midnight pulp film festival

For the most part, Midnight Pulp consists of psychotronic films that Jim Reed would have gladly shown on his Wednesday nights at Sentient Bean.

I do miss those social events!

I'm glad Comcast granted me free passage on this channel this week.

That was definitely a nice change of pace from the norm!

I'm not saying all of my choices would ever be worth a second viewing...

but it was an interesting film festival.

As before, I watched an even dozen and have listed them in order.

Do notice the lurid posters for these movies - they're great! 

(smile!)

"The Endless Summer" (1966)
Interesting documentary of two surfers traveling in search of warm water 
and warm air and waves.

The search led them from Monterey, CA, to several countries in Africa,

then to Australia and New Zealand before hitting Hawaii.

Gorgeous views of the water!

-------------------------------
"Aquarium For Your Home: Saltwater Reef" (2008)
Literally, a salt water tank to watch for an hour.

(smile!)

-------------------------------
"The Little Shop Of Horrors" (1960)
The movie, not the musical.

This was presented as the case study by two detectives of the many
deaths around Mushnik's flower store.
Nice touch: Jack Nicholson as the masochistic dental patient.

"Hundreds Of Beavers" (2022)
imagine if Beavis thought he was Wiley Coyote in a show 
where he had to fight people dressed up as rabbits or fish or
beavers to get his apple cider still restored -

yeah, pretty stupid.
I'm so glad I didn't go to this when it was in Pooler.

---------------------------
"Big Hair, Long Lashes" (2017)
Soft porn documentary showcasing 7 college-age girls working out of a

and doing lots of butt shots and leg extensions while in lingerie.

Seriously.

I should let the physicist know about this one.

(smile!)

-------------------------------
"Ghost Squad" (2015)
Three seventh grade boys (Charlie, Alex, and Nick) have to 
spend the night in a haunted house or get beat up
What is the ghost?
A dog left behind a hundred years ago.
Nice to see Kevin Nealon as the cool dad!

"The Lost World" (1925)

Whoa - a silent movie!!!
Prof. Challenger claims to have lost his colleague to dinosaurs -
reporter Malone gets the newspaper to fund the "rescue" mission 
in return for the scoop, should the dinosaurs be real.
Pretty cool movie!

---------------------------------------
"Bob Sideburns News" (1970)
17-minute Short!!! 
Part of a larger episode of The Firesign Theatre troupe, just focused

on the news anchor with the long hair and cool sideburns, but with

skits by other members.

I had a boyfriend in Okinawa, from Ohio, who'd come there from Germany

where Firesign Theatre was very big still.

He - Michael Young - had several of their albums.

--------------------------------------
"Christmas Song" (2012)
Hallmark meets "Pitch Perfect" in this tale of two music teachers
forced to compete in a contest when their schools are merged -

yeah, there's that ugly word again.
Natasha Henstridge and Gabriel Hogan are the teachers -
pretty good!

"Convoy" (1978)
Kris Kristofferson as 'Rubber Duck', a trucker hauling a load across 
AZ when he runs afoul of the sheriff (Ernest Borgnine).
He ends up with a trail of other truckers and even buses coming along into

NM and into a conflict with a politician in an election year.

Ali MacGraw as camera buff hitching a ride and a story.

Good to see a buff and nearly nude Kris again in this oldie!

----------------------------------------------
"Sex And Buttered Popcorn" (1989)
Ned Beatty hosts this documentary about sexploitation films from
the 1920's to the 1950's, mostly produced by Dan Sonney and Dave 
Friedman - so much nudity, female AND male!!! Also taboo topics
like child marriage and drugs - the producers acknowledged the films

were all about making money!

-----------------------------------
"The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow" (1999)
Fellow comes to a small town bar looking for stories for his book,
gets told of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman -
very true to original by Washington Irving.

one of these dances didn't happen...

Look carefully at this AMC A*List, please.

 

"Okay, I'll play along. I see six movies for... wait... that isn't two weeks. That's three weeks, isn't it?"

 

Yes, you are correct! The lower row is for three days - 29 and 30 September, plus 1 October - and are all pre-shift cable disorder. The upper row is for a double header for Tina Tuesday, 14 October.

 

"Plus one movie yesterday!"

 

No, that didn't happen. I ended up on the phone with UHC about a snafu on their part, when I was switched without my consent to an "Essentials" plan instead of the "Patriot" plan I chose in August. That call lasted over 90 minutes, making me miss the new one with Keanu Reeves. The worst part is I paid for that one, so as to get the 4000 Bonus Points. At least I'll still get those.

 

"Oh, no. I am so sorry that happened."

