porch party at the library!

"What?! You can't be all loud like that at the library!!"

Yes, I can! This is National Library Card Month and the local libraries have embraced the idea of getting folks down there by letting them get down! Last week, the music was jazz from the Equinox Orchestra at the Bull Street Library. I thought about going, but just didn't want the downtown parking hassle, so I made other plans. Today, with the band called Groove Eclectic, I knew I'd be dancing, dancing, dancing!!! And I was, too!!!

"Hey, that looks like a yard, not a porch. Where were you?"

That's the large, grassy expanse between the Southwest Chatham Library and the Savannah VA Center. That's were the four-piece band set up, with lots of folks all around with their picnic blankets and camp chairs. It was great! People of all ages were there!!! Some others were dancing, but they were mostly old-er, like me. You know, beyond caring what others might think. (smile!)

"What did you say that band was called? They look like Nickel Bag of Funk!"

That's because they are!!! They use different names depending on how many of the band members are doing the gig. You know, like The Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love do, depending on whether the brass section is present or not. Not that it matters, as the singer still does the same songs! This prevening, they started off with "Lovely Day" on this blue-sky day beneath the leaping greenly spirits of trees... yes, e.e. cummings would have been elated! That song started my toes tapping and I kept right on dancing through "I Want It That Way" and "Every Little Step"... whew! Then I sat the next one out, but ended up dancing in my seat for "Moves Like Jagger" - I love that song!

"Very nice mix of tunes they have in their repertoire!"

You better believe it! I went over to the library stand and picked up some book marks and pins and stickers for my greats, but then I had to get back to dancing. They were doing a song that I knew was a Lizzo tune: "About Damn Time". I just saw her with Kelly Clarkson in "Songs & Stories" and she's quite a sassy lass! I like her! So did the old-er woman I was dancing near! As long as I was dancing, she did, too!!! Very nice!

"How do you know she was only dancing when you did?"

Well, when I went and sat out a couple of songs, she did, too. Then, when I returned to dancing to the Lizzo song, she got up and danced, too! She stayed up with me, too, while her friend sat and listened to the music. We all clapped together for the gospel tune - "I Came To Clap" - then she and I started dancing again for the funky "This Is How We Do It"! After that came Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" - very nice! I reminded the woman that he would have been 67 years old this year, just like me. She was surprised to think of him as that age!

"Sure. He's been gone 16 years, just like Sam Johnson and Daddy. Frozen at that last age. Michael Jackson was almost 51 when he died."

Yeah, I know. Back to the tunes! They finished up with one for one of their fans: "Killing Me Softly With His Song". Really well done! By that time, the sun was definitely on its way to sunset. Those days of light until 9 PM are two months gone! 

"Yeah, I've noticed the shortening of the days."

Me, too. The band had been talking about dinner and I was all prepared for that! I brought the Panera gift card that Penny gave me and stopped in there. Moments later, I was on the way home with the Italian Summer Salad, a bag of chips, and an ice-cold bottle of water. That last was opened before I even left the restaurant! All that dancing worked up a thirst!!!

"Hahahaha! I'm sure it did! I'm so glad you had a good time tonight! You need to go out dancing more often!"

I do, I definitely do! That's why I get up and dance to some of the tunes during Music Bingo on Mondays. This week, Elissa even danced a little, too! (smile!)

a*list ohm with turtles

 

This week of dances were all ones I knew.

Friday was "Weapons", for a bit of mystery.

Monday found me with "The Bad Guys2" in their travels to Egypt and outer space.

Wednesday was a new one, "Light Of The World", but its story was one I've known most of my life.

Then, today, Carolyn and I finally got "Caught Stealing" seen again - and yes, I just may be getting a crush on Austin Butler!

To quote a line he says to his girlfriend, "I'm sexy even when I don't say anything" - to which she replied, "Then shut up!"

Good one!!!

No meal with her this time, though.

I had a Naturalist 101 lecture at OHM Savannah!

Hooray!

I need to remember to get there a bit earlier, so I can chat with more of the folks who come for these ocean-themed talks.

"Conserving Loggerhead Sea Turtles" had drawn me in, as it had the full room, plus whoever was tuned in online at facebook. 

I sat in the very front row, which had been left empty.

Guess that was for me!

(smile!)

The talk was given by Kristen Zemaitis of the Caretta Research Project., an organization that started near the same time that I was in the STERI project my junior year of high school.

As I told her afterward, both that science program I was in, plus the sea turtle research, had me thinking of a career in marine science... but I chose the Navy first... then I chose chemistry once I finally went to college.

Now, I'm back to looking at the ocean and its life again.

(smile!)

I made sure to grab some swag for my great-nieces and great-nephews.

One never knows where a spark might lead to a fire!

meals and movies, with some free!

Last Friday, both the dinner & the movie were free!

Remember, I had a free 4th Club sandwich coming to me for buying three during Jason's Deli's "Club Club" promotion?

Naturally, I chose the California Club!

That one comes with tortilla chips and salsa as the free side - and I gotta have that on Friday!

Then I bopped over to AMC with my A*List and watched "Weapons" again.

That truly has a good story!

On Tuesday, I attended "The Celebration of Life of Dr. Gordon Baker" at Asbury Memorial Church.

