mel's vacay: a day as a tourist

Here she is!

And what is Melanie doing?

Checking out the best angle for this persimmon tree?

And where is it located?

At the Owens-Thomas House, of course.

We had been at the other two properties of the three that are part of the Telfair Museum on Friday. 

Now we were checking out the third on her final vacation day here in the 'Vannah.

(smile!)

She wanted to exercise her camera again.

She's collecting photographs to transform into watercolors, so that means plenty of still lifes.

It's rather a shame that a meeting with the physicist could not be arranged, as I think they would have enjoyed talking.

They're both painters, you see.

 

Anyway, here is one of the 'still life' shots I took.

That was in the rear flyer of the house and I got a kick out of it.

Faux marble columns to catch the eye -

faux door at the side of the stairs -

faux wood on the stairs -

all painted concrete.

But I think the statue may have been real!

And where might I have been?

Well, I was right beside her most of the time, just as I have been for all five days!

And while I had been taking casual shots of my FSU bff, she had managed to capture me, though by accident.

As Oogway would say, "There are no accidents."

She had lined up the photo of this mirror and tonight, while we were going through our cameras, she spotted the serendipitous snap with me in the mirror.

How very nice, n'est-ce pas?

(smile!)

After our guided tour with Kenisha - who was most excellent! - we drove down Abercorn, so we'd pass the Lucas Theater.

Nope, she wanted cobblestones, please!

So on to River Street, where we snagged one of the few free spaces near Morrell Park, giving us two hours to wander.

Of course, I made absolutely sure I pointed out where the NCW demo had been for SERMACS2019!

I'm still very proud of all the work I did - and that of the volunteers, too! - to make that happen. 

(smile!)

This time, though, we were there for sightseeing.

Playing 'tourist' meant a visit to The Waving Girl, the Olympic Torch from the 1996 Summer Games here and in Atlanta, and a wander along the Savannah River.

Then, more wandering and roving, admiring the huge cargo carrier as it traveled along with its three tugboats keeping it in the correct lane.

Onward we went, searching for the right place to snap photos of the road, seeking that perfect juxtaposition of the cobblestones, the tram rail, and the red bricks.

After about an hour, we needed a break from the summer heat and the crush of other tourists.

Spanky's called, as one of the local eateries down there, with its yellow-and-white striped awning!

We ordered the Spanky's Sampler, so she could get a taste of their popular items, like the fingers and spuds - so many choices of sauces!

After a picture-taking session within its walls, we were back on the street, with a Savannah Sparrow keeping pace.

That definitely caught the attention of the Melaness!

I had walked on toward the car, to make sure we rescued it from any meter maids, so I didn't notice she'd lagged behind.

Good thing we got there in time - a police car was eyeing our spot!

South we turned, going past Whitfield Square's gazebo, past the new building where the 'crack Kroger' formerly stood, and made our last stop at Forsyth Park, for its gorgeous fountain from France.

Oh, yes, that would be lovely, she said, then went to capture the perfect shot as I sat nearby on a shaded bench.

See her in this one?

Doesn't it look like that satyr is spitting at her?

Not that a bit of water play wouldn't be welcome on a day in the upper 90's!

Nice to have chilled pizza waiting for our dinner, as well as the dining room A/C keeping the house around 84.

Ah, yes, and there will soon be Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, surfing in some choice waves in the cool Pacific Ocean in another 1980's hit: "Point Break"!

Sweet dreams for her last night here!

Right place, right time!

(smile!)

mel's vacay: a day with boomers

Today began like any other Sunday: "CBS Sunday Morning", "Teen Kids News", just to give my dear house guest a taste of my present-day life.

Very nice, and I even made breakfast for us!

We had a bit of time to relax and do whatever before the event of the day.

And just what was that?

A movie with Boomers In Action!

That meant more time with Jackie!

In fact, let me take a moment to say, "Thanks, Jackie, for the photo from Thursday!"

There were five of us to view "Oppenheimer", one of the most-hyped movies ever.

I'm sure I've been seeing previews for it ever since "Tenet" came out... and that was in September of 2020!!!

Seriously.

I didn't care for it.

Whoever was in charge of the music was convinced it was a horror show, and, I suppose, from a particular perspective, it certainly was.

A scientist so enthralled with the pursuit of theory that he agrees to head a project to build a nuclear bomb?

