kevin's fedora

"So, I'm at Chili's after school on Monday night, hanging out with some of The Philo Cafe crowd. Kevin placed his hat on my head and Cedric Stratton remarked that I looked like one of the female spies in the old movies. "Like Marlene Dietrich", he said.
So, I whipped out my phone and snapped the pic to see for myself how I looked. Pretty cool!
And it must have some magic, 'cause I think I look younger, too!"

That's what I posted on facebook.
So far, the spur of the moment shot has garnered 41 likes.
Amazing!
And it's gathered quite a few comments, too!

Fae Kameron, the one I credit with finally getting me to shave my legs when I was in my teens, said "Looking good! Great picture."

"Pretty dang cute!" Anne Sherman piped in.

Shelly Kohli, one time Philo Cafe regular, told me "You can leave your hat on..." Funny, I don't recall her ever being at Steeds when Angela would request me to sing that Joe Cocker song. :-)

"Super look!" Pat Andres wrote. (She happens to be a writer of children's books, y'all, so that qualifies as an inside joke.)

Fellow Italy traveler Lynette Bradley said "Very cute look on you. :-)"

My former sailor friend, Balinda Davis, added "You look wickedly fun!" LOL! She has certainly known me long enough to know about that!

My paternal Aunt Barbara Narcarti regaled me with the following: "Looking Good. Bet you never knew how great you'd look in a hat! You do!!!"

"It isn't easy being beautiful is it? Love the styling hat!" That was from my BFF's mom, Karen Voelker.

Wow! Maybe Kevin needs to give the hat to me!
(smile)
Thanks, y'all, for all the sweet comments!

hot sardines with the kitchen man at the darktown strutters ball!

Woohoo! This pairing of two hot singers at the Savannah Music Festival has been fantastic! I've heard so much old music tonight!
That's right: old music.
Like bluesy numbers from the early 1900's, first done by Esther Phillips and Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith!
Like Hot Jazz hits from the 1920's!
Right here at the Charles Morris Center!
Honestly, I think there may be an underlying theme to these concerts I've been blessed to usher.
"Keeping the old music alive" has been at the heart of the artists I've heard, be they Irish or Spanish or bluegrass.
Hallelujah!
I am completely in favor of that!

Catherine Russell is a proponent of that course of action, too!
She sings the music sang by her mother, Carline Ray, one of the International Sweethearts of Rhythym.
Catherine's dad was no slouch in the jazz world, either, serving as bandleader for Louis Armstrong.

With a musical lineage like that, of course she was incredible!
"Who Could Ask For Anything More"? Not I!
She told us "My Man Is An Undertaker". I thought, "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me"!
Let's go "Swing It" at the "Darktown Strutters' Ball", then have kisses "In The Dark"!
"Quiet Whiskey", I've got the "Aged And Mellow Blues".
All I ask is that you "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone".
I need to keep close to Dan, my "Kitchen Man"!
"I love his cabbage, crave his hash,
gotta have me some of that succotash!"
Love those words, y'all!
(smile!)

The Hot Sardines came on like a house on fire after the break!
The first song emphasized that they were here to play, in every sense of the phrase!
I don't know that many folks recognized it, as it was sung in French, but I picked right up on it!
"I Wanna Be Like You", aka "The Monkey Song", from "The Jungle Book"!
Hahahaha haha!
Miz Elizabeth can sure belt it out! And that seven-man band with her is amazing! Well, maybe I should amend that to a six-man band and a tapdancer!!!
omG!!! That young man was so very energetically graceful! I just loved watching him move!!!
I sat and danced in my chair through all of their numbers, as I had done with Miz Russell's music earlier.
"Why don't You Do Right"?
"Ain't Misbehavin'"!
"Everybody Loves My Baby" - especially when he's tap-tap-tappin' 'cross the floor!!!
He's the "talk Of The Town", but in a good way!
"People Will Say We're In Love" as we tango in "Oklahoma" to a new beat!
Then we'll have "Jelly Roll" in the "Summertime", when the livin' is easy...
Oh, yeah!

ben's my uncle!

My cousin Becky, while doing some geneologic digging, unearthed an amazing fact.
We're related to Benjamin Franklin.
Yes, that Benjamin Franklin.
According to her research, his brother James is directly in our tree, about ten branches - I mean, generations - back.
So that makes Ben my Uncle!

See the family resemblance???
Nah, me neither... but it's been ten generations!

Here's what Becky wrote:
I am blown away with something that I stumbled upon doing research for a genealogy project. I have just tonight, discovered while digging deeper into my personal, familial genealogy, that THE "Benjamin Franklin" is my 10th great uncle on my mother's side of the family. I couldn't be more pleased with that notion. His father and mother are my 10th Great Grandparents. Wow! So, Josiah Franklin and Abiah Lee Folger, are my grandparents.....Amazing! Who knew? Uncle Ben! Blessings, from my home to yours.

Blessings, indeed!
There's something new to write about to my youngest brother!

grateful for miracles

I'm sure you're thinking that since today is Easter, I'm talking about a specific miracle.
You would be incorrect if you thought that.
No, I mean simple miracles, like being in the right place at the right time.
Like having your hand held in the darkness.
Usually, I maintain a low profile on Easter. If someone invites me to dinner, that's fine, I'll go.
Sometimes folks call and we'll go see a movie.
But I don't seek out gatherings and I do not attend church.
That all makes me miss Mama too much.
The dancing bear and I had already planned to go see a movie "Sunday night", and this was Sunday, so I knew I had that going on. The movie was to be "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". Safe, right? Shouldn't be anything Mama-related to it, so I was looking forward to it and to his company.
Earlier in the day, instead of church, I went to "Miracles From Heaven". I was ready for it, as I had known to expect some tears, given the subject matter.
Sure enough, I did have some tears, but well-controlled.
Mostly, the movie was confirmation that I am not alone.
Angels keep me steady company, sending someone to assist when I least expect anyone.
That was a very reassuring, faith affirming, message which was quite timely for this day of all days.
i thank You, God, for saving this movie for me today.
It was perfect!

