even i know that isn't so

At WNS tonight, we were to dine on baked ziti.

I was a little late getting to Asbury, but I still made it there before the meal arrived.

That meant the salad course would be separate from the dinner, not alongside.

No worries, that's the way it is at restaurants!

So I sat with Sherry Giddens and her husband, as well as Emily Garrard and her husband, plus Barb Gooby, sans husband.

By 6 PM, the entree had arrived!

Time to put my Lactaid pill to use!

 

Or not, as it turned out.

I told Kathy Hodges, "Even with my post-amnesia brain, I know that isn't baked ziti."

She had looked at me, perplexed, and asked, "When did you have amnesia?"

Then it was my turn to be perplexed!

Yikes!

"That's my post-anesthesia brain at it again! I didn't even realize I said the wrong word!"

She thought that was pretty funny!

But it was absolutely true.

Post anesthesia, I have learned not to trust my brain.

It's still on the numb-dumb drugs for well over a week after that juice is turned off.

I liken it to going on a bender and still being drunk from tequila.

That's why, when Dr. Cobb wanted me to go in for surgery on November 1st, I'd told him I needed more time to get things in order before I went under the needle.

That's why he'd waited until the following week.

And the reason he had the ablation on a Thursday instead of a Friday?

That was because he listened to me when I told him I preferred not a Friday, so that if I needed to call his office about pain, he would be there.

Yeah, he's definitely a good one!

I know he's had lots of experience since he first worked on me in February of 2022.

I could tell this time that everyone in EP had done this cardiac ablation procedure many, many times in the 32 months which have elapsed since my first one in March of that year.

How fortunate for me that they are such experts now!

I'm glad to have had the cardiac ablation instead of the other procedure.

I'd had nightmares after the DCC with its accompanying Transesophageal Echocardiography.

Dr. Cobb had suggested the DCC-TEE when I'd seen him for my last 6-month check up.

That had been the last Monday of October.

I explained to him that I'd rather have the ablation again, and why.

So, that's what I had last Thursday.

Good for me for speaking up!

Now, it's not even been a week and I've been almost back to my busy, vibrant self!

Well, all except the logic circuits of my brain.

Even so, I can still recognize things that are patently untrue, like beef stew not being the same thing as baked ziti.

Or "Phantom Of The Paradise" not being a musical.

I rented that one because Danielle Houston had said on fb that it was one of her favorite musicals.

Although the 1974 movie was entertaining -

and a mash-up of "Fame", "The Phantom Of The Opera", and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" -

it was not a musical.

Like "Fame", it was a concert movie.

Had it been a play, it would be like "Once".

Most def -not- a musical.

Every time anyone sang it was because they were performing a song in concert.

Any time anyone danced it was because they were doing so at a concert.

No spontaneous singing or dancing by anyone, ever.

Still, I'm glad to have seen it and look forward to talking about it with her the next time I see her.

And the photo?

That's the "Phantom", wearing the mask after melting off half his face when he fell into an album printing machine.

He's hard at work completing his musical masterpiece, having signed a deal - in blood - that guarantees it will be a success.

Paul Williams is fabulous as the orchestrator of that Faustian contract.

I'll watch it again, as I've rented it, though I had thought it was to be a $1 Movie Night reward from Comcast.

Apparently not, as I must have used that for "Enchanted" and not had another.

That means this movie cost me $3.99.

Yep, a second viewing is needed to justify that.

Silly post-anesthesia brain.

wns to my emotional rescue!

Last week, it was beef stroganoff.

The highlight was sitting with someone I recognized from choir and rattling on for about fifteen minutes about all the plays and musicals going on.

It wasn't until she spoke up about being on Tom Lewis' email list, but not really going to many that I thought to check on her name.

Opps! She was Linda, not Emily Garrard.

We still enjoyed talking until time for her to go to choir practice!

And we both enjoyed having Danny Lewis' pound cake for dessert!

Tonight was one of my favorite WNS meals here at Asbbury Memorial: baked ham and baked apples!

I even had some mac'n'cheese - so creamy!

In fact it was all so good that I had seconds!!

That included the carrot cake, too.

My mealmates were Pam, sans Walt (who was away at a meeting for a golf tourney), as well as Cynthia Linthicum and her hubby, both of whom have been on one of those weight-loss drugs.

I don't think they've been mindful about keeping up with their protein intake, though, but they weren't interested in hearing about it, either.

Mary and Pat Prokop rounded out our table, and I was glad to see them again!

Cynthia said something nice: she keeps up with my fb page!

She saw the post for Tony's birthday and we talked about it, as well as about her grown kids, some of which my first niece knows.

(smile!)

Then, while I was in Aldi's for milk and yogurt, I ran into Cedric Stratton!

We talked about twenty minutes, too, mostly about the education programs that were in place in the 1970's compared to those now.

Of course, I didn't know anything about those, as I was in high school then.

Still, it was nice to speak with him!

(smile!)

bbq and bloodsuckers

Finally, an evening when I didn't have to cook my meal!

Wednesday Night Suppers have returned to Asbury Memorial for six weeks, with BBQ being the first!

