golfers, et alia

Well, I got my AMC A*List trio done today!

On Sunday afternoon, I'd ventured forth for the Sally Hawkins film about golf.

She's one of my favorite actresses, so I do try to see anything she's in.

As is par for the course, she brought her A-game to this one, as the ever-loving, ever-supportive wife of a middle-aged man who suddenly develops a fascination with being in the British Open.

(Got that little golf humor? Hahahaha!)

Based on the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, the story is delightful!

As an encouragement to all of us to follow our dreams, whether it is to be a painter in the same vein as Picasso or a late-bloomer golfer like Arnold Palmer, the most important factor is to try.

Just that: try your hand at it, you just might surprise the world.

(smile!)

Indeed, I enjoyed the film so much, I used my third A*List selection to see it again, this very afternoon, and enjoyed it as much as I had the first time.

I had originally intended to see "Lightyear" again, but changed my mind, as the animated film will still be available tomorrow, but this sports movie will not.

As for the second film of my trio, I used that for the first Big D movie I've seen in a while.

I was one of ten in a screening room that seats 500.

Sure, it was a weekday afternoon... but it may have been the movie.

I had hoped "Elvis" would be a concert-rich film, like the TV special on it last week.

Sadly, that was not the case at all.

The entire movie was told from the perspective of "Colonel" Tom Parker, a carnival huckster who spent his life dependent on the talents of others to make his living.

Rather than a story about Elvis Presley, the movie was full of the false notions of the man that Parker perceived Presley to be.

What a box of sour grapes that was.

It reminded me a lot of "The King", a 2017 movie which I saw in 2018. 

That movie's hook to tie it to Elvis was one of Presley's cars, used as the eye catcher on the road trip that was the format used.

Neither movie left me with a desire to view them ever again.

And both movies, near the end, used the exact same footage from the televised concert with Elvis in July of 1977, with him crooning "Unchained Melody".

Seeing the man miss his mom, hearing his loss still in his voice after almost two decades - that was the only part of the movie that touched me...

and it had nothing to do with the script or the director or the actor.

Better luck next time, y'all.

Now, let me go through the mail.

My other COVID tests arrived today, so I now have seven to use.

I'll run another check of my status tomorrow and hope that it's negative.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to mask up around others.

I called the cardio doc today, as per my PCP, to let him know I've got COVID.

Paige is the one I spoke to, of course, so I'm hoping she enters the note into my record.

She is certainly a vivid ditzy!

(smile!)

day 11, but who's counting

Me.

I'm counting.

And, no, I am most def not happy about it.

This makes five days that I've sent rough swabs up into each nostril, rubbing until my eyes water.

Not that I've done that five days in a row.

I don't think I could have stood that.

But I swabbed a week ago Monday, doing the process correctly, but not collecting enough sample, so that was a false negative.

Damn.

Then, on Wednesday of last week, I tried again.

That's the topmost test in this quartet of positives.

The next test was on Friday, and it was positive.

Then, on Sunday, I used the last of the home tests that I had, hoping it would say my bout with COVID was done.

No, that test again showed I was still positive, though the lines were fainter.

Yesterday's mail brought in four more home tests.

This morning I used the first of them... and thought at first that I was negative, even tooting the news to Christina and to my ex.

Only later, when I turned the light on, did I realize there was still a faint purple line under the 'T' marker.

Damn.

Damnity damn DAMN!

I feel fine, I really do.

No fever, no cough, no shortness of breath, no headache, no sneezing, no anything.

Yet, the test insists that I still have the coronavirus active in my body.

That means I could spread it someone else if I don't wear a mask.

That means I should stay home and keep self-isolating.

That means I certainly cannot sit across from anyone and share a meal.

I know Christina had hoped we could have lunch today.

So did I.

I know my first niece is still hopeful of having lunch together tomorrow.

Me, too.

Tomorrow's test result needs to be negative.

from infinity - but not beyond

It was a rainy afternoon, with a bit of a thunderstorm rattling through the neighborhood.

But that was okay by me.

For one thing, it made everything just a bit brighter and certainly a bit cooler.

Not that's it's been bad, mind.

The highs of late have been just the upper 80's to low 90's, which is a relief given the mid-teen's of the last two weeks.

You can even tell from this photo that it's cooler - 

I have the front door wide open.

And doesn't that dragonfly look lovely?!

I had not realized how well it color-coordinated with the front door until just now.

That first niece of mine has good taste in gifts!

(smile!)

Speaking of gifts, I got one from Xfinity, too!

In fact, I'll be receiving gifts from them every Tuesday until the end of July!

I'm going to regard them as late birthday presents. 

I am!

Each one will be a movie to add to my on-TV 'cabinet', to pull up and enjoy forever after - well, as long as I'm a Comcast subscriber.

To me, each gift from them represents a return of some of the money I've paid them over all these years.

Today's gift was "Independence Day"!

I had forgotten how many people I knew in this 1996 movie!

Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Will Smith, Vivica A Fox, Randy Quaid, Judd Hirsch, Harvey Fierstein, Mary McDonnell, Harry Connick, Robert Loggia...

and all of them in a 26-year-old time capsule of how they looked a quarter of a century ago.

But the one thing that most impacted me?

The Las Vegas of 1996.

Some of those famous spots don't exist anymore.

The Stardust Resort and Casino was demolished in 2007. 

The Silver City Casino has been refashioned into a shopping mall.

The Desert Inn was demolished in tow stages, in 2001 and 2004; the Wynn is there now.

The Sands Hotel and Casino was imploded soon after this movie came out; that implosion was captured on film and used in "The Cooler", while the demolition was part of the footage in "Con Air"; The Venetian now calls that patch of real estate home.

At least some of these famous signs can still be seen at the Neon Museum!

There's always a little something left behind, right?

Now, I wonder what movie I'll receive next week for the new Tina Tuesday?

