gravy, y'all

"What's that? You had gravy with dinner?"

Why, yes, I did! Actually, for the last three weeks in a row! All of that brought to mind a "Star Trek: TNG" meme that Sherry Giddens posted. The Captain asks, "Gravity is powerful, do you know what you get if you remove it?" His First Officer replies, "Weightlessness, sir." In all seriousness, he hears the response, "Gravy. Number One, you get gravy."

"Hahahaha! Poor Riker! Having to put up with those puns from Picard!"

Well, that was a riddle, not a pun. But it sure was funny! And the last three Wednesday night suppers at Asbury have all had gravy!

"Oh, nice! I do enjoy that meat-derived sauce! We don't get that very often, since you don't know how to make it."

Truth. Tonight, it was turkey gravy, served on the mashed potatoes. Last week, it was gravy with mushrooms for the chicken Marsala. And the week before was beef gravy from the pot roast, also served on mashed potatoes. I prefer in on rice, but I'll take it however I can get it!

"That looks really good! Where are your veggies on that plate?"

I don't like peas and carrots, so I abstained. I do have a nice little salad, though! And I have two desserts!!! That's blackberry cobbler and a slice of something that tasted like bread pudding, but looked like cake. Quite tasty!

"Was Kathy Mayin there for these WNS meals? I recall she went to the first one with you and seemed to enjoy herself."

Sadly, she has not been back. We make plans, but then she backs out. I even tried to get her to come for the Sisters In Faith luncheon last week, but that didn't happen, either. I'm not going to push her. I know she'll be back when she's ready, right? She's grown, she gets to make her own decisions.

"I understand. I hope she will soon decide to make more ventures out of her apartment. It'll be good for her mental health and her spirits."

Agreed! I know I look forward to these social gatherings. Meals are nicer with others to share the food and conversation. Okay, time for "Scrubs"! I really am enjoying this continuation of the original series. 

"You mean the reboot of the old show?"

No, it isn't like that. It's more like a reunion. It's nice to see them rekindling their old friendships. That's a realistic approach for people who have lost touch while life interfered. You know: jobs, kids, moving to new locations. I can relate to it. So, later, chica!

"Hasta la bye-bye!"

opera singer's dinner

For the first in this round of Wednesday night suppers, it was chicken Tetrazzini time.

That's one of my favorites!

I admit, one of its allures is the story of its origin.

I've shared that tale of the opera diva with everyone at my table ever since I first learned it.

Sometimes the meat is turkey, sometimes it's chicken, as it was tonight.

Sometimes the pasta is fettucini, sometimes it's penne, as it was tonight.

The sauce is always the same!

Tonight, I'd brought Kathy Mayin with me.

At first, she was going to Uber over to Asbury Memorial Church, but then she found out the price was going to be $26, one-way.

Rather than have her back out on a meal she'd already paid for, I offered to pick her up on the way, then take her home after.

That worked out just right for her!

And she knew so many people there!!!

She used to be a regular in the early 2000's and knew a lot of folks who are still there, like Sally Jilek, Catherine Gilbert, and Linda Combs, as well as a few who aren't, like Deborah Ray and Sherry Moore.

I hope she will decide to come here more often.

She enjoyed the meal, and she liked talking to Reverend Billy before the Taize service after the meal.

I've told her I'll be glad to give her rides back home, as she knows someone who can bring her in the future.

Kathy used to have a car, but sold it recently, as the insurance had taken a drastic increase.

I think that means she is 70.

I remember Barbara warning me about that, and Carolyn has mentioned it, too.

I'll just see how that goes in three years.

(smile!)

why 2005?

Oh, what a beautiful day!

 

I might have thought I was

in Oklahoma 

had I not known better.

 

(That's an inside joke for those 

who know musicals!)

After letting all that lovely warmth into the house, out I went to get the third movie for this week: the remake of "The Running Man". 

 

I must say, Glen Powell is certainly a handsome 37-year-old man, with all the right bits in all the right places, to paraphrase Meghan Trainor.

However, he's already done that shtick in his movies.

The man best be careful lest he be typecast as eye candy and not a person of substance.

Without Edgar Wright at the helm of this latest version of the story, Powell's antics might well have derailed the scifi movie into comedy.

In fact, none of this week's A*List dances have been quite in step.

"Die My Love", though well-acted, was a bit jumpy in its presentation, which could have been a cheap shot at reinforcing Grace's post-partum descent into madness.

