bday10 of twins: part 1

As I explained to Leila, tonight wasn't the birthday party, it was the birthday dinner.

The party, with cake and gifts and all that, will be on Sunday!

By the way, that's Leila on the right, having changed up her hairstyle again.

Good for her!

That makes it easier for folks to tell her and Alyssa apart, without anyone having to search out the birthmark on the forehead of the other.

So what was going on?

Well, in that photo, we were all singing "Happy Birthday" to them, embarrassing them good and proper there at Cici's!

 

They were getting used to that, though, as Christina sang the song to them at school earlier today, right in front of their class!

That's what happens when you're right there and attend the school where she teaches!

Here, in this photo, are the two aunts of the twins.

Chelsea had come straight from her nursing clinicals.

She told me she really thinks she wants to work in pediatrics or in the "Mommy and me" programs.

That's the beauty of internships: you get to test-drive the different departments to find your future!

And here we have the father of the birthday girls!

Yes, he's put on a goofy face, just as Ronnie would have!

That's Shauna with him.

That's good, since the girls have liked her for years.

She seems to have a steadying influence on Leila and Alyssa.

Now that they're a decade old, they need that to keep them out of trouble and off internet sites that are too old for them.

Oh, and now the girls know a new word: decade!

I asked Alyssa if she felt like she was a decade old, and she said, "I'm not a decade, I'm ten!"

Sweet child, that's how many years a decade has!

I wonder if she'll share that new word with her class tomorrow?

After all, there was another child that had her birthday today today, and that Christina sang for!

That child is also a decade old now.

And here's one more photo before I go!

Here are all four of the cousins, the ones I used to call the "four little blondes".

They're growing up fast.

Maybe the two older ones will slow down a little so Miyah and Chloe can catch up?

Yeah, that's not how time works, is it?

Red-shirted Miyah now misses two teeth, with a third on its way out, and Chloe bounces around like she's on springs!

I just barely caught the 4 of them in one shot!

(smile!)

where i needed to be

Absolutely.

Off fb and at the movies, 

munching pepperoni pizza, 

watching two larger-than-life heroes 

save the world.

Right place, right time.

Perfect.

i thank You, God.

not in canvas anymore - lol!

That's the punchline on the meme posted by Bob Bueling on fb!

The Blue Boy and Mona Lisa are looking around, clearly in a modern city scene.

(Now, there's a May-December couple if ever there was one, as they are more than 250 years apart in age.)

 

Taxi cabs and delivery trucks rumble past.

 

Then he looks at her and says:

"I guess we're not in canvas anymore."

 

Hahahaha!

 

I'm not in Orlando anymore, either.

 

Not that the temperatures there last week were any different than the ones here in this seaport.

 

See that high of 91?

 

Be sure to add 12 degrees for the heat index due to humidity.

Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah.

 

And yet, I still managed to mow the front yard.

 

See the huge difference between the levels within that spiral walkway and its walls?

 

That's with the Ryobi on its next to lowest setting, not the lowest, as the grass was so thick it still almost choked out the device.

I got quite a workout pushing that mower, even using the higher setting.

And here's the worst part: it's barely been three weeks since the last mowing.

I waited until just after 7 PM to begin, too, as it was crazy hot at 4 PM.

 

See what I mean?

Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun... and I qualify as neither of those.

 

That's what I told the two neighbors out walking when they paused to tell me how smart I was to wait until the sun was off the yard.

 

I told them the line was from a poem, but it's more than that: it's from a poem set to music.

 

We call those "songs".

 

Hahahaha!

 

Now, I have a free pizza - let's say that's the Garden Vegetable one - and a discounted 3-item - with pepperoni, pineapple, and banana peppers - awaiting me after a shower.

 

So glad I had ten bucks in Papa John "dough" to spend on these!

So glad that "A Quiz With Balls" will soon be on!

So glad it's Tina Tuesday!

(smile!)

forget wheaties!

"This is the Breakfast of Champions!!!"

So said I in texts to a bunch of people this morning!

 

The ex: "YDR!"

