disaccharides, too, sugar

Hey, I did warn you that I might return with more carbohydrates - I know I did!
And here I am!
And here they are, too!

This cute couple is known as maltose, but its friends call it 'grain sugar'.
With its glycosidic bond - that's an ether, y'all - between Carbon 1 of the lefthand glucose molecule and Carbon 4 of the righthand glucose molecule, they seem to be holding hands, don't they?
Such sweeties!
(smile)

This couple is a bit more cantankerous - and boy, oh boy, does it show!
Lactose is this couple's name, with them hanging out in dairy products.
You know - just a little 'milk sugar' to make the little ones more apt to feed.
That glycosidic link between Carbon 1 of the galactose (that's the one to your left) and Carbon 4 of the glucose is a bit strained, causing the two halves to go off on a diagonal.
Definitely looks like one is dragging the other to a tuba lesson, doesn't it?
(smile)

Will you have whiskey with your water or sugar with your tea?
What are these crazy questions, Three Dog Night?
And what do they have to do with sucrose anyway?
Sure, we call this one 'table sugar'
and spoon it into our beverages...
Oh, I get it! Sugar!
Such a different structure, with the glucose stacked onto the fructose!
Just like a big baby in a car seat!

Fructose and glucose are similar, but they're not identical twins.
Yes, they are enantiomers, having the same chemical formulas like any isomers do.
Yes, they are hexoses, having six carbons and five alcohol groups.
Yes, they have the same structure from Carbon 3 down to Carbon 6... but their heads definitely differ.
That's because the fructose - in green - exists as a ketose in its Fischer form.
When it forms a ring, it gets...
JAZZ HANDS!!!
Glucose, in red, only has the one hand to wave in the air like it just don't care.
(smile)

singing along again!

Here's a 'conversation' I had with my friend Lorrie in Texas.
She had posted the following:
"I fee like I'm in some dystopian movie, just waiting to hear the film narrator, 'In a world gone mad...' "

me: Hang in there!

her: I'm good, it's just the rest of the world.

me: Yeah, I try not to pay too much attention to all that noise. So many pretty songs to listen to instead! :-)

her: I got John Denver singing "Sunshine" right now.

What an excellent idea!

singing along!

One of my playwright friends, Amanda Mack, posted this.

"Years ago, I got invited to this private acoustic show inside of a house that some friends were performing at. There were a few other people performing too, and before they went on, this kid went up and played "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None The Richer. He was super young. Probably late teens, early 20s. He was barely alive when this song came out. I found out later he was in a fantastic band called Heyrocco out of SC.
Either way, I'm watching him and I'm quietly singing too because, well, I love the song. And he's looking at me the entire time. Boring a hole in me. I kinda feel like he's singing this song just for me. I don't think much of it. I'm the only person singing along and there aren't a lot of people there to begin with.
He finishes, gets his applause, and immediately comes over to me. He says to me, "I'm so happy you were there singing! I just learned the song last week and I didn't remember the words! I was looking at you and remembering them."
I think that's the most important I've ever felt."

Wow.
What a beautiful remembrance for her!
I'm so glad he took the time to let her know she made a difference for him.
So often, I don't think we get that validation.
Good for her!

francophone film festival!

This year marked the 10th Annual Francophone Film Festival, an event I have attended each year for a decade.
I've even been known to contribute toward its continuance a time or two!
I've even been known to bring las dos amigas with me for the past few years!
I've even been known to bring a Goth Girl one year and a singing bird with me for the festival's second year!
(smile)
This will probably be the final year, sadly.
Dorothée Mertz-Weigel, champion of the festival, no longer teaches French.
Dorothée has been with International Studies since Jim Adams retired two years ago.
That was a boon for her, but a definite loss
for the Francophones of Savannah.

That has been a definite loss to the French Club, also. As she no longer teaches the language, she is no longer familiar to the students. Those who would have known her have graduated. Thus, the Cercle Francais was notably absent from the proceedings, even though they were credited with presenting the festival.

That's not to say students were absent from
the five screenings.
I'm sure there were at least a few each time...
but nothing like the huge group present for
the third film, shown today at 10 AM.
For that animated film, there were about
100 third-grade students!
There were also about 40 high-schoolers.

Quite a crowd... and so well-behaved!
They were all taking French and had come
to hear it being spoken on the screen.
Sadly, the copy of "Un Monstre à Paris"
that was available was dubbed in English -
but that made it even easier for them
to enjoy this delightful movie,
full of singing and dancing and love - oh, yes!
There was even a bit of history thrown in
about the flood of 1910 that had the bottom
of the Eiffel Tower in the river - for real!
Such a delightful way to start my day!

