tik-toks and southern rock!

"That sure does sound like a mixed bag! Let me guess: Music Bingo?"

Bingo!!! I had been concerned that no one was going, but I told Marcia that I'd go if she did, so she did!!! She even brought along Amanda!!!

"Nice. It's been a hot minute since she came out to MSG."

That's very true. This was certainly a good night for that choice! The first game was "Tik-Tok Takeover #1 (Clean)" and, although I didn't know hardly any of the songs, my card managed to have 9 of them on it. Nine!!! In fact, I was 1-away from a bingo under the "I"! All I needed was "The Middle", by Maren Morris, Grey & Zedd, whoever they are.

"LOL! I have no idea! Most def new singers."

Game 2 was "Southern Rock Mix #3" and I knew most of those. Eddie Money, 35 Special, Styx, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Charlie Daniels Band, Little Feat, ZZ Top, The Gregg Allman Band, and, of course, Lynyrd Skynyrd. I had such fun singing along to those! My card only saw five hits on it, though. Pretty sad.

"Yeah, that's no way to win a game."

True, but you know what? I'd had such fun singing those songs that weren't on my card that I was all jazzed up! So, for Game 3, the one that costs $5 per card, I bought cards for all three of us! Yes, I did! I was glad, too, when I saw the description. "Bar Favorites Mix #18" - with John Fogerty, Aerosmith, The Cars, The Gap Band, Heart, The Rolling Stones - yes, please!!!

"Oh, I know you had whole lot of shakin' and singin' goin' on!!!"

"Emotional Rescue"!!! "Centerfield"!!! "Roll With It"!!! "Venus"!!! All told, I had 12 hits on my card, with six different lines that just needed two songs for a bingo! It was just wild!!! I felt absolutely high after that game ended. WOW!!!

"Wow!!! Did any of y'all win a game?"

Nope! But you know what? It really didn't matter! We three had such fun tonight, that the music was the star of the show! Marcia even sent out word to the others that "Tina was a lot of fun tonight. She really knows a lot of music!"

"But of course! part of the reason you don't know much of the new stuff is you don't go out dancing at the clubs anymore. If you did, you'd be up to date."

Quite probably true. Maybe part of the reason I really enjoyed tonight is that it may be the last one for a couple of weeks. The Jewish holidays are coming up and they'll keep my friends pretty busy. So glad we had tonight! So glad Russ let us know last week that he'd be here for Labor Day Monday! Now, time to feed Dane and watch the 100th episode of "Beat Shazam". More music sound bites for me! (smile!)

friday hither and yon!

Racking up savings as I went, too!

I started with a free movie at the St. Joseph/Candler Smart Senior center at 1 PM, with a room full other members laughing at "The Legend Of Bagger Vance" as we enjoyed the bag of popcorn and soda that Elizabeth gave each of us.

I truly had forgotten how feel-good this movie was!

While I was there, I went ahead and registered for the Halloween Party the center is having on October 30.

Just $8 and I used my colon study card to pay for it!

(smile!)

Then I was off to CVS to get more Vitamin D3 and Lactaid pills.

The first was on sale as a BOGO - that saved me $12.99 right there!

The other was BOGO 1/2 off - so that saved me another $5.80.

Ah, but I wasn't done saving yet!

I also had a coupon for "$5 off of a $20 purchase", plus a $10 ExtraBucks Reward.

All total, I saved $33.89, for a whopping 68% discount!!!

I do believe that's the best I've ever done!

(smile!)

Next, I took advantage of a $1 Movie Night reward from Comcast.

Last week's had gone toward a movie in Dolly Parton's memory.

This one was for Tim Curry.

I know all the theatre folk are all gaga about "The Rocky Horror Show", but I credit Richard O'Brien for that.

O'Brien is the one who wrote the book and the songs, the one who created those characters, the one who talked Curry into taking the role. 

Interestingly, O'Brien credits David Bowie, glam rock, and 'Ziggy Stardust' for the inspiration for the goth-rock musical.

I can totally see that! 

But that musical wasn't the how I was introduced to his acting ability.

Surprisingly, "Annie" was the intro for me, either, as that musical didn't become dear to Mama until it came out on video and she could share it with her first granddaughter, Christina Ann.

See, Mama would have grown up with that character in her life.

I'm sure having Carol Burnett and Yul Brynner in the film endeared it to my mother even more.

However, it was "Clue" that landed the talented Tim Curry on my radar.

That came out while I was going to Armstrong State College in 1985.

Chock a block with stars I knew - Madeleine Kahn, Lesley Ann Warren, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, Michael McKean, Eileen Brennan - of course I loved it!

Curry was right in the heart of it as the butler, 'Wadsworth', and the scenes at the end, when he's racing about putting the pieces of the mystery together, were delightfully madcap!

