4/28/2013

weekly update 4/28/2013

I did a couple of theater events this week. A member of my book club is the director of a group who performs at a church not far from the library. I missed the last play she was in, and this time they were doing I Remember Mama. I didn't want to miss it. So, Thursday, I went to church. It was OK, but the Savannah Children's Theater is more professional. On Friday, I went with Lisa & Dave to see a new theater company's first Savannah production, the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). It was fantastic! I can't say enough good things about this performance. It was professional, well acted, funny - just wonderful. I laughed so hard in Hamlet - yes, Hamlet - that I was crying. Othello was done as a rap to make it more politically correct, since Othello is black (although not African-American; they called African-Italian). And many of the tragedies which were stories of the kings of England were done as a football game, with the crown being passed, fumbled, punted around to many the characters Shakespeare wrote about. To stage all of the Bard's plays in less than 2 hours, is quite a feat, and they did any excellent job. I see myself attending many these in the future. 

I also went out to the USTA tournament that I go to once a year that's held not far from Savannah. Donna went with me, and the day was perfect (except for those pesky sand gnats) - not too hot and not windy. We watched a very entertaining and competitive match between oldie Nicolas Massu and a kid from the Ukraine, and then watched a couple of matches featuring up and coming American players. Those matches were not as good, as they were both won in straight sets, and they were not exciting. There were some very good points, however, and it was fun to watch. As I was watching the match on the outer courts, I saw a player with the ankle brace like Andy Murray wears in his matches. So, I asked him about it. He was very friendly, and told me that it's not really a brace, but just a support to prevent injuries. He was from the UK, same as Murray, and he told me that because so many of the matches there are played on grass, which can be slippery, they wear the supports to prevent turning their ankles during play. We talked a little about Andy Murray, and I said that I'd wished Tim Henman had won Wimbledon, and he agreed - just chatting away like old friends. I never asked his name, but looked him up online with I got back to the condo. His name is Sean Thornley, and he plays mostly doubles, and he's 25 (he looked to be about 12; I suppose I looked to be about 100 to him).

I didn't watch the NFL draft, but I wanted to see who Buffalo picked in the first round. I was hoping they would get Ryan Nassib, the QB from Syracuse, but they instead picked the one from Florida State. I dunno, wouldn't a player who already plays in the cold northern climate be more at ease in Buffalo than one who, like me, enjoys sunshine and warmth most of the year? Well, I'm also the one who wanted the Bills to draft Michael Vick all those years ago, and we know how that turned out, so I'm probably off on this one, too. Seems that the Bills loaded up on offense with the players they took, and I hope that won't be a mistake.

Saturday night I went out to dinner with the ladies dining out group that frequently meets to get caught up with each other while enjoying a nice, Savannah restaurant. I'm afraid that the next time we meet, we're going to be a small group as many will be heading to the north soon.

It was my week-end to open & close Bonaventure Cemetery, as well as to sit at the desk in the afternoon. As luck would have it, there were 2 volunteers scheduled for the afternoon shift. Shortly after I started my duties there, two women came in who were clearly disappointed that the Historical Society was not giving tours today. So, I suggested that if Don, my partner for the afternoon, wouldn't mind tending to the desk solo, I would give a 1-hour tour if they would like. So, that's what we did. It was impromptu, and I don't want to do it often, but it seemed to work out well. They offered me a nice tip, which I refused (as is my custom; I do tours because I enjoy sharing my knowledge, not because I want to be paid), but they put the money in the donation box for the Historical Society. That made me feel as if I'd contributed a bit more than most weeks. 

This week there was a full moon. Along the coast, that means high tides. The little creek that runs near the condo had become a lake two times a day. It was strange to see. And the moonlight peaking through the clouds over the tall Georgia pines trees is amazing!

view of the full moon from the parking lot at the condo
 

4/21/2013

weekly update 4/21/2013

This was a week spent at the pool, working at my tan. I was there 4 times this week, and it's just the best time of year to go to the pool. I can sit and read my book until i'm baking in the sun, and then go in the cool water.  Later in the season, it will be much too hot to sit in the sun for even a very short time, and going in the warm pool water is not much relief. So, I'm enjoying these days. 

 

 

at the pool with Donna

It's been quite a while since I've gone to a lecture at the Senior Center, but I had signed up for one at noon on Wednesday this week. The talk was about Clermont Lee, and the saving of Savannah's Squares. I mistakenly thought it was about a preservation activist who fought city hall to prevent the squares we all love today from being divided up into straight roadways for traffic. But, Clermont Lee was one of the first women landscape architects who worked in the United States, and her focus was historically correct gardens and public areas. She did much work in Savannah from the 1950's to the 1990's, in private gardens, museum gardens, and in 7 of Savannah's 21 squares. She has left a legacy of beautiful plantings and historic designs that we all are proud of and enjoy.