In a happy frame of mind,
I had a good lunch at home,
then ate Peeps for dessert.
I had saved two yellow ones
to go with the
chocolate-coated one.

I alternated bites of each!
Such a vivid yellow beneath the milk chocolate!
Yummy!
They were good to the
very last Peep!
(smile)





Then the power went out.
Rain had been falling off and on most of the day, sometimes pouring, mostly drizzling. The power flashed back on three times in quick succession, then stayed out. I had already turned off the power strips for the electronic gadgets to await a stable current.
Then what to do?
I washed dishes!
I changed the bed linens!
I worked on decluttering the living room!
All were things that had needed to be done days ago, but I had postponed.
Those unblinking Cyclops, as my stepdad called them, usually have too great a hold on my attention and my time.
Like, right now.
(smile)
Time came for the 7 PM, 3D screening at the Regal and off I went! The bear arrived a little after I did. Woohoo! I was there early!
Then, we settled in for the action and life was good... until Diane Lane showed up.
What?
A flashback to "Man of Steel"???
I had not expected that.
Back to the action! How sexy Batman's eyes looked! Such voluptuous movements of Superman's cape!
Then Kevin Costner showed up.
Another flashback to "Man of Steel"...and I proceeded to sob.
I was totally unprepared to be missing both Sam and Daddy in that dark cinema.
Not only did I sob then, but continued to do so.
I had known to expect Wonder Woman to appear, but now that I was missing those who were gone from my life, Mama naturally was part of that group of lost loved ones.
The dancing bear patted my arm during the first sobs. Then, at the end of the movie, as we sat through the credits and I told him about Sam and Daddy, he took my hand in his and held it.
He even phoned later to be sure I had safely reached home.
Very reassuring, very faith affirming.
I am not alone.

i thank You, God.

blue train on the heartbreak line!

It was a dark and stormy night...
Strike that!
It was an overcast, drizzly late afternoon...
Sure, that will work!
I was volunteering yet again for a Savannah Music Festival event! This time, though, there were two bands scheduled to share the stage.
Not at the same time, mind you.
The North Garden of the Ships of The Sea Museum played host first to Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver for their third appearance here in Savannah. This was my first time seeing this legendary bluegrass ensemble and I loved it! Such great ribbing of each other, fun banter, incredibly smooth a capella tunes, and songs that were lively even when they were sad!
I especially liked "I'd Just Be Fool Enough", "Country Store", and "God Can". But my absolute favorites were those with a little tongue in the cheek, like "Sadie's Got Her New Dress On" and "Blue Train". Bear in mind that I was recently in the company of Elvis, so a train on "the heartbreak railroad line" holds some definite appeal!
The band members even cut up with me!
I was working as the Door Wench for this show and it was the first time I've ever done that!
Door Wench... that's right! I gave myself that title and the boys in the band got a good chortle from it, too! Such a fun evening!
There was a brief intermission while Doyle and his crew moved off. Then the five microphones for Blue Highway were placed on stage and it was go time again!
This was their first time at the festival, but this band has 22 years of each others company. Great sense of humor with them, too!
"Boxers or briefs?" one asked another.
"Depends", was the deadpan reply, to the great enjoyment of all!
Many of their songs were old bluegrass standards, like those of Doyle Lawson and his group. Some of those were "Blue Ridge Mountain Girl" and "Someday" and They also had some original tunes for us, though, like "Just To Have A Job". My favorite "listen to the words" song was definitely "Tears Fell On Missouri", telling of a woman crying on a map "in their little Georgia home" while her husband cheated on her. Very nice!
But my favorite of all was "Wondrous Love". I kid you not, it brought tears to my eyes, it was that beautiful. Grandma would have loved it, I know she would have. It's a Sacred Heart song from the 1940's, so she would have known it well. After all, Grandpa was a traveling Baptist preacher...
What a perfect way to end an Easter Eve.
(smile)

i thank You, God, for having this show available for me.

goodbye to Gary

This afternoon, I attended the memorial service for my high school classmate, Gary Jackson.
Let me let that sink in for a moment.
That's what I had to do for myself, to have the message hit home.

We would have both been celebrating the 40th anniversary of our graduation at some time this year. I had been looking forward to seeing him, as well as other Jenkins Warriors of 1976, sometime this summer.
Instead, Gary passed away on Monday, leaving behind his mother, his stepdad, and his longtime partner.

I heard about Gary's passing through my church. We are both members of Asbury Memorial UMC.
I haven't seen Gary that much of late, as I have had sporadic Sunday attendance the past year or so. Even when I did attend regularly, our paths rarely crossed, as he would be up in the balcony, helping with sound or lights.
Every time we did see each other, though, he always had a cheerful smile for me, on his lips and in his eyes.
He always had a kind word, too, and warm hug.
Very nice!

I will miss those smiles most of all.

flamenco!