That made my second trip there this week, as I went Sunday for Communion and Rev. Billy's sermon about fried chicken and mangoes, plus BIG Coffee Hour - such a good luncheon, with leftover chicken and crumb cake for breakfast Monday!

Back to Tuesday... I had not known Gordon, but I knew his partner, Tom Lewis, so that's why I went.

I'm glad I did, as I learned what Gordon did for libraries all over the southeast.

All of his actions were steeped in the deep sense of noblesse oblige in his veins.

That also carried over to this: a catered luncheon from The Pirate's House for all who came today.

Fried chicken for the second time this week!!!

I do believe Gordon and I would have been friends.

I'm thinking he would have enjoyed this movie I watched at NCG Cinema.

"Splitsville" was all about the foibles of two married men and their wives, with a touch of malarkey in the form of frequent frontal male nudity - hilarious!

It was obviously a labor of love for Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin, who both wrote and starred in it.

Well worth the $6 paid!

Then, tonight, I had dinner & a movie again, though not in that order.

First came the free A*List movie, "Light Of The World", that I thought might have been drawn by AI.

Nope, it was drawn by human hands, with no digital enhancements, hence the odd-looking feet and hands.

That gave it the "children's storybook come to life" feel that the writers wanted.

Success!

Then I swept into Jason's Deli for dinner and more, for $15.14 - what a deal!

Yes, they offered me two Kids Meals for 99 cents apiece, so I jumped all over it.

The Mesa Chicken Salad was tonight's, the pizza will be two breakfasts, and the Chicken Alfredo Pasta is definitely a future dinner! 

While I waited there, I enjoyed this serene view.

Rather looks like a painting, doesn't it?

(smile!)

does this look normal to you?

Tell me true: do these temperatures look right for this time of year?

I mean, do they look normal for this latitude?

I've been concerned that the moderate highs, only in the low to mid-80's, might bode a colder winter than normal.

Perhaps they do.

When I looked back to this same time last year, I see the same trend.

That WSAV Weather Song became very flat and monotone when it settled into these same temperatures of 81 F to 85 F during the day.

What concerns me, though, are the lows that Savannah is having this time around.

Those are in the 60's this week.

Last year, the lows were still in the 70's, as they should be.

I do hope we won't have snow again this winter.

I'll have to move farther south if that happens.

for love of a great-uncle

 

There they stand, with a cardboard cutout of their Great-Uncle.

The diminutive man had been a genius when it came to getting movies financed after the silent film era had passed and the more expensive 'talkies' entered.

Producers' names aren't usually what I notice in movie credits, so it was no surprise to me that I'd never heard of Edward Small.

These three relatives - Roy Cranman, the great-nephew; Karen Botnick Paz, Roy's wife; and Michelle "Shellie" Schmals, the third cousin - are out to make their Great-Uncle better known to those who love film.

That's why they'd set up this viewing of "Solomon And Sheba" at the Savannah JEA, posting news of the event on fb all this past week.

I'd asked my amigas to come with me, but only Carolyn did, getting there in plenty of time to stay dry on what became a very stormy Sunday afternoon.

Honestly, the crashing of the thunder outside was a a perfect counterpoint for all the clashing of swords and heated sexual overtones in this 1959 movie!!!

Carolyn actually remembered seeing the movie when it first came out in the cinema!

She was about 13 years old and was captivated by the racy costumes that Gina Lollobrigita wore, by the huge battle scenes waged between 'Solomon' and his brother, 'Adonijah', for the title of 'King of Israel', and by the saucy dances performed by the pagan 'Queen of Sheba' and her people - wow!!!

I know I would have been just as mesmerized if I'd seen it as a teen!

As it was, it was a fabulous retelling of a Biblical tale, with a large dose of literary license and a 39-year-old Yul Brynner, with a marvelous head of hair, as 'Solomon'!

Carolyn and I very much enjoyed the pre-film and post-film talks, too, with Roy telling stories about his Great-Uncle Eddie - very cool!

 

Then, as the rain had passed, we adjourned to Chili's for dinner and talk.

She loves their menu as much as I do, especially those 3-for-me combos!

She had the Ole-Timer Burger, we both shared the chips and salsa, and I took most of that Shrimp Cajun Pasta home for another meal.

She ate every bit of hers!

And she must have thanked me three times for inviting her to come out to that movie!

I'm so glad she enjoyed it, too!

Dinner and a movie - always better with a friend! 

(smile!)

fall flowers for the barry family

 

I'd gone out to Greenwich after the musical, drawn there.

That's when I noticed the rutted dirt road that ran by the lot I always visited.

In fact, there was a "Do Not Enter" sign on it that I had ignored.

But I had persevered in my determination to reach my goal.

That's when I saw the tattered remnants of the bouquet I last placed there.

Oh, that just would not do.

 

Today, after church at Asbury Memorial, I again drove to Greenwich.

Again I ignored the sign that bade me to stay off that road.

I had three bright bouquets that needed to be placed, and place them I did.

Ordinarily, I would have given one to Mama, then given the other two to Ronnie and Jean Marie.

This time was different.

Fall was about to begin and Mama liked that season.

Fall was the lead-in to all her favorite holidays.

That's why all three bunches of autumnal orange stayed where she was.

It very much brightened up the Barry lot!

