... and tigers and bears, oh my!

Actually, my bag of animal crackers contained quite a menagerie!

There was a lion, as well as a zebra, an elephant, and several buffalo.

However, by the time I thought to set some aside for this post, those were all eaten.

I was left with a tiger, a bear, and a koala.

(smile!)

Did I have reason for choosing that snack rather than some other?

Yes, yes, I did!

I was at the Savannah Children's Theatre for a matinee that I'd almost foregone.

Just why was that?

They billed "Frederick" as a 'family show' that was suitable for small children.

Small kids, eh?

Then I researched it and found out it was a musical.

Hey, those plays are my jam, right?

Right!

And the story of the five little mice was actually quite entertaining!

I even went up to nervous Nellie, Baby, Ernest, and Sunny after the show to talk about one of the songs that Ernest sang.

He was an inventor and he developed a gadget to help ration their food during the winter.

That gadget was full of "Bells And Whistles" which he sang of enthusiastically!

It truly was a tune that made me laugh...

and brought to mind "Razzle Dazzle", the song the lawyer sang in "Chicago"...

which Ernest (Alexander Goldstein) and Sunny (Ajae Michele) agreed with!!!

They said they had caught the similarity three weeks ago during rehearsal!

Marvelous!

Right place, right time, for me to be there on that holiday weekend!

(smile!)

flashback: 30 August 2009

Thank you, fb time keepers, for this breath of summers past!

That penultimate day of August, fifteen years ago, was a Sunday.

A Sunday!!!

Yet, Mister Willie Smith was at Grayson Stadium.

Such a rare occurrence for him!

Had he come to watch the Big Glove Boxing exhibition?

There it was, along the third base line, as a between-innings treat for the fans.

I remember him and Arthur Crum having a chuckle at those shenanigans!

I sure do miss those two men.

I sure do miss watching Gnate The Gnat interact with the kids.

I sure do miss watching those boys of summer on that green grass and red clay.

By the way, the Savannah Sand Gnats beat the Rome Braves that day, 2 to 0.

What a great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon!

27 to new homes

Remember this photo, the one with all the wooden fish in the corner of my dining room?

Those fish are all gone, save the fuchsia one with the orange-yellow tail on the top shelf.

She was always my favorite, so I let her stay.

Then I picked through the fish on the top three shelves and chose four to take away from here.

Barbara had spoken several times of taking items to Home Again, a consignment shop.

She liked the store and recommended it to me.

So, in April, after dealing with three different house insurance companies since October, and worrying about having to sell my home and move, I decided to go ahead and release some items now.

Three of the four fish that swam free then are shown here in this photo.

I also consigned the chips and salsa sombrero dish, a tall cut-glass candy dish, a deep blue ceramic teapot with gold trim, and a large wicker basket.

The deal with Home Again is they would try to sell them for thirty days at a particular price; after that, I could come and fetch any unsold or they would keep them for another 30 days at half-price.

For sold items, I get the half of the proceeds.

After 60 days, if still unsold, I would either collect the items back again, or I could release them to the Humane Society Thrift Store.

That deal worked for me.

After 60 days, I received $18.

Near the end of June, I took more items to Home Again.

The two wooden fish shown here, as well as another four, were shown out the door.

So were the glass crab with the fluorescent blue body, a wire-mesh fish Christmas ornament, an old clay gutter-spout fish, and a glass fish which was the only one of three such that had survived the move from Panama back in 1979.

On a roll, I gathered more items.

No need to hang on to the sake set from Okinawa.

Had I ever used it?

I don't think so.

Yet, I'd kept it in the china hutch all these years.

I left Hanza in December of 1982.

How about that little jade stone teapot?

I bought that for Mama while in San Francisco on vacation in October of 2000.

I intended to give it to her for her birthday that year, but she was in the hospital due to liver failure.

The item is a constant reminder of her death.

Out, out, damned teapot.

Fine, what else should go?

The Christmas ornament made from the ashes spewed out by Mount St. Helens could certainly grace someone else's residence.

That volcanic eruption in Washington was in May of 1980.

I know I have not had this since then...

but I have had the glass ball long enough to be amazed that it has not yet been shattered.

Off it went, along with a framed Joseph Powell print, a whale painted on wood, an old glass perfume bottle, a trio of small dishes for sushi and sauce, and two decorative platters.