I snapped this while the guys were practicing, getting the sound checks done before tonight's concert.
Yep, you guessed it: I'm ushering tonight!
This time, I'm at the Trustees Theatre, though. That's the beauty of volunteering at the Savannah Music Festival - you travel around to so many different venues! Plus, you get to meet so many other folks who want to give back to the community, too.
Tonight, Kim was our house manager, as she had been last night at the Lucas. Very good! I worked as an inside usher downstairs, helping folks to their seats. Val and Claude worked the door, while Cliff and Holly and I shined our lights on the aisles.
And what a great show it was!
You see, today also happened to be Vicente Amigo Girol's 49th birthday. He's the central guitarist in the photo above.
He's also regarded as the flamenco guitarist, nonpareil.
I believe being in Savannah in the spring, for his most special day, provided an extra gift of energy to his fingers!
I wish I could say which tunes he played, but he did not introduce them. The few times he did speak, when introducing fellow musicians intermittently on stage with him, were only in Spanish and I did not catch the words.
Such a shame, really! One song in the middle of his 90-minute set was so poignant you could feel the longing his strings placed into the air... oh, my, so very beautiful!
I loved the end of the show, too. He and the others had returned for an encore. I had my eyes closed to fully enjoy the notes, but eventually I had to open them. Something had changed...and I saw the lights fading out on the stage in tandem with the lowering in volume of their playing.
It was truly a magical way to end a concert! It was akin to them walking off into the night, still strumming their instruments.
Wow.
Now, the show has ended and dinner beckons.
I'll be joining mi dos amigas at El Paso, where I have been promised good company and fish ceviche!
Hasta luego, mi caridas!

good friday, y'all!

In my email from Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church this morning was this editorial piece. In the name of education, I pass along the word.
Education is power!
Education is the light in the darkness.

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

Who Killed Jesus: Combatting Anti-Semitism on Good Friday
by Rev. Eleanor Harrison Bregman

Yesterday afternoon I received an email from a Jewish friend. It was a response to a newsletter I sent to the multi-faith community at our synagogue, Romemu, about the juxtaposition of the Jewish holiday Purim (celebrated Wednesday night and Thursday) and Holy Week.* He wrote, "I do not know the Bible well enough to know the details, but I have always felt very uncomfortable at this time of year when Christians are marking the day he [Jesus] died. I feel like I carry a guilty responsibility for his death."

Sadly, I've come to expect that many Christians think that "the Jews" killed Jesus. They grew up in churches where clergy have irresponsibly used the Gospel of John on Good Friday without contextualizing the use of the phrase "the Jews" which litters the text. It's a text which makes it seem that "the Jews" are responsible for Jesus' death at face value. Couple that with an anti-Judaism imbedded in most Christian theology, and it's terrible but not surprising that most Christians think that "the Jews" killed Jesus. Yet hearing from a Jew - a person whom I know and love - that he also had internalized this idea? This saddened me beyond words. If some Jews have internalized this message, Christian clergy have really missed the mark.

Obviously Christians do not have the market on texts that are inappropriately interpreted to incite others to violence. But this week especially (when there is a well documented rise in anti-semitic violence each year) we Christian clergy are called to teach and preach these texts in ways that honor the precious image of God in every human being. If we don't, we leave the door and text wide open to conscious and unconscious antisemitism and anti-Judaism in the very place where we need to fight it most. If we don't, we undermine the whole point of our sacred story in which a Jewish leader preaching love is executed by an empire because he and his message were a threat to that empire.

Read this blurb by Rev. Mary Luti - and if you are Christian clergy, print it in your Good Friday bulletins and give Rev. Luti the credit. We need reminding, again and again:

As Christians, we live under the burden of a sad and violent history of anti-Semitism, in the sobering shadow of the Shoah (Holocaust). It is critical for us to be clear about what our sacred texts mean when they make reference to "the Jews," especially during Holy Week, when we contemplate Jesus' death. When the crucifixion narratives speak of "the chief priests and leaders of the people," they are referring to officials who collaborated closely with the Roman systems of oppression, and were viewed with contempt by much of the Jewish community in their time. They should not be identified with the Jewish people of the past as a whole, and certainly not with Jews in the present. It may be helpful to recall the cultural context of our Christian scriptures, emerging as they did from a small, originally Jewish community of believers in Jesus as the Messiah. All of the Gospels originated from Jewish communities. Jesus himself, was born, lived, and was crucified, a Jew. Any criticism of Jews from Gospel writers should be understood as the expression of differences of opinion among or about their fellow Jews. The gospels' use of the term "the Jews" therefore, should not be read as a criticism of the Jewish religion, and especially not as a condemnation of an entire people, either then, or now. It is one of the bitter ironies of history that our sacred texts have been used to justify the persecution of the covenant people, from whom our Savior came, and who are created, as we all are, in the precious image of God.

Last night my daughter, an 8th grader at a Jewish day school, said to me, "Mom, a lot of kids at my school think that the Jews killed Jesus, but it was really the Romans, right?" After I caught my breath - for the second time yesterday over the same issue - I replied, "Well, at least that part of my Union Theological Seminary education has filtered down to you. Yes, it was the Romans, and a very small number of Jewish authorities who collaborated with the Romans and who weren't much liked by many in the Jewish community at that time. Let your friends know that."

Just as Purim is winding down on Thursday afternoon, I will be preparing for the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services - a dramatic reenactment of the Last Supper, a Passover meal according to some of the Gospels - in which Jesus commands the disciples to love one another as he has loved them. All just before he is betrayed, arrested, and executed. It's solemn, sad and poignant. I always cry. And this year I will pray, especially after the attacks in Belgium and Turkey a few days ago, that all people will seek to love one another as God loves us, that all sacred texts be sources of loving kindness and not violence, that terror will not have the last word, that peace can and will reign...and that we Christian clergy will play our part in making that peace a reality.