 

Here's the worst of it: I didn't catch that they didn't fix the problem. Yes, they got me enrolled in the "Patriot" plan I wanted, but for next year, not this year. That meant my Social Security was still going to lose money for that unwanted "Essentials" plan. This afternoon, I spent over 2 and half hours on the phone with UHC, getting transferred to six different people. After the sixth person told me I was stuck with "Essentials", I told them to cancel it. I would just do without Medicare until the new year. They were shocked, but they did as I asked. I'll call the medicare mothership on Monday and tell them the same thing. Meanwhile, I missed dinner with my brothers. Really ticked me off.

 

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. I know they were going to be at Jalapenos this time, too. I'm so sorry you had to miss that."

 

Me, too. Really did make me sad.

 

"Well, let's talk about something happier. Tell me about those A*List movies you saw, okay?"

 

Okay.  That will actually be shorter than you expect. See, I'd already seen "Freakier Friday" and "Downton Abbey: The Finale", so the only new one that week was "One Battle After Another". I know Carolyn had really liked it, but I did not. It was about political activists and just wasn't what the previews had advertised. Like, at all. I did like seeing Leonardo DiCaprio on the silver screen again, but I'll not see this one twice. Nope!

 

"And on your Tina Tuesday...?"

 

Well, that didn't go quite as planned. You see, I'd gone to the Savannah VA to get the flu shot, thinking I'd be in and out. Well, that mistake was on me. I'd let Lisa, my nurse for the past few years, know about the knot in my right leg for the last two months. She went ahead and took my vitals, shared the info with my new PCP, and gotten me a consult with radiology for a CT scan. She gave me the flu vaccine, too. So, that was good.

 

"That was good! And..."

 

And the whole thing made me miss the first thirty minutes of "Roofman", the new Channing Tatum flick that's based on a true crime story. I came in at the time when he's living in the Toys'R'Us store... and thought it was a wonderful movie! I do wonder what that extra thirty minutes of footage was, though, so I'll have to see it again sometime.

 

"I'm so glad you liked it! Maybe you should just let it be the way it is."

 

No, I wouldn't mind seeing it again. For real. And I wouldn't mind seeing "Tron: Ares" again, either. Jared Leto was excellent in this! He can play some creeps, but here he's just fabulous. You remember how much I love Ryan Gosling's character in "Blade Runner 2049"?

 

"I do! I know you were enchanted by the android who wanted to be a real boy."

 

Yes, indeed! Now, let's take that concept a step further. Instead of an android, Ares is a computer program that can be manifested in physical form, but only for 29 minutes. Then it times out and goes back into dust. Ares hears rain falling and wants to 'feel' it on his skin, but doesn't have time to do so. The movie is about his quest for "permanence", even though that would make him mortal. Really good science fiction!

 

"I'm glad to hear that! I know how much you like that genre."

 

Thanks. Now, I'm going to chill out. Tomorrow's gonna be a brighter day, as Jim Croce would say. He'd be correct, too. Just look at that forecast!

 

"It's already getting into the 50's at night? Yikes."

 

That's okay, I've got the space heater in my bedroom and that helps. Plus I have flannel sheets and two comforters on the bed. I'm also putting the heated mattress pad on the bed for tonight, so that'll be cozy. I was feeling like a wienie for doing all that, but other folks her in Savannah have assured me on fb that they have done the same thing. Not that it matters what others are doing, but it's still nice to know. Ya know?

 

"I do, dearie, I do. You are not alone."

back to back meals with asburians

Last night, the first Wednesday Night Supper was held!

The meal was Chicken Tetrazzini, made with penne instead of linguini.

Pasta is pasta, right?

Still tasted just fine, with or without opera singers in attendance!

I sat with four members of the choir, though, so music was in the air.

(smile!) 

I got to visit with Ray Ellis and his mom, Deloris, as well as Beth Balance.

Then, when they went to choir practice, I had time with Pam and Walt!

Somehow, talk went to her daughter's death, so I made sure she knew that I had known Nichola and Dan.

I think it eased Pam's heart to know someone still remembered her.

I'd hoped to make it downtown for the tenth anniversary of Cafe M, but I did not.

I would have enjoyed having some of that French pastry!

 

Then I was back at Asbury Memorial for a luncheon today!

Sisters In Faith were together again and it took six tables to hold all!

I'm glad Linda Combs made sure to pass out reminders on Sunday.

Today was all about soups and sandwiches - perfect for this cooler weather.

That's Taco Soup, hummus sandwiches, and pumpkin cake!

Plus, a pretty little bag of Halloween candy to take home with me -

many thanks, Linda!

I sat with Michelle Meece - we keep running into each other in the halls! - and she mentioned that she wanted to work with Jayme Tinti.

I'll have to pass that along to the SavStageCo founding member!

And who was the guest speaker for our women's luncheon?

Chris Kinkade, the man who keeps the youth group running on all eight cylinders, that's who!

The topic was providing a safe space for children, whether they have parents at Asbury or not, whether they are straight or LGBT - the important factor was making them feel safe.

Safe spaces.