(smile!) 

for love of a great-aunt

"Does that mean some of the little blondes in Hinesville have sent postcards to you?"

 

Nope, not yet. I know it sometimes takes a while for their parents to get them into the mail, even though I did make sure to stamp and address them. Want to guess again?

 

"Well, I know you went to a new musical today..."

 

There ya go! Actually, I was incorrect on that. I thought the Savannah Musical Theatre Festival events were all new musicals, but that wasn't quite right. In retrospect, I'm glad I didn't have the money for the entire 3-day, 5-event schedule. These were all staged readings of musicals in the developmental process. That means no set design, no costumes, and no props. Well, I take that back. The one I attended did make use of a child's noise-maker that mooed like a cow.

 

"Did you say "mooed"? Like, bovine noises?"

 

That's right, and it was pretty funny, though it wasn't intended to be. "The Top Hand Of Lone Tree Ranch" is a western musical, based on the 1960 book of the same title. It was the story of a boy living with his older sister and their grandpa while the parents were at a hospital for the dad's recovery from an accident. James Venhaus, the playwright, chose the book because his Great-Aunt Anne Pence Davis wrote it. My guess is she gave him the book as a boy, much as I have done for my great-nieces and great-nephews with my pumpkin book.

 

"Oh, yeah, I remember that book!"

 

I had such fun writing that... but, I digress. As I said, this was a bare-bones production, with the primary goal being to get audience feedback after. I'll say this: the playwright was kept busy writing suggestions most of the hour of that "talk back" session. That's him on the far right. He teaches at Savannah Country Day, which is where Gabriella Galoni and Emmett Witchel attend. Those two kids were 'Janie' - the older sister - and 'Paddy', the boy. 

 

"They're over on the left, right? To either side of the older guy that must be the grandpa? And isn't that Justice of the Savannah Music Festival by them?"

 

Yes, yes, and yes. Justice was just there as the moderator of the "talk back". 'Grandpa' was read, and sung, by Gary David Keast, a newcomer to me. Then there's Rayshawn Roberts who's done a lot of works with the SavChildTh in the past. He was the only one with three roles! He had 'Mr. Mitchell', the rancher. Then he did 'the Shopkeeper', and finished up as the 'Dad'. Standing next to him in this scene was Laura Wild, as 'Mom', but she also played 'the Shopkeeper's Wife' in the scene where 'Paddy' comes in to buy some sweet feed for the young calf left behind accidentally by 'Mr. Mitchell'. It really is a sweet tale about a boy learning the value of being honest, applicable as much now as it was back then in the 1950's in rural Texas.

 

"Most excellent! And who was the woman in the flowered dress?"

 

That's Luisa Nolasco. She was the narrator and also operated the 'moo' toy. She's been in several of the SavStageCo's works the last few years.

 

"Well, did you like it???"

 

I very much did! I just wish I had read more on Savannah Repertory Theatre's website so I would have been better prepared for what I was getting. At least they had a variety of ticket options for this! I chose the $10 Community Ticket, as it was considerably less than the $27 Senior/Military Ticket. I believe that all the tickets should have been $10, as this was not yet a finished work, but I also understand that they had to pay for that space at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center.

 

"What a great break on the tickets! And how nice to have seen something that was a different genre than many musicals!"

 

For sure! This has been quite a Western-themed day for me! Before I came to this, I was on fb and my friend Sherry Giddens had posted a Western joke! "If you talk to a cow while you're milking it you will get more milk. It's the old in one ear and out the udder!" I proceeded to share that with lots of folks right then and there! My youngest brother, Tony, even sent me a chemistry joke meme in return!!!

 

"Hahahaha! Too bad there's no "J" on the Periodic Table!"

 

Hey, I was just happy that he thought of me when he saw that! I was not about to rain on his parade. It's not like he designed that meme. He just found it and sent it my way!

 

"What about the new elements that filled in the 7th Period? No "J" in them?"

 

Nope, nary a one had a "J". Very impressive to see that all filled in, isn't it? That's been since late January of this year. So, now there's talk of creating and filling in an 8th Period. Of course, none of those elements exist outside a lab, and then their presence is so brief that verifying them is difficult. Still, it brings to mind that conversation I had with Cedric years ago, doesn't it?

 

"Most def it does! Science has progressed so quickly the last few decades!"

 

Yes, it has. Life in general has sped up so much since the cellphone age began. Today has been a bit of a respite to a slower pace. For instance, this evening I watched "Westward The Women", a 1951 Western I spotted on GritTV and taped a day or so ago. I'm glad I did! Talk about a slower pace... it took that wagon train several months to go from Chicago to a small mining town in California! Such a good movie!

 

"I'm glad you've enjoyed your step back in time today! That's been a nice break from the usual, hasn't it, dear?"

 

It has been, it truly has. 

(smile!)

4 movies, only 3 on a*list

All four were "free" to me, too!

That's because I had sufficient rewards built up at NCG Cinema to see "Highest 2 Lowest" for no charge on Tuesday.

That was good, as I didn't want to drive over to Pooler.

That's very good, as I didn't have to spend all that time for that overly long flick.

Spike Lee had a good movie, but just had to throw in solo concerts to hype two artists (Yung Felon and Sula, neither of which are real). 

That entire final scene in the movie could have been cut and not missed.

So, what about my AMC dance card?