*Purim originates from the Book of Esther which is a court drama of feasts, a "bad guy" named Haman who wants all of the Jews killed, and a turn around in which the Jews of Persia are ultimately saved by the courage of one (Jewish) Queen Esther. The feeling of the holiday is topsy turvy Mardi-Gras-like fun. Usually Purim is, in fact, closer to Mardi Gras - and Holy Week (the week before Easter in the Christian calendar which includes Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) usually overlaps with Passover. But due to an extra month inserted into the Hebrew calendar this year, it's Purim, not Passover, that coincides this year with Holy Week. For those of us in interfaith families, the juxtaposition of these two holidays this year is striking. The mood of Purim is giddy and wild, while Holy Week is solemn and serious. I have come to navigate Passover and Holy Week/Easter fairly well - but Purim and Holy Week?! Yet underneath it all there are some resonances: Holy Week is, after all, a re-enactment of a story about Jesus, full of feasts, betrayals, decrees by leaders of powerful empires, executions, and a surprise turn around three days later. It seems a more Jewish story than ever when set against the backdrop of Purim.

song 44 in the gloaming

What a time of the day the gloaming is... no longer day, but not yet night, it tends to foster a poetic turn in those inclined toward such things.
Song 44 speaks instead to a time deep in the night, a time when a dream girl visits a dreamer and shatters his peace. Repeatedly. And the dreamer can do naught about it.
Such a powerful, and melancholy, tune - and so mesmerizing!
I only wish I spoke Erse.
Still, it was easy enough to access the tale through the melody.
The same can be said for "The Pilgrim's Song" and "Allistrum's March".
All were heard at the Lucas Theatre this very evening.
Was I working as an usher for the concert?
Yes, I was, though not for the Lucas itself. The Savannah Music Festival opened today and I'm volunteering with them again. How very fortunate for me!
I had not been able to sign up for this particular evening's show, but I had called the festival organizer and told her I was interested in the one volunteer opening. Apparently, there was a wait-list for that slot.
Then, on Tuesday, Halle called me! Was I still interested?
Yes! Yes, I was!
I kept my dinner date with the bfe, though, forgoing the movie for some future evening.
This dusk, I belonged to The Gloaming.
I wouldn't have had it any other way.
(smile)
Even though their songs, blending poetry, jigs, and reels of the past, brought to mind my stepdad and my mother and my grandmama and my loss of their physical company.
I know they were there tapping their feet along with mine.
(smile)
A dime - otherwise known as ten dully glowing pieces of copper - assured me I was not alone.
Right place, right time...

being more social

Once upon a time, I made a new year's resolution to be more social.
That was in 2009.
As you can tell, sometimes I'm more social than others.
This time, I may have set a personal record!
I've been social for fourteen days in a row!
Starting with my trip to see Elvis on Thursday, March 10th, straight through to today, I've eaten with, gone to a movie with, or visited at least one person every day.
Every day.
So, let's review, shall we?
(My students love it when I use that phrase!)

March 10th, Thursday: Went to the Elvis karaoke and breakfast and actually spoke to several folks there... and a couple of ETAs, too!

March 11th, Friday: talked with the ladies in front of me at the competition, danced and sang with a couple of ETAs, made friends with a local restaranteur, and swooned over Ryan Pelton!

March 12th, Saturday: chatted more with the ladies from Alabama, got my photo with a Canadian ETA, danced in the squares, and dished with the ladies about the hunky Cody Ray Slaughter!

March 13th, Sunday: spoke - and posed with - Cody and the Brazilian hunk Sergio, chatted one last time with the Alabama ladies, and dined at Olive Garden with that first niece of mine!

March 14th, Monday: dinner with the Philo bunch at Chili's!

March 15th, Tuesday: visited Ronnie in jail, wrote to Tony, spoke with Smitty. All three brothers contacted!

March 16th, Wednesday:
worked with Smitty on his taxes and missing Mama (I blame "Kentucky Rain"),
visited with Nami while washing clothes,
ran into Damon and Krystal,
then finished the day by celebrating Christina's birthday!
She and I dined at Fiore, the first time there for both of us.
What did she get for her birthday?
You mean, besides being treated to a fine Italian meal?
(smile)

I gave her six pairs of earrings.
Yes, you heard correctly:
six pairs of earrings.
They had all been languishing in drawers, still in packages, never worn.
(I still have more, believe it or not.)
I gave her three pairs that were "grown-up" (for the 3 tens of her age) and three pairs that were "just fun"
(for the 3 ones of her age).
She loved them!
She also enjoyed my logic.


I gave her the little bear, too. The one in front of my limoncello? Pretty little guy, and stuffed full of wishing stars this time, instead of honey!

March 17th, Thursday: mowed my yard and hobnobbed on facebook. (Yeah, I know it doesn't sound especially social, but it was!)

March 18th, Friday: Chinese buffet for dinner and "Kung Fu Panda 3" for fun, both with Kevin the dancing Running Bear!

March 19th, Saturday: "Kapoor and Sons" with Barbara and Sandy, "London Has Fallen" with Laugh Out Loud! Both movies were in Pooler, but I had dinner with MENSA at The King & I in Savannah. Busy!!!

March 20th, Sunday: Cheeburger, Cheeburger, wherefore art thou, Bonnie? Right there in Bluffton with me! Then we saw an awesome movie about a woman reinventing herself, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot". Nice!

March 21st, Monday: dinner again with the Philo crowd, at Kevin's request! Hugs from Odd Lotters Soucyman, Thomas, Dorsey, and Megan!