Afterward, I talked with Chris about my office being an official Safe Space at Armstrong State University while I was there.

My students knew they could speak to me about anything, always.

I had needed a safe space after my divorce and the monthly lesbian potlucks provided that for me, as all there knew I was "strictly dickly". 

I was talking with Chris also about the trans man I had known through his transition from Daphne to Phoenix to Dustin.

He knows him, though by the name he finally settled upon: James.

I think of Dustin often, as he is the one who painted my living room and my bedroom, transitioning them from "mine and his" to "mine".

The living room always welcomes me home with its Maize Gold walls, Lifevest Orange accent wall, and Surfboard Yellow trim. 

Safe spaces. 

a birthday dinner from george

Wait, let me rephrase that, will ya?

It certainly wasn't my birthday, after all.

That was months ago. 

This was George's birthday!

He's one of the regulars at the Midtown Sports Grill and he's a really nice fellow.

He always tells us goodbye as he leaves for the evening and wishes us luck.

Tonight, though, he invited us to partake of the largesse on the two large tables toward the bar.

He was sharing the birthday joy with all!

I was only too glad to take him up on that free dinner!

I spent $814.32 earlier for the shift cable, and I was hungry.

I made sure to sing 'Happy Birthday' to George before I dug in!

That was all a nice change of pace.

But that was not the only one!

We had yet another new jock for the Music Bingo and his name was Robert.

Lemme tell ya, that change was alright by me, too!

The prizes for the games varied, with the first winner getting a free beer.

The second winner - yours truly! - had my choice of a free cocktail or a free appetizer.

I took the food coupon!!!

As it's a coupon, I'll be able to use it next week, so that will be great!

Hard to believe I won it on a bunch of country songs I don't even know.

I was the only winner of our foursome.

Elissa, Sandy, and Joel didn't get a single bingo this time around.

That's okay, their turn is likely coming in the near future!

So glad I was able to be with these friends tonight!

Such a great way to celebrate having my Saturn back in my driveway! 

to misquote austin powers...

... I got my baby back, baby back!!!

 Oh, yeah!!

Michelle at Rincon Transmission called about an hour after Smitty came by.

He'd brought me leftovers from the low country boil they had for Tyler and Theo.

I'm so happy my sis-in-law doesn't like leftovers!!!

Anyway, I called my brother to see if he was still fairly close... he was!

So he came for me and took me to retrieve my pretty little Saturn.

Oh, I do so miss her little fish-face when she's gone!!!

And what was the first thing I did?

I went to a movie, having checked the schedules while waiting for Smitty.

And what did I find?

The Universe had set me up to see "The Addams Family" after all!!!

That completed the last of the Fall Family Five-Film Festival at NCG Cinema.

I has thought I was going to miss 'Casper', but it was held over for its 30th Anniversary, so I was able to see it with family last Friday.

That's when this movie started its 3-day run, meaning it should have been gone after yesterday... but there it was, screening at 4 PM today!

Hallelujah!!!

i thank You, God!

And now, I'm off to Music Bingo, having been summoned by Elissa, who was even going to come for me if I needed a ride still.

So glad to have my baby back!

shift cable and hallmark film festival!

If I had not been home waiting for the shift cable to be replaced in my Saturn, I very will might have missed a gift from Comcast: a free week of Hallmark+ movies.

As the Universe would have it, I was home, though, and slowed down enough to notice that gift when it began on Monday.

Hallelujah!

Right time, right place.

Moreover, I had four instances scattered throughout these dozen movies when I knew that I was exactly where I needed to be.

Shall we take a gander?

Yes, let's... but don't be expecting a bunch of Christmas movies.

I wanted a bit of variety... and I certainly got plenty of that! 

(smile!)

I've listed the movies in the order I watched them. 

 

"3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost" (2023)
Anna: Julie Gonzalo
Elliot: Chris McNally
Ruby Baker (1923 ghost): Madeleine Arthur

Anna is tasked with selling the Baker estate, but finds Ruby still haunting it, even though she's been dead 100 years - can Anna's ex-fiance Elliott help?

----------------------------------

"Adventures In Love And Birding" (2025)
Celeste: Rachel Boston
John: Andrew Walker
w kid (her teen daughter)

Celeste agrees to be 'fake date' with John for bird contest,
not realizing its for several weeks - lol!

Loved all the bird puns in this one!

The photo is of the bird-of-paradise flowers he sent her.

Right place, right time, for me.

------------------------------------
"Fourth Down And Love" (2023)
Erin: Pascale Hutton
Mike: Ryan Paevey

w kids (her tween daughter, plus his tween niece)
 

Divorced Erin ends up helping out for her daughter's flag football team - 

so does pro player Mike, her college sweetie, for his niece, while he's on

the injured list with his team.

Lots of good football action!