(smile!)

service day at the weakest link

me: Who thinks k-pop is a breakfast cereal?

her: Lol, not me

me: :-)  Jane is on.

her: i watching

her: How did he get Peppers wrong

me: Terrier

me: So bad to miss Calvin and Hobbes.

her: Right... they missed easy ones. I got all of those correct.

me: Who's wit hit the fan? LOL!

her: lol

me: Math always gets people.

me: Fun guy!

me: Not a good round. 3 of them got no questions right? Wow.

her: Wow. I missed that round. I was pouring the kids to bed.

me: They are liquid from the pool?

her: Lol, no. My swiping finger is being lazy.

me: What a total ditz. And who has a turtle with the same birthday and age? Ditz.

me: Swiping finger of fallacy!

her: She seemed like an airhead.

me: Totally.

me: That was a good movie, but intense and sad. Promising young woman.

her: Never seen it.

me: Did he confuse a dragonfly for a moth???

her: Yes. He deserves to go home for that one.

me: Yow.

her: They suck

me: Yeah, should be a low pot at the end.

her: That would be my guess.

her: Bye jenn

me: Catty! LOL!

her: LOL. Andrew does need to go

me: Curtis is funny and kinda cute.

her: I said legend too

her: Good guess with lifetime.

me: He's had several in top ten, but not number one.

her: That round was better.

her: Wow, I didn't realize Sarah was that bad.

me: More money, too, even with fewer players.

me: Redhead is gone!

her: They are killing off people in order.

me: Yeah, I noticed that. Odd.

her: Jane mentioned it earlier. She said it was no fun knowing who was next.

her: I think that trend will end this next round.

me: Missed that. Must have been typing.

me: Well, if Andrew is next off, that will be true.

her: We shall see

me: Or am I recalling their line-up correctly?

her: You are right

me: First bank

her: Why is Andrew rolling his eyes at Gabby's 1 wrong answer?

her: Wow, Gabby isn't doing so well this round

her: WOW. Prince??? SMH

me: Bad that Gabby missed one about a Gabrielle.

her: If they don't send Andrew home I quit.

me: Lol! 

me: Well, guess I have to tell you bye.

me: Andrew still there.

her: Still going in order.

me: That seventies show!!! Lol!

her: He is making me angry... Andrew will make it to the final 2

me: Making it a slam dunk for the other.

her: Yep

her: Just to see who goes next

me: Oh, snap!

me: That's what I thought!

her: LOL, the idiot gets the deciding vote

me: I like Walter. He reminds me of Idris Elba. Hope he wins!

me: Like I said, should be a slam dunk!

her: Yes he does. If Andrew wins I will lose all hope for humanity.

me: Lol! Too funny!

me: All hope?? Lol!

her: Yep, all of it

me: Well, I think you need not worry. Andrew is toast.

me: Okay bartender! let's win!

her: Let's go Walter

her: Harlem?

me: Walter! Walter! 

her: Nope

me: Ride

me: Damn!

her: Sally

me: Walter!

her: Yay!

me: Wake up! Yes!

her: Pinterest for the win

me: That was a lot closer than it should have been.

me: Glad the right man won!

her: Indeed

her: on both counts

me: Glad you could join me!

me: or me join you!

her: Me, too. I do enjoy watching TV with you

me: <3

all masked up and out the door!

Like I told my cousin Lynn, who recently broke her wrist, "A woman living alone has to heal faster. There's no one else to do the cooking, or do the laundry, or do the sweeping, or do the dish washing, or do the shopping."

She totally agreed.

So, on Day 8 with COVID, as I am presuming I still have it as I have no more tests yet to confirm or deny it, I went out to take care of business.

First stop was the CVS on Wilmington Island.

The manager had told me when I was last there that she would make sure to order more of the Ensure for me.

It's special, being made of plant protein instead of whey protein, which is full of lactose.

I had tried both the vanilla and the chocolate flavors and much refer the vanilla.

(For comparison purposes, I'd also picked up two different brands that were lactose-free, to see how they would taste and to check the mouth-feel.

The Owyn was better than the Ripple - which always makes me think of Boone's Farm wine, though that would have been decades ago - but neither was as tasty as the Ensure, and the Ripple tended to leave an aftertaste.

Also, all three had 20 grams of protein, but differed in amounts of fiber.

The Ensure and Owyn each offered 5 grams of fiber, but the Ripple only had 1 gram.

Okay, that wraps up that experiment!)

True to her promise, the manager did have more in stock, so I bought two of the three four-packs of vanilla on the shelf.

Next on my list: groceries!

Specifically, that meant milk, of course.

Food Lion was my destination, thanks in large part to the birthday gift card that my youngest brother and his wife gave me.

Through careful shopping, I parlayed that $50 into $63, not including more than $14 in savings along the way!

Oh, yeah, I know how to shop the sales!

And I even came home with three half-gallons of my milk, four containers of hummus that was about 70% off, and the last four cans of no-salt-added Rotel on the shelves.

Oh, and cheese, of course!

Plus corn on the cob and popsicles!

Oh, yeah, I've got some good groceries now!

I'll have to be sure to write them a really nice thank-you card!

(smile!)

isle of dogs, revisited

My great-niece Ally has had her tonsils out.

She had her 13th birthday at the top of this month and really enjoyed the science I sent, as well as an Adventure Journal and a package of Bob Ross sticky notes.

She's a big fan of dogs, which means this was exactly what she needed to perk her up!

"Hope to see you back on your paws soon!" the little tailwaggers say!

I said, "Hope these critters - their fronts and their backsides! - bring a grin for you! 

This card reminds me of one of my very favorite movies about dogs: "Isle Of Dogs". 

Maybe it's one of your favorites, too?" 

with much love!

G'Aunt Tina

I had posted this love in the mail a few days ago, hoping for the best: that it would make her smile.

Well, mission accomplished!

Her daddy texted me this afternoon to let me know!

Boone: Thank you for sending Ally the card!!!

me: How is she? Back to eating ribs or still on ice cream?

Boone: Hahahaha. Noodles right now.

me: Pasta is good! Can put cheese on it!

Boone: Ok!!!! Hell yeah! Pasta is always good!!!

me: Got to maximize the protein so the body can heal. :-)

Boone: Yup!!!

me: Love y'all!!!

Boone: Love you!!!!!

(smile!)

day 6 with covid, up close and personal

The good news is: I did NOT give the disease to my brother on Tuesday!

