Key West Lou / I’M BACK…..WITH SOME PERTIENT OBSERVATIONS

2024 has not been a good year for me physically.  However, what can a person expect at 89 years of age. First the heart attack which brought with it 5 1/2 weeks at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami and three heart surgeries. Just as I was feeling better, my back started bothering me three months ago. Diagnosis revealed 3 slipped discs at lumbar 2-5 which were impinging on the nerve and massive arthritis in the area. Big time pain with the back problem.

I find it amusing. I experienced no pain with the heart attack. Merely passed out. The back has been the worst pain of my life. I am seeing a neurologist for it and undergoing neurophysiotherapy. Just began the special physio last week.

When I am sick as I have been this year, I care nothing but getting better. The blog falls by the wayside also. It takes me 6 hours a day to research and write the blog. Difficult to do if you are hurting big time.

I am back. Not sure if the blog will be daily. Probably several times a week. When I can comfortably do so.

I began the blog some 20 years ago. For me. For my pleasure. Not to entertain readers.

It amazes me how the blog has taken off over the years. My subscribers are in the thousands and are world wide.

I began the blog by talking strictly about Key West. I was out and about most evenings 20 years ago. Did everything, attended everything. Then came COVID. I need not tell you how everything changed. I decided to totally remain  home. A person my age was an excellent candidate to get the disease and die. The only time I left home for more than 2 years was to visit the doctor or go to the hospital.

No longer could I write about Key West. I was not experiencing the town. Needed to supplement the missing Key West stories. Decided on politics. Those smart asses who read and comment re my blog, be aware that the politics at a minimum quintupled my subscriber base. Amazing! So you who say go back to only writing about Key West, I cannot because I do not go out as I used to. Which leaves me politics to discuss.

My political followers are not always the nicest of people. Many are foul mouthed and vile. Prone to write nasty things about me. Never was of concern to me. As long as people read the blog, I was happy. Differences of opinion are a way of life if you write about politics. Must say it again however, some go too far. Most recently with my absence, some had me taking off to Venezuela because of Trump’s election. One had me escaping to Puerto Rico. One even hoped I died: ” Forget about how Lou’s doing, he brought this all on himself for not supporting Trump. I HOPE HE CROAKS.”

Need I say more?

I have not commented on the election results. The media is doing enough of it. The people. for various reasons, reelected Trump. Time will tell the wisdom of their choice. One to two years is all that is required. Perhaps less.

One thing that bothers me that I will mention is that 52 percent of white women voted for Trump. Blacks and Latino ladies went for Harris.

Why did the white ladies vote more for Trump than Harris? Abortion affects them, their daughters and granddaughters. I find the 52 percent number hard to understand.

Syracuse’s Don and Chris are back for the month of November. I have not seen them yet. My back has basically kept me in. Constant pan is a difficult thing to handle.

Steve and Cindy are to return today from their one month trip to Europe. I have missed them.

Buffalo’s Tom and Fran are on a Mediterranean cruise. They will return to Key West for Thanksgiving.

Now for my yesterday.

A doubleheader involving Syracuse. Basketball and football.

I cannot get Syracuse games on TV. Brady’s Irish Pub has become my place of choice to watch Syracuse games. It is a sports bar.

Syracuse was playing its third basketball game of the season at 1. Football at 3. A long afternoon was ahead of me.

The basketball game was against Youngstown. Brady’s could not get the game either. So I left and returned at 3 for the football game.

Syracuse beat Youngstown 104-95 in double overtime. Syracuse’s previous 2 wins were by one or two points. Both against lesser teams. Is the handwriting on the wall that the basketball team will suck this season?

I found watching games at Brady’s while seated at the bar next to impossible. The high stool somehow aggravated my beck.

I spoke with Chrystal about it. Said I wanted to sit at a table on a regular chair to see if it helped. She had the solution! In a back dining room, there is a TV set and tables and chairs. She set me up there. It worked! I enjoyed watching Syracuse beat California 33-25. Don’t let the score lead you to believe it was a close game. It was Syracuse all the way! A 21 point second quarter solidified the win for Syracuse.

Syracuse is now 7-3.

Next Saturday it is Connecticut at noon.

While watching the game, a fellow came over to say hello. He recalled me from Antonia’s where he had been a waiter. He was with his girl fried. A physiotherapist. She and I enjoyed an interesting conversation. She presently is working with disabled children. She has a PhD. in physiotherapy.

A gentleman close to my age and his wife sat at the table next to me. He was 86. Last name Russo. We had an enjoyable conversation about from whence our people came, etc. I was one up on him. My mother was born in Italy in Foggia.

My friend Theos telephoned from Greece yesterday. He was afraid I had died.

What will I do today? I do not know. Maybe go out for lunch. Not certain yet.

Enjoy your Monday!

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