----------------------------

"Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement" (2024)
Nelly: Pascale Hutton
Mickey: Kavan Smith

Advice columnist Nelly steps in on detective Mickey's case 
since the dead man was her friend's fiancee.

She's a lot like the lead character in "Elsbeth", though not as colorful.

In the photo, she's playing with a hula dancer in the PI's office.

Have I mentioned that the tow truck driver had one on his dash?

Well, he did.

Right place, right time, for me.

-----------------------------
"Mystery Island: Winner Takes All" (2025)
Amelia: Elizabeth Henstridge
Jason: Charlie Weber

Detective Jason is paired with crime psychologist Amelia
to craft mystery for 8 contenders, but plan is waylaid
by real murder.

Good movie!

------------------------------------
"Catch Of The Day" (2025)
Sophie: Emilir Ullerup
Cam: Michael Rady (reminded me of Paul Rudd)

Chef Sophie returns to hometown to help her sister revive the
family restaurant - runs into her highschool beau, Cam,
the very first day - LOL!

----------------------------------------
"The Real West" (2024)
Rebecca: Kimberly Sustad
Jake West: Lucas Bryant
w kids (her two sons, 1 in 12th grade)

Tenure-track professor Rebecca takes the family on vacation with her mom
and sister - but who's that hottie, Jake, in the hat shop?

And why did her sister get to him first?

----------------------------------------
"Pie To Die For: A Hannah Swenson Mystery" (2025)
Hannah: Alison Sweeney
detective Chad: Victor Webster

Hannah's delivery of banana cream pies to town star finds the
star strangled and on the floor.

Enter hunky former Marine Chad to help the sheriff,
and her and her sis and mom, solve the case.

------------------------------------------
"Crashing Through The Snow" (2021)
Maggie: Amy Acker
Sam: Warren Christie
w kids (her two non-teen daughters)

When the ex invites their two girls to spend Christmas in Aspen
with him, Maggie ends up invited along by his girlfriend - oops.
Good thing that woman has a hot brother, Sam, in town crashing

the family get-together!
 
---------------------------------
"For Love & Honey" (2024)
Eva: Margaret Clunie
Austen: Andrew W. Walker

Ah, Malta! I was there in 2002 and was thrilled to see it again!

Right place, right time, for me! 

Its very name means 'honey sweet', as is this tale of a beekeeper, Eva, 

called to aid Austen the archaeologist in his quest to solve the riddle of 

found art that features - you guessed it - bees!
 
-------------------------------
"What The Deaf Man Heard" (1997)
Sammy at 10yo: Frankie Muniz 
Sammy: Matthew Modine
Helen, his mom: Bernadette Peters
Norm, bus depot mgr: Tom Skerritt
Lucille, bus depot waitress: Judith Ivey
Archibald the rubbish man: James Earl Jones
Tallasse, Sammy's love interest: Anne Bobby

Little Sammy gets left on the bus by mom, who told 
him, "not one more word" - so he plays deaf and mute when
bus pulls into last station - ends up living there 20 years,
tended by Norm and Lucille - now he's 30 and witness to
church robbery - what to do?
Loved the list of names I knew in this one!

--------------------------------

"The Love Letter" (1998)
Scott (present time): Campbell Scott
Elizabeth (in 1863): Jennifer Jason Leigh

Time travel romance, a la "The Lake House"! Scott finds an 1863 letter 

never mailed in the antique desk and decides to answer it.

Next thing you know he has a penpal named Elizabeth and they fall 

in love, kinda sorta.

All set during the Civil War - and viewed after the GOB sermon today.

Right time, right place, for me!

The photo is of her lover, Col. Denby, in the battle at Gettysburg.

Wow -
perfect end to this film festival!

SCT at GOB and JEA

As I told both Sherry G and Sherry M, I have been out this week almost as much as I normally am, but with one difference: I have been with friends and family on many more occasions than usual.

That's been quite the blessing!

Imagine that: blessings from a broken shifter cable.

(smile!)

Sherry Giddens was at my house to take me to church, literally!

(I just love that song and had to sneak it in here!) 

Today, I found out she's been showing up a little earlier than when she generally arrives, thinking that I wanted to be there by 11 AM.

What a nice laugh we had when we realized we both customarily miss the opening chimes!

(smile!)

Today was the second God On Broadway sermon, this one using the musical, "The Civil War", last appearing on GOB in 2012.

I noticed the choir here at Asbury Memorial was lacking its tenors and basses.

Just skirts and bonnets over there!

That echoed the lack of men around during warfare, setting the tone.

 

Here's another sight that ran home the theme of death and loss: a young soldier asking his mates to "Tell My Father" one last message.

Wait a minute... I know that young man singing so passionately!

That's Trey Wilner of the Savannah Children's Theatre!!!

I last had the pleasure of his presence at the "Zombie Prom" this summer.