I chose to sit with Charles Ennis and Bernie Colclasure, to get to know the couple better.

Danny Beam and his eldest grandson, Caleb Deffley, soon joined us, followed by Pat and Mary Prokop.

What marvelous dinner companions!

i thank You, God!

Then I had to scoot on downtown!

Cinema Savannah was having a film I very much wanted to see, so I needed to find parking near the Savannah Cultural Arts Center... and I did!

I told Tomasz that the title of this 2023 French number was the draw for me: "Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person".

Marvelous!!!

That's what I told him afterward, too!

He replied, "As long as you thought it was marvelous, Faustina, that's all that matters."

(smile!)

I sat in front of Bonnie and Don, and they, like everyone else there, also enjoyed the film.

I would gladly see it again!

Kinder, gentler, vampire with a conscience, rather like Angel on "Buffy The Vampire Slayer"!

it also deals with vampire family dynamics, with a mom, dad, aunt, and cousin present in the life of the young woman.

Who would have thought of such things?

(smile!)

What a perfect way to get back into the CineSav world.

This was my first time back since the deaths of Barbara and Kal.

I went alone, just to keep it from being too tense.

Next time, I'll have to make sure Carolyn and Sandy come along.

That would be marvelous, too.

yard work and WNS!

"More yard work already? 

I thought you were going to be a bit more leisurely about it."

 

Oh, trust me, I am doing that very thing. 

I don't intend to do any more for at least two or three days in the front. 

The back will be where I concentrate my next session, whenever that is.

 

"I take it that this is the other half of the front yard?"

 

Correct-o-mundo.

 

"And it looks to have some kind of pattern..."

 

That's right.

There's a spiral coming out from the Japanese magnolia, then I have three lines parallel to the sidewalk.

Rather nice, isn't it?

 

"Sure, sure. 

And you've cut a pattern in the back as well, I see."

 

Well, I was running short on time -

remember, I've only allotted 35 minutes to these lawncutting sessions -

so I made the one big swath and then some diagonal lines to allow moisture to escape.

It did rain a bit last night.

 

"Ah, yes.

That was after you got home from the concert."

 

That's right.

I even said a little prayer of gratitude that the rain had held off as long as it did.

That concert really was good for lowering my stress level.

 

"Very good, dearie.

And tonight you had good company at Asbury Memorial?"

 

I did, as I sat with the Prokops, plus Pam and Walt.

But this was also one of my favorite meals at the Wednesday night suppers.

That's mostly why I went tonight.

Baked ham!

Baked apple slices!

Coleslaw!

A nice salad that I topped with Olive Garden dressing!

I even had some mac'n'cheese!

And from the dessert table, I snagged the last piece of peach pie!

Honestly, it must have been waiting for me, as it was the only slice there.

i thank You, God!

Little things do mean so much...

and I have a ham sandwich for tomorrow.

(smile!)

3 nights in a row of no cooking for dinner!

Tina Tuesday found me with the physicist, dining at the Bonefish Grill!

The bfe says that he only goes there with me.

I guess we both really like the seafood!

I had the swordfish, a rare treat, while he had mahi.

That's pumpkin ravioli, part of the special, and they were especially good, tasting more like butternut squash instead of pumpkin pie.

I told him about my three fish deal at Carey the H and he got a kick out of it!

But I think he's ready for a change of pace.

We were talking about lucid dreams and his desire to have them.

I suggested he try pepperoni pizza, as I almost always have those bigger-than-life dreams after I have that for dinner.

He thought maybe pizza would be our next outing, now that he knows it's my favorite food.

That sounds mega-fine to me!

He had a list of two movies he wants to see, too, so pizza and a movie would be a mighty fine time!

Next was Wednesday Night Supper, the last WNS of the year and Asbury Memorial made it memorable: an early Thanksgiving for us!

I was with Kathleen, Beverly, and Jo Poston again, as well as Susan Daggett - nice!

I truly am going to miss these meals with these women, as well as others I've met, but we'll dine again at the church Christmas party on December 10, hopefully at the same table!

Oh, I polished off my A*List right before that.

I started with "The Marvels", the most girly superhero movie ever, complete with lots of not-so-cute kittens.

Next up was a second viewing of that musical, "Journey To Bethlehem", which I very nearly watched yet again... but I found out it was staying another week... hooray!!!

And I completed my trio with "Priscilla", which was not so good.

Let me just say this: I learned nothing of Elvis and too much about her.

Teenagers... jeez.

Tonight, I dined with American Legion Post 36 at Two Firsts.

This time, we had our usual seven, plus one more!

We also had barbeque with red rice, green beans, and lemon cake - quite colorful!

We didn't vote on anything, but we were informed about the changes that had been made to the proposed new NCO bar.

For starters, the bar was deemed too large after all, so about five feet are to be lopped off so it won't jut so far into the room.

Work on the floor will resume on December 5th, with all the old flooring in all areas - including our meeting room - to be removed and an easy-care slab coating to be installed.

About then, or perhaps the week before, the acoustic ceiling tiles in our meeting room are to be painted, after replacing those with water damage.

