but... what about Ben?

This day has held a series of misadventures all around me.

Take this morning at the Savannah VA. I had an 11:45 AM appointment for blood labs, as I see my PCP next Friday. I was there at 11:38, so good for me! However, there I sat... and sat... and sat.

I tried to be patient, I did. I even entertained myself with the song from my mental jukebox that had cued up upon my waking: "Video Killed The Radio Star". Very cool tune for doing knee flexions and knee extensions, especially in the tall chair I had chosen.

 

But enough was enough.

At 12:20 PM, I snagged one of the staff as she called yet another newcomer into the lab. I asked her what was going on, as I'd been waiting for more than thirty minutes. 

She looked surprised at that, but took my name and said she'd find out what the problem was.

Then I sat... sat... sat, another 15 minutes, until another staff member ushered me inside.

She was one of Ms. Barker's assistants and she'd recognized my name at once when the other woman has asked.

So she had come to my rescue.

Someone else on the staff had marked that they had me in their booth...but they did not... and the other staff had just accepted that I had been called in earlier and was still there, getting blood drawn.

She had to print out my name labels again, as the others were past time, and that took a few minutes.

Thankfully, only blood was needed this time, not urine, so she had me out of there by noon58.

My late morning appointment had taken almost 75 minutes.

As I walked toward the bathroom and stepped past the reception desk in the main lobby, I saw this colorful sign: "Game Time! The 4th and 5th Wednesdays of each month, at 1300"!

I mean to remember that for next week and the week after!

Chances are I would have missed that sign if my blood draw had been on time.

 

What was next on my agenda?

Brunch at Texas Roadhouse, that's what!

Melaness had given me a gift card there, and, as I'd told the nurse, "they will feed me now!"

The problem was, they did not.

The usual first course of dinner rolls never came.

The hostess did not bring a basket of them with her when she seated me, nor did Marquis ever ask me about them.

Not that he was a bad waiter.

He probably assumed that I'd deferred on the rolls, as he saw me eating the bagged roasted peanuts on the table.

My Tater Skins came out quickly, and he checked on me several times to make sure all was well.

And the food was great!

I held the Skins like pizza as I ate them... yum!

Half the order went home with me... as well as a bag of four dinner rolls.

As I departed, I stopped by the front desk and asked for the rolls, as I'd not been given them.

The hostess and scheduler were flustered, but I got the rolls!

Then I was off to AMC for the 2:15 PM screening of "The Room Next Door".

The synopsis said Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton were two old friends who hadn't seen each other in many years, until circumstances brought them back together.

What it did not say was that Tilda had terminal cancer and wanted to find someone to be close by when she took the euthanasia pill.

Julianne had been quite a few choices down on her list, but the others had been aghast and refused to be present for the suicide.

Julianne had been aghast, too, at first, but had relented.

But it wasn't until after the fact that the situation got to me.

The police were determined to arrest Julianne for aiding and abetting the suicide, which was illegal in that state.

Suicide was considered to be a crime???

What the fresh hell???

I needed a hug.

As it was almost 5 PM, I knew just where to go: Jalapenos in Sandfly.

The Smiths and Kamerons would be gathering there, with hugs a-plenty.

Plus, I could deliver the Christmas cards for my brothers that Aunt Linda sent to me.

Smitty and Mary were there, surprised to see me, as I'd said last week that I would not be able to join them this time around.

So I explained about the movie and got hugs.

Then Betsy and the Kameron brothers came and I got more hugs.

Tony and Laura didn't come tonight.

That's probably for the best, as we talked about suicides in our lives.

I seem to know many more than they do: Jean Marie; David Kopek in 2013, then his brother, Brian, a few years later; and now Kal, who killed Barbara, too.

What an odd night.

 

True to my word to Smitty and Mary, I didn't stay long, as I had a dance performance to attend.

As I had written on my fb page earlier this week, "Movement In Motion: Where Art Meets Emotion" sounded like exactly the kind of show I would love!

Plus, the show was free!

However, it never happened, as it was postponed for some undefined future time, according to the student there at the door at the Savannah Arts Academy.

She couldn't tell me or the others waiting why, just that it had been announced that morning at school.

Well, hell's belles.

I could have gone to the Jepson for their screening of "Steamboy", had I known.

Drats.

So I returned home, finding absolutely naught of interest.

Peacock to my rescue for the third time this week!

They had Hallmark's "Ruby Herring Mysteries" mini-series and they'd proved enjoyable.

The premise was this: the widow of a Seattle cop, Ruby (Taylor Cole) hosts a "news you can use" segment on a local TV station, and helps Jake (Stephen Huszar) solve homicides.

