safe at first base!

subtitle: This is my Fight Song.

Why?

That's the first song I heard after my so-called 'owner update'.
Diamond Resorts calls their sales pitches by that harmless moniker to lure you in.
No problem.
I had been promised $150 for 55 minutes of my vacation time and the timer on my phone was engaged.
Ron Johnson led me to a private room - smart man. They must have clued him in that I was "difficult" and they didn't want me to drive off other potential suckers - I mean, 'vacation ownership' buyers.
You have to understand the sales-speak, y'all.
Ron cut the line after twenty minutes and went to bait another hook, sending in Chris Kuhl to try his skills.
Notice, I said 'skills' and not 'skillz'.
He was a total failure, attempting to use the strong-arm tactics of Bill England, sales scum boss.
Can you believe he even tried to use God as a reason for me to buy?
What a creepazoid.

After collecting my monetary bounty, I sailed on out of there.
The entire thing had taken only 45 minutes.
(smile)
And the first music that greeted me was Rachel Platten's "Fight Song" -
i thank You, God!
Like JinHi, I've "still got a lot of fight left in me"!
Hallelujah!

The first thing I did was spread that tainted money around.
Off I went to the Museum of Arts and Sciences! I haven't been there for two years, since my first niece and I were in Daytona together for a Valentine's Day vacation.
After renewing my membership - thanks, DRI! - I explored the Root Family Museum for the next two hours.
What was there, you ask?

Experimental racecars!

Coca-Cola history and artifacts!

A burlesque bear!

The quarter-million-dollar bear!

The sales kit issued to those selling
Coca-Cola machines
to reluctant buyers!
(smile)

Sales pitches for radio broadcast,
to market the carbonated beverage to the public!
(I shared that with my ex, of course!
He very much enjoyed the blast from the past!)

A metric conversion tool from 1974,
issued by Coca-Cola to help the
people of the United States
learn the new measurements
used by the rest of the world!
(That was before Ronald Reagan became President
and the USA took its twenty-year jump backward.)

Beautiful quilts
of so many different
intricate patterns!

The Root Family's private train car,
the Silver Holly,
with its four bedrooms
and all the comforts of home!
(After watching "TBBT" for
these many years,
I've renewed my fondness for trains.)

Fancy dinnerware for the trains!
This one, with its sweet message to
"sleep like a kitten"
went straight to the bfe, of course!
Sweet dreams!

There was even a display of the drawings used
for the patent on the design of
the classic bottle used by Coca-Cola!
Why was the glass green?
The Root family owned a silica company and
all of their glasswares had that Christmas green hue.
And now you know the rest of the story,
as Paul Harvey used to say.
(smile)

Then it was off to the first of the two shows I wanted to see in the Planetarium!
The first was "Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt For Dark Matter". Amazingly, it was not an operatic ghost story, nor did it involve tales about objects of a black hue.
Nope!
(smile)
I wish the physicist - or my 'boys of physics' had been there for this one!
The 2 PM show was live, with our host, astronomer Jason, telling us about "The Sky Tonight". I'll definitely look for Saturn, Scorpio, Jupiter, and Leo later tonight!
Best of all, though, was the conversation he and I had after the show.
You see, I had forgotten how very special Earth is.
Notice that little box in the center third of the above picture?
That's the position of our solar system, in the 25,000-member star system that surrounds it, near the end of the spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, which contains at least 100 billion stars which we cannot see.
The Milky Way is so vast that it's just a gigantic band, a blur of whiteness, visible in our night sky.
Moreover, the stars we see at night? All of those constellations and planets?
Those are for our eyes only.
Those stars, and us, cannot even be viewed elsewhere in the galaxy we call home.
Truly makes me feel blessed!
i thank You, God!

Afterward, I was definitely wanting some lunch. Off to Publix I went!
There, I found a "Hello Kitty" dish full of sashimi waiting for me - yum!
Also, some vegetable sushi, Mount Rainier cherries, and milk, too!
Thanks, DRI!