With his good looks, he reminds me of Errol Flynn, and I would have loved to have seen him in some of those swashbuckling roles!

Alas, the closest Tim Curry ever got to being a sword-wielder was as a pirate in "Muppet Treasure Island", though that wasn't until 1996.  

He spent most of his career as a voice in a variety of animated features (like "The Wild Thornberrys" and "The Rugrats") or video games.

I'm so glad I had a "Clue" to his real talent!

(smile!) 

Next, I popped in on Dane for a quick visit before I hit Jalapenos.

He'd be getting dinner a little late, so time for a treat to tide him over!

Honestly, after I gave him that crunchy collagen bone, I don't think he even noticed that I'd gone back out!

(smile!)

I'd called Smitty first, to make sure we were still having the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, as we were missing some folks.

Tony and Laura are in Missouri and Robin is in Montana.

But the brother still here assured me were still dining together!

I had him pose for this photo to show off his eyes.

Last month, he had cataract surgery on his left eye, which is now in the best condition it's been in since the retina repair.

Just look how blue and clear that iris is!!! 

The right eye had its cataract surgery just two days ago, but the blue is back in that one, too.

The doctor's assistant even commented on how blue his eyes are!!!

Very nice!!!

I ate shrimp ceviche, as it's been a while since I treated myself to that.

And Mark had driven in right behind me and noticed my flapping trunk.

After we all had our goodbye hugs, he came over to look at the trunk lid to see what might be a solution, so maybe he'll fix it for me!

That would be wonderful!!!

It's been ten years since I had a trunk that I could securely close, instead of using duct tape to try to keep it down. 

(smile!) 

My next stop tonight was for gasoline, as Murphy's was rewarding me with fifteen cents off per gallon for this Labor Day weekend.

Christina had told me some time ago that Murphy's was the gas station for Walmart, so I headed over to the one on Montgomery Cross Road.

There, the attendant politely told me that Murphy's was -not- affiliated with Walmart and never had been.

Well, fine, I'll have to let my first niece know she was wrong.

(smile!)

So I drove out to the sole Murphy's in town, out by Savannah Mall.

Sure, I only saved $1.35, but I needed to get gas anyway.

Better to have saved something than nothing!

And now, I'm back at Tony and Laura's and Dane has been fed.

Now to find another movie that I haven't yet seen!

(smile!)

starting the month with dawn!

"Did you mean to say "at dawn", dearie?"

Nope, I said "with" and I meant "with", by gosh by golly! In fact, here she is, shooting peace signs at me, in front of God and everyone at The King & I!

"Oh, goodie! Y'all had your luncheon today! That means you both had your Thai fix for the next few days!"

That's right! As I told the physicist, I don't get to share Thai with others very often, as my new g'friends aren't that crazy about it. Sandy used to go with me and Barbara and Carolyn to Naan in Pooler, but she much prefers burgers and chicken fingers.

"That's why she really likes Midtown Sports Grill and Texas Roadhouse - all kinds of burgers! So, what' brought about this outing with Dawn?"

It's almost AA and AAA time, girlie!!! So I'd contacted her last week to see when she might have an opening in her schedule. She's been out of town a lot, and will be again tomorrow, but at least we had this gap in her travels hither and yon!

"Right? With her off to Houston and Louisiana tomorrow, plus down to Orlando to work with Universal Studios, and frequently to New York and Chicago... whew! Hilton has even issued her a LIFETIME loyalty card that weighs as much as five credit cards!!! Super cool!"

Wait a minute... she showed that to me, not you.

"Oh, please, you do know that I am always with you, right? That isn't just a slogan on a pink sash, you know. We're attached at the hip, you and I. Now, tell me: that's Nam Sod, right? Hooray!"

Yes, it is! I was going to have the grilled salmon salad, as it came with spring rolls. Then I kept looking at the pork dish and had to have it! You know, the Larb Gai is the chicken version, which I'd had in May, but hadn't cared much for it. The Nam Sod here is certainly the standard by which others are measured!

"I'm so glad you liked it! I'm glad you didn't drink all that broth, too. I know you wanted to, but you managed to resist."

Yeah, it really is too hot outside for all that salt. The WSAV weather song is stuck in a loop, with highs in the 100's, once he heat index is tacked on. I had intended to go to a movie after the luncheon, but I went home instead. Sure, I could have gone back out in an hour for the show, but, seriously... nope.

"Heard. I think you made the right choice. Maybe you'll go out later?"

Maybe, but I doubt it. Maybe I'll just wait until tomorrow! (smile!)

monday night bingo with my peeps!

I do so look forward to Monday!

It's never clear just how many of us friends will be at the table at the Midtown Sports Grill, or what we might eat that night, but it's for sure that we'll have fun!