Not that he wants her to, but he's a transplanted NY cop and she knows folks.

In the first movie, "Silent Witness", a friend of Ruby's mom gets killed before a cooking convention and that's how Ruby gets involved in the case.

In the second movie, "Her Last Breath", a famous health guru dies in an auto accident, but it's found to be homicide by the coroner.

In both movies, we see Ruby visiting the grave of her late husband, Ben, and having talks as if he were there.

Very nice!

Then, something skips a note and throws off the melody of these movies.

For "Prediction Murder", which concerns a five-year-old cold case of a fortune teller that was killed in her shop, no mention is made at all - not once - about Ruby being a widow.

Not once, not even by her mom.

Instead, there's this supposed "left at the altar" story of her, with the high-school sweetie, and now famous cardiac doctor, back in town for their class reunion.

Say what???

I can understand now why that 2019 series only had three movies.

I'm sure I wasn't the only viewer who wanted to know: What about Ben???

Such an odd day this has been.

first friday fiesta of the year!

I thought briefly about taking a photo of the Smiths & Kamerons, but didn't. 

Then that idea fluttered right out of my head!

Maybe it was because Addison was still home on winter break from UGA and was there by her dad on this occasion.

Maybe it was because Mark had switched seats with Smitty and was sitting beside my youngest brother, down at my end of the table.

I know I brought up the "Dining In The Dark" event, mentioning that I'd entered a drawing for two of the tickets to it.

It's a fundraiser for the Savannah Center For Blind And Low Vision, and WRHQ was hosting the giveaway.

Winning tickets would be the only way I could go, as they were $150 apiece.

Hey, it's a fundraiser!

Anyway, as I said, I told Laura that if I won, I'd like her to go with me.

Then she says, "I think you should take Mark with you!"

Ever the matchmaker, she is!

So I asked him and he didn't want to be served in the dark by SWAT personnel wearing night-vision goggles.

LOL!

What a sight that must be!

I couldn't even imagine eating Sopas Caseras in the dark, much less gourmet food.

Still, maybe one day I'll give that a try... but I'll wear clothes that are already stained!

(smile!)

ho-ho-holy shiite!

What a treat it's been to watch Santa Claus in action against those who have been naughty!

Just looking at him here, after he's hoisted a few pints in England, it's clear from his expression that he has had his fill of greedy children and naughty, naughty, people.

Then he's off to make his deliveries to the few children on the "Nice" list, eventually getting to Connecticut, for one gift on an estate full of naughty, naughty people.

Well, save, one, a little girl named Gertrude, who goes by the nickname Trudy.

She even baked cookies herself for Santa... and even gave him a candy cane.

The 1100 year old man really enjoyed all that!

Trudy is such a sweetheart that when the machine gun-toting naughty people have beat up on Santa and have him surrounded in a shed, she asks him what one wish he would wish at that moment, because he deserved some Christmas magic, too.

Nice, right?

That wish to see his wife again and tell her he loved her led to him finding a sledgehammer in that storage barn... 

and, with Trudy's encouragement, he proceeds to make it a "Violent Night" for the naughty, naughty people by reverting back to his Viking past as Nicomund The Red.

Not that he relied on the sledgehammer alone.

Oh, no.

The things that man could do with a candy cane and a pair of ice skates - wooo weee!!!

Sheer artistry!

Many thanks to Comcast for the $1 Movie Night Reward!

Many thanks to David Harbour for truly bringing home the meaning of Christmas by his tender interactions with the little girl who still believed in magic!

I can totally relate to that.

I'm going to enjoy that message for the next two nights.

thanks, schomburg!

"Schomburg? You mean John and Sherry were in town?"

 

Yes, they were!!! And they weren't the only Schomburgs at Jalapenos, either.

 

"Oh, sweet, they were there for the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta!"

Well, sure, kinda sorta. They were here to visit with the parents, but also to catch up face to face with friends.

"That's wonderful! So his brother was there, too?"

Yes, Brian was. That's him on the left, with older brother John. I didn't remember him from back in the day, but I don't recall much from my high school days, and even less from those at Myers Middle School. I mostly know John from my years of working with Smitty. Anyway... I was saying that both Schomburg brothers were there, as were their wives. I actually spent a lot of time chatting with Regina, Brian's wife, and their daughter Delaney. She goes to Savannah Arts Academy!!! She's in the choral program there, but is hoping to get into the Skylarks group next year, when she'll be a junior.

"I see. I'm so glad you were able to connect with them and help them feel like part of the group. They hadn't been there before, had they?"