That's in preparation for it to become a ballroom and banquet hall to be rented out.

We had hoped that it would be ready for this holiday season, but hopefully it'll be earning its keep by this upcoming spring.

I know Post 36 and Post 500 would sure like that!

So far, it's been lots of money going out and nothing coming in.

Come on, y'all, let's get it done!

(smile!)

my favorite wns for a chilly night

That's because of two factors: the food was Mexican and the theme was Dia De Los Muertos.

Wednesday had been overcast and cold all day long, having dipped into the thirties overnight.

I sent myself out to see "After Death", which will likely be my only A*List this week. Mostly I went because I knew Rev. Billy had hoped to take in the documentary and I could discuss it with him.

Afterward, though, I stopped by the GEICO office to sign a paper for my car insurance... and then had Randy try to find an address for Travelers for me.

He did me one better by getting Heather involved, as she is their homeowners liaison, so I walked out of there with the address for my rebuttal of the Nonrenewal notice.

It made me run late, though, for WNS.

By the time I arrived, Ruthie was getting her facial tattoo on and I hardly got seated with my food before she began her talk about the holiday from her homeland.

By that time, I'd been shocked three times by static electricity, due to the chill in the air.

Ack!!!

But by the time I left, I'd had good conversation with Cynthia about her dear Tristan, who would be 26 now, and my dear Willie and Christa and Bobbi.

I'd had good conversation with Susan about her dear Ron, for whom she brought Frito pie fixings.

I'd had good conversation with her 'handler', Kathleen, who kept complimenting me on the flower in my hair.

And when I got home, I had good conversation with Smitty, who referred me to Angi.com for a roofer.

Tomorrow will be warmer... and the stress over the house insurance will soon be done... and life will move on.

i thank You, God.

the heat is on, drums keep pounding rhythm to my veins

Lah di dah di dah

Lah di dah di dee...

 

Yeah, that mental jukebox of mine works like a champ!

 

That's because I woke up WARM this morning...

because I relented and remade the bed last night...

setting up the heated mattress pad under the bottom sheet...

trapping its heat in the flannel sheets and comforter.

 

So nice to be warm!

By that criteria, looks like this week is going to be nice.

(smile!)

 

I guess that heated mattress pad may work like an umbrella...

no bad weather as long as it's in place!

 

To think, I could have avoided those nights dropping into the 40's had I but known that little trick.

 

What I'm looking forward to is Friday, when the weather tries to climb to 80.

Hope it makes it!

 

Today, I took care of "me" things.

 

It's Wednesday, which means discounted washers at SUDS, so laundry was done.

I had two "loads", as I usually do, but was able to use one washer for $4.50.

That's what the two washers would have run at Nami's/Sandfly.

The dryer was $3.00 for 30 minutes, which was about twice the price of what I used to pay, but the dryer at SUDS will definitely get hot and get the clothes and towels done.

No more items draped over chairs at home to finish drying!

That's a good thing, and Britney is nice to chat with, too.

 

When I returned home, I had to finagle around to get into my driveway.

That's because the five barricades that still block my drive are still up.

That's because the street that had been busted open for the sewer line repair has not yet been repaved.

I had been sure that last week of August would see the paving done... however, the threat of the coming of Idalia delayed that schedule.

At least, that is the story I have told myself, as the bfe would say.

And, so, I have been making a circuitous route to get into my driveway as I can no longer approach it from Allegheny or any side of Forrest Hills Park, as is my wont.

Of late, I have been rebelling, coming home along those ways, then having to turn into one of my neighbor's driveways and use that as a turnaround to my own driveway.

That's ridiculous to have to keep doing.

Something needs to change.

So, today I took action.

I went to the City of Savannah's 311 page and reported the unpaved hole in the street.

I even included photographs, following the example of "Alice's Restaurant".

Now, to wait and see what happens.

 

Molly of GEICO called me back today, just a little over 24 hours after I called her.
She explained why Travelers had listed three reasons for termination: by law, they must have at least three reasons to cancel a policy.
It doesn't matter if the reasons are flimsy or trumped up, there just has to be three of them to justify their decision.
Well, fine.

I told her about the letter Travelers had sent to me in May, telling me that a drone service would be used to survey my house for renewal of the policy, BUT THEY NEVER CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE RESULTS.

They had all summer to contact me so I could rectify the issues, but they chose not to do so.

All summer.

How very prejudiced and what a poor business practice on their part.
After telling Molly all that, I asked her who I would complain to about Travelers actions.
She told me to contact the Insurance Commissioner of Georgia, as that person is the one that Travelers must answer to about their decisions.
So it shall be.
Game on.
Meanwhile, I will do my part and continue to make right those three items.

 

i thank You God, for Wednesday Night Supper.

Not only was it one of my favorites - baked ham, baked apples, peach cobbler! - but I was treated to very nice dinner companions.

Emily Garrard and I talked at length about Taylor Swift and her music videos and her new concert, filmed for our pleasure!

Her husband Stuart, and everyone else, listened as we two old ladies raptly spoke of Taylor.

A new couple from New Hampshire, Karen and Tim, talked about kale and how best to cook it and use it, as Emily wanted to know.