This time, it was me, Sandy, Marcia, and Elissa.

We're definitely the core of our group!

And what would be more fun than movie soundtracks!!!

That was the second game, after a round with "Bar Favourites Mix #4", which Sandy won!!!

Marcia got to have that "free drink" to go with her "free appetizer" from two Mondays ago.

Lucky her!!!

I had thought I'd go for the potato skins until I saw they had this special for tonight: the chili cheeseburger!

I've been wanting a burger and that fit the bill nicely!

Maybe that craving got started on the Paradise!

Speaking of vacation, that's where Russ was last week, so we dined at Kayak Kafe Midtown, just two streets to the east of MSG.

Kathy Mayin was able to join us there, too!

I had my favorite: West Indian Trader Salad!

So fresh and crunchy with those walnuts and cucumbers - yum!!!

Nice as that outing was, though, we had all missed our Music Bingo and singing along to the songs.

So glad we had that tonight!

(smile!)

friday night lights, 17 years ago

These are all photographs taken by me on August 28, 2009, as the Savannah Sand Gnats took on the Rome Braves at Grayson Stadium.

It was the final Friday game of the season. 

Good times, good times!

Here's Mister Willie Smith, in his seat in the bleachers! 

 

 

Here's the last man standing of the group he once sat with, Mister Arthur Crum. 

There were about ten of those guys when I started going in the mid-1990's.

 

 

My brother Smitty had joined me for this game, along with my sister-in-law Mary. 

 

 

Here's their younger son, Tyler, exhibiting teen spirit by sitting off to himself.

That's my 14-year-old nephew! 

 

 

These smiling faces belong to Sherry and Timmy Love.

He's the lead singer for the Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love! 

 

 

Here's one with the team's mascot, Gnate, aka Terri Foote.

Gnate is signing autographs for adoring fans! 

 

 

Then there's the beloved Beer Man, Frank Dinan, sitting and sharing a smile as he quaffs a brew. 

 

 

 

This woman taking a photo of Frank is his new wife, Kathy. They reconnected a year or so ago at their high school reunion and knew it was love!

 

 

What's going on here?

Gnate and the Gnaturals are taking advantage of the 2-minute break between innings to do a little dance out at second base!

Shake it up, y'all!

Here's another shot of that gorgeous baseball diamond, in one of my usual tilted views to get in all four bases.

It looks like the bags are loaded with Sand Gnats!!!

Nope, that's a line coach standing by third base.

Still, it was a great game, grand slam or not!

The Gnats beat the Braves, 6 - 2.

Game over!

My brother and his family had left around the 7th inning stretch.

But my friend, Betty 'Boop" as Willie called her, was still in the stadium!

 

That's me, with my hair short back then. 

I was sitting right there by Betty, in the best seats in the house, waiting...

 

... waiting for those last Friday night fireworks of the season!

I just loved those!

Win or lose, we still got fireworks! 

playing a game with christina ann

She had posted a flashback on fb, one of those "let's get to know each other" lists that pop up from time to time.

No one else had chosen to play along... but I did!

Here are the queries and my responses.

 *****

Let's see what has changed.

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
- tuna salad with Italian dressing

2.Where was your profile picture taken?
- on a cruise

3. Worst pain you've ever experienced?
- death of Mama

4. Favorite place you've traveled to?
- Italy

5. How late did you stay up last night?
- 1:57 am

6. If you could move somewhere else, where would it be?
- somewhere that never drops below 55 F

[I would love to live in Panama again, the only place I've ever lived where that was true.] 

8. Which of your Facebook friends live closest to you?
- next-door neighbor, Diane Boyer Sullivan

10. When was the last time you cried?

- last Saturday, after Wendy Taylor Pena's funeral

11. Who took your profile photo?
- my first niece's boyfriend

12. Who was the last person you took a picture with?
- my first niece, Christina Smith

13. What's your favorite season?
- spring, because my Japanese magnolia blooms

14. If you could have any career, what would it be?
- once upon a time, I wanted to be a stewardess, to travel - still sounds good!

15. Do you think relationships are ever worth it?
- yes, I am a hopeful romantic

16. If you could talk to ANYONE right now who would it be?
- Mama

17. Are you a good influence?
- I sure try

18. Does pineapple belong on a pizza?
- heck yeah, with banana peppers, too!

19. You have the remote, what channel?
- one of the 7 PBS channels - no 'mercials!!!
 

loss adjustment on the appalachian trail

Ryan McCurdy has graced us with another story based on his own life! This time, it's from back in 2010, when, newly divorced, he sought solace hiking on the Appalachian Trail. He'd started here in Georgia, then headed northward along its 2200-mile path. Along the way, he had a traumatic experience. He'd moved about to take a better photo of a waterfall... and fell. Fortunately for him, he didn't end up with a lifelong reminder, like a hitch in his giddy-up. But the memory of that trek, and stories heard about the Trail in the intervening years, stirred up his imagination. "Whiterock Cliff" is the result, first performed in 2019 as a 7-person show. A followup performance was scheduled for May of 2020, but the Universe threw the pandemic into the mix and postponed all that. Now, it's basically a one-man show, with a few guests thrown in. For this benefit performance at Asbury Memorial Church, he had the talents of locals - and long-time friends - in several of the scenes.

