6/2/2013

weekly update 6/2/2013

Monday this week was the Memorial Day holiday. But, if you're retired, and all your weeks are 7-day weekends, a holiday doesn't mean much different than the rest of the time. I spent my Monday at Bonaventure. Normally, the historical society has volunteers in the cemetery visitor center only on Saturday and Sunday, and if tourists come in during the week, they need to pester the cemetery staff for information. Since even the office would be closed on a holiday, I decided I would go there and sit for a while to see if it would make a difference. It did! I was there for only 4 hours, but in that time, there was almost $200 was added to the donation box, and that's a lot of money that the historical society would not have had if I hadn't been there. So, I'm pleased with what I was able to do.

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday were days spend going to the pool, and then reading, watching the French Open tennis on tv, eating and playing computer games. This is what real retirement is like when you live hundreds of miles from your grandchildren. Thursday evening, however, I went to The Rail pub to meet Lisa & Dave. It had been several weeks since I'd last seen them, and I really wanted to connect with them again. So I wandered to the historic district in Savannah to enjoy a pint of Guinness with my friends. 

When I got back from my sunbathing at the pool on Tuesday, there was a package at the door of the condo. Marcia & Andy Lloyd had sent a painting that Andy had done of the Charlotte lighthouse. It is beautiful, and I love it. I waited almost a week to hang it, because I wasn't sure exactly where I wanted it to be, but I finally decided to put it in the dining area, along side of the other painting I own that Andy did - that one of Durand Beach in autumn. The large watercolor that I bought years ago at an antique shop of Ellison Park is in that same area, so I guess that's become my “Rochester Memories” room. 

 

 

DH might be getting a little old. When I'm in the Drawing room, I usually say that I want them to notice that there are no curtains or draperies on the windows. On one of my tours this week, I told the visitors that there are no WINDOWS in the drawing room - which is a huge lie as there are 4 large windows in there. Man, I've got to start to think when I give these tours!  Retirement can also lead to brain collapse. 

After DH on Friday, I went back to the condo for a little something to eat - always so important - and then went back out to go to the Savannah Children's Theatre production of Frog & Toad. Frog & Toad was one of Allen's favorite books when he was little, and used to read to him about their adventures all the time. Naturally, I couldn't help but think of Allen when I saw the play. As always, it was well done.

I met Lisa & Dave on the riverfront on Saturday afternoon. There were some live bands playing, some craft booths set up, and some vendors selling food along the river. Because there's no open container law in Savannah, we were able to bring our frozen margaritas to the outdoor walkway along the river where we found some places to sit. It was so nice to relax, watch the people (we played the guessing game, tourist or local?, and pretended to be fashion police), and enjoy being with good friends.

The rental unit above me is occupied again. It's been vacant for a while, but a family must have moved in this weekend. I can hear them walking around up there, and it was especially loud this weekend as they were moving furniture & boxes around; it won't always be like that. It's not annoying to have them there; in fact, I probably bother them more by having my tv on 24/7 than they will bother me.

Sunday was simply a day of watching the tennis and other programs on tv. Man, I do not like to listen to those network sports commentators and I resent that it's commonly believed that we'd rather watch any known-name player, no matter how horrible the match, than see good tennis on an outside court. Oh, well, they don't ask me, so I watch what they show.