet.

So I was showered and dressed at 6 with no place to go! I had already eaten. A sandwich at 5. Bocci night is athlete's night. Ho ho! But I do eat lightly before the matches!

I decided to spend a quiet night at home. By 8 I felt like I did last week when I was imprisoned by Ike. So out I went!

I did not go far. I ended up at Don's Place. I was hoping to run into some bocci frtiends.

And I did!

Larry was at the bar. No one called him so he went to bocci. He verified there were puddles of water all over the courts. Tino was there also. I spent the evening with the both of them solving the world's problems. Actually we talked much about golf.

Curt was bartender. He had played with us Wednesday. He killed Larry on the last hole with a par. This was after Curt had put his drive in the water. Obviously Curt is a very good golfer! He cost Larry some money with that par on 18.

Michelle was at the other end of the bar. Michelle is on my bocci team. She broke her arm in an accident 4 weeks ago. It had been hard casted. Yesterday she went to a soft cast. This whole situation is difficult for her. She tends bar at Don's and also waits tables at Duffy's. Hang in there Michelle!

A pleasant evening.

Golf was fun yesterday!

I played with Curt, Don, Larry and Yankee Jack. My game was better than normal. I was able to win $4. Not much, but better than losing. Yankee was the big winner-$9.

So you can understand the range of our abilities, Curt and Don shot 84 and 85 repectively. I shot 110. And yesterday was one of my better days on the golf course! That is why I get strokes.

It was very hot on the golf course. No breeze. Armies of tiny flies all over the place. A big sweat day!

We finished just in time. On my way home it rained big time. I had to pull over. I could not see the road or traffic. And then it was over and the sun came out again!

My friend Donna Barnett is back in town. She spent the summer visiting family in Michigan and California. We had dinner at Antonia's. A good time! She is a great conversationalist. Then it was over to Square One to see Patrick. Patrick's partner Lester of 26 years had a stroke 10 days ago and is in a rehab center in Hollywood. I wish Les well.

A beautiful morning. How will I spend my day? It is wonderful to have that option. Tonight is bocci. That I am excited about. Bocci is fun! The people are fun! And I do not need strokes! For whatever reason, I am a hell of a better bocci player than golf player.

Dark outside. Black.

I am up early. I have some things to do. Then golf this morning! I have not played in 2 weeks and am anxious to get out and hit the ball!

I continued reading Pat Buchanan's book on Churchill, Hitler and how World War II might have been avoided. Interesting. Compelling.

I am up to Munich and 1938. Chamberlain was dead set against war. England had suffered too much in World War I. So he went to see Hitler with a predetermination to surrender whatever lands Hitler wanted to him. Another factor coming into play is that by 1938 most civilized nations had rethought Versaille which settled World War I. Actually Versaille foisted unreasonable terms on the defeated Germany. Another factor compelling Chamberlain to give in to Hitler. He thought he was doing the right thing.

Another interesting thought being suggested by Buchanan is that appeasement was not a bad thing or bad word in 1938. It was working things out to avoid war. Something intelligent people were prone to do in those days. Another example of that which the scars of World War I wrought.

And to make Munich even worse, Hitler asked for a lot and expected not much, if anything, in response to his demands. Instead he got everything he wanted. Chamberlain gave all, including the kitchen sink.

And by so doing, Chamberlain gave impetus to Hitler's mad march.

A revealing book! Most interesting!

Last night I stopped at Aqua to hear the final contestants in Aqua Idol. There are 4 weeks remaining. Mary Deasy was terrific! Maj Johnson wonderful! And I have finally come around regarding Vanessa Di Generro. A talent!

Then to dinner at the bar at La Trattoria. Beecha brightened my evening. Always beautiful! Erin continues to look terrific! She is losing weight. And the company at the bar was good!

Then home to bed. Early. This is becoming a habit. A bad habit. Early home and early to bed!

Better late than never! Sorry! I have had a busy morning.

Yesterday was beautiful weatherwise. Ike is a thing of the past.

However my Father telephoned me this morning to tell me off Ike's ravishes in upstate New York. Yes, Ike got that far! Sixty mile per hour winds! Amazing! They only got to 70 here.