"Now You See Me: Now You Don't"  was certainly full of the magic I love, but it seemed a bit rushed, like they were determined to cram too much movie into too short a running time.

One thing all three movies shared: a fabulous supporting cast, even though many of those actors with street cred - Nick Nolte, Morgan Freeman, and William H. Macy, in these three films - had hardly any screen time.

Enough already!!!

Time for Thanksgiving this evening!

Yes, this was the last Wednesday Night Supper of the fall and that meant: turkey!!!

Plus there were mashed potatoes, green beans, an cranberry sauce!!!

Several folks at Asbury Memorial supplied the desserts, like Danny Lewis and his pumpkin pound cake - so good!

I sat with Pam and Walt again, as well as Lynn Hoerlin and her son and granddaughter, both visiting from Ohio.

I really enjoyed talking about Las Vegas with Meko - she was a delight!

I sure am going to miss these meals with other Asburians!

 

And when I checked the time, 

I found out I could still 

do laundry after all.

 

The last wash at Suds Laundry 

has to be started by 7 PM, 

and it was 6:47 

when I pushed the button.

How very fortunate I was! 

 

This has been a very messy two weeks for me, so messy that my long pants and my fuchsia sweater were both rendered unwearable.

 

As good fortune would have it, the weather has been in the upper 70's, allowing me to wear shorts today.

 

All the more reason to do an emergency wash - 

and go ahead and do the bed linens, too.

 

As I was waiting for the flannel sheets to come out of the dryer, I spotted a penny on the table by my basket.

 

It was not there while I'd been folding clothes.

 

Right place, right time.

 

i thank You, God.

 

Now, time to watch "Wicked" on ABC!

turning japanese at asbury memorial

"Girlfriend! No you didn't!!! At the church???"

Don't get your panties in a twist. I just wanted to reference the song by The Vapors that I so enjoy! But of course I didn't masturbate there during Wednesday Night Supper. Hold up, I can see you getting in a tizzy! Just calm down. If there has ever been any of that going on there, it certainly hasn't been by me. Better?

"Yes, better. It's just too weird to hear the words "masturbate" and "church" juxtaposed so. I'm not understanding the song choice at all."

Well, it all started with the movie this afternoon. To finish up my AMC A*list, I chose "Little Amelie or The Character Of Rain". All I knew of it was that it was French anime, so I made sure to select the screening with the spoken French. To my surprise, I also was treated to spoken Japanese, as the Belgian family in the story had a stint in Japan. How wonderful!!!

"That does sound very nice."

It was! Amelie is the baby, who believes herself to be a god, since everyone spends their time attending to her needs. When she is two years old, she is further convinced that she is a god, since she can make flowers bloom and rain fall. Hahahaha! I've been saying for decades that every child thinks they are the center of the universe! This delightful movie depicts that so well!

"Hahahaha!"

Even her older siblings, a brother and a sister, kowtow to her needs! Well, until she turns two, then her brother starts teasing her. But its her Grandma that the baby adores. Grandma introduced her to the joy of chocolate!!! Like I said, it truly is a delightful story. But what I liked best was the relationship the child had with the Japanese nanny, Nishio. That's when I recognized that the child's name, Amelie, had something in common with a film festival I attended a decade ago. That had been called "Ame No Hi" -  "A Rainy Day".

"I remember that! A SCAD student had organized it as her departing gift to Savannah! As I recall, it just happened to fall on a very rainy day indeed."

You recall correctly! That had been so much fun! I even learned the Japanese symbol for "Ame" - "rain" - is a window with four diagonal raindrops, one in each pane. Very cool! And the nanny taught the baby how to write her name in Japanese.

"Nice! So, you went out for  French film, but got a Japanese anime along with it. What a great bonus for you!"

Hey, right place, right time, truly. You see, I knew the WNS dinner tonight at Asbury Memorial was to be Beef and Broccoli Teriyaki, a Japanese dish. How splendid to have started my afternoon with that language in my ears!

"Awesome, my girl! And whose company did you share this evening?"

I sat with Pam and Walt again! There was also a couple I didn't know, named Bob and Carol. Naturally I brought up the 1960's movie, "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" - which they knew of but didn't think they'd ever seen. Of course, I have to wonder if that was an inside joke on Bob's part, as he is blind. (smile!) All I can say about the movie is that it had Elliott Gould.

"Wasn't that about swinging couples? That's an odd one to bring up at church."

Hey, train of thought. The two couples at the table with me are both older than I am, and I doubt they have led sheltered lives. No one took umbrage, so no harm. It was, as I said, just part of a train of thought.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time with them tonight and met some new folks."

