let them eat cake!

So spoke Danny Beam as he was leaving the stage!

He was talking about the enormous carrot cake waiting in Holliday Hall for all gathered to celebrate his 70th birthday.

That actually occurred on February 12, so I know what that means...

he has the same birth date as Abraham Lincoln!!!

Right place, right time for me!

I missed the first song at Asbury Memorial Church, but I was there for the other six that he'd chosen from his writings, as well as two penned by others. 

"I Wouldn't Know" was done solo, followed by the George Strait song that he sang for his wedding with Barbara, the one who set up this concert.

"God's Family Table" was the last solo from this once-Baptist minister, a song about communion open for all walks of life.

Doug Povie came up with his guitar after that, to join him for the next two.

"Go Forth And Set The World On Fire" was in memory of his dear friend, Dale Thornton, a fellow pastor who would end his sermons with that line.

My favorite song, "Forgiveness And Healing", came about after a request from Reverend Billy Hester, who needed something to go with his sermon some few years ago.

Here's the line that sparked my memory: "faith, hope, and love cut a hole in the ceiling, to make room for the man with forgiveness and healing". 

That actually made me tear up as I thought of the man's kin having enough trust in Jesus' ability to cure the man that they would deliberately damage their home for that chance.

Wow.

Bill Oakley was the next guest musician, on guitar, for two songs.

"In A Thin Place" was the result of a New Year's resolution that Danny made in response to one of Rev. Billy's sermons.

The last song, "Lord, Wake Me Up", was written in 2018 but based on something he heard at a 1988 Baptist convention.

The speaker was from China, if I have that right, and said we Americans tell our children the wrong prayer.

Instead of "if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take", we should teach them to say "Lord, wake me up before I die".

He said that one took its time coming to him!

Then we all went to eat cake!

Danny's older brother took the stage and said a few words, mostly hearkening back to their childhood, that reminded me of my brothers - nice!!!

Then, as I came over to wish Danny a happy birthday, he introduced me to his one-and-only sister, Mary, and her husband, Harvey, down from New York.

My guess is I'm the only other scientist Danny knows!

Why would that matter?

His brother-in-law is a marine scientist!!!

How very nice to be regarded so highly!

I had quite a nice chat with them, too.

(smile!)

Now, I'm going to watch "The Wizard Of Oz", mostly because I can.

Comcast gave the musical to me, as a reward, on Thursday.

Yes, being a Diamond member definitely has its perquisites!

(smile!)

netflix film fest with a dane

One of the perks of dogsitting is getting to watch movies I can't see elsewhere.

Fortunately, Laura has Netflix, which has come in handy before.

Mostly, I used it this time to catch up on the first three seasons of "Young Sheldon", which I didn't start watching until after I found out the little boy's grandma also attends Asbury Memorial.

That's been nice to have that link to Iain Armitage!

I've also used that streaming service to watch "The Closer", the crime-solving series with Kyra Sedgwick.  

I watch a few of each every evening, and a few with Sheldon in the morning.

I've also treated myself to a movie for the last three nights!

The first was "Rumor Has It", from 2005, on Wednesday.

Kevin Costner is 'Beau Burrows', who was her mom's high school crush, as well as the guy her grandma (Shirley MacLaine) seduced... all leading to a classmate's penning "The Graduate" about the tale... or so the story goes!

Now, the younger sister is getting married, 'Megan' (Jennifer Aniston) is engaged to a great guy (Mark Ruffalo), but things are not well.

'Megan' is sure her dad is not her biological father, so she goes in search of the crush that her mom ran off to Mexico with... and sleeps with him, too!

Hey, it's not as creepy as it sounds, and was actually quite fun.

 

Dane didn't care what I chose to watch.

I'd found a box of puppy ice cream in the freezer and he was happy!

He stretched out on his rug and slurped away for probably thirty minutes!

Oh, yes, the little things mean a lot!

Thursday, I had my luncheon, but returned to their house with laundry.

While the clothes and bed linens were washing, Dane and I had 'coffee on the porch' time, out back and up front.

He was sure happy about that!

 

Then, later, he was glad to be eating ice cream again!

I was happy to have found "The Thursday Murder Club" to watch... and on a Thursday, too!

This 2025 film must have been an inside joke for me from the Universe, as I didn't catch the significance of the day until later.

I was just thrilled to have something with such a stellar cast!

Dame Helen Mirren!

Sir Ben Kingsley!

Sir Jonathan Pryce (as the sundowning husband of Mirren)!