I spoke with my friend Gus in Utica this morning. Gus lives in the middle of the woods. A lovely home surrounded in green. A big tree came down over his driveway. Big trees up north have been there since the Revolution and generally are at least 3 stories high.

I was very laid back yesterday. Spent the day reading a book. Absorbing! It is Pat Buchanan's Hitler, Churchill and How World War II Could Have Been Avoided. Recommended reading!

I am still into it. Will take the rest of the week to finish.

So it was a quiet peaceful day. Read. Stayed home. Even last night!

There is a charity fundraiser that has been going on for several weeks. Patterened after American Idol. It is held every Tuesday 7-9 at Aqua. It is called Aqua Idol.

The contestants are down to a small hand full. One is our friend Mary Deasy. Please go see her tonight and support her effort!

My 3 year old graddaighter Ally has been going to pre-school. Montessori. This is her third week. She does not like it! Lisa leaves her there screaming every morning. Breaks Lisa's heart. Obvioiusly bothers Ally also.

We were together for a family dinner Sunday night at the Yacht Club. All of a sudden in the middle of dinner Ally announced she was never going to school again. With gusto and determination!

Lisa telephoned me this morning. Ally did not cry when she left her today. First time! Hopefully she is becoming acclimated.

Talk with you tomorrow.

A good day yesterday!

I went over to Don's place to watch some pro football. And enjoy a bit of lunch. Saw many friends. Enjoyed my time there.

Ran into Jules at the bar. Jules is my bocci partner who 3 weeks ago had a tumor the size of a football removed from her stomach. She looked good! Felt Good! And looked pounds thinner!
What a way to lose weight!

This was her first day out.

Jules had gone to the doctor for her annual physical. She had been gaining weight. Thought it was just part of passing 40. The doctor told her you are either 28 weeks pregnant or have a tumor. Turned out to be a tumor. Fortunately benign. And she is on her way to recovery with a great new shape!

Jules will be back to bocci in 3 weeks. I cannot wait for her to return.

Speaking of bocci, I thought last thursday's matches had been cancelled due to Ike. The bocci courts are within 100 feet of the Atlantic. Turns out they were not! Don asked me where I was thursday night. I told him bored out of my mind! Sitting alone at Antonia's! The games went on and I was not there. Sad. Especially since we lost all 3 games. Not that my presence would have made a difference!

Last night was a special evening with Larry Smith at the Pier House. His guest performer was Yankee Jack!

Yankee is the best! A great human being! Everyone loves him!

And last night he was at peak performance!

Yankee writes these little diddies and then puts them to music. How he comes up with them, I do not know. What a talent! He meshes words and music together so well.

Yankee sang a song he finished writing at the Pier House parking lot last night. Yes, in the parking lot! He had to read the words off a piece of paper he had written them on. Reminded me of Lincoln and his Gettysburg address written on a paper bag. Genius from nothing!

The song had to do with college kids. Larry goaded Tino from Chicago and Trini Lopez from Denmark to get up and sort of dance to the tune. Tino was the muscular college lad with abs. Trini the college girl with a good looking body and a tattoo on her butt. Tino and Trini are both 60 plus. But they played their parts well.

Very well. At one point in Yankee's song, he sang of the college girl showing off the tattoo on her butt. And Trini being the sport she is, played the part well. She dropped her drawers a bit and even lifted her T shirt a bit! Only in Key West! The best place in the world with the best people in the world!

Yankee performs at the Bull on Duval afternoons. You should stop in sometime and listen to him.

Love you, Yankee!

Larry's daughter Journey is in town visiting her Dad. She ia a talented performer in her own right. The fruit does not fall far from the tree. She, her father and Christine sang some songs together. All original works by one or all of them. Great music!

All in all, yesterday was a very good day!

I almost forgot to do my blog this morning. Which means I am enjoying the day so far!

I woke just before the sun rose. So I went outside to watch. Beautiful! It came up behind a line of gray clouds. First reflected bright red. Then a huge yellow ball!

I went out and bought the Sunday papers. I have been sitting outside reading them since. The weather is perfect. You would never know a few days ago Ike had visited us.

Yesterday afternoon was fun! Four year old grandson Robert went to join his soccer team for the first time. He got a whole uniform. T shirt, shorts and shin socks. He looked terrific dressed! He looks terrific no matter how he is dressed! Love him!