When I checked on them today, sixteen of the 19 had sold and netted me $46.60.

Very nice!

The three that were unsold shall benefit animals in pet shelters.

That's a winning concept, all the way around.

(smile!)

Marie told me to hold off on any other items until November.

They'll have housewares moving in and out for the holidays then.

That gives me time to make a stack of items to take there.

Good.

Fewer items for me to haul in a future move,

more items to bring joy to others.

dreaming of sushi

Even though the event was part of AARP, it wasn't local or part of their MFG lineup.

No, "Jiro Dreams Of Sushi" came from the California AARP, as part of their 3-film Ginger & Garlic Series, aimed at their Asian-American audiences.

I just happened to stumble upon it, too late for the first two movies, but in time for the 2011 documentary that I'd first seen a dozen years back.

Incredibly, I'd recently been reminded by fb of seeing the film - not once, but twice - as part of the Psychotronic Film Society's offerings at Muse Arts Warehouse.

That was on June 10, 2012, and here's what the "memory" said.

"Lovely Sunday! Thanks to Jim Reed for a film awesome enough to see TWICE!! Thanks to Jeff Secrest for sparkling conversation and sushi between showings of "Jiro Dreams Of Sushi"! Thanks to Joe Guy and Kristin Stout and Jim Reed for chocolate goodies at Lulu's to finish up the evening! And tomorrow I look forward to breakfast with bff Sam DeLong - sweet dreams, y'all!" 

What a good time that was, with a film group now gone, at a venue now gone.

I'm so glad my first viewing - I mean, viewings - have such happiness involved!

Right time, right place, then, and now.

 

And as I drank my morning coffee... 

 

and dined on a tortilla sandwich made with Canadian bacon and Muenster... 

 

all I really wanted was some of that sushi being lovingly prepared... 

 

by the 85-year-old shokunin extraordinaire, Jiro Ono.

 

That younger man is his 60-year-old son, who works with his dad in the family business.

Their 50-year-old sushi restaurant only - yes, only - sells sushi.

Period.

No soups, no tempura, just sushi.

 

Their patrons willingly pay the 30,000 Yen, or more, to dine there, and willingly make their reservations at least a month in advance.

 

Jiro and the two assistant shokunin keep a steady stream of sushi coming out, knowing that the dish is meant to be eaten immediately by the diner.

 

Thanks to the prep work done on the meats and the rice by the kitchen staff, the trio of men preparing the sushi dishes are able to meet, or even exceed, the goal to give each person twenty pieces as their meal.

As Jiro said, the staff do 90 percent of the work, so he can do his 10 percent and get the credit of being a talented sushi chef.

Very nice.

And the price really isn't out of line with top-end restaurants here in town, like Ruth Chris or Elizabeth's on 37th or Sapphire Grill.

That price of 30,000 Yen equates to about $205 per diner, making each piece of nigiri sushi cost $10 - an absolute steal, considering all the massaging the meat gets in the master's hand as he applies the rice base.

Yeah, I'll definitely have to get some sushi next week.

Maybe I'll even splurge and go to a restaurant...

perhaps!

a flick on the stage at tybee

"Whatever are you talking about?"

Do you remember those Naturalist 101 talks that One Hundred Miles used to have here?

"I sure do! Those were quite informative. I can't believe that local office closed after the pandemic hit. I miss those lectures."

I do, too. Brunswick is just a bit too far to drive for an hour-long talk.

"So, what brought that to mind?"

The panel discussion I attended tonight at the Tybee Post Theatre. Actually, it was a taping of a live podcast of a GPB show, "A Fork In The Road with David Zelski". I've seen the show on TV listings, but I had never tuned in. I'll be watching for it from now on!

"A podcast? Isn't that just talking heads on the radio?"

Not exactly. It's talking heads on the internet, which is why I would prefer to watch old episodes of the show instead of being leashed to my 'puter. Still, I may tune in to hear again the lively discussion for "Hope On The Water" from the stage. Seriously.

"Very good! Who did David Zelski have on this show?"

Three people I didn't know and one I did, amazingly. That's what brought to mind 100 Miles. I knew as soon as I saw his name, though that wasn't until I got home.

"Give, girlie! Don't keep teasing! Just go ahead and tell!"

Bryan Fluech.

"Holy cow! I do recall that name!!! It's pronounced like 'flick', right? And wasn't that a talk that you'd attended with the physicist?"

