good end to this 30-day month

Come midnight, April will be done this year - hallelujah!

Monday featured yard work and a movie at AMC.

Tuesday held more working in the yard, a second movie at AMC, and slunch with the bfe.

Wednesday - today - saw the chem ladies luncheon, the monthly laundry session, a third movie at AMC, and Trenting with my first niece.

 

I'm so glad the weather has cooperated to lift my spirit.

Ever since that dip on Monday, it's been in the 80's during daylight, with more uplifting notes to follow along into May tomorrow.

That lower tone for the first day of the week actually made it ideal, though.

I have a yard inspection coming on May Day.

Smitty suggested I use mulch to show off the "flower beds" of spiderwort in the front, rather than putting up little white fences.

I wanted neon yellow mulch, but Home Depot had only red, black, and brown as the options.

Fortunately, the wood variety was on sale for just $2 per bag.

I chose the red-stained wood.

(smile!)

So far, I've put out thirteen bags of it.

Remember that spiral I like to mow under the Japanese magnolia tree?

Well, it's going to be absolutely obvious now.

I just wish it could better resemble a yellow brick road... 

but the brick red is good.

No neighboring ignoramus will ever mistake it for a crop circle again.

(smile!)

Dinner was in-house on Monday, with leftovers intended for lunch Tuesday.

Instead, I met the physicist at Bonefish Grill about 5 PM and we dined on shrimp and tuna for two hours.

Yes, that would be both seafood delights, as he and I shared the pineapple shrimp as well as the  pan-seared & blackened ahi tuna.

Absolutely delightful and we ate every bit!

Might that be due to the lack of side salads from the meals?

Yes, I'd wager that's so.

At least we both know of that menu change now.

 

The luncheon at Kayak Kafe Midtown today was quite filling, as usual.

Yvonne and Lea were there and, because the spring semester is done, no one was in a rush to get back to anywhere...

so we sat and visited for almost three hours!

Since we finished up all the school chatting early on -

including me telling them of Annette Ramos at SMF36 as a volunteer -

and Lea informing us of the upcoming merger of East Georgia State College in Swainsboro as the thruple for GaSoU and Armstrong -

we had time to explore other topics.

Very nice!

Such as this: Lea is a seamstress, too!

She just made her daughter's dress for senior prom!

Of course I talked about making my wedding dress and all those fabrics and using the 7 1/2-inch spread between the tip of my thumb and the tip of my pinkie to measure widths for unmarked remnants... of course!

Yvonne never did get into sewing, nor has Lea's daughter, Amy.

Nice to know I have this in common with the one of us still at Armstrong.

When Suzy Carpenter retires next month, Lea will be the only woman in the Chemistry & Physics department at Armstrong.

Hard to believe that, isn't it?

But that will be something else she and I will have in common: being the lone female in a place full of men.

I had that experience when I first arrived at Galeta Island in Panama.

I was the first woman to ever be stationed there.

Of course, that was in the late 1970's, and, in the electronics maintenance field, was not such a rarity.

In this modern world, a female chemist is much more common.

The thing is, here's the thing: as people have retired at Armstrong, new people - of either sex - are not being hired to replace them.

That's a lot of empty offices in the seven years I've been gone...

since the last merger.

Glad I'm not part of that scene.

Glad that Yvonne and I are still here to support Lea.

(smile)

Now, on to the very active dances on my A*List card this week!

Yes, all were rather fast-paced, even though one was animated.

"The King Of Kings" took the traditional Easter story of Jesus and had it told by an actor to his young son, a son that was besotted with the tale of King Arthur and Excalibur.

That was a bit of a different take, so that was nice.

"The Accountant 2" (written as 'squared', not as a sequence value) reminded me that it's been a while since I saw the first one.

I'm just saying this: 9 years is too long to wait for a sequel.

I remembered nothing about Ben Affleck's autistic hitman character, nor about his brother, played by Jon Bernthal.

I'm not saying the movie wasn't good, because it was quite good.

I just wish I could have had more context.

That was certainly not the case with "Sinners", which may be the best movie I've seen this year, and Michael B. Jordan has a lot to do with it ticking.

Strangely, the bfe and I were just talking about him at our dinner, with me going on again about the Jesup Drive-In jaunt arranged by that actor during the pandemic.

The movie is set in 1936 and centers on three men: Smoke, his twin Stack, and their younger cousin Sammy, aka Preacher Boy.

Romance, music, dancing, vampires... wow!

Before the end, I was weeping.

Then, a short way into the credits, when I thought I was under control, another reel popped up, set in 1991, at a place called... well, named for Sammy's lover.

By the end of that bit, I was weeping again.

Wow.

I do so look forward to seeing this again next week.

The bfe will be with me, too, as he's quite interested in vampires.

Isn't that something?

I've known him 13 years and never knew that until just recently.

Good.

(smile!)

here comes the sun, little darling...

"Oh, I do so love that George Harrison song!!!"

Me, too, but how did you know I wasn't just making a statement?

"G'friend, please. You know I know you had that children's chorus thing today."

Ah, yes. Very hard to keep a secret from you, eh, chica? 

"Damn straight! And just how was SING for this live performance?"

Those kids were fabulous! Some are from Asbury Memorial Church, but many are from here, there, and everywhere. The chorus has at least thirty singers! That's probably part of the reason the parking lot was full. You know, from their parents and families. Plus, I'd like to think that I'm not the only one that came that didn't have a dog in this hunt, you know what I mean?

"Girlie, I always know what you mean! I also suspect, though, that the lure of 'free' entertainment was a draw, too."