Yesterday began rather delightfully, too,
with the very first film of this year's fivesome.
Screened at 1 PM, "Ma Vie De Courgette" cast
an honest light on children in a group home
and the myriad reasons why they were there.
Best of all, it was completely from
the children's perspective, lending a
bittersweet poignancy to the stories.
And the saddest part, the part that made me cry?
These children all seemed to believe
that they were at fault for their situation.

The 6 PM movies last night and tonight were both rather somber affairs.
Both were concerned with French-speaking African nations, concentrated on Cameroon.
"Frontières", a 2001 film, followed six men as they sought to travel to Europe, in search of work.
Unable to obtain legitimate passage, they relied on illegal means to attain their goal: to reach Morocco
and cross over to Spain.

Tonight's 6 PM film, "La Banane", is a dour documentary
which explained one reason for this century's African diaspora illustrated so well in last night's film.
Namely, for the past three decades, a huge European company has been taking advantage of the banana-growing region, buying all the land and putting farmers out of work.
(For more films of African origin and about Africans, check Artmattan Productions website.)

I am so grateful for the films shown,
but I am especially grateful that
the festival always ends on a high note!
I am also grateful to have had Barbara
with me both nights, as well as Carolyn
for this last screening.
What better way to enjoy an animated film
about an old lady than with
two of my favorite old(er) ladies!
"Louise en Hiver" follows its title character
after she finds herself stranded,
post-season, at a beachside resort.
What ingenuity she has, how resourceful she is,
what absolute spunk!!!
We all quite enjoyed this 'girl-power' take
on what could have been a dark film.
Delighted, we all dined together at Applebee's
for more discussion of Louise's dreams.

Now, I'm home again and ready for dreams of my own.
Bonne nuit mes amis!

an offer i could not refuse

Just when I thought I was done with budgeting
my food intake, they dragged me back in
with an offer I could not refuse.
Well, I could have... but if someone wants to
pay me $100 to lose weight and all I have to lose
is ten pounds, I'd be silly not take the deal... right?
Especially since many of the foods have been
reassessed and will only 'cost' zero points of the
daily and weekly 'food intake budget' I've received.

And so, yesterday, before meeting the Secrest for lunch, I signed on the dotted line. I agreed to stick with their new WW Freestyle program for six months; they agreed to pay me one hundred dollars for the loss of ten pounds.
As a perk, the program will be costing me almost 25% less than the usual $44.95/month. That means I'll receive six months of enrollment for the cost of about 4.5 months. Plus, that $100 'reward' essentially backpays me for almost three of those months.
I'll actually be paying for right under two months of the cost of six months' meetings and support. Plus, they waived the registration fee.
How could I possibly say no... right?

I went, rather jubilantly, from the WW Center over to Sushi Time Towa to meet the bfe.
We had originally intended on a noon luncheon, but a meeting came up that he had to attend.
(That allowed me to make the noon15 WW group to get started. i thank You, God, for the push.)
Tekka Ju was my choice - isn't it beautiful?!
It came with miso soup and ginger salad -
pretty wonderful for my first WW-plan meal!

I have felt fairly in control of the food issue, too - until this evening.
This was the first day of the Francophone Film Festival and there was a low-key reception of fruit, cheese, and crackers.
Let me just say this: cheese is very expensive on my WW plan.
Eight one-inch cubes of swiss and cheddar ate up half my daily points allowance.
I would have liked to have the fruit instead... but the bowl contained toxic poison.
Honestly, why must strawberries be in a fruit bowl???
Why not add raspberries or cherries if a splash of red is desired?
Sigh.
I will try not to panic...
but it's difficult when this is only my second day and I already feel overwhelmed.
I'll try to remember to take it one day at a time...
and I'll have to see about having some 'safe' food with me at all times.

monosaccharides, sugar

To whoever first posted this meme
on fb, kudos!
You even almost got it right...
almost.
Yes, the car is a Cube.
Yes, carbohydrates are considered sugars by scientists.
So, yes, that makes that chemical formula that of a 'sugar'.
However, the chemical formula
on that license plate is not that of
the 'sugar' kept in bowls on counters and tables for sweetening beverages and cereals.
That 'sugar', aka sucrose, is a disaccharide, with the chemical formula C 12 H 22 O 11.

