musubi snacks and moonwalks

Before I left for Fall Break in Las Vegas, I visited groupon to see what deals I might want. That was a great idea! I found out about the 8th Annual Pure Aloha Fall Festival and Concerts at the Rio! I found out abour the MJ LIve: Michael Jackson Tribute Show at the Rio! And I was able to coordinate the two events for one grand day and evening on this sunny Sunday in October. Sweet!!!
I knew today would be the final day for the Pure Aloha Festival, so I had thought things might be winding down, some of the vendors gone, perhaps no more stage events. Wrong, wrong, and wrong! True, I had arrived fairly early - hey, my "$8 for two tickets" voucher said 11 AM as the start time and I had arrived about 11:15. Still, this IS Las Vegas, home of nocturnal creatures. The entertainment hadn't yet begun, but the merchandisers and food vendors were already displaying their wares.

First up was this SPAM concoction. I had already made the outer circuit of vendors and was cruising the inner lines when the word "SPAM" leapt out at me. Kama'aina Kravings' menu listed several variations of musubi and when I asked the young woman behind the register about them, she described them as "Hawaiian comfort food". Good enough for me! At $5 for two, I decided I could eat one there and save the other for later.
I opted to NOT get the deep-fried version. As it was, the musubi was roughly palm-sized, with a thick block of white rice and healthy seaweed paper. And you know what? It was quite tasty! The fishy taste of the seaweed combined surprisingly well with the hammy taste of the meat. I can certainly understand why it's called comfort food!

For my main entree, I ventured back to a booth that billed itself as healthy food, but...seriously? If you offer barbequed pork and grilled sausage, that isn't quite healthy, is it? No. But it was tasty! Also, as you can see, they offer heapin' helpin's of food for only $8. They even let me split the meat portion into half chicken and half sausage and didn't charge extra. Nice! My favorite part of this meal, though, was the Hawaiian corn. The man said it was his grandma's recipe and that she liked to have it for dessert. Corn kernels with shredded coconut and some coconut milk, that's all it was. Delicious, too, especially with the spicy sausage!
While dining, I spoke to several visitors at the table. Like me, most happened to be in Las Vegas and had stumbled upon the festival, but some regular attendees were there, too. After all, where else will they eat island food in this landlocked part of the world? I even had some Portuguese doughnuts (malasadas) later from the Hula Halua Kaleo O'Kalani booth - a baker's half-dozen! (They were good as not-too-sweet desserts for my next few meals in that neon-bedecked town.)

Seven drummers had been entertaining all of us as we ate beneath the canopied tables. Then, at 1 PM, the dancing began! The Hupa Hula Overall Competition began, with the winners from the previous three days now dancing for the grand title. Most of the dancers were women, some teenaged, some in their twenties and thirties, and one each in the categories of forty and over-fifty year old. Believe me, those older women certainly had the moves!
But what I liked best were the male dancers. Shake it, shake it, baby, aahhh, shake it, shake it... Ah, pardon my drool, but if you had been there, you would know exactly what I mean. Just in case, the photo above is of one of those young men. Very nice!
Next up was a six- (or was that seven-)man band called Mele Ka Mana. Some of the songs were definitely danceable, some seemed to be ballads, most were not in English. A group of dancers happened upon the scene during the last few songs and that was very entertaining.
But I was starting to flag. The morning sun had taken its toll on my energy level, so I decided to catch the free shuttle back to Bally's on The Strip. Maybe I would take a nap, maybe not, but I would definitely get out of the sun for a while.
I didn't take a nap, but I did take a cool shower and that revived me. Plus, I ate my other musubi and one of the malasadas and that recharged my energy levels. Back up the road to Bally's I walked, making it there just in time to take the last seat on the shuttle - whew! There are distinct advantages to traveling solo and this was definitely one of them. Most groups didn't want to be split up, so singles could usually get lone seats as the vehicle filled up. Yeah, me!

I made it to Rio just in time to get in line for the show...which meant almost ninety minutes before the doors would open. Whoa. I had not expected that. Good thing I had already exchanged my groupon voucher for my ticket, as that line was already long, too.
The show was very good. If I had not already seen the Meat Loaf event, I may have enjoyed it more. And if there had not been a microphone/mixer issue during the first song, that would have helped, too. But by the third song, I was suspending disbelief and was dancing in my seat to Thriller, Billie Jean, Black and White - oh, yeah! Then he started doing some of the old Jackson 5 numbers and I was loving it! By the time all was sung and danced, I'd had a great time.