Partly, that's true. However, the title also pulled me in. "Here Comes The Sun: Songs of Hope & Resilience" - that's a real winner! I just wish they had some printed programs for the audience. I know there was a printed version somewhere, as the pages of it were posted as a mini-video on the fb page for Savannah Inspiring Next Generation. That's where I snagged that. Mostly, though, I'm glad I got to hear them live this time!

"Heard! Hahahaha! Got that little joke? Hahahaha!"

(smile!)

"So, what were your favorite parts of the program? I know you have some."

I do! One I didn't even know of until after I got home. See, I'd lingered too long at home and totally missed the first song... and the poem by Emily Dickinson that I so love! But at least the song - and the ribbon twirling!!! - was posted on fb and on youTube.

"How very fortunate for you! I wish they'd posted the poem reading, too."

Well, how about I post that here, right now? Fore safekeeping, you know.

 

*****

 

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

 

*****

 

"Yes, I do so love those words from Dickinson. I have to wonder, though, what they might mean to elementary and middle school students?"

 

Good question. Perhaps I'll have to bring that up with my great-nieces and great-nephews, see what they have to say about it.

 

"You do that! But, for now, tell me the highlights of the show you saw and heard this afternoon."

 

Well, I really liked "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", partly because Sam Johnson's sister, Helga Moore, sang it at his memorial service. He's been on my mind, you know.

 

"I know. It's April. Just a few more days until it's done. Now, go on..."

 

I always like "Let There Be Peace On Earth", as it's one we sing at Asbury. This time, it was the Savannah Men's Chorale that performed it - awesome! That was followed by "I Believe", the Mark Miller song which I love!!! The kids and the men sang that! And for the finale, the kids performed "Defying Gravity", complete with a practiced pantomime - such energy!!!

 

"Oh, I know they all liked that one!!!"

 

Yes, they did! It really perked them up for the post-concert photo shoot. (smile!)

 

"Most excellent! Then what did you do? I know that was a matinee concert, but you're posting this late. Did you make it to the show for One Spirit Dance Academy?"

 

I did not, sadly. I've got a couple of Shakespeare plays this coming week, plus some extra expenses for the yard. Then there's also the trip to Orlando with the first niece next month, with property taxes due before I get back from that. I've had to trim some stuff out, right, to prioritize what events I most want. I was talking to Cathy about that just moments ago.

 

"Cathy of California??? That's great!!!"

 

It was, it truly was!!! We talked for almost an hour, just me and her!!! She had called while I was at the concert and I called back after their dinner time. Really nice to catch up!"

 

"I know it was, little darling. Now, you wind on down, and I'll catch you later."

 

Thanks! I'll try to straighten up here a little before "The Honeymooners". That's my signal on Sunday that it's time for bed. (smile!)

thanks, Betsy Kameron, for the invite to dance!

The Magnetic Mary's was the band's name, and, true to their fb page, they played a quite diverse mix of tunes!

From Garbage to Fleetwood Mac -

from Leonard Cohen to Hole -

from The Go-Go's to Fiona Apple -

and those were just some of all the tunes I knew!

Actually, I take that back: I didn't know "Malibu" at all.

 

I'd even 'fessed up to that to a fellow who came up to me when the band took a break.

I had been dancing, of course, even getting in front of the band to do so and to sing along with that favorite Garbage song!

No one else was dancing at all, but I saw several women who would have, if they'd just worked up the moxie.

I had been dancing 'lightly' on the sidelines, along with Betsy, ever since the band started.

Just swaying a bit, right, with a few moves of my arms and feet, nothing that might really catch anyone's attention.

But all bets were off when the Magnetic Mary's struck those first notes of "Only Happy When It Rains"!!!

I absolutely could not help myself!!!

Then they followed that with "Kiss Me" which I adore!

Then they said "Don't Stop" and I kinda sorta did as they said in the song...

I didn't stop dancing.

How could I not dance?

Just ask the Magic Rocks, they'll confirm that I can't stop until the band does!

(smile!)

 

Anyway, as I said, a fellow came up to me when the band took five.

He asked me if I was familiar with the band.

"Nope," I told him, "I came out tonight because my friend Betsy invited me. Her daughter and the singer have been friends since they were 6."

Surprised, he said, "I wondered because you sang along with all the songs!"

"Not all," I replied. "I didn't know the Hole song at all."

"You sure looked like you were having fun," he then said. "Hope you have a great night!"

Then he walked off into the night.

Betsy asked me if I knew who he was.

"Was he someone you know from the music festival?"

"Nope, never saw him before!"

(smile!) 

 

Now, as I write this, I wonder about that, though.

Was he perhaps Mr. Lundin, the guy I always see at the SavArtsAcad theatre events?

Hmmm... Perhaps.

It's just hard for me to recognize folks out of their usual settings, right?

I'll have to ask him about that, the next time I see him.

(smile!) 

And who else was at this concert at Tubby's Tank House?

Surprise, surprise, Smitty and Mary were!!!

They were the first of our group to make it there.

I sat and talked to them for about 15 minutes before the Kamerons came.

Betsy and Jimmy and Mark arrived with two friends from Tennessee.

I tried talking to that couple during the break, but the woman was just not interested in anything I had to say.

Every question I asked was met with a terse reply.

No followup, no questions asked of me.

That's okay by me!

Back to the dance floor I went until the food came!

(smile!) 

 

That's right - I had chicken nachos for dinner!

Mary was hungry, too, so she'd asked if I wanted to order something to maybe share, so I did.

I'm glad she is talking to me again!

