9/28/2014

weekly update 9/28/2014

There were some interesting events early in the week.

Monday, The Victorian Society was presenting a talk about the Harper-Fowlkes House in Savannah, followed by a tour of the house plus wine & cheese in the courtyard. 

beautiful potted plants & flowers on the portico of the H-F House

 

Tuesday, I thought I was having a day with nothing scheduled, but when I looked at my calendar, there was a speaker at the Coastal Heritage Society fall series who was going to give a talk about the Battle of Chippewa during the War of 1812, so I went out to that.

And on Wednesday, I attended a meeting with the Mercer Point Social and Communications committees to plan some events at the condo development as well as how to convey more information to the residents who live here.

Thursday I spent most of the day trying to make plans for the trip to New York State next week.

Friday, I met Sylvia in the morning before DH for a little visit. DH went very well.

Saturday I was up early to open BC. I did a little shopping on the way back home, and then had only a short time before going out again to be at the Visitors' Center in the afternoon. It was pleasantly busy. Tourist season is picking up here now, with the temperatures being a little cooler, and some snowbirds driving through Georgia on their way to winter homes in Florida.

Sunday, I spent the afternoon at Coach's. The start to the season lulled me into a sense of “perhaps this is the year”. Those feelings are evaporating quickly. Let's Go, Buffalo!

9/21/2014

weekly update 9/21/2014

The Monday Movie at the clubhouse this week was Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. There were only three of us who watched, but it was nice. I had forgotten about the scenes from Bonaventure that are shown in the movie (and some of the other places in Savannah, too), and since I often talk about it when I give my tours there, it was nice to be reminded about the role the cemetery played in the story.

There was a HUGE storm that rolled through on Tuesday about 5 pm. The thunder was clashing and the lightning was flashing. I went out to the landing to see the storm, and it was really coming down. The poor little car really took a beating. I lost electricity for nearly 2 hours, and was beginning to fret over what I would do in the dark if I couldn't read or watch tv, but all was restored just after 7. When I got in my car the next day, the seat was wet - go figure!

 

I went to a wonderful lecture on Wednesday. Stan Deaton, who is the Senior Historian at the Georgia Historical Society (and I try to attend any lectures where he speaks because he is knowledgeable, interesting, and easy to listen to) spoke about The Great War. He warned us at the start that the lecture would be depressing, and it was. He spoke in numbers - dead, wounded, missing. I think since I grew up with WWII and Vietnam, The Great War has always been ancient history and not thought about much. But with the 100th anniversary of the war, I'm learning more about it.

I had invited Connie, one of the Lunch Bunch, to come to the pool on Thursday. We'd actually wanted to do this all summer, but with one thing and another, we just kept putting it off. With summer is ending, we decided that we'd better do this now. And, of course, the pool was closed! Because of the storm on Tuesday, a lot of debris that had blown into the pool, and it needed to be shocked with a lot of chemicals. But it was safe by Thursday - they just hadn't taken down the “closed” signs.

I really enjoyed watching the PBS special on the Roosevelts this past week. but I also think Ken Burns could do a documentary on the Smith family in Podunk, and I'd enjoy it.

What I really DIDN'T enjoy was the Bills game on Sunday. On the other hand, I knew the delight of winning for the past two weeks was not going to go on forever. So, I guess we may have a 15-1 season.

9/14/2014

weekly update 9/14/2014

With a great start to the NFL season (and the Lions won last week, too!), I was motivated to hang that shower curtain. If I can't actually use it in the bathroom, why not put in the bedroom. So, here's what the blue room looks like now, with the curtain on the window, and my t-shirts being used as throw pillows! 

 

Book Club was on Monday. This month we were to read a “banned book”. Very interesting. some books that were reviewed were: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Jane Eyre, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Catcher in the Rye, James and the Giant Peach, Gone with the Wind. I read Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It was a great discussion. We all agreed that thee books were not worth banning, and there was a debate on who should be allowed to ban books, and for which groups. Luckily, this little book club doesn't make the rules.

Monday was also to be the first evening of the Savannah series of movies that are to be shown at the condo club house. In a continuing effort to get members of this community to socialize and perhaps recognize one another, I wanted to show a movie that has been filmed in Savannah for each of 4 Monday evenings in September. It didn't work out well, since the tv died on Saturday. Forrest Gump just isn't going to be shown to our group, I guess, and I'm hoping the tv will be fixed for the showing of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil next Monday. It's interesting to watch a film and be able to point out familiar points of interest.

And all that while also trying to watch the men's finals (pretty boring, surpassed in non-excitement only by the women's finals the day before) and two MNF games. Busy busy.

Lectures are beginning again in Savannah as the hot summer comes to an end. I attended two this week. On Tuesday, I went to a very technical and rather uninteresting analysis of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812 at the Visitors Center. This group does a series of 4 lectures each fall, and for the past 2 years they have been focused on this War. On Thursday, I was at the Jepson for a talk about the current exhibit of Art along the Savannah River. Works of watercolor, oils, photography and even cartography (the Peter Gordon view of Savannah in 1734) were shown and explained. Combining art and history - right up my alley.

