talking smack about the weather, part 1

me: 

It's after 10 AM and just barely above freezing. 

At least the sun is out and it's a blue sky day.

 

the ex: 

The sun just came out. 

It isn't doing any good; it's 7 [degrees F].

 

me: 

Holy shiite.

me: 

My stepmom sent this from Alabama yesterday.

"It's 12 and feels like 0. 

This is the view from the front door."

 

the ex: 

Amateurs. 

[He countered with the view from his front door in Michigan, in the 'fingers' part of the 'mitten'.]

 

 

me:

How deep is that?

 

the ex:

Well, what you're looking at are the piles made by the snow plow that cleared our driveway.

Amy reckons we got a total of 1 1/2 feet, that fell slowly but steadily between Friday and Sunday.

Drifting also caused some issues because of high winds.

 

the ex:

We were using the shovel and the snow thrower every several hours, to clear walkways and areas for Millie to do her business outside.

I cut out something I call "the arena" for her.

 

me:

Millie is a lucky dog.

 

the ex:

Well, she's so small that she would have gotten lost in the snow!

One morning, I tried to cut a little bit before she needed to go out but she needed to go as soon as she got up.

Two steps into it and she went right down there.

 

me:

Oh! Poor puppy! 

What a cold shock!

the ex:

She wasn't out in it long enough to get that wet, and she was happy to have some breakfast right afterward.

three movies and a luncheon!

The luncheon was yesterday, with Yvonne!

No, not at Olive Garden this time!

Nope, not at Applebee's, either, though that's where we started, but that didn't work.

The waitress there disappeared for twenty minutes after bringing our drinks...

so we returned the favor and left.

The hostess didn't seem to care.

So we walked next door to B&D Burgers and they were glad to have us!

See Yvonne laughing at me?

Notice which finger that is next to her mouth?

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

We both enjoyed the chicken tenders, too -

they truly are the best in town!

(smile!) 

After lunch, she went back to work and I took off for the movies for a double header.

I knew the lovely 60's of Monday would soon give way to brutal cold and I wanted to make sure I got my A*List in before it did.

Here's the weather song from WSAV for the week, and just look at those freezing lows on five of those days!

Yes, with a horror show like that rolling into town, I most def had to make sure my ducks were in a row.

Quack, quack, quack!

That means getting my all-musical A*List viewed and done, as forecast.

See what I did there?

Threw in a little weather joke to lighten the mood, if not the skies.

(smile!)

Yesterday was a double header, of chocolate dreams ("Wonka") and lavender flowers ("The Color Purple"), with a surprising number of other viewers there for a Monday.

Well, surprising until I remembered it was a holiday!

Today, for Tina Tuesday, I was the first movie-goer in the place!

That means I had the Big-D of "Mean Girls" all to myself!!!

Very nice!

(smile!)

Now, I'm going to watch "School Spirits" once more time before that reward movie expires.

I selected it on Sunday, after reading a fb post from the former JavaFlicks Savannah ringleader, Patrick Young, and deciding it was just up my alley.

It also ties in well with "Mean Girls" on several counts.

It takes place in a high school and it features a "new girl" who's a bit out of step.

It has two students who take her in hand to help her find her rhythm there.

It has a "queen bee" who wants to do the same, meaning to keep her down.

It has a guy that's in contention by two of the females. 

Plus... it's a kinda sorta musical!

Tiffany Alvord, the "new girl", is on the soundtrack for several of the songs, but she does no singing, nor does anyone else, in the movie itself.

Okay, it's starting now... later!

Stay warm, y'all!

how about a few jokes? yes, please!

Do you know what a wok is?

A wok is what you thwow at a wabbit when you don't have a wifle.

hahahaha!

That one's courtesy of Bob Bueling, someone I was stationed with in Okinawa, and mined from his fb page.

Perfect for a Saturday!

This one from Jackie Frant is rather perfect for this weekend day as well!

"I think I have an urge to clean the house today...

Wait... NO.

False alarm!"

I'm thinking being all dolled up,

complete with the wearing of white gloves, 

would certainly reinforce that conclusion!

Maybe I should dress up more often!!!

And I can usually count on Danny Beam for at least one good pun!

Ya gotta feel for this for poor shrink...

having to tell the patient professing to be a guitar

that he is, in fact, a lyre...

hahahaha!

These stringed instruments are so hard to tell apart these days, aren't they?

Hahahaha!