My brother treated me to dinner, but it was Mary that wanted to make sure I got safely back to my car as we were leaving.

She even stopped to wave bye before she got in their vehicle!

Very nice!

(smile!)

earth day spring fling with a smiley face!

When Laura had asked if I would be at Jalapenos tonight, I'd told her I would not.

This was the 25th Annual Savannah Earth Day celebration and I had promised myself that I would be in Daffin Park for it!

Inside my butterfly tote bag I had five pairs of eyeglasses that had been in drawers, waiting to be rescued.

 

Forsight was thrilled to take them from me!!!

They'll use the frames for making new glasses for someone who can't afford frames.

In return, they gave me that snazzy lens-cleaning cloth!

Winner for all!

Next I stopped to chat at a table that had a game to play.

An aluminum beverage cup was perched over the edge of a board, then flipped.

If the cup landed back on the board, you got to keep it!

I couldn't get the knack of it, but Savannah To-Go Cup let me have one anyway!

At other vendors along the way, I'd stop and talk for while.

Wilderness Southeast, where Yvette was working the table.

Caretta Research Project, which I remembered from my days in the STERI project at Jenkins High.

The Dolphin Project, which I've wanted to be part of since I was 40.

The Tybee Marine Science Center, source of these sea turtle cards!

The City of Savannah had the most tables with free swag.

One was the source for a fabulous blank journal with ruled pages.

Another had an emergency disaster guide as well as a flashlight, batteries included.

A third had 2025 calendars loaded with helpful info.

And the fourth introduced SAV / Z, with neon-green vests for cyclists.

I picked up two of those.

As a rule, I would take two of most items, especially coloring books, like this one from Keep Savannah Beautiful.

Clean Harbors also had very nice activity books for kids.

Several places had single-page coloring or activity sheets for children, so I made sure to grab four every time I came across those.

After all, I have a vacation trip at the end of May and it will be good to have those as a surprise for the little blondes!

I spent a lot of time at two tables.

A communications graduate student and I had a 15-minute talk about his thesis of promoting conversations about recycling.

I had another lengthy talk with Savannah Riverkeeper, who aren't from here, but Augusta.

They gave me a new Happy Robot pin to go along with the square one I've had ever since the 2016 Savannah Film Festival. 

I received that white pin at the Q&A with Porkchop Zimmerman after "Happy", the documentary about his mission to make people smile.

They told me that I was the only person all day who knew anything about those pins.

That made me smile!

(smile!)

After nearly two hours there at Daffin Park, it was time to head east.

Never Been Any Reason to return to Tybee Post Theatre until the girlie show, right?

(Those last two links are just me having some musical pun fun!)

Beau Blush and Scarlett Siren of Coastal Cabaret were throwing a Spring Fling, ABCD style - aerial, burlesque, cabaret, drag!

Besides being greeted with a big bear hug by Wesley Pridgen, this show was just what I needed to get my motor all revved up!

Beau Blush, true to her name, put rosy cheeks on all the fellows with her opening burlesque routine to "Ain't No Sunshine" - just mesmerizing, she was.

Wow!

She was back in the second act, this time looking more like Rosie the Riveter as she danced with the aerial Luna ring in perfect timing with "Human".

Wow!

My third most favorite dance was the burlesque by Arabica Blacque to "When You're Good To Mama", the song Queen Latifah sang in "Chicago".

Wow!

My favorite number of the two burlesque routines by Scarlett Siren was her second one, performed with a Luna Lollipop - very smooth.

Trixie Noir used the Triangle Swing for her one aerial and was quite lovely and lithe and liquid in what was her premiere on stage.

Donna Matrix, the bellydancer, had two outings, once with a very large snake, then with two swords, all performed with constant hip undulations - very good!

The drag was handled by Nubia Rose, putting forth her inner Beyonce.

As for the cabaret number, that came at the show's finale, featuring Nubia Rose and the three Hoedown Honeys with a ribald song that was most def not PC - but sure was fun!

Oh, then there's the emcee, on stage between numbers in a smoking jacket, but still recognizable as the young man I'd first seen ten years earlier on an October evening with Carolyn.

Yes, it was Jack NTha Cox, in the flesh, which he was revealing for tips by show's end!

Nice to see that he's rocking more of a dad-bod these days!

My guess is that's the reason for the smiley face in the sky tonight.

Lots of sexy burlesque strips...

a naughty bit of cabaret...

fabulous fun in the evening sun...

and everyone comfortable in their bodies!

How wonderful to have had all this entertainment

for less than 25 bucks

as Venus and Saturn kept company

with the moon's crooked smile!

(smile!)

sushi in the morning, skyelite at night!

 

Yesterday was the 23rd, which means my SNAP had life to it again!

Yesterday was also Wednesday, which meant $5 sushi at Publix!

It's been a little while, so I treated myself to two trays.

The spicy tuna roll was dinner last night...

letting me have the crunchy California roll to start my day!

(smile!)

Then I popped into fb to wish happy birthdays to friends - real ones, not just the casual acquaintances that the social media site calls "friends".

While there, I caught this from Patrick Young, down in JAX.

He was looking out his kitchen window and found himself looking right at a deer in his yard...

but, he wasn't.

Upon closer inspection, it was just a dead bush with Spanish moss on it.

As I told him, perception is everything!

He wanted to see a deer... and so he did.

(smile!)

Next was a visit to Sherry Giddens page.

She can be counted on to have a giggle or two posted, and most are puns.

Take this one, with two Star Trek peeps.

The captain says, "A lady asked me if I would help her get a job as a professional Scrabble player."