The license plate is for the class of 'sugars' called monosaccharides, specifically that subset known as the hexoses.
The person who crafted the meme would have been more correct to have called the car a "glucose Cube", if an aldohexose was to be specified for that car tag.
However, if a ketohexose was to have the limelight, then the meme-creator would have called the vehicle a "fructose Cube".
Not that those are the only hexoses which naturally occur, but they are the ones most people know, at least by name.
Why do I care to make this fuss?
Well, I am a teacher of biochemistry and I prefer to have correct science out there. While I am elated that someone saw that license plate and thought "chemical formula", their linking of it to table sugar galls me.
(Not that I was going for the joke, but sweet, isn't it?)
(smile)

As I've mentioned before, at least a time or two, the CHEM1152 class I teach every Spring semester covers organic chemistry and biochemistry.
Well, we have completed the organic portion and are heading straight into the other right now.
Tonight, before lecture, I had meant to take a quick look at the monosaccharides to refresh my memory. I try to select a few different ones from one year to the next, to keep it interesting for me.
That didn't happen.
Somehow, it was suddenly time for class and I had no time to peruse the new textbook.
Into the classroom I strode, ready to 'fly without a net' as I have been doing.
No notes, no list of topics, just me and my experience up there at the board...
again.
And guess what?
My brain led me, and quite logically, down a path I had not trod before...
but one I will try to remember for the future.
Usually, I spend this first biochem lecture on a range of monosaccharides, drawing a variety of molecular structures in the Fischer projection style, assigning names and classifications to them.
That means a lot of the words coming out of my mouth sound very similar.
Aldohexoses, ketohexoses, aldopentoses, aldotetroses, ketopentoses...
you get the drift.
In addition, I present the concept of chirality to account for the stereoisomers for each of the enantiomers for a monosaccharide of a given chemical formula. I even draw some of the D and L forms, to emphasize the point.
That is not how I presented the material tonight.

Instead, after a few definitions and general discussion about carbohydrates, I drew a structure, leaving it incomplete at first.
Only the six-carbon skeleton, with its aldehyde crown, was shown.
I spoke of it being the Fischer projection of glucose.
I spoke of the ways to classify it.
Then, I added the alcohol groups onto carbons 2, 3, and 4, defining that as the 'fingerprint' for which was specific to glucose.

Finally, I talked about that penultimate carbon, explaining briefly about plane-polarized light and the ability of chiral carbons to rotate that light to one side or another.
I gave credit to the Latin language, of course, for the "dextro" and the "levo" prefixes for that right or left direction of light rotation.
After all, how better for the students to remember the meaning of "D" and "L" in the nomenclature?

Everyone seemed to have a good grip on that!
So I moved on, showing the
Fischer for fructose, giving this molecule the same slow-motion treatment as I had for the aldo-enantiomer, pointing to the fingerprint and its resemblance
to that of glucose.
(Note: D-glucose and D-fructose
are joined together to form
the sucrose molecule,
the one which began this post.)

The next topic was Haworth structures, the cyclic depictions of the saccharides.
I took full advantage of having different colors to illustrate the method I use for drawing the rings.
They can be a bit tricky for the novice, but I am sure everyone was quite comfortable with the three-step method employed.
Next, I added the alcohol groups
to the fingerprint carbons and
we were almost done.

Their placement was below the bond ("down") for right-hand -OH's and above the bond ("up") for the left-hand hydroxyls.
What to do about placing an alcohol on that first carbon?
Well, that was our choice!
In the 'up' position, the molecule is marked as 'beta'; the 'down' position denotes the 'alpha' version.
That means each disaccharide molecule will have four possible ring structures, two for each "D" and two for each "L".


On Monday, I'll talk about galactose, then launch into the disaccharides and their structures.
Who knows?
Maybe I'll even deign to share them here.
(smile)
Now, I'm going to wind down for an early night.
Sweet dreams, y'all!
May visions of sugarplums dance in your head!
(smile)

brakes and breaks

Let this be a warning to you, folks.
When the brakes on the car start squealing, get them fixed.
If I had done that, the work on my car would have been just over three hundred dollars.
However, since I dallied around on having the repair, the calipers failed, too.
Now, the total bill is one buck shy of five hundred and fifty dollars.
Procrastination is a powerful purse pincher.
Ouch!

