This Week on the Island 05/20/2007

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.----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This weeks picture is the 4 stars of 'The Southern Cross' (right corner of picture with yellow star at top) from http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html . The Southern Cross is a constellation visible in the southern hemisphere. Key West is about as far north as you can be and still see the Southern Cross. We display it on our Conch Republic Flag.

This week I started reading 'Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination' .This is a collection of Poe's work and many are stories I have never heard of before opening this book.

The Weather: Rain, wonderful rain. It started raining Monday night (quit raining on Tuesday). Not only is it raining here, it is raining in the Lake Okeechobee area where our water comes from. Maybe that will help with the water restrictions. Jo and I have always conserved water. We use our dish water to water the plants. We have a bucket to catch the water from the air conditioner and that gives us about 10 gallons a day. Our water bill is the minimum each month. The cost of trash pickup is based on your water bill, so our trash pickup is also the minimum each month.

We had the opportunity Sunday to celebrate Mother's Day at a friends house a few Keys to the north. His place was completely destroyed by Hurricane Wilma and he has now rebuilt. His new place sits 12 1/2 feet up on concrete pillars. It gave us an excellent place to sit (under the house) and be out of the sun. There was a nice breeze and we had bar-b-qued ribs and all the fixings, beer, and friends. Life is good.

Jabours Trailer Park (behind Schooner Wharf) was sold a few years ago for $18 million. The redevelopment was stopped because it was not going to be constructed to code. The plans were all redrawn and approved and now they are moving ahead with the building of condos. Century 21 across the street from me has been sold, the VFW has been sold and they are all suppose to be out by the end of May. Now the people that have the small shops on Lazy Lane have been told that their contracts will NOT be renewed at the end of the month. I expect to be living across the street from a large construction site for the next 2 years.

Michaels Restaurant on Margaret Street has been cited for having over 97 seats and only approved to have 37 seats. This is the same thing that happened at Blue Heaven in Bahama Village about 1 year ago.

The state of Florida is trying to pass a law that would allow the first $249,000 of your home value to be property tax free. Last year we got rid of the 'intangible tax' that taxed your investments, and we do not have an income tax.

When postage stamps went to $.39 I purchased a roll of 100 stamps that were suppose to be good forever. No extra stamps needed if the price of a stamp increases. I went to the post office Thursday and was told that I need an extra $.02 stamp on the letter I wanted to mail because stamps were now $.41. I mentioned that the stamp on my letter did not have a dollar amount on them and were suppose to be good forever. She said they were good forever but I still needed an extra $.02 stamp. Then she wanted to know if I would like to purchase a new roll of stamps that would be good forever even if the price of a stamp did go up in the future. Isn't this the same thing that they told me last year?

Paris Hilton was a 'no show' for the recent road rally and power boat race here in the Keys.

The MM24 band played Friday night a Schooner Wharf. They are from up US#1 at Mile Marker 24. Really a good band if you get a chance to hear them.

Saturday the local Parrot Head Club started building their boat for the 'Minimal Regatta' that is held each Memorial Day at Schooner Wharf. We have participated for the last 4 years. You get 1 very thin sheet of plywood, two 2x4's, a roll of duct tape, and 1 pound of screws. You build and paint a boat to race (no caulking).

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

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