As Lt. Ryker waited, Picard added, "I put in a good word for her."

Hahahaha!!!

Absolutely beautiful!

(smile!)

Then it was time to go work on the yard.

I chose the side yard by the Sullivans, as I knew the spiderwort had straggled all over that area.

I also had dead sticker vines and thorny things to pick up, plus more sticker vines and thorny things to pull off the side of the house.

I'd thought one of those big paper bags would be too much, but I took one out there anyway... and found that I'd filled it within 90 minutes.

Even with me continually tamping it down, it filled and is ready for the curb.

See, that's perception on my part: "oh, that isn't so overgrown." 

Indeed it was.

There's some kinda sorta dandelion that's sprouted up and it grows up to three feet tall, with at least thirty buds to send spores flying.

Yikes!

Fortunately, those plants are very easy to uproot, but, as they have nice leaves on their thick stalk, they hide in the azaleas very well.

Every time I thought I'd pulled up the last one, I'd see another, lurking in the bushes.

Good thing I had a protein-rich breakfast!

However, clad in long sleeves, long pants, and gloves, I was ready to get out of the sun and into a tall, cold, glass of water!

Instead, I poured two of those into me after I ditched the clothes.

Ah, much better.

(smile!)

Time to cruise over to Savannah Arts Academy for a free jazz concert!

Woohoo!!!

 

The first half was performed by the regular jazz band.

Their program had been arranged chronologically from 1933 to 1963.

"Stompin' At The Savoy" got the blood flowing, then "Bernie's Tune" challenged the saxophone players to get their long solos done.

"All The Way", the Frank Sinatra song, let the trumpets shine!

How about those trombones?

Well, their turn came with 1963's "Doxy" - and it was good!

I liked that it reminded me of "Baby Let Your Hair Hang Down"!

Time to "Take Five" after that while Skyelite Jazz Band took the stage.

(There's a little jazz joke from me to you, dear reader!)

Their program ran the gamut from 1928 all the way to 1985, starting off with "Harlem Air Shaft", guaranteed to blow a skirt up!

(smile!)

That Duke Ellington really knew how to swing, didn't he?

But "Brass Machine", the toned-down version of Mark Taylor's "Scream Machine", written for the Army Blues Jazz Emsemble, has to be my favorite of the concert.

All five pieces of brass was up front and turned up!

And there was cowbell, lots and lots of cowbell!!!

As Christopher Walken said, "I need more cowbell" in my life!

(smile!)

Oh, then there was Kermit's song about "Bein' Green", played with trombone solos in all the right places... very nice.

So far, there had been no singers.

Then, surprise!!!

Truman Nash came up to do a bit of New Orleans' skat for the "Basin Street Blues" and to shake his moneymaker a little bit, too!

Yes, I sure did love that!!!

Living the "Lush Life" while on a "Caravan" is all well and good...

but to dance is the best!

(smile!)

 

I'm so blessed to be retired!

At this time of year when I was teaching, I would not have had such a day as this.

It's unfortunate that five young nurses lost their lives on April 22, 2015.

One of those young women had an uncle who was big in Georgia politics.

Her death was the motivation for the merger in 2017 between Armstrong State and Georgia Southern Universities, obliterating my alma mater by making it the "nursing epicenter" for the larger school.

Those changes are responsible for me retiring in May of 2018, as my teaching position was eliminated by the merger finalization.

i thank You, God, that I am in retirement and have the freedom to script my day as I like, free to attend the many cultural events in this town.

(smile!)Hallelujah!

i thought you preferred colin firth

 

Oh, I do, but that wasn't my say. I knew my first niece liked the 2005 version of "Pride And Prejudice" better, so, when I saw that it was playing, I let her know.

"I see. How very magnanimous of you."

Actually, what was gracious of me was giving up $35 of Reward Points for three tickets to that movie and five tickets to "A Minecraft Movie". Of course, I'd used the lure of free tickets to get them all from Hinesville to here, right? And all of that was on a Tuesday, so we all had cameo specials to go along with those movies!

"Oh, yeah, I see those three ticket buys were on April 22nd. But, why are only two of the chick tickets reflected here, and only one of the Jack Black movie? Shouldn't you have eight little movie posters for those two films?"

Here's how that went, I think. The five "Minecraft" and two of the Keira Knightly tickets were one purchase, using my rewards and another $7.  Then Christina purchased one more ticket to the chick flick for her boyfriend, Anthony Brooks, but used my AMC account so I'd get the reward points. My guess is that's why they're shown as they are.

"Hold up, g'friend! She's got a new beau? When did that happen?"

She's actually been dating quite a bit, now that she has Michael and Kaleigh around to help out with the girls. I never got to meet any of the others, so they most def weren't keepers. As for Anthony, it turns out they went to middle school together and recently connected up again through fb. Not only did they have a first date on Friday, but she's met all of his family over the weekend and he's met all of her family as of Monday. 

"Holy Toledo! That gives a whole new meaning to speed dating!!!"

Well, I see it as akin to what happened with Tony and Laura. They knew each other as children, too, then connected on fb once Tony was in Savannah again. That spring of 2018 they had a date, and bada bing bada bang, they were married just four months later. And get this: Mary already know Laura, as they'd lived in the same apartment complex more than thirty years ago. In fact, they know a lot of the same people... and so do Christina and Anthony! Another good thing about this relationship is that he lives in Hinesville. That will make it so much easier for them!

"That's wonderful! Wow. What a small world it is!"