Yes, it was, and I'd invited the bfe for tonight, but he abstained. I think he would have enjoyed this one. Captain Judy Helmey was there and she was very entertaining! That 73-year-old has been taking folks out on the water for 59 years! Such a hoot!

"73, huh?"

Yeah. I took that as a sign of right place, right time.

"For sure. So you mentioned this was a panel discussion?"

 

Yep! So, looking at the chairs on the stage, here's the line-up, from left to right. David Zelski, Dave Snyder, Laura Solomon, Bryan Fluech (UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant), and Captain Judy. I realize the image is a bit blared out, but they're all white folks under bright lights.

"Yeah, it isn't just folks of color that are difficult to film."

Heard. So, to fill in some gaps. Dave Snyder is a Captain and a chef (Halyards Catering, Hook & Knife Charters). Laura Solomon farms marine life with her husband for their company, The Tybee Oyster Company.

"That seems like a pretty mixed bag of guests."

Actually, it was a carefully curated group designed to provide several facets of "Hope On The Water." Judy gave us the perspective of life on the water. Bryan let us know of the safety provided to the Georgia coast by legislators from the local to the state level. Laura spoke of the miroir, the local flavor imparted to the ocean-derived food here, much like the terroir of wines from the grape locales. And Chef Dave worked on that last one even more, speaking of promotion of native fish species.

"Like red snapper and flounder!"

Like grouper and trigger fish and a host of others that non-fishermen may not have ever known. Due to the ocean warming, we're now seeing fish, and bird, species that have only been down in more tropical waters until now. I like the analogy Bryan Fluech used, to the environment being like a picture drawn on an Etch-A-Sketch. One tiny jiggle and the picture changes, and the little changes add up.

"Very cool. Well, I'll look forward to hearing the podcast."

Just hit up that "Hope In The Water" link. Just that easy!

marshmallows + fire = yummy!

See what I mean?

That's Jason Arons in the chair, munching on a freshly-made s'more.

How wonderful to see him again in person before he jets off on another jaunt!

Yes, busy bee, as I was at his age!

(smile!)

He's in this photo, too.

See him in the lower right corner?

Focus on the hosts of this Marshmallow Roasting party, Bonnie Blue and her hubby, Don Jarvis.

I've known Bonnie so long that when her neighbor, Susan, asked how we'd met, I could not recall.

Jim Reed's Wednesday night films? Drinking Liberally's everything-except-politics meetings? No Kidding's events around Savannah?

But I certainly know how I met Genie Brazzeal, owner of that elbow on the left - we were in high school together!

Speaking of Drinking Liberally, here are two faces I haven't seen anywhere except on fb in years.

That's Brenda sitting and John in the shorts, with Josh, the husband of Susan, standing in between the Mattingly's.

I was able to spend some time early on with Brenda, sitting on the swing, as others came over.

That was very nice!

In fact, everything about this low-key evening was very nice.

Catching up in person with old friends, meeting new people, and, in between and during all the socializing, eating marshmallows!

Those big, creamy, puffs of sugar and air, whether toasted or straight out of the bag - yum!

I've recently rediscovered my enjoyment of those confections.

Admittedly, part of the draw is the low calorie count.

Less than 100 Calories for 9 of the really big ones that are perfect for toasting!

Some folks made s'mores with the marshmallows, but, as I told Brenda, I like the white blobs all by themselves!

What a delightful evening!

Thanks, y'all!

dessert 1st, please

I finished mowing the front yard and helped myself to a lime OutShine popsicle.

That's my usual treat for that chore.

The time was 24 minutes 'til 8 PM.

So, that meant I was also essentially having my dessert before my dinner.

The Peace Guy would be so pleased that I am continuing our little inside joke.

(smile!)

Honestly, every time I eat dessert before my meal, I think of him, up there in Atlanta.

I really should give my Rogue a call and see about making a visit up there to him and Princeton.

I wonder what flights are costing these days?

Not this weekend, though.

Tony and Laura are having a big Margaritaville party again this year and I've been invited!

Hence, the need to get out my Ryobi these last few days to tame the yards.

When I say 'tame', that's exactly what I mean, too.

I am so tired of mowing all that grass!

As I told the physicist in our textversation, this task is cutting into my social life.