 

The first niece: "I don't care what anybody says. Pineapple absolutely belongs on a pizza."

 

Blue-sky Penny: "Good morning sweet cheeks. I'll let you enjoy that. I'm having yogurt."

 

The physicist: "Ha ha! That looks so good!"

 

Bonnie in Alabama: "Looks fine to me."

 

Amiga Barbara: "Hahaha! Cold pizza and a glass of milk makes a fine breakfast, lactose free of course."

 

She had been the inspiration for the toppings of the slice on the left.

A dinner party had been planned for last evening, at her house, with spinach salad as the main course, to add other ingredients to taste.

Sadly, her air conditioning went on the fritz, so that put a kibosh on the soiree.

(How's that for an international flair?!)

So, after finding out that Papa John's was having another FREEDAY special, and having missed the one last weekend due to Dane time, I bought pizza yesterday!

And, for mi amigas, I got one with grilled chicken, roma tomatoes, and spinach, dubbing it "Spinach Salad".

Nice, right?

The other I call "POP", as it's pepperoni, onions, and pineapple.

Both are thin crust - so I get that crUnCh! - and light cheese.

So very tasty they are!!!

I am so looking forward to pizza for breakfast all week!!!

Such a birthday treat!!!

(smile!)

always something to be grateful for

That's what the sign on Waters Avenue said, and, with the lovely day I've had, I'll vouchsafe that sentiment.

(smile!)

The Universe woke me up this morning just after 7 AM...

so, of course, I flipped on "Toon In With Me" and was greeted by this sight!

That's Toonie, a pizzeria owner from Chicago, and Bill, all smiling and happy.

Why wouldn't they be?

In honor of National Pizza Day, they were making their own fresh ones!!!

National Pizza Day???

Hooray!

Then, just in case I'd missed the point, I got the cartoon "For The Love Of Pizza".

It featured Woody Woodpecker, in a sketch that was a twist on Red Riding Hood.

Oh, good - I love that story!

This time around, Woody saw that the girl in red was taking pizza to her granny's house, as the old lady had a hankering for that special dish... and so did Woody!

So, he hustled over and tricked granny into going somewhere else and usurped her bed.

But his hustle didn't fool the granddaughter, no way!

Very funny bit!

Then I returned to bed and slept until my regular rising time.

My plan today was to see "Turning Red", a 2022 Pixar film only here for a few days.

"Hmm," I thought, "why not go ahead and reserve my ticket and order a pizza, too?"

 

So, that's what I did!

But here's the great part: I had $10 in reward bucks, and I knew cashing them in would net me a pizza...

and the supreme pizzas were on sale for $3 off, making them $6.99...

and I had the one on top, with the diagonal slices, waiting when I arrived.

Hooray!

However, my Lactaid was at home, so eating it would have to wait.

So, before I left, I went ahead and ordered another one, using the rest of my rewards.

So, two pizzas cost me only $4.26... what an amazing deal!!!

Going home, I stopped by the post office to finish Valentines for the four little blondes.

That put me on Waters Avenue going home... with the sign to brighten my day even more.

Maybe I'll take a photo of it on my next trip past.

(smile!)

So, I ate pizza and then went to the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta!

I was late, like almost by an hour, but all were glad to see me, and I them!

Of course the Super Bowl was the topic of conversation... this is a football crowd.

So I talked about watching the Lions come close, but not close enough.

Then I talked about the SBHF35 events going on, including the play the other night.

Plus, I made sure to tell Jimmy about the Steve Martin musical, "Bright Star", coming up at Savannah Country Day, with the music by Edie Brickell, and he was all over that.

He even remembered about "Picasso At The Lapis Agile", the Steve Martin play that had Einstein and Picasso in it, from at least a quarter century ago... and had been at it!!!

My guess is that was before he and Betsy got married.

Jimmy thinks he might be able to get tickets to "Bright Star"... that would be great!

We'll see!

And here's that play from 1996, recently done by a Brooklyn troupe... nice!!!

(smile!)

And what did I eat?

Dessert, naturally!