By 9:30 that night, I was on the shuttle (last single seat again!) back to my side of Sin City. I had promised myself that I would venture to Twin Peaks to check out their venison chili and bread pudding. I had noticed those two items on their menu a couple of days earlier and was intrigued. First of all: venison chili? Oh, really? And we all know how crazy I am about bread pudding, don't we?
So, as it was on my way "home" to Polo Towers, it was a natural to stop by. I had one of the best waitresses ever. Attentive, friendly, helpful... and she wrote such nice things on my receipt! The food was very good, too, and I look forward to having the bread pudding in the morning for breakfast.
I gave her the ice cream.

must have been whle you were kissing me

... you took the words right out of my mouth!

The next man I ever kiss needs to see the romance in the Meat Loaf.

The next man I ever kiss needs to believe Steinman wrote some of the best love songs ever.

The next man I ever kiss has some pretty big shoes to fill.

sunshine on a rainy day

I ended this month with a visit to southern Georgia. I hadn't seen my cousin Lynn in ... well, quite a few years, it seems! She and I seemed to not be around Waycross at the same time. I had contacted her several times on my way back home from Florida, but she would be out of town.
Clearly, a better game plan was needed! So, I contacted her earlier this week: might she be available for lunch on Wednesday? Yes, she would, but she had a late shift on Tuesday, so could we make it later in the afternoon? Sure thing!
The time was set for 3 PM, or thereabouts. She would give me a call when she awakened. Yeah!
When she called, I was already on my way to Waycross, one-time home of my maternal grandparents and summertime destination for my family when we were kids. My cousin, now a grandmother herself, still lived there, though not where my mother's mom and dad once lived.
Okay, enough with the background info! Talk about y'all's lunch!
(smile)
She suggested Cavagnaros, an Italian place with lots of variety. Cool beans! A new place to add to my list of resolutions kept!
She arrived shortly after I did, with a bright smile to offset the gray skies and light drizzle. Yeah! I really think she smiled the entire time, and I did, too. Three hours we were there! The manager finally came over and asked if we would mind settling up, as our young waitress was due to leave and needed to close out our bill before she left. We did so, then probably still stayed another hour, with the manager as our tea-glass filler. Very nice!
I had the best steak tips with onions and peppers! Yum! And she had the steak salad, with the same tasty beef. We also had corn nuggets, meant as an appetizer, but there was a dinner plate full of them, served piping hot with a honey mustard sauce. I eventually took at least half that plateful home with me, as well as my untouched sweet potato (which was destined to become part of my breakfast the next day). I just finished off the corn nuggets as an accompaniment to ham and bean soup. Still tasty, still smiling!
Why? Well, lemme tell you this: wouldn't you still be smiling after a visit with someone who loves you so much? Of course you would!
It had nothing to do with our conversation. Well, no, let me amend that. Most of our conversation was catching up on the events relating to our siblings, some good, some not so good. Ah, well. You're going to have that, right? Bad choices lead to hard lives and drugs encourage bad choices.
But we also talked about her little granddaughter's first birthday and how wonderful it was to have her son and his lovely, loving wife living close to her again. And we talked about my first niece and her family and how wonderful it has been having them so close to me.
And we talked about men. We both need strong men who will love us as we are. Strong men looking for strong women. No, I'm not talking about physical strength, and neither is she. Strong in character, strong with passion, strong in acceptance and humor and love of this world. Strong like we strive to be.
Impossible things?
I hope not.
She also shared a story with me. She and another of my cousins (her little sister) had been reading one of my posts on the social media we all share. She said they were amazed by how involved i am with life in this city by the sea. So many films! Yet another new play! Dancing! Dining! Games nights with children!
Wow! I wasn't even aware they were following all of that. But it gladdened my heart to know they do. After all, that means I am loved!
That is always good to know.
I drove home with storm clouds chasing the sky alongside. Then, a break in the clouds, with sunbeams forcing their way forward! I thought I saw a smiling face and tried to capture it - drats! Missed!
Then, while watching the water paths meandering across my windshield (easily entertained am I), I took a picture of their wobbly paths.
It wasn't until I reached home that I saw it: the smiling face I had missed in the earlier shot. Woohoo!
i thank You, God! i thank the angel keeping me company as I ran back to Savannah! I would like to think my Uncle Jimmy was this funny, goofy, smiley face, thanking me for the visit to my Waycross cousin.
Then again, maybe it was Grandmama. She was always the one who traveled around from Tallahassee to Savannah and Augusta and Strong, Arkansas, keeping home fires burning.
Sometimes, she traveled with me.
Maybe this was one of those times.

sea poetry

These two poems accompanied two of the many black and white photographs which graced the "Fragile Waters" exhibit at the Mariners' Museum in Virginia. The exhibit was less than a month old and is only scheduled to remain until Labor Day of this year.
As much as I enjoyed the captured images, I also enjoyed the sidebars. Sometimes, the photographer added a little background or explanation of the work before me. Sometimes, these little poems or quotes from other artists would appear.
I am so glad I take the time to read the plaques by the displays!
You should, too.
Try it, you'll like it!

cheers! (Anyone speak Belgian?)

