25 november '25: tina tuesday, too!

Such a busy day it has been... and that's been great!

My outing ended with dinner at Olive Garden with my first niece and her two daughters! 

Kayleigh was along, too, but she made sure Christina sat across from me - thank you!

I had the eggplant parmigiana, in honor of my friend Roy Wood.

That's always his favorite. 

That really hit the spot, along with two bowls of Pasta e Fagiole soup.

We came for dinner straight from the AMC and we were all pretty hungry after the long movie.

Comcast rewarded me with two free tickets to be "Wicked For Good", so I used those for Christina and Miyah.

Mine was with my A*List and Chloe's was from my AMC Rewards, which also paid for some of our cameo specials!

Then Kayleigh used my A*List membership to get her ticket for the musical, and the cameo special, too.

At dinner, I sat right beside Chloe, but not for the movie.

In the cinema, I sat right between Christina and Miyah.

Everybody wanted to sit by me! 

But Miyah did something extra special: she had drawn and colored a picture of a loggerhead turtle for me!

Magnificient, isn't it?

That piece of art wasn't the only gift I received today, either.

I made a special trip to Grayson Stadium earlier, following the explicit map sent by the Savannah Bananas.

Because I had a season ticket package this year, they gave me a free pie for Thanksgiving.

I'll be taking that pumpkin pie to Tony's, as well as the Cool Whip they included.

Very nice, even though I have left Banana Nation.

As for other gift transactions, I gave Christina the 99 items for her school store.

The gift bags with the twins' birthday gifts stayed at home.

I want to see their faces when they open them, to give them big hugs and let them see my face, too.

Soon, I hope!

gambler's lament?

Not by me!

I took myself to Music Bingo tonight, as I haven't seen those friends for a couple of weeks.

I sat across from Marcia, specifically so I could sing with her!

Well, it was also because it was the only corner chair still empty.

Sandy and Elissa were already there, as well as Elissa's son, Isaac.  

Amanda, however, was late, so I took the seat she usually took across from her mother.

Yeah for me!

That made it so much easier on my right hip!

(smile!)

This week, the game had changed again.

A new group, Mix Tape Music Bingo.com, is in charge of the play slips and songs used, though Robert is still supposed to be the bingo jock.

He was not there tonight, but the young man who was ran the game the same as he would have.

That meant a free pitcher of draft beer was the prize for the first game, the "Yacht Rock Mix #1", which even had "The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys" - love that song!

None of us, thankfully, won that, as none of us drink beer.

(smile!) 

Game 2 was the "Old School Club Mix", which certainly wasn't from the era when any of us were clubbing - lol!

We had to ask the phones for the titles of almost every tune! 

None of us won the prize - free cocktail or appetizer - from that one, either.

Not that the losses kept us each and every one from ponying up $5 for the third game, "Stars & Stripes Mix #1", a country feast.

That's the only game not free, as its prize is the pot of money received from all the players who pay the ante.

That would have meant $215 in hand!

But not for any of us.

By this time, the grumbling among the more competitive in our midst began.

Time for the final game, "50's & 60's Mix #1 - New".

It promised a $50 gift card to Midtown Sports Grill for the winner! 

All that was needed was a double bingo - horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.

In the meantime, we had all this great music to enjoy!

"At The Hop", "My Girl", "Summertime Blues", "Respect", "Mr. Tambourine Man"!

That last song had been one of two I'd been waiting for to complete my double!

I only had one song that I needed to simultaneously complete the top row and the "G" column - wow!!!

However, it was not to be that I'd get "All Shook Up" by Elvis!

(Nice little inside joke with that one line!)

Someone else in the restaurant got their double first.

That's okay, though - we all had fun, listening and singing along as we danced in our seats and hung out together!

And, as I told the others, wasn't that the point?

(smile!)

I already knew I was a winner anyway... AARP told me!

Every day, I go to the site to amass Reward points and to spend them, too, mostly on the sweepstakes and these Instant Win games.