That's because I can't go out to mow until the shade covers the yard and the weather has cooled to something bearable.

That means no earlier than 7 PM, +/- a half hour.

Well, guess what?

That's when most social events get started!

What's a girl to do???

I'll tell you what I've done.

I have cut that grass to within an inch of its life, in both the front and back yards.

Seriously.

With any luck, the dry spell we're having for the next seven days will curtail new growth.

I'm planning to not drag out the Ryobi again until at least the 9th of September!

Hooray!

Two weeks vacation from grass maintenance!

 

I had intended to have the final mowing yesterday, but then it rained.

So, to perk myself up, I stopped in at Jason's Deli for a treat: dinner for a few days.

I bought a Salad Bar and a Kid's Chicken Penne Alfredo... then I packed out treats from the salad bar while they prepared the pasta.

The Broccoli Salad, with the pasta, was slunch when I got home.

The Red Pepper Hummus, with four pieces of garlic Toast and three mini-cornbread muffins, served me well as dinner last night.

Two of the boiled eggs went into a tortilla, with Mrs. Dash's Lemon Pepper and a packet of Mayo, for an Instant Egg Salad sandwich for breakfast today.

I plan to do the same tomorrow with the other two boiled eggs.

 

For dinner tonight, I cut up the red onion rings, the red pepper slices, and the zucchini strips and sauteed them with some of the Spicy Giardinera.

That all got mixed together with a can of tuna and some jasmine rice, and I have enough for a repeat tomorrow.

Plus, I still have cauliflower florets topped with Corn and Black Bean Salad for Wednesday!

Four dinners, two breakfasts, and a slunch: all for less than $17.

Thanks, Jason's Deli!

All I added was the tuna (85 cents), two tortillas (50 cent each), and the rice packet (1.29).

The mayo was free.

(smile!)

Can I stretch a budget or what?

And it's so nice to have things already mixed and ready to go.

I'll have to do this again when I'm tired of cooking.

Now, time for a little mindless TV - "Name That Tune" - and a little mindful TV - "The 1% Club" - with both on the one channel.

I'll only need the remote for the political 'mercials.

Speaking of that subject, Reverend Billy actually preached about the Blond Man on Sunday.

He sure did!

His very first sermon back from his summer off in New York City with his first grandchild, and it's a humdinger.

Wow.

Oops, time to go!

meals out three nights in a row

On Thursday, after completing my visit with my nutritionist, Elizabeth Carley, at the Savannah VA Center out southside, then bouncing back to the Telfair Pavilion in midtown for the annual mammogram, I was starving.

It was after 3 PM and breakfast was long gone.

So I went to Chili's, to use up the $5.50 balance on the gift card my blue-sky Penny and her hubby had given me for Christmas.

Great idea!

Chips and salsa, half a Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla, and a side salad were perfect!

Thanks, my cousin in Tallahassee!

On Friday, I headed over to Jalapenos of Sandfly, feeling a bit under the weather from the fat-laden meal the day before, but determined to go.

It was, after all, the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, and I had missed the last two weeks.

I even sat on one of the high chairs for a while, until the food came.

Then I put the chair away and enjoyed every bite of this Taco Salad with shredded chicken!

Truly I did!

As I told Laura, I bet i haven't had one of those in at least five years.

Then, as we were getting ready to go, I realized I had not yet gotten my check.

"Nope," Laura and Tony said, "today was 'Faustina Day' and your meal was free."

Say what???

My brother and his lovely wife were treating me to dinner!

Thank you, Tony and Laura!

Then, tonight, I returned the favor and treated Carolyn to dinner.

We'd had a mix-up at the cinema, with me going to one movie and her to another, then I'd screwed up the math on when the movies would end and missed her in the lobby.

So, I went home and missed the text that she had waited for me, but we had missed each other somehow.

When I texted back, she was at Carey the H on Waters, having a milkshake.

So, I got dressed again and joined her.

We haven't seen each other since the visitation for Barbara.

So, we sat and talked and caught back up for the next ninety minutes...

and I surprised her by buying her dinner...

that vanilla milkshake.

She has stitches in her tongue from biting it when she fell a few days ago at her house.

So, just soft foods for now until it heals up.

I'm so glad I came out to see her tonight.

i thank You, God, for all the love in my life.

invisible trees in the weather song

Sure, it looks like we're having unseasonably cooler weather... but we weren't.