Genie Lawson is quick with a pun, too!

This one, though, hearkens back to an old nursery rhyme, which I love.

We all know Humpty Dumpty had a great fall -

but did we know he spent it 

carving a pumpkin 

or enjoying a walk in the cooler air 

or warming his tootsies by the fire 

or picking fresh apples off the tree?

Such a nice perspective on an old favorite!

Am I missing someone here?

Yes! Hallie Allgood, sister-in-law of my sister-in-law Mary!

"I changed all my passwords to 'Kenny'.

Now I have all Kenny Loggins."

Hahahaha!

I practically have to sing that one!

Definitely fun!

And lest you think I missed out on my cartoons this morning, think again!

There's that tongue-tied hunter, Elmer Fudd, even bald-headed as a boy!

He's firmly grasping his popgun, which is aimed at the head of a young - and rather stout! - Bugs Bunny!

Nice to see a cartoon I haven't seen in such a long time!

(smile!)

three dinners and a luncheon!

Last Saturday, my first niece called.

She and her daughters would be in town for Olive Garden with her mom and sister.

Did I want to join them for a girls' luncheon???

Of course I did!!!

That would be our first get together of the new year... and the weather was in the 60's!

We even enjoyed the warm day while the girls ran out their excess energy before the drive home! 

Just perfect!!!

Before that, I hadn't dined out, but I did dine in!

The physicist was over at my house and, having recently learned that pizza is my favorite food, he rang up Papa John and got us another one!

Did I say "another"?

I did, as he had been by just before Christmas, too.

That's when we watched the first two parts of a miniseries, "The Defiant Ones", about Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine and Interscope Records and Beats.

It was on Tubi, not Peacock, and was an HBO original, not a Peacock one, but the bfe was cool with the mix-up and it all worked out okay.

The bfe and I finished the series on the first Wednesday of 2024, then had a nice discussion after - purr-fect!!

So, that started my new year with a bang, and the last two evenings have done the same for this second week.

Thursday, I was out to the movies... and amigas were right there with me for the new musical, "Mean Girls"!!!

No mean girls here, though!!!

I suggested dinner after and Bowties BBQ was the answer from Barbara and Sandy - nice!!!

And tonight, of course, was the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta at Jalapenos of Sandfly!

All of the Smiths were there, but Mark was the sole rep for the other family.

No worries, not with Andrea - Smitty's favorite waitress - making sure we were set!

We were actually there a bit later than usual; not because both Mark and I were late, but because the night was in the 60's, so the joint was busy!

Speaking of joints, that was a hot topic, as Tony and Laura had visited a shop with THC gummies and brownies while in Missouri.

I guess that was the good side of having a layover in Kansas City!

(smile!)

Ah, yes... good times, good times, with friends and family!

And now I'm home again, just in time for "Penn & Teller: Fool Us", with fond memories of seeing their magic in Las Vegas with Paul and Cathy!

Marvelous memories, old and new!

(smile!)

a*list, past and future!

I know exactly what three movies I'm seeing next week!

 

"You have a magic 8-ball or something?"

 

That would be a crystal ball for prognosticating, not that toy with the floating answers. Not that I have either, though. Nope! My prediction is based solely on the films still, and now, playing at the cinema on Shawnee.

 

"Well, I do know that three new ones are due to start tomorrow."

 

Technically, that's their official opening, but they actually began today. You know, to get a jump on the weekend box office numbers.

 

"True dat."

 

LOL! Girlfriend, you are so not street! That's okay, you go on with your bad self!

 

"Huh."

 

Don't get your panties in a twist. I'm just kidding with you.

"Okay. So, you seem to be hinting that you saw one of those new ones today."

Sister, I saw two of the three new ones today!!! Double header time, to make sure I got in my trio for the week! It's been pretty cold, you know, so I've waited it out until today. That's when the temps bounced up to the 60's for me. Hooray!!!

"Oh, wow, very nice. And you'll get 70 for tomorrow!!!"

Right!?! Such a great way to start the weekend! Well, before Saturday drops into the basement. Ack. But so good to have this breather!

"For sure! So tell me about this week's A*List."

I'll go ahead and tell you about next week's, too!

"Sure, sure, but this week's first."

Okay! So, I'd seen "The Boys In The Boat" again last Friday. Barbara even came and watched it with me... and it was her fourth time seeing it!!! She's taken two others to it, she likes it so much! That's good!