I did get a financial break today, though.
No, not from Firestone, but from Ed DeVita.
He's going to pay me eighty-five dollars per week to continue catsitting.
That's a very good deal for him.
Most places would be charging him close to $40 per cat... and he has three.
I had told him that I wanted him to find a new place for them.
When I had first agreed to the cats coming to my house, the deal had been that he would be coming by frequently to help care for them. In particular, I wanted him to take care of the litter box; he lost his sense of smell to nose cancer some years ago, so that task is not as onerous for him.
I also wanted him to be in charge of petting the cats and brushing their fur. I have deliberately not been petting them, as I do not want to get attached to them.
They are not, and will not ever be, my cats.
Of the 34 days that his pets have been in my Ocean Room, Ed has only come to see them nine times, including the day he brought them and today.
Seriously.
That meant pooper-scooper duties had been all mine.
So, I told him they needed to leave, if he was not to be helping to care for them.
He had countered that he'd rather pay me than someone else. The cats were happy at my house, even if they were in just the one room. They were all together, not in cages, and could roam the room.
So, at least for now, the cats stay.

flurry of film festivals!

The first few months of the year have become saturated with film festivals.
This year, I was absent from some of them.

The Telluride Mountainfilm On Tour Savannah?
That was held on the 18th to the 20th of last month. I was newly with cats, the weather was cold, it was too costly for me, and I had Dawn's Saturday party on my mind.
I elected instead to go to romantic movies with Carolyn on Thursday and Friday, then a love-filled play with Barbara on Sunday, to finish out that weekend.

The Black Heritage Celebration Month Films at Armstrong?
Those were on sequential Tuesdays, starting on January 23rd and running for four weeks. They were free, too, and right on campus at the Ogeechee Theatre.
However, I already had tickets for the lip-sync battle, so I missed "Get Out"... again... after several chances to have already seen it in its cinema-run. "Selma" and "Marshall" were also missed, the former because of the Jewish Film Festival, the latter for a much-needed dinner with the physicist.
The only one I caught was "42", but I made sure I would be there! Primarily, I was interested because it was about Jackie Robinson. It helped that it was screened at noon, rather than at 6 PM like the others - much better for my schedule! And the movie? Divine! How wonderful that it was filled with so many baseball games, too! I wish I could have had Willie there, too, but his health doesn't allow so much mobility.

The Gray's Reef Ocean Film Festival?
This year's films were screened at various theatres in Savannah and Tybee, on the 9th to 11th of this month. Although still free, they asked for "suggested donations" to offset the cost.
I meant to go, I did... but that Friday I stayed home all day and all night.
Seriously.
I think the stress of giving the ultimatum to Ed exhausted me.
Saturday saw me staying quite low-key, sleeping in again, rising only in time for a matinee movie before going off to the school. (I had to prepare for a new lab, "Polymers", never done before.)
Sunday was the day I most would have enjoyed, as it was down at Tybee again. However, there was a low country boil with my brothers at that same time...so that's where I was.
And gladly so!

This afternoon, I'll be missing a movie I have long wanted to see. "The Florida Project" is being shown by CinemaSavannah for one screening only, at 4 PM today. The Willem Dafoe film promises to be an insight into a man who manages an extended-stay motel in a downtrodden area of town. "CBS Sunday Morning" even had an interview withhim on today's show!
But I cannot attend.
I have a Special Office Hours this evening, prior to tomorrow's second test.
I had initially planned to hold the session from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. However, one of my students asked if I could wait until after 5 PM, as she must work until that time.
So, I have acquiesced to her request.

Once upon a time, I had complained to the bfe about having to choose between two events. One was the screening of a film, the other was something involving being with some folks I know.
Secrest had said, "the movie can be seen any time."
And he was absolutely right.
Times shared with others comes first...
except when those overlap with special screenings.
Best of both worlds!
(smile)
Now, off I go to church, for the first time in a few weeks!
Later!

spot on, i'd say!

Take
me
as
I
am
or
watch
me
as
I
go.

Yes, I believe that sums me up quite nicely, thanks.
I'm glad Sue in Canada had posted her quote so I could find mine!
Right place, right time...
i thank You, God.

happy new year!

I've had this on my kitchen cabinet
since at least January 23rd.
How can I be sure of that date?
That's when the story about the
earlier concert, "Royal Baroque", appeared.
I strongly suspect I tore this out of the issue
the week prior to that article.
Here's the point:
I wanted to make sure I went to this,
I wanted to make sure I was there
to celebrate the Chinese New Year,
to mark it more auspiciously than

I was able to do January 1st in SC.
Today is important to me.
February 16th marks the start
of the Year of The Dog, 戊戌, yes,
but there's more to it than that.
2018 is the Year of the Earth Dog,
just as 1958 was, sixty years ago.
I regard today as the start of
my lunar birthday year, the first day
of the 354 I can call mine and the moon's,
through February 4 of calendar year 2019.