Anyhow there were a thousand little ones running around. It was sort of a first meeting for the league. They just met. Did not actually play.

Robert was proud. And I was proud to be there watching him!

I had not slept well the night before. So I was tired. Decided to stay in last night. I was asleep by 9 and woke just after 6 this morning when I went out to meet the sun.

In the words of Porky Pig, that's all folks!

Yesterday was a day like all days weatherwise here in Key West.

Sun bright. Slight breeze. Little to no huumidity. Very few clouds in the sky.

It would be hard to know Ike had visited us a few days before. Except for the Smathers Beach area.

Smathers is on the Atlantic side of the island. I understood the street was flooded during Ike. Also that the sand had been blown away.

So I drove over.

There was no sand left on the beaches. Only 20-30 foot high mounds of mud. What occurs during a storm is that the sand gets blown out. The wind then beats at the under cover of soil. Plain dirt. It was the dirt that made up those 20-30 foot high mounds. Not sand.

And the stink was horrendous! Dead fish. Foul sea weed. And whatever.

Machinery and dump trucks were working cleaning and moving the soil around. I understand new sand will be coming within a month from somewhere else. Key West and its waters do not naturally create their own sand beaches. A freak of nature. So sand is purchased elsewhere and delivered to Key West. Generally from Bermuda.

The other interesting observation was that the Atlantic was moving fast. There were white caps as far as the eye could see. And the water was being driven up the full width of the beach, almost to the sidewalk.

I found the whitecaps and speed of the water interesting. I had just left my home and the water was basically quiet. Moving slowly. I live on the gulf side. I do not know where the fast water was coming from or what was generating it. Ike had already long passed us and was on the verge of hitting Texas. No one else understood why either.

Like most Americans, I watched Ike hit Texas and Louisiana last night. Till the early morning. Until the sun comes up in those places, we will not know the true extent of the damage.

One thing was certain as I watched the storm on TV. We were lucky we dodged the bullet! Very lucky!

Hurricane Ike's aftermath continues to be strange.

I went out yesterday morning about 10. The weather was ok. Still gray. No sun for several days.

Paradise Cafe was finally open. No one there but me however. I sat outside drinking my cuban coffee and eating cuban toast. And reading a brand new current newspaper.

The thought occurred to me how quiet it still was. There had been little traffic on the drive into town. There were next to no people on the streets.

I sat outside at Paradise for about an hour. All of a sudden the sun broke through! Hooray! The angels sang! The big band played! What a feeling! We had gone too many days with no sun.

And with the sun, I observed 2 things which represented the resurrection of the world.

The first were the chickens.

The rooster showed up just after the sun arrived. He sat about 2 feet from me and cockadoolldoed loud and clear! And the hen heard him! All of a sudden she showed up. Instead of running, she went right up to him. And dutifully followed him behind the building.

In less than 30 days, we shall have chickies again!

With the sun also came traffic! Cars and people! The street was rampant with traffic. Scooters, too. And people walking about.

I guess it takes the sun to get us out of our homes and holes. Interesting.

My sun theory however got a bit blasted last night.

I showered and shaved. Put on a crispy shirt and headed out. I figured the whole town would be out. The locals, that is.

I went to Antonia's. Threw open the door expecting a crowded bar. One customer. And I did not know her! Four people at 2 tables. And Clayton! Thank God for Clayton! At least I could talk with him. But it was not my night. He was more interested in the female customer at the bar!

No fish was available of course. Only fresh fish is normally served. Actually I would have worried if Antonia's was serving fish last night. So I had a pasta dish.

Not to be daunted, I headed for La Te Da. Bruce Moore was scheduled to perform at 9. Good luck! The place was open, but empty. No shows till Saturday!

So I did as I have been doing for a week. I went home to bed and TV! Well before 9 o'clock.

The moral of the story is that people are out, but not out. I also suspect that more locals left town than I thought and have yet to return.

My feelings are firm. I will not remain for another storm!

A return to normalcy takes time.

I drove into town testerday morning expecting every one to be busy taking down paneling and shutters. Very few were.

I looked for a place to have breakfast. Good luck! I ended up at Don's Place having a diet coke and reading a 3 day old Miami newspaper.