This morning, I won a $10 gift card to Jersey Mike's Subs!!!

I just may have to give that to Dawn - she loves that place.

(smile!) 

fb flashback: 24 November 2011

Let me set the stage.

It's been two years since Daddy died, and this was my second year of going to my paternal cousin's home for Thanksgiving.

Amazingly, I'd managed to talk my middle brother into going with me.

Amazing!

We even made it a two-fer, visiting our maternal cousin while there.

What a trip that had been!

So, here's the slide show!

We began our visits in North Augusta, SC.

Here's Ronnie with our cousin, Sharon, younger daughter of Mama's brother, our Uncle Jimmy, and his first wife, Aunt Janet.

Ronnie had pose time with Susan, too, Sharon's not-yet-official wife.

They've been together since college, more than twenty years earlier.

Sharon's brother, Ricky, will be coming over later, as well as Ashley, daughter of her sister, Valerie.

Meanwhile, it was time to head south to Augusta, GA.

Our paternal cousin, Bev, was awaiting us and she'd made sure to have plenty of my favorite food: the cranberry-sauced oranges!

Math joke: I ate some pie! 

Another joke: the time of this post!

Here's Bev's mom, our Daddy's one-and-only sister, Aunt Barbara and her third husband, John.

Bev's dad was Aunt Barbara's first husband, Bill.

And just why was Aunt Barbara standing?

All that talk of pie had whetted Ronnie's appetite for some dessert!

Would he prefer pecan or pumpkin?

"Both, please!," was his reply.

Everyone got a kick out of that and followed his lead!

After, we all hung out and chatted.

Ronnie even let Lucas test drive his hat!

Lucas is the son of Tyson, son of Bev and Allen, and his wife, Jenny.

Bev and Allen's younger daughter, Terri, was there with her husband, Mike.

Bev and Allen's other two children, Robbie and Leeman were absent that day; she had to work and he lives (still) in Korea.

Our other two paternal cousins, Bonnie Clark and Becky Ferguson, were missing, too.

The first lived in Hawaii and the other resides (still) in Texas.

What a marvelous time we had with them!

I'm so grateful he chose to go with me that day.

i thank You, God. 

sunken treasure no more

Remember where I was going the day the shifter cable collapsed?

 

"Um, what? Wasn't that the start of October?"

 

That's right.

 

"Well, let me think. You were going to Pooler for a movie?"

 

No, I was going there to Miller's Coins, as they are listed at the Better Business Bureau site as a reputable place to exchange and sell coins and foreign currency. I had all that money from Panama, Okinawa, and Europe that I wanted converted into US dollars.

 

"That's hardly worth the trip, is it? Wasn't it like 20 Euros and about 2000 Yen and not even 1 Balboa? What would that be, maybe 30 bucks?"

 

Honestly, I was hoping the age of the coins might make them more valuable. After all, the ones from Panama and Okinawa and Hong Kong are more than 40 years old. I realize the Euros aren't that old, nor are the Loonies of Canada. I just wanted to get them exchanged for money I could spend here. I need to buy some clothes, in particular long pants, and I'd like to do that without using my credit card.

 

"Gotcha."

 

I'd even emailed Joey, the man in charge, before the trip then, to make sure he'd take the foreign coins. I also wanted to see if he'd buy the Atocha coin. I figured I might need an appointment to sell that one. However, he'd replied the next day, with it okay for me to come any time. So, that's what I'd set out to accomplish that day.

"Good deal! Wait... did you say that piece of silver jewelry you'd bought at Reeds Jewelers so many years ago?? You wanted to sell that piece of world history from that Spanish galleon?! Why not hang on to it and see if someone in the family wanted it?"