Sure, there's the rationale that some country was going to do that very thing, so why not let it be the United States of America that gets there first?

Seriously, that's not an appropriate reason to build a weapon of massive death.

Anyway, after the three-hour ordeal, we three, plus one, went to Rachael's Sports Bar, over in Georgetown, for dinner.

That was a great idea!

Melanie got to know Jackie better, and we all had a chance to get to know Regina.

Jackie brought up my Periodic Table For The Blind, and guess what?

Regina had an uncle, Harold Krents, who had become blind as a boy after a football injury. Because he was already nine when he went blind, he preferred to have readers rather than use braille... much like my student had!

Unlike my student, Krents had plenty of people willing to serve as readers and help him study. Ian had not even been able to get his family and friends to help him with my class, even though I made the Periodic Table specifically for him. I know he could have done so much better in class if he had more support! Krents went on to get a law degree from Harvard and was instrumental in getting rights for disabled people. There were even two movies - "Butterflies Are Free" and "To Race The Wind" - that were based on his short life!

What a marvelous conversation!

Plus, Melanie's pizza was so big that she brought part home. Dinner for tomorrow!

Once we returned home, and got settled in, the question arose: what now?

I had a 1-Dollar Weekend Movie reward still to rent, so we watched "The Incredibles", a movie she'd never seen. She liked it okay, but that's really not her speed.

Time to ramp things up with a blast from the past, I thought!

How about a little mid-1980's adventure?

"Romancing The Stone" was just what we both needed for sweet dreams!

Thanks, Tubi!

mel's vacay: a day with children

"Saturday! I know what that means: Summer Movie Camp at AMC with family!"

You are correct! So, this was another event already in the works. It's probably been years since Melanie saw an animated movie, but she was cool with it. Plus, she got to see Zach and his boy and Michael and his girls.

"Very nice. I'm sure Michael and Zach were just children themselves the last time she would have seen them."

Yes, that would have been Christmas of 2000, most likely, when she was down for that holiday. She was there for Christmas Eve at Frank's. How long ago all of that seems.

"Well, my dear, that's because it was a long time ago. So, what was the movie today?"

Oh, it was "Boss Baby: Family Business". Not really one of my favorites, but the kids seemed to like it pretty well. Next week is "Shrek 2", so I look forward to that one! Maybe Christina and Hope will be able to make it.

"I know it's difficult to get everyone together."

It is! I'm glad Zach and Michael are making this a priority. Their kids sure seem to have fun together! That's Alyssa in yellow, Leila in pink, and Kobe in the orange shirt. They were hanging out while the four of us adults figured out what to do next.

"Did you have lunch with them?"

Well, Mel and I were going to the Mall with Michael and the twins, but a sudden cloudburst hit as we reached the parking lot! But we all trooped over to Savannah Mall, only to find it locked up tight. Closed, and closed for good, except for the Target and Bass Pro Shop, since their leases aren't yet up. So, back to the MacDonald's for its play area.

"Well, I know the girls enjoy that."

Yes, and it was just them, as Zach had to go to Pooler to meet up with his girlfriend and her folks. Still, Mel and Michael had a great discussion about some video games, so that was good. But I think I am done with that fast food joint. There are always homeless folks in there and it just gets uncomfortable to have them come up for handouts.

"Heard."

We left after about 4 PM, to go find a new purse for the Melaness. She has had a time with straps on this trip! Her camera kept trying to slip from its neck strap yesterday, then one side of her purse strap broke completely today! Seriously! But she found a nice replacement at TJ Maxx, and practically as we walked in the door. I think we spent longer in line than she did shopping for it!

"Hahaha! Well, good for her for finding one so quickly!"

Right? That gave us time for a nice big salad before hitting the play.

"What? There was a play going on?"

Yeah, you remember. Savannah Children's Theatre actually had two musicals this weekend! So we had to decide between "Barnum" and "High School Musical, Jr.". Gloria steered us toward the one in the main area, and I'm so glad she did! Mel and I had a ball in the front row, laughing and enjoying the parade of clowns! "Barnum" was totally fun, with circus acts going on in the background of every scene!!! We felt that we'd had two shows in the one!

"Most excellent!!!"