I finally drove to Hogfish on Stock Island. For lunch by this time.

Hogfish was open. Not the usual large crowd. But people!

Lunch was free! Yes, free! There were about 8 items listed with a big free lunch sign over the items. And what a lunch! No skimping! My fish sandwich was much larger than normal. And more fries than usual.

Bobby who owns Hogfish is not only a smart guy, but a good guy! Many of his customers are the less fortunate. Or maybe not. They live day to day, one pay check to another. He was putting out the free lunch for all of them. Those who could not afford to buy because they had not worked for several days.

All you had to pay for was what you drank. I had 1 diet Pepsi. A big deal. But I left the barmaid a good tip. Her small son was running around. No babysitter yesterday.

The whole Hogfish atmosphere was one of family. As it should be! But many times is not!

I spent the afternoon at home doing some work and watching TV. Thank God for power! Without it, the computer and TV would have been down. And my sanity with it!

I figured by last night the rest of Key West would be coming out of their holes and hitting Duavl. Life again! I was wrong.

The town was desolate. Empty. Dark. Peopleless. Perhaps more locals evacuated than I thought.

It was Wednesday so I headed for Aqua. Mark Watson was bartending. Only 2 customers. A far cry from the usual 30-40 on Wednesday nights.

I walked down to Antonia's. Figured it had to be open. Christopher never closes. Closed!

So I trotted down to La Trattoria. Closed!

I drove to the Pier House. The Chart Room is always open. Hemingway's old hangout was! And with a good small crowd. My friend Donna was bartending. Good to see her back. I had a couple of drinks and spent some time chatting with a young couple. His name is Shawn. Hers I am embarassed to say I cannot recall. In their early 20s and recent grads of Mississippi U., they visited Key West in May and decided to settle here. Shawn is a reporter for KeyNoter. She is a receptionist at the Ocean Key House. Nice people. I look forward to meeting them again.

I needed to eat! The Chart Room is booze only. So I decided to try Sqauare One.

I lucked out! It was open and had a decent crowd, many of whom I knew. So I had a pleasant dinner and some good talk.

I was home in bed by 8. Such was my big night on the town! Limited activity, limited people.

It is still gray this morning. No sun. Little wind. As it was yesterday. I wish the sun would come out. It would breed life and vitality into us.

Ike is a killer. I have deep concern for the people of Texas.

I am going to Paradise Cafe for breakfast now. I hope it is open. Yesterday it was still boarded up. Also I need to read a current newspaper. I could not find any yesterday. Even the local paper apparently was not printed.

Till tomorrow.....

The worst is over.

It is around 7 am and I just went outside.

The wind is down considerably, though still strong. No rain. Cloudy gray. No sun to be seen yet.

Ike is not completely gone. But enough has moved on that we can begin to live normally again.

I found yesterday difficult. I stayed in all day and night, except for those times when I went outside on the deck. Sometimes I just had to get out of the house! Even if only for 10-20 feet!

From my perspective, yesterday was horrible! Strong winds all day. The rain was generally light, but steady.

The winds reached steady gusts of 70 miles per hour. A cat 1 hurricane is 74.

At one point I heard loud banging. I figured it was the gutters going. I opened the garage door to go outside. The garage faces east. Directly down the street about .2 of a mile is the Atlantic. There is nothing between my driveway and the Atlantic but a wide open street.

As I stepped out onto the driveway, I almost got knocked on my ass! The wind bent me over! It was that strong! I rushed back in. The hell with the shutters!

Some of the streets along the Atlantic flooded. I did not see it. National TV showed me. And Lisa and the family drove out at dinner time and told me also. I thought Lisa was nuts to have gone out. She thought I was nuts to have stayed in.

We lost power several times during the day and night. I had planned for this event. Candles all over the house with matches next to them. And 2 flashlights.

I don't know how Lincoln read by candledlight! You cannot do anything by candlelight!

My gutters are gone. Probably in Cuba or Texas.

This has been an experience. An interesting one! Never again, however! I will be the first one to leave in the future. And this was a nothing storm compared to what it could have been!

The build up to the storm hitting causes anxiety. Gnawing anxiety. For several days! Will it be a cat 4? A cat 3? Will it downgrade? Will it hit Key West head on? Should I stay? Should I leave? What about Lisa and the kids? And so on!