Well, I'm having trouble filling it, now that it can hold four twirls about the floor.

I'm serious!

I actually had to throw myself out of the house this afternoon just to get that third one!

That's because I knew I had already seen three movies in three days...

but only two were at the southside cinema.

They were all new to me, so that's good!

Monday, I went to "The Roses", hoping for the best.

I'd hoped the physicist would tag along, as it was Labor Day and I know he was off, but he missed out on seeing Olivia Colman.

She and Benedict Cumberbatch were good, of course, and, surprisingly, so was Andy Samberg, who was actually pretty decent in this one.

However, Kate McKinnon was just... well... playing her same schtick and that got to wearing pretty thin by the movie's end.

Would I see it again?

Very doubtful.

I have yet to enjoy any of the scripts Tony McNamara has written. 

Although this remake did include some scenes which echoed "The War Of The Roses", the overall tone was much, much meaner.

That's saying something, as someone who knows and loves the 1989 black comedy!

Next!

Jump over to Wednesday to catch "The Toxic Avenger", only playing at night as it is, incredibly, unrated, even though it was made two years ago.

Touted as a black comedy, it was more of a satire, with a cast that boggled my mind.

Peter Dinklage???

Kevin Bacon???

Elijah Wood???

Was this some kind of inside joke???

I admit to laughing heartily several times, as did the other viewers, but I just don't get how this was ever funded.

If Jim Reed ever reboots his Psychotronic Film Society, this one is surely destined for his tiny silver screen!

That brings me to today's movie, a new one that officially opens tomorrow.

"Lurker" brings a hanger-on wannabe in close proximity to a rising singer.

It isn't that 'Matthew' likes the music 'Oliver' sings, as he has to bone up on the artist when he gets invited to that night's concert.

No, 'Matthew' likes being part of the band's Instagram account, he likes having their followers following him, and he likes being stopped on the street by their fan base.

Then, on a trip to London, 'Oliver' and company ditch him.

Honeymoon was most def over, but 'Matthew' didn't accept that ruling.

That made him more of a stalker, not a lurker, though neither word fits.

Pretty good music, with Archie Madekwe, as 'Oliver', actually singing!

I might actually see this again.

(smile!) 

Right now, though, I need to finish mowing the back yard.

The Ryobi and I have been at it for four nights in a row, but it's almost done!

The photo shows how it looked at the end of Tuesday's foray.

Last night, I finished all that was close to the house and cut lines through that tall stuff along the back fence.

I will be so glad to have this done!!! 

Borg-lite

At last the electrodes arrived from Boston Scientific!!!

The Labor Day weekend really threw a monkey wrench into the mail.

The end of my cardiac study will be September 21, even though that is short of the 30 days that Dr. Cobb had prescribed.

That simply cannot be, as the company only allows the equipment to be out of their grasp for 35 days, maximum.

Last Tuesday was the last full day of monitoring, as I was plagued by "poor connection" alerts all day on Wednesday.

I'd hoped the new Borg set would arrive Saturday, as it was coming by UPS, but, no.

It did arrive earlier than expected today, though!

I've attached it to my body as proscribed: monitor affixed to dangle from a holder on my right chest, a green electrode affixed near-central along the right lower ribs, then a red electrode paralleling the same area on the left lower ribs.

It's much more comfortable than the other configuration ever was!

All of it is very light, and even the monitor feels lighter now that it can dangle.

They've included a plethora of little sticky electrode pads for me to use.

I wonder if I'm to replace them every other day?

Maybe they expect me to be super sweaty?

Well, it is September, even though it's a bit cooler than usual.

I do intend to mow the back yard some more tonight, as I did last night.

The grass is so crazy tall that the Ryobi has been struggling mightily.

Plus, I don't want to leave mulch, so I've been using the bag attachment, which has to be emptied at least four times before the battery dies.

Slow slogging, for sure, but I'll keep at it.

I wonder what that will look like in the cardiac monitor readings?

Guess me and Dr. Cobb will have an interesting talk in October!

(smile!)

family dinners! three days in a row!!!

Friday, the 29th

Time for the S&K Friday Fiesta... but mostly S.

That's because all the K's, except Mark, were in Athens for football.

So, that's me, my two brothers, and their two wives... plus Robin!

We almost could have used just one table!

I had aguachiles, a different take on ceviche, with the shrimp whole and chunky bits of cucumber, all kept ice cold in that cast iron bowl.

It was awesome!!!

Great presentation, too.

(smile!)

 

Saturday, the 30th

When I called that first niece of mine, I thought she might be in Savannah visiting Kaleigh... and she was!

She had Anthony and her girls here, too.

"Dinner at 8? Cici's?"

So there, and then, I was!!!

The girls were so full of energy that I knew they'd spent a long time in the van.

Time to let the imagination run wild in the games room!

Believe it of not, I didn't even have to ask them to pose!

The real trick was timing my shot so they weren't blurry!

What a treat for me!!!

 

Sunday, the 31st

Time for the 3rd Annual Margaritaville Party at Tony & Laura's home!

We thought it might be the same folks as the Friday gathering, as the Tatums were on a cruise... 

but, nope!

Betsy and Jimmy made sure to return early just for this!!!

Tony made a better version of his awesome burgers from last time - he threw in some Angus for flavor!