"That's incredible! She doesn't do much of watching movies more than once."

 

Well, she does try to fill her dance card, just as I do. Plus, watching the movies is "free" for us, up to three, so that's a nice bit of entertainment.

 

"Yes, yes, I know how the A*List works. Three movies per week, all part of the monthly $24 fee. That's a real deal!"

 

That's right. Honestly, without that perk, I know I wouldn't be seeing as many as I do. Even the matinee prices are almost 8 bucks for a senior. I'd have to forego popcorn!

 

"Oh, heaven forbid! A fate worse than death!"

 

I know you're joking, but you know darn well that movies are better with popcorn.

 

"I do, not that you have that treat at every one of them. Now, tell me about those last two movies, because I thought they started tomorrow."

 

That's what I was saying earlier! Both "The Beekeeper" and "Mean Girls" officially begin on the 12th, but I saw them today! And Barbara saw the Jason Statham movie last night!!!

 

"Hey, good deal! You had company for it!"

 

Even better: I had company at both of those movies! Barbara joined me for "The Beekeeper", which was great fun for me, as I watched him lay waste to a bunch of con artists that made the DEA scam perpetrated on me look like small potatoes. Not that it was to me. What great fun cheering him on was he torched their devices and whupped their butts!!!

(smile!)

Then Sandy came out to join us for "Mean Girls"!!! I tell ya, it was like pre-pandemic days!!!

Not that the cinema was full, but for us to be together!

I think it was the news that it was a musical that drew them out.

That's certainly the key factor for me!

And the movie was so true to the 2004 version, and yet different enough to really pop!!!

Hey, speaking of Drew - get the pun? hahaha! - she is going to have the stars of "Mean Girls" on her show tomorrow morning!!! I'll have to make sure I let mi amigas know so they can tape it, or however that recording feature of On Demand works.

(smile!)

I had been watching her show all week for news of the movie, but it was all about resolutions and healthy eating and stuff like that.

I'm so glad to know she will have these young, musical, stars on tomorrow!!! 

"Well, good for her! That will be a good episode to watch!"

It will! Without her show, I wouldn't have known that "Wonka" was a musical, or that "The Color Purple" was a musical, so who knows when I would have seen them...

and, I'm going to see them again next week!

AMC has three musicals on those silver screens, so I'm going to fill my dance card with all three for a totally musical time!!!

 

"Good for you!!! I know you are utterly thrilled!!!"

 

I am, I really, truly, am!!! I think I'll see "Wonka" first, as its original was in 1971, so that makes it the oldest. I think that's best, befitting its status as the only prequel in the lot, and the only one which had a musical film as its origin. 

That will be followed by "The Color Purple", which had its non-musical original in 1985. I guess that makes it the middle child? LOL! 

"Mean Girls", with its millennial, non-singing and dancing, origin film in 2004 making it definitely the youngest. 

"Very nice! That sounds like lots of fun for you during this winter month."

They'll definitely warm me up! Woohoo!!!

(smile!)

What an unexpected blessing!

i thank You, God!

retiring my Elvis social calendar schedulers

"Oh, no! You aren't going to have Elvis singing and dancing on your kitchen cabinets?"

 

Don't be silly! Of course I'm going to still have them to keep my days straight! After all, I know very well that every day is not Saturday, and I look to his white Vegas jumpsuit to help me keep up with events of interest. It's just that some of the days have gotten a bit tatty looking, so it's time for a fresh batch of men to make my mornings percolate!

 

"Hahaha! I see that joke you made! That you'll be looking at your schedule as Mr. Coffee makes that cuppa of decaffeinated joy for you. Nicely done!"

 

Thanks! Nice to be appreciated by somebody around here... hahaha! 

"You know your actions are always met with gratitude, right? I guess my surprise is that you didn't get this done before now. Isn't it usually a 'first day of the new year' thing?"

Yes, it is, but I guess I've been a bit slack with those things. For example, I didn't get my new wall calendar marked up with birthdays, anniversaries, and such until the third. I'm clearly out of my groove. That annual task is usually done before the end of the preceding year! Good thing I got it done last week or I would have probably missed Christy's birthday.

"No, I feel sure you would have remembered. Her birthday on the 5th falls on the same day as either your Grandma or Grandpa Lee, so that date has held importance for you for your whole life."