Who would have expected a Belgian restaurant in a tiny town like Carlisle? Not I!
Yet, there it was, in the heart of downtown, down the street from the cannon-blasted columns of the courthouse. (But that is another story.)
Café Bruges is small, but not too small. We were part of an early group of diners, but we were spread out all over the restaurant to maximize privacy. Very nice! We had started with a flight of their summer beer selections and the tastes ranged from a a banana dessert-style beer, greatly enjoyed by the Melaness to a hoppy pale for her hubby, and a third pale which we all enjoyed. But my absolute favorite was the Bourgogne des Flandres.
Oh, my! So rich and plummy! So smooth and full-bodied! The Bourgogne was almost a wine, it seemed, due to its aging in oak barrels. Dreamy!!! Dark in color, delightful to the nose and tongue and head! I drank the glass of it in the flight, then ordered a bottle to accompany my dinner. To my surprise, it even had a special glass to enhance its bouquet and the drinking experience... wow!!!
My dinner was one of the specials that night. Delicately-grained meatloaf, topped with a light cherry sauce. Ah, melted in my mouth! The entree was accompanied by parsleyed new potatoes and perfectly prepared green beans. The rest of the group had the lamb burger (the driving motivator for our trip to this site) and mussels.
Such a good recommendation by my dear friends! I look forward to more encounters with Belgian cuisine - and dark Belgian brews!

eis kald lemon drinka

Today, Melaness and I and her hubby did something a little different: we went to the Kutztown Folk Festival! Actually, I was the only one who found it to be different, as they had gone several years ago.
This was the 65th year of the festival and the generosity of the people there was evident from the moment we parked. Several folks came up, offering us the $3 discount passes and one woman even gave us an adult pass! Nice! Then, because of my new age, my ticket was another $2 off. Sah-weet!
There was hoe-downing by the Miller family - aka square-dancing and clogging - and the Sonon Brothers making hay into rectangular bales. Harry Serio educated us on the spirituality of the Mennonites while Leroy Brown and Bill Meck translated jokes in the Pennsylvania Dutch language. There were hex signs and peppermint oils and repurposed tin ornaments elaborate puzzles from different woods.
There was even a Quilt Barn, housing the hundreds of quilts for sale during the festival. Several of the quilts even had ocean and fish themes! One design was fairly simple, consisting of a single, simple line, fish in a four-square space, repeated in different colors to compose the quilt. It certainly would require a lot of sewing, but then again, so do ALL quilts! I know from experience!
In my early 20's, I made a quilted travel pillow for my Grandmama, using remnants from some of the dance clothes I had made. The color scheme was a white background with a starburst of shades of pink. That pillow took quite a while to make! Every moment of that time was well worth it, too. I have the pillow now and can still feel the love I stitched into it for her.
But let's not overlook the FOOD available at the festival! Pierogi with horseradish dipping sauce! Grilled, thick slabs of sweet bologna, with mustard of your choice! A tall, cool pitcher of birch beer to quench the thirst of tired walkers! Yum, yum, yum!!!
And that's just what I ate! There were grilled brats and wursts and roasted ox! Corn fritters and funnelcakes and shoofly pies and apple dumplings! Even sarsasparilla and orange drinka and lemon drinka!
Yep, I had one of those, too, that lemon drinka. I had hesitated to do so, expecting something absurdly sweet. Nope! The juice of three large lemons, pressed right before my eyes, then the addition of ... club soda? Something fizzy, but not sweet. Very refreshing!!!
The photo above is the only one that still exists, of all the ones I took that day. You'll notice that no faces are showing. Although I had tried to be careful, perhaps the other pictures did have recognizable people in them. I don't know, I only know they never reached my email address. I had assumed they had, so I had deleted them from my phone, all except the one for the lemon drinka.
Ah, well. That was the one I most wanted, so all is well!