Hallelujah!!!

I called him moments ago and he was very surprised that I called to check on him.

Of course I would!

I had called him on Wednesday as soon as I found out I had COVID.

Apparently, that very first test on Monday was a false negative.

Just like any other experiment, there is no such thing as "one and done".

These home tests are best when they are used on multiple sequential days, like pregnancy tests, to assure reproducible results.

Obtaining a clear "C" line is an assurance only that the procedure was followed correctly.

Having that "C" line does not mean your sample acquisition process was sufficient.

So, now I know.

If your eyes don't water up slightly when you're collecting the sample from each nostril, then the swab was not where it should be and you were not rubbing enough.

Good to know.

That line should be in the instructions.

And for those who are wondering how I know the source of my infection, let me add that I had contacted my sister-in-law and she was COVID-free.

That meant the Thursday-night country concert was not the source, as she and I stayed together the entire time we were at the arena.

I already knew full well that I had not been exposed at any of the three medical appointments I had on Wednesday or Thursday, as all parties remained masked at all times.

That only leaves the ballpark as the source.

I do wish the Savannah Bananas were still checking forehead temperatures upon entry.

That would definitely be a "Fans First" thing to do, right?

Keeping everyone safe and healthy?

But that practice is not on their roster anymore.

Seems like it would be, considering that they oversell every game, forcing some fans to stand throughout until families with young ones start leaving around the seventh inning stretch.

True, they have started putting chairs out on the front apron of Grayson Stadium for those who need to take a break... but that's hardly the right thing to do.

There's no view of the field from the front of the stadium.

Anyway, 'nuff said 'bout that.

Folks on fb have been sending me love!

Very nice, right?

Here, have a gander.

 

* * * * *

Yvonne Pizzo Roach
I hope it’s not severe and you recover quickly.

Susan Carlile
Oh no! Take care, hope you're feeling better soon!

Andy Peña
Get well soon, sweetie

Penny Walker Bos
Rest well sweetie pie! Wish i could cook for ya!

Jeff Powless
Please take it easy Tina! 2024 is just around the corner!

Stroud Williams
Take care. I had the first version in Feb 2021. Was no fun.

Marcia Ford
At least you will have it over with hope you're feeling better soon I love you Marcia

Faustina Smith
The government is now sending out packages of 8 test kits, rather than 4, via USPS.
Free.
https://special.usps.com/testkits

Kate Strickland
That is only if you have not ever ordered before. I have already received my 8 kit maximum and can no longer request tests. Good thing I have plenty for Friendly Neighborhood NP

Venita Johnson
Faustina, thanks. Hope you feel better soon. I think it might be in the air.

Faustina Smith
Kate, I had never even taken a COVID test until this week. The ones I have were from the initial sending of 4 to each home. I've ordered the 8-pack and am awaiting them now.

Jan Parham Williams
Take care of yourself! Prayers for a speedy recovery ❤️‍🩹

Lynn Lee
I got your sweet card today! I’m sorry you are sick now! I pray that it is minor and leaves you quickly ❤️
(She has a broken wrist, so I sent love through the mail. <3 )

Cathy MacGowan
Speedy recovery ❤️‍🩹

Jo Coleman-Williams
My mother in law. Too weak and not feeling good. Got well enough to leave house to get hair done. Then paid the lawn care service 1:1. Only other human contact were 5 family members that checked on her. Turned out Positive for COVID. Two weeks in hospital. Now improving.

Sandra Cherise Karlin
I'm so sorry, Tina. Hope you only have a very mild case and that you get well quick! Love you!

Christian Grunow
Them bananas done got you??

Fae Hill Kameron
So sorry that you are ill. Praying that you have a quick recovery.

Linda L. Walker
I am so sorry you are sick. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Rhonda S. Curby
I hope you are all better soon. Love you.

Lorretta Ruggiero
Hope you get better quickly!

Michelle Davidson
Oh no - be well soon!

Cindy LaCount Pinion
Well that just stinks! I hope your symptoms are as mild as mine was, but that you recover and get a negative result more quickly than I did!

Martin Johnson
That sucks, but glad it's not the first variant..Hope you feel better real soon 🙃

Bayshore Joe
We're around if you need us.

Susan Morgan
Get better quickly!

Stephen S Gerard
You have to be especially careful long term after heart surgery.

Dianna DiBenedetto
I’m sorry to hear you got OMICRON. It breaks through our vaccines. I tested positive at the end of January and now am fighting all sorts of weird symptoms due to LONG COVID. We will be praying for you, Aunt Tina.

Faustina Smith
Dianna, I'll be praying for you, too. What a strange trip this pandemic has been.

Sherry Moore
Hope you are feeling better!

* * * * *

Getting better quickly is certainly my game plan!

Many thanks, y'all, and please know my thoughts are with you all, whether part of my family or my friends, on or off the book of face -

i am so blessed to have so many who love me.

o - m - cron, such lovely colors you have

Day five of this coronavirus inflammation disease - better known by its nickname, COVID - has me not quite back to myself, but the headache is gone, the infrequent coughing has ground to a halt, the drip from the sinuses seems to have given up the ghost, and the bouts of sneezing have ceased trying to find new nostrils to infect.

i thank You, God.

Once I test negative, to confirm I'm clean, I know I won't be liable to catch it again for at least three months.

That's the window of freedom opened by the antigens my body had to create to rid itself of the virus.

However, that does raise an issue.

How best to clean the house, to make sure I don't unintentionally carry it back into the world with me?

If this had been the result of a summer cold virus, I'd change the bedding and the towels, wipe down the furniture, and do a load of laundry.

So, I'll do those things for removing this virus, too, though my house has a secret weapon: no air conditioning.

SARS-CoV-2 cannot survive at temperatures higher than 85 F.

In Savannah right now, the literal highs are in the upper 90's and the figurative highs another ten or more degrees further up the thermometer.

That novel coronavirus, and its many variant offspring, can curl up and die from the heat!

Of course, I won't quite be able to pull that off until I have a nice cool place to escape to for a while, and that won't be until I test negative...

but I swear I notice a difference in the air during the heat of the day, a more clean, more clear, more healthy air.