Then the solitude of the storm. The darkness of a house with plywood covered windows and doors is not a thing of joy either. And the noise! You can hear the wind. Like you never heard it before! And when the rain is heavy, the banging against the house!

The rain does not fall straight down as is normal. It comes horizontally in sheets driven by the wind.

I should be grateful and I am grateful it was not worse. Had a cat 3 hit Key West, half the island would be in ruin. A cat 4 would have completely devestated us. Look at what happened to Cuba and the earlier islands. We were lucky!


I am going to shower and get out of the house now. I can't wait to drive into town and take a walk. I am sure everything is still boarded up and messy. However it is going to be good to be FREE AGAIN!

I am still here! Alive and well! As all Key West is!

Yesterday turned into a typical mild Key West day. Sunny and bright. A bit humid. But windy! 20-30 miles per hour.

Only locals remain. 99 % of them. They never left.

Duval and the rest of the island are closed up. Plywood and metal shutters all over the place.

The weather was so nice last night at dinner time that Lisa and family and I went out to dinner. There are only about 3 places open. We went to Jack Flatts on Duval. Most of the people there had little kids. It was obvious. The parents had to get out to preserve their sanity! Staying in all day cloistered with the children was a bit too much to bear!

I stopped into Don's Place afterwards for a drink. Packed. Ike the topic of conversation.

I was home early. Very early. Like 8ish. No where to go.

Around 10 it started. Ike's bands had finally reached us. Strong winds and heavy rain. Woke me off and on during the evening.

I stepped outside this morning. Dark yet at 8. Heavy clouds. Moving fast off the Atlantic. Wind about 30-40 miles per hour. Rain off and on. Probably will be this way all day.

We are lucky! Ike turned south while over Cuba. Had it moved north we might have been hit. So what we are experiencing is a mild tropical storm as opposed to a 3 or 4 cat hurricane.

The national TV people have been camped out on Duval in front of La concha and Fast Buck Freddies for several days. Disappointingly with no real story. Ike didn't hit! However they try hard to find weather news. Any little thing. And that is what people around the world see on their TV sets.

TV comment is made as to why people are out in their cars. Simple answer. The hard storm fortunately missed us. So why not go out!

My father told me yesterday how TV showed the long line of cars leaving Key West on US 1. It could not have been a recent clip. There was no traffic either way.

TV was taking pictures of families going in and out of Jack Flatts last night. I assume that was shown on TV. A story in itself.

Animals are smarter than humans!

While I and other locals were out yesterday and last night, I have seen no birds or iguanas.

Chickens. Ah, the poor chickens!

Apparently they are not as smart as other type birds or iguanas. They need help to escape.

There was an article in yesterday's paper about the Key West Wildlife Center and chickens. The Wildlife Center is a not for profit that cares about chickens amongst other wildlife. The Wildlife Center crated 312 chickens in cat cages and shipped them up to northern Florida to avoid the anticiapted ravages of Ike. How's that for consideration!

The chickens had been caught over the previous month. The Wildlife Center did not have the people or capability to protect them in the event Ike hit. So they got them out of harm's way!

My sense is that today is going to be a sloppy day weather wise. Rain and wind. Big wind. And tomorrow will be back to normal. Until the next time. Remember that the hurricane season lasts till November. And the natives here tell me that early October is generally the worse time.

Hopefully not.

It is starting!

It is early Monday morning. I just went outside. The wind is blowing hard. And this is only the beginning!

The water is high and there are large waves. Wow!

I am having second thoughts about having decided to stay. However the locals say worry not! It will just be a lot of wind and rain for 2 days. We shall see. I shall see.

Speaking of seeing, I cannot see. From the inside of the house out, that is. My windows and doors are all covered with plywood sheets. It is dark black inside. Someone called me a little while ago to ask how things were. I said I could not tell because the sun had not come up yet. It had! I was just in a very dark bedroom with the windows totally blocking the outside from coming in.

What a day this is going to be! And tomorrow also!

Yesterday was a beautiful day. Just a touch of humidity. I went to Don's Place in the afternoon to watch football. The whole world was there!

All were locals. All were staying. Some because they did not believe the storm would be bad. Others because they could not afford to go or had no where to go.

