bday67 girls' trip: birthday pool party for me!!!

Shhh... don't tell the other guests, but that so-called "Volcano Pool Grand Opening Celebration!!!" was really all about me!

 

Why else would the emcee keep looking at me when she was talking about the renovation and the re-painting of the volcano?

She knew the party was for me!!!

And a party it was!

Grilled hamburgers and hotdogs with all the fixings available, a large variety of chips and cookies and drinks, even potato salad (for those who eat such things)!

Music, music, music, with a live deejay and songs on request!

 

There were even two huge beach balls and several inner tube floats for anyone to play with, much to the delight of young and old(er) pool fans!

Chloe and Miyah are chasing after it in this shot, snapped in late morning.

They had convinced me to take them to the pool, while their mom was still sleeping, so we'd gone, though I didn't actually get in the pool until later.

I had wanted to let Christina sleep as long as she could!

After all, this was Saturday, the one day of the week she gets to sleep in, and I knew that would be a great start for her vacation.

(smile!)

After the free bday67 lunch, that's when I went back to the condo and changed.

Time for me to dance and play in the pool, too!!!

The water was a bit chilly at first, but I warmed up to it.

(Just a little pun there, y'all!)

Playing under that waterfall was lots of fun for me and the girls!

Christina found some folks and played 'pass the giant beach ball'!

Then, guess what?

There was a hula hoop contest... and she entered it!

She spun the hoops on her arm, first spinning just one, then two, then... three!!!

She won first place, too and is shown here wearing her prize: green-rimmed sunglasses!!!

Hahahaha!

That's why she entered: she'd left hers in the condo and didn't want to leave.

Hahahaha!!!

That's because Cypress Pointe supplied free dessert at 3 PM.

Hawaiian shaved ice, free for all, with a variety of flavors!

I had lemon!!!

We stayed another couple of hours then finally returned to the condo to shower and change clothes and wash hair.

Christina and Chloe went off to Aldi's while Miyah and I took "a walk".

Yep, back to the giant chess game we went for a rematch!

That game wasn't completed, either, as we were called back for spaghetti and ice cream... then a second trip to the pool for the girls.

What a wonderful day!

(smile!)

bday67 girls' trip: arrival day!

"Girls' trip??? Who were you with? Where did you go?"

 

You know who! Christina, Miyah, and Chloe! Just us girls, no boys allowed!!! As this was for my birthday vacation, I got to set the rules and that was the main one. The two-bedroom condo at HGV Cypress Pointe Resort could sleep six, so Christina checked to see if Michael's girls wanted to come along. NOPE!!! Leila and Alyssa were adamant that they would only go if their Daddy could go. NOPE!!! I had booked this through the Armed Forces Vacation Club and they were adamant that the maximum of 6 persons could not be altered. So, the four of us it would be!

 

"Wait, wait, you said HGV. Don't you mean DRI?"

 

Seriously, I know you remember that Diamond Resorts is no more, right? That we had to pay $4000 to get loose from their clutches, right? Hilton Grande Vacations is the new corporate owner, but I don't know that they're much better. I don't know, they did listen last year and make things right for our Kissimmee trip that started so badly. I'll see how it goes this year. They have already tried to get us to go to one of their "90-minute" talks, but I told them "no, thanks". Christina said she is considering it, but I need to make sure she understands how their loopholes work for those promised 'gifts'.

 

"Yeah, I know all about those promises. Glad you're giving them another chance, both AFVC and HGV. And I notice you made damned sure to have a Friday check-in. Good!"

 

Oh, you betcha! The check-in went without a hitch this time, too. And when I asked Vanessa if we could have a first-floor condo, as "my niece recently had knee surgery", she complied at once! We have unit 1102-A, a beautiful space that faces the lake and fountain at the entrance to Cypress Pointe. Fabulous!!! The girls want to live here - lol!

 

"I'm sure they do! Hahahaha! They have no concept of money, do they?"

 

Most assuredly they do not. Still, they can be quite delightful! Ever since Memorial Day, Miyah has started asking me to 'take a walk with her', though I know she has ulterior motives. (smile!) This time, she would have been trapped in the condo, awaiting the arrival of groceries, and that just would not do. Nope, not at all! She had planned on it just being me and her, but Chloe needed to walk around, too, after that long ride here. We ended up at the Chess Game in the recreation area.

 

"Very cool! Did Miyah beat you? As I recall, she was touted as being quite gifted with that game and checkers."

 

She is definitely out of practice. She didn't even remember how some of the pieces moved, and I was a little rusty on that myself. Still, I was better versed in it than she was and she lost several pieces, including a knight and a bishop. Maybe she will fare better next time we play. I know Chloe was relieved when Christina texted to say it was time to return to the condo. She had been so bored!

 

"Yes, I am sure. Chess is a two-person game, so all she could do was watch."

 

Yes, I know. I told her she could play the winner, but we didn't get that far. Still, she was very happy after dinner: Christina took them to the pool!!! I was very happy because we had pizza for dinner! Store-bought pizza, cooked right there in the condo's oven! Yum! Yes, this has been a most excellent beginning to our vacation!

adulting, pre-birthday

 

Up at 0730 this morning I was.

I had an 0930 appointment with Dr. Urban at the Savannah VA.

I thought it was about the episodes of blurry vision I've been having for about a year.

Nope - I was there for new eyeglasses!

