Key West Lou / KEY WESTERS…..VOTE NO ON THE BOND ISSUE

I start with the Key West bond issue. A lot of money. Open ended. Gives Key West City Commissioners fantastic monetary power over the years. No group should have such power.

Additionally, there is a negative factor involved which bothers me. It permits monies to be spent upgrading the amphitheater. Hard to believe! Those making the biggest and direct dollars from the amphitheater’s operation should be paying the bills. Someone had their head screwed on wrong permitting this to be part of the bond vote and thinking the people would not catch it. Many have and do not like it!

Had a cardiac physical yesterday. April Gallagher oversaw everything. April is the cardiac nurse I attribute with having saved my life when my heart went caput on me. She is the best!

I passed with flying colors! May I continue to do so. The new aortic valve has done wonders for me.

Enjoyed contact with old friends yesterday.

Leaving Dr. Norris’ office after having given blood, etc. for my overall physical tomorrow, I was stopped for a traffic light. Guy de Boer drove up on a motorcycle. I have not seen Guy in more than a year. He has been in Europe racing his boat. We had a quick conversation and agreed to have dinner next week.

Last night, I received a telephone call from Larry and Christine Smith. Christine Cordone professionally. The have been at their Pennsylvania home for several months and were driving back to Key West. We talked for a while. It was good hearing from them. More dinner companions. Glad I have teeth again!

When people discuss Italian lakes, Lake Como always is at the top of their list. Few are even aware of the names of other Italian lakes.

Having had the benefit of several trips to Italy, I am aware of one other that is equally as exciting and enjoyable. Lake Maggiore. Several communities along its banks. The one I am most familiar with is Stresa. A beautiful old Italian resort community. Still going strong. Stately hotels from yesterday and swaying palm trees.

It has an Ernest Hemingway connection. When Hemingway was young and a member of the Italian Red Cross, he was injured in the fighting. He ended up in an Italian hospital for quite a while recovering. His nurse was Agnes von Kurowsky. They fell in love.

During Hemingway’s recovery, they spent some time in Stresa. Mostly at a hotel on Lake Maggiore. They were in Stresa 10 days and spent 7 at the Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees.

A good portion of A Farewell to Arms takes place at the Hotel Borromees, Lake Maggiore and a nurse Hemingway’s male Farewell character was in love with. The nurse’s name in the book was Catherine Barkley.

I visited Stresa and the Borromees often. Dined in restaurants on the lake and also nearby small islands. Great atmosphere!

I was Anna’s guest each time. I was staying at her home in Navaro, less than a one hour drive from Lake Maggiore. We would make daily trips.

We spent much time at the Borromees. How could I not! It was Hemingway’s place!

I found out where he drank at the Hotel. There was a new bar when I visited. Hemingway’s was closed, smaller and in the back of the hotel. Now a store room. However, a very elderly gentleman who began working at the hotel when Hemingway visited showed me around. He had known Hemingway, served him, etc. Even down to the small window he said Hemingway used to sit and look out of while sipping a martini. Martinis were his drink of the day back then.

In his later years, Hemingway referred to the Borromees as his “home away from home.”

Santorini comes into play today. Came across an article on Santorini on the internet today. Purportedly, the most beautiful of the Greek isles.

I visited Santorini several times for stays from one to two weeks. Anna, again.

Santorini one of the most beautiful places my eyes have ever beheld. The views spectacular. I always stayed at the same place in Oia. A resort on the side of a cliff overlooking the bay and the volcano I failed to climb. I enjoyed everything about Santorini, except for the food. Touristy.

Anna had been a guest at the resort every year for 20 years before she brought me. It was the best of the best. The name escapes me unfortunately. Because of Anna I suspect, I was treated like royalty. The owner’s elderly wife washed and ironed my clothes everyday. Mine, not Anna’s. She brought me bowls of fresh fruit and a bottle of wine from their own vineyard every day. A great woman, a great couple.

A live and learn. People painting their nails goes back 5,000 years. The Chinese were the first to do so.

A sad day in American history. Despite sexual allegations by Anita Hill, the Senate narrowly confirmed the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court, 52-48.

Why did Abraham Lincoln grow a beard?

He was encouraged to grow a beard by 11 year old Grace Bedell who wrote him a letter recommending he grow a beard. She wrote his face was too thin and he would look better with a beard. He obviously agreed. She also added if he grew a beard, her brothers would vote for him and women would tease their husbands to vote for him.

I don’t understand. Elon Musk is purportedly the richest man in the world. I would assume a degree of intelligence attests to such monetary pinnacle. Apparently not.

Musk believes without Trump as Presidnet, voting will disappear. I believe the opposite is true.

Musk’s mother Maye encourages voters to commit a form of voter fraud. One which could result in 100 illegal votes each time attempted. She says the votes would not be illegal.

Catholics are swinging away from Harris. At the moment, Trump leads Harris 50-45 percent among Catholic voters.

I’m not surprised. Catholics have become a political force in recent years as opposed to a religious one. They are “evangelicals.” Most side with the U.S. Congress of Catholic Bishops.

Churches will continue to close and/or merge as a result. Catholics less God motivated. More so politically.

A sorry state of affairs for Catholics as a whole and the U.S. itself.

I close with a happy event I will be experiencing later in the day. Happy Hour at The Grand with Cindy and Steve. I can eat!

Enjoy your day!

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