I'm glad Robin was there to share this holiday time with family and friends!

a*list and the garden of olive

"Oh, nice! I do so enjoy that Pasta e Fagiole soup!"

Me, too, g'friend, that's why I suggested the Olive Garden to Carolyn.

"Oh, good! I know y'all must have seen a movie together, right?"

You know it! I'd texted her around 1 PM to see if she wanted to get "Caught Stealing" in the Big-D at 4 PM and she certainly did! What a fabulous movie to finish out my A"List dance card this week!!! I even filled it up with four movies for the second week in a row!

"So I see. And these were all new to you again?"

I had thought they were going to be, but I slipped up. I didn't recognize that I'd seen "Ne Zha II" already until I'd bought my ticket to see it on the Big-D and was in my seat. I was a little disappointed, but it was still a good movie, so I sat right there and enjoyed it! Plus, this time it was dubbed in English, so I caught a few actions I'd missed whilst reading subtitles in the spring. 

"Well, that was good, then! What about the Jackie Chan movie? Did it have subtitles or was it all in English?"

No, that one was mostly subtitled, but the film was action-centric so not a lot of words were needed. Know what I mean? I don't know why they called it "The Shadow's Edge", though. The Chinese title translates to "Chasing Shadows" and that would have been just fine. Jackie got a chance to work alongside Tony Leung Ka-fai, someone he's been with in multiple films ever since "The Myth" in 2005. I could tell they really enjoyed each other's company, even though they were enemies here. Probably not the first time they've done that!

"Coolness! I know you like it when the actors bring a backstory with them!"

I do! And I loved all the complexity woven into that film! In a way, it reminded me of "Sneakers".  So much intrigue! In fact, all four of these dances were full of complex steps that demanded full attention to keep from getting tripped up - magnificent!!!

"You're saying that "Relay" and "Caught Stealing" were intrigue, too?"

I most certainly am! One of the things that hooked me with "Relay" was the use of a telephone relay station for the calls between 'the helper' and his 'client'. I've used that system before! Back when I was teaching chemistry to a deaf student, he would phone me through an intermediary and they would give me his typed messages and then type back my responses to him. That was back in 2016. What a cool memory! And what a perfect way to keep one's phone from being traced, too. Very cool!

"Oh, that sounds like a very different type of movie - nice! Lots of tech, but not anything that wasn't already developed by others. Just a new way of making use of it. I really like that. And I see it has Lily James, the woman who was the diner waitress in "Baby Driver". How was she this time?"

Let me tell you, she was a totally different character here. I don't know that I would have realized she was from that 2017 movie if I hadn't seen it this week on Bounce. She was part of an incredibly twisted ending that I didn't see coming until it was almost there! Loved that! And I loved Riz Ahmed's broken character, too. Then, in "Caught Stealing", Austin Butler was a pretty broken person, too, having lost his best friend and his chance at major league baseball when he'd crashed his car years earlier.

"Wow. That's a lot to unpack for a character."

It sure was! We first saw him working at a bar, then, via a nightmare, we start getting the backstory. What was really cool, though, was the baseball short before the opening credits. A man is at bat when another player comes sliding into home plate, while the catcher is scrambling to catch the ball just pitched and get the player out - how intense!!! And the man who stole home... was safe!!! Thrilling!!!

"Lol! I know you just ate that up... and the metaphor, too!"

You betcha! I'll be seeing that again next week, and Carolyn has already told me she wants to be with me for that repeat! Yes! Plus, I pretty well have to see it again. My man Griffin Dunne was in it and I didn't even recognize him!!! He was 'Paul', the bar owner. Yes, I need to see him in action, knowing who he is now.

"He was in "After Hours", right? With Teri Garr in a beehive hairdo, driving an ice cream truck and chasing him down?"

That's right! Hard to believe she's dead. Last year, shortly after her death, the episode of "Star Trek" she was in, "Assignment: Earth", aired and I caught it. She was just 23 years old in that 1968 show, and she was just fabulous! I'm so glad the Universe brought me that episode with her!

"Right place, right time!" 

Most certainly! Monday night, I saw another recently-dead celebrity in "The X-Files". They had the episode "Sleepless", with Tony Todd featured as 'Preacher', the super-soldier from the Vietnam War era. The actor was 40 years old in 1994, which was a little younger than his character, 'Augustus Cole', would have been as a real veteran of that war. Still, he comes across as a pretty tortured soul, trying to set things right. Truly an excellent episode!

"Well, good for you! Timing really is important, isn't it?"

Most def, dearie, most def. (smile!)

love outgoing, via usps

I have to give credit to Patrick Young for spurring me to action.

He had a heart attack that resulted in a triple bypass for him.

My heart went out to his wife, Sara.

I remember so well going through that type of thing twice with my ex, living with the fear of him dying.

Fortunately, the ex was made well with two cardiac stents each time.

Fortunately.

So, when I noticed that Bonnie Blue had asked for their Jacksonville address, I asked, too.

Then I made sure to write the former sailor, using a card I've had for two decades.

"srsly" on the front...

"wtf" right inside!

I'm sure that got both of them to smile!

Then I included a long message to them about my experience with Jeff, and the importance of keeping conversation open and following doctor's orders.

Pretty serious it was.

After that, I needed something lighter, something much lighter.