When I asked him about the blurriness, he told me those were acephalgic migraines and were a malfunction not of my eyes, but of the occipital lobe of my brain.

He suggested I see a neurologist about that.

I'll be sure to bring that up with my PCP in July.

After I left him, I picked out the new frames for my bday67 eyeglasses.

The ones I chose look like caramel candy!

I certainly won't mistake them for any of the others I've had.

My next destination was the Chatham County center, as I had the house property taxes to be paid by June 1st and the car tag renewal due by month's end.

I left there $339.83 poorer, but at least those two tasks were done.

Off to perform early voting was the next item on my list!

The members of the Public Service Commission were up for election - or reelection - on June 17, but I got it done today.

My civic duty completed, off I went to Kayak Kafe Midtown.

They had a $5 birthday gift waiting for me, so I had the short rib mac'n'cheese, with Hunter - the very one who had first turned me on to that dish - as my waiter.

Very nice!

Then to home I went, to relax for a while until my first niece called.

She has to get new tires on the back of her van, so I've let her use my Firestone card to make that happen.

I am so looking forward to our girls' trip to Cypress Pointe!

Are we there yet?

another change in the weather, another party!

What's that about the weather?

When I pulled up the WSAV weather song, here's what I got: not the solid week of rain forecast yesterday, but a hodgepodge of sun and showers.

Sweet!!!

Based on that, I agreed to head out to Guyton for the family barbeque at my outlaw Melinda's home!

Matt had apparently been cooking ribs all morning... yum!

Of course, I got there late, as I got lost twice... but I got there!

When I did, I was greeted by Matt and Melinda, Michael and his twins, Christina and her girls and her boyfriend, Venita, as well as Christina's bestie, Heather, and her husband and two kids.

But that wasn't all of us yet!

Matt's mom, Mary, and one of his sisters came along a little after me.

What a crowd!!!

And what a feast this time, too!

Matt had cooked ribs and hotdogs, Melinda had corn on the cob, Christina brought baked beans and peach cobbler, Michael had peanut butter pie, Heather had banana pudding, Venita made Million dollar pie, Heather brought potato salad, and Anthony had Italian cucumber salad... 

and I had some of almost all of it!

 

I dined alongside Matt and Melinda, plus the glowing Chelsea and her tickled-pink Dillon - yes, those two are expecting a December baby to add to their family!

Very nice!

After the Memorial Day barbeque, I went for a walk with Miyah.

Hey, she asked me to do that... so of course I went!

What a chatty little girl she is!

I love that she feels she can talk to me about anything!!!

Yes, I know she still likes me... and I like her, too.

Very nice!

I know Alyssa likes me, too, though we don't seem to get much opportunity to get to know each other better.

I hope to rectify that this summer, maybe get her to work on a puzzle or play a game with me.

That would be very nice!

 

Christina, Michael, Chelsea, Anthony, Heather, and Zoe all played a game of "Uno, No Mercy" after the table was cleared.

It's a family tradition to play some kind of card game or such.

Very nice.

It's not just a game, it's a way to socialize, for both them and for those watching from the sidelines, like me.

Still, the time got close to 4 PM and it was time for me to go.

I'd arranged with Venita to follow her back to Savannah, so that's what we did.

She went a little different way than I had, but also steered clear of I-16 as I had.

Then, at last, we got where I knew the road: we were back to 21-South in Garden City!!!

Hooray!!!

I waved to her as I pulled up alongside her there and blew her a kiss!

I also left her a message on fb a few minutes ago, saying "I'd follow you anywhere, Venita Johnson!"

 

Plus my odometer had a special mileage when I got home.

241404 

Right place, right time.

Hooray!!!

 

Oh, one last word about the weather: it rained.

Not just a quick fifteen-minute shower and done, either.

It came down in buckets, starting just before we got to GA-21S and continuing all the way back to Savannah.

That was okay, though.

I knew where I was and night had not yet fallen.

Plus, with Venita leading the way, I'd made it home in the 46 minutes that Google maps said the journey would take.

i thank You, God!

C-C-CRRRAAACCCKKKKK!!!

Nope, that was not the sound of a bat sending a ball hurtling over the wall for a home run - I wish!

That was a good old-fashioned summer thunderstorm tossing lightning bolts and sending trees to the ground...

along with a power line or two or three...

putting this entire midtown neighborhood into a state of no electricity for a solid six hours.

Wow.

Fortunately, we had all convened at Tony and Laura's mere minutes before the first raindrops fell.

Fortunately, Tony had nearly finished grilling all the meats before the deluge of heavy rain set in.

Fortunately, Laura had nearly finished all the side dishes before the power went out.

Fortunately, the temperatures were milder than they've been for two weeks -

and the storm brought with it a cooling breeze -

so we threw open the blinds for light and the doors for a draft -

and we were perfectly comfortable this afternoon. 

i thank You, God.

Tony phoned me yesterday to invite me over.

His daughter, Hope, would be there with her two sons and her boyfriend.

His son, Damon, would be there.

Laura's eldest son, Josh, would be there with his son and two daughters.

They wanted me to be part of the Memorial Day celebration!

So, of course I went!

I'd never met Josh and it was wonderful to get to talk to his son, Ivan, and older daughter, Payton, about science and theater and all that good stuff!

The younger daughter, Evagene, was about 7 and very busy playing noisily with Sebi and Bert most of the time.

Still, I did have some good talks with Derrick and Hope and Damon!