And get this: this was a summer camp production. That means these kids had only 8 days of rehearsal before the show began. Only EIGHT days!!! Incredible! As I told Mel, I look forward to hearing their names at future Tony Award ceremonies.

"Wow!!!"

Right? I'm glad they still have another year or two before they graduate and move on. That means I get to see them in more SavChTh productions!

"For sure! So y'all ended the night on a high note!"

Hahahaha! I saw what you did there, slipping in that pun! Nice! Actually, we had a home-cooked meal once we returned. I used the Rummo Spaghetti No. 3 and the Bertolli Organic Tomato and Basil sauce that she brought, for a true italian base, with my cubed tofu and minced garlic. Two households combined in the one dish! Totally delicious, too!!!

And yes, we did end on a high note, watching "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", which she had never seen. She loved it, perhaps even more so because of all the frontal nudity from Jason Segel. He's such a hoot! Plus, she found the vampire musical to be funny. And we both liked the Hawaiian version of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U", made more poignant with the recent death of cover artist Sinead O'Connor. Such an odd coincidence that this movie popped up as free tonight.

"Right place, right time."

For sure! Now, off to sweet dreams for us! Thanks, Jason!

(smile!)

mel's vacay: a day at museums

And we were off, making it into the Telfair Academy just before the heavy rain!

Even though my favorite is the Jepson, I knew the statue of interest had moved back into the older museum, so we began our photography journey there.

Specifically, we went into the basement first, where an abundance of statues reside, including one of my favorites: Guy With A Towel.

Perhaps he's a hitchhiker in the galaxy, as are we all!

(smile!)

Yes, I do realize his name is Hermes, and he's certainly good for sweet dreams...

and I'm sure the Melaness agrees!

That's not just a camera in her hand...

she's happy to see him!

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

After perusing all the other Greek and Roman statues down there, we went up a flight to the Rotunda.

Time to visit my favorite Walter McEwen painting and show off all the gorgeous facets in it.

Of course I'm speaking about "A Belle of 1810"!

I so adore that beautiful bit of realism!

I so adore the fine lines of that gown!

I so adore the expression on her face in the mirror!

(smile!)

Okay, time to diddy bop up to the top of this tree!

We dutifully admired the other exhibits along the way - ooh! aah! - but we had a goal in mind.

That's not to diminish "Beyond The Sea: Impressionism And Modern Painting In Europe", as the pieces there are quite nice, including several that I recognized as having been in the Sculpture Gallery in years past.

But "Before Midnight: Bonaventure And The Bird Girl" was the exhibit my tourist friend wanted to see...

and, truly, me, too.

I had not seen Bird Girl since her move and I was quite pleased that she was now surrounded by images of her home in that cemetery before The Movie uprooted her life and made her too famous to stay there.

I made sure to capture Mel in this shot with her.

(smile!)

So, what to do next?

We'd booked my favorite meter for two hours and still had about 40 minutes left.

Why not pop over to the Jepson for the "Age Of Armor" exhibit?

Most definitely we could do that...

but first, more statues demanded their photos taken!

Melanie especially wanted to take several shots of Sir Peter Paul Reubens, as he is a fellow painter.

I managed to catch this one of her with him!

Love how artistically that tree splits the picture!

By the time we entered the Jepson, we had about 25 minutes on the meter, so time was of the essence!

Up the elevator we went to the top floor!

And who should greet us but this fabulously attired knight in shining armor, with a flintlock pistol in one hand and short sword!

His suit was sparkling with gold studs in fanciful, flowery designs!

As I told her, he seemed to be ready for the prom, so she moved in beside him to be his date.

Really was a great entry to the world of knights!

Still, we didn't gt to spend nearly as much time there as I would have liked, so I know I'll be back.

I did make sure to introduce her to my Roswell Frogs, of course.

Plus, we spent a little time with the red glass kneeling figure, with the spire of St. Johns Cathedral rising over its shoulder.

She liked the different ways the glass had been worked, with the different textures serving to mark edges of the clothing, the person, and the base of the statue.

I like that, too.

(smile!)

Safely back to the car, umbrella in hand for the light drizzle, we tried to decide where to go next.

How about the statues out at Greenwich Cemetery?

Yes, that would be nice, and would still give us time to stop by the house to drop off her camera gear.

So, that's what we did, with her exploring some of the monuments, then us visiting Ronnie's pier, Mama and Frank, and Jean Marie.