March 22nd, Tuesday: attempt to visit Ronnie at the jail. (Yes, I'm counting this, as I drove all the way out there only to find they were not allowing visitors this week.)

March 23rd, Wednesday: dinner with Christina at La Parilla... and we closed the place down! Hahaha haha!

Tomorrow, my work as a volunteer with the Savannah Music Festival begins. That should give me a pretty full plate for the next two weeks.
See you around!

green, green, my world is green

Ah, poor Medusa! Girl's just trying to get a little action and her date turns into the ultimate bad hair day.
Hisssss!
(smile)
Hope your St. Patrick's Day has been eventful in all the right ways!
Wishing you much greenery in your wallet and on your lawn!

By the way, my front lawn is already so long and green that it received its first mowing today.
The back has been half mowed.
The rest will have to wait until the battery has recharged.
Hooray!

crossword with a number!

Well, that was different.
I've been rather pushed for time this semester, so I've been saving the crossword puzzles until I had some time on my hands.
This one was in the February 3-9 issue of the local entertainment paper. As you can tell, it's been waiting a month for my attention.
'Tis rather a shame I didn't solve it when the movie was still in town. Seeing Han Solo is always a good day, you know?
I'm sure this would have prompted another viewing of the droid featured here.
In a crossword puzzle.
A droid with a number in its name, as is seemingly the case for all droids.
A number.
In a crossword puzzle.
I'll say this for Matt Jones: he sure does make an interesting word game. His puzzles are meant for alternative weekly papers, implying that his demographic is probably much younger than I am.
I still give them a try. A challenge is a nice way to pass a bit of time, provide a bit of mental gymnastics for the brain.
It's a muscle, too, you know.
The truly fun thing about a crossword puzzle is not simply the solving of the word clues for each place on its diagram.
No, no, mi amigo.
The truly fun thing is determining the theme.
Matt Jones has a wickedly keen sense of humor.
That makes it especially tricky to suss out the theme.
I was so pleased when I did for this one!
Pairs of "B"s!
The longer spaces were words which contained two pairs of "B"s.
Words like
"hoBBy loBBy" [arts and crafts chain in a 2014 Supreme Court decision] -
and "roBBle roBBle" [the Hamburglar's catchphrase] -
and "jiBBer jaBBer" [foolish talk, to B.A. Baracus] -
and "huBBa huBBa" ["va-va-voom relative].
Then I came to the clue for 63-Across:
Cute spherical character in "The Force Awakens" demonstrated in this grid (not counting this answer)

Um. That droid's name was BB-8. Surely I'm not supposed to put a numeral in that last block... right?

So, I checked the clue for 57-Down:
"I could've had a ___!" (juice slogan)

omG.
It was true!
This puzzle had a numeral in it!!!
Wow.
Thanks, Matt!
I think I'll go see a movie about talking animals now!

postscript
Count those pairs of "B"s, y'all....
(smile)

oh when the ides, come marching in, oh when the ides come marching in

I wrote:
Happy ides, to you,
until we meet again...
(ya gotta SING it!)

The dancing bear added:
Tehehe.
Too much college.

No such thing,
I replied.

He responded
with a smiling kitty
that he calls
Faustina
happy face.

Nice!

Happy birthday, dearest first niece of mine!

hat tricks and brothers

Dearest Tony,

That's funny that you wrote me about your money situation the day after I had put money in your account. Your prayers must have preceded that note!
[His letter was dated March 5th. I received it yesterday.]

I'm sorry to hear about your broken tooth, but I'm glad y'all have a dentist there. Hopefully, that situation will soon be resolved for you.
[That letter had been dated February 24th.]

My health is good, but my hands have been bothering me. Ever since December, I've had cramping and tingling and numbness in both hands, but mostly in my left hand. I had thought it was arthritis, but I now believe it's carpal tunnel syndrome. Remember when Mama had surgery for hers? I think she was about my age, maybe a few years younger.
I have an appointment in April with my doctor. Meanwhile, I have to avoid holding my hand in curled positions for long periods of time - like, anything more than a few minutes.
Yikes! That means any letters from me will have to be much shorter. Hahaha!

Actually, I'm most concerned about grading papers. I spend hours doing that. Maybe some can wait until the woman I'm teaching for comes to help me in April. We'll see.

Today, I'm going to visit Ronnie. He's been in jail since February 16. I had heard it was for hitchhiking, but maybe not. I hope to find out more when I see him.
Nice to know he's been getting fed regularly for a month now. Sad, too.

Okay, I guess that does it for now.

Love you, Dood!

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

True to my word to my youngest brother, I ventured out to the Chatham County Sheriffs Complex to see my middle brother. It's been a couple of years since I last went there, and the place has really changed.
The building for visitation, for example, is no longer where it used to be.
I eventually found it, though, and eventually found him, too.
We had a very nice twenty-minute visit, via videophone.
No more walking down seemingly endless halls and seeing each other through scratched and cross-hatched glass. We still talked on a handheld phone, but we had good views of each other.
He has been in jail since February 16th.
He looks good.
Color is back in his cheeks and his skin has shrugged off its yellow cast. Being sober for this past month has given his body a chance to heal. Having three meals a day has been very beneficial to that healing process, too.
Why was he picked up this last time?
Well, I had heard from his girlfriend that he had been soliciting rides.
That was incorrect.
He had been panhandling.
He was arrested for illegal collection of funds.
All he had garnered was four dollars.
Sigh.
He and I had a very nice chat, short though it was. You may recall that the last time he and I spent any time together was in September. I was able to spend part of two days with him then! I left him well-fed and with a phone again.
(Two weeks later, he had lost the phone. I then unsuccessfully played tag with him and his friends for three weeks, trying to get yet another phone to him. As luck would have it, my oldest younger brother saw him and contacted me. That led to Ronnie finally having a phone again by the end of October. He "lost" it right after Thanksgiving. I was too broke - and frustrated - to buy him another.)
As the allotted time ticked down on our visit, I asked if he knew the significance of today's date.
Yes, he did. "It's Christina's birthday," he said. "Tell her I said happy birthday."
I assured him I would.
I then told him his son would be getting married on April 2nd. Was he interested in going with me to the wedding?
Yes, he was. Providing, of course, that he is out by then.
I truly love him when he is sober and we can have lucid conversations. Why can't it always be that way???