Very nice!

And we all dined like kings on the feast before us: grilled hamburgers, sausages, and hotdogs, coleslaw with lime and cilantro (wow, what a taste sensation!), baked beans, broccoli salad, three kinds of chips, and watermelon for dessert.

Very nice!

 

Josh and his family are in town hoping for some beach days.

I sure hope that works out for them!

If they go in the mornings, they will be fine, as these thunderstorms are all to be in the afternoons and evenings.

The celebration at my youngest brother's had begun at 2 PM.

The rain had started about then, fairly gentle stuff, then got harder after about a half hour and persisted as a storm for at least another thirty minutes.

The electricity went out at 3:14 PM, according to Georgia Power.

We all continued partying and enjoying each other's company until about 5 PM.

Laura generously sent us all home with dinner - hooray!

i thank You, God.

 

I took a little nap, as I'd pulled a muscle in my lower back yesterday.

I woke about 7 PM, with the light outside beginning to dim.

As there was still no power, I went to a movie at AMC  - hooray!

I caught the last hour or so of "Thunderbolts", which was perfect for me.

That's when Yelena and her dad start mending their family rift.

 

And when I came home, my little yellow porch light was on - hooray! 

The message in my email from Georgia Power marked the time of restoration of electricity as 9:13 PM.

i thank You, God.

radical shift

I'm talkin' 'bout the weather 'round here.

The last time I checked, which was Wednesday, there was nothing but sunshine and heat, making it perfect for this weekend's traditional Memorial Day beach-going.

See what I mean?

Blue skies and no threat of even a drizzle to dampen spirits, not until Tuesday!

 

 

 

Then, last night, Dood called to invite me to his house for a cookout - hooray!

But he said somethin' 'bout trying to schedule between the thunderstorms.

That couldn't be right, those weren't due until Tuesday.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, nope.

That's all changed radically, with the storms starting three days earlier.

Glad I got the yards mowed this week.

helping others, gift for me from strangers

I deliberately left this weekend 'light'.

That means I didn't have myself booked solid.

After all, it is a holiday weekend and invitations may arise from thin air...

and so they did.

i thank You, God.

One of those invitations was to the second work day for the upcoming VBS at Asbury Memorial.

I spotted the call for volunteers on fb, so I made a firm plan to be there.

Yes, even though it was to begin at 10 AM on a Saturday.

I made it by 10:30 and was promptly put to work by Tim Steinhausen to cut the kraft paper that would be used to protect the stage from paint.

Then I helped JayJay in his quest to make a sixteen-foot paper snake out of slips of neon green construction paper.

We developed an assembly line, with him drawing a design on each slip, then me curling the slip and stapling it in place for a reticulated beast.

We finished it, too, and I even fashioned a head for it!

I also helped Linda Combs with the mock-up of the Tybee Lighthouse that she was creating form duck cloth, black felt, and a triangular metal stand.

JayJay and I also made 'algae' from long strips of dark green plastic cut from tablecloths.

Karen Townsend also made 'algae', but from a lighter green plastic.

Then Bridget Kincade hung those long strips from the ceiling in both back corners of Holliday Hall, artistically creating an underwater area - very nice!

Meanwhile, Tim put Karen's son, Bernard, to work painting the 'ocean' onto the paper covering the stage, setting JayJay to helping with that.

By the time we left today around 2:30 PM, the stage had an 'ocean', a lighthouse, a couple of palm trees, and even a dock for the boat which was to be built.

Such fun!

I'm glad I was there to volunteer my services!

 

I wasn't home an hour when Christina called. 

She was in town, with Anthony, who had driven two people from Pooler out to Greenwich Cemetery to visit family.

Oh!

I had thought of going there when I left Asbury, but hadn't.

Off I went to meet up with them... and we passed each other on Bonaventure Road, them leaving as I was going in.

She texted to say as much, then added that they were going to Carey Hilliard's on Skidaway if I wanted to join them.

That's exactly what I did, too, after cleaning up shredded flowers for Mama.

(smile!)

 

Marie and Will were the couple Anthony had chauffeured, and that had been their first visit to his brother's grave in four years.

She was my age, he was 78, and they'd been together for over a decade.

I made myself sociable, sharing stories with them from my day of being creative, from my time in the Navy, from my time at college, from my own family there at Greenwich.

We five really did have a lovely time there together!

How do I know?

We were there for two hours!

And, at the end of the meal, Marie and Will insisted on paying the tab for all of us.

How very considerate of them to include Christina and I with their generosity!

I even came home with food: half of Anthony's shrimp salad and about a third of the large order of fried onion rings.

That latter will go into a frittata in tomorrow's breakfast!

Thank you, Marie and Will, for these unexpected bday67 gifts!

bday67 luncheon! bday67 with brothers! bday67 pinter play!

Thank you, Yvonne!!!

When I texted her last night to say, "Lunch maybe? Tomorrow or Mon? Houlihans? Kayak? Both?", she'd responded, "Tomorrow? Toni? Houlihan's? Time?" - hooray!

"Yes! High noon!"

After all, that's our time for luncheons.

(smile!)

Did I get a photo of the three of us?

Surprisingly, no.

We were there nearly three hours, but somehow not one photo did I take manage to take.

I guess we were too busy talking and having a good time!

So, all I have to commemorate this bday67 event is this email flyer from the restaurant, granting me a free lunch - up to $15 - if someone else also dined.