 

Ever since I closed the safe deposit box out, I've wanted to get rid of its contents. That's why I gave Mama's pearls to Christina. Most of the stuff had been papers, like insurance policies and that sort of thing. The box at the bank had just been a "safe place" for me to keep them and not lose them. That pendant was made in the 1990's by Mel Fisher's group from the silver real minted at the Potosi mine of Bolivia in the late 1590's to early 1600's during the reign of Phillip III. I had really wanted it when I saw it, but I have to admit: I mostly liked the emeralds. However, due to its worth, it spent most of the time at the bank. In the thirty years I've owned it, I bet I only wore it five or six times. I even made a point of wearing it one time for my passport photo! That way, I'd be able to flash it every time I traveled.

 

"And now, you no longer own it."

 

That's correct. It's to be in the case with other Atocha coins and jewelry, items bought by others during that show in the mid 1990's here in Savannah. Actually, Miller's Coins has three display cases with that stuff.

 

"Was it worth the trip out there?"

 

It was, not just financially, but also for peace of mind. I had to force myself to go there today and I finally realized the reason for my delay. It all hearkened back to that ripoff by the fake DEA agent several years ago. I found myself mentally paralyzed this morning by the dread of getting ripped off by this coin dealer. It was after 1 PM before I finally left home. But the trip went well and no one tried to pressure me into anything. The place had a steady stream of folks selling to Joey, a lot of them repeat customers. I took that as a good sign. And now I have money to buy a few things I need, like another GPS. I've felt a bit stranded ever since my Garmin Nuvi died back in April.

 

"Yes, you really need a new GPS. 'Stranded' is not your style at all."

 

Agreed. Maybe I'll find a new one for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. I want to make sure I stretch that windfall! I'm earmarking some of it for travel next spring, too. I plan to be there with cousin Penny and cuzn Jeff the next time they're at St. George. (smile!)

jazz with kids

The best part of the Winter Jazz Concert at Savannah Country Day?

The absolute pride the two teachers had in their students!

As a retired teacher myself, I recognized that joy evidenced by Alyse Hudson and David Elliott there on the stage.

How wonderful!!!

Here's Ms. Hudson with her 8th graders, bouncing around almost as much as they did!

She started out tonight with 32 students, all in the 6th grade and fairly new to playing their instruments.

They'll get better with experience, but their renditions of "When The Saints Go Marching In" and "Ode To Joy" were still recognizable.

Next up she had 18 students, in the 7th grade, so they were in their second year with their saxophones and trumpets, flutes and trombones.

Yes, their pieces were much smoother and, although I didn't know "Grooved Pavement Ahead" or "Orangutango", I could definitely appreciate them!

Then came her last bunch, the 11 she's having for her 8th grade class.

She put them to work clearing the stage, then had them stand to perform!

And their music?

Such a wide assortment, from the fierceness of "Brass Attack" to the familiarity of "Favorite Things" and the newness of "Back In The Day" - I loved it all!

And she just beamed the entire time, so proud of 'her' kids!

(smile!)

Then it was time for the Upper School Jazz Band to take the stage with their 2 keyboards, 7 saxophones, 6 trumpets, 3 trombones, and rhythm section of bass, drums, and vibes.

Impressive bunch!

Mr. Elliott made sure to note the new instruments that were supplied by the school's fundraising group - kudos to them!

These students really knew how to play them, too, and all seemed to enjoy not only their music makers, but the music they were playing.

Trust me, due to their enthusiasm I was dancing in my seat for "Low Country Shuffle" and "Mas Que Nada"!

I will gladly stand up and dance the next time they perform!

Thanks for the free concert, y'all!

Now, it's time for my free dinner from cousin Penny and Panera.

I'd ordered it on the way, intending to eat at the school's parking lot, but the restaurant was abnormally slow, so I settled for only eating the chips.

I'd kept the bag shut tightly, so the Ciabatta Chicken Pesto Dipper and sauce were both still warm when I got home - nice!

Now, to settle in for "Ghosts" and "Elsbeth" while I dine...

what a busy, different, day I've had!

(smile!)

pre-vening with veterans

It's been a few months since Post 36 of the American Legion has met. 