After the show, I tried to find him so I could congratulate him on being so perfect in that role, but he left without me seeing him.

I do hope this means he has not yet graduated and will be in more local shows.

(smile!)

After hanging out in Holliday Hall a bit, dropping off my canned goods for the food drive, Sherry took me home and headed off.

Oops, I was to have asked for a ride to the Savannah JEA!

The SavChTh was having their final performance of "The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane" at 2 PM and I was to meet Sherry Moore there.

My blonde roots struck again!

I called her in a panic, then texted, with regrets that I would miss the play.

Fortunately, I made it!

She explained the situation to the folks there...

and they held the start for 5 minutes until she returned with me in tow.

I am so blessed!

And I loved the tale of the china rabbit that had its name changed, and even its gender, as it passed from one hand to another.

Starting off in a girl's embrace, 'Edward Tulane' was lost overboard on a cruise and not found until a fisherman dragged him up with his net.

The rabbit then became 'Susanna' and stayed with the empty-nester mom until a jealous person tosses the rabbit into the dump.

That's where a hobo and his dog find 'Malone', as they call him, taking him along on their travels until a meanie tosses him off the train.

A boy then takes 'Clyde' up and gives him to his ill sister, but when she dies, another steals the rabbit and 'Jangles' becomes the dancer for the busker.

Years have passed at this point.

The 10-year-old girl who originally named him has grown up and become a mother, looking for a toy in a curio shop for her daughter... and finds him.

(smile!)

Such a delightful, heartwarming play, made even more so because this wandering troupe - and all there to see the play - had waited for me!

What a true enthusiasm of the woman as she embraced her long-lost companion!

And how wonderful that 'Edward Tulane' wound up in my arms for a hug! 

So blessed I am to have two friends named Sherry...

i thank You, God. 

(smile!)

fairy girls for a ghost movie!

The fairy girls were back again, for the third time in less than a week, and had a surprise for me: their Uncle Michael and their cousins!

How wonderful to see all of them again!

It's been a few months. 

And doesn't Michael look great?

I made sure to tell him how good he looked! 

His beard was nicely trimmed and tamed and he even had a brand-new flannel shirt for the cooler turn in the air.

He was the one who came to collect me, in fact.

Christina had taken Anthony to renew his drivers' license before it expires tomorrow.

That will be his 43rd birthday.

Thus, she'd sent Michael and his Jeep - as well as the twins and Chloe - to get me to the Fall Family Film Festival this afternoon.

That's Alyssa with the boot on her right foot - she's broken her toe.

She has so many accidents! 

As for the screening, this special movie was from last week's FFFF, but NCG Cinema had carried it over all week!

That's because 2025 was the 30th anniversary of "Casper", so it got special treatment.

Hooray for us... and for my first niece as this is one of her favorites!

And what do I have here?

Miyah and Chloe dancing in the hall!

Chloe had even had me dancing with her to the movie credits... and Miyah joined us once she saw us twirling!

Leila and Alyssa deigned to not dance.

Perhaps one day they will!!!

(smile!) 

Afterward, we all went over to Cici's for pizza galore and a nice long visit!

(smile!) 

Then Michael and the twins went home.

Christina and her bunch took me home, collected the bag of 24 socks, and headed home, too.

What a treat to have spent so much time with them during this absence of my Saturn!

i thank You, God!

tenth day of the tenth month temperatures

Mi corazon no se gusta el frio.

We're still in hurricane season, which means the edge of summer at this latitude, and yet the temperatures have slid into highs in the upper 60's.

At least Monday will be back into some normality, but not until then.

Ack.

I've gone through my sock drawer in search of foot apparel for my fairy girls.

My first niece tells me they've managed to lose most of the ones they had and have resorted to raids on hers.

Well, this load should keep their feet covered for a while.

That's a full dozen pairs of socks I've liberated from my sock drawer! 

Incredibly, I still have plenty of socks to keep my toes warm.

I'm glad I'll be able to share these with Miyah and Chloe today!

Yes, they'll be back in town again for the third time this week!!!

Spoiled rotten I'll be.

(smile!)

going greek...

Actually, I should have said, "gone Greek," as I'm home now.

When I saw her on Tuesday, Sherry talked me into going to the 74th Greek Festival with her this afternoon.

Sure, I had a choice, so I could have abstained.

However, as the musical sermon taught, for a friend, you take turns. 

Besides, there was a sweet upside for me, besides more time renewing this friendship from years ago when I first started going to Asbury Memorial.

 

There was baklava to be had!!!

Fortunately, we were there in the mid-afternoon of the very first day.

That meant plenty of open tables, with no lines, and with Greek music playing to keep us company for the two hours we were dining.

Very nice!

She had the combination plate, but I only went for my favorites: two skewers of chicken souvlaki and a corner slab of pastitsio.

Oh, yeah!

Yeah, it was a little pricey, at $17, but long overdue for my taste buds.