Plus, they've bought a new Saturn, so I spoke of what good cars they are.

Then, when I went to get more ham and apple slices, Sherry got up from the far end of the table so she could meet me!

She really loved my conversation and looked forward to next week and hopefully seeing me again; hope she and her husband and their friend will return!

I even got to speak to Danny Beam and get a hug.

Then I caught Tom Lewis as he was coming in for choir, letting him know that I'm interested in seeing the next SavRepTh play with him and some others.

That would be quite nice!

And now, I am home with milk, and Chobani, and English muffins and eggs.

I'm all ready for breakfast tomorrow.

Life is good.

i thank You, God.

farewell and hail at wns

I no sooner got in line at WNS than I hear an enthusiastic shout of "Tina!"

When I turned around, arms wrapped me in a hug!!!

It was Susan Daggett.

Goodness, I have not seen her or heard of her in over a year!

She told me where she was sitting and I headed over there with the beef stroganoff, baby carrots, and a dessert plate of blackberry cobbler, then went for salad.

That's when I saw the reason I had come tonight.

 

So, first things first: catching up with Danny Beam.

That meant handing off items I no longer wanted.

Finally!

I had been cleaning out closets - after all, October is one of the months for this loss adjustment in my life - and had come upon the two t-shirts.

I also had a sticker for Bi-Polar Bears in the car.

I have not heard word one from the running bear since he contacted me about tentative election results and I yelled at him about it.

No need for me to hold onto these fundraiser items -

but what to do with them?

Take them to Goodwill?

Throw them into the trash?

That's when I contacted Danny on fb last week.

Was he still in touch with Kevin?

If so, would he mind getting these to him?

He gladly agreed, so then it was a matter of getting them to him.

Putting them in my car assured they would be handy when I was at Asbury.

And so, tonight, after several hugs and kind words, Danny took them off my hands.

i thank You, God.

Salad in hand, I returned to the table with Susan and met two friends.

Candace sat with us, too, so that was nice!

And, I've promised Susan to come and visit in two weeks.

Maybe we'll play one of the card games she and Ron used to have for the MENSA games nights at their house?

We'll see!

ending a troubled day with a trip to hear the waves

I had thought this photograph was the cause of my malaise.

When I saw it, in the container of mementos I'd forgotten about, my first thought had been:

"Well, I still have the rocking chair."

 

Then I sat in that very chair and rocked myself some comfort as I looked through the photos in the envelope labeled "our furniture".

Those had been taken in Panama, in our apartment in Coco Solo, back in 1978, and shared with Mama.

 

The dog was Toffee, a mixed breed that someone else had owned while she was still a puppy, then they had bequeathed her to me.

Had they PCS'ed out of there?

Had they been Navy, too, or were they Army?

I can't recall... but Toffee's mascara-smudged eyes I'll never forget.

When Keith (my first husband) and I left Panama, Toffee came, too.

She had a quarantine in Miami before she eventually came to Savannah.

There, she waited for me to come from Oregon and the house of Keith's parents.

She loved being in Pensacola!

Such a new place for her, and no poisonous frogs to threaten her!

Then came October, with its cooler temperatures, something she'd not known before.

We'd go for our walks and she'd run out in front of me, racing pell-mell back with a huge grin as if to say, "Look at me! I'm not even panting!!"

It was marvelous to have her in my life!

 

And then she was gone.

We'd had one of our usual two-hour walks in the autumnal air, with her racing happily the whole time, bouncing with excitement!

I had no warning that she would die of a heart attack during the night.

When I woke, there she was, dead and already stiff.

Totally broke my heart.

And I sat in my rocking chair today, reliving that great loss.

She was the last dog I ever had.

 

I barely managed to pull myself together to head out to Asbury.

This was the first evening of the Wednesday Night Suppers and I didn't want to miss it...

plus, I really needed a break from the house and my thoughts.

Pam and Walt were there and an empty seat awaited me by Walt.

Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.

The Prokops were there at that table, too, which was good.

I took advantage of a lull in the talk to speak with Pat about the Sargasso Sea effect on the last five hurricanes.

To my surprise, the retired meteorologist had not even given that consideration.

I don't think he was following what I was asking.

I wanted to know what might be changing the angle at which the hurricanes have been coming off the African coast, and he only looked at the El Nino effect...

which was a separate thing altogether.

I think Walt understood what I was asking, but he seemed to be the only one.

He and I talked at length about Waycross (he had a brother there) and Kissimmee (he, too, knew it before it was overrun by tourists, long before Disney World existed).

So, we spoke of my summers at Laura S. Walker State Park, and, later, my travels down to Daytona and the Kissimmee and the Kennedy Space Center.

Marvelous adventures!

I was very nearly right as rain after that.

I was certainly fully sated with the Sloppy Joe and coleslaw dinner.

 

Still, when we were run off by the kitchen crew, I didn't go right home.

I took a drive, one that eventually led me to the north beach at Tybee.

I'd told Christina on Saturday that I wanted to go to the beach on Monday, and I'd intended to, but, instead, I went to Walgreens for a Pfizer COVID booster and a flu shot.