Of the gifts left at Mother's Day, only the one for my niece was still intact; Ronnie's flower was gone and Mama's pinwheel had not survived contact with the mower's blades.

Mel really liked the dragonfly paver at Jean Marie's.

(smile!) 

To home, ever so briefly, then off to the Jalapenos of Sandfly for the dinner!

I think this was the first time I've actually made it there for the weekly event with both of my brothers and their friends from the neighborhood (Betsy and Jimmy and Mark).

But I had called Smitty to be sure he and Mary were going to be there.

He sounded pleasantly surprised, and happy, that I would be there!

When we arrived, they had already put the tables together.

It was usually just the Smiths and the Kamerons, but their daughter Addison had a college friend there, so at least Mel wasn't the only new face.

They all see me at Robin and Harry's pumpkin party every year, so I was certainly not new... just a bit rare.

(smile!)

So, just what was going on this week?

Well, I'm not sure how it started, as conversations were flying all around me, but I suddenly noticed a lull on our side of the table.

All attention was focused on Smitty, telling the tale of the Palm Tree Massacre, from his reckless youth!

I had missed it when it happened, as I was already stationed in Panama, so it was news to me!

Very funny the way he told it, but it had been a nerve-racking experience when it occurred.

I'm sure it was, too!

Nice how time can soften the edges, isn't it?

(smile!)

 

When Mel and I returned home, we had plenty of time left in the night.

Would she like to see a movie?

Yeah, that would be good!

How about "Rocketman", the Elton John biopic?

Comcast had given it to me as the first in its Summer of Movies rewards.

Lots of music, so let's do it!

And she very much enjoyed it, as did I!

Good choice!

(smile!)

mel's vacay: a day with knights

That's right!

The Melaness is in the 'Vannah for a much needed vacation!

The girl hasn't been out of Pennsylvania since the pandemic came to the USA.

I told her that was too long to not "wake up somewhere different" and she agreed, bopping on down to see me!

Yes, even though I have no extra beds or centralized A/C, she came!

Even though I warned her that she would be going to some pre-planned events, she came!

She drove in last night, just after my night with my brothers - perfect timing!

Gotta love the Mel!

(smile!)

 

So what was she doing?

Well, while some folks have bats in their belfry, she has flying squirrels in her attic.

No, seriously!

And she was trying to find the photos of them for me.

She also has solitary bees - like 500 of them - in her basement.

No, seriously!

They don't have a queen, they don't make honey, and they don't live in hives.

Very different from the bees around here!

Then we were off to a former engagement with former soldier, and fellow Boomer In Motion, Jackie, for a 'new' Disney flick in the Big D.

It's not the first time they've remade a movie based on a theme park ride, and surely won't be the last!

(smile!)

This time, it was "Haunted Mansion", and, believe me, it was scarier than I expected.

But, as it turned out, it was a variation on a theme I enjoy: an ordinary guy - played for real by LaKeith Stanfield - having a very odd day.

Very nice!

And get this: there was even a knight!

He/She/It kept showing up right there behind folks, weapon raised, trying to scare them away.

Here's the thing, though: once you crossed the threshold, you had a ghost companion with you forever, even it you went back home to your apartment.

In the case of Ben, the astrophysicist, the ghost is an old mariner who leaves wet foot-sized puddles all over the place.

So, what do you do with a ghostly sailor?

Interesting - and fun - question!

(smile!)

 

Then the Melaness and I were off to another former engagement!

This one was at the Jepson Center For The Arts, so we had to fly from the southside AMC to downtown.

We were barely in time for "The Green Knight", missing the pre-movie talk and demo of the medieval way of life, but we were there!

And guess what?

I did, indeed, like it much better this second time!

Mel had never seen it, but she enjoyed it, too.

Then, we were off to home for a meal that wasn't popcorn.

I made it with Lime Cilantro Rice, plus her black beans and queso sauce, and it was quite satisfactory!

Then we needed to check on the weather.

I remembered that the forecast called for rain, and a pretty good chance of it, too.

Yes, when I listened to the WSAV weather song, that was it's refrain: rain, rain, rain.

Mel wanted to take some photographs of The Bird Girl, so she could translate them into a watercolor painting.

Yes, tomorrow would be perfect for that!