I don't believe they had. They weren't familiar with the menu. It didn't matter to the girl, as she just got a cheese quesadilla. But the mom wanted something else, something different. I recommended the shrimp ceviche, as that's what I had promised myself, and Regina loved it! She ate every bit, just as I did.

"I am so glad you were able to steer her to that! Maybe she and Brian might come out again some time for y'all's Friday gatherings."

Maybe so! As it was, she and I were at the end of the fourth table, so we really didn't hear anything going on at the other three tables. Like, right here, where Smitty was regaling all with a story of stupid things in the past - we had no idea which story it was. LOL! Tony was missing, but all of the rest of our usual group were there, plus The Kameron girl was still home from UGA. All total, there were 13 of us. Claudia was kept quite busy!!!

"Oh, my!!! Quite a crowd!"

Yes, it was. I'm thankful that the guy at the bar saw me and helped move in that fourth table. You know the guy I mean? The one who always teases Smitty? The one I talked to about the tall chairs giving me sciatica and he mentioned his mom had that?

"Sure, I know who you mean! The one who comes up and kind of flirts with Smitty!"

Yeah, that's the guy. I don't know his name, but he is almost always there.

"Maybe you can find out next time. Anyway, you haven't said why you dedicated this post to Schomburg. I'm assuming you mean John, not his brother?"

That's right, John, not Brian. So there we all were and I'd been chatting with Regina, then she left and John moved over to me. And he proceeded to tell me a story about Mama, one I didn't know. You see, when he was younger, it was considered nice to give a token of appreciation to companies for their business. So, he took a turkey and a ham out to Union Camp for the mill manager... and Mama was the manager's secretary. Well, she invited John to the company dinner, so he went. And Mama called out to him and had him sit with her at the manager's table, introducing him to all the bigwigs there. Next thing you know, the folks at Union Camp have quadrupled their orders with John's company! John said his orders went from $20,000 to $30,000 per month to $100,000 per month!!! And everyone who placed an order asked him, "How do you know Sybil? How do you know Sybil?"

"What a wonderful story!"

Right? And he told it to me apropos of nothing. No segue in the conversation, just off the cuff. I regarded it as an unexpected gift, with due gratitude for the telling of it. It really made my night, it did. Like a Christmas present from the past.

i thank You, God.

new configuration and an old(er) who

Yeah, that sounds like it would be an opener 

from an organic chemisty teacher 

for an Abbott and Costello joke riffing on baseball, 

but it ain't.

The joke's on you!

(smile!) 

I'm retired from that now!

Hahahaha!

So just what is it that I'm saying?

These are the words coming out of my mouth:

we had a new arrangement of brothers

at the S&K Friday Fiesta!

I had my coat on the back of the chair next to Mary,

so Laura sat in Betsy's chair,

leading Tony to sit beside Smitty in Mark's chair.

Addison sat next to him in her daddy's chair,

with Becca in her own usual chair.

Betsy was ill, so she never made it.

So where did the Kameron brothers sit?

They were to each side of me on my end of the table!

That was magnificent!!!

We don't usually get a chance to chat, so we loved it!

Tony loved being able to talk with Smitty,

Laura loved talking uninterrupted with Mary,

and the two young ones loved their talk, too!

The question now is: where to seat Betsy next week?

Hahahaha!

More comedy awaited when I got home.

AARP MFG had "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", the 2000 version with Jim Carrey staying true to the green one's spirit.

Hooray!

By the movie's end, I had a question.

Just how old might be Taylor Momsen,

the sweet-faced child that portrayed

Cindy Lou Who?

She had to have been 6 or 7 back then, right?

She was actually 6 years old during the filming, as that was in the latter half of 1999.

Taylor Momsen is now 31 years old.

That's only ten years younger than my first niece.

Wow... mind blown.

Then again, the story is 67 years old,

which I shall be next birthday.

I wonder if she watches this version of the story

every year, or the cartoon one on TV?

Actually, I wonder if she watches either?

She was apparently teased badly in school for being

"the Grinch girl".

I guess Paul Harvey would call that "the rest of the story",

and now I know it, too.

misfits and a 43-year-old angel

As noted yesterday, today's weather has had me housebound all day.

That doesn't mean I've sat around twiddling my thumbs, mind you.

It just means the front door was opened once, and that was to bring in the mail.

No Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, but I did have Po' Girl Ceviche for dinner.

(smile!)

I had a bowl of Mama's Tuna Chowder for lunch, too.

Warm foods, warm thoughts.

(smile!)

Then, the Universe gifted me a treat: "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" on TV!!!

I had pulled the three bins of Christmas decorations out of the closet several days ago, and had the Christmas tree in the living room, but that had been as far as I'd gone.