Speaking of "many variant offspring", aka mutations, do you wonder which one I have?

Well, to be sure it's of the omicron flavor...

but that beastie has six problematic forms.

Here's the thing, though.

As shown by the change in color as time (the bottom axis) has proceeded forward since March 19, 2022, up to June 18, 2022, more than one variant is always the cause of the week's infections...

and that's just what the CDC can tell from those who seek care from a hospital.

Last week, when I was infected at the baseball game, there were four different omicron variants at play.

As I did not go to the hospital, any one of the four could be the one that tagged me out.

Definitely need a score card to know the players in the game, that's for sure.
So, was it the BA.2.12.1, that variant given that richly salmon-colored hue?

That's quite probable, as it was responsible for most of the hits made that week.

However, notice the dark teal bar for BA.5 - that one's coming up fast and far outstripping the BA.4 that preceded it in time.

I predict that BA.5 will be the powerhouse hitter in the next week or two.

As for BA.2, dressed in pink as were the Flamingoes that night, chances are it was too far on its way out to have had the ability to do me in.

Still, it could have been any of those four, or even some new one not in plentiful enough quantity to be represented on this legend.

And just why are there so many variants of the omicron version of the original virus running all over the place?

People are traveling, and they bring their home-boys with them whither they go.

You'd think folks would avoid the southern states in the summer, because of the severe heat or chance of hurricanes, but you would be incorrect.

Disney calls, and they must answer.

After all, this is when all the kids are out of school!

It's summer vacation!

And the multiple versions of the coronavirus are able to mix together and make new variants, possibly as strong as the original, or maybe just a few steps beyond a summer cold virus.

We'll see in the fall, shan't we?

hell's belles, omicron

Well... my luck finally ran out.

Actually, it's more like I got complacent and didn't wear my mask around crowds.

Twice. 

At least this omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 isn't nearly as deadly as the first version, though numbers of thoe hospitalized is on the rise.

Fair warning: have fun, but beware of any around you who are sniffling or coughing or sneezing - that may well be COVID they are sharing, not a summer cold.

I had not noticed anyone doing any of that during the concert, but the out-of-town dad with the three boys was doing plenty of coughing at the baseball circus.

If I had worn my mask the majority of the time, that might have made the difference between me getting it or not.

If he had worn a mask the majority of the time, I would not be sick.

He would have been offering me 95% protection from catching his illness; my mask alone only affords me a third of that protection from him.

In any case, until the Bananas frenzy whipped up by ESPN and "CBS Sunday Morning" and Jesse Cole dies down, I don't think I'll be attending any more games this season.

I already abstained from the one last night because I was just too tired from the "summer cold" I thought I'd had since Sunday.

The house was so hot that I slept with the bedroom window open Saturday night.

I'd awakened Sunday with my sinuses in turmoil and took it to be allergies.

Monday, I started feeling a little feverish, along with my scratchy throat from post-nasal drip - still sounds like a summer cold, right?

But, just to be on the safe side, I took my first-ever COVID test.

That's right, we're well into our third year of pandemic and I only now have ever felt threatened enough to need the test.

Well, that one came out negative.

Only the C (Control) line showed up in the window.

Summer cold, right?

But I still had a bit of a fever (not that I own a thermometer to know my temperature), and I was still having the coughing from the post-nasal drip at night, so I mostly stayed home, save for one foray to help my brother with sales taxes.

By yesterday, the fever seemed to be gone, but the craziness of the sinuses stayed on.

Then came the severe headache last night... like, all night, along with the sinus soreness on the right side of my face and the usual drip and cough... but, it was the headache that got my attention.

I remembered when Christina had COVID, she had complained mightily about the headache, as had several of my friends.

So, before I even had coffee this morning, I did a second COVID test.

Damn.

Not only the Control line came up, but so did the Test line... and it was undeniable.

I have COVID.

Damn.

I feel so stupid for letting my guard down.

Now, I need to call my brother and let him know he may now be exposed.

By me.

Damn.

We'll know by Friday if I've compromised his health.

Hopefully not.

off to the nearest oasis!

Isn't that what this brings to mind?

I think an island vacation is on my mind, but that's not where I was for three hours today.

Nosirreebob.

I was at the Oglethorpe Mall, taking refuge in its air-conditioned walkways.

I wasn't the only one seeking relief from the heat this afternoon, as quite a few families, and single folks, too, were out in force.

Some were even wearing masks.

(smile!)

I was not, but I took care to stay more than the requisite six feet from others.

I kept moving for the most part.

My left knee has been a bit sore from my slipping on that slope in front of my sidewalk on Thursday.

I guess I'm really going to have to request that folks pull up in my driveway to drop me off.

That slippery slope has stumped me several times, but I've usually been okay.

So, I'd gone to the Mall to give me a walk and get me off my seat, so those muscles could get a bit of gentle stretching.

The Tylenol was helping, but not enough, right?

Not that walking was all I did.

I treated myself to lunch out, too.

The Food Court there has a cool-blue ocean theme and is very nice for sitting a spell.

I did so with a small spaghetti and small salad from Sbarro's.

(Lots of "s" consonants thrown in to be more sibilant!) 

(smile!)

The sketti came with two meatballs, but I only ate half of one; mostly bread in them.

The small meal was just perfect for me, not weighing me down.

That was good!

The mall has an interesting star-like shape, with several arms to accommodate the anchor stores, and the Food Court between two of those.

I had parked at the far end of one of the star's arms, then had to walk a circuitous route to reach the dining area.

It really was a nice walk, given the cool temperature within the mall's walls.

Plus, I enjoyed the people watching.

I don't mind lots of people being around as long as they're not all trying to be where I am.

The folks at the mall were like me: on the move, pausing to sit on the cool squares around the fountains and such, popping in and out of stores.

All of us had our own destinations, or lack of them, and only briefly would others be traveling behind or alongside me.

It was rather nice.

I've been saying for a while that I was going to go mall-walking, but this is the first time I've actually ventured forth to do so.

I'll be doing this again.

This may even become a new groove for me!