Of course you're correct, I was just making the point that I was late in getting organized this year. That's all. Here's another example: my jar of "good times had with others" was still full of last year's events until today. In my defense, I've been with the dog and cat, and mostly at their house, not mine. So, the first week's worth of events have been languishing on the dining room table, waiting for it to be emptied.

"Wow! That's a lot of good times that were stuffed in there!"

For sure! Some should have been up on the dining room walls with the other stuff. For instance, those six baseball games certainly should have been, especially as three of them were shared with the Great Scott. (smile!)

"Yeah, that's true! Including that Greenjackets game in Augusta."

Correct! Then there were the nine - nine!!! - concerts I ushered with the Savannah Music Festival. Those certainly should have been on the walls, as I had all five of the events ushered for the Savannah Voice Festival up there.

 

"Glad to see you are back to being a busy, vibrant woman, dear."

 

Thanks, me, too. Yes, me, too.

home after a day of bones

Yes, home I am once more, this time to stay.

This petsitting post hasn't been the joyful experience of the past.

For one thing, I've been forced - no, encouraged - to return home rather than stay the entire time with the dog and cat.

For another thing, the weather has been rude, bouncing about like a Mexican jumping bean.

See what I mean?

Down to the 30's on Thursday, my first night there, then straggling in the 50's all of Friday.

I'd stayed there most of that day, as Cole and his g'friend weren't due in until after 7.

That meant the critters would have had a very late dinner, so I fed them before I left and spent Friday night at home.

The couple had stayed until sometime in the afternoon on Sunday, so I'd at least had a nice, warm Saturday with no plans.

That was fortunate, as it had left me open for an impromptu luncheon with folks from Hinesville and Guyton - very nice!

However, by the time Laura's son departed for Tampa, Sunday was cooling back down, so Dane didn't get to have any sunshine time in the back yard, nor on the front porch.

He was glad to see me, even eating all his dinner with no coaxing!

I think he understood that Tony and Laura would return the next day, right on schedule.

However, that was not to be.

Monday was tolerably good weather, essentially in the upper 50's all the day and night.

Well, it was here, but not in Kansas City.

There, it was to be a snowy day.

Still, that wasn't the reason for the flight delay.

Tony had called from the tarmac to say they were waiting for new windshield wipers.

That took three hours, making them miss their connection.

The only available flight from the ATL was at 8 AM on Tuesday...

but they managed to both get on standby for the last flight out on Monday night for Savannah...

and they made it on!!!

That was just before 11 PM and that's when I left.

So, what's up with this photo?

This is from the 2009 movie I watched on their DISH.

Yes, that's Sandra Bullock and the movie was "The Proposal", which paired her with Ryan Reynolds.

No, that's not the MINT mogul in this image -

it's Oscar Nunez.

Here's the thing: he was also in "The Lost City", as the pilot that came to the aid of the novel writer's press agent when no one else did, even helping her get the local Coast Guard involved in the search for the writer.

He was the pilot with a goat as his copilot, right?

As many times as I saw that movie in the cinema, his little scenes made an indelible impression on my psyche.

And when I noticed him in "The Proposal", it wasn't his role as the town grocer...

oh, no, no, no...

it was him as the town's only male stripper, called into action for the bachelorette party!!!

(smile!)

He also happened to be the town's ordained minister.

So many little roles, and all done with panache!

He's my age, so that made him 51 in that movie.

Very nice!

(smile!)

So, what's that about bones?

The post title refers to the television show, which has a lot of science in it.

Much as I like that, I doubt I would have watched for long if not for David Boreanaz.

By the time "Bones" came around, I was already hooked on him as a vampire with soul.

Today, one of the channels on DISH was having a marathon of the show, so that made my time there with Dane and Frosty pretty pleasurable.

Still, it's going to be good to sleep in my own bed tonight...

and for the next few nights for as long as I can tell.

i thank You, God.

it's dane and frosty time, it's dane and frosty time!

"It's Dane and Frosty Time.

It's Dane and Frosty Time.

 

The dog and kitteh, too,

Say Howdy Do to you.

Let's give a rousing cheer,

'Cause Dane and Frosty's here,

It's time to start the show,

So kids c'mon let's go!"

 

Funny how my mental jukebox comes up with songs, whether I ever watched the vaudeville-style children's television show or not.

 

Anyway... Tony and Laura are out and about, this time to return Noah to his girlfriend's arms for his 18th birthday tomorrow.

 

Ah, the things parents do for their young'uns!