Plus, I had dessert with my slunch: Melomakarona, the orange-spice Christmas cookie.

As I told Sherry, it reminded me of the 'Russian Tea" that Mama used to make, with instant mocha coffee and Orange Tang and a bit of allspice.

Isn't it a marvel how a flavor can time travel over several decades?

The other five desserts in that six-pack ($18) were, going clockwise from the right side: 2 pieces of Baklava, 1 of Kataife (shredded phyllo, but like baklava), 1 of Flogeres (adding chocolate to the combination), and 1 of Kourabiedes (butter cookie with powdered sugar).

Most definitely a fine afternoon out, helping Sherry succeed at retirement.

By her own counts, she doesn't yet have the habit of throwing herself out of the house, but she's figuring it out! 

I'll have to make sure I help her keep doing that. 

(smile!)

fairy girls with birthdays to celebrate!

"I thought their birthdays were about six months apart..."

 

Technically, that's about right. Miyah's is at the end of March and Chloe's is at the start of October, so it's about six months and a few days.

 

"Then, what's up with the two birthday bags?"

 

The one on the left, with the princess on it, is for Miyah's bday8. The one on the right, featuring a unicorn, is for Chloe's bday7. Those bags waited on that booth bench at Seasons Of Japan until we were all done with dinner.

 

"Hahahaha! I bet that means they hardly ate anything, ready to find out what was in the gift bags from Great-Aunt Tina!"

Oh, you know it! I had Miyah open hers first, since she'd been waiting for months. She liked the yellow rubber bracelet, as did Chloe, who got one, too. But she was touched by the history of that set of colored pencils! Mama had given that to me in 1981 for my bday22, while I was in Okinawa, and I used them for the mythological creatures coloring book she sent. I know how much Miyah loves drawing and I wanted her to have them... and it delighted me that she "got" that chain of ownership concept. Wow!

 

"Very impressive!"

Most definitely. Then I prefaced the other two gifts with "a book with numbers for connecting to make a picture" - and she loves those books!!! - and "a book where you find images in the busy scenes" - and she loves those books, too!!! Hooray!!! How thrilling to find out that I had chosen well for her!!! Now, it was Chloe's turn!

 

"And how did that go?" 

Swimmingly!!! I kept a magical theme going for her bday7, starting with the Thirty-One brand of Candy-corn Unicorn Halloween tote bag. Christina loved that, too, especially since the tote scrunches up and fits inside the unicorn head. LOL!  See it there on the table? And Chloe is holding the Disney "Cars" activity book that came with its own set of coloring pens - good call on my part! I couldn't hardly give her sister artwork supplies without doing the same for her, now could I? I knew better than that! 

 

"That's right, you've drawn with them several times in the past!"

 

Yes, I do so enjoy that! And Chloe loved her blast-from-the-past present! I gave her my flipbook for Disney's "101 Dalmatians" and showed her how to make the puppies play and Pongo dance with Roger!  It's very nice, as its pages can be flipped from both directions to have two mini-movies. That's from my 1993 trip to Disney World. Chloe even wanted me and her to recreate the dance between the dog and its master - that was fun!

 

"She does have an outside-the-box way of thinking! I'm betting she's going to be very good in science classes once she gets old enough for those. She's fortunate to have the benefit of an older sister."

 

She is indeed. My, they both seem to be growing so fast. I noticed that on our girls' trip, too. How wonderful to be able to spend another day this week with them!

 

"And you have another visit before week's end..."

 

I do! Initially tonight, we were to have a movie, then dinner, but time ran out for that option. That's why they'll return on Friday for the movie! All good! And having dinner with these two little great-nieces to either side of me? Priceless! Having the opportunity to engage with them as they enjoyed these presents tonight? A total blessing. I do believe that is one of my favorite ever photos of them. I just may have to get that framed!

three months to the day...

... since I had a toilet with a working fill valve.

The last time it worked was July 8.

I'd been working in the yard, mowing and bagging grass, then came in to pee.

Then it was time for a tall glass of chilled water... but I was distracted by the sound of water spurting around!

I ran to the bathroom to see water spraying in all directions from the broken top of the fill valve - oh, no!!!

Then it was hurry and shut off the water, throw a towel on the floor to keep the flow in the bathroom, mop up all the water all over that area, gratitude that the room was so small.

Exhausting!

After looking online and finding that hiring a plumber would cost at least $200, I had asked my retired brother to come and help a sister out.

The timing was bad, though, as he had just been diagnosed with a torn retina and couldn't see well enough to do the work.

Tony had grandchildren in town and his free time from work was taken up with them, so I decided to wait it out.

I would just operate the water valve when I wanted to fill the tank for a flush, that's what I'd do!

No sense to buy the channellock pliers required to do the replacement.

And so I waited.

I did purchase a kit with a new fill valve and flapper, to await another request to one of my brothers.