Thanks, Yvonne, for "buying" my lunch!!!

And thanks, Toni, for buying dessert for all three of us!

I still cannot believe the waitress thought we'd be able to eat three of those Salted Caramel Ooey Gooey Cakes - hahahaha!!!

We barely finished the one serving of all that sweetness!

(smile!)

 

Two hours later, Smitty sent me a text.

"Hey, we are going to Castaway today."

What, not to Jalapenos?

No, Laura wanted to check out this place.

Yes, the time was still 5PM.

Cool beans, I was up for a change of venue!

Not that it mattered, as I was still too full to eat.

I just wanted to spend time with both of my brothers tonight!

And that's exactly what I did, too!

Mary and Laura were there, too, of course, and I sat across from Mary and chatted quite a bit!

Then most of the Kameron contingent arrived: Betsy, Jimmy, Addison, Becca!

Mark never did make it, having been hung up on a job in Beaufort.

Oh, well!

I started out beside Smitty, then Tony made him switch seats when Jimmy arrived, so the Dood could chat me up - lol!

They all kept trying to get me to order, but I abstained.

Too full, too full... but how wonderful to see them all again!

(smile!) 

I left shortly after their food arrived, but not before taking a group photo of them!

Maybe I can get that posted here one day... but not today!

My phone is still not able to send photos to my email.

However, the printer scans programs just fine!!!

Here's the one that I found out about on Wednesday.

Yes, like just two days ago!

Savannah Country Day School had posted on fb about a "Senior Project" and asking folks to "please come to it on Friday".

Well, alrighty then!

So much for the Cinema Savannah screening of "Malena" -

so much for the "Sea Of Ink" night at the Ships of the Sea Museum" -

so much for "Drowsy Chaperone" - this time by SCAD - at the Lucas Theatre -

my plans changed justthatfast!

I'm so glad they did!

SCDS not only had the play by Harold Pinter for free, but so were all the snacks and drinks.

They were clearing it all out, as Jenkins Auditorium would be dark until the fall.

Happy birthday to me!

Plus, Henry Dickerson came and hugged me before the play began!

I had not realized he's a senior and this was his farewell gig, serving as Artistic Director for "Betrayal" - wow!

Such an adult-themed play for all these young people to perform!

See, "Betrayal" is the 1978 play built on Pinter's own affair with a married woman, and this one centers on the cuckold husband, the wife that he is cheating on, and the one screwing her, who is the husband's best friend.

I told Henry before the play that I hoped none of these young actors had ever had those experiences.

He gave me an odd smile, that let me know that he was surprised I knew so much about this bit of drama.

Hey, I did my homework on this time-jumping piece, right?

Glad I did!

Glad I was there!

I know I'll never get a chance to see this again -

that makes it a perfect birthday gift -

something completely different from what the other troupes offer.

(smile!)

1 and 1/2 dance cards for 2 weeks

 

I did it!

I watched four movies on AMC's dime this week!

I also cashed in on the large popcorn and large drink as my bday67 gift from them!

Woohoo!!!

Last week, I only managed to see two movies, so I put forth a little effort to go for the whole A*List benefit this time... and succeeded!

So, that's six movies over these two weeks... which would have been a normal haul until the change in A*List perks.

Yeah, I can live with that!

Five of those I saw were new, or rather, new to me.

"Fight Or Flight", the new Josh Brolin action flick, was a lot of fun and very fast-paced, with good bits of humor.

It really reminded me of "Bullet Train", just on a huge - and very nice! - airplane.

"Shadow Force" was also very fast-paced, very full of action, but was all about keeping a son safe from the malefactors that were after his parents.

Plus, I kept thinking of Donna Summer every time I saw Kerry Washington, flashing me back to the action flicks of the disco era, so, there's that.

(smile!)

This week I've seen a movie a day since Monday.

That first was "Warfare", which I've already addressed.

Tina Tuesday was "Hurry Up Tomorrow", one I'd looked forward to as it featured The Weeknd, but I had anticipated an actual movie.

Nope.

It was more like an extended music video with many of his songs... and not a particularly good music video.

It certainly wasn't anything I'd ever watch again.

Yesterday, I wanted something I knew I'd like, so back to "Sinners" I went yet again!

Very good move.

That is such an amazingly well-done film... and the music rocks out!!!

The music rocked in the one today, too: Elvis, Elvis, Elvis!!!

I chose the 3-D version of "Lilo & Stitch", just because the time of the screening worked best for me.

How wonderful to find that this quasi-live action-animation was so true to the original!

I had been concerned, as I'm due to see this on my bday67 vacation with the biggest fan of the movie e-v-e-r - she even has a tattoo from the movie on her wrist - and I wanted to make sure she would be pleased.

I'm sure Christina Ann will love it.

That's good.

And now, as I've already seen it, I can be the one to take Miyah and Chloe to the bathroom if they have to go during our outing.

That's really good.

Mission accomplished!

(smile!) 

happy anniversary, balinda and brant

I try to remember celebrations of weddings past that I was part of, and this was one of those.

We were all stationed at Imperial Beach, the Naval station in the southernmost part of San Diego, California. 

I remember giving blood showing up to work that evening with a bruise at the injection site.

As soon as Balinda Morris saw it, she had a fit!

"Who did that to you?" she demanded, "I'll make sure they never do it again!"

Feisty, yes, and also one of the sweetest people you'd ever meet.