Then to the Regal Cinema there in Ormond Beach!
Say what?
Hear me out - this was definitely planned!
The rewards program has two specials going on, one from Sony and one from Disney.
Here's the catch: not all of the cinemas in the chain get all of the movies in the promotions.
Well, I saw "Cars 3" this evening - thanks DRI! - and that granted me the 1000-point bonus for the Disney movie bunch. (I had seen "POTC: DMTNT" already and "GOTC:V2" was already gone from the Regals in Florida.)
Woohoo!
I saw "Despicable M3" before "Cars 3" - thanks DRI! - so that bumped me up for my lack of SKFF movies this week.
I also had the large popcorn and soda - thanks DRI! - to serve as dinner for my triple-header.
(smile)
And how will I complete this lovely day?
By watching "Spider-Man: Homecoming" - thanks DRI! - on its opening day.
What day, you ask?
07-07-2017.
Pretty nice, right?
That gets me a special bonus of three free comics about the Marvel hero!
Plus, it counts toward my Sony promotions and grants me another 1000 points.
Such a lovely day...
and it only cost me 45 minutes of my time this morning...
and I still have another $75 to spend later...
thanks DRI!

And many thanks to You, God, for this lovely day!

this is her fight song

JinHi Soucy Rand posted last night on fb.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Cancer entered my family's life 34 years ago.
Today marks the 34th year since my hip disarticulation to treat my Osteogenic Sarcoma.
For the first 10 years, it was an anniversary of the time since I lost my leg.
For 19 years after that, I tried to think of it as the number of years I was cancer free, despite ongoing issues with a brain tumor, ovarian and uterine cysts that ultimately led to a hysterectomy at a young age, PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
On what was to be my 30th year, we learned that I had a rare non-small cell lung cancer caused by a gene mutation. I was stage one and after a lobectomy, two rounds of chemo treatment, two rounds of radiation treatment over the next 3 years, the cancer progressed to stage 4.
Last year, after getting a second opinion that confirmed my treating oncologist's advice that I begin a gene mutation inhibitor drug, I found myself at 6 weeks in, suffering from horrific side effects, taken by ambulance to a hospital in Brooklyn where I stayed through July 4th, and through my survivor anniversary on the 6th and longer, battling sepsis, pneumonia, and neutropenia brought on by the medication.
Mark and I found ourselves dealing with the very real possibility that I wouldn't make it through another year, though neither of us said it.
We were just trying to survive the week.
After a few weeks of recovery my treating doctor and I decided to try the drug again at 75% of the original dose.
I began again on August 1, 2016. I have been taking it for almost a year with very minimal side effects, and relatively normal blood counts, and most importantly there has been no progression in the last 3 PET scans.
I've grown stronger and more curious.
Curiosity is everything to me and what I am, and I am so so grateful to have it again.
I know this will not last forever, and I have a PET scan and a brain CT scan next week, but today I can say that I am a 34 year cancer survivor, and pay tribute to that 14 year old that somehow survived that year...
And to friends that are surviving and those who have now found peace, and will forever be missed by their loved ones and myself.
-Also, I have been growing my hair out for almost a year in whatever natural color this is. I decided in the hospital that I wanted to let it grow in and see my silver truth now, in case I don't get to see it later.
Call it my precious curiosity.
Here are some pics from my hospital stay last year. It all hurt too much at the time. It's mostly Mark and me trying to keep each other smiling.
#gratefulforthisyear #survivorswagger #survivorguilt #love #countingitalljoy #charliechaplinhair #childhoodcancer #curiosity #freakslikeme #weareallsurvivors

batter up!

subtitle: gazpacho and tortugas!

I waved goodbye to Savannah just before noon
at one of her prettiest spots
along Veterans Parkway.
Starting the day with
salt marsh scenery and
a shining ribbon of water...
fabulous!