Then, something happened that spurred me to action: Rudolph, Hermie, and Yukon Cornelius landed on the Island of Misfit Toys.

By the time the little polka-dotted elephant appeared onscreen, my toys were in place!

That felt very good to have accomplished!

(smile!)

Then I located the tree skirt Mama made and it was time to decorate the tree while watching "Every Day But Christmas", a favorite about second chances on Bounce.

The first to be placed, of course, was Mama's angel, made in 1981.

That makes her two years older than my first niece, by the way.

The same is true of the little red car, the rocking horse, and the glitter-trimmed gingerbread house, all ceramic pieces she made that year and sent to me in Okinawa.

Those three were the last ones on the tree.

(smile!)

Then I plugged in the light cord... and was greeted with the tiny purple lights!

Just beautiful, and certainly personalized just for me!

(smile!)

I have Grandma's embroidery under the tree, for Tony.

He'll be coming tomorrow with the fruitcake Mark brought for me!

When Tony texted a few minutes ago, that's when I decided to give the framed work to him.

I doubt he has any mementos from our grandparents.

This was something I usually hung in the hall, swapping it out with another one from her.

"Twas the night before Christmas..." the piece here reads, with her initials and the year, "1991", and she gifted it to Mama and Frank that year.

I'm sure they're the ones who had it framed, keeping the gift tag on the back.

Yes, I'll ask my youngest brother if he would like it.

I'm sure he will.

(smile!)

everlasting, or the last?

That was the question still tugging at my post-anesthesia brain tonight as I went off to the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta.

I decided to let the evening's end make the decision for me.

If the dinner time with my brothers ended around 6:30 PM, then I would be off to the event with the 7 PM start.

However, if dinner ran a bit longer, then it would be the 7:30 PM entertainment for me.

Easy enough, n'est-ce pas?

(smile!)

I began dinner at my usual place, standing between Laura and my youngest brother.

I told them, and everyone else, about "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever".

"It would be a wonderful family outing about the reason for the season!", I said.

They seemed to be interested, so maybe they'll take Hope and her boys.

That would be very nice!

Then, after ordering the beef nachos, I moved up to Becca's empty chair, as she was off with her mom tonight.

I had intended to stay only until the servers came with our food, but, before I knew it, the nachos were in front of me, cheese bubbling hot!

 

I switched from sitting to standing, to keep that high-top chair from waking me up with sciatica on Saturday morning, as it has in the past.

So I carried on talking with Jimmy and Mark about "Conclave".

Rather, Jimmy and I talked, but Mark was definitely tuned in.

(smile!)

I do hope they'll see it, as I'd like to get their perspective, as Catholics, on the story.

Then the bills came, and the hugs came!

That was very nice, too.

The time was just after 7 PM.

Decision made for me, it was off to Jenkins Hall at Armstrong for me!

(smile!)

The Last Laugh Improv Troupe was offering fun, fun, and fun, and for free, free, free!

That was an unexpected bonus for my wallet!

The stage contained 8 chairs, as well as two pairs of stools at each side.

That foretold a pretty large number of performers!

Pam Sears came up to greet me, then she and her husband (Les) sat behind me.

Most excellent!

She said something about this being a very inclusive group of young people, but I figured that just meant the usual: color-blind, gender-blind, orientation-blind.

It also includes those who are other-abled!

 

That was not just for show, either, as Dylan O'Brien was called to take part many times.

The second sketch was called LCD and the players were Luke, C J, Deja, and  Dylan.

That acronym stood for "Location, Career, Death (cause)" and we in the audience shouted out those parameters once the players (except Luke) went back stage.

Well, all except Luke. 

Like the old kid game of "Telephone", he (Luke) was charged with miming the L, C, and D to the second player (C J, in this case) until that player understood what they were.

Then that player would mime to the third person (Deja), as the first person (Luke) lay "dead' on the floor.

Then, the third person (Deja) would mime to the fourth (Dylan) until that person "got" what the LCD was, and then collapse to the floor, "dead".

At the game's end, the dead would rise again and the troupe captain would ask the foursome if they understood what the parameters had been.

That was definitely part of the fun!

They all knew that the location had been "nail salon" - applause for them!

Only the first one knew "lunch lady" (which had been my career suggestion!), but C J knew it was someone in food service.

And they all knew that food was the cause of death, though none but Luke had guessed that the particular dish was "pizza".

Applause for all anyway!!!

(smile!)

Some of their sketches I already knew from years of watching Odd Lot: "World's Worst", "Press Conference", "Slips", "Freeze" - such fun!

I hadn't known the troupe was taking audience lines on pieces of paper or I surely would have contributed my two cents' worth!

