KEY WEST LOU / SHARK ATTACK VICTIM…..LIKE I GOT HIT BY AN F-150

Kevin Blanco is a 20 year old diving fisherman who was attacked by a shark off Marathon. A college student studying to be a doctor.

Kevin was spearfishing 70 feet down when attacked. Experts believe the shark was attracted by the blood from the fish he had already caught.

Kevin said he saw two great eyes coming at him from his side. He still sees them several days later each time he closes his eyes. He describes the eyes as “ugly.” The pain to the two bites to his thigh “excruciating.” The force of the blows like getting hit “by an F-150.”

Still hospitalized. The doctors expect a full recovery, except for a series of very ugly scars.

I spent much time yesterday writing about Jim Brown. The reason being he was a Syracuse University guy. Played football at Syracuse during its football hey days. Great stars. Brown was followed by Ernie Davis.

Brown also played lacrosse. He was an All American in lacrosse as well as football.

I mentioned later in the blog Reiley McDonald. A relatively new Key West friend. Into thoroughbred horses. Buys and sells them. Reiley is one of the largest cosignors in the thoroughbred industry. Deals in the best racing horses in the world.

I made mention of Reiley when discussing the Preakness yesterday. Reiley owns a piece of Forte who was favored in the Kentucky Derby but had to be scratched at the last minute due to an injury. Forte could not run in the Preakness because of a two week rule prohibiting a horse scratched for health reasons in the Derby to run for two weeks. The two weeks ended yesterday. The day counted however in preventing Forte from running in the Preakness.

Mention is made again today because of Reiley’s involvement with lacrosse. I became aware after publishing yesterday’s blog that Reiley and Jim Brown had something in common. Both were lacrosse All Americans. Reiley at Cornell where he played on two undefeated lacrosse teams. Reiley lends a hand when in Key West helping to coach the Key West High School lacrosse team.

Reiley, you are a man of many talents and from what I have come to learn a good guy also!

Staying with the Preakness for a moment, I never got to see it yesterday. My time glued to the TV involved the PGA. National Treasure won. Mage, who won the Kentucky Derby, ran third.

The PGA was very discouraging for most of the day. Rained like hell!

Professional golfers should not be required to play in such weather. No one was able to play their game. Everyone was off. Golf rules will only stop play if lightning is involved. There was no lightning in Rochester yesterday.

Today is the last day of play. I do not know about the weather. I hope it rains not. Let the pros show their true talents.

I am hooked on paintings of Madonna and Child. As evidenced by my first Jack Baron work. Below is another. An oil.

I do not know the artist. I am unaware of its value.

My interest in the Madonna and Child is probably attributable to my education in a Catholic grammar school, high school, and college.

Before the New York State Thruway, traffic from Albany to Buffalo ran on Route 20. A two lane road running east to west. Generally through small towns and villages. Never a big city. Antique shops along the way. The portion I am concerned with began 20 miles south of Utica and ran towards Syracuse. Ending before reaching Syracuse.

I occasionally stopped to check out one of the shops. In old dilapidated buildings or barns. Came across the Madonna and Child in this oil. Three feet by four feet. Canvas beat up. Portions rippled. The frame magnificent. A huge gold one.

I purchased the painting after some haggling for $300. The frame was worth at least $300.

The painting hung in my center hall for 30 years. Beautiful even with the ripples.

I have always suspected the painting itself might have value. Don’t know who painted it, however. I took it to a prominent art museum in Utica. The Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute. Top shelf. World wide reputation. They thought it was a painting on a painting. A student in need of a canvas might have done it. However, they were not able to determine what was under it and who may have painted it.

I always meant to take it to Christie’s in New York for a proper evaluation. I had done so with other works over the years. Never did with this one because it was too large and bulky. Wish I had. The curiosity has plagued me over the years. At this stage of the game, it will be for whoever I bequeath it to to do so.

Christie’s has been an interesting experience for me. Christie’s is an international art auction house. A major operation. I have done business over the years with its New York, Miami and Amsterdam places of business.

Many interesting experiences to share. One involves an oil by Karel Appel. A Dutch painter. An expressionist. Around 1980, I purchased one of his works of a horse. Hard to tell. Could have been a dog. It was globs of paint on a huge canvas. It was perfect for the center stair case in my home.

Thirty years later in November 2014, I sold it. Through Christie’s. Left it in their hands to decide everything. They ended up selling it at their Amsterdam auction house for eight times what I had paid for it years earlier.

The whole process exciting!

The rainy season has begun. The weatherman says rain every day this week. The anticipated weather described as “soggy.”

About 10 days left till the debt ceiling becomes the problem of all problems. The House MAGA Republicans are a devious bunch. They care less about the health of the country and its citizens.

I believe in Biden. He will out fox them in the end. Horrible we have to go through this bullshit.

Enjoy your Sunday!

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