Even though the construction crew had promised to make Two Firsts a priority...

they couldn't control the city's schedule for inspections during the busy spring and summer...

nor could they control the delivery schedules for all the furniture... 

nor that of all the kitchen equipment.

So when Doug Anderson invited us yesterday to meet, I made it a priority to be there.

He and I and Carl were the only ones to come.

Better three than none!

As the Post 36 Historian, I made sure to take plenty of photos to document the changes.

Kudos to Post 500 for assembling the chairs and stools and tables - excellent work, y'all!

Now, time to hire a staff to operate the bar and kitchen before a hopeful opening on 13 December.

The Certificate Of Occupancy is for 60 patrons and Doug told us there are already people waiting at Hunter Army Air Station for the doors to open.

This has been such a long road!

luncheon with sisters

"You don't have any sisters. You only have brothers."

I have Sisters In Faith! Today, we had our monthly luncheon at Asbury Memorial and there were 71 of us attending!

"Wow. That's twice as many as last month, isn't it?"

I think there might have been over 40 at that one.

"Such a pretty place setting!"

Linda Combs had a program at each of the six tables. Ceecee made the pretty little bracelets for each of us!

"Very nice! And who was the guest speaker this time?"

It was Dawn Rodriguez of The Living Vine. That's a home for up to 6 teen mothers and their babies, to teach them how to live on their own.

"Oh, that's the place that's associated with Blessingdale's Thrift Store, tight? And the home is located where the old Florence Crittenton's house for pregnant girls was?"

Good memory, though it hasn't been called that for many years. As for the thrift shop, they had comedy going on, pre-pandemic. I was glad to hear it was still active. Now that Home Again has closed, I should take the stuff I'd culled to go there over to Blessingdale's so someone can get use from it. You know - it would be good for my excess to go home again with a new owner.

"Very punny, dear! And what have you there?" 

Two last bites. I wasn't sure which food I wanted as the final taste in my mouth. The pecan pie or the mac-n-cheese, which would win out?

"The battle of the sweet versus the savory! Such a decision to make! So, which bite won?"

I chose the savory as the final, though I certainly made sure to savor the sweet beforehand. Such difficult choices! (smile!)

why 2005?

Oh, what a beautiful day!

 

I might have thought I was

in Oklahoma 

had I not known better.

 

(That's an inside joke for those 

who know musicals!)

After letting all that lovely warmth into the house, out I went to get the third movie for this week: the remake of "The Running Man". 

 

I must say, Glen Powell is certainly a handsome 37-year-old man, with all the right bits in all the right places, to paraphrase Meghan Trainor.

However, he's already done that shtick in his movies.

The man best be careful lest he be typecast as eye candy and not a person of substance.

Without Edgar Wright at the helm of this latest version of the story, Powell's antics might well have derailed the scifi movie into comedy.

In fact, none of this week's A*List dances have been quite in step.

"Die My Love", though well-acted, was a bit jumpy in its presentation, which could have been a cheap shot at reinforcing Grace's post-partum descent into madness.

"Now You See Me: Now You Don't"  was certainly full of the magic I love, but it seemed a bit rushed, like they were determined to cram too much movie into too short a running time.

One thing all three movies shared: a fabulous supporting cast, even though many of those actors with street cred - Nick Nolte, Morgan Freeman, and William H. Macy, in these three films - had hardly any screen time.

Enough already!!!

Time for Thanksgiving this evening!

Yes, this was the last Wednesday Night Supper of the fall and that meant: turkey!!!

Plus there were mashed potatoes, green beans, an cranberry sauce!!!

Several folks at Asbury Memorial supplied the desserts, like Danny Lewis and his pumpkin pound cake - so good!

I sat with Pam and Walt again, as well as Lynn Hoerlin and her son and granddaughter, both visiting from Ohio.

I really enjoyed talking about Las Vegas with Meko - she was a delight!

I sure am going to miss these meals with other Asburians!