(smile!)

When she and Brant Dixon got married on May 15, 1983, I was right there as her matron of honor, wearing a long, sleeveless, summer dress I'd made. 

The only reason I recall that dress is that Brant posted it on fb a few years back.

(smile!)

After many years of having lost touch, fb helped us find each other.

Yes, they were decades older, as was I.

But he still had that twinkle in his eye and she still had that gentle smile.

They were living in Oregon, her home state, and had raised a son, Terrance, and were enjoying a quiet life on their piece of land.

Very nice!

I toyed with the idea of going out there for a visit, but never did, nor did they venture here.

The last time I saw Balinda was in Pensacola, Florida, though I cannot recall the occasion.

All I know is Peggy Arkills was there, as well as us, and we three former military buddies spent an afternoon or so catching up.

Perhaps Peggy had been retiring from the Navy... but I don't know.

Perhaps that was shortly after Brant found me on fb... but I don't recall.

Too much time has passed.

And, now, so has he.

Brant E. Dixon II had heart surgery in January this year and something went amiss, leading to his death.

He was around 66 years old.

Balinda had a stroke last year and was still trying to recover.

She will be 63 this year.

A friend posted a Go Fund Me page to help pay his funeral costs.

 

That's been all I've heard since then... until fb posted a memory today that was dated May 22, 2014.

Today, the day which would have been a week after their 42nd anniversary.

The post was one from Brant, the only one of them who was active on that site.

He had posted this photo and he'd tagged me.

I'd responded, "Thanks, Brant! What lovely, feathery fluffs!"

"Just for you. Had your name written all over it.", was his reply.

 

I don't know why that popped up today.

I cannot ever remember it landing in my feed on previous anniversaries of that date.

Maybe my continuous searches for his obituary brought me this bit of solace.

Yes, I will choose to believe that.

Happy anniversary to them both.

skio evening! bday67 deli dinner!

"You had an event at the UGA Skidaway Island Institute of Oceanography?"

I did! They've recently started up their "Evenings At Skidaway" lecture series, having paused it during the Covid-19 pandemic. The one tonight reminded me of my doctoral work with its title: "Microplastics, Macro Problems: How Tiny Plastics Impact Our Health".

"Yes, that is quite a mouthful, too! How well was it attended?"

Surprisingly well! Perhaps having it there on Skidaway Island, home of so many retired scientists and others from big corporations in the northeastern states, helped draw in the audience. I noticed afterward that hardly anyone was going back toward town over the Diamond Causeway with me. I saw some familiar faces in the crowd of folks who support a wide range of the cultural arts in Savannah, kinda sorta like I do. The difference is I support primarily with my presence, as a volunteer or audience member; these people support from the audience, but also with sponsorships.

"I see."

All told, there were 40 to 50 folks there for the reception and talk by Dr. Jay Brandes. This was his second lecture on this topic, though this one had a lot more emphasis on potential health concerns. I was one of the first ones there tonight. As I told Jackson Schroeder, the one in charge of this interface with the public, I came early to make sure I didn't get lost! I also thanked him for the gorgeous fruit - with nary a strawberry in sight!!! I had two helpings of the cantaloupe, pineapple, and grapes!

"Good for them! So many times you can't have any of the fruit because of the presence of strawberries. I realize a lot of folks like them, but there are a surprising number who are allergic, like you are."

Right? I was so pleased with that! Overall, I was quite pleased with the lecture, too, as I learned something new. Everyone talks about microplastics and much of the blame gets shifted onto plastic bags and plastic bottles, but those aren't the major culprit. Textiles are. Over 70 % of the microplastics polluting our water and our air are from clothing made of nylons, rayons, polyesters, polyvinyl chlorides, and blends that incorporate those synthetics with natural fibers. Our comfortable clothing is going to kill us!

"That sounds a bit overly dramatic, dear."

Yes, a little, but I did that for emphasis. I had thought that microplastics were spherical entities, but it turns out that the vast majority are actually fibrous. They are tiny little fibers that we breathe in, tiny little fibers that we drink in our beverages, tiny little fibers that we eat in our foods, tiny little fibers that have been found in arterial plaques in carotid arteries of humans for the past decade... and no doubt in plaques lining the arteries in other fauna on Earth.

"Wow. I bet that alarmed a lot of folks there."

It did, but not in the right way. The reaction should have been 'how do we stop the manufacture of that fabric for clothing'. The real reaction, though, was 'how do we stop having microplastics in the water we drink'. They missed the point.

"That point being...?"

Polyesters have been used in textiles since the 1960's, at the very least. That means those fabrics have been on this planet, shedding fibers, for at least six decades. Those microplastic fibers have been shed from the time of manufacture to the making of the clothing and wearing of the clothing and laundering of the clothing. Just because we didn't know about the problem of microplastics existing until twenty years ago is not germane. Microplastics have been with us for three generations now, or more. Nothing we do now to filter them from the water or air in our homes is going to be of benefit. Folks just don't seem to get that. Not even Dr. Brandes seemed to understand that. He talked of using the Millipore filter in his laboratory to clean his drinking water, but that only pertains to now, not the many years of his life that he didn't have one of those scientific tools at hand.

"Oh. Oh! It's like the whole thing with the coronavirus. The general public didn't understand that the alien beast was everywhere, because the general public doesn't understand about things they cannot see."