 

This is the WSAV weather song from the 16th to the 22nd.

Those temperatures all have an added heat index of 15 degrees.

When I checked four days later, on Tuesday, the 20th, a change had set in and that high was higher.

However, the string of temperatures in the mid-80's was scheduled for all the way to Monday, the 26th.

That doesn't mean it was pleasant, as there was still a heat index, but it was "only" 9 degrees.

Now, after only three days, the weather song has had another change.

The temperature for today dropped a little, but the other days are now in the upper 80's rather the low 80's, and sunshine - and highs in the low 90's - are on their way.

Oh, and the heat index is back up to +10.

My guess is it'll rise, too.

Don't like the weather?

Just give it a few days, it'll change.

(smile!)

am i ready for this?

Let me preface this by saying that when someone asks to "friend" me on facebook, I usually allow it, figuring that they will eventually go away on their own.

So far, this guy is persisting.

All he has on his fb page is a photo from some time ago, with his two daughters, his status as a widower, and his location as Abu Dhabi.

Seriously.

Still, I okayed the request.

Within a few days, he started contacting me on fb Messenger.

I explained that I did not frequently use fb, so he suggested some other service and I declined.

The last thing I want is some unknown person blowing up my phone.

Then Barbara and Kal died and I had him lay off for a while.

He did, too.

Then, yesterday, he noticed I was on fb and started chatting.

I had no plans, so I responded, and we chatted there for almost an hour until I stopped.

My intention is to stay off for a few days.

I'm hoping he will go back over those messages in the meantime and really read them.

David Wilson is purportedly 63.

That's a little old to just be going on physical attraction, right?

Anyhow, here's the textversation from Messenger.

----------------------------

David Wilson
david.wilson.172318
You're friends on Facebook
Today at 12:26 PM

David Wilson
Hello

You sent
Hey, I was just leaving for doc appt. Will be back this evening.

David Wilson
Oh okay.

David Wilson
So tell me do you have any special man in your life right now?

[He has asked this every time we have chatted here.]
David Wilson
So What do you like for fun and what are your hobbies ?
----------------
Today at 8:04 PM

You sent
No man, romantically, in my life, but several close male friends that I've had for years.
You sent
For fun: movies , especially action, Marvel & DC Comics, rom-com, scifi, animated, musical.
You sent
Speaking of: musicals, opera, plays, concerts of Broadway tunes.
You sent
Speaking of: music of many genres, but grew up on country, rock, classical, and Broadway.

David Wilson
So what do you wish to tell me more about you ?

You sent
I used to be an avid reader, but I choose to get my story-telling via movies now.

David Wilson
Wow that's very nice.
David Wilson
Please if you don't mind can send me a picture of you?

You sent
you're on fb, so plenty of photos of me there.

David Wilson
Just send me one on here .

You sent
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php — with Faustina Smith at Margaritaville Party.
You sent
me with my youngest brother

David Wilson
Wow

You sent
taken last year

David Wilson

You sent
very nice
You sent
So, on your fb page, you had two daughters with you? How old is that photo?

David Wilson
It's 2 years old.
David Wilson
You look so beautiful and younger.

You sent
Thanks, I attribute that to never having to deal with teens.
You sent
My brothers get razzed a lot for looking older than me, though I am the first kid.

David Wilson
Wow that's awesome.
David Wilson
Do you believe in online relationship, have you been in any before?

You sent
I have not. I have used an online service for dating in the past, but it really isn't something I like. I prefer face to face, and I'm not iso a mate.
You sent
I've been married, and enjoyed being married, but I have been on my own for almost 17 years and like the freedom.

David Wilson
Will you love to get married again if only you find the right one?

You sent
Perhaps, but that implies that I am iso, and I am not.

David Wilson
Why won't you love to get married?
David Wilson
Have you had any bad experience from your past?

You sent
I find that many men are interested in having a wife take care of all the mundane stuff that they do not want to handle. I'm not saying the men don't love their wives, because I am sure they do. But the men want a wife, with all that word entails, and I am not interested in the responsibility of taking care of someone else. Taking care of me is responsibility enough.

David Wilson
Do you believe in love at first sight ?

You sent
I do, but I am old enough to also know about lust at first sight, and that folks have a habit of confusing the two four-letter words.

David Wilson
Ok.
David Wilson
So I guess you don't really like me that much.