The music program had been designed by LiZhou Liu, the one standing. He has been a principal viola for the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra since it began in 2009.
LiZhou designed this chamber concert as a bridge between the orchestra, the Chinese culture, and the Savannah community.
Here, he is performing the third song, "Spring Blossoms", a traditional piece, on violin.
He stood because he says it makes him want to "shout to the sky"!

His friend, Qiwei Sun, provided background stories.
"Spring Festival Overture", by Li Huanzhi in 1956, is quite popular for Chinese festivals.
"Moonlight Shines Upon The Two Wells", better known as "Erquan Yingyue", dates from the 1940's.
Hua Yanjun - the blind pipa player, Abing, who composed it - can be seen here, playing for posterity.
(Very nice to find this recording!)

The second song, "Scent of Night", as written in 1944 by Li Jing Guang.
It was so beautiful, but I can find naught, sadly.
This was inspired when the composer left a stuffy, hot room to go outside... and was captivated by the cool night air and the sweet scent of mountain flowers.
How very refreshing that cool fragrance must have been, especially during war-torn times.
I can feel the gentle breeze now...

The sixth song was easily located! Inspired by one of China's Four Great Folktales, "Shuang Fei" - "The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto" - was composed in 1959. The music weaves a haunting beauty into the story of Liang and Zhu, star-crossed lovers who finally are joined together. (This was played with such emotion, I very nearly cried at the end - and that was before I did my research.)
The last song on the playlist was another traditional Chinese favorite. "Joy of New Year" was bright and shiny and speaks of much happiness to come!

Then, the four players gave us an encore!
Was it also a Chinese piece?
Hahaha! Not unless France is located over in Asia now!
Nor was the song French - it was Argentinian!
All that LiZhou could recall about Gardel's "Por Una Cabeza" was that it was famous as the tango in "Scent Of A Woman".
How right he was that we would recognize the music!


My many thanks to LiZhou, on the left, for this program! By the way, his name is pronounced "lee joe". How do I know? Well, about nine years ago, I was at a birthday party at the home of Doug and Amy Povie, mutual friends of ours. I made the mistake of saying "lee joo", to the great merriment of the hostess.
Ah, good times!
(smile)
After the concert, his wife, the tall blonde viola player, was talking with me. She knew she recognized me from somewhere... all I had to say was "Povies" and she instantly recalled those children's birthday parties.
The other violinist today was Erica Pisaturo, while the cellist was Samuel Cho. (Her name differs on the website. Sam is not listed at all, but trust me, the cello-strumming was done by male hands!)

When all the music had stopped, more treats were ahead!
I had not known that a New Year's feast was to follow.
How wonderful to have a concert
and dinner for just $25!
The Chus, one of Savannah’s oldest families, were the ones who graciously supplied all of the food and decor.
Thank you so very much, Linda, Melissa, and Amanda Chu!

I had already planned to dine on Chinese food,
so this surprise allowed me a more sumptuous feast
than I might have had.
Fried spring rolls, steamed broccoli and pasta,
noodles with mushrooms, sweet'n''sour spareribs,
barbeque spareribs, spaghetti carbonara -
that last must be like mostacholli at Polish events -
fancy little cupcakes, sweet rice balls, grapes,
niangao (gooey rice with red bean paste)...

and dumplings.
Oh, my, there were dumplings!
There were dumplings galore, steamed and fried,
dumplings being freshly prepared and boiled,
even demonstrations on making dumplings.
Why so much attention to these items?
For good fortune, of course!
Good fortune being good finances, too.
I made sure to have plenty of dumplings!

i thank You, God, for this unexpected bounty!

lincoln's gift

Carolyn and I had dinner and a movie this Thursday evening.
For some reason, I actually read the beer list. Usually, I don't even look at it.
As I've said before, there are no coincidences.
(smile)
One brew on tap was Lincoln's Gift from Service Brewing - and it was a stout.
So, not only was it one of my favorite types of beer, it was also named in honor of the President responsible for helping to abolish slavery in the USA.
Well, just wrap it up and put a Bow Tie on it!
The point being made could not have been more obvious.
How could I not order and imbibe?
After all, our next stop was to Spotlight for the "early" screening of "Black Panther".
She had purchased our tickets to this third - and final - "early" screening around 6 PM.
The two earlier showings were sold out.
We had been eagerly awaiting this latest installment from Marvel Studios.
The previews had us enthralled with the colorful costuming, stunning scenery, fascinating folklore, and panther pounces!
RAWR!