I have several umbrellas, too, should we need to break for cover.

At least we've had a cooling spell to welcome her here!

(smile!)

still faustina; i thank You, God

Tonight, I had a brother and sis-in-law to my right -

Tony and Laura, specifically -

as well as a brother and sis-in-law to my left -

Smitty and Mary, naturally -

and we were all there this Wednesday evening at Compassion East for a movie I'd never seen.

Nor had they, but that's not nearly as rare an occurrence. 

I'm glad we were all together, as a family, for this one.

Right place, right time.

"Still Alice", from 2014, is about familial Alzheimer's disease, and, unlike other films of this ilk, it concentrated on an honest portrayal of the effect of the disease on the other members of the family and on their relationships with the one with the disease.

That was the mom, played beautifully by Julianne Moore, who had been a linguistics professor in the prime of her career - her 40's - before receiving the diagnosis.

I'm glad I was there.

I'm glad I've been through the work with our family history and lineage.

I was able to assure my brothers that diseases of the brain are not in our heritage.

Sure, we still have genetic bugaboos to haunt our future - intestinal cancers on both sides of the family, liver disease, pancreatic cancer - but our minds stay intact as we age.

i thank You, God.

at liberty for tina tuesday!

"Hey! That looks like your first niece!"

Actually, it's her and I!

"That's what I said."

No, you made it sound like it was just her.

"Sure, if you say so. Which you obviously just did."

(smile!)

"So, y'all were evidently off to a movie again."

Yes, indeed! She used to have a ridiculous number of dolls, of a particular type, and I knew it would not do to see "Barbie" with anyone else until I saw it with her!

"Very cool! You even went to Hinesville for it!!!"

You recognized that we were at Rodeo?

"That's the only place y'all go for those blue drinks."

Sure enough! Maybe one day I'll be able to hoist one of those margaritas with her to toast her new job. She's landed a teaching position at a private school, still working with 4-year-olds, and is very excited about it!

"Good for her! That's got to mean more money, too."

Apparently so. She's been getting her class room all set up for the kids. School starts next week for her!

"Even better! Glad y'all got this luncheon before then."

dinner with train conductors!

I kid you not!

This was my second outing with Coastal Atheists & Secular Humanists, aka CASH.

Like the first, it was in my neck of the woods, so of course I went!

Besides, it's been a while since I was at Kayak Kafe Midtown.

So, why meet there?

It met the three requirements for this meetup.

First, outdoor seating must be available.

I don't know if that one came about because of the pandemic, but it works for me!

Second, vegetarian options must be available.

That's a long-standing rule, but I like that for summer fare, too.

Third, alcoholic beverages must be available.

Again, this is a long-time favorite with them, so why not?

Just, none for me, thanks.

(smile!)

So, who was there this time?

We had eight gathered around together!

I'll start with Barbara, mi amiga, then work counter-clockwise for CASH.

She's beside Celeste, our noble leader (that's an inside joke, y'all!).

The man in the red shirt and the woman in the black one are Tim and Joyce Wheeler.

Rounding the corner that's Jenny Thomas, crouched down and being funny, behind Ben, one of the two train conductors.

Then there's me, leaning back to get into the shot.

And where's the eighth member of our bunch?

Look at the reflection of the photographer, Jason Thomas, between the Wheelers.

Nice, right, that our second train conductor worked himself into the photo?

Just marvelous, I say!

I rather like this group and so does Boo.

Just marvelous!

And did the viewing of the train movie make it into the conversation?

Of course it did!

Plus talk of cats and dogs and religions and God! 

Now, then, maybe I can convince Cedric, or Bonnie and Don, to come next week...

(smile!)

blue door, blue shutters

Gratitude: there's nothing like pulling up to my own little house at the end of a vacation.

Yes, I had a lot of fun with my father's family.

Yes, I had a lot of fun with the Eagle Scout.

Now, it was time for home.

I was out the door of the sweet little place I'd stayed before 7 AM.

Yes, that would be 7 AM, in the morning.

I wanted to beat not only the heat of the summer day, but also the afternoon storms.

I did, too.

And, for the most part, I owned the road.

Sheer driving pleasure, much like that I'd enjoyed on those trips to north Georgia to visit my brother.

(smile!)

Now, all has been set right after travel.