I agree. And get this: he was already familiar with "Pride And Prejudice", as his mom likes it. He hadn't recognized it by name, but he knew the story well. He told me that while we were all eating pizza at Cici's after the shows.

"He sounds like a very nice guy. That's good! And how did the great-nieces like their movie?"

They loved it!!! Michael said he wishes he could have seen the movie years ago when he first started playing the video game. He said the first thirty minutes was all about the unspoken rules that would have been helpful to know. No wonder I didn't get much out of the movie when I saw it... I was not its target demographic! LOL!

"Well, of course you weren't. Now then, when they make a Sudoku movie..."

Ha ha. Yeah, I don't see them ever doing that. Then again, you never know! I've already seen movies that featured crossword puzzles and Scrabble, so that game may get included in one someday. 

"You never know! Now, what can you say about your three with the A*List?"

I saw "The Wedding Banquet" on Friday, before the improv show. That let out at the right time and put me southside, too. The movie was about a pair of lesbians who were trying to get pregnant, and a pair of gays who were living in their basement. One of the guys was in the US on a visa that was going to expire, so he wanted to get married to avoid going back to Korea and running the family business. Problem was his boyfriend of five years wasn't up to that kind of commitment. Very different from my world, but a nice visit!

"Lol! Nicely said! Then there was the music documentary you watched with Carolyn..."

Yes, 'nuff said about that. Ack. But you know which movie was my absolute favorite of the six in the photo? "Sneaks". Can you believe it? Great story, written by the Rob Edwards, the same award-winning man who gave us both "The Princess And The Frog" as well as "Treasure Planet". Great voice cast, with Anthony Mackie, Laurence Fishburne, Martin Lawrence, Macy Gray, and a whole slew of new folks. Good music, too. Honestly, I knew from the previews several weeks ago that I wanted to see this! If I could, I'd see it again next week, but it leaves tomorrow. People are missing out!

"Well, hopefully it'll have a huge following when it hits the streaming markets."

I hope Peacock gets it. Like I said, I'd like to see it again. At least I'll get to see Edward's other new one, as it will still be playing for next week. In fact, the reason I watched "Sneaks" instead of "The King Of Kings" is that the one was leaving and the other was staying, with a full slate of movie times.

"Very good."

You know, every one of the three from my dance card will be gone tomorrow.

"That's odd. Three new movies that only got one week of screen time? That doesn't happen very often."

Nope. I guess I just got lucky! (smile!)

catching up with carolyn!

What better way to do so than in person, after such a lapse?

Having seen Sandy on Friday, I felt the need to connect with mi otra amiga.

When I asked earlier today if she'd yet seen the new documentary with Lennon, she had not, so we immediately made plans to see it together!

Very nice!

Not the movie, but seeing her.

"One To One: John And Yoko" was a train wreck.

Lots of audio clips of snippets of taped phone conversations, with the words also transcribed onto the screen - like, really?

Lots of camera pans of their two-room apartment, especially of the bedroom with the television omnipresent and always on even with no one watching it.

Lots of experiences with Yoko caterwauling as John gave her solo time on stage.

And all of it was just thrown together, as if the director had a severe case of ADHD.

Honestly, it was a relief for both of us when it ended!

i thank You, God, that it was short.

Afterward, we popped over to Carey Hilliard's on Abercorn, providing a bit of deja vu for me, but I didn't mention I'd been there just a few days earlier.

(smile!)

Plenty of menu choices!

That other time I had a bowl of Brunswick Stew and an order of french fries.

This time, it was the Shrimp Salad Plate, with green beans and mac'n'cheese.

Delicious both times!

Carolyn and I talk very easily and always have, so the two hours passed quickly!

Mostly it was stories of life with her cousin Craig, but that was fine.

He's such a hoot!

I encouraged Carolyn to get together with Sandy, and I hope they will.

Maybe the three of us can have an evening soon... that would be good.

Maybe by then I'll even have a phone again that will let me send any photos of such an event to my email.

That would be great!

(smile!)

snakes on a plane?

That is the phrase that popped, unbidden, into my head, and would not leave.

I tried passing it off to folks as a joke.

"Had steaks on a grill at Tony's and Laura's. I keep thinking 'snakes on a plane'. Lol!"

Cousin Penny said, "Yummy! Haven't had a steak in a while! Love you, honey bunny. Have a great week!"

My first niece sent a laughing emoji.

I had no response to that from anyone else.

(Sigh.)

I'll be so glad when April is over.

Grandma's death on April 1, 1997, marked the start of Mama's descent right after her less than four years later.

Then, in 2007, Mother Pat lost her battle to cancer, with her passing hastening the dissolution of my marriage to her son before the year was done.

It's been a stressful month for me ever since 2009, when Daddy and Blaxstone, aka Sam Johnson, both died within a week of each other.

Jean Marie's death in 2017 didn't help, marking the month as something to just get through as best I could, between bouts of teary sobs and general ennui.

I go through the same thing in October. 

(Sigh.)

I would have preferred to have Easter in March, not today.

Getting snubbed by Smitty and Mary and not asked to join the family gathering at their house was just the last straw yesterday.

I hadn't known until I called Tony, to see what he was doing for the holiday.

That's when he told me he thought I'd be going out to Dutch Island.

I haven't been to our brother's house there since... Easter of 2023.

Tyler and Hannah had The Pip and family gatherings for that branch moved to their place instead, as it was easier for the baby boy to keep his schedule.

At least, that's the story I choose to believe.

I know Mary unfriended me on facebook, but I don't know why.

I told Tony and Laura about that today.

I had been in total disbelief when I found she had done so.