More love in the mail was the answer!!!

I have lots of cards and lots of stamps, so I made full use of both.

"Happy healing!" with a hummingbird card to Cathy in California!

"Happy retirement anniversary!" to cuz'n Jeff in Missouri!

"Happy start of school!" to C-A-L-M in Hinesville!!!

That last would be Chloe, Alyssa, Leila, and Miyah, of course.

I also sent them word of the upcoming Fall Family Film Fest at NCG Cinema, in the hopes that they will come see one of the movies with their G'Aunt T.

(smile!)

I also sent those four little girls SASP - that's self-addressed stamped postcards - with a request that they respond to my cards to them.

The postcards were all from a trip to Detroit, though I'm not sure of the year.

(I think they may have been from 1991, but who knows?)

Here's hoping some of that love in the mail will gladden someone's heart...

and that some my find its way back to me! 

(smile!)

waiting for the electrodes...

Yeah, you heard right: electrodes.

That little heart monitor is a bit too heavy when placed vertically on my chest.

I have enough weight in that area as it is, if you catch my drift.

I'd moved it to that location on Tuesday morning, after my shower.

That's when I removed the horizontally-aligned one that nurse Robin had put on me and that I'd been able to keep on for the mammogram on Monday.

When I removed it, the hypercolloid adhesive took with it a layer of epidermis - OUCH!!!

So, placing it back in that position was not an option.

Vertical it would go, right up against the sternum.

Yeah, that was a mistake.

I woke up several times Tuesday night in a panic, convinced that a hand was pushing down on my chest.

Honestly, it was like the A-fib was trying to come back on me! 

Then, all day yesterday, the heart monitor's phone repeatedly alarmed to let me know I had "poor connection" between the monitor's pad and my skin.

That was no doubt because the area itched like crazy, as my sensitivity to the adhesive had finally kicked in.

Just after 11 PM, I called the BodyGuardian hotline for help.

The thought of trying to sleep another night with the monitor weighing heavily on my chest was weighing heavily on my mind. 

Sherry was amazing, speaking in a calming voice throughout our 54-minute session and reassuring me that others also had these issues.

She had first suggested a "bridge" for the monitor, but she thought that might lead to the same problems I'd already experienced, as it used the same adhesive and the same placement areas.

The winning solution was to revert to electrodes.

Only two would be needed and they would attach to a connection point on my right chest, with a USB port for the monitor to plug into and dangle.

Meanwhile, she told me to go ahead and remove the vertical strip, remove the monitor and leave it on the charger, and turn off the monitor's phone.

Help would be forthcoming in two or three days.

Let my skin heal and let me relax, she told me.

So, that's what I did.

Yes, four days have been added to the length of my study, so the end date will be more like September 21, instead of the 17th.

That's fine.

At least I had a peaceful night's sleep last night.

late 70's greek, please

 

Here's part of the reason I enjoy Music Bingo: tunes from my past!

For about thirty minutes, I was treated to songs from my first two years after high school, from my first two years in the Navy.

I'm talkin' 'bout 1977 and 1978!!!

When "Hotel California" was a "Brick House" that had "Dust In The Wind"...

that's when I "Heard It In A Love Song" that "We Are The Champions"...

hanging out in "Copacobana" and "Margaritaville" with the "Barracuda"...

oh, yes, "I Love The Nightlife"!!!

And those were just the ones that happened to be on my bingo card!

There were at least that many more songs that I heard for that game.

Then there were far more I heard during the two hours of the four games that Jade played all those tunes for us!

Sometimes I even got up and danced to the same ones she did!

I feel sure Elissa had dancing feet, too, but she stayed seated, as did her friend Leeann, there for her first time.

Marcia sang along with me, and sometimes Sandy did, too.

However, Amanda did not, nor did her friend Sara or Sara's hubby, Sam.

He's Army, based at Hunter Army Air Base right now.

It was nice to talk a bit of military stuff with him!

He and Sara left during that third game; 0530 comes mighty early!

(smile!)

And now for something that added another bit of extra to my night -

I remembered to bring a Lactaid tablet with me!

That meant the side Greek salad was mine!!!

Trust me, it was every bit as delicious as I'd hoped!!!

It arrived during the first game, when the songs were from 1968 and 1969.

I was only 10 and 11 then, like Alyssa and Leila, but, like them, I was up on all that then-current music!

There were just a couple of songs that stumped me.

I can't say what they were, though.

After this photo was snapped, I poured the dressing onto the salad -

and it promptly ran off that tomato and onto the play slip!

What a mess!

I continued to play with that 'bingo card', not just to finish out the first game, but through the second game on the back.

Did I win any of the games?

No, but that's okay, as I didn't expect to, not with two newbies there.

Surprisingly, Leeann and Sam didn't win, either!

All the newbies win their first time with us!

Not this time, nor did any of us win except Marcia, and that was the last game.

Amanda really had wanted to win a free drink!

Better luck next time for all of us!

(smile!)

blessings so far in 2025!

This dining room wall, with the painting of the Wormsloe Plantation gifted by step-sister Susan (for my wedding to Jeff back in 1992), is where I always begin posting the programs and tickets from events attended.

Amazingly, I paid for only eleven of those events I attended between January and April.

Several of the free ones are from events at the Telfair or Jepson museums, courtesy of my membership to those cultural sites.