Exactly. The true emphasis on tonight's lecture was to encourage research into any effects, ill or beneficial, that microplastics may be causing humans. Dr. Brandes emphasized that his specialty was not in that area; he was simply presenting some food for thought. Those last are my words, not his. I'm hoping some of those in the audience are grandparents of future scientists that can be part of that type of research. We need that.

"Heard. Oh, you aren't done yet, are you? You said something about dinner?"

I did! I knew I had ten bucks of Deli Dollars at Jason's Deli, so I swung in there on the way home. I ordered the Salad Bar, to-go... and paid absolutely nothing!!! "Happy birthday to me!" I told the cashier! Then I prepared broccoli salad atop spinach, southwest salad atop romaine, grabbed some red pepper and red onion rings, got a dollop of red pepper hummus, put three eggs into a to-go cup, and filled the paper bag with toast rounds. Yes, I did! That will definitely be three meals. Thanks for the bday67 treats!

military: past, present, future, kinda sorta

I hadn't woken up with the thought to have "military" as a theme for the day, but that's certainly how it's been.

The past was represented by the movie, "Warfare", which I've abstained from seeing until now.

I happened to catch a panel discussion with the writer-directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland as well as a couple of others.

It's not technically a documentary, as it wasn't filmed during the actual events on November 19, 2006, but it is real and it is intense.

I've spent enough time around folks who have been in combat to know.

That's why I had not gone before, and what I saw reminded me of how terrifying that situation is.

Civilians don't have a clue.

The first twenty minutes are the 'waiting' part, with everyone in position and on guard for any signs of a jihad in the making.

Waiting, waiting, waiting... a big part of being in the military, whether it's Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard, whether it's US forces or those of any other country.

Then, everything changes, and the madness of engagement with the enemy takes over and goes on and on and on, relentlessly, with the screams of the wounded and the smells of blood and explosions and spent ammunition all around as it goes on and on and on.

Every single one of our lawmakers need to see this.

Every single one of them.

 

The present was represented by those of us from the American Legion Posts 36 and 500 who attended the special meeting at Two Firsts this afternoon.

Located right outside the Montgomery Street gate of Hunter Army Air Base, this club is still under construction.

We had all hoped to have it open for Memorial Day, but, nope.

The other four of us there today are hoping for completion by Flag Day or possible in time for the Fourth of July.

Honestly, my estimate is Veterans Day of this year.

 

The hood for the canteen is in place, but not completely installed, as that would entail cutting a hole in the roof.

As that action would void the 30-year roof warranty, it's imperative to get the company that issued that warranty to do the work.

Lawyers, right, Doug Andrews?

(A little joke, as we all are aware he is a lawyer and knows this stuff.)

The construction crew is also still waiting for the roof in the women's bathroom to be repaired, as that is something the original roofers must do.

That's not the only snafu gumming up the works.

 

The construction crew is still waiting for the approval of the anti-fire water sprinkler system so they can install that throughout the building.

The construction company is still waiting to install the flooring throughout after the walls are spray-painted, but need the sprinkler installed first.

The construction company is still waiting to install ceiling tiles throughout after the walls are painted, but need the sprinkler installed first.

The construction crew has had all of the wiring and plumbing and HVAC lines approved by the City of Savannah, but the final inspection is awaiting the actual completion of the cosmetic stuff... but none of that can be done until the sprinkler installed first.

Sigh.

Meanwhile, the soldiers at Hunter have to party in the city's establishments, as they have no place to do so on post.

 

The future was represented by the Philo Cafe discussion at Foxy Loxy downtown this evening.

The title of our philosophical topic was "Right and Wrong and War".

I was the only veteran there.

Our little group was rounded out by Dan Baisden, Don Jarvis, and Roberta Hopkins, whose topic this was.

As usual, we strayed off that theme repeatedly, having started with an AI-generated 4-page summation that was garnered from all over the internet.

That's how those things usually are, though many are inclined to accept them at face value instead of seeking original works.

That led to a discussion of several themes: AI-art; search engines and their increasing reliance on AI to gather info; whether WWII could be called a 'just' war; the situation in the Ukraine and Russia; the situation in the Middle East; what defines the right reason for war and who defines the wrong party of such.

Of course none of those questions could be answered in the space of an hour, but that's not the reason for these gatherings.

Discussion is the point.

I just wish the topics were a bit lighter.

 

Still, it was good to see Dan, Don, and Roberta again.

It was also good to see Doug, Byron, and Billy again.

It's been quite a while since I've seen any of them.

Hopefully that will change.

35th? 37th? Levy Concert

Honestly, does the number of years really matter?

I found that I'd referred to the concert in May of 2016 as the 28th of these free, open to the public, concerts with a dessert reception beforehand.

Then, I wrote that the 29th Annual Levy Concert had been in October of 2018... which must have been wrong, as these events are always coinciding with Passover.

So, this year's would have to be the 37th or the 35th, depending on which of my previous values was correct.

But what about the missed annual event due to the pandemic in 2020?

Is that number skipped or does it stay as a placeholder?

I doubt any of that would matter to Jack and Miriam Levy.

It was important to them that people have something to brighten their spring, so they'd set up a fund to give folks music for dancing...

hallelujah!!!

 

This year, we were treated to a most curious and entertaining group: Six13.

Apparently, they had been here to the Savannah JEA before, but that was long before their most avid fans had been born.

That's that they said!