Now, I'm looking forward to a little GPB activity!

First up are back-to-back episodes of "Keeping Up Appearances" with Hyacinth and Daisy and Rose and Violet.

Then... "The Vicar Of Dibley" gets started back up!

Woohoo!

No, I didn't say these would be new episodes... I'm just thrilled to have the reruns return!

I do wonder which joke Geraldine will tell Alice?

Hahahaha!  Hahaha!

Later!

omm... omm... omm...

Last year, my church voted to allow a smaller church to share its umbrella.

Now, it's been almost a year of being conjoined in finances, though still with the congregations divided between the two different locations, with services on Sundays at the regular times for each and given by the regular ministers for each.

As Talking Heads and Brian Eno would say: "same as it ever was".

Well, that seems to be about to change.

A survey has been sent to the members of both congregations, requesting input for a possible name change, in an effort to truly unite the people in a common mindset going forward.

I expect there will be a lot of pushback from folks at AMC, which means I will be in the minority on this issue... but that's nothing new.

They asked for a response and suggestions; I have provided both.

Interestingly, the new name popped into my mind last night, and I like the acronym formed by the new moniker.

Rather peaceful and meditative, as a religious experience should be.

(smile!)

-----   *   -----   *   -----

1) Do you think we should retain Asbury Memorial and Wesley Oak names and imagery as part of our new branding?

Me: To make a proper merger and have a true disconnect from the past as part of the UMC, a name change is definitely warranted.
Still, we also do not want to completely disassociate from the identities the congregations know and love.
I know that many people, when they leave home and go out on their own, tend to use their middle names as they forge their new lives as individuals.
With that precedent in mind, I suggest Oak Memorial Ministries.

2) What colors speak to you when thinking about our churches - which colors do you think we should avoid?

Me: I suggest the focus be on the colors associated with oak leaves: summer green, fall's yellow gold, springtime pollen orange.
I don't think any colors should ever be excluded; rather, they can be sprinkled in as accents to mark the passage of noteworthy events in the church calendar.

3) What ideas do you have for a new name?

Me: I know that many people, when they leave home and go out on their own, tend to use their middle names as they forge their new lives as individuals.
With that precedent in mind, I suggest Oak Memorial Ministries.

4) What ideas do you have for a new logo?

Me: The image could be a clown sitting amongst the upper branches of a live oak, or perhaps standing at the base of a live oak with one hand on its trunk.

5) Anything else you would like to share for us to consider?

Me: Every time a merger occurs, it is always one smaller party being absorbed into a larger party (and getting annihilated along the way).
The end result is that those who were part of the smaller party are left feeling slighted by the process, no matter the intentions of those in the larger party.
Keeping the image of the oak as part of the new logo would serve as an assurance that this is a union, much like a marriage, and not a corporate merger.
Semantics are important.

ETA or not an ETA, that is the question

Every time I select the Up Faith & Family in the Premium Channels portion of On Demand, I expect to find it's again off limits...

but it stays available to me!

When Comcast had granted me the Diamond Reward of a month of free viewing, I understood that it would be ending on June 10th.

But it hasn't yet, and I am going to continue to enjoy it!

I've been slowly working my way through the four seasons of the TV series, "Sue Thomas, F.B. Eye", watching one or two every few days.

Today, I caught three of them... and the very first one had Agent Bobby Manning portraying Elvis Tribute Artist performing in a Chinese-mafia night club!

I kid you not!

Moreover, he did a very believable job of it!

He had the moves...

he had the voice...

he had the sneer...

heck, he even had the hair!

I was so taken with his performance that I felt absolutely compelled to do a little background search on the actor, Rick Peters.

Had he, like Joe Don Baker, ever done real time as an ETA?

Well, kinda sorta.

He played Presley for the mockumentary, "Elvis Meets Nixon", back in 1997 and had truly enjoyed himself.

So, this tall, cool, Aussie drink of water very gladly complied when the script called for his FBI persona to go undercover and don a white jumpsuit once more! 

Very, very, nice!

(smile!)

cedric, cyrano, and lightyear!

And did I mention Bubba Ho-Tep?

I began my day with that creepazoid, but fortunately Elvis and President Kennedy stopped him from trying to cart me away!

(smile!)

I sure do enjoy that Bruce Campbell movie!

Cedric called a little afterward, to check on me - wasn't that sweet?

You see, I have taken up the habit of commenting on the emails he sends out to let us all know what the best specials are at the grocery stores.

When he didn't hear from me, he rang me up to make sure I was still doing well!

Like I said, very sweet of this old chem professor.

By the way, he turned 91 years old this year.

You know what he did?

He turned the cake around so the age was "19"!!!

I told him he should do that henceforth and he was plum tickled at the idea - aging by the decades, but only one year chronologically!

(smile!)

Then, this afternoon, I went to Generation One for the second time this week.

A couple of days ago, I'd taken a bag of papers to be shredded.

That was long overdue!

I'd told Sharon that I'd return for the matinee on Friday... and I did!

That's the first movie I've seen there in quite a while!

No popcorn or soda, yet, but I'd just had lunch.

So, why was it so important that I see this particular movie?

Well, I'd wanted to see "Cyrano" last year when it was at the Royal in Pooler, but I never made it out there.

This was my missed opportunity, granted a second chance.

Of course I went for it!

And here's something I had not known about it: it's a musical!!!

What had the previews not announced that???

I just might have driven to Pooler, had I but known.

The movie was magnificent, telling the story that Steve Martin had made sing in "Roxanne", though this retelling starred Peter Dinklage in that role.

Did you know he could sing?

Well, he can, and does so with much emotion - very impressive.

And the ending... certainly not what I had expected, certainly fitting well the story of love unrequited and love lost and love misguided.

Wow.

I'm glad I'd lined up something as a double feature, to lighten the mood.

What better than "Lightyear"?

Honestly?

I had been on the fence about this one, suspecting it to be a lead-in for toy sales.

Well, it was.

Here's the thing, though: this is the movie that little Andy "saw", back in 1995, that prompted him to want the galactic explorer as part of his toy chest.

Very nice, right?

That set the right tone right away.

I think I'll be seeing again after all!