"Oh, wonderful! I had so enjoyed "Niagara" when he brought that for us!"

That's for sure! Here, he is talking on the phone with Valori Lavell. He is 'Reece', calling from Savannah, to speak with 'Emma', up in Maine. The world is going to hell and she just wanted to hear his voice before the electronics and electricity went out. The highways are trashed, so driving is not an option for travel. Just before the connection is lost, they make plans to meet on the Appalachian Trail. They'll meet in the middle, at Whiterock Cliff... then the phone died.

"Oh! So this is set during an apocalypse? That's funny, given that the COVID-19 pandemic was right around the corner."

Yeah, he mentioned something to that effect, too.

"So, did they catch up with each other? Were they lovers? What happened?"

Just hold up, okay? This was once a 2 1/2 hour production, the way he first envisioned it. Now, it's a lean 90-minute show, with him providing exposition to aid continuity. Some is spoken, most is via song. The next scene is with Justin Kent, real-life husband of Valori. He portrays a rebel in a reenactment of The Battle of Warm Springs. In the scene, 'Reece' has come to the bridge guarded by this 'rebel', and, much like in a fairytale in which a prince is halted by a troll, the gatekeeper wants bounty for passage. The rebel demands his backpack, the only thing of worth the hiker owns, but that would endanger his life. What to do, what to do?

"Well, give! What did he do??"

He gave us a side story of 'Reece' meeting up with 'Boheega', a Marine veteran who has been living on the Trail since his return from war. That encounter was at night and was a bit scary. However, 'Boheega' had a 'Golden Rule': to be nice to others even if they weren't nice to him. Still, he had a backup plan, his '3rd Rule': his knife would take care of anyone who threatened him. Yep, sounds like a Marine with PTSD to me!

"What a way to start Act 2!"

Indeed. Then he gave us a song about 'Emma' meeting up with a 'Trail Angel' on her trek down from Maine. That brought the storyline back to a more hopeful place. The next scene saw J. J. Collins on stage with Ryan. At this point, 'Emma' and 'Reece' are 300 miles from each other on the Appalachian Trail, so quite a bit of time has passed. Remember, the Trail is 2200 miles in length, and they are both on foot.

"Got it."

For the first time, there is  a duet on stage, "Walking it Back", as the two sing to each other, about each other, though they are not yet together. Quite nice! And by the way, they are very good friends, but not lovers.

"Okay. And yet they are making this great effort to see each other."

Hey, that's what family does, right? And best friends are the family you choose, not the ones you're born with. So 'Reece' and 'Emma' are just trying to see each other during this terrible time, using the only route possible. There's just one problem standing in their way.

"Earthquakes? Hurricane? Blizzard?"

Let me preface it this way. You know about the Savannah here in Georgia. Did you know there's a Savannah in Maine, too?

"Sure, I've heard that before... wait... oh, no..."

Oh, yes. He thought they were to meet in the two-word place in NC. She heard it as the three-word place in Virginia. I have to wonder how long they might have stayed in those locations, waiting in vain for the other to appear. There followed another duet, "I Did It All For You", with them off-stage at the piano, as an encore for us. I really loved this!

"Yes, I know you like your loss adjustment stories."

I do! What was nice was hanging out in Holliday Hall for cookies and friendship! Robin Eifler was there to talk with me about "SIX: The Musical", which she'd seen in New York - very nice! Heidi had welcomed me to the show earlier to try to get me to take Maureen's dog - thanks, but no thanks! Genie Lawson was so glad to see me, and glad to find a musical she could afford to attend - me, too! But the biggest surprise was seeing Linda Runge again! I called her last Sunday, to make sure she knew about Ryan's play. it had been a few months since I'd seen her, and I'd had no response to my 'friend' request on fb. So, I actually called her. And get this: she'd known Ryan since 2008, when he was a student at SCAD, where she worked. How happy they were to see each other again!

"Wow! That sounds like a most wonderful evening!!!"

Yes, it was! So glad to see so many I know, out to enjoy this shared experience! So glad I took a chance and called Linda so she could be there, too! She leaves on Sunday for a month in Germany with her church, and just returned last week from a month in Montana, so this was great timing. I've let her know about the things in the works in October, so I look forward to seeing her for more theatre. Right place, right time, tonight.

"Hallelujah!"