This time, I didn't pause
until I reached the
Gypsy Cab Company in St. Augustine.
I had passed by in May,
confirming that it still existed.
Now, its yellow walls and purple light
beckoned me for lunch...
and in I went!

I truly feel at home in this lovely,
brightly-painted place,
with its violets, golds, and teals!
The ever-changing art displayed
draws the eye and beckons
you to come hither...
as I have done for
more than two decades.

Of course I had a salad!
How else to get my much-needed dose
of their garlic-infused house dressing?
A chilled bowl of gazpacho
was perfect
to offset the summer heat
of the drive.
Thanks, y'all for the respite from the road!

I continued on the A1A,
checking for progress on its
repairs from the tangle with Matthew.
Most of the greenery has returned,
though not all.
Definite progress, though!
(smile)

By 4:30 PM, I was at
The Cove on Ormond Beach,
my home for three short days -
and four long nights! -
on this second summer vacation.
The condo is on the second floor
of the South Tower,
Suite 702 A, and the view...
well, see for yourself!

Later in the evening, I jetted over to Cinematique
to see their final screening of "The Survivalist".
Yes, it was a rather grim film for a beach vacation,
but it was quite well done... until the ending.
Oh well, I can still tell Tomasz about it!
Plus, I got to see Andrew Ramos of RAI
in this theatre etiquette flick!

Fortunately, the movie was fairly short.
When I came out, I saw the ballfield
was still lit up - the game was still afoot!
Even better, as it was already in the 7th,
I was allowed in for free!
I was right there when the Daytona Tortugas
beat the Clearwater Threshers by one run!
Game over, 9-8!

Afterward, I wanted a photo with
Jackie Robinson, the man whose name
the ball field bears.
A very kind young man
snapped this one for me -
good job!
What a blessed first day
of vacation this has been!

grateful for the bfe!

Today marked a month that the physicist has been living with me.
A month.
He gave me a check for the next month's rent this morning.
Apparently, the lack of air conditioning hasn't driven him away.
Wait, let me correct that...
he has the portable unit in his bedroom...
so, the lack in the rest of the house hasn't driven him away.
Nor has living with me sent him fleeing to the streets...
that's quite a neat trick, I must say.
(smile)
(He's definitely a keeper.)

This afternoon, I taught him how to use my lawnmower.
Hey, it was his request!
I kid you not.
Together, we cut most of the front yard before the battery was exhausted.
Then, we went downtown for dinner and a movie and didn't even shower first.
I kid you not.
We dined at Betty Bomber's, his treat -
quite unexpected! -
and then bopped over to the Sentient Bean for Jim's tribute to Adam West.
In honor of the departed actor, the Psychotronic Film Society of Savannah was presenting a double-header: two television pilots that never flew.
(Did you see the pun? Ain't it a peach?)
The first was "Lookwell", a very funny take on an actor who believes he truly is the detective he played in a past series.
Like I said, very funny! Sam J would have loved it!
We both definitely laughed at it!
The second pilot was one I had seen before, the 1968 "Alexander the Great". Jim had showed it during his "ShatnerFest" in 2011.
Why show it again, when William Shatner was clearly the star?
Well, Adam West had been cast to serve a major role in the series, had it continued.
The expense of the historic biopic destined it to doom, though.
Expense of the clothing?
Oh, no!
Such a glorious surfeit of exposed - and muscular - male flesh certainly needed no covering!
Ooh la la!!!
But the one dancing chica with the cleavage... that was pretty racy for 1968.
Go figure.
Oh, well, I certainly enjoyed seeing it again... and the bfe liked it, too.

He is definitely a keeper.

splish splash!

Many thanks to my first niece and her man for a fabulous fourth of July!

This is only ONE of the many meats cooked on the grill!
I had one of the upper ribs -
the bottom ones would light you up!
Very pretty - but deadly! LOL!
Other grilled foods I had:
hotdogs, pork chops, a perfect chicken leg,
and a packet of low country boil
with plenty of shrimp and sausage -
oh, my, what a feast of meat!
Steak and hamburgers were available, too.
Rawwwrrrr! So very good!