Some of my favorite Odd Lot skits had been "Slips" seen with my ex and Amy!

In the game of "Slips" tonight, Melanie, Liana, and C J were "grave robbers" tasked with digging up some treasure while interspersing the audience's suggestions with their own.

Very funny when they realized the treasure was Michael Jackson!

(smile!)

Odd Lot did "Freeze" sometimes, but also did a variation called "Changing Channels", which still consisted of two players on stage at a time, with other players tagging in to change the direction of the unfolding dialogue.

Let me see, what else?

Oh, yes, the other skit new to me tonight: "Top That".

They played as teams, with a person from each team facing off against an opponent.

They were given a motion to do, such as waving two arms up and down, and then tasked with saying what they were doing.

They took turns until either one got flustered and stalled, or the timer went off, then the winner of that round would be determined.

That game had five rounds, plus a last-try round to see if there would be a tie.

Definitely a fun evening!

My thanks to the Universe for putting me in the right place, right time!

Now, time for bed!

After all, on Daylight Savings Time - which I still keep - it's after midnight.

My brain, and body, are requiring at least 9 hours of sleep lately, so that is what they shall most definitely have.

Listen to your bodies, y'all!

making sure the driver can see

I've had the windshield wiper for most of a month.

Allstate had given me a 7-dollar coupon for buying $31 of car maintenance stuff.

For real!

So I bought the one new wiper - 22" for my side - and a quart of oil.

The ones in the photo above are both the same brand, same style, believe it or not.

It's just that the lower one has spent better than three years wiping water, leaves, pollen, et alia, off the glass, come rain or sun or wind.

The sun had faded the black paint to a dull gray; the blade was ragged and brittle.

Now, only the passenger side has a faded arm and tattered rubber.

Maybe I'll see about a new wiper for that side the next time I get a coupon...

maybe!

Now, off I go for the first Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta in three weeks!

Later!

(smile!)

butterflies, tacos, and a flashback

I took out some trash and recycling and caught movement out of the corner of my eye!

The butterflies and moths were supping on lantana nectar!

My bushes aren't nearly as lush as they have been in the past, but plenty of  insects thought they were still lovely!

My heart was filled with gratitude to be able to provide this oasis to the wandering travelers!

Soon enough, it was time to go see family at Jalapenos of Sandfly!

The Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta had arrived, and all the usual suspects were there!

I ordered three crunchy beef tacos again, and I'm glad I did.

Not for my, but for brother Tony!

He was glad to have one, with its flashback to dinners of our youth!

But be not confused - that's not the flashback referred to in the post title.

I'm getting to that, truly I am.

After dinner, I'd taken my busy, vibrant woman self over to Jenkins Hall on Armstrong, looking forward to a night of free improv with "The Last laugh".

Sadly, that must have been cancelled.

So I bopped over to AMC with my A*List in hand, hoping to get lucky.

Fortunately, the new movie, "Saturday Night", was in previews - 

right place, right time!

That movie was absolutely perfect for me tonight!

I was only 15 years old on October 11, 1973, when the show first aired.

What a flashback to that very night, tonight, exactly 51 years later.

Right place, right time, for a movie I'd not been that excited about... and that just may net me a trip to New York City!

The movie, almost a documentary, absolutely nailed the frenetic pacing of everyone involved behind the scenes of any show - whether a musical, a play, or a TV broadcast - in the last hour or so before the show goes live.

The casting director is to be commended, too, for perfectly assigning roles to actors that captured the look, sound, and mannerisms of the actual people in that first episode of the "Saturday Night" show.

How wonderful to see again faces long gone: Gilda Radnor, John Belushi, George Carlin, Jim Henson, Andy Kaufman, Michael O'Donoghue, and Billy Preston.

Bravo!

I was in search of laughs... and this movie certainly delivered!

Maybe I'll even give the television show, "SNL", another shot tomorrow night.

I've been out of the habit of watching it for years.

(smile!)

now, and later

When I saw how the photo turned out, all I could think about was the candy.

 

Hahahaha!

 

I didn't even order a dessert this time!

 

Sure, I had the crunchy beef taco (as I call them), but rather than my usual order of one or two, I went ahead and got a trio.

 

I knew one would be going home with me... and they must have guessed that, too.

 

Why else would the folks at Jalapenos of Sandfly group them that way?

 

(smile!) 

It was so good to be there this week!

 

Helene had messed up our S&K Friday Fiesta time and we had all missed sharing this meal time.

 

I was just a little late, as I wanted to finish up the front yard.

 

I knew rain was coming, and it held off until I got the Ryobi back into the shed.