Me, too! It's so nice to sit with people I know, but part of the reason I go these suppers is to meet new people, too. Hey, let me wrap this up! Rob Lowe's show, "The Floor", is about to come on and I want to see what topics come up this time. Such a lively show! 

h2o meter and WNS

This past bill from the City of Savannah for water, sewer, and trash was the exact same amount as the bill for the previous two-month period.

The note on this bill claimed the reader was "unable to reach the meter".

Okay.

Well, they won't be able to claim that again!

Today, the long-awaited digital reader for the meter was installed.

Looking carefully, the fellow in the neon-yellow vest crouched over the yard is putting it in place!

This morning, he was across the street, doing their meters.

He made it to mine right after his lunch.

He warned me that the water would be off for about fifteen minutes, so I made sure to not take a shower right then.

(smile!)

I look forward to the next bill being more accurate than the past one.

I also looked forward to the Wednesday Night Supper, as I knew it would be Beef Stroganoff - that isn't something I get to eat anywhere else!

 

It was every bit as good as I recalled it being in the spring - yum!

I fixed myself a nice side salad, grabbed a couple of spice cookies for dessert, and sat down with tennis-playing Linda of the choir!

She was all alone, but soon we had others. 

Reverend Billy himself sat right between us and kept up a lively conversation about tennis and pickleball! 

Linda asked if I had seen any good movies, so I told her about "Good Fortune", telling her I kept wanting to call it "Good Karma".

That got us talking about he PBS show, "Good Karma Hospital", as well as the various mystery shows I watch with Madame Blanc and Miss Fisher and the "Marlow Murder Club" trio of women. She likes that last one, too.

Carmen and her hubby, Bill, as well as their 4-year-old grandson all sat with us, too.

Then, at the next table, was Sherry Giddens and her hubby, Lowell!

So good to see her again!

She always spreads plenty of good cheer!

(smile!) 

back to back meals with asburians

Last night, the first Wednesday Night Supper was held!

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

Pasta is pasta, right?

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

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

(smile!) 

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

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

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

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

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

I would have enjoyed having some of that French pastry!

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

many thanks, Linda!

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

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

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

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

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

Safe spaces.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Safe spaces. 

GOB: Company

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

I felt it was speaking directly to me!

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

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

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

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

Then Jeff and I divorced.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christa died in December of 2022.

Barbara was killed in July of 2024.

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

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

That's a lot of time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Barbara and I handled that for each other.

Sigh.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yes, she would gladly give me a lift!

And, so, I was there!!!

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

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

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

Right place, right time. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to decide on marriage or continued single life?

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

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

Many thanks, Sherry, for your kindness today!

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

(smile!)

2 of 5 to go

"That's a bit cryptic."

It's about the WNS. Of the five dinners in the spring series at Asbury, I had to get two of them as takeaways as I arrived too late to eat them there.

"True that. You are a slow eater."

Exactly. Though that wasn't entirely the case last week. I'd had a late luncheon with Dawn, as in around 2:30 PM, so I wasn't hungry at 5:30.

"Let me guess! You went to The King & I, right?"

Of course we did! I had the Chicken Sate and ate every bit of it right there! I was pretty well starving by the time she was able to get off a conference call for our luncheon. Remember, I had a volunteer shift at noon30 for SMF36 that day.

"So, you just made a turkey dinner and left that night?"

Oh, no, I did stay for the side salad and the carrot cake. Plus, I took an extra slice of turkey home with me, too, so that worked out quite well. If you stay until the end, they always encourage you to take some food home, you know.

"I do know! And did you do that tonight?"

Yes, I did!!! Though I will say it wasn't quite as good as last week's, but there were a lot of folks that turned out for this one. The pepper steak was actually hamburger steak in a mushroom gravy. I took two of those, then three of the corn bread muffins. Those are great! They went into the freezer, as did one of the steaks.

"But you stayed for salad and dessert, right?"

I did, sitting with Chuck Eyler and his family. Coconut cake was tonight's dessert.

"What about Mark? Didn't you see him?"

I did, though on both occasions he was at full tables. Last week, he left shortly after I did, so we waved to each other across the parking lot. So, that's promising. Perhaps when I return from Tallahassee, I'll have to stop by the store he works in. Perhaps.

"That's a good idea. You certainly won't have any more WNS meals as an excuse."

Heard.

r u lack toes and told yer aunt?