Neither of us have read the "Black Panther" series from Marvel comics. First appearing from the pen of Stan Lee, as writer, and inked by Jack Kirby, the character burst onto the changing social scene in the USA in 1966.
T'Challa shared many of the same characteristics as Stan Lee's Iron Man, created just three years earlier. The African prince-who-would-become king was smart, rich, charismatic, handsome, being both an inventive scientist and a techno-head.
But there was a marked difference between the two men.
Tony Stark was white; T'Challa was black.
Moreover, most of the characters which populated the new series were black.
But the Black Panther was destined to unite his people with all peoples of the world, to lend his knowledge and science to helping those less fortunate, to use technology to bring about change in a peaceful manner.
Sound like anyone from the history books?
Martin Luther King, Jr., immediately sprang to my mind.
In 1966, he was trying to bring about peace between the different races in this country, to bring about equal rights for all people, to bring about opportunities for all to succeed.
He was also striving to end black-on-black crime, to encourage brotherly love, to raise up communities instead of individuals.

Stan Lee is a man of vision.
"Black Panther", the comic book, was his way of showing support for Martin Luther King, Jr. and his ideals, his dreams.
"Black Panther", the movie, is his way of renewing his support of those same dreams.
In his way, he has been fighting the good fight for more than half a century.
I hope every screening this weekend is sold out.

love, love, love!

Here's what the Universe had for me, 12 hours ago, at 3:57 this morning:

Faustina, I know what it's like.
I've seen it played out a few zillion times: You're waiting for that magical day when someone makes the connection and recognizes who you really are.
Maybe they'll first catch the sparkle in your eye.
Or perhaps they'll marvel at your insights and the depth of your spirit.
Someone who will help you connect the dots, believe in yourself, and make sense of it all.
Someone who will understand you, approve of you, and unhesitatingly give you a leg up so that life can pluck your ready, ripened self from the branch of magnificence.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh...

Well, I'm here to tell you, Faustina, your wait is over.
That someone is you.

Good thing you rock,
The Universe

So...
perhaps I should take a page from Elisa's book and start each day with an orgasm.
I don't know how old she was, but she was definitely single and had been for a while.
Her best friends were an aging, gay man and a coworker in a loveless marriage.
Most likely, neither of them were engaging in copulation either.
So...
she very practically took matters into her own hands -
literally.
Each morning, when she took her bath, she hit her pleasure button...
then she went on with her day, with a smile and a positive attitude.
So...
that sounds like a good course of action.
Once upon a time, I did "take care of business" regularly...
but not of late.
Actually, not since I got weird last year.
So...
I need to get back into a pleasure cycle, as I am a sexual creature.
A toy would be a nice addition, but most vibrate and my hands cannot abide that.
So...
an investigation is in order for alternate method.
I know a friend who used to walk around with Ben Wa balls ever in place.
Sadly, she is no longer on this planet and cannot be queried.
However, I have other single women I can ask about self-pleasure options.
So...
we shall see how the research goes.
I will hope to soon find a viable option...
though I may find I prefer late-night pleasure to still be my favorite...
sweet dreams and all that.
(smile)

valentines for all!

You AUTO know...


you DRIVE me crazy!

"ACCORDION" to my heart,


you should be my main "SQUEEZE".

You "HIPPO-TIZE" me!


Say you'll be mine!

If you CARROT all,


you'll BEAN love with me!













(My thanks to the Armstrong Inkwell for these old-fashioned treats!
I do so enjoy puns!)

heat, snow, and a little bear

This is my very favorite type of snow: showy pink petals!
I very nearly went out in the yard and made a snow angel - very nearly!
(smile)
Maybe I would have if the new blower motor wasn't being installed at the time.
Yep, that's correct: I now have heat again!
Old Coast HVAC sent out their lead man, Robbie, to do the install.
Good thing, too, as a major modification needed to be done.
There would have been too much shaft for my system...
wink, wink, nod, nod...
so it had to have a bit of surgery so it would sit just right.
Seriously! Robbie had to saw off three inches!
And now, it fits just perfectly
(smile)

How did I pass the time while the blower motor was being replaced?
I wrapped presents!
Actually, the gifts had been wrapped quite some time ago -
then were stashed in my gift closet to await delivery.
Fast forward to last night.
The ex had asked if I would mind mailing birthday presents to his grandson.
Sure, I could do that!
Just a year later than planned...
but that's just fine!