(smile!)

Now, pardon me.

"Buffy The Vampire Slayer" is the 'new' series on Comet tv, so gotta go!

concert! live! boot scootin' boogie time!

I did you not!

When my sister-in-law Laura texted this morning to see if I wanted to go with her to see Brooks & Dunn, I didn't even have to think about my response.

"Yes!!!"

Of course, that word "free" helped.

If I'd had to come up with the $45.85 for my seat, I probably would have declined.

Instead, the tickets had been won by Robin and Laura was to have gone with her.

Then Robin came down with COVID ('cause the omicron variant of the coronavirus is in its 15th variation and is still making the rounds).

That meant Laura had been gifted both tickets... and Dood didn't want to go... hooray!

I had not been to a concert since the last time I was a volunteer for the Savannah Music Festival... which was before the pandemic!

Moreover, this was the first trip to the new Enmarket Arena for both of us!

Nice to have shared that experience with her!

The tickets put us in Section 106 (which was only about one section away from the stage), in Row J (not quite halfway down the stairs), in Seats 17 and 18 (on the end of the row that was closest to the stage).

Seriously good seats!

We were there about thirty minutes before the first act took the stage, having dined on Arby's (my treat) in the parking Lot F (her treat).

As close as the lot was to the arena, it was still quite a long walk in the crazy hot heat, so I still had to take little breaks... but, wow, the arena was so nice and cool!

 

Then, like I said, the first act took the stage.

Tyler Braden was pretty good, but he's definitely not known well yet, with lots of empty chairs out there.

However, two things about him stand out.

First, he had something to do with the Goo Goo Dolls and played a bit of "Name" during his 45-minute set.

Second, he was one of the participants in "The Great American Song Contest", representing the state of Tennessee with his song, "Seventeen".

That was one of the ones he performed, too!

After a short set change, Jordan Davis took the stage and didn't relinquish it for an hour.

My favorite song, that he performed with great gusto?

Jerry Reed's "Amos Moses"!!!!!

I was dancing all over my seat to that 1970 tune, whether anyone else was or not!

My next favorite was a very romantic one, "What My World Spins Around".

I couldn't help but think of Melinda and Matt with that one!

I'll have to make sure I link them up with that, for sure.

Then, another quick change on the stage... and it was time for the headliners to take it on, starting strong with "Brand New Man" and getting the crowd on their feet and singing along!

Hey, I even knew those words by heart!

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn followed that opener with two more chart toppers - "My Next Broken Heart" and "Mama Don't Get Dressed Up For Nothing"... though I would swear they'd changed it to "Papa" instead of "Mama".

Seriously, I thought that's what they said!

That's certainly how it went in my head!

Plus they did "We'll Burn That Bridge" and (you better kiss me 'cause) "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone".

I do so love the humor in country lyrics!

The one that had Laura singing every word was "Red Dirt Road", which I was only glancingly familiar with.

 

That's okay.
I made up for that lack with "Lost And Found" (in a border town, asking about a diamond ring) - lol!

Then they got everyone wanting to dance with "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)" - what a series of images on the screen behind them for that!

We were all ready for them to "Play Something Funky" - and they did, too!

Then they slowed things down a bit for a poignant crowd sing-along of "Neon Moon" that very nearly brought Dunn to tears.

Wow.

Very touching moment, followed by two more favorites that I could have ended the concert on.

The first of those followed a personal story by Ronnie Dunn, about going to seminary.

"I Believe" was definitely a heartfelt song, with deep meaning to him.

Wow.

Then, the band finally gave us "My Maria", one of the two that I'd told Laura I was there to hear, and it was done beautifully!

Wow.

Then they walked off stage... 

and came back with the other song I was waiting for as their first encore!

I felt like I was in Vegas, baby, with all that neon for "Boot Scootin' Boogie"!!!

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

What a wonderful night!

Country isn't one of my groove things...

but I was married to a music man who made it part of my life when he worked at KIX 96 and a half, and when he later worked at 94 FM, the other local country station.

i thank You, God.

Thank you, too, Laura, for taking me with you!

three more medical visits down!

So, last week, I saw the heart doc and got my annual mammogram.

Done!

Both had originally been scheduled for May, but I had demurred.

Yesterday, it was an ophthalmologist, my PCP, and the nutritionist.

Those latter two had been scheduled for my birth month, too, but I had declined.

That appointment for my eyes, though, that was a new doctor for me, called up to bat by my usual guy, Dr. Smith, at the Savannah VA.

I'm so glad I didn't have to go to Charleston again!

Dr. Robin Ray at the Georgia Eye Institute, over on the Memorial Hospital campus, didn't see me until almost two hours into the appointment.

First, one of his assistants took scans of my retinas, like Dr. Smith had.

Then, a la a torture sequence from "A Clockwork Orange", she held my eyes wide open, one at a time, and then shone an intensely bright green light into them.

Ouch!!!

Seriously - ouch!!!

These are the resultant images.

The one on the right is actually of my left eye and has a pretty 'slice of pink grapefruit' tone to it.

The sickly green image, that looks like moldy fruit, was taken of my right retina.

Why the images are reversed, I don't know, unless it's because she took the one of the right eye before the one of the left.

Why didn't I ask her about them?

Well, I did not see these while I was with her.

I didn't even see them when I was with the second assistant, who I had mistakenly thought might be the doctor, as I was there so long.

She did all manner of the usual tests for vision accuracy, both with and without my glasses, and used a white light to look into my eyes.

Then she dilated my eyes and sent me to the waiting room for about fifteen minutes.

When I was again ushered into an office, that's when I saw the images.

I was there for about twenty minutes, entertaining myself with nary another in sight.

So, I snapped the photo.

Dr. Ray came in after I'd bounced to the bathroom and was there about ten minutes.

I'll see him again in September.

Today, I was to see Ms. Barker, my PCS, but she was not there.

The way folks talked, she may well not be there the next time I have an appointment.

Instead, I saw Ms. Omolara.

I do hope the plan is not to make her my PCP.

I actually had to convince her that Sotalol is NOT a blood pressure medication, but an anti-arrhythmia, and so I needed to have the Ramipril added back to my list of drugs.