Then the bfe and I went to Longhorn for dinner and a deep chat about corporate monsters, with me assuring him that the beast had nothing personal against him.

I know most of the professors think the university is a breed apart, a more rarified space in which to work... but that is certainly not true.

Having had the luxury of time and distance has only assured me that the reason Georgia Southern and Armstrong were merged was because GaSoU was more efficient at extracting free money from its alumni.

How so?

Alumni like winning sports teams, especially if that sport is football, and alumni like research proposals that attract federal grants.

Corporate monster that GaSoU is, it doesn't matter if incoming free money is sourced by the quarterback's skill or a researcher's drive, the end result is the same.

The corporate monster feeds on money.

Professors with no grant money get more classes to teach, but that isn't punishment.

It's a push by the corporate monster to move more students along the path to becoming money-donating alumni.

Folks look at the cost of tuition and such, but that's just offsetting the investment the corporate monster has in staff and faculty salaries, as well as the usual utility and maintenance costs in operating buildings on site.

The important goal is for the corporate monster to get free money, donated money, grant money, to push into its every-grasping claws.

Nothing personal.

Seriously.

He left in better spirits, so that was the point of our special meeting.

 

Where was I?

Oh, yes, off on a tangent to explain why I did not go to Tybee on Monday.

So, when I began my post-WNS drive, I headed out Victory instead of staying on Skidaway.

Late evening was setting in, with most of the traffic coming to town, so that all made for a quiet drive past the marshes and oleanders and Fort Pulaski...

very nice.

When I arrived, I pulled into a spot right beside the boardwalk to my favorite section of the beach, this nearly deserted stretch far from the pier.

Right place, right time.

There was a brisk breeze coming off the ocean, one with a gentle bite of winter in it.

I stayed on the boardwalk, enjoying the smell of the salt air, the soft sound of the waves rolling in, the sight of the darkening sky...

very nice.

Then I drove home, singing along with the radio, as I had on the way there...

very nice, too.

Just exactly what I needed.

wns with an opera singer, again!

Here it is, but this time around it was chicken Tetrazzini, which I liked better than the turkey style.

I also liked that the carrots still had some crisp left!

The Italian green beans were a  nice change, too.

And dessert offered a wide range of cakes, but this one was calling my name: lemon pound cake!

And who were my dinner companions?

Pat and Mary Prokop, the couple who share their garden every May with our congregation -

though I did visit with Pam and Walt, too!

The goodies I left by the curb are still waiting for a ride.

I had hoped the yard debris would be collected today...

but that's just fine with me!

As I told the physicist yesterday, those two piles of carefully stacked limbs and branches, and the two bags, represent more than six hours of my time.

Truly!!!

You would think it would amount to more of a showing, right?

The bfe was quite surprised that I'd spent so much time on it, but, at the same time, he was glad to see me able to do so.

I had thought to get started on the next stacks by the curb, but you know what?

The WSAV Weather Song assures me that there will be plenty of pretty days to spend on stuff outside.

That's good!

Now, I've got a phone call from Gloria to return, in response to the condolence card about Willie that I sent.

Plus, Melaness just texted!

I bet it's because my birthday's coming!

(smile!)

and there was CAKE!!!

Not just any cake, either.

You know what I'm talkin' 'bout!!!

Yes, THAT cake...

pineapple upside-down cake...

and, even though I was almost twenty-five minutes late getting to Asbury, there were still a couple of pieces of it on the dessert table.

Most diners must have opted for the pumpkin pie -

as I almost did -

since this final Wednesday Night Supper offered a meal of Thanksgiving to us -

but my hand darted to the tropical delight with the maraschino cherry instead.

Best of all, it had been made as a single entity, no cut edges anywhere - gorgeous!

So after I ate my salad - having packaged my dinner to go - I sat right there and, in front of God and everyone, I picked up that little cake and ate every bite, pausing to savor each one, eating all around the edges first and saving the center, with its sweet maraschino cherry, as the last bite.

Perfect.

Did I care that folks were watching me as I slowly consumed that treat?

Not even the tiniest bit.

They don't know that April is coming and I need this bit of sweet for that month of so many lost loved ones: Grandma, Sam, Daddy, Mother Pat, Jean Marie.

Now, I'm home again, and it's time to eat the rest of my dinner.

Perfect.

once, once more, with feeling

As I watched the musical tonight, on Comet TV, I compared it to the play on Sunday.

Held at the Trustees Theatre, that had been the first production of the year by the Savannah Repertory Theatre.

I had been a bit shocked at the cost - thirty-five bucks for a discounted senior ticket! - but I understood that they had chosen to hold it in a venue with 1200-plus seats.

I think they were hoping that a lot of tourists would choose to come as part of their Saint Patrick's Day celebrations.

I hope that worked out for them.

I, like a lot of Savannahians, waited until Sunday, when the partying crowd would have left and the parking would be free.

Ray Ellis and Randy Cannady and Beth Balance, fellow Asburians, were there.

So were Thomas and Danielle Houston, more of the thespians in town, as well as Travis Spangenburger and Erin Muller and Monica McDermott.