Plus, my first niece had made mac'n'cheese, using lactose-free milk! Lots of natural cheddar! I ate an absolutely ridiculous amount of it!
Her mom supplied baked beans with little chunks of bacon on each serving - good stuff!
Christian's mom gave us real German potato salad - but, of course! She's a real German!
(smile!)
Each of them also made a dessert, too!
Peanut butter pie (again, lactose-free!), brownies, and red-white-and-blue topped cheesecake, from Christina, Melinda, and Karen, respectively. Yum!!!

I was there for the food, sure...
but mostly for the people!

This cutie pie,
Leila,
had one question
included with her greeting smile:
"Are you getting in the pool?"
Of course I was!
Why would I have resisted
such an invitation?

Her daddy, Michael,
was in the pool, too.
He's my real nephew,
you know.
(smile)

Leila was not the only great-niece I had the pleasure
of playing with in the pool -
oh, no!
Where she is, her sister is sure to be!
Alyssa was playing inside after the meal,
but was out getting sun with us beforehand
and for the one-hour-later swimfest!
So much fun in the sun!

Who is that man in the goggles?
The pool man and grill maestro,
Christian Grunow!
His son was there, too!

So was his mom, Karen,
and his dad, Ray!
That woman to the right,
treating the couch like
a chaise lounge?
That's my outlaw Melinda!
(smile)

And here we have my first niece,
Christina, and her stepdad, Matt.
Thanks, Melinda, for the gifts of
my niece and nephew!
Thanks, Michael, for my darling great-nieces!
Thanks, Christina and Christian,
for a most memorable 4th of July!
i thank You, God, for this glorious day!

happy 4th of july, my dear country

Litany for Independence Day

As we remember the birth of our nation, and the gifts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, let us offer our thanks and prayers to God, the giver of all good gifts.

For the women and men who braved the long journey by sea to come to this new world,
We thank You Lord.

For the tribes and nations who inhabited this land for generation upon generation,
We thank You Lord.

For patriots who dreamed of, and worked for, a free nation,
We thank You Lord.

For the men and women who laid the foundation of our democracy, and who pledged liberty and justice for all,
We thank You Lord.

For those who built this country brick by brick, road by road, and town by town,
We thank You Lord.

For the brave soldiers who have fought for our country, for all who paid for our freedom by their service, and those who paid by their sacrifice,
We thank You Lord.

For the innovators and artists, poets and teachers, farmers and factory workers; for all who labor and provide for the common good,
We thank You Lord.

For this land, wit its peaks and valleys, coasts and deserts, fields and meadows,
We thank You Lord.

For our own community, for those who came before us in this place, and for our neighbors near and far,
We thank You Lord.

Lord, we pray for the United States, that we might always be a nation which defends and promotes liberty and freedom, truth and justice.
We pray to You Lord.

That we might always be a nation where all are free to worship and pray,
We pray to You Lord.

That we might be a beacon of freedom to all those who live under the shadow of terror and hopelessness,
We pray to You Lord.

That those who are elected to govern and lead would be guided by You, and be ever aware of the trust that has been given them,
We pray to You Lord.

That we would be a people who repent from our sins, and who always return to You and Your grace,
We pray to You Lord.