You sent
Pardon? I don't even KNOW you yet. Is that not what we are doing right now: trying to get to know each other?

David Wilson
Yes that's it.
David Wilson
How many siblings do you have ?

You sent
I had 3, all brothers, but one died in 2021. How about you? Sisters? Brothers?

David Wilson
No I am the only child of my parents.
David Wilson
I lost my wife together with my mom in a car crash.

You sent
Wow.
You sent
How long ago was that?

David Wilson
That was 5 years ago.
David Wilson
If you don't mind me asking, why did you divorce your husband?

You sent
That's not very that long ago.

David Wilson
Ok.

You sent
Jeff and I divorced after 17 years. He had cheated on me with one of his old g'friends in the first two years of our marriage and I told him if he ever did again, I was gone. So that's what happened.
You sent
He and I are still very close, but we could not be a couple ever again.
You sent
I'm good friends with his current g'friend, they have been together 10 years.
I have to go now. Perhaps we shall converse here again in the next few days.

--------------------------------------------------------

 

I think a little distance is definitely needed.

I have been careful what I tell this guy, in case he turns out to be an issue.

Seriously, he's 63, been widowed 5 years, and has two school-age kids?

I think he's fishing for a mother and a wife, and I'm not up for those jobs.

2 a-lists and a p-a-t

I was able to finish out this week's A*List after all on this Tina Tuesday.

I had a 'house call' this afternoon, with Korema of Signify, and she listened intently to my tale of the deaths of Barbara and Kal, and my subsequent loss adjustment.

She also performed a peripheral artery test, using sensors on my thumbs and big toes, and pronounced my body had passed muster.

That's good.

Now that I'm no longer distracted by volunteer duties with the Savannah Voice Festival, the A-fib has returned.

Not good.

I'm supposed to be able to take the summers off, right?

Nope.

So, I started back on Sotalol this morning.

Hopefully my body will adjust in a week or so and I can stop it again.

So, what about the A*List thing?

I finished up this week's with a repeat of "Borderlands", as it leaves on Thursday.

That adventure with a firebird really was enjoyable!

"Ryan's World, The Movie: Titan Universe Adventure" was a lot of fun, too, with its blend of live action and anime.

I told Christina that I thought Chloe would really like it, too.

Then there's Elizabeth Banks in "Skincare", based on real stuff and nonsense between two high-end beauticians in Los Angeles, back in 2013.

Interesting and a bit wacky, and something I'd missed in the news back then.

And while I'm on the topic of my dance card, I'd missed this one.

Between loss adjustment, a tropical storm that dumped tons of water - YES, MY ROOF IS FINE, THANKS - and the start of SVF12, writing about it slipped my mind.

Well, kinda sorta.

I had mentioned "Twisters" and the second one, both seen as a double header, but I'd not added anything about seeing "Inside Out 2" the next day.

So, let's say these were dance partners I liked enough to sashay with again.

Yes, let's.

(smile!)

flashback: 19 august 2006?

I'm just guessing at the year that these photos were taken. When the fb memory popped up, it said they were from 2008, but that's incorrect. 

For one thing, the ex is in the photos, and he was living in Mississippi then. 

Also, at some point after our divorce in 2007, Amy had kicked me and Monica out of "Pool Nights at Doug's", me for being divorced and her for being single.

She told us we had no business there with other women's husbands. 

Even though we had been playing pool with the guys for several years...

even though we had all known each other since the early 1990's...

even though our friendship with the guys had preceded Amy's entry into the group...

Monica and I were no longer welcome at Doug's Pool Hall on Tuesday nights.

For real.

So, these photos are just in honor of a time in the past when we would get together to blow off steam, play pool, and listen to good music.

(smile!)

Here's Doug Povie, the man whose man-cave we gathered in.

This features Jason Onks, the only oboe player I've ever known, as he lines up a shot.

(I think he and Beth and their two girls now live in Tennessee.)

Jeff McDermott, my ex, has his back to the camera as he watches the play.

Others who were watching are Rob Norman and Monica McDermott.

Notice all the pictures on the walls!

Doug's Pool Hall really was a swanky place, even though if was in a shed in his back yard.

And these two women on the sofa are both wives of two of the men.

Lindsay, on the left, is Rob's wife.

That's Amy Povie beside her.

Good times, good times...