The fellow actors always do try to come out and support the other troupes, as long as they aren't already in a competing production that day.

For competing they certainly are, competing for those entertainment budget dollars, thinking that maybe folks had held onto them during the pandemic...

but knowing those monies had gone to streaming services, the same online platforms that they themselves had subscribed to for films and staged shows.

 

I was one of the last ones through the door.

That's because I knew the venue well and wanted to let all the strangers find their seats and get settled for this general admittance show.

Sure enough, I easily found a safe space up front, donning my mask just in case.

There were about five hundred people there.

I was in the 8th row, I think, last seat by the wall, with a clear view of the stage.

At first, I thought they'd started early...

but, no, they were jamming, giving an impromptu concert as folks came in.

They could have been an Irish band with the Savannah Music Festival, which began this week.

Very nice!

Then, "Once" began, with 'Guy' playing a melancholy tune on a guitar about the one that got away, hoping for money from passersby.

He gets more advice to add some words from 'Girl', a woman whose favorite line is "I'm always serious, I'm Czech."

(smile!)

I do believe that's my favorite part of the play.

Anyway, she and her family (mother, daughter, possible siblings) have come to Dublin hoping for a better life.

Her dream is to win the lottery so she can buy the piano in the bar she works at.

Meanwhile, her Hoover no longer sucks; but she's in luck, as 'Guy' is a vacuum cleaner fixer.

What a great coincidence!

(smile!)

The play had been billed as a musical...

and I would have liked to say it was one, as that seems to be the consensus...

however, a musical is not what it was.

As I told Beth at the WNS tonight, when she came over to our table specifically to ask what I thought about it, I replied that it was a concert play, but not a musical.

The people in it were performing songs they were recording for an album, not just bursting out in song and dance.

Any dances were in a bar setting to the music being played, not spontaneous actions in response to emotions.

She agreed, adding that she had not really cared for it.

I have to wonder if she might have liked it better if the songs had been presented in the same order as they had been in the film that inspired the play.

Perhaps she didn't like the Irish music?

I don't know, as she left the table soon after her query of me.

I do know this: I have no plans to see SavRepTh's version of "The 39 Steps", as I know from the Armstrong Masquers' production that the play has pretty much nothing in common with the Hitchcock film, being rather a send-up of it.

I'll funnel that money toward the end of month play from SavChTh.

That works!

(smile!)

Okay, the mercials have run their course.

Back I go to land of vampires and demons, "Once More, With Feeling"...

and quite gladly!!!

That is a true musical, with folks randomly breaking out in song and dance!!!

I do believe I still have a little crush on Spike...

I mean, James Marsters...

well, as long as he dresses like that rambunctious fellow!

Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I danced with him at Dragon*Con in 2008?

Remind me and I'll tell you about it sometime.

I still have the photo of me with him on the fridge.

Good times!

(smile!)

dinner with a sugar daddy!

Yes, indeed it was!

This made the third night this week -

and all on weekdays, too! -

that I have had the evening meal with a wonderful gent by my side!

Monday, I had the company of the Eagle Scout at a ball park...

Tuesday, I dined with an almost Eagle Scout before a Jewish film...

and tonight, I was with a genuine Sugar Daddy at the church!

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

I'd met Pam and Walt in the parking lot and we'd all walked in to WNS together.

Chuck Eyler had been out there, too, and waved to me as I drove by - nice!

Anywho, Pam had selected a seat at one end of the table, to chat with a few friends.

That left Walt to sit down at my end of the table!

We chatted throughout the meal, too!

Such a good meal it was: lean ham, baked apples, a mound of crispy coleslaw...

and a fine salad I made quite colorful!

We talked about various movies around town, and the plethora of plays going on, too.

Plus, I told him about the Savannah Jewish Cultural Arts Festival events for the rest of this month!

In particular, we spoke of the Savannah Repertory Theatre, which he recalled from their plays off Louisville Road, at the warehouse.

I made sure he knew of their new location, on Broughton, as well as the play they have going on during this St. Patrick's Day weekend, over at the Trustees Theatre.

I hope they'll get to go see it!

They can let me know how it is, in case I don't make it.

My entertainment budget is definitely feeling the strain of too much of a good thing!

(smile!)

Yeah, yeah, first world woes.

(smile!)

Oh, wondering about that Sugar Daddy nonsense?

Walt was once a bigwig at Dixie Crystals, as well as other companies that deal with sugar.

So, with his lovely sense of humor, that's an apt nickname for him and one that Pam has shared with me several times.

Great, ain't it?

(smile!)

no opera singers for this meal tonight

"Hahahaha! You must still be jamming on Jason Derulo's performance last night!"

Actually, no. I had the second WNS tonight over at Asbury...

"Oh, right, no cooking on Wednesdays for you this month!" 

Correct. As I was saying, I dined over at...

"You know, I distinctly recall opera singers there on occasion. Were they presenting a concert for Savannah VOICE or were they part of a GOB performance?"

Would you mind holding down the interjections until after I've made my point? Please?

"Sure, sure, I can do that."