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

When I returned home, I retrieved my phone and called Smitty.
I talked to him about my visit with Ronnie and told him all I know about that situation.
Like me, he was relieved to know Ronnie is safely sheltered, with easy access to food and showers.
Both of us prefer knowing that Ronnie is in jail than thinking of him living in the woods, scrounging for food and living for his next cold beer.
Tomorrow, Smitty and I will meet to take care of his monthly sales tax report and payment. That'll come due by the 20th, so it's good that we'll not be rushed with it this time.
Tomorrow, maybe I'll visit Ronnie again and put a few dollars more into his account at the jail.
Tomorrow, Smitty probably will, too.
And we'll both sleep a little easier knowing Ronnie is safe.

(georgia) rain keeps falling down, and up ahead's another town

Thankfully, I was not walking through the rain, in Kentucky or elsewhere, until the end of this final day of the 4th Annual Georgia Elvis Festival.
Even so, the rain was fairly moderate, so my small cats-and-dogs umbrella kept most of it off.
Mostly.
(smile)

I missed most of this morning's
Elvis Gospel Contest.
I had a restless night with the pain in my hands, so when the Rainbow Pharmacy appeared right on my path, I sought help.
Nice place!
With the recommended ibuprofen in hand, I continued on to the Ritz, arriving just as Irv Cass was singing a final hymn.
Drats. That meant the judging was in progress and I had missed the ETAs vying for the prize.
I had missed Stewart Chapman as he sang "You'll Never Walk Alone".
I missed Richard Wolfe's beautifully sung "No One Stands Alone". He'll be one to improve with age, I know.
I missed Travis Powell, presenting one of his favorites, "Stand By Me", as well as "He Touched Me".
I missed Sergio Queiroz, making up for a late entry and pleading "Help Me" to God.

Then the judges were done!
I was there as the ever-smiling Brazilian, Sergio Queiroz, was named the winner!
Such a cheerful man he is!
I would have loved to hear him sing "How Great Thou Art" once more... and I can!
So can you, at this link!

Afterward was a two-hour break before the Final Round of the Ultimate Elvis Competition.
What to do until 1 pm?
The weather was currently nice, so I opted for a walk in this downtown area... and ran into Cody Ray Slaughter, in conversation with a friend by one of the squares.
Should I ask for a photo?
Should I not?
I did!
So glad I manned up and asked for it!
I can be a bit shy and star-struck sometimes!

I continued my walk, exploring the other squares and shops, beaming as I did so.
(smile)
Lunch was at Basil Thai & Sushi bar as soon as it opened.
Delectable! Beautiful!
I was in such a good mood that I gladly moved to a new table so mine could be used for a large family gathering!

Back at the Ritz, it was time for the first non-pro to take his last shot at the title!
Brad Mitchell roared on with the "Mystery Train" through the "Kentucky Rain"!
"It's Midnight"!
"Believe Me" - he was so incredible!
Hope he got his black pantsuit back.
(smile)

Dan Barella's four-song set was next...and was a little off pitch. Maybe he sang too much at the Wrap Party last night!
Even the "Promised Land" and "I Need Your Love" weren't quite right.
"Never Been To Spain" and "How Great Thou Art" couldn't save him, but he was still in the top five!

Richard Wolfe hit the ground running, with a "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" at the "Heartbreak Hotel"!
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
Not me! Not as long as there's a "Hound Dog" around!
He was the only one who was not in a white jumpsuit - quite a distinction!

A quartet of songs about love were granted by Alex Mitchell.
"Let It Be Me", you know
"I Can't Stop Loving You"!
If I seem "Hurt"
it's because I
"Can't Help Falling In Love"!

Jason Sikes then blasted on with energy to spare, clad in what seemed to be the requisite white jumpsuit!
"C.C. Rider" and "Poke Salad Annie" were such a dynamic duo!
Then came the plea to "Please Love Me", but it was too late.
"Suspicious Minds" had already driven them apart!

Jason was the only one of the non-pros to give out scarves.
See the blonde woman in the red top, nearest to Marie?
She sat at the end of my row.
She managed to get a scarf from almost everyone who did the scarves!

After the fifth non-pro had sung, and before the first pro came to the microphone, a pause allowed me to get this photo with Richard Wolfe.
Hooray! Isn't he lovely?
I don't think he looks particularly like Elvis, but he sure can move like him and he sounds very close!
Then it was time to be back in my seat!
I opted to simply listen this time, not taking photos of the ETAs during their performances.
Di Light was the first man up, "Believe Me" "My Boy"! No need for "Suspicious Minds", just believe that "I Need Your Love"!
The Ocala wunderkind Cote Deonath put on the most energetic set! "Hurt"? You bet! His baby was "Wearin' That Loved On Look"! But he'd go from "Rags To Riches" to get back to "Poke Salad Annie"!