7 brides for 7 brothers, kinda sorta

"That's a pretty old movie. Where did you see that?"

It's only 4 years older than me! By the way, that's the same age difference between Trump and Biden. That came up in a conversation with Danny Beam on fb. I don't think he realized the Blond Man was 78 years old, the same age Biden was when he was elected in 2020. I know there is a minimum age for Presidents, but there should be a maximum age, too.

"Listen, I'm not getting into a political rant..."

No, me, neither, sorry. That "4 year" thing got me.

"So... back to the movie, then?"

Sure thing! And, no, I haven't seen "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" since I watched it with Mama on a Saturday afternoon when I was in high school. Still, that musical is what came to mind tonight while I was attending "The Pirates Of Penzance".

"Say what? The movie had nothing to do with ships and islands and modern Major Generals."

True, all true, nor did the show have aught to do with farm life and mountains. However, there were several single men involved and several unwed daughters and by the end, all were fairly well matched up!

"Strange, I don't recall that being in the story when you saw it several years ago."

That's because you are confused. This was my very first time ever seeing "The Pirates Of Penzance". You've heard some of the songs before, and you've heard of how Reverend Billy and Cheri met at auditions for that musical while both were seeking careers on Broadway several decades ago. However, I have never seen the play, so neither have you. I think you have it confused with "H.M.S. Pinafore", which is also by Gilbert and Sullivan.

"Snap. Yes, you're correct, and that was longer ago than I had thought. At least I had remembered it was performed by the Asbury Memorial Theatre troupe."

That is correct. Tonight's performance was the penultimate show from the SVF12, with me again serving as a volunteer with Kim, Penny, and Lonnie. This was, by far, the largest audience yet, more than 200! And here's the biggest difference: children were there!!! Hooray!!! The majority of the events have a lot of white - or dyed - hair sitting in the seats.

"That's not good. What made the difference?"

The show was performed at the Yamacraw Performing Arts Center. That's part of Garrison Middle School, so that helped greatly. Having students actually in the play, as well as more children helping behind the scenes, was a great encouragement for a younger audience, too. Remember how big the audience had been for "The Little Prince"? Same venue, same involvement level with children. Chad Sonka, the director, had a lot to do with that.

"Good for him! And good for the Savannah VOICE Festival, too. They need to try to include something to bring in that crucial younger audience. hard to have a festival if your audience is all aging out of attending."

For real. So, shall I tell you about the story behind this comic opera?

"Yes, please!"

Let's start with the modern Major General, shall we? He's an aged fellow, played quite nicely by Torlef Borsting, and he has a plethora of daughters not yet married off. What to do, what to do? Enter the Pirate King (Logan C. Kenison) with problem of his own. Frederic (Joshua Berg), an indentured servant and the hardest worker on his ship, newly turned 21, with his freedom kicking in at midnight. Oh, no! An attempt to trick him into staying - saying that since he was born on February 29 and thus has not yet had 21 'birthdays' - failed. Oh, but the lad had met and fallen in love with Mabel (Abigail Brodnick), one of the MJ's daughters! Surely he could not expect her to wait for him to serve out his indenture until that 21st 'birthday'!

"Hahahaha! Hoisted by math!!!"

Ah, not yet! You see, the military man has discovered that these pirates are all actually noblemen who, bored with their lives, took on the sea. Noblemen? And all single? Perfect for marrying off his daughters! And that would end their life at sea, too, so there would be no need for a lad to do all the heavy lifting anymore. Happiness for all!

"Hahahaha! Such fun!!!"

Truly it was. I'm so glad my final volunteer gig was with this delightful show! I even got to see Jim LoBue and Sue Gorecki there, too, as well as familiar faces from this season. Many thanks to the SVF12 for allowing me to partake!

i wore this for you

"Oh, thank you! I do so love this springtime dress."

Not the dress, silly rabbit. Look closer. I'm talking about the group of chemical symbols spelling out my name. "I wore this for you" is what I said to Sherrill Milnes tonight, pointing out my name. He's been calling me "oo-sure", which seems to be the pronunciation of the word "usher" in other languages.

"Hahahaha! That's a hoot!"

That seems to be the general consensus. Penny told me that's how "usher" would be pronounced in Hebrew. Lonnie, who has a degree in microbiology, thought it very clever to use the chemical symbols. Kim, a former nurse, told me that the chemical symbols are no longer used on labels at the hospitals. The names of the chemicals, including drugs, are spelled out.