However, as I told them, I had called her at home to ask why, leaving the question on their home answering machine, and she had almost immediately friended me again.

Neither Laura nor Tony had any comment at all about that.

Strange, right?

(Sigh.)

On Saturday, I had looked forward to seeing the Hinesville peeps at their Nana's house, here in Savannah, for an egg hunt and cookout.

Instead, the gathering had moved to Ellabell to Tammy's house... and, after looking at the map, and knowing my Garmin Nuvi was dead, I just couldn't chance getting lost in the dark bowels of Georgia countryside again.

So, I had missed out on that.

I had missed out on the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta.

And now I was missing out on Easter with my brothers.

Ah, but not quite.

Although Tony and Laura had "the kids" over for burgers and hotdogs late Saturday afternoon, they were available to cook out on Sunday.

Tony said they'd get some steaks and we'd do that.

Instead, I told him I'd buy the steaks, as I still had SNAP to spend.

I don't know that he caught that, but he told me Laura loved ribeyes...

so that's what I bought.

The four of them ran just over $35.

Wow.

I also brought over the package of mini muffins that had been destined for the Easter egg hunt and cookout at Nana's.

What a lovely luncheon we had, with a Caesar salad, baked potato, and pasta salad!

Afterward, we sat in the back yard for a while, until I knew it was time to go.

 

How so?

Both of them broke out their phones!

Hey, I could take a hint.

They packed me out with the 4th ribeye and the rest of the pasta salad, throwing in two cheeseburgers and three grilled hotdogs from yesterday.

 

I walked back down to my house, as it was a gorgeous day.

Being with family and getting multiple hugs has helped restore my spirit.

The knowledge that the week ahead has my kind of weather helped, too.

i thank You, God.

talking to Mint Fox Naveen

---Chat began at 5:20 PM.

Fox Bot
Welcome to the FoxBot. How may we assist you? You can start by choosing a topic
*

me
I cannot send photos from the Messages app on my phone to the email address on my computer.
I do not have Email set up on my phone. The photo sizes are less than 1M, so that is not an issue. I have restarted my phone multiple times, but still have the problem. The problem started on March 27, when my Mint Mobile phone plan renewed.
*

Fox Bot
I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble sending photos. Since you've already restarted your phone, let's try updating your phone's settings for internet access and picture messaging. Could you let me know if you're using an iOS or Android device? This will help me guide you through the next steps.
*

me
Alcatel GO Flip3
*

Fox Bot
Thank you for letting me know you're using an Alcatel GO Flip3. To update your settings for internet access and picture messaging, please follow these steps:

    Go to your phone's "Settings" menu.
    Select "Network & Connectivity" or "Cellular" (the exact wording may vary).
    Choose "Access Point Names" or "APN."
    You may need to add a new APN or edit the existing one. Ensure the settings match the following:
        APN: wholesale
        MMSC: http://wholesale.mmsmvno.com/mms/wapenc
        MMS Proxy: Leave blank
        MMS Port: Leave blank
    Save the changes and restart your phone.

Please try sending a photo again after updating these settings. Let me know if you need further assistance!
*

Fox Bot
Just checking in! Do you still need help?
*

me
The APN settings on my phone match those, but I still cannot send phone messages.
*

Fox Bot
I apologize for the inconvenience you're experiencing. Since your APN settings are correct and you're still having trouble, it might be best to contact our Care team for further assistance. You can reach them at (800) 683-7392. I recommend using a different device or line of communication to call, so we can troubleshoot your phone without interruption. Is there anything else I can help you with today?
*

me
I do not have another device to call the tech team.
*

Fox Bot
I understand the situation, and I'm sorry for the inconvenience. In this case, you might try reaching out to our Care team through a friend's phone or a public phone if available. Alternatively, you can visit our website and use the chat feature to connect with an agent who can assist you further. Is there anything else I can help you with today?
*

me
I am using the MINT website right now. I need help with a human agent, please.
*

Fox Bot
Is there anything I can help you with? Although I'm a virtual agent I can still answer +100 commonly asked questions.
*

me
You cannot answer the question I gave you. I need a human agent.
*

Fox Bot
Are you sure we can't help you? We can answer majority of things within our site.
*

me
I cannot send photos from the Messages app on my phone to the email address on my computer.
I do not have Email set up on my phone. The photo sizes are less than 1M, so that is not an issue. I have restarted my phone multiple times, but still have the problem. The problem started on March 27, when my Mint Mobile phone plan renewed.
*

Fox Bot
I apologize for the trouble you're experiencing. Since you've already checked your APN settings and the issue persists, it would be best to connect with a human agent for more detailed troubleshooting. You can chat with our Customer Care team at mintmobile.com/chat 24/7. They will be able to assist you further. Is there anything else I can help you with today?
*

me
I am on mintmobile.com/chat now. Please help.
*

Fox Bot
One moment.
*

Fox Bot
Before I add you to the waiting room, could you please provide me with your full name?
*

me
Faustina Smith
*

Fox Bot
Thank you! One last thing, could you also provide me with your Mint phone number?
*

me
xxxx9xxxx8
*

Fox Bot
Thank you! I'll add you to the waiting room.
*

Fox Bot
While I am doing that, would you mind rating your chatbot experience? From 5 (Very Satisfied) to 1 (Very Dissatisfied)?
*

me
3
*

Fox Bot
Check your 5G•4G LTE data allotment, Mint Wallet, or International Roaming balance from the account summary page in the Mint Mobile app. You can also check balances from your Mint Mobile account online if that's your thing.
*

me
I have 4.9G of data remaining this month.
*

Fox Bot
Check your remaining data balances through the Mint Mobile App or by logging into your Mint Mobile online account.
*

me
I just did. My account online reports that I still have 4.9G of Data remaining for this month.
*