Then Andy King came on and I just had to have his photo!
"Walk A Mile In My Shoes", he sang,
as I walked up to take the shot!
When you "Gave Me A Mountain",
I climbed it "My Way" and went
all the way to "Dixieland"!
How incredible to hear this
German man voicing the battle song
of the South!

Doug Church proclaimed himself to be "Burning Love"! "We Can Make The Morning", he sang, because you know I "Can't Stop Loving You"! Together, we can dream "The Impossible Dream"!
I'm with you, man!
Oh, yeah!
"You've Lost That Loving Feeling", Travis Powell told me. Just because I've "Never Been To Spain" doesn't mean I can't recognize a "Bridge Over Troubled Water" when I see one. Oh, "How Great Thou Art"!
Now what to do while the judges finalized the votes?
Fortunately, I was present and in my seat still when Tim E. Hendry came back on stage in just a shirt and jeans to regale us with song! "I Got A Woman" was done down-home style! Then he sang a B.J. Thomas number, "I Just Can't Help Believing". Magnificent!
That song is such a long-time favorite of mine!

At last, the votes were in!
Di Light was pronounced the big winner in the pro division!
Here he is, being congratulated by emcee Irv Cass.
The winner of the non-pro ETAs was
- you guessed it! -
Brad Mitchell!!!
How cool is that???
(smile)

My angels must have been guiding my camera since the very beginning of the weekend on Thursday night!
My angels helped me travel safely home again, too, through intermittent rain and constant traffic.
There followed dinner with my first niece when I reached town, at one of her favorite comfort food places, Olive Garden! I like it there, too.
(smile)
i thank You God, for granting me this adventure with Elvis and my loving niece to welcome me home again!

Elvis! evolutions and the neXt generation

Back in the saddle again!
This time, instead of Mrs. Irby sitting near me, it was Austin himself!
Two girls were with him.
One may have been a sister, the other was likely her friend.
How very nice that the performer was able to be entertained tonight!
And what a show its was, boys and girls!

When Cody Ray Slaughter came onto the stage,
I think I may have audibly gasped!
He looked so much like young Elvis Presley,
and sounded so much like Elvis,
and moved so much like Elvis...
I actually had to put on my glasses
to keep from thinking I was seeing a ghost!
"My Babe"!
"Baby Let's Play House"!
No "Heartbreak Hotel" for us!
"Slowly But Surely", your "Angel Eyes" will shine on me!

Sigh.
Then he left and Marilyn Monroe came out.
Well, actually, it was Samantha Chambliss again, this time in a blonde wig.
She put on her best Betty Boop act as she bobbed through the audience looking for someone to play off.

Vince was perfect!
A retired transportation director
from New Jersey, he absolutely
loved it when she sang
"Happy Birthday" to him.
Someone even caught it on video!
Nice little time-killer
while we waited for
the main attraction to return.

And return he did! My, my, my!!! What a comeback!!!
"Trouble", indeed!
Such a black-leather "Hound Dog" he was!
He had me "All Shook Up", I must say!
I'll be "Trying To Get To You" even if "It Hurts Me" because to "Just Pretend" is not enough!
"Stop, Look, and Listen", please... "If I Can Dream", it will be of you!
(smile!)

Then he was gone again.
Tim E. Hendry came front
and center, offering himself
as a hunk-a hunk-a "Burning Love"!
"Let It Be Me", he sang,
don't let me be "Hurt"!
Here, you can watch him tell the tale of "Poke Salad Annie"!
But for "How Great Thou Art" and "The Impossible Dream", you'll have to look elsewhere, dear.

Then it was time for something completely different!
Thea and Heitor are part of the
next generation of Elvis fans,
loving the music and keeping it alive in a fresh way.
Their short acoustic set included "Because of Love" and "Pocketful of Rainbows", finishing with "And I Love You So". Very nice!

Then, MORE Cody, this time in a black jumpsuit.
Specifically, he was in Brad Mitchell's black jumpsuit.
You see, it seems that when Cody put on his, which had sat in his closet "for the last twenty years", it eXpLOdEd!!!
HAHAHAHA HAHA!
Polyester will do that!
I sure would have paid good money to have seen it happen!
(smile)
"That's Alright Mama", the "Mystery Train" will "Make The World Go Away"!
"Let's Play House" in case "Tomorrow Never Comes",
"Hi Heel Sneakers" are for today!
You "Hound Dog"! There's a "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On", even though "Your Mama Don't Dance"!
Come on and "Love me Tender"!
Ignore those "Suspicious Minds".
You know I "Can't Help Falling In Love With You".
My, oh, my.
Sweet dreams tonight for me!

the edge of reality with Elvis, is it so strange?

Today, I heard two Elvis songs that were new to me!
Yes, yes, I can hear you now.
As Doug Jones' grandson said to him,
"there are no new Elvis songs. They're all old."
Sure, but that doesn't mean I've heard all of them!
The two in the post title are really good, so look them up and let me know if you have heard them before!

Of the eleven professionals and eleven non-professionals at the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Round 2 today at the Ritz Theatre, I only missed two artists. Those were Paul Thorpe and Joe Bullock.
In addition, for some reason, Stewart Chapman opted not to perform today. (That's okay, he sang and danced in the squares later!)
Yesterday, I had missed the first four artists. I wanted to make sure I caught them this second time... and I did!
Today, the pro players were up first, backed by The Change of Habit Tribute Band for their songs. Yesterday, the amateur competitors had the live band, while the pros had the karaoke experience.
I didn't notice any change in performance. The audience was still there and that's the most important part for any performer.
You bet!
So, what did I see and hear?

Di Light had a mixed bag:
"You Gave Me A Mountain",
"Fever", and
"You've Lost That Loving Feeling".
Then again,
his set yesterday
was rather mixed, too!

