We’ve been here in Naples for what, two or three days now. Although this is our annual gig, it still takes a couple of days to re-orient. Where the heck is the silverware drawer, the towels … that sort of household minutiae.

What about New Year’s Eve in this place !! Fireworks anywhere are always a bit of a spectacle, but Naples takes them to a whole different level. It is fitting. This town is a whole different level.

Incidentally, we are talking Florida here, not Naples, Italy. The big pond isn’t the only thing that separates them. Believe me, when there’s a garbage collector’s strike in the namesake Naples, it is an olfactory event.

Here, if a blade of grass is cockeyed, it is an event.

Back to the fireworks. It is my kind fortune to have never had combat experience. Last night’s sound effects would suggest otherwise. What surely sounded like gunshots was wide spread throughout town from near 8:00 PM on. The war zone effect was full bore.

Our condo is on the beach. The beach hosted the fireworks. Hopefully, the fireworks were no portent of anything in 2020 even near this tumultuous! Perish forbid.

It is morning now. The sun shines brightly. Last night’s revelry is over the yardarm. A calm sea imbues its softly rhythms to anyone wise enough to listen. It’s gonna be a great year!