 

And when I checked the time, 

I found out I could still 

do laundry after all.

 

The last wash at Suds Laundry 

has to be started by 7 PM, 

and it was 6:47 

when I pushed the button.

How very fortunate I was! 

 

This has been a very messy two weeks for me, so messy that my long pants and my fuchsia sweater were both rendered unwearable.

 

As good fortune would have it, the weather has been in the upper 70's, allowing me to wear shorts today.

 

All the more reason to do an emergency wash - 

and go ahead and do the bed linens, too.

 

As I was waiting for the flannel sheets to come out of the dryer, I spotted a penny on the table by my basket.

 

It was not there while I'd been folding clothes.

 

Right place, right time.

 

i thank You, God.

 

Now, time to watch "Wicked" on ABC!

concert w longhorn

Hallelujah!

I didn't feel up to going to church this morning, but I did watch from fb.

I also told Carolyn about the Fall Concert by SING! scheduled for 3 PM.

I also let her know it was free... yeah, that worked for both of us!

I was glad Asbury Memorial was quite full for the three choirs' performance.

I just loved "On Top Of Spaghetti" - the take-off of "On Top Of Old Smoky" - and it was clear the K-2 singers loved it, too!

Not to be outdone for humor, the 3-5 grade singers were sure to ham it up for "Trolls" - rawrrr!!!

Then the Illuminate Choir, made up of middle and high school students, sang and performed two dance numbers!!!

Yes, very much a welcome event at the church!

After, she and I went off to Longhorn Steakhouse for a nosh.

That was her suggestion, as there was a strawberry Greek salad she liked.

I paired the Spicy Chicken Bites appetizer with the House chopped salad and made the absolute perfect meal for me!

She got a kick out my using slices of the House Bread to make little sandwiches - yum!

We spent two hours there, indulging in each other's company and good food.

Hallelujah! 

damn... what was in that covid booster?

Thursday, while I was over at the Savannah VA Center, I decided to go ahead and ask if they had the COVID booster in yet.

Amazingly, they did!

So first I talked with my nutritionist - who was pleased that I've lost 3 pounds, even more so when I told her the hitch in my giddy-up has kept me from the Purple Planet, even more so though I haven't been tracking my food intake.

Elizabeth said that meant my "intuitive" sense has taken over and that's a big step.

She was also pleased at the "fortune cookie slip" I pulled from her jar: "I am free to eat what I want, when I want, and how much I want."

I thought that was quite appropriate with Thanksgiving coming! 

(smile!)

Then I talked to PACT Team 10 - those with my PCP - about getting this year's COVID-19 booster.

I had to wait about thirty minutes, but I got it!

Ariana gave it to me in my left shoulder.

Ouch... I definitely felt that.

Then I was back home, forgoing a fourth movie for my A*List.

I had STARZ in my eyes, with more movies to indulge in!

Then there was Bonnie's party outside, with the fire pit - nice!

However, within an hour or two of being home, I was feverish and having chills.

Of course I'd work my cold-weather shawl there, but something was amiss.

Might it be a repercussion from the booster???

So I got my bed nice and toasty and crawled in earlier than usual.

Friday, I was most definitely sick.

No Friday Fiesta for me, no popping off to AMC for movies, none of that.

i thank You, God, that the weather was warmer, that I had plenty of soup to eat, that I had almost 500 movies to watch from STARZ, and that I had nowhere I had to be except home.

Today, I work up feeling a good deal better, but still with a sore arm.

It's another warm day in the forecast, so I'm going to throw myself out of the house and head south side to the AMC.

They're showing "Die My Love", a film Cinema Savannah has scheduled for next Friday, and, even though I wasn't planning to see it, a review has changed my mind.

Let's hope Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson have chosen well.

bonnie blue is 41!

And you know what?

I didn't get a single picture with her in it at her party!

How that happened, I have no idea.

She invited folks over to her and Don's little blue house, to eat chili and hotdogs and s'mores, with her supplying all the food.