They consisted of six young men, all clad in blue gingham shirts and dark blue jeans, and they mostly sang in Hebrew.

For real!

And, although they did perform a few serious pieces, most of their songs were humorous, Jewish-centered, tunes which struck me as a mixture of the creative outputs of Adam Sandler, Weird Al Yankovic, and Raffi.

That certainly explained the enormous number of middle school-aged children present, as well as the grandparents of those kids!

My absolute favorite piece was a spoof of "Bohemian Rhapsody", but with all the lyrics changed to contain Chanukah references...

I'm so glad that one was in English!!!

I'll have to play around on their youTube site and see what other hilarity these six guys sing about!

Oh, but wait: the group has been around for more than 20 years.

So, the six men entertaining us might not be the ones in the videos...

that's okay, it's like that group from Italy that I heard at the SMF36!

The group has been around for more than half a century, but most of the people on that stage weren't even in their 40's.

Cool beans, I can accept that!

Now, I'm off to take four smiley-face pot holders to Tony and Laura.

At the same time that I'd given him a set, I'd bought one for me, too.

Mine were still fairly pristine, but theirs were showing signs of having been used, and used often, during those eight years.

I still use the orangey-peach ones that I've had for a few decades.

Time to give those cheerful yellow smiley faces to someone more appreciative than I!

(smile!)

9 ministers were there today?

At first, there were nine, including Reverend Billy Hester.

The other eight are regular attendees, sometimes preaching for him during his summer sabbaticals.

For all I know, they are members of Asbury Memorial, too.

 

In the above photo, there's Billy on the right, with Marilyn Leigh and Danny Beam behind him.

Claire Marich is in the white robe with the rainbow stole, and that's Bob Townsend in the gray robe between her and Lynn Drake.

I know them rather well: Danny Beam, Lynn Drake, both native Savannahians like me; Claire Marich, Marilyn Leigh, Bob Townsend, all transplants who have been here for a number of years now.

That leaves Richard Allen, Steve Tysinger, and Carol Warfield, all recent additions to this church at the corner of Waters and Henry, none of whom I know by face, though I think it can be said that the woman behind the kneeling man in fuchsia has to be Carol.

And just who is that kneeling man?

He's August David Alderman, here to be ordained as a minister, having just completed his masters degree in theology.

All of the folks on stage are taking part in a ritual that none of us had ever witnessed before, a ritual which has never been performed in all the years that this building has stood.

I just got shivers again thinking about it!

I've marked the video of the service, right at the point of the ordination ceremony, so I can watch it again.

I do love pomp and circumstance, and this was every bit of that.

Here's what happened right after that scene: all of the ministers laid a hand on August and recited the Prayer of Ordination.

It was quite moving.

Then August stood and was presented with his stole by Billy, then all the ministers took a turn to speak words to the brand-new minister, with many tears all around, both there on the stage and in the audience.

Amazing.

Truly amazing.

And the stage held not 9 ministers, but ten.

Amazing.

Did it matter that at least two of those ministers belong to the LGBT community?

Not to me.

Not to anyone of the stage as part of the ordination.

Not to anyone in the audience bearing witness to this ritual.

I know Grandpa would have pronounced it a true miracle.

i thank You, God, that I was there.

bday57 dinner with Sandy!

"Um.. two things wrong about that. Your birthday isn't until next week, first of all. Second, your 57th was a decade ago."

Silly rabbit. The dinner at Ta Ca was her 57th, something already planned, kinda sorta, by her trivia friends. That means the treat and date were definite, just not the location. I regarded that as one of my birthday celebrations for this year. Why not?

"Why not? You've been known to celebrate your birthday for more than a month on more than one occasion!"

I'm just saying that I won't be seeing mi amiga around my bday67 as I'll be off with the first niece and her two girls. "Her two girls" - how wonderful to be able to say that after all these years!

"I agree! It still seems like a dream for the adoption to have finally been finalized. Also, I thought Sandy's birthday was the night of the Spook-Easy... no?"

Yes, it was, but she's having multiple days of celebration. Isn't that wonderful? These are some good folks she's been hanging out with, going to Trivia on Thursdays, Music Bingo on Mondays, karaoke at The Diner on Saturdays... and that's just what I know about. Tonight, the three I met at that Bingo a few weeks ago - Marcia, Elissa, Joel - were all there. Also, remember Kelly, the one who went to Rancho Alegre with us after the dance? She was there, too, and gave me big hugs! That was very nice.

"Sounds like a nice party!"

It was! There were seven of us all total, including me and Sandy and two others I didn't know. Fortunately, I sat beside Joel and across from Elissa and Marcia, so I was able to get to know them a little better. That's good! I know Sandy invited me to be there, but, as I told her, I didn't really know these people and didn't want anyone to think I was just barging into their party. She assured me it would be alright... and it was! Very nice! I'm glad I went!

"I'm glad you went, too, dear. I know you can be a bit reluctant to hang out with strangers at close quarters, but you have met several of these people multiple times now. You should be getting a bit more comfortable around them. Right?"

Yes, you're right on all counts. I know part of that trepidation was the cost. I've been forgoing a lot of activities this month, as I have that bday67 vacation coming up. Plus there's the city and county property taxes, all of which need to be paid early as I won't be here when they're due. I'm still working on paying off those taxes from the fall, as I'd had to charge them. Ack. I keep trying to steer folks toward luncheons and dinners at restaurants where I have gift cards, but that hasn't worked out.