Okay, let's get to it right away before you forget. We had Tetrazzini tonight.

"And? You just wanted to talk about that casserole dish?"

Well, yeah. Bet you didn't realize it was named for a famous Italian soprano! She had a three-decade career on famous stages around the world.

"Do you think she ever sang with Sherrill Milnes?"

No, Luisa was about two generations before him. She'd been off the stage for at least forty years by the time he started singing.

"Hmmm. So, how was the dinner? Did you sit with Pam and Walt?"

The dinner was very good, though no one seemed to know if it was chicken or turkey. I didn't run into the Brit and her Sugar Daddy until we were all going to the Taize service. I made sure to tell her about the Bill Nighy movie.

"Oh, I know she'll like that one!"

Yeah, me, too, that's why I'm glad I ran into her. I sat with Kim and Steve Johnson and they talked about him running into a deer on his bicycle some years ago. Quite funny! The other two guys on their bikes hit the deer, too - and the deer just got up and walked off. Jim and Ann Green were there, too, and got a kick out of the tale. We got to talking about food allergies after Steve left and Jim was very excited to find out about the cheeses that are lactose-free. I got the impression he's recently been diagnosed with an intolerance to milk sugar, so I was glad to enlighten him.

"I'm sure you included the Muenster, too." 

Most definitely. Ever since I recently found it was lactose-free, I make sure to have my open-faced "grilled cheese" toast with it in the mornings. Such a nice change of pace!

"Just like the little services on Wednesdays are a nice change of pace."

Absolutely! I even told Rev. Billy afterward that I very much enjoyed these "islands of calm" after the WNS. He liked that, saying he thinks of them as oases. I liked that.

"And tomorrow you have the American Legion..."

Nope! I thought that was a done deal, but Doug started a textversation with several of us this evening and that wasn't even one of the proposed dates for the meeting. None of the alternates he suggested were going to work out, so I moved that the March meeting be cancelled and others agreed. That means I'm free and clear to do whatever I wish on Thursday! Not that I really know what to do, but at least I'm free!

"Hey, you could go to that play at the Lucas that you just found out about! "The Play Where Everything Goes Wrong - isn't that what it's called? "

I could... I really want to see it after that teaser we got in October... I'm just not so sure I should be out at night.

"Oh, no! Has the weather taken a turn for the worse?"

As a matter of fact, it has. Totally aggravating to me, too. This afternoon I tried to measure my blood pressure and found the A-fib was acting up. The machine couldn't get a bead on my heart rate. I tried three times and stepped away from it. I guess it's a good thing that I see the heart doc on Friday.

"Damn. I hate to hear that."

It's my own fault. I was still in my nightgown, with the windows still open as they had been at noon, and hadn't realized that the air had chilled down so quickly. It was already down to the upper 50's at 4 PM. My heart noticed, though, and reacted accordingly. Dagnabbit.

"Well, it's up to you, but maybe you should wait to see it on Sunday afternoon. That will give you time to get your amigas lined up to go with you."

Yeah, that's a good idea. Okay, "The X-Files" is about to come on, finally, and it has two of my favorites, "Kill Switch" - with the song "Twilight Time" - and then "Bad Blood". I just love the "he said-she said" versions from Mulder and Scully of the sheriff played by Luke Wilson! I just wish Comet would shift the schedule back to its 9 PM start time. Oh, well! Bye!

no cooking for me on wednesdays this month!

The Wednesday Night Suppers have returned!

Hallelujah!!!

It feels like forever since they've been gone, honestly.

Nope, just four months, or so.

Tonight started off with beef stew over white rice, with Italian green beans, plus a make-your-own salad.

Oh... and these delectable, scrumptious, corn muffins!

I told Pam and Walt that I was saving mine for breakfast tomorrow.

That's what I meant to do, too.

But, at dinner's end, there were leftovers.

I came home with four, not just one, so no need to ration it out.

These got peanut butter smeared on them for dessert, just as my stepdad... or Elvis!... would have done.

Magnificent treat after my walk on the Planet's treadmill!

(smile!)

First, though, I went to the Taizé service.

It's fairly brief, meant to promote unity and peace, through meditative contemplation and the use of chant-like phrases and song.

Asbury Memorial Church started having these during the pandemic, as I recall, but their origin is with a monk in France.

Pam and Walt were going, so I did, to check it out for myself.

I must say, it really was calming to sit in the candlelit sanctuary, as the sky darkened from dusk to night.

Will I go next week?

Maybe, maybe not.

I can always find it on the youTube channel.

(smile!)

So, have I mentioned the all-new movies of my A*List?

I haven't???

Well, let's start with the one which was celebrating its 25th anniversary, shall we?

Hey, I said "all-new movies of my A*List", did I not?

That is to say, I had not yet viewed them at an AMC Cinema, now, doesn't it, chickie?

(smile!)

Pam is a Brit, and, as Walt says, her way of speaking does leave a residue.

(smile!)

Ahem, back to the 1997 movie, "Titanic", that caused such a stir when it first came out.