"Actually, that doesn't seem odd. Hospitals have to be concerned with malpractice suits, so spelling names in full would be the safer thing to do. How did the Maestro react to your name display?"

He seemed a bit thrown by what F-Au-S-Ti-Na meant, so I'm guessing he's not versed in chemistry. But, when I pronounced my name, he responded "That's a very old name." So, then, of course, I told him about Faustina the Elder and her husband, Antoninus Pius, and the temple in the Forum. He smiled at that, then went on to the sanctuary.

"Well, that's cool! And what was going on tonight? And were you at Asbury Memorial?"

"Back To Broadway" was the event, which would be my penultimate volunteer gig for SVF12. And, yes, this was at my church, and was the final event at this venue.

"I do hope lots of familiar faces were there! After all, Asbury is the home of 'God On Broadway', so folks should have turned out in droves!"

There were some. Helen Downing was there, also Tom Lewis and some of those in the theatre-going group he's put together.

"That's good. Hey, there's something oddly familiar about this photograph..."

Right? I didn't notice the similarity when I took this shot right before the show started. But it looks a lot like that painting the ex has, doesn't it? "Sparkling Night", by Misha Lenn, is its name. I have the magnet of that painting. We'd bought the artwork on that Mediterranean cruise we took in 2002. Smitty had let us have the 8-day trip, a promo offering from Johnson Wholesale Floors, since our 10-year anniversary would fall during it. Plus, I told him I'd take the cruise instead of a raise that year. I knew he'd go for that.

"I remember that. You and Jeff went to the Isle of Capri on October 24th to celebrate the day. Then you went searching for a leather purse when the ferry landed back in Naples. What a memorable vacation that was!"

Most definitely. That's when Jeff noticed my name carved above the pillars of a temple when we were tromping around in the Forum. Wow.

"Wow. That's still such a 'wow' moment, all these years later. So, how was the show?"

The show? Oh, yes, back to the present! So, there were only six singers. Torlef Borsting, who isn't in that stage photo I took, was the only one I didn't know. The three women, from left to right, were Emily Yocum Black (checking her makeup), Kyaunnee Richardson (adjusting her hair), and Leah Huber (perched on the stool). James Wright III and Carlton Moe are the two fellows eying the women raptly. (smile!)

"Yes, very nice! Not exactly like the seriolithograph by Lenn, but definitely in the same flavor."

Exactly. As for the show, there were several songs that I loved. James did such a tender version of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" that it brought me to tears. "Sing For Your Supper", done by Kyaunnee, Emily, and Leah, in three cutely choreographed numbers, was great fun! But it was "Think Of Me", the one song on tonight's program from "The Phantom Of The Opera", that was the absolute highlight! Kyaunnee sang the part of 'Christine' beautifully... but the unexpected - and surprise to all - cameo performed by Carlton truly stole the entire night!

"I'm sure! I know you have a soft spot for that tenor, don't you?"

 Most def I do! I wonder if he'll be in tomorrow night's musical? I hope so!

it's the hair

This morning, naught would do but that I watch "The Croods".

I felt absolutely compelled to see it, and to see it now, before doing anything else.

Fortunately, I have it keepsaked in "my stuff" on Peacock, so I could do so.

But it wasn't until nearly the end that I realized what had pulled me so hard.

It was Eep's hair, that unruly mass of red flaring out to both sides of her head, calling to me.

I was very familiar with that hair.

Barbara Nixon, mi amiga, had that hair, too.

That's her, of course, in the blue shirt.

Sandy had posted this photo on Tuesday, of the three of us posing with the bear, from our Beech Mountain vacation in 2017.

That would be four years after the movie debuted.

The photo had come up as a fb memory for Sandy.

By coincidence, I'd had my coffee that morning in the mug I'd made (during the first year of the pandemic) as a memento for each of us. 

Loss adjustment, ongoing, still, for both of us.

When I told Sandy of me starting my day with that cup on that Tuesday, she responded that it was one of her favorite mugs, too.

Right place, right time.

I'll have to recommend this movie about a strong-willed, red-haired, woman to that amiga.

Perhaps it will be a solace for her, as it has been for me.

As the next generation of frothy red-orange hair said, using the tagline of Belt: "Ta dah!!!"

(smile!)