3rd new year of 2025 - hooray!

"The third new year? Oh, that's right, you started 2025 over again after Ezra whited everything out for a week. So, which country's new year is this one?"

Not a country, but a culture. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins sundown on Monday, 22 September. Tonight, we celebrated the Eve of New Year's Eve! We had to celebrate a night early because Sandy always spends Sunday with her mom and stepdad.

"Family time is very important in this ten-day string of High Holy Days. My guess is they won't be going out to Music Bingo on Monday."

That's right, so I will be free to do whatever that evening. I do wonder if the following Monday might also be available for me to have alternate activities? I'll have to check and see. I really don't see any purpose in going on my own, as I have no smart phone to look up the song titles.

"Sure, I get that. So, what did you and Sandy do tonight?"

Oh, it wasn't just me and her! We went to several different places, with the J. Crew dropping in number as we traveled. We started off at Sushi Hana, the new place on Abercorn where B&D Burgers used to be. I guess neither of the sons it's named for wanted to take over.

"Yes, that has happened a lot around this seaport in the last few years."

We seven completely enjoyed ourselves at this new place! That first photo is of the painting that faces the sushi bar. I love it!!! Such a Japanese classic! You know, I have a magnet of "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa". So gorgeous to see it taking up an entire wall!

"It does have fabulous coloring and curves! I bet that was nice to look at during the meal, too."

Oh, we couldn't see it, but the chefs could. I spotted it while returning from the bathroom. Stopped me in my tracks, it did!

"I know it did! So, you mentioned there were seven of you?"

That's right! Sandy, Elissa, Marcia, the regulars for our Monday nights. Then we had Kathy, Devora, and Joel, as the lone male. Plus me! We all had something different for dinner, too! Several of us had sushi rolls. That photo is of my Hana House Roll, consisting of spicy crabmeat and avocado, topped with tuna, salmon, miso sauce, spicy mayo, and toasted onions. It was delicious! I even ate part of the orchid! That led to others eating their flowers, too! Maybe I'll see some of them at the Wicked Wednesday Film Fest or the Fall Family Fun Fest. I made sure to pass out those movie listings to everyone there.

"What a great idea!"

Right?! I had just enough that all of them got the mini-posters of each. I hadn't realized that Joel was such a fan of scary movies. We got to talking about "Sinners" and I expect to see him at NCG in two weeks. That would be great! Oh, and Kathy likes plays and she's going to join me in two weeks for the new one with Savannah Children's Theatre! We talked about their bid to take over the Star Castle, too, and what a perfect site that will be. The fundraiser is already two-thirds of the way to their goal!

"I do hope they succeed! It's certainly boding well! Okay, back on track, dear. What was next after dinner?"

Then there were six. All of us - except Devora - convened at Companions & Lovers for drinks or desserts. I had the carrot cake, which had to be sent back because it was decked out in strawberry slices. For real!!! They actually got out a fresh cake for my slice. Kathy had dessert, too, choosing the chocolate torte. Wanna guess what decor it wore? And these weren't even red strawberries, they were those 'white' ones.

"Everyone else had drinks?"

Yep! Elissa had her bay Breeze, Joel had his Old-fashioned, Marcia had a glass of wine, and Sandy got their concoction of a Toasted Almond. She liked it, too!

"What's with the painting? Oh, wait, this is the place with all the odd art, right?"

Right!!! By the time we got around to discussing this one, Kathy and Marcia had left. I said it was a woman wearing a scallop-necked wrap dress that she had open on the left, so that someone kneeling beside her had access to that left breast. What did I think she was so inclined for that kind of action? She'd dyed her coochie bright red to attract lovers! That really cracked them up!

"Oh, my, not even having alcohol and still carrying on like a sailor!"

Seriously, I'd said that to Joel while the other two were at the bathroom and he loved it!!! Then he made me repeat my take on the painting when Elissa and Sandy returned! And they were right: the woman did look like Liza Minelli and she would have been up for that kind of story line for sure! Remember "Cabaret"? Just sayin'!

"Yes, dear. Let's move along to the next locale for you four, shall we?"

Yes, let's! (smile!) Actually, we had a couple of false starts. Joel was the driver and he first took us to Aqua Velva, or whatever it was. Nope, we didn't even park as it clearly had a younger, more pigmented, crowd that we were. On to Steeds-cum-Deb's, to see if they had karaoke! Yeah, the street was packed with cars and the overflow crowd in the front had a strong resemblance to the other crowd. Wow, that place sure had changed!

"Yikes. Sam Johnson and Danny Torres would have been amazed."

No doubt. Joel took us on over to The Palace Diner on Abercorn after that. Coffee and bagels for the two women, french fries and Sweet Potato Pound Cake that I split with Joel. The cake was very interesting. It was kind of like a spice cake, but much milder in flavor. I don't know that I would have it again, but it was fine for a one-time thing. I'd wanted the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, but Joel was very firm in his anti-pineapple stance, so I'd opted for the other. Next time, I'll get the Sam Johnson special for sure!

"Heard."

We stayed there a bit longer than I'd expected. That's because Elissa had to call her son in Italy to make sure he got up and didn't miss his flight to Atlanta. She's going to meet him in the ATL to celebrate their holidays.

"Italy??? How very cool! Is he stationed there?"

Oh, he isn't military. He has a buddy who just got married there. It was one of those 'destination weddings', like cuz'n Jeff had in the Caribbean some few years back. I'd wanted to go, but just didn't have the money. Now, I guess it's just as well, as that marriage didn't last but a year or two.

"That's too bad for him. He's such a sweet guy."

Yes, he is. I look forward to seeing him and my blue-sky cousin next summer. That's when the next trip to St. George Island is scheduled. Fun! Okay, time to wind down!