6/18/2017

Weekly Update 6/18/2017

The Lunch Bunch tried a new restaurant on Tuesday. Well, actually, not that new. It used to be Uncle Bubba's, and it's not far from MP. I think I may have taken visitors there to eat in the past, but it's been closed for more than a year. It recently re-opened, as Paula Deen's Creekside Restaurant. It is not much different than what it used to be, either in décor or menu. But, as always, I enjoy this group of ladies, so it was nice to get out. And, as we were waiting to be seated, I saw two friends from library book club, and someone else from DH. It was almost like a reunion there, and I felt very popular as I greeted people.

On Wednesday, The Georgia Historical Society hosted a dedication for a marker in front of the First African Baptist Church on Franklin Square. There were a few speakers, and then the marker was unveiled. The marker reads:

First African Baptist Church (FABC) traces its roots to

1773 and the organization of a congregation at nearby

Brampton Plantation by Rev. George Leile. Under the

leadership of Rev. Andrew C. Marshall (3^rd pastor),

the congregation obtained this property. Constructed

of Savannah Grey brick by congregants, both free and

enslaved, the current building was completed in 1859.

Rev. Emanuel K. Love (6^th pastor), an advocate for

African-American education and civil rights, was

instrumental in establishing today's Savannah State

University. Rev. Dr Ralph Mark Gilbert (13^th pastor)

was a prominent leader of the NAACP and the revival

of the Savannah chapter in the 1940s. U.S.

Representative Adam Clayton Powell of Harlem and

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are among the noteworthy

speakers hosted here. FABC is one of the oldest

continuously operating African-American churches in

North America.

I ordered a small outhouse from eBay to add to my collection for my bathroom. I want to create seasonal “sitters” that I can put in there as I change the decorations in the other parts of the condo I began with Uncle Sam for the upcoming 4^th of July holiday. I visited one of the internet craft sites that I used to use all the time when I searching for craft projects to make with Emily in my past life as babysitter. I found some great (and easy-to-make) stuff there, and I think this will be fun.   

I haven't been to the pool in many weeks, but I did go back on Thursday.  It wasn't that much fun.  But on Friday, I did have a good day.  I wasn't scheduled for DH, so I had a free day. There was a lecture on Georgians in WWI at City Hall, and I enjoyed that.  The lecture was based on a current exhibit at the museum at Georgia Southern University, so now that's on my list of things to try to get to this summer.  After that, I wandered down to River Street.  I wanted to see if the dock at the city Hall Landing had been rebuilt and was again offering the water taxi circuit on the river.  It was, and since that's one of the things I like to do best in Savannah, I rode the shuttle. It was the first time I've ever seen dolphins that far up the Savannah River, and that was really cool to watch them putting on a show for the tourists.  I also got a Wet Willies - white russian, my favorite - and sat for while and people-watched. There's a little hole-in-the-wall pastry shop that was recommended to me by neighbors, so I stopped there on my walk back to the car.  I got a wonderful sandwich on a baguette and a fruit tart that was so-o-o good!  I also stopped at bookseller E Shavers' (my go-to place for local books) and bought a copy of Good Karma, a new book that is has been widely publicized, and while it will never be on any lists of fine literature, it's set in Savannah, and I need a simple read.  It was a good day.  

Saturday was Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas, and more generally the emancipation of slave throughout the Confederate South. Pinpoint, the African-American community on Skidaway Island was celebrating by having special exhibits. I thought it would be interesting, so I went. Not so fast! I had expected to be parking along the street as I believed there would be a lot of people attending this event, but when I pulled in and was one of 3 cars in the entire parking lot, I began to think I'd arrived on the wrong day. There were no special exhibits except for a fact sheet about Juneteenth, and a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. Not a lot to see. I did wander through the old oyster and crab factory but I've seen that before and was hoping for something a little more.

Sunday, I got up, and as usual, began playing games on my iPad.  After I'd done that for a couple of hours, and I still had the whole day ahead of me, I thought about going downtown. Why not? Parking is free on the weekends, and that's about to change, so I felt I'd take advantage of being cheap while I can.  I went to the American Prohibition Museum in City Market.  It's only been open for a few months, and I've been meaning to go. I was not disappointed.  Although it looks small from the outside, it is large on the inside, and the exhibits are great.  There were costumed interpreters and some holograms that were amazing, but also a lot of brief notes on the walls to read that added to the understanding of the story.  After I came back out, I sat and listened to the music in the open city market area for a while.  It was a nicer way to spend the afternoon rather than seeing if I can beat my own record at freecell.