All of the photographs of my paternal cousins have been offloaded and placed into folders.

All of the items taken with me on this extended weekend are out of the car and back where they should be.

All of the mail - that was to have been held until my return, but wasn't - has been opened and sorted.

Contact has been made with folks here, letting them know I am home safely, letting them know it was a wonderful time, letting them know I love them, too.

I took myself to Chili's for slunch, treating myself to a long-time favorite: creamy cajun shrimp pasta!

I had even remembered to bring some lactaid.

(smile!)

Now, I'm home, with extra chips and salsa, as well as a good part of that rich pasta for later.

Time to chill out with "The Muppet Movie".

Life is good...

really good.

i thank You, God.

(smile!)

paternal cousins of augusta: karaoke and cocktails

I can't really speak of what alcoholic beverages were there, as I paid them no heed - I was there for the karaoke!!!

Mike knew it, too, so as soon as I arrived, he wanted to know what I was singing!

"Brand New Key", was first, of course! 

Then I did "Summertime" and "Downtown", getting folks ready to take the microphone and tap their toosies!

Even Aunt Barbara got up and danced with her grandson Leeman, as Mike crooned a Dean Martin tune!

(smile!)

Oh, yeah, that's the way you do it!

And that little 7-yo sang "Shut Up And Dance" and did so perfectly... choosing it so she could say "shut up" without getting in trouble.

Hahahaha! Nice trick!

Su had changed into a sparkly blue dress and was ready to take her first turn, choosing a Carpenters tune.

Her eyes were on her beloved husband the entire time as she sang "Close To You", with him mouthing the words along with her.

Very sweet, and nicely done!

Mike was over in the corner, getting ready for the next singers.

Yes, that would be plural!

Robbie had requested "We Will Rock You" and Leeman and Mike joined her for the lyrics, but we all sang the chorus!!!

Then I got to do "Suddenly Seymour", from "The Little Shop Of Horrors", doing both parts until the host took a chance and joined in.

Oh, I do so love that song, and trying to match Ellen Greene's voice!

Then, get this: my two cousins got up to sing!

Terrie joined them for a very enthusiastic trio rendition of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"!

What a joy to watch Bev sing along with her daughter and her sister!

I'm sure that was a high point for her, after a long few days of preparing food and washing teapots... after carefully choosing which ones from the hundred or so that she has.

She and Alan left shortly after that, with Aunt Barbara and Bonnie following suit.

That took care of all the over-50 crowd... almost.

I stayed to indulge in some of the food, to revive my energy, right?

Mac'n'cheese, collard greens, baked ham... so very good, especially as I had remembered to bring some Lactaid with me.

(smile!) 

Oh, here's one I'd forgotten, with Leeman and Su doing a duet of "Lemon Tree", a sad song I didn't know.

I sang "Shining Star", one of my favorites, then went for seconds.

While in the dining area, I was stopped short in my chatting with Terrie and her friends.

Who was singing "Highway To Hell"???

Holy smoke!!!

It was the mother-daughter duo of Jenny and Julia, and they were wailing away on it!!!

That's about the time I noticed the "older" folks had all left, except me.

Time to head out on the highway, looking for adventure or... a fourth viewing of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"!!!

(smile!)

paternal cousins of augusta: wedding tea

Well, there they all are of the extended Prouty clan, save two.

The youngest son, Tyson, was at work, but would arrive later.

That's his wife, Jenny, with their 13-yo daughter on the far right; the 15-yo son, Lucas, was unable to make it at all.

Behind Jenny is the patriarch of the clan, Alan, and the woman in the white eyelet dress in front of him is the matriarch, my cousin Bev.

Moving toward the left, the young woman in chiffon is Suhyeon, new bride of Leeman, who is a little taller than his dad.

To the left of Leeman, wearing black and glasses, is Robbie, the oldest of the four siblings; the blonde in the print dress beside her is Terrie, the next eldest.

That man on the far left is Mike, Terrie's husband.

The woman in front of him is my father's only sister, my Aunt Barbara.

And the woman in the white eyelet shorts is her middle daughter, and my cousin, Bonnie.

Whew!

 

And just why were they all gathered together?

Well, it wasn't just family at this shindig, it was neighbors of the parents and friends from high school and from college and from work for the four grown children!