Sopapilla, again, and again shared with Mary and Laura and Tony.

I tried to get the others to try some, but they didn't think it'd go with their beer.

(smile!)

I just had time for my workout at Planet Fitness before "meeting" Barbara for "The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi's Schools", a documentary on AARP MFG.

Why was I interested in this?

The focus was on 1970 events, there in Leland, Mississippi, and I wanted to see if anyone of those children had gone through the same experiences I had.

Even my youngest brother knew that I had been beaten up just for being a white girl.

That was at Myers Middle School.

I and some others got caught by some older students from Savannah High School as we went from one building to another, and, as we ran to get away from them, I didn't make it inside before the door was closed.

The high school students beat me with their hands and kicked me when I was down, keeping it up until some adults chased them off.

Mama kept me out of school for a week, sending me back only after she had equipped me with Mace spray to ward off any future attackers.

That was a scary time.

Had any of those in Leland had that experience?

Nope.

For the most part, the film followed the seventy students who had started first grade that September of 1970, with most graduating in 1982.

 

In 2023, at 61 years old, these students were still friends, still people who kept in touch.

Douglas Blackmon, one of those "seeds of racial unity", was the host of the film.

The message that stayed with me was this: In those early years, they were close in school, and close at school events, but were not quite as close away from school, as their community was not as open-minded as they were.

That bias is still present today... but not for those who grew up with that open and integrated public school system.

And that's the rub: the status quo in 1970 had responded to the court-ordered mandate by opening multiple private schools, to keep white kids away from black kids, as well as black kids away from white kids.

Sad, right?

Barbara was already in college by that time, so she missed the change.

Not that she would have been affected, as she and her sister attended private school. 

My parents didn't have that option, which was good for me, allowing me familiarity at an early age with a more diverse population than she had.

Yes, the overall for me was positive... even though I did get beat up that one time, and had threats of more beatings on multiple occasions as I walked home from school.

It's good that those in Leland had a more positive experience.

It's even better that this film is viewable by all, via PBS on youTube.

Happy SBHF35 festival, y'all!

did you know a cello could sing?

I wouldn't have thought it possible until today.

The Silva family offered a free concert today, in honor of their son who was in the National Guard and leaving soon for Kuwait.

Francisco Silva is a world-renowned pianist, famously performing all 32 sonatas of Beethoven, and is scheduled to repeat that feat this year here in Brunswick.

Yes, that's right: in little old Brunswick, Georgia.

Moreover, that's to be done right here in the Brunswick Actors Theatre, a venue which holds less than 200 people.

I suspect it will be standing room only for those fortunate enough to get tickets.

You see, he is of the same profound reverence afforded to Sherrill Milnes, and, like him, uses his talents to operate a school with his wife to train others in his art.

Here's a difference, though: Silva is decades younger than the opera singer, so he will be able to teach many more his Silva piano method.

Wow.

I knew naught of him before this free event, titled simply "A Classical Afternoon with The Silvas", posted on the SoGlo Gallery website.

Did I mention that it was free?

I had hoped to find something to fill part of the day before my main event tonight, and there it was, and it even had a few empty seats to reserve.

Wow.

The Universe knew this was my birthday65 vacation and made sure I could be there.

Wow.

 

What was the connection between the Silvas and Lynda, the woman in charge of the gallery and attached theatre?

I have no idea... but I'm so glad I was there!

The concert was scheduled for mid-afternoon and my plan had been to dine afterward.

What a pleasant surprise to find a free reception there!

That allowed me to create my own temporary masterpiece from the colorful food on the tables.

Very nice, and appetizing, too!

Speaking of art, here are some of the works gracing the walls.

Most were 5x7 or thereabouts, all painted by Elizabeth McMillan, an artist centered in New Orleans.

Notice anything odd about the subject matter?

The still life paintings glorify onions and garlic!!!

They're quite pretty, too, and there were probably 50 framed pieces.

I grabbed one of the price sheets, playing with the idea of purchasing one as a memento.

These ranged from $600 to $950... so, nope.

But they certainly were pretty and would have worked in my house.