 

Even with the blade nearly on the highest setting, I'd barely been able to finish the other half yesterday.

 

I'm glad I was out there then.

 

I'd been out of sorts because my electricity was out until Monday.

 

Sonny Maness was driving by and stopped to chat, letting me know he still didn't have power.

 

He lives in my neighborhood, too.

 

And last night, while catching up on fb, I found out my cousin Lynn Lee, down in Waycross, still doesn't have power and is looking at next week before she will.

 

Nothing like a little perspective to make a person feel blessed.

 

Now, I think I'll watch a movie on Peacock - "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - and enjoy the fact that I have that option.

 

i thank You, God.

treats before and after greenwich

This was the first treat: a nearly free screening of "Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse"!

NCG Cinema has begun its Fall Family Film Festival of five movies.

Each is only $2 and they have mini-combos of popcorn, candy, and drink for $5.

Sure sounds like a sweet breakfast deal to me at 11 AM... and it was, too!

Plus, I'd forgotten how good this second one was.

Now, I'm looking forward to the third one to resolve this cliffhanger!

(smile!)

The second treat came along with the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta.

Curious I was about the seating experiment begun last week.

How would my brothers and their wives and friends be configured this time???

Ah... just as they have done for every other time they've met at Jalapenos of Sandfly.

Well, last week was a nice change, so who knows?

It might get repeated at some future date... it could happen.

(smile!)

Hungry for a change, I ordered dessert as dinner.

Not sopapilla...

not churros...

flan.

Isn't it gorgeous?

It was extremely filling, too, as well as perfectly creamy and rich and caramel.

All that a good egg custard is meant to be: 

perfect.

(smile!)

melanie and sam and dave

"Hey, hey! You met some new folks? Or had visitors?"

Well, I did meet some new people tonight! Barri Marshall played veejay at the "Sing & Swing Family Fling" at Asbury Memorial Church, in Holliday Hall, and guess what? I got to do some karaoke!!!

"Holy cow! You haven't done any of that since before the pandemic!"

That's right, and I could tell I was a bit rusty. But you know what? It's just like riding a bike!

"It came right back to you?"

Nope, more like when I fell off tempo, I just got right back on again!

"Hahahaha! Glad to hear it!"

Me, too. That crazy Danny Beam even shouted out to me, "Choir practice at 6:30 on Wednesday nights!" - lol! For everybody to hear! Then he told me again later, before he and Barbara left.

"He's really a good guy! Is that him up there singing?"

Sure 'nough! He enlisted his oldest grandson, Caleb, to hold the microphone. After all, he needed his hands free for Joe Cocker's "You Can Leave Your Hat On"! Very cool! Then, later, he and his lovely wife did "I Got You, Babe", with Danny down on his knees as Sonny.

"He certainly is an entertainer! So, what song made him notice your voice?"

My very first one. You know I usually start with "Brand New Key", right? This time, I made sure to mention that Melanie, the singer, had recently died. That may be what prompted Danny to pay homage to "the late, great, Joe Cocker" in his opening. The other song I performed was "Hold On, I'm Coming" by Sam & Dave. I hadn't realized that was meant to be sung as a duet, so that's the one I kept "falling off".

"Oh, you haven't done that for a while. The last time would have been at a karaoke night at Post 36 some few years ago."

Yeah. That was when one of the women there asked me why I was doing a song meant for men to sing. Really. That just blew my mind.

"I remember. Hey, why didn't you do more songs tonight?"

Well, I missed the first hour of karaoke. Tonight was the first new S&K configuration at Jalapenos and, as I felt partly responsible, I just had to be there. Then, I was having such fun that I stayed until we were all done with our Friday Fiesta!

"I see that Betsy was at your end of the table."

So was Becca, right beside her. In fact, somehow it had worked out that all the women had one table and all the men had the other!

"Well, that's certainly a change!"

Yes, it was! I think it just may carry on like this next time, too. I know Tony really liked being down there with the guys and being part of the conversation! I liked our conversation, too. Ronnie and Robin got mentioned by either Laura or Mary or both. They were surprised at what I hadn't known, but I'd reminded them that I was in San Diego until 1984, then I'd started college and was gone again. That would have been down to Tallahassee for summer of 86' and '87, then for grad school from 1988 onward.

"Right, I know that's how you missed stuff in that decade."

Right? And yet I knew some things they didn't about that situation. It's always a surprise to me when I find that to be the case.

"Well, you know Mama would tell you things that she wouldn't tell your brothers or anyone else. I'm glad y'all had that close friendship."

Me, too. I think a visit to her is overdue.

beauty of a gas stove!