Met a nice lady. Bebe. She was with a friend of mine. She recognized me from the blog picture. We had a nice conversation. I am sure I will run into her again.

I spent last night home in bed watching TV. It was interesting. Time moves fast here. Last night took forever. It was the gnawing fear of the storm which made it so.

I stupidly put the garbage out last night. This morning is pick up time. It is still there. I will be bringing it into the garage so the storm does not spread it all over the place.

This morning I am going to take a ride into town. See if Paradise Cafe is open. Hope to have breakfast there and read the papers. Also I want to see how the town looks. It is eerie. The houses and businesses are all boarded up.

Then when I return home I plan to set candles out all over the house with matches next to them.
Have to be ready if the power goes out. I have flashlights also and a battery radio.

I have to pay my wife a compliment. She was always buying these hugh thick fat candles. I thought it was a waste of money. They were rarely, if ever, used. Now they will come in handy.

Lisa and I are having a bit of a dispute. She wants me to stay in her house. I want her in mine. She lives in a low spot on the island. Wilma flooded her house with over 5 feet of water. My home is built up 8 feet. I suspect that in the end I will spend tonight alone in my home.

Tomorrow's blog should be interesting!

The saga of Hurricane Ivan continues.

It is a bit nerve wracking. There is always that feeling in the pit of your stomach. I have experienced it for 4 days now.

We are under mandatory evacuation as scheduled for 8 am this morning. It is almost 10 am. I am still here and so are most of the locals. A brave lot! A foolish lot?

Ike is still a 4. A killer! It is heading for Cuba. Its impact on the Keys depends on whether it crosses Cuba on the north or south side. Either way, there will be winds and rain. However how strong depends on how close it comes to us.

We lucked out because of a pressure system from the north which pushed Ike further south. If that pressure weakens however, Ike will turn north. And then it could cross right over the Keys!

We will know better tomorrow morning. That is when most locals will make their decision as to whether to leave. Cory and Lisa will give me my marching orders in the morning. I am a follower, not leader, with regard to this storm.

I was out on the town last night.

The tourist end of Duval was dead dead!!! If I saw 3 people on the first 2 blocks of Duval, it was a lot. Sloppy Joe's was next to empty.

On the other hand, the mid and far end of Duval were busy. Not overly busy, but busy enough.

All locals.

I had dinner at the bar at Antonia's. A small but respectable crowd of locals. La Te Da was doing a good business. The WomanFest crowd was still in town.

Then I stopped at Don's Place. He was doing a terrific business! All locals again. People were enjoying themselves. I had thoughts of this is the way it must have been in Hitler's bunker in the last days of World War II. What a comparison! But that was my thought!

So we sit and wait. All day, today. Eyes glued to the TV for hourly Ike updates.

My house will be finished today as regards hurricane proofing. Still need some windows covered with plywood. Pool is full of deck furniture. Also 2 quarts of chlorine. The pool guy stopped by Smart move! My friends up north take note!

I shopped for hurricane foods yesterday. Things that do not have to be refrigerated or cooked. Like cans of pork and beans. And a can opener! The electric one will not work if the power fails. More water. Tuna and salmon in packets. Just rip open and eat. And so forth.

I already had my 8 am meeting at Lisa's home with she and Cory. As I said before, no decision till tomorrow morning as to whether we leave.

Sunday professional football begins today. I am going to spend the afternoon at Don's Place watching the games and eating the party food he provides. And sharing the good company of his many fine patrons!

Hurricane Ike is coming! Hurricane mentaility has befallen us! And properly so!

Ike is going to be bad! It was a 4. Is now a 3. Still out in the Atlantic about 1,000 miles away. It is expected to be a Category 4 when it hits.

Its projected path at the moment is directly over the Florida Keys. Key West is directly in the middle. There will be significant destruction if it hits us as presently anticipated and as a cat 4.

Our one ray of hope is that weather conditions coming down off the north Atlantic will push Ike further to the south over Cuba. What a terrible thing! We are hoping that Ike misses us and beats up another people!

Quiet semi panic is setting in.

I went to fill up my gas tank last night. Every station had long lines starting out on the streets and highways. I did not want to wait in line so I put off filling the tank till later in the evening. When I went out to do it, there was no traffic at the gas station. What a smart guy am I, I thought to myself! When I pulled up to the pump I saw the sign: Empty......no gas till tomorrow morning!