Seriously.

She saw me for all of about fifteen minutes.

Fortunately, I had the nutritionist right after!

I do enjoy talking with Elizabeth Carley and the feeling is mutual.

I told her all about my new meal plan and she was very pleased with the results I'm getting.

She said I've lost six pounds since she last saw me!

That was a surprise to me.

I thought I had lost half that much.

Well, good!

And I'll look forward to seeing her smiling face in August!

(smile!)

flamingos on the field!

What a lovely sight they were, too!

All those long legs...

topped by hot pink plumage...

striding around at Grayson Stadium!

I tell you, it did my heart good to see 'em!

I'm not just saying that in a figurative sense, either - I mean it literally, too!

(smile!)

I've liked this Florence team for a while, but I do believe I like them even better as Flamingoes than as Redwolves, and it's not just because of the change in uniform color.

They've brought a new attitude that's as bright as those practice shirts and their game jerseys.

I like it!

I couldn't help rooting for them!

 

Fortunately, they made that an easy thing to do by playing good baseball.

By the time the game began, I'd already been in the stands since 5:30 pm, when the gates opened.

That meant I had a 90-minute barrage of antics seen before by the Savannah Bananas, so I was ready for first pitch at 7.

Not much happened in the first inning, but the Flamingos were flying in the second!

With birds on yellow bags at second and third, the next bird hit a solid bunt...

and they scored!

The Bananas wouldn't accomplish that feat until the bottom of the fourth inning.

That's because The Flamingoes had a fabulous starting pitcher, Louie Smith, and a very keen third baseman - Mason Staz - who was not only quick to scoop up any balls that headed his way, but also pretty handy with a bat.

That's Staz, at the plate, the man responsible for the birds scoring first in the game!

And with a bunt!!!

Mister Willie would have been so proud of him!

To his way of thinking, the bunt is underused and is a key strategic tool in baseball.

I agree.

 

So, how fared the rest of the game?

Well, I hadn't stayed to witness it.

I had forgotten to bring my evening dose of sotalol with me, as I'd come almost straight from the optometrist's office.

(Yes, my pupils were dilated so I wore my sunglasses at night - and took this photo as Shark played the song - lol!)

I left between the top and the bottom of the fourth, hearing the crowd go wild as the Bananas got in their first run.

Neither the tropical birds nor the tropical fruit would score again until the eighth inning.

You know why that happened, right?

The Flamingoes changed pitchers in the sixth and the Bananas were onto his pitches two innings later,  scoring twice on him.

That was no never mind to me.

I'd had my money's worth of food and entertainment, and baseball, during the three-plus hours I was there.

I was even home before dark fell.

Very nice!

(smile!)

tackled and down for the count!

Just in time, too.

Smitty was over this morning, about 9 AM.

Amazingly, I was up.

Even more incredibly, I had been up since about 5, when I'd awakened to pee and not been able to go back to sleep.

He had a surprise when he opened the back gate and found someone had already started on the grass back there.

He had an even bigger surprise when he found out it was me!

I reassured him that the pitiful amount done had taken me two days, with me not starting until after 7 PM and then only mowing about 40 minutes each day.

Still, I think he would have rather I not done not that.

I'm glad he's looking out for a sister!

(smile!)

He'd brought his big riding mower for the job.

In forty minutes, he'd mowed the back yard and the front yard, as well as edged the front.

Now it looks pretty spiffy!

Good!

Because about forty minutes ago, big dark clouds rolled in noisily, even though the chance of rain was only supposed to be about 30%.

Yeah, the meteorologists got that wrong.

Not only did it rain hard, but it thundered and lightninged, too!

It lasted long enough for me to open the windows and let in that cooled air...

aaaaahhhh, very nice!

I even stood inside the front door and watched for a bit.

I truly enjoy a good summer thunderstorm, especially if I've nowhere to go.

And now, with the cool persisting afterward, I have to ask myself: should I do a bit of pruning of the scrub oaks out back, or should I take the winter bedding - and a pile of towels - to the laundry?

Questions, questions!

I think I'll have a tuna pasta salad while I try to figure it out.

(smile!)

tackling, again

Really, I did.

Look closely.

Come on, just a little bit closer.

Don't you see there are multiple shades of green in that space?

And can't you tell that the brighter, darker greens consume less area than they did?

Well, it's true.

I spent another forty minutes today pushing the lawnmower around.

And, even though I'd waited until 7 PM, when all of the sun was gone from the yard, it was still crazy hot out there, lacking the little breeze that graced the air yesterday.

With the heat index, Savannah got up to 105 F.

In June.

Just crazy hot.

But, one good thing about that: those diagonal lines I put in yesterday?

That most def allowed the moisture to evaporate, making for a faster mow today.

Only once did I have to stop and clean the blades of wet grass... and it was a much lesser quantity than plagued the mowing yesterday.

Still, i think I'll have to give it a rest tomorrow.

The temperature is due to be 8 degrees hotter than it was today.

Crazy hot.

tackling the green monster

"Jealousy? Envy?"

No, poison ivy and the rye grass that's towering in my yard.

"You really think you're up to that?"

Well, I waited until it was almost 7 PM. That's when I've noticed a little cooling breeze sweeping through the area. The back yard was almost all in the shade, too. Plus, I've been feeling cooped up and I thought the physical exertion would do me good.

"I see. And did it occur to you to contact your cardio doc before that cardio workout?"

Honestly, I don't think anyone would have termed it such. I had to clear the poison ivy blocking the back door first. That's it, mounded on the deck. Then, I walked at a slow, even pace, pushing the lawnmower through the 18" high rye, and kept close tabs on how I felt. If not for me having to stop twice to clean out the mower blades, I think I would have been fine for a longer period. That bending over for more than a minute really gets me.

"And just how long did you work in the yard?"

I was good for about thirty minutes, until that second blade cleaning. Then I came inside and sat, drinking the glass of ice water I already had waiting for me. That was a good thought, by the way, to have it already set up. I probably sat for about ten minutes. Then I made another glass of ice water and went back to the yard.

"Please tell me you weren't trying to knock it out in one evening."