"Did you lose power or something?"

Nope! I toasted some marshmallows for dessert!

"Hahahaha! Now, that's funny!!! Looks more like 'burning' than toasting!"

I'm serious! You know darned well they're delicious when they've been on fire!

"Yeah, I know. That's because you're too impatient to wait for them to slowly toast."

You may be right about that. Having them the other night has really started me up about these simple sugar bombs. So good! So uncomplicated! So easy! A perfect dessert.

"Yes, dear."

They are! Low-cal, too. Which is probably needed after those Chicken Nachos.

"Oh, yeah, now you're talkin'! Was that at the S&K Family Fiesta?"

You know it! Shredded chicken, tortilla chips, and cheesy sauce - delicious! If not for everyone there, I'd have licked the platter clean!

"Hahahaha! Yeah, I know. Good for you to eat around others so you remember some manners every once in a while."

Very funny. Speaking of, I may have caused some paradigm shift there tonight.

"Oh? Do tell."

Well, I had Mary's attention and I asked why we sit as we do there, with all the women on one side of the table and all the men on the other. Laura piped up and said that's the way it's been as long as she's been there and she had wondered why, too. Mary told us that there was no real reason for it, it just kinda sorta happened, with her and Smitty taking opposite sides after they got there and everyone else sitting accordingly.

"Mary actually said 'kinda sorta' and all that?"

No, I was paraphrasing.

"Okay, just askin', 'cause it sounded like you, not her..."

... Mind if I finish my story? "Thank you, thank you so very much," as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson would say.

"You're still watching "The Closer" on Peacock? I would have thought you'd finished off that series by now, as long as you've been watching it."

I don't binge watch. That just might overload my senses. I just watched s6e8, "War Zone", this afternoon, about three soldiers home on leave get killed when one is mistaken for his twin, gang hoodlum, brother. A few days ago, I watched a really funny one, s6e4, "Layover", in which Lieutenants Lou Provenza and Andy Flynn try to score with two flight attendants. Mind, they are the two oldest guys on the squad, but they fancy themselves still the studs they once were. Very funny! I just may watch it again sometime!

"Yes, dear. Now, what were you saying about dinner conversation tonight?"

About what? Oh, yes, the division of the sexes at Jalapenos of Sandfly. Yes. Well, it ended up with Mary announcing to the table that we would be switching it up next week. Yes, she did! And then she reminded everyone before we left that we'd be changing the sitting order next Friday - for real!!! I didn't think to mention that would be Friday the 13th. That's okay, as I'm sure that will come up.

"I'll be interested in hearing how that works out. I know several there are trying to match make with you and Mark, as y'all are similar ages and single."

Yes, they are. I had a chat with Laura about that after the parrot-head party. I closed by telling her that I wouldn't mind meeting him for dinner somewhere, and that satisfied her. So, I'm sure that has made the rounds now. Or, maybe not. Who knows?

"Who knows? The Shadow knows. Hahahaha! Hey, hold up! Is the stove light on? Already? I mean, it's only September, so the fuse for the attic fan should still be out. Right?"

Nope. I put it back in on Wednesday morning, just to check, and the attic fan stayed off. Hooray! Nice to have that clock again, too, so I don't have to check my phone for the time.

"The temperatures are already cool enough for that???"

Yes, believe it or not. Just look at this WSAV weather song, would ya? It's been highs in the low 80's, with no heat index, since Tuesday. Over the weekend, Savannah will have highs in the 70's and lows in the 60's. I don't know that I'm quite ready for that... but it sure is nice to be able to use the stove light again. Change, the one constant in life.

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.

third strike for melissa

Perhaps I shouldn't have gone to the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, but I did.

I needed to be with my brothers and sisters-in-law.

I had missed them on Wednesday night, as a big thunderstorm had knocked out the power at their church, canceling that night's "At The Movies" session.

(Sigh)

So, to Jalapenos I went.

Sure, I wanted some sympathy for the loss of Barbara, and I wanted to talk to Tony and Laura about why I had landed on their porch...

and I wanted to let them know about the visitation coming up...

and I needed hugs.

Yeah, that's not what I got.

Tony was all over me about the right - no, the NEED - for people to have guns.

He missed the point.

The proximity of a pull-and-shoot weapon turned a momentary lapse of reason into death.

Seriously.

No one rallied to my side on the issue, either.

 

We had a new waitress tonight and she didn't help matters.

When I ordered "sopapilla", she asked me, "Beef or chicken?"

Seriously.

I just looked at her until she realized her mistake -

"Oh, that's a dessert" -

then she took Laura's order.

 

When my order finally came, about ten minutes after everyone else's, it was wrong.