As it is, it's been playing locally for at least three weeks...

ever since the day Christina and I grabbed us some Magic Mike, in fact...

and had been her first choice for movie, but the times were wrong.

I had resisted seeing it, but, having seen the etched glass windows from the ship's ballroom - while on a visit to the Mariners' Museum in Yorktown back some ten years ago or so, I felt compelled to try to find footage with them in the film.

Sure enough, I finally did espy those elegant panes!

That was a highlight for me.

I loved the esprit de corps of the band, too, playing on as chaos erupted around them.

As for the "love story" between the delusional 17-year-old girl (played by a 22-yo Kate Winslet) and the slightly jaded twenty-something ex-patriate returning to the States (played to age by Leonardo DiCaprio), I recognize lust and rebellion when I see it.

The science was most excellent, though!

(smile!)

The other two movies were new to the silver screen, and were, like that first one, of the one-and-done variety for me.

Sure, I'll watch most anything once - ONCE! - but the true tell is if I go a second time.

Once is plenty for "Marcel The Shell With Shoes On" and "Cocaine Bear".

Yeah, I know, I know -

the titles are ludicrous, right?

Surprisingly, the one that was claymation and aimed at kids was pretty serious, dealing with death of a loved one and isolation from a middle-school point of view.

And the one that was meant to be scary felt just like a 1970's made-for-TV, animal gone wild, flick from my youth, with sections that were unintentionally hilarious.

Hey, at least it had Ray Liotta, no doubt in a role he relished as a drug kingpin, wearing the clothes and bling from the mid-1980's time frame.

I'm glad he had some fun "reliving his youth" in that last-ever role for him.

(smile)

catching up on some family history

Something different was needed for the day... what to do?

Checking my other email gave me the clue.

Myheritage.com had several messages about Smart Matches and Record Matches, going back for at least three weeks.

Time to do a bit of catching up there!

But first, I'd need sustenance, right?

Yes, yes, yes!

The last WNS was this prevening, and it promised a Thanksgiving feast.

Turkey breast, with cranberry sauce... check!

Garlic smashed potatoes with gravy... check!

Broccoli and carrots and dinner roll... check, check, check!

Pumpkin pie... check!

Plus DIY salad and tasty lemonade!

And what wonderful company I had!

As well as Pam and Walt, my usual charming dinner companions, Pat and Mary Prokop joined us, as they had last week.

That had been chicken and sausage gumbo, over white rice, with a side of the trivia game.

No trivia this time - hooray!

Not that it wasn't fun, but it sure did curtail our conversing.

We did plenty of that this time - hooray!

In fact, Pam and Walt and I shut down the place!

Truly!

We were the last ones at the tablecloth-covered table, not even noticing that everyone else had finished and gone while we pattered on about making gravy (thanks, Justin Sutherland!) and how they met and the sugar industry when Walt was still working.

I sure am going to miss talking with that old couple!

(smile!)

The good thing is, speaking of our histories put me in the right frame of mind to get a little more done with my genealogy.

So, what awaited me?

A lot of information of Grandma Lee's aunts and uncles!

I had no idea that her dad was one of eleven children!

Then again, they lived on farm land out in Waukeenah, Florida, a place that is still unincorporated and quite rural.

That's Jefferson County, biggest little town is Monticello.

I hadn't realized it, but I've got a lot of ancestors that lived, and died, out there. 

All I knew for sure was that my Great-Uncle Sam - Grandma's little brother and namesake of their dad - had a pecan orchard that had been the family home for generations.

His daughter, Lulu, has a petting zoo and farm out there now.

I haven't seen her since her dad's death in 1974, when she was not yet school age.

The next time I go visit Penny in Tallahassee, maybe she and I will go there.

(smile!)

So, back to my story about these Great-Great Aunts and Uncles I never knew!

I found out all of their names, though only the first names of some.

However, doing my due diligence, I eventually unearthed several of their birth and death dates, as well as names of spouses and their children.

I guess those kids would be my fourth cousins?

Grandma's cousins would have been Mama's second cousins... so, third, not fourth, for me.

They would be fourth cousins to my nieces and nephews.

That sure does get complicated in a hurry!

And just who were these ancestors whose names I don't recall ever hearing?

Well, the one whose photograph I found was Rosa Elizabeth Grantham.

Born in 1875, she was the younger sister of Grandma's father, Samuel.

She married a man with a last name of Cooksey...

a surname I never heard associated with our family!

Their older sister, Jessie Irene, married a fellow named Rape, another surname I was unfamiliar with.

Then there's Annie Laura, born in 1886, their youngest sister, who wed a Gramling man.

Rosa had ten kids; Jessie had seven; Annie had eight.

Not that their brothers didn't be fruitful and multiply, so lots of Granthams are out there.

For instance, Grandma was one of five children.

There were other Great-Great Aunts and Uncles, but I'll have to hope someone else digs up their full names and dates of importance.

I've spent three hours - yes, three hours! - in that rabbit hole.

Time for something else, like washing dishes and warming the bed.

It's going into the upper 30's tonight.

ACK.

Glad I got some windows covered up!

Just one more question:

I wonder what their Thanksgivings looked like?

(smile!)