baby, you can sleep while I drive

Okay, so I fudged the time of the posting of this entry.
We actually pulled into my first niece's driveway about thirty minutes later as we returned from a full afternoon and evening at Jekyll Island. The children, exhausted from a day in the sun and surf, were sleeping soundly in the back seat as soon as we hit the highway. Even my niece, riding shotgun, was sleeping.
It was really nice.
We had all ventured down for the release of the loggerhead, Hugue, a newly rehabilitated patient of the turtle hospital at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. After more than two years of care, she was finally seaworthy again. Yeah!
And what better time for her release than the date which coincides with our celebration of our nation's freedom? Indeed!
And how better to celebrate than with fireworks several hours later, as the night sky darkened and the stars twinkled? Fireworks over our beach, with the fireworks of Brunswick and Saint Simon's Island visible behind and to the side of our own! Fireworks for more than twenty minutes in three directions!
Yes, it has been a magical time I have spent with this family for the last two evenings, complete with fireworks on each night! Such a lovely end to my 55 days of birthday!

right shoe forward

Wanted: the missing partner of this fun lover! Dancing is a must, singing would be a plus. Able to go from a stroll on the beach under a Super Moon to a fancy dinner under chandeliers without missing a beat!
Then again, maybe it's time to venture forth in a new direction, striding along toward adventure in my own shoes, not someone else's. I'd like to think that Mother Pat would have given me the sandals if she had known I would have enjoyed them so much. Then again, perhaps she would have bought me my very own pair, so she and I would have something more in common besides her son and a love of travel and dancing.
I don't recall ever seeing her wear the sandals.
Not once.
But as soon as I saw them, I knew they would be mine.
For more than six years, I have delighted in wearing them. As soon as the weather allowed, the sandals bedecked with tiny seashells were on my feet! I wore them everywhere and almost all the time, except at school for lab days. I wore them to overly chilled cinemas and hot sandy beaches. I wore them on days that turned cool and wished I had them on days that became hot too quickly.
Walking, driving, dancing, there they were, on my feet.
Sometimes my toenails would be painted a silver rose red, attempting to blend in with the wild lantana planted all over the yard by the mockingbirds. Sometimes, just a clear, shiny gloss distinguished my toes from the aging leather of the sandals.
Now, the time has come to step out in new shoes, forging new paths, dancing new steps.
Loss adjustment is always hard, especially when the loss of a loved one is involved. I choose to believe that I'm getting better with that adjustment. I may have lapses from time to time, but, after more than a decade, those moments of insanity are lessening in intensity and in frequency.
It has certainly taken a long time to be able to say that.
Now, to get my own sandals!

awaiting the serious moonlight

David Bowie certainly knew about this. Van Morrison, too.
What a glorious night for a moon dance!
Good music, good food, good friends!

And, if you move your feet just right, if you invite the music of the moonlight into the core of your being, you may even be able to dance up the silvery ocean path straight to the moon itself... ah, what a glorious feat that would be! To be as light as the molecules of air, to twirl and float and sway, clothed in shimmery moonbeams!
Best to dream large, my dears, dream large... the night will soon give way to the bright lights of the new day.
While the night is at hand, dance, dance, dance, in the moonlight!

toothless, my dear!

I know how!!! To train a dragon, that is. You just have be gentle, to move slowly, and to scratch softly under its chin, along the jawbone. They'll curl up at your feet with a grin! Well, that's the way it works on a Night Fury, and possibly a few other breeds of the flying beasts.
Toothless certainly enjoys that move!
Tonight has been fabulous!

life saver, one pint at a time

Today, in honor of my birthday, I gave blood.
To my surprise, it was the first time this year that I gave.
Not good.
Why?
Well, I'm a VIP LifeSaver, Silver level, for the American Red Cross. I have been for quite a few years, as the act of giving to others is part of my nature. Silver level means that I have pledged to donate one pint of whole blood at least three times annually.
That's why I was surprised that I have not given at least once before today. I generally try to give in March, then close to my birthday, than some time in the fall. The times sometimes vary, but I easily make my three pledged donations.
I'm not really sure how I fell so far behind this year. Perhaps it was the general sickliness I had this past winter. After all, you cannot give when you're ill, as the cold virus may be passed on to others - and, if they're needing your blood to save their life, they are already too damaged to fight your viruses.
So, today I made good on the first pledge.
While I was there, they had giant postcards. You know, the kind you send to others when on vacation? This was part of their "Summer of Stories" campaign. They asked that donors write on the cards to say why they donate blood.
Of course, I complied.

I give...

so someone's little girl can go to the beach and chase seagulls.

so someone's big brother will be around to help them move into their college dorm.

so someone's mother can keep hugging them at bedtime.

so someone's father will be there to teach them to drive.

I give to share the love.

Happy birthday to me!

celebrate! celebrate! dance to the music!

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, the church is finally free from the renovation loan!