 

Dane is none too happy about the situation, but he did eat his dinner, so that's good.

 

Frosty ate his dinner just fine, as he always does.

 

What about me?

 

Well, I ate the Birds Eye Voila Garlic Chicken, but I overcooked it, twice.

 

Better luck next time, I hope.

 

The laundry turned out just fine, so I have fresh bed linens for when I return home.

 

Most excellent!

 

Today, I also finished up my first AMC A*List of 2024, with two of the three movies seen for the first time - sweet!

Those two would be "The Iron Claw" - watched on Tuesday as part of a double header - and "Migration", in 3-D, watched this afternoon.

The sports film was about wrestlers and I had thought I might recognize them, but I did not.

The Von Erichs came along in the late 1970's, which was after my family had stopped watching that sport.

My parents had divorced and Daddy was the one who instigated all the sports on TV.

This documentary was rather sad; four of the five brothers died young, two by mishap and two by their own hand.

Wow.

The animated movie was a bit slow for the first thirty minutes or so, but the latter half was great fun!

I swear, I've gotten to where I get a solid inkling of the new theme rides to come every time I watch one of these films!

Oh, plus, there was a cartoon before the movie!

It had Minions and that silly bad guy, Vector, the one who wanted to steal the moon.

That was quite funny!

So, where was I?

Oh, yes, needing to speak of the second film seen on Tuesday, of course.

In other words, right smack dab in the middle of my trio!

That movie was "Wonka".

I had suspected the wrestling movie would be sad, so I wanted something upbeat afterward.

This joyful musical - and the company of mi amigas, Sandy and Barbara - was perfect!

Just perfect!

That's how this day has been, too.

My trio is done, my laundry is done, I have pets to scratch under their chins...

and I have "Die Hard" on the telly!

Very nice!

(smile!)

swapping breakfast and dinner for an upside-down start!

Happy 2024!!!

Yes, I realize it's a human-made construct, this partitioning of time into units like minutes and hours, weeks and years, mornings and nights...

and so, today was lived backwards!

Well, maybe not quite, and certainly not by design, but that's how it worked out.

(smile!)

Breakfast was hoppin' john, served alongside greens with some of Christy's Christmas ham, all gaily sprinkled with paprika for a festive, and tasty, start of my day and year.

How do we know that it's breakfast and not some other meal?

Well, there's the "Miyah's artwork" mug full of coffee as a hint.

(smile!)

Then Sandy came over and we took off for Asbury Memorial.

Odd destination for us, right?

Not quite!

The Burning Bowl Ceremony and Anticipation Celebration was to begin at 3 PM and she had wanted to be there, so I went, too.

Right place, right time.

How did I know?

The temperatures were back in the 60's for this one day, this first day of 2024.

Knowing this weather forecast, I had agreed to join Sandy for this experience.

Good call!

It's been years since I've done it, and I certainly had items to let loose.

In fact, when it came time for us to write down thoughts or behaviors we wanted to let lose as we began this next rotation around the sun, I ended up with seven slips of paper.

I dropped each one ceremoniously into the bowl of fire set up in the garden.

i thank You, God.

Then we all trooped back inside to write our letters to ourselves, letters which were ultimately placed into addressed and stamped envelopes.

That's going to lead to anticipation of the celebration we will feel when we read those congratulatory missives when we receive them in December.

Get it?

We write to our future self of our accomplishments during this year, hopefully planting the seeds of bright flowers of growth and happiness.

My words, not Cheri's, though perhaps I will suggest them for next year.

Speaking of flowers, I brought the remaining sheets of my "Tulip" stationary to share with the group today, and left the rest with her for future events.

(smile!)

After the two-hour ceremony, and all that energy used in writing two pages of words to myself, I was ready for a nosh or two.

Sandy was, too, suggesting we go somewhere neither of us had been before.

Hey, that sounds like a resolution I once had!

I think that one, of trying a new restaurant every month, may have been the only resolution that I kept for an entire year!

So, where did we go?

"Toast All Day!"

It's a new place on Broughton Street that she had heard of.

The weather was holding, so that's what we did!

Here's the funny thing: we were both wanting pancakes and eggs, but that was on the morning menu and no longer available at nearly 6 PM.

So we chose the next best thing: chicken and waffles!

I guess the chicken came first this time...

hahahaha! Hahaha!

Such a good way to start the new year: with a good friend, sharing a new experience!

i thank You, God.