Leeman and Su, married last month in Korea, were in town to begin their honeymoon and his mom was hosting an afternoon fete: a Wedding Tea!

Each of those teapots held a different type of tea... and each of those teapots reflected the Mad Hatter Tea Party!

Not that there were just different types of tea... 

oh, my, no!

There were also different types of tea cups, so everyone could have a unique experience!

I had the lemon ginger tea - delightful!

And that's not including all the food...

no one could ever say they walked away hungry from that house, not with Bev's cooking talents - and Jenny's cake baking and decorating skills.

I had a light breakfast, knowing there would be a feast for my palate and taste buds... and there was!

Tuna salad atop mini-croissants, boiled egg slices dressed with red caviar, Ritz crackers with shrimp salad, smoked salmon on melba toast...

red grapes and green grapes and sweet orange slices and red plums...

slivers of carrots and cucumbers and yellow squash to scoop up hummus...

and three types of cookies...

all so very good that I had seconds of most!

Now, off we all go to Terrie and Mike's for karaoke!!!

How blessed I am to be here with family!

real baseball with the great scott!

He had not even known it was a bobblehead giveaway night until I told him.

Then, when he found out who the bobblehead would be, he was quite excited!

 

But first came the standing in line at SRP Park before 5 PM...

and more standing in line on the concrete plaza...

and, yes, even more standing in line...

in the sun, on a day with a high in the upper 90's...

for over an hour, to make sure to get one...

as soon as the gates opened at 6 PM

for the 7 PM game.

Well, actually, to get two bobbleheads, one for each of us.

(smile!)

 

Thanks to my diligence - 

and to my early arrival for our place in line - 

our quest was fulfilled!

The Spencer Strider head-bobbers were ours!

So, just who is this guy?

He's a 24-year-old pitcher for the Atlanta Braves who made brief showings in their minor leagues - including the Augusta Greenjackets - before becoming known as the strike-out king.

Quite a coup to get this one...

and pure serendipity that I happened to be there!

That will make quite a nice gift for someone! 

I'll just need to determine which of the Braves fans in my life will receive it.

(smile!)

Meanwhile, we were pretty well wilted from all that standing in the sung, and most definitely in need of shade and rehydration.

Good thing we had an hour to just sit on a shady bench and drink ice cold sodas...

oh, yes...

that's better...

and much some salty fries to replenish electrolytes.

(smile!)

Okay, time to mosey over to our seats!

That would be along the third-base line, about three rows up from the field and close enough to maybe get a foul ball, in Section 107.

He had made absolutely sure that we would not be in an "unlucky" section - and this was one of the sections which has not yet been determined to be lucky or unlucky for Scott to see a winning game, as opposed to Section 101 which is dead to him.

(smile!)

Remember, he has a lot of rules about what to eat (got to have pistachios!) and when (hotdog in the 4th inning!), about where to sit and when it was okay to walk around, about how many innings had to be played for a game to count as a "win" to him, regardless of whether they had won by official MLB standards.

(smile!)

For me, having a Polish Boy special and following that up with a Kona "Lucky Ninja" while enjoying a real baseball game, played by real baseball rules, was perfect!

Ah, but into all lives a little rain must fall.

Midway through the fifth inning, a few raindrops fell.

A freshening breeze and darkening sky meant more would follow, and lightning made sure the game was called to a halt as all calmly get under shelter.

Then it rained cats and dogs and parakeets, too, for long enough that quite a few folks left. 

We stayed, hoping for the best...

and stayed, looking at all the water on the tarp...

and stayed, talking about religion and churches while sitting in the elite seats behind home plate...

as the stands emptied and 10 PM went by.

At long last the announcement was made:

play would resume at 10:45 PM.

That was enough for me.

I had a busy day ahead of me and the two-hour break in the action had sapped me.

Hey, I'd stayed and kept my friend company, and we'd both enjoyed our time together, but he understood.

I was compelled to go, and he was compelled to stay.

After all, the game wouldn't count as a win if it didn't go to 9 innings.

(smile!)

 

As for me, my first goal was a cool shower.

Then I pulled up "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" again, loving the corny jokes and puns...

letting the familiar story of a toon in trouble and Bob Hoskins' antics soothe my sun-baked brain...

enjoying the feel of a day well-spent.

Yes, I'm definitely on vacation.

(smile!)

i thank You, God.