What a lovely peach color on the walls! That was the original paint color, when the church was new. The white trim sets it off quite nicely, as does the morning sunlight. The video screens and the speakers make sure that ALL members of the congregation can see and hear all that Reverend Billy Hester has for us for the day. They're a great addition for the money-raising theatrical productions, too!

What's going on? What are those folks doing? A happy thing: they're burning the promissory note! Woohoo!
I am so glad I had been especially invited for this special Sunday presentation! Thanks, Beth!
What a lovely addition to my birthday celebration!

2D! 3D! BigD!

Today, I started my day with the "Man of Steel" and I'm going to end it that way, too. The good folks in charge of this movie chose THIS day, OUR Man of Steel's special day, for its grand opening. Coincidence? I choose to believe not.

I was not alone in that belief. When the one-eyed man suggested a group viewing of the film, I told him I was already on it. I had noticed the start date while on vacation in Orlando and decided to post an invite on fb, and elsewhere, for friends of Sam around the world to join together and celebrate his life. And what an outpouring of love there was in response! From Australia, from Montana, from California! From Michigan and Pennsylvania and Connecticut and Texas! And, of course, from Georgia!

It's been a lovely, sunny, day here, with just enough fluffy clouds dotting the perfect blue of the sky. I even thought I saw Sam, up there and to my left, as I was returning home from the afternoon movie. He was standing tall and gazing straight at me in that direct way he had. No picture-taking was possible, as I was traveling too quickly and the traffic was too heavy to allow that luxury. Still, I have the image in my mind to go along with the toast I made after the midnight film. And you better believe I was sure to pour a little something for the now-gone brother-from-another-mother.
Glad to share a birthday toast with you, man.
Miss ya, kid.

bang, bang! happy birthday!

Free dinner! Well, not quite, but almost! Even better, I got hugs before dinner and hugs after dinner!
Say what? Waitstaff was giving out free hugs?!?
Well... not to everyone... just to me!
My dear Nate of Italy was my server tonight - yeah!!!! I had barely been seated when he came over and greeted me with a huge smile and ready hug! You know how he knew it was me, even from the back? My sunglasses, those cheap shades with the neon green sides that I wore on the trip to Italy last year. Since then, I've bought a new pair, this time all neon green, but have yet to wear them. After all, as clearly revealed on this visit, how would anyone recognize me without them?
That was the start of a fine birthday meal! The restaurant supplied my main course, Bang Bang Shrimp, gratis, then I rounded out my dinner with a side of veggies. Yum! Plus, of course, the crispy bread with the pesto in olive oil, whisking me through the miles and back in time to Salerno by the sea. Very nice!
You may be thinking, hey, that sounds like a fairly light meal, there. An appetizer and steamed vegetables? Ah, perhaps, but I was making sure I had room for dessert! Just as they had last year around this time, Bonefish also had their special "peanut butter and jelly" bread pudding for this evening's repast. This time, though, I ate it right there, rather than for breakfast the next day. I even ate the peanut butter ice cream, burning two lactase supplements along the way!
Very much worth it!
If I had been at home, I would have licked the platter clean.
You would have, too.

dancing, dancing, DANCING, dancing machine

I'm thinking the sugar and caffeine combination here contributed to my energy level last night and this (very early!) morning. Maybe? Maybe not! But we'll begin our story with those all-natural drugs, shall we?
I had scheduled my evening to begin at Panera, as they had a free birthday treat waiting for me. Free, you say? Indeed! How can you get in on such largesse? Easy! All you have to do is to register on their website, with your loyalty swipe card, and then wait for your birthday to roll around. They even give you two months to claim your treat; believe me, that last part is quite generous, as most places will only grant you a few days to a couple of weeks to come claim your birthday swag.
So, as I was saying, I began with the celebration of my birthday at that restaurant, in particular, the location downtown. My rationale: park once, early on before the crowds arrive, then easily walk to my other destinations that evening. Done! I had already been told that they would let me choose one of the pastries for my birthday. Sweet! I headed straight to that section, perusing the treats behind the glass. Huge bearclaws, generously strewn with sliced almonds? Maybe... but what about the wild blueberry muffin, nearly bursting with blue? Oh, that cherry danish looks scrumptious!!! Oh, wait, that would have cheese in it, and I didn't bring any lactase. Well, that pumpkin muffin looks mighty rich! On my third passage in front of the display case, the item nearly dead center kept tugging at me.
"What's the cobblestone muffin?"
"That is our cinnamon roll dough, pinched into pieces and cooked as a muffin, then drizzled with glaze."
Whoa... sounds like bread pudding to me!
So, that's what I got. It also turned out to be the most expensive pastry they had. Moreover, that was the last cobblestone muffin they had.
And now it was mine!
I bought an iced coffee to go along with it. You know: breakfast at night, what a delight! I had a little more than thirty minutes before my next destination would require my presence, so I had a nice, leisurely little sit-down. How refreshing!
Then I took my brand-new Italian birthday top down to the Lucas for some more Marilyn Monroe. For this show, it would be the fabulous "Some Like It Hot", featuring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Yeah!!! And the oh-so-huggable Hai would be there to share the film with me!!!!! Woohoo!!!
Wait a sec... Italian birthday top? That trip was a year ago.
Yeah... but I have not yet worn this particular top. As you may recall, I had taken some old clothes on the trip with me, purchasing new items along the way. Right? As it so happens, the tops I bought were all pretty fancy - for me - and so I haven't really had the opportunity to wear them. And so they have been trapped in the closet, waiting to come out. (Sorry, I just couldn't resist that reference! I really enjoyed that video soap opera!)