Plus Pierce Brosnan and Celia Imrie to round out the group of pensioners - i.e., retirees - who solve cold cases one day a week at the retirement home.

I just loved it!

What would I find for Friday's film?

That turned out to be "The Sting", starring America's version of royalty!

There's Robert Redford getting fancied up by Paul Newman, so they can con a cheating, gambling, mobster (Robert Shaw).

Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, Charles Durning... what a cast!

That included Robert Earl Jones, the father of James Earl Jones.  

Very nice!

But one of the things that set it apart?

The use of artistic 'scene change' slides, with images reminiscent of those in "The Saturday Evening Post".

I just loved having a bit of art mixed in with the caper!

 

Dane liked that I was having a good time, especially as he was, too.

Yes, indeed!

Third movie for me, third ice cream treat for him!

I'm glad I had that to bribe him with, as he'd refused to eat his dinner this evening.

That was, until I told him no dessert until he did.. then he went to it.

Good boy!

I know he'll be very glad when Tony and Laura return tomorrow!

It's been a couple of years since he didn't travel with them.

Four days is about his limit for them to be gone.

(smile!)

friday fiesta, sans two brothers

That's right.

At this session of the S&K Friday Fiesta at Jalapenos, two brothers were not present, as one was in Orlando and the other was sick.

The photo has Smitty and Mark on the left, with the women - Robin, Mary, Betsy, and Becca - all on the right.

Well, except for one woman.

That would be me, as I stood next to Smitty.

(Remember, standing keeps me from having sciatica on Saturdays from those high chairs.)

Seven of nine, y'all.

(Inside joke for me, of the "Star Trek" flavor!) 

 

That meant one Smith brother was absent and one Kameron brother was absent.

Even so, the one traveling still checked in with a photo to each of us of him and Laura having a good time in Ybor City! 

That's where her oldest son, Josh, works at a very fancy restaurant.

I'm so glad she and Tony were having such a great time!

 

We had a great time, too!

Betsy had tale after tale of her hilarious run-ins with the parking police on St. Patrick's Day!

Well, they were hilarious to me, but not so much to her.

Add on that it was crazy cold downtown and she was worn out before the parade ended at 2 PM.

Honestly, being down there in the cold for four hours is probably why Jimmy was out sick tonight.

I'm glad I chose to stay home and watch!

He'll be getting chicken soup from Jalapenos.

I got my three crunchy beef tacos!

(smile!)

And Mark was thrilled to get his Gringa.

He says it's the best meal he eats all week!

He also felt like it had been two weeks since he last had it, but I reminded him that he'd only missed out last week.

On that Friday, he was the only absent one, as he was working overtime in Bluffton with his boss.

The local football team needed their stadium lights repaired.

Addison was still in town on spring break on that Friday the 13th.

I dined on something totally different!

Well, it was different for me... but the same thing that Mary and Robin chose!

Yes, we all had the cheese quesadilla, with rice and beans, that night!

Very funny!!!

Okay, let me wrap this up and get back to the Dane!

This will be our last night together, as Dood returns home tomorrow.

I'm so looking forward to being back in my own bed!

I did take my pillow over with me, but their guest bed is about two inches higher than I would like, so I have to crawl up into it.

Ah, there's no place like home!

Oh, what a lead in!

Comcast's reward to me yesterday was ....

drum roll, please!...

"The Wizard of Oz"!!!

Last Thursday, the reward was "Space Jam"!!!

Nice to have them both waiting for me at home this weekend!

I'm off to see the Dane now!

when irish eyes are smiling, danny boy!

Those were the first two songs at our Sisters In Faith luncheon!

Kristen Kelso was there with her guitar to regale us with song in Holliday Hall, and I just know that Miss Virginia was with us!!

Kristen followed those two with "Hallelujah". 

Hoping to lighten the theme, I requested "The Unicorn Song", and even sang a few lines - "There's cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born, you're never gonna see no unicorn" - but she'd never played it before.

Instead, she sang "The Sound Of Music", no doubt to honor Michelle Meece who'd just finished a three-week run starring in that musical.

That's Michelle, dressed as a leprechaun in suspenders and a tam!

Then Kristen did an oldie from 1952: "It's Saint Patrick's Day In Savannah".

That definitely put a spring back into the room!

(smile!) 

And what was on the menu for this luncheon?

Breakfast!!!

Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, blueberry pancakes!

Banana nut muffins, breakfast casseroles, fruit salads!

But no grits, no biscuits, not from these Northern transplants!

So glad I was joined by Kathy Hodges, Barbara Gooby, Rhonda Reed, and Robin Eifler at my table!