Some are free events I found on fb.

And quite a few are from volunteer stints for the Savannah Music Festival (SMF36) or the Savannah VOICE Festival!

Plus, the Savannah Jewish Cultural Arts Festival and the Black History Month events were all free this year, too.

That pink mesh bag?

That's a party souvenir, as well as a memento of my trip to Tallahassee!

This smaller bit of dining room wall, graced with a framed bit of embroidery done by my one-and-only Grandma, has the next set of blessings.

Those events, between mid-April to mid-June, include six that cost money.

Technically, the week-long vacation to Orlando with Christina and her daughters also cost money, but Christina covered the gas and food expenses, so I consider it fairly even.

But that meant I had two trips, in fairly quick succession - hooray!

Then there's my third dining room wall on which I post event mementos.

That's the wall with the painting I bought in Italy for less than ten Euros.

I had actually resisted putting anything up there for almost a month.

I was a bit blue then and thought I'd just forget about that wall.

Then came the second party at Bonnie Blue's little blue house and I taped all the programs and museum lecture notes and such right on up there!

Amazing what that did for my mindset!

Four events had a fee attached, but that was all.

Then I had volunteer duties for eight glorious events with SFV13!

Now, that wall is full... and life is good.

I am surrounded by the proof that I am not missing out on fun!

Hooray for retirement!

taco tuesday on a friday!

Wanting something other than a game show with breakfast, I dipped into the stash of movies that Comcast has rewarded to me.

Oh, yes, "The Lego Movie" would work!

It did, too, with its lying promise from President Businessman to give the people tacos on a Friday, just like it was Taco Tuesday - but then he sprayed them with adhesive to glue them in place so they couldn't move.

Such a dastardly act!

However, it did help me decide on what I wanted to order at the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta at Jalapenos of Sandfly!

Then I went on AARP to rack up some Reward Points for playing games.

Here's what I chose for "Song List"!

I'd started with the one word - "tacos" - and found those three songs.' 

Thanks, Spotify, for helping me win some more points!

Woohoo!

When it was the new time - that would be 5:30, not 5 PM - for the weekly dinner with brothers and others, I arrived after everyone else was already there.

Just the usual eight of them this time, as Addison was back at UGA for her last year and Laura's two grandkids were back in Missouri.

Alrighty then!

Just the two high-top tables for us!

And when all was said and done and the orders had been placed before us, three of us had tacos!

I had a trio of "crunchy beef tacos" with cheese and lettuce...

Laura, to my right, had soft tacos with shrimp and cabbage...

and Smitty, two up on my left, had soft tacos with carne asada...

all having made different choices of the same dish!

Sounds like "right time, right place" to me!

How did I know for sure?

The big rain that had been forecast didn't arrive until after we were safely in our cars afterward and headed for home.

Hooray!

I truly loved getting my opera fix for the last two weeks, but I certainly have missed this face-time with Smitty and Tony.

I had missed the birth of Ava, a new grand-daughter to Smitty and Mary, as her parents are Zach and Krystal.

Smitty and Zach met her for the first time yesterday.

I think he said she was born on July 27th.

Here's the thing that really got us talking, though.

Ava is the baby sister to Olivia, Tony and Laura's youngest grand-daughter, who was born to Damon and Krystal.

Yes, that's for real.

Smitty and Tony have sons who have dated the same woman. 

Krystal has been the girlfriend to either Zach or Damon over the last eleven years, at least, with her having gone back to Zach a year or so ago.

As Zach and Damon are cousins, does that mean Ava and Olivia are sisters as well as cousins?

No, actually, as the two men would have to be brothers for that. 

Still, it all sounds akin to what our maternal-Uncle Jimmy did.

He had three children with Janet (in Augusta), one with Mary (nurse in Atlanta), two with Pearl (in Waycross, plus the two she already had in Indianapolis), and one with Pearl's daughter (though she was grown and in her twenties by then). 

That's a grand total of seven kids for him over a quarter-century span. 

That's why our cousins from him range in age from early 60's to early-40's.

Damon's kids with Krystal have a ten-year span of ages, but the only one not adopted out is Olivia. 

That illustrates the reason why it's still a good idea to have a blood test before marriage - 

no one wants unknown siblings having incest!

Even so, that family tree would look pretty tame compared to the one for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

I had bopped over to the CDC site to see what was going on, as folks from out of town brought it here for SVF13.

I was met with that genealogy map of the parent strain.

Rather much of a beast, isn't it?

In just five years, the virus that causes COVID-19 has evolved over and over, creating new strains each time it mutated with new hosts.

Some of the new lines petered out, thankfully; some are only found in limited locations around the world.

However, that hot mess at the top of the tree has been worldwide and is still very much alive and killing people.

It spreads as easily as the common cold, its distant cousin, and takes the same three days to show its presence to its victims.

Unlike its cousin, though, it still puts those with weak immune systems or compromised health into the hospital and still has some coughing to death.

I'll say this: I'm going to make sure I use my arms to open doors and that I wash, wash, wash my hands anywhere I go.

And, as soon as the latest anti-COVID booster shot comes out this fall, I'll be right there, in line, to give my immunity all the help it can get.

five dances, and all new to me!!!

"Seriously? You actually maximized the full potential of the AMC A*List this time?"