She had ordered ice cream to the dessert.

At least it was on the side, so I didn't have to send it back.

Laura said perhaps she added the ice cream because she mistook the sweet for one of the entrees, so I gave Melissa a break.

 

So, while talking with them about the missed movie, I asked if it was to be shown Sunday.

It would indeed be, at 9 AM and 11 AM.

That's when I said I'd probably go to that later one as Reverend Billy was on his summer hiatus and had a string of substitutes in his place, so I was blowing off Asbury.

I added that the only one I cared to hear was Rabbi Haas, but he had spoken the Sunday that I was in Florida...

and that's when Tony stepped in about a Jew preaching at a Christian church...

and I countered with all the Old Testament-based sermons on hope and faith...

and he was adamant that Jesus should be the focus of every Christian sermon.

Seriously.

He became even more incensed when I said that in the past we had an Imam preach.

Seriously.

Laura tried to intervene, asking questions about the other religions, but Tony was not deterred from his talk of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, talking as if Jesus was God.

Seriously.

I thought of reminding him that Jesus was a Jew.

I thought of asking him to see Billy's sermon on the misuse of John 3:16.

I thought of referring him to the lecture from Brendan Murphy at SJCAF3.

I did not, though.

When bills came at meal's end, mine was wrong, as I'd expected.

Melissa had charged me for the unordered ice cream.

Nope, that needed to be fixed.

Sure, it was just a dollar, but that wasn't the point.

I had not ordered that addition and it needed to be removed.

She also had Laura's bill wrong.

Laura requested a change to hers, too.

When we got our new bills, hers was still not correct, but she paid it anyway.

After all, Melissa was Eddie Strother's wife and they had grown up knowing Eddie.

Mine was correct, so I gave her my NFCU card to pay.

When she came back, she just dropped off the receipt for me to sign and walked off.

I took one glance...

WTF?!

It was for $61.28, but my bill was only $3.28.

WTF?!

She gave me the wrong credit card receipt?

Yes, she had, but she had charged the amount to my credit card!!!

WTF?!

Receipts in hand, I went chasing through the restaurant to find her on the other side of the bar, near the register.

I yelled at her, "What the f*ck is this? I'm not paying for someone's alcohol!!! I want this charge off my f*cking card right now!!!"

She was about to stand up to me, but the anger on my face stopped her.

Cowering, she said, "You don't have to yell, I'll fix it..."

and then she called for the manager to help do that.

"I want a receipt showing that charge voided, too", I spat out, standing right there, in front of the kitchen and the bar and anyone there, waiting for the error to be fixed.

And by the time the right charge was made and the wrong one corrected, the Kamerons had all fled, Jimmy, Betsy, Mark, Addison, Becca...

all of them.

Even Smitty and Mary were already outside, with Laura going as I went to the table to sign my charge slip. 

WTF.

It was as if I was in the wrong instead of this friend's wife who waited on us tonight.

WTF.

Only Tony stayed behind to wait while I finished up.

At least I got hugs from the four of them.

I realize that I'm on edge from Barbara's death.

I've thought about texting her several times this week.

Want to go to a movie?

Want to eat at Jason's Deli?

How are things going with Kal?

Your A/C fixed yet?

WTF.

 

Now, I've taken out my anger on the wild cherry and resurgent oak outside my bedroom.

Right before I'd gone to Kal's on Saturday, Lynn Nash of the City of Savannah had come by.

She had photos of two areas that needed to be addressed by August 13.

I thought she was talking about my grass, even though I knew it was okay.

Sure, it was a bit shaggy from the rains, but it wasn't over the allowed height.

I spoke to her about the "jackleg" down the street and how unhappy he was about my yard since I wouldn't hire him to cut it and "straighten it out".

Lynn Nash looked at my magnolia tree when I spoke of him having a problem with the patterns in the lawn.

She said, "is that a crop circle?"

WTF.

"No, it's a spiral. My great-grands love running in it!"

Clearly, Lynn Nash needs to watch the History channel and get educated on crop circles.

WTF.

So, just what had been her complaint with my yard?

The grass growing over the front curb and into the street was "blocking the flow of water to the storm drain"...

yes, she did say that, silly as it sounded...

and the "unruly vegetation" in the side yard.

The trees???

That were chopped down less than a year ago???

Well, fine, I've remedied that right now.

The thunderstorm this afternoon had cooled things off, so when I got home from the "fiesta" and needed to vent, I took that anger out on the yard.

An hour later, I had three new piles by the street and I felt calmer.

Damper from the water shaken from the branches as I worked, but calmer.

Now to find something to entertain me.