Plus, fellow Sister-in-Faith Cece was there, sitting by Kathy.

Another Kathy - Mayin - was to come, but didn't make it.

I saved her a seat by me, just the same!

Perhaps the weather was not quite as nice as she'd hoped.

It was supposed to be well into the 70's today, but that's not until tomorrow it seems.

That's okay, the weather song shows a true lilt for the weekend!

Hallelujah!!!

(smile!) 

coffee on the porch time

"I didn't think you drank coffee anymore."

That's true. I haven't had coffee for maybe a year.

"I'm talking about even the decaf."

I know. Me, too.

"Then what's up with this post?"

That's the phrase that the dog knows. "Coffee on the porch" means time to go out on the front porch and bark at folks walking or running or biking.

"Oh, cool! You're puppysitting, just like Finch was!"

LOL! Not that Dane could be called a puppy anymore. He's more than a decade old, which makes him a septuagenarian in dog years.

"I thought Tony and Laura took him along on trips. Not this time?"

She's going to be at a conference, so the rate to have him stay at the Rosen Centre was preposterous. Plus, he doesn't really travel well.

"Well, I'm glad they gave you the chance to spend time with the old dog."

Yes, me, too! Now, to see if I can figure out their new TV set-up... wish me luck, won't you?

"You got it. Good luck with the remote!"

special delivery from my first niece!

The green envelope had a pot of gold drawn on it, as well as a multicolored rainbow to the right of the address and a shamrock - that looked suspiciously akin to my scribble flower! - taking up the left edge.

Very nice art work!

The card inside boasted a pot bursting with flowers and shamrocks, as well as wording that proclaimed it to be "A wee little wish for St. Patrick's Day".

What was inside that card was the true treasure!

Here's wishing you a day (with her green shooting star!)

that's budding with promise (here, she drew a rainbow!)

bright with celebration (from her shiny, happy sun!)

and blossoming with joy. (and a perky pink flower for me!)

Then, she wrote in six different colors to form another rainbow, with her daughters' names, too!

This will be going on the entertainment center to cheer me for the parade later this morning.

Of course, I read it all aloud when I received it!

After all, I'd just had lunch with Christina and Miyah and we were waiting for a chilly rain shower to pass on by.

We were at Cancun, one of our longtime favorites, and it was even her treat!

And just look at what Miyah has for her luncheon: three crispy beef tacos!!!

Hahahahaha!

That's one of my favorites for Friday Fiestas, but today I had flautas.

One was chicken, the other beef, and both were excellent, as well as pretty, topped with salad!

Christina had one of the combos, plus my bday43 cards for her!

One contained this 'wish puff tree of love', the other $25 to Texas Roadhouse.

That's come in handy for Friday when she and Anthony come to town for a concert that Michael gave her for her birthday yesterday!

Most excellent!!!

Thank you, my dearest Christina, for this time with you...

... and this card with your special touches!

(smile!)

 

counting flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all

Not when I have "The Finch Who Stole Christmas" to make me merry!

Yes, boys and girls, "News Radio" was on with this episode very early today, narrated by Kelsey Grammar.

And why ever would the Finch be so upset?

The whole office chipped in for it!

But it's a turtle calendar... from that year... so it wasn't even new!

What the fresh hell?!?!

So, in the company of the little dog he had to puppysit for the boss, he set about wreaking havoc on the gifts for the others.

"Bah!!! Humbug!!!", he cried with glee!!!

Meanwhile, Nina had gone was a drink to raise her spirits.

She'd watched "Titanic" and felt forlorn about all those fashions that went down with the ship!

And who should appear but a friendly 'lumberjack' named Jay Crew?

After some afternoon delight, she saw the error of her ways and embraced casual wear!!!

That was just in time for a forlorn Elliot to bring in a tree to decorate the office.

Goodness gracious - shades of Charlie Brown!!!

It looked pretty sad, but seemed to bring him great cheer, so that was good.

Then a wondrous thing happened: the Finch discovered that the turtle calendar had a special gift written in for Christmas Day!

It was a cruise, just for him, with lots of perks in every port!

They did like him, they really, really did!

(smile!)

Now, right on cue, it's time for me to go out to lunch with my Hinesville peeps!

Oh, what's up with the Statler Brothers song in the title?

Ivan of the League of Savannah Bloggers was grousing on fb about a botched delivery by the Instacart folks.

He wrote "smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo" ... and, justthatfast, my mental jukebox kicked in with a response!

"Playing solitaire 'til dawn with a deck of fifty-one!"

Hahahaha! Good times, good times!