I do realize the clamdiggers aren't quite the right shade, but I don't care. I wanted to loose that splash of colors from the tangle of other clothes. So, I did! I even had my first niece take a picture to record the occasion. I felt like such a girl again! The top, and the remembrances it conjured up, definitely added to my energy level. it's a wonder I was able to sit through the film!
Next on the aganda was a trip to a new place to hear a new band. Why? The drummer had invited me, as he was also the drummer for Barefoot Booyah, which I know I've mentioned a time or two. This group is called Hellhounds and is all about blues! I came in about the time they launched into "Sweet Home Chicago", which was a nice segue from the film I had just seen. Cool! They did a very nice job with it, too!
I danced a bit, chatted with the drummer a bit, and, on their seccond break, said my adieus for another dance site. After all, there were (Magic) Rocks on The Roof, playing tunes I knew and loved! So, off I went, timing my entrance pretty well. I must have caught them shortly after a break, so the energy level was up and there were actually dancers on the floor! I mean, besides me! I danced to every song, until their next break, then I danced to every song until the end of the gig. Fab-u-LOUS!!! "Purple Rain" and "Last Dance with Mary Jane" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered"!!!
After the guys started putting their instruments to rest, a woman came up to me. I had seen her and her husband dancing to some of the tunes earlier. She comes right up to me and says, "We really enjoyed watching you dance tonight. You're so graceful!"
Wasn't that a lovely thing to say to someone? Wasn't that a lovely thing to say to me?
I tell you, I walked out of there floating.
What a nice way to end a birthday evening!

but they marry brunettes

The Lucas is celebrating a blonde's birthday this weekend! Not, not mine! Silly! The film for tonight was "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", released in the early 1950's. Although it was featuring Marilyn Monroe, her side-kick, Jane Russell, acted and sang circles around her. Understandable, I would guess, as it was made during the early years of Marilyn's career, where mostly all she had to do was model tight clothing and pout a bit.
Apparently, though, men don't mind, as long as the "dumb blonde" golddigger is on their arm and not someone else's. Really? Perhaps, especially if the odds are stacked in her favor.
Earlier today, I cleaned out my office. I had been asked to return the key, as I was no longer full-time, and had responded that I was on holiday and would not return until Monday. They said that would be fine, but they did have a new hire that needed that space.
Today, I took my time and packed out. I had the forethought to bring five of those large, cloth, grocery bags to hold all of my files of student papers and papers that had not yet been filed and desk contents.
That was not nearly enough.
Fortunately, I had a couple of boxes there for my books. I also had a few plastic bags and some smaller cloth bags from school events.
That just barely took care of all of it.
I spent almost four hours packing up all of my work materials. Emptying the filing cabinet, emptying the cupboards. Removing my pictures and periodic tables and photographs of lecture notes written on whiteboards. Taking down all of the wonderful, supportive messages from my students of these past three years.
Cleaning the disk drive of all the files I had created.
ALL of them.
My trunk was packed to the top. The back seat was full, on the seat itself as well as on the floorboard. The passenger seat had one of the boxes of books.
Amazing.
All of it is now on my living room floor, waiting to be sorted.
That I can do at my leisure.
On Monday, I'll make one last visit to my office, to throw out what couldn't be recycled, to take "Light The Night" fundraising materials to the dean's office. Then I'll turn in my keys to that door and the lockable cupboard and the filing cabinet.
This evening, though, was mine to enjoy. It had begun at a place that serves candied bacon to its drinking patrons. That's right, dearies, I said CANDIED BACON. Long, crispy, sugary, strips of pork yumminess. Yes, indeed, the NK! group convened at Andaz for "school's out!" social hour. Although we only had a small group on this outing, we were in high spirits and chatty! Such a lovely way to transition from my afternoon's activities to an evening with Marilyn!

fun 2 text!

