This Week on the Island 03/26/2006

'This week on the Island' is written by Doug Bennett and is an update to friends about happenings in Key West last week. Everything is true except for those parts that are lies.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Key West: a city of change. The pictures this week are (1) 1890's look from the 300 block of Williams Street looking toward the Key West Bight. (2) the same area today. The large build on the right is the Red Doors (old Bucket of Blood Bar) and the large buildings on the left are gone and replaced by Half Buck Freddie's.

The Weather: It was in the low 80's at day and the mid 70's at night. A cold front moved in on Friday bring rain in the morning and dropping the temperature. The high for the next couple of days will be in the low 70's. Long-sleeved shirts and big boy pants.

This weeks book was 'Ghost of Key West' by David L. Sloan. He is the guy that does 'Ghost Tours' here in Key West. I enjoyed the book and learned more about Key West and some of it's haunted houses.

Finnegan's Wake had a large St. Patrick's day party in the middle of James Street at the corner with Grinnell. A large time was had by all. There was also a St.Patty's day party held at the Bourbon Street Pub at 801 Duval Street, the color was pink instead of green.

Jo has been in Plano,Texas all week. She is a Project Manager for EDS. Got up at 4:00AM Monday to get her to her plane that was suppose to leave at 6:00 AM. The plane had mechanical problems. At 3:00PM they told her the flight was cancelled and she got a car and drove to Miami. Hours later in Miami she could not get on her 8:00PM flight because Key West still had her listed as having luggage on the flight in Key West. She ended up in Dallas at 2:00AM the next morning. The meetings in Dallas went well. Leaving Dallas on Friday, she found that she was not registered to be on her flight home because she had not taken the cancelled flight from Key West on Monday morning and the flight was now full. She got home at about 6:30PM Friday night. The entire family was glad to see her.

George Strait is recording at 'Shrimp Boat Sounds' on the Key West Bight.

Michael McCloud, who performs at Schooner Wharf, has a law suite against Toby Keith. Toby had the number one hit country song in the USA with 'I Love This Bar'. Michael McCloud has had a song for over 25 years called 'Tourist Town Bar'. A few years ago Toby was recording in Key West and about a year later Toby came out with 'I Love This Bar' and it went to number one. The two songs are an awful lot alike. Michael sued and now Toby has admitted to coping the song but they have not reached a settlement. Toby has made two offers, but Michael has turned both down.

Key West, You have got to love it
'Meet me at the end of the road' - Conky Tonkin'- Jimmy Buffett
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.5597N, Long 81.8016W