This Week on the Island 12/02/2007

'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.----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The picture this week is Fort Zackary Taylor on the Western end of Key West ( http://www.fortzacharytaylor.com/history.html ). Fort Zack was a Union Fort in the Civil War. It held an important position for the Union to control shipping in the Florida Straits. The Fort at that time set offshore but has been built up with the dredge from the channel and is now about 1/4 mile inland. The area around the Fort is a National Park and has a beautiful beach and is a great place to watch the sunset.

The Weather: The low 80's with lots of sun and a little rain. The last day of hurricane season was Friday (30 Nov).

The book this week was 'Lucky You' by Carl Hiaasen. It is about a woman that had 1 of 2 tickets with the winning numbers for the Florida Lottery and how the guys with the other ticket do not want to share with her and stole her ticket. It is funny.

Jo had short hair when we met in school in 1969. She had let it grow since then. About 2 months ago she had it cut short again and gave it to 'Locks of Love', an organization that makes hair pieces for kids.

The agreement by the Carlyle Group to purchase A&B Lobster, Turtle Kraals, and Half Shell Raw Bar, has fallen thru. It all reverts back to its current owner Gene Smith.

Lazy Way Lane is getting two more shops: Lazy Surf Dog and Cuba Vera Cigars.

Had some old friends from the Sandlapper Parrothead Club in South Carolina come to Key West. Spend some time showing them around the bight.

Sloppy Joe's is having concrete work done to repair cracks. It seems they can dig out the cracked concrete, clean and paint the rebar, and then re-concrete. I didn't know this could be done. (Concrete buildings with rebar that were built with local sand will crack after about 30 years because the sand has salt in it and the salt causes the rebar to rust. As the rebar rust, it expands, and cracks the concrete.)

The Key West Christmas Parade was Saturday night.

'There be pirates here, Arrrrrrrrrrr!' This week was Pirates in Paradise. Pirates were all over Front Street next to the Pirate Museum. There was action all over town including sails on some of the schooners, but the pirates had a village inside Fort Zack. There were attacks on the fort, attacks on schooners, sword fights in the streets, and grog and rum for all. Many of these 'play actors' try very hard to have original equipment (sort of like the confederate re-enactment groups). People like Jo and I carry plastic swords. Where else can you hang out in bars with people carrying guns, knives, swords, etc. 'Time flies when you're having rum'. Pics at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ThisWeekontheIsland/ click PHOTOs then click PIRATES IN PARADISE (I like to click 'slideshow').

Key West, You have got to love it

'Living the life that others dream'

Doug Bennett

Lat 24.5597N, Long 81.8016W

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