Seriously, I did! Of course, that was after getting only one movie in last week. Remember I had predicted that "Freakier Friday" would be the limit? Well, it was. Good thing that it was a movie I really enjoyed! It could have been such a train wreck, but they managed to keep it on the rails. Carolyn had not liked it, though. Ah, well.

"Oh, did the two of you see it together?"

Nope, but we do text back and forth about them, as we always do. I keep expecting to run into her at the cinema, but it rarely happens. I thought for sure she would have been there on Sunday, as I knew she came into town for church. Alas, I did not see her before or after the two dances I had that day, nor all week.

"So, you did your double header on Sunday???"

I did! I needed to be out around people, but not too close. You see, some of the folks who'd traveled in for the SVF13 opera tested positive on Friday for COVID-19. Dumb, wealthy, idiots. I makes me crazy that folks act like that coronavirus is gone and they can just carry on however they want. (sigh)

"Oh, no! That's terrible!"

Yeah, we had to break out the masks and hope for the best. I had planned to go over to Tony and Laura's on Sunday, hang out with the family for Bert's 9th birthday. However, I abstained, as I didn't want to be giving the boy an unwanted gift of illness, not to mention everyone else there. So, I went to the cinema, knowing I could sit well away from anyone else... and that's exactly how it turned out. I watched "Shin Godzilla 4K" first, not realizing it was from 2016. Odd, right? But that movie perfectly displayed how slowly government works, with none of the elected officials wanting to take responsibility for expensive decisions - pretty funny! That movie also went through the monster morphing into four forms, each worse than the other, with the people having to change their plans each time.

"Hahahaha! So, a Japanese two-step, was it?" 

You got that right! Then I was off to "Weapons", billed as "horror" and "dark comedy". It was neither. "Fantasy" would have been more apt. I had been concerned about children getting hurt in it, but none of the 18 were.

"I thought there were 17 kids that went missing..."

... and 1 that did not. The poster and promos didn't mention 'Alex', the only classmate left behind. Nor was his Pennywise-esque 'Aunt Gladys', who had suddenly started living with the child's family. I will say that Amy Madigan was suitably creepy in that role! But her presence didn't make this "horror". She certainly wasn't the only odd character, either, as the teacher was plenty creepy, too. Kudos to Josh Brolin as a bereaved dad with an analytical mind! I very much appreciated his methodology as he tried to find out what had become of his son, 'Matthew', and the other 16 who vanished.

"Very good! I'm glad you took a chance on that one."

Me, too. It isn't anything I'd watch again, but it was well made. I liked the nonlinear story arc, too, with "chapters" dealing with key characters, giving some back story. That rather reminded me of "Cold Pursuit", though without the body count. (smile!)

"Yes, dear. I'm betting "Nobody 2" more than made up for that lack!"

Not surprisingly, it did. LOL! The whole finale at the theme park is just fabulous!!! I'm planning to see it again just for all the shenanigans there! Oh, and for Christopher Lloyd!!! The 86-year-old man stole every blessed scene he was in... and never once removed his sunglasses! What a great trick, having him play the Grandpa of the family! Actually, it was nice to have the other family members get some character development this time around. I really liked this one so much more than the first one.

"That's wonderful! And you saw that one on Tina Tuesday, I see."

I did, as a treat after I became a part of the Borg collective. This sequel will most def be seen again! Maybe I'll run into the hat-wearing young man and his mom who were also there - that would be nice! I had quite the chat with them after the movie!

"That's even more wonderful!"

And I had another long post-movie chat after today's film! That was "Honey Don't!", about a lesbian dick trying to find out why her clientele keeps turning up dead. Trick and Tara were there, too!!! Sitting in the front row, too!!! How wonderful to see them again!!! Both of their daughters have given them grandchildren now. I bragged on their son, Skylar, too, providing the great tunes during a dinner with friends.

"Hold up, g'friend. The movie was about who doing what?"

A lesbian... oh, I see what's tripping you up. Maybe I should have said 'private investigator' instead of 'dick', is that it? Hahahaha! Trust me, when you see the movie, you'll know why thought of that with 'Honey'!

"Oh, I see, you were trying to be cute about it, slip in a pun. Gotcha! So, Trick and Tara are grandparents? I guess so. It's been three years since you've even seen them."

Hey, as I told those two former Odd Lot folks, this one had the same "Modern Western" feel to it as "Americana." did last night. I didn't know any of the actors in either one, but found both to be very well done, with solid acting and solid stories. I'm hoping that 2023 film seen at NCG Cinema might show up on Peacock someday soon! Plus, I liked the bumper sticker on one of the trucks: "My heroes have always killed cowboys." Trust me, that's a perfect joke on Indian land! And guess what? That movie seen off the A*List only cost $3.52, as I had little balances on the two NCG gift cards I brought in! Hooray!!!

"Well, I am glad you have had such a satisfying week of movies! I'm glad you managed to fill that dance card, too. Best of all, I am very glad that none of these were repeats for you! You have had plenty of that of late. Nice to have new movies filling the screens!"

Heard that, sister! Let's hope that trend continues a little, but not totally. I do want to see some of this week's movies again! Now, let me wrap up this post before I lose power again during this thunderstorm. It wasn't out long, but that was long enough!