***** ***** *****

My thanks for Reverend Billy Hester for the above, included with our service.

not just bread and wine

Reverend Billy is going on vacation.
When I read that post from the church, I knew I needed to be there today.
I'm so glad I was.
My spirit needed that inoculation against infection from the negativity and deep, dark sadness of the world.
Even Hai seemed friendlier at the post-sermon Big Coffee Hour.
(smile)
Bill was there, too, with his big hug and "Hello, beautiful" greeting.
(smile)
Butch and Jean, Cheri's folks, seemed more cognizant and mobile today, exchanging banter as we waited in the long line for the Sunday hug from Billy.
(smile)
The music was quite patriotic, from the opening bars of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to the last refrain in "America", with all invited to sing for each one.
(smile)
The sermon was about horseshoe crabs and the use of this oceanic arthropod's baby-blue blood to insure every bag of intravenous fluids is free of bacteria, so the life-saving fluids used in the medical world do no harm to patients.
(smile)
We even had Communion after the sermon, and I partook, allowing the thoughts generated to form their message to me.
(smile)

The purpose of a place of spiritual worship is to provide inoculation of the human spirit and psyche against infection from the negativity and deep, dark sadness of the world

Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.

By Heinrich Harder (1858-1935) - The Wonderful Paleo Art of Heinrich Harder, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2426462

preemptive rainbow

Las tres amigas were dodging raindrops along Jefferson Street when we saw it: this rainbow arcing from north to south over the downtown area to the east.
I would have had to move over a block to catch all of it in my camera eye.
Quite lovely... and such an odd coincidence.
We were passing through this little summer storm on our way to "The Tempest"... and we were given a rainbow.
i thank You, God.

How fared the show presented by Savannah Shakes?
Well, the innovative troupe took the Shakespeare into the 1970's, for starters.
The sprite Ariel was a glam-rock spirit, more gay than comic, trying to win his freedom from the warped Prospero (female, the Duchess of Milan in this incarnation).
The monster Calaban, the deformed son of a deposed witch, is portrayed as a black man, also trying to win his freedom from the slavery imposed upon him by Prospero.
The king's butler and jester, Stephano and Trinculo, respectively, appear as buffoons patterned after the Blues Brothers and the Three Stooges. Nice comic relief!
I had honestly not recalled much of this play. I think I may have once seen the movie, but that would have been more than thirty years ago.
I mostly went for the music of David Bowie.
I had prepared for the venture by listening to CHANGESONEBOWIE yesterday. I have the album on cassette - which had prompted the bfe to ask "what's this?" when he had seen it on the table.
Yes, my physicist, I still have tapes of favorite music.
(smile)
What's my favorite song of the compilation?
That's the very last tune -
"John, I'm Only Dancing" -
which other one would it be?
(smile)

clean hair

Notice anything different?
Doesn't my hair look fluffier - frizzier - than it has been of late?
That's because last night it was washed.
For almost seven months, it has not been, as you may recall.
Why now?
Well, on Thursday, my hair was drenched with rain running off a canopy at David's burial.
That rain was his last bit of fun to urge us to stay close to each other.
(smile)
I probably would have washed my hair that night, had it still been wet when I finally went home.

But I had not gone straight home.
I had visited Mama to place the three rocks I had brought as souvenirs from North Carolina.
I also finally gave her the new pinwheel -
and she loved it!
Christina and Chelsea were with me.
Then we visited Jean Marie
(but her headstone is not yet up).
Afterward, we joined the Johnson family at the luncheon.

It was after 3 PM when I returned home.
My hair was already almost dry by that time, so I left it alone.

Yesterday morning, I went to visit Sam.
After weeding around his tombstone,
I gathered up lovely Spanish moss
and draped it around the grave.
The black bag in my car was full of discarded
flowers and deflated balloons when I left.
I'm glad someone had brought him fresh posies
and a small wooden cross.
His grave really stands out quite nicely now.
Washing my hair didn't even register as a thought.

However, after last night's rain-out, washing my hair was needed.
I had been deluged several times by the rain running off the roof of the stadium - that had to be dirty, right?
So, after getting Willie home, with my hair and clothes soaked, I cut short my conversation with the bfe, shucked the wet clothing, and took a shower...
and washed my hair.
I was very gentle with it, taking care to avoid tangles.
This morning, it feels a bit lighter and is definitely bouncier.
Very nice!
Will I wash it again in the near future?
We'll have to wait and see.
(smile)