That was about four weeks ago.

Yesterday, Smitty phoned to say he was available if I needed to go anywhere.

Today, I called and said I would very much like to go to Publix for $5 sushi and popsicles... and would he please replace the fill valve in my toilet?

Yes, he would do that for me.

I made sure the toilet tank was clean and dry well before he arrived.

That was good, as it made his work less messy and quicker to complete.

Indeed, he was done replacing the fill valve in about fifteen minutes.

After all, as a landlord of multiple properties over the last two decades and more, he's had a lot of practice fixing toilets.

After assuring it was working with no leaks, we were off to the store!

When I returned, I checked for him - still no leaks!

However, the water would run about every ten minutes - but I knew what to do.

I'd spoken to him about that flapper being leaky from back in the pandemic, but I'd not wanted a strange person in the house then.

Smitty told me how to just snap out the old one and snap in the new one, and that actually took more finger strength than I'd expected... but I did it!

Then I set the chain length, put in a water displacement container to make it more of a low-flow toilet, and it was done!

No more problems!

What a cause for celebration!

Time at last for the toilet tank lid to go back on!

(smile!) 

Truly, it's the little things that matter most. 

the POTUS said it himself... now what will he do?

The year was 2013.

Congress had shutdown the government on October 1, 2013, and the shutdown lasted until October 17, 2013. 

That means Donald Trump voiced this statement during the second term of President Barack Obama.

"A shutdown falls on the president's lack of leadership. I mean problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top. A shutdown means the president is weak."

So said the man who would be POTUS for two non-sequential terms.

So said the man whose Congress has shutdown the government once again, this time beginning on October 1, 2025., during the second term of President Donald Trump.

I certainly hope this shutdown means Congress members are not getting paid.

I certainly hope this shutdown means President Trump and his Cabinet, his aides and his Secret Service, his pilots of Air Force One, are also doing without pay.

After all, this shutdown is due to the "president's lack of leadership", which means he is doing a poor job, by his own words.

Hoisted with his own petard, he is.

I just love it when Shakespeare's centuries-old words come back to bite someone in the butt. 

I wonder how long he will allow this shutdown to continue before he takes control and brings it to a halt. 

fall choral concert at 7 on the 7th!

I do so love this event every year!!!

It's just a perk that it's also free - very budget-friendly for a retired person like myself...

and like Sherry Moore, too!

I had noticed on fb that she was 'interested' in going... maybe she would like to go with me in tow?

After all, she'd been the one to answer my call for a ride years ago.

So I sent her a message... and she called me right back!

She'd love to go, especially as it was free, especially with company!

But, of course!

Most folks don't like going somewhere alone; most times, I'd much rather go alone than stay home alone.

And this concert promised we would be going, going, going!!!

 

Its subtitle was "Vocal Music From Around The Globe!" and it delivered, no passport required!

Three vocal groups were there at Savannah Arts Academy tonight.

Those empty seats on the right were vacated when the Garrison Voices rose to join the Pulaski Chorus and the Savannah Arts Academy Chorus.

Altogether, there were 189 young singers regaling us there at the end!!!

That was for a South African greeting song called "Hlohonolofatsa", which basically meant "Bless everything in the Name of the Father" - hallelujah!

 

My favorite, as always, was the sea chantey from the all-male contingent of the high school, all swinging their arms in time - I so love that!!!

This year's offering was a whaling song from New Zealand called "Wellerman", which they followed up with "Viva Tutti", an 18th Century Glee.

Sing on, my boys!!!

The girls joined them for "Good Night, Dear Heart", based on the Robert Richardson poem that I knew from the episode of "Quantum Leap" in which a young German woman is killed.

How touching that this poem is also on the tombstone of Samuel Clemens' daughter - I've always loved Mark Twain's works.

Then the boys left the stage for the girls to grant me "Skylark" - yes!!!

So, what other countries were in the mix?

We had "Arirang" from Korea, "Sisi Ni Moja" in Swahili from the East African coast, "Lake Isle of Innisfree" from Ireland, "Dies Irae" in Latin from 13th Century Italy, "Ad Astra" from a modern composer in Kansas, "Crowded Table" by a US group of women, and Durme, Durme from the Sephardic Jews of Spain and Portugal.

Some were done by the Garrison Voices alone, some by only the Pulaski Chorus, both middle schools with 6-8-grade singers.

They'll be coming to this high school when they move on to higher grades.

That means I'll get to enjoy their voices for years to come!

 

Sherry thanked me for inviting her to this feast of song!

She told me she felt that she was "failing retirement" because she hadn't gotten out much these four years so far.

I assured her that everyone approaches that freedom differently, but now that I knew that she truly wanted to go out and about more, I'd help motivate her.

I know well how hard it can be to "throw yourself out of your house", but that's a choice worth making.

Life is outside... be part of it!