I arrived shortly after the start at 6:30 PM, giving me a chance to speak with her and Don.

That was very nice!

Missy and Levon were already there, as was Joe Buttner.

Good to see that fellow volunteer again!

We talked about Lois and her death, as well as volunteering at the Savannah Music Festival and us only running into each other once this past year.

He's doing volunteer shifts for the Savannah Philharmonic and encouraged me to do so.

Who knows, maybe I will!

In the above photo, he is talking with Genie Lawson. 

Then, in this photo, Genie is talking with Jason Arons, who was making himself a bowl of Bonnie's chili.

Genie made sure to chat with everyone there, as she spends a lot of time pet sitting, giving her little time around other humans.

I totally get that: Barbara was like that, though it was too much time with children that made her so very chatty.

Here's a photo of a group around the fire pit, shortly after it got an infusion of wood.

Stand back, folks! Hahahaha!

That's Jason Arons on the far left, sitting and talking to Levon in his shirt and tie.

Roberta is the one standing, right there in the center.

The one to the right is Missie's husband, and the person with their back to the camera and face to the fire is Don, I think.

Honestly, I just snapped the photo and kept on with what I was doing!

I'm pretty sure that was catching up with Joe! 

Then Genie came over and we started a conversation about Roberta. 

Genie was interested in the pronouns used by the tall person with the longish hair and mannish facial features.

I told Genie they were "she/her', as I'd learned years ago at a panel discussion.

Then I called Roberta over so Genie could ask whatever she wanted.

That went on for about fifteen minutes!

However, it was Michael Chaney that sparked talk for me. 

I was sitting beside Roberta at the fire, which Bonnie was stoking again, when Michael arrived.

I'm glad someone said his name, as I never would have known who he was!

I started off talking about the Zoom meetings he'd been part of during the pandemic and he was surprised that I remembered them!

As Reverend Billy Hester had been part of that, too, the conversation segued over to the changes in his ministry at Asbury Memorial. 

He suggested that I might be interested in J.U.S.T., so we had a talk about advocacy and my being active in several social causes... and my absolute refusal to get involved in politics.

I talked about the lack of youth attending the church these days, as they have segregated over to Wesley Oak.

I clearly need to have a heart-to-heart with Billy, don't I?

(smile!)

And, I'm not sure, but that very well may be Bonnie in that photo!

She's the only one sporting ponytails at the party.

Happy birthday my friend!

Thanks for including me at your party!

turning japanese at asbury memorial

"Girlfriend! No you didn't!!! At the church???"

Don't get your panties in a twist. I just wanted to reference the song by The Vapors that I so enjoy! But of course I didn't masturbate there during Wednesday Night Supper. Hold up, I can see you getting in a tizzy! Just calm down. If there has ever been any of that going on there, it certainly hasn't been by me. Better?

"Yes, better. It's just too weird to hear the words "masturbate" and "church" juxtaposed so. I'm not understanding the song choice at all."

Well, it all started with the movie this afternoon. To finish up my AMC A*list, I chose "Little Amelie or The Character Of Rain". All I knew of it was that it was French anime, so I made sure to select the screening with the spoken French. To my surprise, I also was treated to spoken Japanese, as the Belgian family in the story had a stint in Japan. How wonderful!!!

"That does sound very nice."

It was! Amelie is the baby, who believes herself to be a god, since everyone spends their time attending to her needs. When she is two years old, she is further convinced that she is a god, since she can make flowers bloom and rain fall. Hahahaha! I've been saying for decades that every child thinks they are the center of the universe! This delightful movie depicts that so well!

"Hahahaha!"

Even her older siblings, a brother and a sister, kowtow to her needs! Well, until she turns two, then her brother starts teasing her. But its her Grandma that the baby adores. Grandma introduced her to the joy of chocolate!!! Like I said, it truly is a delightful story. But what I liked best was the relationship the child had with the Japanese nanny, Nishio. That's when I recognized that the child's name, Amelie, had something in common with a film festival I attended a decade ago. That had been called "Ame No Hi" -  "A Rainy Day".