Friday found me back giving tours at Davenport House. There seems to be a lot of tourists this time of year, so my tours were quite full. That makes them easier, and the afternoon went by quickly. In the evening, I went to the performance of Little Women by the Savannah Children's Theater. Again, the kids did a wonderful job. I was surprised when one of the male leads was played by a friend's son, so that made me even more glad I had attended. Alex did a great job.

On Saturday afternoon, Donna and I drove out to Tybee Island with Lisa & Dave for jazz on the beach benefit for the Savannah Philharmonic. We had some nice appetizers (marinated calamari with seaweed? it wasn't as bad as it sounds, and I did try it) and a glass of wine and listened to some interesting jazz. It wasn't as warm as it had been earlier in the week, and we left after only about two hours. Then, back to Donna's condo for more to eat, more to drink, and games of rummikub and skipbo.

Donna, me, Lisa & Dave at the jazz tent

 

And, lastly, after all my insipid banter about my tan, my comings & goings, my inane life, the real focus of this past week - terror. again. It's just dawning on me now that this is not going to end - it is only going to get worse. Where can we, our children, our grandchildren be safe? Not airplanes, not movie theaters, not college campuses, not elementary schools, not running. There is no place. And while it may seem that each horror affects only a few people (really? doesn't everyone know someone who knew someone who was running in boston, or had run in boston, or lived in boston, or knew someone who one time lived in boston, or read about boston in history books? EVERYONE has some tie to boston), it affects us all. Every bomb, every gun, every box cutter is a threat to every one. Police were everywhere at the marathon, and yet people died. They can not keep us safe. There is nothing to keep us safe. What people do to other people, for whatever reason, is frightening. And I'm having a really, really hard time accepting that.

 

4/14/2013

weekly update 4/14/2013

Since I'd enjoyed such a great week last week, with Robin, Rachel & Hannah visiting, this week was pretty much a let down and boring week. I did 3 tours at the cemetery, and went to the pool 3 times. That is pretty much it.

On Monday, I had a bus tour of visitors from Oregon at Bonaventure. They were mostly seniors, and asked a lot of intelligent and articulate questions. It was a pleasure to share my knowledge with them. On Tuesday, there was a much larger group, from an over-55 development near Hilton Head. Because the group was so big, we divided it up, and I had half while another member of the Historical Society took the other group. On Sunday afternoon, I had my usual Second Sunday Tour. Again, I did my hour-long route. The tour was small because it had been threatening to rain all morning. Not many people wanted to stand in the rain and listen to me drone on about Little Gracie's story. The precipitation actually held off until I ended, just beginning to sprinkle as we walked back to our cars.

I went to the pool three days in a row. I tried to stay not more than an hour because I'm afraid of getting sunburn the first few times I'm out. I also lathered up with sunscreen, something I rarely do. I have a little color now, and I plan to work on it a little more this coming week. I like to sit in the pool and read. I finished a couple of books this week, the best being The Life of Pi. I was a little afraid of that book, because I'd heard from people who had read it that it was confusing and hard to follow. But I thought it was a good book. Not that I want to see the movie - I probably won't, because I often don't like the movie version of a book I've enjoyed. This is also the best time of the year to be in the pool, because the water is not warm yet, and it's refreshing to sit in the sun, and then go for a dip. Later in the year, when the pool water is really warm, it isn't as cooling to get into the water.

Thursday evening, Donna & I went out to Tybee to a bar to listen to Annie & Duane sing. It's been a long time since we've enjoyed listening to them, so when Donna said they were going to be perfoming at Tybee, I was ready to go. It was a warm day, so we put the top down on the 'vert and drove out to the Island bar. The specialty there is Italian food (I wish I'd known that when Hannah was here!) and I had what was probably the largest chicken parm I've ever had in my life. Good, too.

Friday, I went to Davenport House to continue my weekly tours, but they didn't have me on the schedule and sent me back to the condo. No problem. I'm still not confident in my ability to do that, so I just put it off for another week.

Just three short weeks ago, I had a problem with Comcast selling my email address to advertisers, and getting a lot of junk email. I contacted them, and thought I had it settled. THREE WEEKS. So, when I had 5 new unsolicited emails when I woke up on Saturday morning, ranging from weight loss to drugs to meet-a-guy, I was totally disgusted. I deleted that account. Man, I DO NOT like Comcast.

Also on Saturday, I had a ticket to the evening Classical Music concert performed by the Savannah Symphony. It was wonderful. It consisted of three symphonic pieces, one each by Prokofiev, Haydn & Mendelssohn. I loved being in the magnificent Lucas Theater, listening to amazing live orchestral music, surrounded by OSM (well, not so much).