In fact, she and I already have plans for Thursday!

Good!!!

And I had thought being without my car this week was going to leave me stranded.

Actually, it has motivated me to reach out to others...

and find helping hands, right there.

i thank You, God! 

fairy girls under the tree!

Ah, see, I told the folks in Forest Hills that I have fairies that visit my yard!

See them skipping along merrily on the other side of that magnolia trunk? 

They're more visible since I trimmed some of the lower branches yesterday.

And why are they such blithe and happy sprites?

That's because this is the only walking spiral for miles!

The other closest one is on Skidaway Island, but it's a stone path in a church garden and isn't in the shade of that lush greenly spirit of a tree!

That does make a difference.

(smile!) 

GOB: Company

This Sondheim musical was all about friendship and love and the changes that occur over the course of time.

I felt it was speaking directly to me!

After I married and moved back to Savannah, I was out of step with most of my college friends, as they'd moved and married and had children.

Fortunately, my husband ran a trivia game at Sam Fink's Deli and soon I had the beginnings of a new group of friends: Doug, Monica, Rob, Jason, Kristen, Sue, John, Lynita, JinHi.

Within that first decade, they'd become couples, like us, but we'd still all get together regularly for Sand Gnats baseball, playing pool with Doug, swimming pool parties with Rob, going to theatre featuring JinHi, parties at Monica's A-frame, cookouts at our place.

Things slowed down when the children started coming, but our group of friends were locked in, solid, always there for each other.

Then Jeff and I divorced.

I tried to maintain those friendships, but one of the wives didn't want me around playing pool anymore... and Monica was kicked out of that club, too, for being single... and Sue was in Okinawa... John had moved to Pooler... and the dynamics were gone.

So I got involved with other groups: Philo Cafe, Drinking Liberally, Mensa, No Kidding!, Wednesday Night Suppers at Asbury Memorial.

Between the four of them, I started having a new group of close friends: Barbara, Sandy, Lauri, Lynn, Christa, Bonnie.

Most of them were in other groups, too, that I joined: Women's Social Network, Couples and Others, plus a few more on the Meetup.com site. 

However, it remained true that Barbara, Sandy, Christa, Lauri, and Lynn really hit it off!

The five of us, being over 40, really were tight, going out to eat or to shows or to movies, having parties at each other's houses, together almost every weekend.

Then, a few years ago, Lauri and her mom, Lynn, moved to Kissimmee, having wearied of life on Tybee and the Bananas' circus.

Christa died in December of 2022.

Barbara was killed in July of 2024.

Of course, I have other friends I've made along the way, but not close ones.

Science has shown that true friendships take a minimum of 200 hours together to form; close friendships, like best friends, take much more than that.

That's a lot of time.

That's why making friends gets harder with age, because careers and family life take away from time needed to build new relationships. 

That's why most close friendships are those formed at school, whether high school or college, as the same groups of people in a major are together in the same classes for several years and manage to find other common bonds.

I still have best friends from those days, though much physical distance separates us.

However, of the two closest friends I have now, one rarely drives due to narcolepsy, and the other's car is so full that no one can ride with her.  

My brothers don't understand how it is that I have a problem finding a ride now that my car is in the shop.

They know I know a lot of people, but don't get it that I don't feel that I know anyone enough to ask for a favor like picking me up, taking me somewhere, and than returning me home.

Barbara and I handled that for each other.

Sigh.

However, on Friday, while talking with Smitty at dinner, I had the thought on how to get a ride to Asbury for today.

After all, this wasn't just a regular Sunday.

This was the first Sunday of the month, meaning we would have Communion as well as the Big Coffee Hour.

Plus, this being October, it was the first God On Broadway sermon! 

So, I checked on the event page on fb for others who said they would be coming, then I chose one to message for a ride.

Sherry Giddens, who I'd dined with on multiple occasions during WNS, contacted me right back!

Yes, she would gladly give me a lift!

And, so, I was there!!!

Sherry sat in the back with a woman named Marty, but I moved up to the fourth row, on the right.

That's about where I try to sit each time, near the windows and the choir.

From the very first song, I realized that I knew "Company" after all!

Right place, right time. 

"Another Hundred People" sounded so much like "Beautiful" that I knew it, too, was inspired by all the moving masses in New York City.

How did newcomers there make friends so they would have a support network? 

Through work and church, mostly, same as most adults that move to a new location where they know no one.

That wasn't the case in this musical, though.

'Bobby' was turning 35 and his best friends, all female and now married, threw him a surprise party to celebrate.

That got him thinking about his options with the girlfriends he was dating.

How to decide on marriage or continued single life?

Ryan McCurdy was back from NYC for that role, to our good fortune.

I do so love how much he gives to his portrayals!

Many thanks, Sherry, for your kindness today!

I do look forward to becoming a true friend to you.

(smile!)