"I remember that! A SCAD student had organized it as her departing gift to Savannah! As I recall, it just happened to fall on a very rainy day indeed."

You recall correctly! That had been so much fun! I even learned the Japanese symbol for "Ame" - "rain" - is a window with four diagonal raindrops, one in each pane. Very cool! And the nanny taught the baby how to write her name in Japanese.

"Nice! So, you went out for  French film, but got a Japanese anime along with it. What a great bonus for you!"

Hey, right place, right time, truly. You see, I knew the WNS dinner tonight at Asbury Memorial was to be Beef and Broccoli Teriyaki, a Japanese dish. How splendid to have started my afternoon with that language in my ears!

"Awesome, my girl! And whose company did you share this evening?"

I sat with Pam and Walt again! There was also a couple I didn't know, named Bob and Carol. Naturally I brought up the 1960's movie, "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" - which they knew of but didn't think they'd ever seen. Of course, I have to wonder if that was an inside joke on Bob's part, as he is blind. (smile!) All I can say about the movie is that it had Elliott Gould.

"Wasn't that about swinging couples? That's an odd one to bring up at church."

Hey, train of thought. The two couples at the table with me are both older than I am, and I doubt they have led sheltered lives. No one took umbrage, so no harm. It was, as I said, just part of a train of thought.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time with them tonight and met some new folks."

Me, too! It's so nice to sit with people I know, but part of the reason I go these suppers is to meet new people, too. Hey, let me wrap this up! Rob Lowe's show, "The Floor", is about to come on and I want to see what topics come up this time. Such a lively show! 

stella and tina time, Veterans Day

"I'm actually a little surprised that you didn't say 'Tina Tuesday' instead."

You know that didn't even pop into my head. First and foremost was the thought of how to get some of those free meals I look forward to as a veteran on this special day.

"Ah. But you were still hanging out with the dog, so FOMO was upon you."

Fear of missing out was not "upon me", dearie. Most important was making sure that Dawn and Chris would actually be arriving back in Savannah, and not suffering through the airport delays that have plagued so many during this Trump-inspired government shutdown. So many air traffic controllers have become so disillusioned that they are retiring at the rate of hundreds per day. Yes, they're still showing up, even though they haven't been paid for weeks, but they have taken steps to make sure they won't be caught like that again. Good for them, though it sure is going to interfere with holiday travel later on.

"And their flight proceeded as planned?"

It did, much to the delight of Stella and myself! Bless her heart, she knew something was up this morning, but she didn't know just what. "Change" was coming, she knew that much. I tried to reassure her, but she wasn't having it. I let her have some fun in the sun, but I stayed inside where it was warm. That meant she wasn't out long, but at least she had some of her normal routine.

"And what did you do?"

I wrote in their guest book!!! That's a thing they have everyone do when they stay overnight. How sweet, right? I wrote about sleeping in the "Death Room" with the fossils! I wrote about breakfast on the porch one day, and feeding the fish with Susan and Terry! I wrote about having the reverse of AA and AAA time with the ghouls! I made sure they knew I'd had a little vacation while I was dog-sitting their Stella!

"Oh, that sounds very nice! I know Dawn will love that!"

I do hope so. I also washed my clothes that Coco had slobbered on. Then I took a shower and washed me. Lastly, I washed the dishes I'd used. Then I put my bag of recyclables into my car, as well as the last of the groceries I'd bought. And, as soon as Dawn texted that they were in the car and headed for home from the airport, I loaded up the rest of my stuff and went home, giving Stella one last pet and a few more treats. (smile!) 

"You didn't wait for them to get home??"

Listen, it was already after 5:30 PM, and darkness was well on its way. I knew my house would be freezing, and it was. So I turned on the heat, offloaded the car, and headed out to Cici's Pizza for my free dinner. Hallelujah for Veterans Day!