"That's okay, you'll still have those for when you return home in June."

Yes, I will! Thanks for that cheery reminder.

"You betcha. I got your back, g'friend. Now, go out there and enjoy yourself, wherever you go to next!"

Thanks! Actually, I was meant to be there tonight. When I pulled back into my driveway, just before I turned off the engine I caught the lit odometer reading. It wasn't a palindrome, nor was it quite right, but it was rather symmetrical. The mileage was 241124. Right place, right time. 

"Exactly what I was saying. (smile!)"

muddy dolphins

What's the difference between the bottlenose dolphins that live in Georgia's estuaries and the bottlenose dolphins all over the world?

Our dolphins like to roll up on a muddy riverbank to snap up fish!

No other dolphins exhibit that behavior.

In the 3400 miles of shoreline formed by the marshy lands of the five Georgia rivers that empty into the Atlantic Ocean, these dolphins have learned how to maximize their eating efforts, and adapted their physiology as well.

It's amazing.

That's just one of the things I learned at The Dolphin Project's Research Training Workshop I attended this morning.

 

Taught by Peach Hubbard, one of the Skippers who lend their boats and their time to the monthly trips to the estuaries to gather data, I was impressed by all the information on these unique marine mammals living along Georgia's 100-mile coastline.

Wait, that math doesn't seem to add up... or does it?

Oh, it does, most definitely.

 

As the crow flies between South Caroline and Florida, Georgia does have a 100-mile coastline, but that's just part of the story. Taking a boat and riding that distance all along the many inlets and nooks, the turns and loops, that 100 miles becomes expanded more than three hundredfold.

Without The Dolphin Project's scientific work these past four decades, I have to wonder how many Tybee Beach visitors might have ever had the delight of seeing the dolphins swimming along the shore?

I have, and it's a marvel to me to know they play in the surf just as we do.

That doesn't mean they are tame creatures, though.

One look at that mouth full of sharp teeth and that muscular body is a reminder that these animals live in the wild and that we need to respect their lives.

No feeding the dolphins!

No swimming with the dolphins!

No contaminating of their environment!

That's all part of the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.

I'm glad I'm part of the One Hundred Mile advocacy program to fight for their rights.

I'm glad I was part of the STERI program in high school and learned about respecting the natural fauna and flora in our marshes and rivers and ocean.

I'm glad I signed up for this research training today.

What will I do now?

Twenty-seven years ago, when I was given a gift certificate by my husband to participate in this research training, I wanted to be part of the expeditions on the water.

Is that what I want now?

I don't know that answer yet, but I know this: I'm ready for a change.

c'mon get higher, loosen my lips...

As soon as I walked in the door, he stopped what he was doing to give me a big hug!

Then he took me toward his studio, showing off the works of several of his ceramics students along the way.

That led to me telling him about the little golden-haired angel Mama made for me in the summer of 1981, when she knew I wouldn't be home that year for Christmas so she wanted me to have her to keep me company.

He listened so attentively to that extended story, which was very sweet, as I know he had other things to do.

He wanted to make sure I knew I was important to him.

Like I said, he'd stopped what he was doing to visit with me...

but the arts showcase would be starting soon and he had two poems he'd been delegated to read, as the poet could not be there.

He told me his plan was to write the poems on his hands and arms!

Very nice!

So, just where was I and who was he?

This all occurred at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center, where I had arrived almost promptly at the 5 PM opening time.

That was not necessarily for the art student reception, but more so to snag a desirable parking space downtown.

Tonight was the night for the showcase of the works of the many students who take art, music, and dance classes there, much like the one last fall.

Cameron Frost had several students whose work was to be judged tonight, as well as him having a part in the 7 PM student/instructor performance showcase, "eleVate: Good Fortune".

Here's an intro to the exhibit, as printed on the art wall.

"This collection not only reflects traditional symbols of luck but also embodies the inherent fortune found in the ability to create."

I like that very much!

I like this, too.

The artist, Audrey Dugeau, actually had several larger, ornate, ceramic pieces that had lots of that texture I so enjoy, but this was the only one out for touch.

It was hanging on the wall with all the paintings and two pieces of stained glass art, but it was the lone one made of clay.

"Fairy Garden Door"... like the ones from last summer...

right place, right time.

This was definitely the place I was meant to be.

 

Also, see those chocolates below the program in the first picture?

I received them during the "What Happens In Vegas..." dance number!

As Elvis' voice sounded with "Viva Las Vegas", some of the dancers proffered cups to audience members and I was chosen to receive one - nice, a souvenir from the SavCAC!

And instead of ice, it had all those DOVE chocolates rattling within!

Right place, right time!

But here's the really cool part: this photo I snapped with my little Alcatel flip phone during the "When The Chips Are Down" dance number.

Recognize the routine?

That's Eurydice in the back as the Three Fates cavort up front!!!

I can't believe that girl has shown up again already...

and that my little non-smart phone captured so well that moment.

Right place, right time!

(smile!)

My night ended with a tour of the ceramics studio.

No, not solo.

Two new transplants had asked Cameron about his work there and he had graciously agreed to show them what he had.

I was fortunate enough to be standing right there when they'd asked.

Lucky me!

He even made a point of showing them all the coloring agents he'd devised -

"using chemistry," he'd said, while looking at me - 

and I was so impressed and proud of him!

Right place, right time! 

I really do need to be his student this fall...

(smile!)