No, no, I'm not that crazy. I got in another fifteen minutes before the battery died. I guess you could say that was the universe looking out for me via the Ryobi.

"And so you're planning to hit it again tomorrow?"

I am. Gotta get it done before any more rain comes and adds to the growth. As it is, the grass was very wet, even after several days with no rain. I mowed in diagonal rows again, as I did last summer, to allow more air circulation. I don't know that one day's lapse will be enough to dry out that undergrowth, but I have baseball on Wednesday and ACS on Thursday.

"Well, be careful to not overexert yourself. You've come a long way in your recovery and you don't want to slide backwards."

Heard. You better believe I'm listening to my body with both ears. I even think I'm beginning to see the light at the end of this tunnel, but it's still a ways off.

"Slow and steady, that's the way you do it."

Yes, ma'am.

chem ladies at olive garden!

Hooray for Yvonne!

That's her silver curls bouncing in the breeze, while Brooke holds up her arm as a sunshade, and that's The 'Cole standing between them.

Yes, our little group has grown to six now with that last addition, as Cathy Mac and Lea were there, too!

No token physicist this time... I think Donna was visiting her home of West Virginia.

And where was I?

I'd made a pitstop before exiting and so the others had waited, with Brooke...

for me to come out and give her a hug.

Aw! Isn't she the sweetest thing?!

She's the age of my first niece, by the way, and we both ordered the Italian doughnuts - mine with two pots of raspberry jam - and shared the dessert with all.

I'd only been up about an hour before the 11:30 AM luncheon, so my dessert was post-brunch - and such a treat!

Wonder where we'll be off to next?

(smile!)

hinesville holiday!

For the first time since February, I had a night away from home that had nothing to do with a mandatory stay in a hospital.

How about that?

Good thing I got the decal for my tag!

Christina and I were to get together for a lunch, just we two, but when I contacted her about our plans on Tuesday night, she suggested that I come and stay over...

so, I did.

After all, as it was a weeknight, I could stay in CJ's room and not be concerned about displacing him to the couch.

(smile!)

I arrived in time for us to go out to lunch at one of our favorites there!

No, it wasn't 'Taco Tuesday' at Rodeo Mexican, but that was fine with me.

The whole point was to be there with her!

And just her!

No kids interrupting every five seconds...

just two grown women spending some much-needed time in each other's company, after far too few such times in the last six months.

Sure, we'd already had an hour at the house, with me opening gifts she'd bought me for my birthday, for Mother's Day, from the spring break trip they had in Virginia.

Of course I read the cards aloud!

Of course I gave her a big hug between each round of gifts from her!

Then we had another hour and more at the restaurant, with a waiter that kept entertaining us along the way!

It was absolutely magnificent.

(smile!) 

So much time, just us!

Then, before you know it, it was 5 PM and time to get the two girls from day camp.

I could not believe how much Chloe has grown!

She's lost most of her 'baby' look, and definitely has matured a bit - that's good!

Miyah has matured a bit, too, and was very proud to show me that she "has a job" now...

she's in charge of feeding Mousse!

Now, if only they could take on their room and keep the floor visible in it - lol!

Here they are goofing around before dinner.

Tonight, we had Charcuterie a la Christina!

Nice and cool and easy and fast!

Not much to clean up, either.

That was a definite bonus!

Then I got to visit with the whole family and chat and watch a bit of whatever was on tv until time for the girls to go to bed.

More alone time with my first niece!

She'd talked to me about a Netflix show she's really into, so I watched three episodes with her... though, truth to tell, she slept through that third one!

She caught up with it this morning, though, while I slept in a little.

We talked about it over breakfast and coffee, with me pointing out that "Outlander" seemed to be a historical romance centered on a woman who helped others.

Perhaps she might enjoy an old show like that, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman"?

Oh, yes, she loved that show, too!

Nice!

I gathered up my things, plus the goodies from her - metal dragonfly wall art, two floppy beach hats, a plaque with coral on it, and bayberry soap ball - and moved all to the living room, in preparation for a last hug before departure.

She was busy straightening up, so I helped!

Two trips to the trash and recycling bins later, we were done with the front rooms.

Also, a thunderstorm had interceded, so I left before the next blip on the radar.

That was good timing!

(smile!)

In all, the trip was not only good for my soul, but also gave me insights to driving techniques I need to use these days.

First, it was a good test of my ability to be on the road during periods of rain.

Her house in Hinesville is exactly 46 miles from my home, so not a strenuous haul.

I made it to her door in just over an hour, going down Highway 17 and staying clear of both I-16 and I-95; I used the same route for my return home today.

After all, driving at 55 is quite fast enough, thanks, until my dizzy spells disappear, right?

I ran into one rainstorm along the way there, though that was right in Hinesville.

Fortunately, it didn't last long, but was very hard, as had been the rain on Monday.

That meant I had to slow down more than usual and be extra careful to keep my eyes straight ahead.

The windshield wipers were a distraction to my focus, but I had to use those.

I just had to be extra cautious then of what the cars ahead of me were doing.

What else have I learned from this drive time?

I cannot keep glancing at the rear view mirror and off to the sides and back to the front, as I am accustomed to doing.

That tends to bring on a dizzy spell and that's detrimental.

So I very much limited my use of the rear view mirror and only glanced to the side when another car was not racing past.

I had to keep telling myself that anyone who was crowding up on my bumper was not my problem, that I was their problem and they needed to take care.

Seems like there was one more lesson...

oh, yes, the radio.

I absolutely cannot drive with the radio on unless traffic is very light.

That basically means no use of the radio at all in town.

I had hoped to listen to some music on the drive, but there were more vehicles on the road than I would have expected on weekdays.

That just meant the drive seemed pretty long.

That reminds, I did learn one more thing!

I had brought some hard peppermint candy along in case my mouth got dry.

I had not used them on the way to Christina's, but I did pop one in as i was departing.

And guess what?

The time between Hinesville and Richmond Hill passed very quickly!

I was still well-focused on driving, but I seemed to be more relaxed, too.

Good to know!

Guess I need to get some more of those hard candies!

(smile!)