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!"

 

two zooms and an a*list (partial)

This morning, I'd had every intention of maxing out my A*list dance card, I did, but that's not how things went down.

I had known about one ZOOM meeting for several weeks, as the AARP-GA meeting is always on the last Thursday of the month.

So, there I was, right at 1 PM, ready to go!

And guess what?

My microphone on the laptop is working!!!

I don't know if it was because I was pushing the spacebar or what, but I'm glad that hitch is gone from my giddy-up.

Now, if I can only ditch that hitch in my right leg... but, back on track!

So, for this meeting of AARP volunteers, it was all about events coming up.

There's a training session on September 15, as well as an "Estate Planning Workshop" on October 21 that promises to be huge and hybrid, but in-between is the one that excites me!

That's the AARP 'Movies For Grownups' event, at the AMC, and I'll be the lead for that!!!

Yes, I even volunteered for it, too!

In fact, when I hadn't heard back from Gabrielle, I'd send the email to her twice!

I'll have six others to assist me, but, as I told her, I have the contacts at that cinema, so the event should be smoothest with me.

(smile!)

Now, if only the American Legion meetings for Two First Posts were as smooth and productive, that would be great.

Even though we just met on Tuesday, an "emergency" ZOOM meeting was called tonight, like none of us had better things to do.

Honestly, if I had not checked my email in time, I would have missed it.

The change was instigated by Eddie, who has actually missed the last few.

So what was it all about?

Money.

As per Sabrina Scales, the business account at NFCU must first be applied for online, then an appointment needs to be set for the actual opening of the account. 
So, that meant she and Joe Cetti were not yet on the signature card.

So, that meant all bill-paying was still squarely on Doug Andrew's shoulders.

Not good.

I was at the ZOOM at 7:30, as requested, as were Brenda and Eddie.

Sabrina joined us about 8 PM, as did Joe and Billy Cope by 8:20.

Note: the meeting was to have ended at 8:30 - yeah, as if.

As money was the topic, and paying delinquent bills was the emergency, I thought it vital that Doug be there, but it took me calling him to make that happen.

Then he had connection issues with his phone; by the time he had logged into the ZOOM at home, it was almost 9 PM and his microphone wasn't working.

So, my Alcatel to the rescue, once more.

Within 20 minutes, we had a game plan: Doug would meet Joe and Sabrina at Huntington Bank at 3 PM tomorrow, to settle up and give them check-signing responsibility for any future debts.

Seriously, this couldn't be handled with a couple of phone calls???

Apparently not.

That meant I missed the two movies I was going to see this evening to complete the foursome on my A*list dance card.

That wouldn't be so bad, but one of those will be gone tomorrow, so I will have to wait for it to come to TV.

At least the two movies I did get to see were both great!

"Coyote Vs. Acme" was a fabulous mingling of toons and humans, just as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" had been - hooray!!!

The Coyote stayed with his lines on signs, just as in the cartoons, and the Roadrunner stayed with his "meep meep"s, too - perfect!

That was a sneak preview screening on a Sunday morning, and the room was nearly full of people of all ages, laughing along with me - wow!!!

Will Forte was the lawyer for the Coyote, while John Cena was the hotshot defense for the corporation in the lawsuit.

Yes, lawsuit, and it was so much fun!!!

I can't wait to see it again next week!!!

I'd like to be able to catch "The End Of Oak Street" one more time, too, but that marvelous bit of science fiction is gone from AMC.

I had wondered what on Earth Anne Hathaway was doing in a horror flick, but I had misunderstood the genre, as have others.

The film is most def scfi, with her as a would-be writer, in a loveless marriage to Ewan McGregor, with two teenaged kids.

Then, at 11:07 PM one night, during a storm, their neighborhood gets whisked back in time to the Mesozoic era, when dinosaurs roamed this planet.

Such an adventure they had... with so many frights, so many deaths... and an ending that took me by surprise.

Nope, it was not a dream, just to set the record straight.

 

Now, I'm going to unwind with a movie in memory of Dolly Parton.

Comcast has rewarded me with a $1 Movie Night, and I'm going to spend it at "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas".

That 1982 musical not only features her alive and well, but also Burt Reynolds, Jim Nabors, Charles Durning, and Dom DeLuise.

Except for Dom, they all made it to 80 or better before they died; Dom was 75 at his death in 2009, and the first of them to go.

Alrighty then, off to the Chicken Ranch I go!

I'll have to find another movie to see for Tim Curry, but not tonight.

wednesday with the physicist!

This was another movie outing, but one that was much better than the last!

As it happens, I had been interested in this movie about Anthony Bourdain's early years, so I was glad to see it on the marquee at NCG Cinema.

Of course, I would have preferred to have it at the AMC, so it could go onto my A*List, but that's okay.

I still treated him for "Tony", the movie.

(smile!) 

And we both very much enjoyed being privy to his youth!

What an impetuous teenager he had been, quick with his hands to find a fight, easily led astray by strong-willed coworkers. 

He even played hookie from college to chase down 'Nancy', a girl he had taken a fancy to in high school.

His saving grace had been 'Chef', the man who let the teen sleep on his porch, even giving him a job in his restaurant, and eventually teaching him the trade.

Afterward, when the bfe asked me where to dine, I knew at once: O.D.'s Seafood, just down the sidewalk!

The rain earlier had actually cooled things off, so we elected to walk.

Yes, the hitch in my giddy-up slowed us down, but that was fine, as it gave us more time to talk.

I think he was very pleased with the prices, and even more with the food.

I had the mixed platter with shrimp and chicken fingers; he had the same, but with catfish instead of the chicken.

We both ate every bit of them, too, as we chatted about the opera festival, Wendy, various TV programs, music... whatever came to mind!

Then he paid and we had a leisurely stroll back to our cars.

Very nice!

I wonder what movie he'll like next?

(smile!)