Fox Bot
Thank you for checking your data balance, Faustina. Since you've confirmed that you have sufficient data and the issue persists, I recommend reaching out to our Customer Care team for further assistance. You can connect with a human agent through our chat feature at mintmobile.com/chat 24/7. They will be able to provide more detailed troubleshooting to resolve your issue. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
*

me
I am already in the waiting room on mintmobile.com/chat.
*

Fox Bot
I understand, Faustina. Since you're already in the waiting room on mintmobile.com/chat, a human agent will be with you shortly to assist you further. If there's anything else I can help you with in the meantime, please let me know. Thank you for choosing Mint Mobile!

*
 

--- seen 5:32 PM

--------------------------
Fox Bot
Just checking in! Do you still need help?
*

me
Yes.
*

Fox Bot
Still need help? No problem! What would you like to do?
*

me
Send photos using the message app on my phone.
*

Fox Bot
Aw Fox. What issue are you experiencing?
*

me
I cannot send photos from the Messages app on my phone to the email address on my computer.
I do not have Email set up on my phone. The photo sizes are less than 1M, so that is not an issue. I have restarted my phone multiple times, but still have the problem. The problem started on March 27, when my Mint Mobile phone plan renewed.
*

Fox Bot
I understand you're having trouble sending photos from your Messages app to an email address. Since you mentioned that the issue started after your Mint Mobile plan renewed, let's try a few steps to troubleshoot this:

    Check MMS Settings: Ensure that MMS messaging is enabled on your phone. You can usually find this in your phone's messaging settings.

    Network Connection: Make sure your phone is connected to the internet, either through Wi-Fi or mobile data. Try switching between them to see if it resolves the issue.

    Carrier Settings Update: Sometimes, updating your carrier settings can help. Go to your phone's settings and look for any available updates.

    APN Settings: Verify that your Access Point Name (APN) settings are correct for Mint Mobile. Incorrect APN settings can affect MMS functionality.

If you've tried these steps and the issue persists, I recommend reaching out to our Customer Care team for further assistance. You can connect with a human agent through our chat feature at mintmobile.com/chat 24/7. They will be able to provide more detailed troubleshooting to resolve your issue. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
*

me
I need a human agent. I have already done all the steps you listed. I am still waiting for a human agent.
*

Fox Bot
One moment.
*

Fox Bot
Before I add you to the waiting room, could you please provide me with your full name?
*

me
Faustina Smith
*

Fox Bot
Thank you! One last thing, could you also provide me with your Mint phone number?
*

me
xxxx9xxxx8
*

Fox Bot
Thank you! I'll add you to the waiting room.
*

Fox Bot
While I am doing that, would you mind rating your chatbot experience? From 5 (Very Satisfied) to 1 (Very Dissatisfied)?
*

me
1
*

Fox Bot
Thank you, please wait for the next available agent
*

Mint Fox
Hey there! Thank you for contacting Mint Mobile. My name is Naveen. How are you today? How can I help?
*

me
I have been better.
I cannot send photos from the Messages app on my phone to the email address on my computer.
I do not have Email set up on my phone. The photo sizes are less than 1M, so that is not an issue. I have restarted my phone multiple times, but still have the problem. The problem started on March 27, when my Mint Mobile phone plan renewed.
*

--- seen 5:41

Mint Fox
Thank you so much for validating the account. Upon checking, the account is all good. As you confirm, you are not able to share the images from messaging to an email address less than 1 MB.
I request you to share the images from the gallery or photos to your email address.
*

me
That is what I have not been able to do. I can send photos with the messages app to other phones, but I cannot send the photos to my email account on my computer.
The messages app says the photos are sent to the email, but they never arrive.
I have tried two different email addresses, but I still cannot send photos using the Messages app on my phone.
*

--- Delivered 5:48 PM

mint fox
What email address that you are trying to send the images. Can you please share the email address here?
*

me
fsmithxxxxx@comcast.net
I just now took a photo and tried to message it to that email address. The messages app says it sent the photo message, but it has not arrived at the email.
*

Mint Fox
Can you please try using @tmomail.net?
*

me
How would I do that?
I do not have an email address at that address.
*

Mint Fox
Please try to send the email using this format (phonenumber@tmomail.net).
*

me
I'm trying to send photos, not emails. I am trying to send photos from my phone to my email on my computer.
*

Mint Fox
I email account problems, attachment size limits, or problems with the Messages app itself.
can you please clear/delete the cache memory on the messaging application and try it.
*

me
I do not know how to do that.
My phone is Alcatel GO Flip3
*

Mint Fox
navigate to the phone's settings, then to the "Apps" or "Applications" section, find the messaging app, and then clear its cache or data.
*

me
I cannot find that on my Alcatel GO Flip3. I am looking in its Settings and there is nothing about clearing the Messages app.
*

Mint Fox
Are you able to see the Apps?
*

me
Yes.
*

Mint Fox
Sounds good. Click on the apps and searching for the messaging appilication.
*
 
me
The Messages app has the following settings. Text Messaging (SIMS): Delivery report, SIMS encoding, Read report, Auto Retrieve Messages, Wap push, Wireless emergency alerts.
*

Mint Fox
Can I have the screenshot of that page? so that I cna assist you better.
*

me
LOL! My phone is not a smart phone. So I cannot take a screen shot on it.
I am chatting with you via my computer.
*