As part of my birthday celebration, I was treated to three nights in Daytona Beach at one of my favorite places. Woohoo!!! I had invited the peace Guy and the bfe to join me, as it was a two-bedroom condo ON THE BEACH, but ended up going solo. Fine by me! That meant my schedule was my own!
Nice to know I was missed, though.

Tuesday, 4 June, about 10:30 PM:
peace Guy: U home yet? Or r u still having fun in daytona bch?
me: Still in FL!
peace Guy: Will u b back 2morrow b4 i go 2 work?
me: Magic 8 ball: Not likely.
peace Guy: Bummer. But u will b back 2morrow, won't u?
me: You betcha, sunshine! :)
peace Guy: No sunshine here, but looking 4ward 2 seeing u. Hope u r having fun. c u 2morrow when i get off work.
me: Indeed! Looking forward to it!

Wednesday, 5 June, noon:
me: Am on the road! will stop in JAX to kill zombies, then come home. Eat that chicken! :-)
peace Guy: Will bring sum chikin 2 work, thanks. Safe travels. Poor zombies.
me: Decided to spare the zombies, am visiting turtles @ Jekyll instead!
peace Guy: Neat!
me: More positive, too!

flan de cumpleanos!

Isn't it beautiful??? I do so enjoy food that's prettier than it needs to be!
And to think, I almost didn't order it because I didn't want to burn a lactaid! (Or, in this case, the CVS equivalent of that lactose-digesting enzyme.)
I was with my biggest little brother and his wife (my SIL) at their Wednesday night dinner out with friends at a Mexican restaurant. They had invited me several times before, but my work schedule had me otherwise engaged on Wednesday evenings. But I was available this week, so I called to confirm that I would be in attendance! Nice move! I had expected a larger gathering, but folks have summer vacations and only one other couple was there - and I knew them! I had known the blonde redbird for many years and her roofer husband has been an acquaintance for several years now, ever since the pumpkin-carving party.
The five of us met at La Parrilla for this week's dinner. Nice! The first time I came here was with my coppery friend shortly after my return from Italy last year. Good food, good memories! This time promised to be more of the same!
After we were all settled in with our drinks and munching on chips and salsa, I regaled them with a story. What story? A very good one, I assure you! Whilst in one of my favorite places in the world, I had the good fortune to see three award-winners from the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. The first, a slient film, was easily my favorite. A remastering of the classic tale of Snow White, "Blanca Nieves" featured a female matador at its heart. And such a love story! Little Carmencita, rendered motherless from birth by the connivings of an evil, greedy nurse. Little Carmencita, raised by her grandmother, far from her paralyzed matador father, but relocated to his house after her grandmother's death. Ah, reunited with her father! No - there's an evil, greedy nurse, remember? Only now she is also the evil, greedy stepmom.
But little Carmencita does eventually get to spend some quality time with her dad, learning how to swoosh a cape while fending off a stuffed bull. They even get to have a father-daughter dance before the evil nurse finds out they've been keeping company. So ticked off she becomes!!! Poor Pepe! Poor Papa! Poor Carmencita!
Then, after the matador succumbs to death, Carmencita is taken to the woods to be killed. To her rescue comes one of the six dwarf matadors! Olé!
The story goes on from there, with some very good twists (hey, she's a matador, not yet another princess, so of course the story is better!). I gave everyone the full tale, keeping us all entertained right up to the delivery of the food. In fact, I was not quite done when the food came, so the others waited until I had revealed the denouement before digging in. How cool was that?!
I had one of the house specialties, La Parrilla Tilapia and Shrimp. Scrumptious! And QUITE lovely! Broiled filet, broiled shrimp, draped over a mound of mildly spiced mashed potatoes, draped with fabulous green spears of asparagus! The accompanying coleslaw was creamy and spicy and a perfect addition to the mouthfuls of fish! I really should have taken a picture of that lovely plate of food, truly. I did not and I think it was because the telling of the tale of Blanca Nieves had worked up my appetite. Yeah, that sounds about right!
We enjoyed our meal and everyone else caught up with each other's lives and then came the final decision: dessert, anyone? Well, no, but the redbird wanted another margarita and my brother was still working on his cerveza... Oh, why not have a dessert? Why not??
So I did. And it was not only beautiful, but delicious, too. My SIL had a bite, but it wasn't chocolate, so that small taste was all she wanted. Me? I ate the carmelized decoration first, then the smooth, melting mouthfuls of custard, drizzled with caramel syrup.
Yeah, you can tell I really enjoyed it, right?
Totally!
Then came a surprise: my brother and SIL had treated me to that meal! Happy birthday!
Man, I am having a blast with these multiple days of birthday!