(smile!)

Back to the concert with the singing instrument, shall we?

That's Francisco, with Mireille, at the piano, while Dorian plays his cello.

The scene on stage varied throughout the concert, sometimes with all three, sometimes with just the married couple, and even several songs with Dorian and his dad.

I very much liked the Mozart piece, partly because it had been written as a four-hand composition, so Amadeus could play piano with his sister - such a nice tidbit to know about the light and lilting Sonata in B-flat major K. 358.

Francisco played the piece with Mireille, of course, and I watched the reflection of their hands in the polished wood above the keyboard - very nice!

Even from my ticketed seat, GG-4, about halfway back from the stage.

(smile!)

However, the two pieces that opened after intermission were the ones I treasured.

Those had Francisco and Dorian only and were two Christmas songs I knew well: "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and Schubert's "Ave Maria".

At first, I expected Mireille to join them, as the singer.. but she did not.

Still, I had the impression that a singer was, indeed, present... 

then, I realized that the cello was the songbird!

What a sweet sound it had!

How nice to hear its versatility in play on this dreary day!

(smile!)

Oh, did I not mention that a fine rain was continuously falling today and had been all morning?

Notice that I have my "Love of Three Oranges" umbrella firmly in hand.

I walked up and down the block a bit before the concert, then again afterward.

I had hoped for the Christmas Parade between my two events, but the rain had postponed the floats and visit from Santa to next weekend.

That's okay, the flower box was quite pretty!

And posted on the door of the Main Street Frame Shop was a local Golden Isles variation on "12 Days of Christmas"! 

 

"12 couples dining,

11 authors signing,

10 shrimp boats trolling,

9 trolleys rolling,

8 tourists jiving,

7 turtles diving,

6 snowy egrets,

5 Golden Isles,

4 cormorants,

3 marsh hens, 

2 pelicans,

and a heron in a palm tree."

That certainly made me laugh out loud!

Pausing to read that - and make written note of it - made me realize how hungry I was from all the walking after the concert.

Time for some dinner!

My choice was Fox's Pizza Den, having just overheard two New Yorkers talking about how good the pies were.

True that was, even without cheese... and pretty, too!

So wonderful to find art everywhere I go!

(smile!)

pizza and 4 little blondes!

There I was , working on the yard...

again.

One of the perks of owning a home is having land to watch bloom and grow.

One of the responsibilities of owning a home is keeping that piece of nature from running wild.

(smile)

That's why when my first niece texted to say they were coming in from Tybee and wondered if I had dinner plans, I had a brief pang of having missed beach time...

and an instant thrill of impending company!

Woohoo!

She was down there with her three and Michael had his twins, and they were all hungry and several hours in the sun and the surf.

Where to go to fill those tummies but Cici's!

Hooray!

More pizza for me!

So I got cleaned up and bopped on over there, not wanting to be the last one.

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

She had not even left Tybee yet!

No worries!

Dinner time was nearing for most folks, so I went in, ordered my cheeseless pizza, and cased the joint.

Then I snagged two tables on the quieter side of the venue.

By the time my peeps arrived, so had my special order!

Better yet, they had just beat the dinner rush!

Our two tables were out of the main flow, so we really did have our own little party going on, with the kids flowing from one table to another with ease.

Michael sat with me and Miyah.

Yes, of course I had saved a seat by me for her!

She's my littlest girl... though maybe not for much longer.

She's finally starting to look like the first-grader she will be this fall.

Good!

Alyssa came over to sit with her Dad after a while, trying to cajole some money for the game room... but he's on to that game!

One dollar was all she got!

LOL!

You'll notice there's a change in light level from those three photos to that one at the top.

That's because we were there for over two hours!

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

Others came, dined, and left, but not us - that's because it truly was a party, as it is any time we get together.

When I had saved the tables, I told interlopers that we were celebrating my birthday... and so I was!

No gifts, no cards, no balloons and decorations, no candles -

those are all external manifestations.

It was a party for my heart!

After all, this is its bday65, too.

i thank You, God.