He's only 3 - still little enough to enjoy them!
The ex and I had been 'talking' because I had
sent this photo of those fancy Polish doughnuts
that only get baked for Mardi Gras.
Paczki!!! I prefer these raspberry ones, but
I bought a package of apple ones for Mister Willie.
I'll be sure to deliver them tomorrow so
Mr. Smith can get his 'Jones' on!
That's the least I can do, since I'm the one
that got him hooked on them several years ago.
(smile)

This present was also shipped out for
the child's third birthday celebration.
Yes, the wrapping paper speaks to it being
a Christmas gift, but I don't think the little boy
will be looking that hard at the package.
He'll want to know "what's inside!"
I'm pretty curious about that, too.
His grandad is wondering about that as well.
Hey, it's been more than a year ago, okay?

After the Post Office, I came straight back home.
No movie this afternoon for me -
the bfe was on his way to take me out!
But first, he wanted to meet the cats while they were still residents of my Ocean Room.
While he distracted them, I refreshed their water and food (and sprayed some deodorizer).
Then it was our turn to get fed and watered!

Off to Bonefish we went - in his chariot!
What a treat to be driven to dinner!
Because of the weekday, we were able to take advantage of their "Hooked On Tuesday" menu -
beautiful salad, tasty entree, two sides, and lovely dessert, for less than sixteen dollars.
I even have some of my Cod Piccata for tomorrow!
That's partly because we had Bang Bang Shrimp first...
but also because i wanted to eat my dessert there!

(smile)
The Macademia Brownie, with its raspberry drizzle,
was a sweet treat that I don't usually order -
and eating it there in the warm restaurant
allowed me to spend more time with him -
so, definitely a win-win situation.
We don't get to see each other much these days,
but maybe that will soon change.
We have lunch plans for next week -
I'll be looking forward to that!
(smile)

paradise

I cannot imagine anything closer to living in paradise than being able to dance every day with the same person.
Last night, I was up until two AM watching several couples who have been blessed to do that very thing.
Tonight, I was blessed to watch those same couples again.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir for Canada...
Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte for Italy...
Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed for Japan...
Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev for Russia...
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani for the USA.
The first couple, in their thirties, was skating together for the last time, after having eighteen years of competition.
That last couple, in their mid-twenties, are siblings who have skated - and danced - together for fourteen years.
The 'Shib Sibs', as they are called by the media, chose Coldplay's "Paradise" as their song for their final skate in this Olympics in Korea.
They truly were poetry in motion.
I have not yet located a video of their performance, But here is the song's video.
Just close your eyes as you listen and imagine the grace and pathos this brother and sister imparted to these lyrics.



i thank You, God, for the 2018 Winter Olympics and the sport of ice-dancing.

such a shiny penny!

What a bright, clean-looking, 2016 penny that is!

"Agreed. Where did you find it? Outside the church?"

No, that wasn't where. I had every intention of going to church today... but didn't quite make it. I seem to be sleeping fairly late of late. But I did manage to make it to my brother's for the low country boil!

That's Smitty, having just poured the goodies into a pan to take in the house. He very nearly missed the pan! As he started pouring, the force of the food caused the aluminum pan to go skittering toward the edge of the table. That's physics for you!
(smile)

"Good thing he corrected his aim! Is that Tony with him, sampling the shrimp?"

That is the Dood! He had been craving sausage and shrimp, so Smitty hooked him up for this six-hour visit. That arm in the foreground belongs to Mark Norman, from our childhood days. He and his wife, Paula, have recently moved back from Colorado.

"Was the penny found at Smitty's house, then?"

No, but that would have been pretty amazing if it had been. You may recall that I picked up a penny at the CTC when I took Tony back last Saturday.

"Exactly! That's what I was thinking, too. What a coincidence that would have been, to find another penny on another visit with your youngest brother!"

Sho' nuff.
(smile)
But that isn't where the penny surfaced.
I found it when Carolyn and I were exiting the screening room at Carmike. She and I had just watched the latest from Clint Eastwood, "The 15:17 To Paris". She had sent me a text this afternoon which read
"Get on the train" - in other words, go with your heart.
I thought she was referencing the movie, so that's part of my reason for choosing it today!