Jeff Krick showed us he was a man who knew what to do with fringe!
Rawwwrrr! Fringe!
"Fairy Tales" do come true!
No need to feel "Hurt", dear.
"Make The World Go Away"?
Let's give it another whirl...

Cote Deonath, you Ocala treat,
"Can't Stop Loving You"!
Let's take the
"Mystery Train" to the
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
and ride to the end
of the line,
shall we?

Then came my Brazilian
heart throb,
Sergio Queiroz!
What a lovely line his body makes!
I'll gladly go from
"Rags To Riches",
even though he's
"Never Been To Spain".
Oh, "How Great Thou Art"!

Travis Powell
sang about a
troubled "Runaway"
to his "Sweet Caroline",
but that caused
"Suspicious Minds".
Oh, no!

Andy King,
in a sharkskin suit!
Way to kick the
jumpsuit habit, man!
His movie medley definitely
struck a chord with me!
From "The Edge Of Reality",
he advised "Return To Sender".
I'm "Stuck On You"!

Doug Church had a cape!
"Believe Me"!
"What Now My Love"?
Well, how about a salute to the troops and to fellow veterans, followed by an Indianan's salute to "Dixieland"?
Yeah, that was quite nice!

Then the man from Washington stepped up!
That's the state, y'all,
that Mark Stevenz callz home.
"I'll Never Fall In Love Again",
he sang, unless he could do it
"My Way".
But "It's Midnight",
and you know what that means...


Then it was time for a longer break. All of the pros had finished their sets and the band was taking the rest of the afternoon off.
Me? I went out for lunch!
Back across the street for tofu in Brown Stew sauce!
When I came in, Dennis McFadden was on stage, greeting me with "Welcome To my World"! Then he sang "Hound dog" and was gone -
and I missed my chance for his photo!
I made sure that didn't happen again!

Alex Mitchell of South Carolina
went "Way Down" first.
Then "You Gave Me A Mountain" rose up.
Well, we'll "Just Pretend"
that it did,
if that's okay with you.
(smile)

North Carolinian Mark Gagnon definitely brought some humor to the stage!
That was not his original game plan, mind you.
It just turned out that way.
He'd gone to the after-hours party last night and worn his vocal cords to squeaky nubs.
"Stop, Look, and Listen",
in that "Kentucky Rain",

he advised off-key.
"I Really Don't Want To Know"
how many dropped notes
were scattered up there,
thank you very much.
What a show!
I had to congratulate him
on his perseverance
and work ethic!

Doug Jones advised us
"Don't Be Cruel"!
Let there be
"Peace In The Valley"
and in the Ritz!
"Is It So Strange"
that I love you?
Absolutely not!

Jason Sikes, a Georgia boy,
treated us to a costume change!
I completely missed the title
of his first number.
How did that happen?
I was trying to make sense
of his padded jacket.
Then, he took it off,
revealing the puffy-sleeved,
dark orange shirt
beneath it.

Yo ho ho! He's a pirate!
Jerry Seinfeld would have
definitely approved!
"Any Day Now"
he might well set sail!
Oh, come on, let's not have
Suspicious Minds"!
(smile)

Leave it to a Canadian
to get us back
on track!
Was he in the
ever-popular
white jumpsuit?
Not hardly.
Richard Wolfe
was a soldier boy,
young and energetic
and off to ride that

"Frankfurt Special"!
He's got a
"Pocketful Of Rainbows",
don't you know,
and a heart
full of love.
No "G.I. Blues"
for him!
(smile!)

Brad Mitchell
of Spokane, WA,
was bound and determined
to leave his mark
on Brunswick, GA!
"My Babe", he sang,
"The Power of My Love"
is more than "Words"!
Truth!

Dave Weaver of New York
- but not NYC -
took a more
serious approach.
"I've Lost You",
going "My Way", but
"You Gave Me A Mountain"
this time.
Oh, yeah!

Chris Holland from Pooler -
where it's cooler! -
showed up without his
green-lined cape.
But never fear!
Marie helped him get it on!
"Never Been To Spain", but I hear the "Promised Land" is "Dixieland"!
What a Southern set!

Dan Barella
of Staten Island -
that's NYC, y'all! -
had a more somber tone.
"Danny Boy", he sang,
"Let It Be Me".
Was that for the judges?
I promise you that
"You'll Never Walk Alone".

The final contestant!
Chuck Nance -
also known to me
as Elvis-older-version -
brought a lot of energy!
"You've Lost That Loving Feeling"!
No, I promise I haven't!
"Way Down", "It's Midnight" -
you mean in Australia?
Quite possibly!
(smile)

Back out into the warm sunlight!
Back to hear Elvis' music ringing out in the squares downtown!
Back to the kite-eating tree!
Hahahaha haha!
Actually, it's probably not
Charlie Brown's kite,
but I prefer to believe it is.
So, there!

There's Stewart Chapman,
as promised earlier,
singing up a storm!
And there I am!
That woman in the
purple top,
with the butterfly bag
and the red
Brad Mitchell scarf!
Such fun I had,
moving to the beat
and clapping along!

I tell you,
that young man
could really move!
He had more energy
than those Mexican
jumping beans do!
Very good singer, too!
I'll have to see
if he has a show
the next time I'm up
in Virginia.

Next up? Dinner!
The Southern Table, please!
They even had Elvis on the overhead music!
Delicious blackened salmon,
with hoppin' john,
bacon cornbread,
and the best asparagus ever!
The boiled peanut hummus
was pretty tasty, too!
Now, back to the Ritz!