Also on Thursday, I met with a group of friends for lunch at Huey's on the River. Not only was it nice to see all these ladies once again, but I had some of the best shrimp and grits I can remember.

 

But mostly all week, I waited for the new remote to come so that I could move back into my bedroom. The estimate shipment time was 3 to 5 business days. Each day that I would find my mailbox empty of any packages, I would regret that I was going to have to sleep in the guest room for another night. When I stopped at the Mail Center on Friday on my way to DH, and there was still no package, I was really pissed, since it would probably not be delivered on the weekend. Imagine my delight when I got home that evening, and there was a UPS box on my door step. It's here, and it works! Hooray! 

 

Saturday, I was on the schedule to op BC, but when I first looked at the clock, it was almost 10! I flew out of the condo and went to unlock the door. I was only a little late. I was also scheduled to open on Sunday, and I did better then. I did two tours, one on Saturday and another on Sunday. It was hot both days, but not too bad. I was more bothered that I was missing the Bills VICTORY over the Dolphins than I was by the heat. I would have happily spent the afternoon at Coach's, watching the game, but I've said I would do the Second Sunday Tour, and I like to keep my word. I'm going to have to miss next month's tour, so I wanted to be sure to help out this week.

9/7/2014

weekly update 9/7/2014

On Labor Day, I didn't have anything to do. I went to BC for a few hours because I expected it might be busy, and I might be of help to visitors requesting maps or info. It started out with a lot of people coming by, but it slowed considerably in the afternoon, so I locked up and left. On my way home, I stopped at Walmart and bought another set of shelves for the office. Since I've been listening to some of my old cds lately, going to the closet storage area to find another one was getting pretty old, and I decided I needed someplace to keep them. I'd also been piling books in a stack on the floor next to the book shelf when I finished reading them, and that pile was getting as high as the bookshelves themselves. So, now I have another “thing” to keep my “things” on - just what I don't want. 

 

the new shelves in the office

 

I also had to “update” the car. Since it's NFL time again, I replaced the front tag with my Buffalo Bills fan plate. And, the last time I was at the library, I picked up a READ sticker. So that went on the back bumper. 

Go Bills

and when it's not NFL season, READ

 Wednesday I was out and about, doing errands. The remote on the tv in my bedroom wasn't working (and before you ask, yes, I did check the batteries - actually, I could turn the tv on and off, but I couldn't change from TV to DVD, and then got it stuck on something called VGA). The swine galaxy phone was plugged in for more than 24 hours, and didn't get to a full charge. That's not right, is it? So, I started at the Verizon store, where I got no help at all. The rep told me to call customer service, but said there was nothing he could do for me. I asked if I could buy a new battery and was told no, they don't sell batteries, but they'd be happy to sell me a new phone. I don't think so. Then on to the deli for bagels, since it's in the same strip plaza where the appliance store that I'd purchased the tv is located. Naturally, the store couldn't do anything for me, but they did give me the phone number to call for a replacement. As long as I was driving around, I went in search of a little cotton sundress. I need one to throw on after a day at the pool when I don't want to wear my boxer shorts and tank top to a lecture at the Jepson or library book club. Maybe it's because I've added so much weight this summer, but I couldn't find anything. It was a wasted afternoon.

I've been sleeping in the guest room so I can have the tv on at night (I can't get to sleep without it), but I don't like that room. I feel as if I'm in a hotel. It's probably good to be in there occasionally to be sure that it's not really uncomfortable for when I have guests and they have to use that room, but I want my own room. The new remote should be here this week.

Thursday evening, there was lecture by Dr Christopher Hendricks, the architectural historian at Armstrong Atlantic University at the Telfair Museum. It was WONDERFUL. I've heard him speak at other events, and even took a series of classes a the Senior Learning Center, and I think he's amazing, so this was real treat for me. I had to get back to the condo right when it ended, though, because there was an exciting tennis match and the opening football game of the season that I wanted to see. The tennis was entertaining; the football, not so much.

Friday was DH; Saturday, I had to close BC. I thought I wouldn't get out all my Bills Stuff, because it might be bad luck. But I convinced myself that their luck probably wasn't dependent on if I had few things around to decorate. I changed the summer welcome mat out side my door, and put my put out all my stuffed Buffaloes on the shelf. I drew the line at hanging the Buffalo Bills shower curtain that I'd received for Christmas last year. I would have put it up, but I have doors on the shower I use, and there's no rod to hang a curtain from. Another time.

Da Bills

the front door, and if you look really closely, you can see decals by the knocker

 

Sunday, I went to Coach's for my first NFL game of the new season. I wasn't expecting much, and I had to leave just as the Bills went ahead 10-7 in the 2nd quarter because Sylvia had invited me to a birthday celebration at her house in the afternoon. I sat in her living room, listening to her other guests talk about plays they've performed in, or their cats, or where they've traveled in the world. And I kept checking my phone. The Bills had the lead with less than minute to play, but then the Bears tied the game. I was sure it was doomed. So imagine my surprise when they hung on and were able to come away with a win in OT! Happy Birthday, Sylvia!! There were a lot of strange scores that I wouldn't have thought possible. After the party, I was able to see Serena win the Open, but it wasn't a very exciting match.