half-a-century ago

Earlier today, I attended the fifth birthday party for one of my great-nieces! It was a picnic held at the big park on Tybee. Lots of family, lots of friends, lots of food! And, of course, there was a birthday cake - and she had helped her mom make it. Sah-weet!
She has such blonde, curly, wispy hair, just as I did as a girl of that age! Mind, that's pretty amazing, as she is not genetically related to me. Her mom, my turtle-loving niece, is the daughter of my stepbrother. All of us kids (except my youngest brother) were already grown and in our twenties (at the very least) when Mama married Frank on September 28, 1984. At the time, Mama had one granddaughter (my first niece) and Frank had one grandson (who became my first nephew). All of the other eleven grandchildren came along during the marriage, making all of them my nieces and nephews, genetic link or not. Got that? 'Cause that's where I stand on the topic.
Okay, soapbox stowed safely under the seat again.
(smile!)
As I was sayin'... she reminded me of a five-year-old me and I am sure Mama would have agreed! So, after I posted my pictures on fb, I stated: "Once upon a time, I was a tiny blonde-haired lass - and today I realized that was half a century ago! Wow!"
Next thing I knew, the comments were flying fast and sweet!

Cuzn Jeff: And now you are an intelligent, caring and compassionate, friendly, engaging, and sophisticated blonde-haired lass. I tip my wine glass to you.

John M of DL: What Jeff said!

out-law Bunny: Me, too. Me too!

out-law Dee: You are and always have been since the first day I met you, such a breath of fresh air. You've always had such a 'gift of gab' about you. As far as changing through the years... the one thing that has never changed, of which I've witnessed, is the drive and motivation to 'live on your own terms' and not everyone else's. So, I'm with Jeff. Cheers!

cousin Penny: I ditto what Jeff and John and Bunny said, too. Plus, I want to add that you are a truly renaissance woman! I'm blessed to be related to you!

And I am truly blessed to have such loving people, both near and far, both vocal and silent, who love me so dearly.
Wow.

just me and my boys

Ya gotta sing it, a'ite? Otherwise, you're not going to get the reference.
This has definitely been a day of birthday for me!
I had been looking forward to the ghost stories with Bonnie Blue Tours for a couple of weeks. Bonnie had graciously invited the NK! group for a free tour, in exchange for promised reviews on various sites (though any tips would be most graciously accepted). Then, she had decided to open the invitation to a group of folks on facebook, too. Sah-weet!
This evening, I headed downtown early, with an agenda for activities on the westside, south of Oglethorpe. I snagged a parking spot in one of my favorite places, then decided to see who else might be down for a meal before the walking tour. The NK! webmistress and the baseball girl were!!! We all met at a Japanese restaurant for a very leisurely meal in their front window, sharing the champagne, tempura, and sushi with passersby. Well, maybe not exactly - but they were free to watch us having a good time! I could have had bubbly, but opted not to, as the evening was warm and ethanol can sometimes make me hotter than I want to be.
We met the rest of the group in Johnson Square, with time to spare. Our guide had been stricken with laryngitis, but had gamely brought her fellow along to serve as a megaphone, if needed. As it turned out, she did VERY well with her storytelling, not requiring his aid after all. Bravo!!!
There were fifteen or so folks there for the ghost walk, a goodly number - not so many that anyone felt on the fringe instead of in the midst. Bonnie told us the enchanting story of the Pulaski Hotel and little Gracie Watson, regaled us with the antics of the frisky James Habersham, Jr. at the Olde Pink House, shared the sad tale of the child-like giant, Rene, and his playground. There was also talk of a kitty cat ghost and the voices of laughing, happy children! She finished in Wright Square, having led us on a rectangular path through five of the squares, with the tale of the hanged woman. Most excellent! Even though I was familiar with three of the tales already, she made them feel fresh and had a different spin and a positive air. Hardly surprising, as I know her to have a lively sense of humor as well as membership in MENSA, Philo Cafe, and Drinking Liberally!
I finished my evening dancing! Barefoot Booyah had a gig at fairly new place on Broughton. Again, as I know I've mentioned before, I'm a bit partial to these two fellows, as one is a nephew-in-law, but I am deservedly proud of them and their music! They mix some of their originals in with classics by Dylan, the Stones, and Van Morrison. You should give them a listen some time! Maybe I'll even see you there the next time I'm out dancing to their tunes!