Since I have no photos this week, I thought I'd just add this one: I had bought a pair of sunglasses when Ishy & I were at the Coca Cola Museum in Atlanta a year ago, and I loved them. They fit over my regular glasses, and were very comfortable. I broke them not long ago. I went online to the museum gift shop, but was disappointed that they were not available. So, my next best idea - Ebay! I found something that looked like the ones I'd had, so I bought them. They are perfect! Exactly what I wanted! So, here's a photo of me in my new sunglasses (which are right over my regular glasses, but you can hardly tell).

4/7/2013

weekly update 4/7/2013

What a great week! The Flynns visited! My cousin, Robin (Wahl) Flynn and her two daughters, my grandchildren (I love them so much!) Rachel & Hannah visited from Syracuse, NY. They arrived at the airport late on Easter Sunday night, and left about supper time on Wednesday. In between, we spend a delightful 3 days together. The only thing missing was Wayne, and I'm hoping that next time he can come with his family to visit me.

The girls really didn't want to learn much of the history of Savannah, which is most of what I know. So, I had a little trouble finding things that I thought they might like. On Monday, I did force them to go to Massie school, and drive around the historic district while I droned on about this monument, or that building. And, of course, we HAD to go to Leopold's for ice cream! Rachel & I found a record store that she liked, and she bought some old LPs to add to her collection. Hannah went swimming in the condo pool.

Hannah in the condo pool

Since all they really wanted to do was see the ocean, on Tuesday, we headed for Tybee Beach. It was a windy day, so there were some waves, and the girls went in the water. We had more ice cream at the beach, and then went on a dolphin boat tour. We only saw 3 dolphins (and this is in dispute - some claimed to have seen only 2, some 5, but whatever the number that we saw, it was a pretty bad showing for the dolphins). We did a really quick tour of Fort Pulaski, and then I took them to the Crab Shack for seafood. It just seems that if you have visitors here, even if they don't like seafood, the Crab Shack is a must-see.

Hannah & Rachel in the ocean waves at Tybee beach

on the boat ride to see the non-existant dolphins

Robin, Hannah & Rachel at the Crab Shack

 

On Wednesday, we went out to Skidaway State Park to hike the trail. Poor Robin is in a cast with a broken foot, but she was a trouper and went along with us. We played some board games at the condo after lunch, and all of sudden it was time for them to pack up and get ready to leave. We stopped at the Waffle House near the airport (do I know how to show people a good time, or what?) so that they wouldn't get too hungry on the way back to New York State , and then that was it. I dropped them at the boarding gate, and they were gone.

 

 

hiking at Skidaway Sate Park



I was in withdrawal on Thursday, I missed Robin and girls so much. And, I think they took the good weather we'd enjoyed back with them. It was raining and cool when I woke up, so the weather matched my mood. Donna called and wanted to go to the movies, and I was very ready to say yes. We saw The Great and Powerful Oz, but not in 3D. It was OK, not the best movies I've seen, but so-so. And we had lunch at a Thai restaurant. So, thanks to Donna, I wasn't stuck inside on a rainy day.

I went back to Davenport House on Friday. They had sent out an email saying that there were many more visitors than ever before, and were in need of guides. I don't know what the increase is about - perhaps because the city just moved a trolley stop to right outside the door of the museum, so maybe people just get off the sight-seeing bus and walk in. It's also the tourist season here, and the spring break week to boot. So, I volunteered. I don't know how this will work, or if I'll do it for a long time, but I committed to leading tours on Fridays in April. It was like riding a bike - I didn't forget all the things I'd said on the tours in the past.

To treat myself for being a good volunteer and a good Savannah resident, I went out Friday night to the Savannah Children's Theater. I love that place! They were performing The 39 Steps, which was actually satire of the Hitchcock movie. It was excellent, but I expected it to be. Those kids are terrific. 

 

There was an event planned by the Victorian Society for Sunday afternoon.  As a group, we were given a tour of some of the areas that are currently under renovation at the birth place of Juliet Gordon Low (where she was born). We had the curator of the museum tell us a little about the damage, caused by age, weather, and (of all things) the 1886 earthquake.  The repairs couldn't be put off much longer, and they did wait until the 100th anniversary of the founding of Girl Scouts was past.  But something has to be done to preserve the building.  It was very interesting.  And then Donna & I went to the Crystal Beer Parlor where I had a Genesee Cream Ale with my burger.  You can't get those anyplace else in Savannah, and it always reminds me of Rochester.   

me & Daisy

 

Congrats to cousins Ellen & David in Michigan on the birth of their 4th grandson, Caleb Norton.  He was born yesterday, weight in at 8 lb 9 oz, and everyone is doing well.