This little meme from Jay Sinclair is a hoot!

"I want to feed you pasta"

"What if I don't want pasta"

"Why? Are u lack toast and told her aunt?"

"Pardon"

"Lack toast and told her aunt"

"The thing where you cant eat dairy"

"Lactose intolerant"

Hahahaha!

That ties right in with the WNS meal tonight: Baked Ziti with Bolognese Sauce and lots of mozzarella cheese.

I used to bring a Lactaid with me for this favorite meal, but the cheese in it is lactose-free, so now I just bring myself.

(smile!)

Why no photo of the meal I had, with the cupcake topped with lemon icing and four perfectly ripe blueberries?

I forgot to take a pic, engrossed as I was with the conversation I was having with Jo Poston and Beverly.

First we were discussing Susan Daggett, who Beverly once 'handled", but then the topic turned to men... and the difficulty with finding a straight man at Asbury Memorial!

How about that?

I was just wondering that very same thing last week!

Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks about that.

I truly had hoped to engage Mark in conversation again this week, but the table he was at was already full when I arrived.

That's okay, I seem to have ended up where I needed to be.

He and I caught each other's eyes, so that will do for now.

Maybe I'll have better luck on that front next week.

suddenly, alec!!!

 

Watching "The Irrational" has become hit or miss for me.

I adore Jesse L. Martin, but some of the story lines are just... not appealing.

Not so last night!!!

 

As soon as I saw that "The Little Shop Of Horrors" was being featured, I set the machine to "record", hoping I would be treated to more than just a couple of background shots of that musical I so love.

I got so much more than that!!!

 

No, they did not include "Suddenly, Seymour", the song I so enjoy, but they performed much of the second act!!!

Jesse voiced the Audrey II, the man-eating plant, and did so deliciously well!

I have actually watched that ten-minute segment of the TV show several times and most likely will watch it again tomorrow.

(smile!)

I've just returned from Asbury Memorial, from the second WNS in this spring series.

Tonight's meal was pot roast with carrots and pearl onions!

There was also mashed potatoes and green beans, plus the side salad.

I opted for carrot cake for dessert... eaten with my meal, of course!

My dinner companion was Mark Bruemann, who turned out to be about my age, a Savannah native like me, retired like me, and working at the Family Dollar in Sandfly.

He even graduated in 1976, too, but from Savannah High.

Very nice guy!

We had the table to ourselves for a surprisingly long time, and I made use of that lull to ask questions and get to know him better.

Then Lance came, followed by Catherine Gilbert and her wife, and a few others.

So, I still have one question: is Mark straight or gay?

Perhaps I will find that out in the future.

 

He didn't go to the Taize service, but I did.

It was nice, but it wasn't the same experience I had last week.

The windows were all draped, so the sanctuary was fairly dark, in preparation for the musical that Ray Ellis and Mark Rand are doing next week. 

I understand that they need that, but I do not, so this will be the last special Wednesday service for me.

Now, maybe I'll watch Jesse again, listen to him growl once more...

yes, that's a good idea!

(smile!)

never alone...

Not even when I am somewhere that wasn't frequented by them, someone I love is there.

This evening, it was Mama and Ronnie.

We had reached the time in the Taize service for "silence and reflection", and I paused briefly to glance over my left shoulder to catch the kiss of the sun...

having shared that poem moments earlier with Margaret Clay while taking a moment in the garden with the song of the birds...

but when I glanced at the photo and saw what I caught, I spent that time in tears, full of thoughts of Mama and of Ronnie.

Right place, right time.

I hadn't even remembered about 

this special service today.

The Wednesday Night Suppers have begun and my only reason for showing up at Asbury Memorial had been to allow someone else to cook dinner for me.

Chicken fricassee was the entree promised, and I could not recall what that might be.

Gravy-soaked, breaded, chicken, that's what, and I got a leg.

Very tasty, especially with the wild rice and the green beans, and that pumpernickel roll.

Plus, I made myself a nice salad on the side.

For dessert, I had one of the few slices of coconut custard pie!

I chose to sit with Charles and Bernie.

Before long, Bill Anderson joined us.

Within ten minutes, our table was full, with both Prestons,

Kaye Deffley, and Danny Lewis.

Very nice!

Then Reverend Billy came by and reminded all of the Taize service.

After I'd explained that it was a time of meditative reflection to several others, I found myself going toward the sanctuary, with just a pause in the garden to watch the dipping sun...

and found myself still in the company of those I love.

i thank You, God.