Rumors are rampant. One is that the Seven Mile Bridge is going to be wiped out.

There is mandatory evacuation for Key West. Tourists must leave at 8 this morning. Residents at 8 tomorrow morning.

What to do? Where to go? These become immediate major concerns. You just can't get out. You must go where the storm will not.

I initially thought I would fly out Sunday morning to Utica for a week. However I am concerned for Lisa and the grandkids. Lisa and husband Cory do not want to go to Utica. They would rather drive north into central Florida and put into a motel for a few days. Cory wants to also be able to get back to their home as soon as possible to start cleanup, repairs, etc.

Lisa and Cory have been through this before. I really have not. Again my first inclination was to hop a plane and get out. However I feel I would be deserting Lisa and the family. So I have decided to make the trek in their van northward. What a week it is going to be! We are going to be nomads and vagabonds on a journewy to I know not where!

This computer is making the trip with me. I assume I will be able to report this pending adventure on a daily basis.

I am uncomfortable with this whole Hurricane Ike thing. Nothing is a known. Nothing is a certainty. The only thing I am sure of is that the unknown and uncertainty. What a given!

Bocci last night! What fun!

We only won 1 of 3 games. However all 3 were very close. Could have gone either way in the end. So we were not unhappy in defeat.

Jenny and Lindsey were there playing on another court.

Jenny is my friend from Walgreen's.

Lindsey works all over. Next week she starts the 7 am shift at Don's Place tending Bar. The Breakfast Club! She will work till 5. Then at 5:30 she is at the college taking courses. Good girl!

Lindsey was a blond last week. Last night she was a brunette. Still lovely! But I find it all very confusing.

I hurried home to catch McCain's speech. I made it well before 10. However it was shades of the night before. I fell asleep before his talk commenced. I am getting old. There is not a bed I cannot immediately fall asleep in!

Hanna is going to cause some anguish to the eastern seaboard. Key West has been sparred.

However Ike continues to threaten. Although Ike is many miles out to sea yet, it is a Category 4 and aimed directly at the Keys. It could bend right at the last moment as Hanna has done. Too early to tell however. Ike will hit somewhere Wednesday. So we will not know its actual path till Sunday or Monday.

These storms are like raw wounds. They keep you aching. And wondering.....

I came home early last night so as to hear Sarah Palin's address. She was scheduled to appear at 10:30. I was in bed at 9.

Too early! I fell asleep and missed her speech! I was wakened at 11:30 by the sound of my cell's text beep. It was my friend Mike Yutzy from Phoenix who wanted to know what I thought about Palin's performance. I missed it! Told him I would catch it on the reruns during the course of the evening.

And I did. So I slept little last night.

Golf yesterday! I played with Yankee Jack and Tino. Yankee just returned from his August gigs up North. North being Maine, New York, Massachusetts and the like. Good to have him back! He is one of the sweetest guys anywhere!

I won $2. A big deal for me! Tino won $21. He and Yankee had a side game. Obviously Yankee was the big loser.

I caught Bobby Nesbitt at Aqua last night. It was his last performance for 5 weeks. He is off to Germany and France. Oh, the life!

As usual, Bobby was terrific! He has a local following that is very dedicated. I am one of them. That brings 20-40 people guaranteed every Wednesday evening. Throw in some tourists and you have quite a gathering for this small intimate show.

The Wednesday early evening gig at Aqua goes on even in Bobby's absence. Vicky Gennaro is performing in his place. She is the daughter of the Monroe County Mayor and has performed in many venues already. I have not made up my mind as to whether I like her. The jury is still out for me. However I will go and listen and should have made up my mind by the time Bobby returns.

These hurricanes are becoming a pain. And a scare!

Hanna apparently is going to be a 1 when it hits. Fortunately it is going to miss Key West. However it is going to hit somewhere and that is bad!

Ike is beginning to take on the appearnace of a major problem. It is only in mid Atlantic and is already a 4. And appears to be headed directly for the Keys. Pure devistation if it hits and hits at the speed of a Category 4!

Ike worries me! And it is moving forward swiftly. Could be here as early as Sunday! So sayeth TV this morning.