--- Seen 6:14 PM

Mint Fox
Upon checking the Alcatel GO Flip3 it is not the smartphone to share the phone to your email. So, please make sure to use smart phone to share the images to your email. Thanks for understanding.
*

me
You are not correct.
I have been using my Alcatel GO Flip3 to send photos from that phone to my email for YEARS.
*

Mint Fox
The laternative way is to share your phone to the smart phone via Bluetooth and then you can send the images to your email
*

me
I only started having a problem after I renewed my annual phone plan with MINT in March.
I do not have Bluetooth.
*

Mint Fox
Just to let you know, it is not the issue with the plan renewal. Upon checking the Alcatel GO Flip3 supports with the Bluetooth.
*

me
You are not listening to me. I have had MINT for three years. I have had this phone for longer than that. I have sent photos from this phone to my email on my computer until March 27, 2025, when my MINT plan renewed.
I have NEVER used Bluetooth with my phone.
I have NEVER used Bluetooth with ANY phone, ever.
*

Mint Fox
So sorry for that, I'm trying my best to help you. Here in MINT we can only be able to help you with call, text and, data issue.
Apart from that if you are having any issue, please contact device care support team. They will check and help you
*

me
Could I please talk with someone else, someone who knows about Alcatel GO Flip3 phones. The last time I had this problem was in 2023, when I renewed my MINT plan.
The human agent then had me reset the APN settings. I have tried those same steps this time, but to no avail. That is why I need assistance.
Here is where I wrote about that in my blog. https://beachwalksoffaustina.blogspot.com/2023/02/yes-i-can-do-that-mint.html
*

----Seen 6:27 PM

Mint Fox
Thanks for your update. can you please try to send the email again and check it.
Are we still connected?
*

Mint Fox
Hi there! I hope you are well. If you are busy and I don’t hear back from you, I may need to end our chat for now. Don’t worry—I will write down all the important details in the case notes. This way, we can easily continue when you are ready to reconnect. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Keep typing to start a new chat, and our next agent will be happy to pick up from where we left off. Thank you for contacting Mint Mobile and have a wonderful rest of your day!
Use this link to reach us back- https://www.mintmobile.com/help-center/
*

me
I am here!
*

Mint Fox
Thanks for response.
Have you check the you have received the images on email or not?
*

me
I sent the photo via Message App to my email on my computer. The photo never came.
*

Mint Fox
So sad to hear that. As I check with my team, they suggested reaching out to the device manufacturer to sort this out, because we have done all the possibilities on my end to resolve the issue, but it has not worked
*

me
Here is my problem with that.
Everything has been fine, same as it ever was, for the last two years, until March 27, when I renewed my MINT plan.
Nothing has changed with my phone.
Nothing has changed with my method of sending photos to my computer email, using Messages on my phone.
The only thing which has changed is the renewal of my annual plan.
*

---Seen 6:44 PM

Mint Fox
I certainly understand, and as I mentioned earlier, there is no issue from our end, and also renewing the plan will not affect any device settings. It seems like your device is no longer supporting to send the images via email. To get this fixed only option isto contact Alcatel
*

me
I can send photos through the Messages App to other phones with no problem.
If my phone can send photos through the Messages app to other phones, why can't it send photos through the Messages app to my email???
They are still the same photos.
It makes no sense.
*

Mint Fox
I understand your concern; upon checking on our side, it is all good. I request that you cross-check with the device manufacturer to fix this issue. If not, please feel free to reach out to us.
No worries! I will mention everything about your concern in the note of your account and convey our next agent to check it.
*

me
Thank you.
*

---Seen 6:50 PM

Mint Fox
I'm thankful for your patience and cooperation, and understanding throughout the chat.
Is there anything else I can assist you with?
*

me
No, that's the only problem I have. Very frustrating. I have been having to send my photos to my niece's phone, then she sends them to my email. Very frustrating.
*

---Delivered 6:52 PM

me
Thank you. Goodbye.
*

Mint Fox
Please be patient. i totally understand your situation. I have helped you with your issue according to my knowledge, and I have checked with Google to sort out this, but the issue is not fixed. That is the reason I suggest you to contact the device manufacturer to help you with the further or latest device settings on yoru phone.Thanks for understanding.
Thanks for chatting with me today. Once again, this is Naveen, thank you for contacting Mint Customer Care.
Remember that if you have any further questions, you can always reach us here.
Have a wonderful rest of your day!!
*

6:55 PM
-----------------------

 

I am just so aggravated.

That's yet another slice of time - about 90 minutes - spent futilely.

This is my third attempt to get help with this problem, and Mint Mobile has been absolutely stymied and not helpful.

I've had this phone since late March of 2021, when T-Mobile changed the cell towers and they would no longer "hear" my phone's 3G calls, nor were they allowing others to call me on my phone, whether I was in my home or out and about.

The most aggravating thing about that?

They didn't bother to advise me of that change to their towers.

I didn't find out until I went to the T-Mobile office to have them figure out what was wrong and that's when they let me know.

 

I have to wonder if the new underground fiber optic cables mean that T-Mobile has again altered something that's affecting my phone. 

Come to think of it, they were working on my side of the street on March 26.

The photo in my last post of that day may be the last photo I was able to send to my email without my first niece's intervention. 

It may be happenstance that the change to fiber optics in my neighborhood coincided with the renewal of my annual Mint Mobile phone plan.

Right?

Damn.

Damn.

Damn.

I do loathe the thought of having to set up a new phone.

This is all just a little much for me to handle at this sad time of year.