"Oh. Oh! So, your 'right place, right time' was with her, at the cinema, for that particular movie!"

Just like the 'right place, right time' for those three young men, friends since childhood, was on that particular train, on that particular day, on its run from Amsterdam.
i thank You, God, for such a blessed day!

Not that it's quite over yet!
Mary set me up with a heapin' helpin' of low country boil when I left their house. I'm sure I have a couple of future meals ahead of me with this platterful!
Now, time for more ice-dancing at the 2018 Winter Olympics!
Later!

hail, caesar!

I should have taken a photo, but I couldn't wait that long.
After all, I've been dreaming of the Three Meat Treat for over a week...
I even almost got one last Monday after class...
so, having it beside me riding shotgun from southside, I was more than ready.
Sure, I brought in the groceries first - but didn't even put away the cold stuff.
I poured a glass of milk, popped open the box, and grabbed a slice.
Divine!
Even without cheese, it rocketed my taste buds to the moon!
Before I knew it, half the pizza was gone, as well as a second glass of milk.
I ate another two slices anyway.
That leaves me with two slices for breakfast tomorrow.
Not bad for only seven dollars.
(smile)

Today was well under way by the time I rose at noon-thirty.
The blooming tree was in full sun - and full warmth, too!
I threw open the windows to allow the free heat into my home - aaaahhhh!
My blower motor has come in, but will not be installed until Tuesday.
Old Coast HVAC called on Friday with the news, ready, willing, and able to get it into place on Monday afternoon - but I'll have Office Hours then.
I do hope they will send Joe to do the work.
(smile)

This time, the kitties were saying goodbye to me.
Where was I off to this afternoon?
Well, I needed to go out to the school to take care of some lab work...
so I treated myself to a movie first!
I finally went to see "The Post".
The movie has been out for at least a month, but I had put it off as being yet another history-laden exercise in cinematography.
That it was, but with a twist I had not expected.
I don't believe I've even heard anyone mention that this was about women's liberation.
However, it assuredly was, just like "The Battle Of The Sexes", as I said earlier.
Taking place in 1971 - a year before that film - this one featured a woman who was the owner of a major newspaper company, having inherited it after the deaths of her father and husband. But Katharine Graham was 'in charge' only in the sense that a wooden carving of a female is 'in charge' of a ship. In other words, she was a figurehead, signing off on decisions only after her male advisors have informed her which option to choose.
Fast forward to late in the movie. She is having a discussion with her daughter. A huge decision is weighing on her and she is concerned about losing the company, "my father's company, your father's company". That's when her daughter sets her straight about whose company it is now.
Amen!
Her husband, Phil Graham, had been dead for eight years. He had been placed in charge since 1946 by Katharine's father, who had been the owner since purchasing the bankrupt paper back in 1933.
Katharine was very fortunate to have such a strong, sensible daughter to advise her.
If not for that daughter, the freedom of the press might well have been trampled by the Nixon administration. The New York Times had already been muzzled and The Washington Post had to make the hard choice of publishing for the governed, not the governers.
Hooray for that mother-loving daughter!
Hooray for the courageous choice of the mother!
Hooray for the many other newspapers who took up the flag for the First Amendment!
Hooray for the Supreme Court for upholding that right for the public to know!

i thank God i was born when i was, during those history-making times.
How very fortunate!

first to bloom

Here's my tulip tree, blooming early as is its wont, beautiful even in the rain today!

saying goodbye

Here are Ed's three cats, looking out as he heads off from his impromptu visit today.
From left to right, that's Champ, Annie, and Elton, posing in the window.
They look so cute and sweet, don't they?

I've had to remove the curtain - it's too late to salvage the blinds.
I found that out when Ed finally brought litter yesterday morning.

That's okay, though; their days under my roof are numbered.
It'll be "farewell, felines" on February 22nd, if not before.
I told him, in no uncertain terms, that they must be gone by that date.
Trying to keep Elton under control has been quite stressful for me.
Add to that the velociraptor action they launch into when I enter, with two of them trying to distract me while the third sidles over toward the door.
I am tired of it and tired from it and it needs to stop.

I have deliberately minimized my time with the cats.
No need for them to become accustomed to me or me to grow fond of them.
They are not mine and shall not be.
Today began their fourth week in my Ocean Room.
I have given Ed two weeks to find somewhere else for them -
two weeks until February 22nd.
Finally, a date when my house will be mine again!
i thank You, God.