And behind Ike is Josephine which is developing as a physically large storm.

As I understand it, the peak of the hurricane season is reached around September 10th. That does not mean it is all over. These storms can continue into November, but with significant diminishing frequency.

Tonight bocci! I cannot wait!

People are getting nervous here! Hurricane talk is overwhelming!

Hanna will not be a problem. Perhaps some rain. However Ike is starting to drive some crazy. The talk is Ike will hit us right on! I think such conversation is very premature. The hurricane is still a week away. Several people told me yesterday they were making plans to leave town.

And then there is Josephine. Josephine is still off the coast of Africa. However it is large and ominous appearing. Time will tell.

Key West was quiet last night. Very quiet. Like nobody in town. The restaurants had about 6 people each in them. No one on the streets.

Strange because WomanFest started last night. Three thousand ladies are here for their annual celebration. However they were no where to be seen. Except at the Pier House.

Tuesday night is Larry Smith's Ladies' Night at the Wine Galley. I stopped in. I had heard his featured singer was terrific. Her name is Lenore Tiori. I hope I spelled her last name correctly. If not, I apologize.

Lenore is here for WomanFest. She is a former Key Wester. Travels all over now. She is a professional entertainer.

Lenore performs her own material. Good stuff! She and Larry joined well last night to make for an entertaining evening.

Whereas the rest of Key West was dead, the Wine Galley was crowded. Lenore brought them in.

Mary Jo was there with a table of friends. I continue to admire her! What a woman!

May Deasy stopped in. She looked especially terrific last night!

Peter Diamond and Holly were there also. Peter has such a great voice. Frank Sinatra style. I was disappointed he did not sing a song or two last night. And Holly is such a nice warm person! The two of them together make a great couple! Obviously attentive to each other. A quality relationship.

Today is Wednesday. Golf day. I am off and running. How bad will I play today? Such is my mind set every time I play. Perhaps if I had a more positive mental perspective my game might be better. Who knows!

The weather continues to be terrific!

However Gustav was not as calm in the Key West area as I reported. Yesterday's local newspaper says the winds here Saturday reached 60 miles per hour. Shades of Fay! Now I know why the wind was buffeting my car sideways as I drove up US 1 Saturday night.

There appears to be a concern among many of the old time locals that Hanna could be a problem. these storms apparently have a way of turning and changing direction suddenly.

I spent a couple of hours free loading at the book store Borders yesterday afternoon. I started reading Pat Buchanan's recent work about Churchill, Hitler and whether World War II could have been avoided. An interesting book.

McCain's campaign is off track. The Palin issues are clouding the campaign. I hope this campaign gets back on track and the real issues of the economy and war are more directly addressed. In fact if you think about it, most of the primary battles avoided the meaty issues.

More about Gustav. It passed 240 miles west of Key West. Which placed Key West on the east side of Gustav. We had heavy wind (60 mph) and heavy rain. Even if Hanna does not hit Key West, it will pass to the east of us about 200 miles. That will position Key West to the west of Hanna.

If Hanna takes the track presently projected up the east coast of Florida, the impact should not be as severe as Gustav. The reason being which side of a hurricane you are on. The impact is far greater is you are to the east of a hurricane. The upper right quadrant of a hurricane is the most severe and is known as the dirty side. Key West was on the dirty side for Gustav. It will not be for Hanna.

Oh, the things I learn!

The weather is magnificent here! What a difference a few days make.

Sun shining. Water moving slowly. The slightest breeze.

Yes, we are fortunate! Gustav could have been here! We lucked out because of a weather front hanging over mid and south Florida that pushed Gustav further south. The luck of the draw!

I enjoyed a quiet day yesterday. Slept late. Unusual for me. Then bought the Sunday papers and read forever. Visited Lisa and the grandkids. Robert and Ally were napping. Angels! Lisa and I talked.

Stayed in last night. Watched a lot of TV. Between Gustav and movies, my evening was full.

Need to get out and walk this morning. I have not for a few days. Between the weather and a holiday mentality, I have been lazy in the exercise regard.

I am 3-4 weeks post diet. I have only gained 2 pounds. Not bad! There is always some sort of gain once a diet is ended. I have obviously been watching what I eat. The eternal battle!

I am off for my walk.....