"Good for you! How long were you there? Where did you go next?"

I was there for almost an hour and a half. I'd have a few slices, then sit a while, enjoying the music of my youth. Then I'd have a couple of slices and repeat. It really was a relaxing time for me, and I got to have so many different types of pizza! My favorite is their pan pizza style - very good!

"And then you went..."

Then I went home. I thought about going to Chili's or Chicken Salad Chick, but, honestly, I was satiated and ready to be at my own house. It had warmed up to 62 by the time I got home.

"Only 62? How cold had it been???"

Oh, it was 53 when I first walked in the door. That was why I was in no hurry to get back, so I stayed a little longer with hot pizza and cool music.  I've already turned on the heated mattress pad, as I know that will take a while to get going. It'll be okay by the time I go to bed. At least Comcast has given me STARZ to watch for free this week! I've already found a 2001 Steve Martin movie to watch. It's called "Novocaine", though it has naught to do with the movie of the same name that Jack Quaid was in this year.

"Wow! A Steve Martin movie! Laura Dern and Helena Bonham Carter, too! That looks like it will be great fun!"

I concur! But here's a little tidbit that makes it even juicier: he plays a dentist!!! LOL! I wonder if he'll be a bad-ass like he was in the 1986 musical I so love? I guess I'll see! Right now, I have the movie cued up and ready to go, so, you know what that means...

"Later!!! Enjoy!"

stella and tina time, Monday

That Stella!

She is such a crazy dog!

She insisted this morning that she gets TWO scoops of food in her morning meal and TWO scoops of food in her evening meal, not TWO scoops for the whole day.

Dawn said to me, "Don't let her con you!", when I told her.

I gave Stella a chewy bone instead of an extra scoop and she was fine with that substitute.

(smile!)

Meanwhile, guess what I found?

An October 2024 special edition of MAD magazine!!!!

I had not noticed it before in the bathroom and was just thrilled!!!

I was even happier when I found that this collection of special bits from past issues had a pristine back page.

Remember, that "fold-in" page - recalled so fondly from my youth - was the inspiration for the design of the first part (dealing with the Representative Elements) of my invention, the tactile Periodic Table For Blind.

The question asked was, "What special spirit seems to inspire today's nutty fashions?"

As this was not my magazine, I could not leave creases at marks "A" and "B", as I would have done in the past.

Instead, I had to carefully move the page so the two marks would align temporarily...

and the answer was revealed!

The smiling face of the Jack O'Lantern, with its orange, peach, and green tones, had been the basis of those harlequin fashions! 

I am just so thrilled to have found this magazine in the house - many thanks, Chris the Koz!

Back to work I then went this afternoon on de-animating the ghouls around me.

I had noticed others in the dining room and the front foyer, so into the "operating room" they went for their battery-ectomy!

For some, I let them have one last hurrah before rendering them lifeless, as I loved their dancing, but none were reprieved.

Now, here they wait on the living room floor for Dawn to put them into bins.

From the walking Frankenstein at the far left to the dancing mariachi man and the trio of prison escape artists on the right, these were added to the list of once-again dead.

Bwah ha ha, my pretties!!!

(smile!)

Then I did something totally out of character for me:

I went outside.

On purpose...

to hang out with other people...

also out there on purpose...

in weather in the low 50's...

just because it was 5 PM.

Susan had showed off the fire pit yesterday and this time we put it to good use!

Not only did Terry stay the whole hour, but so did Ken.

And what did these ex-Northerners talk about?

Ridiculous amounts of snow!
(smile!)

Now, Stella is back inside from her play date with Coco during my hour with the neighbors...

my Red Baron Meat-Lover's Pizza is hot and ready from the oven...

and "Name That Tune" is about to come on.

That'll have to be an adequate substituent for "Music Bingo", as I've had my social time for this Monday and am definitely not leaving this warm house again.

This has certainly been a better day of cold than I had expected, that's for sure!

i thank You, God!