12/3/2017

Weekly Update 12/3/2017

Although much of what I did this week was at DH, I did do a few other interesting things.

I addition to my regular walk-in tours on Friday afternoon, I did three Holly Jolly Trolley evening tours at DH. The museum is decorated with some of the end of year holiday items that may have been typical in Savannah in the 1820s. DH has partnered with Old Town Trolley to offer abbreviated tours and docents explain some of the traditions every evening between Thanksgiving and New Years. I did three this week. And also, the DH volunteer and Friends holiday party was in the garden on Friday after the museum closed. So many people brought such wonderful treats!

a trolley with a string of colored lights, and a Santa driver

Dottie and Jamie getting the treats ready in the DH kitchen

Monday, I attended the dedication and unveiling of a Historic Maker to Malcolm Maclean. He was the mayor in Savannah in the early 1960s, when much of the South was experiencing racial unrest. Because of the way he brought people together, Savannah was spared much of the destruction that many cities endured at this time (Rochester had race riots in 1964, but not Savannah). The Georgia Historical Society erects markers to important people, places and events, and periodically, I attend the unveiling. It’s always interesting, I always learn something, and I always enjoy it.

getting ready to reveal the marker

On Tuesday, it was raining, but I met Connie and Jane to take the water taxi to the Westin to see the awesome display of gingerbread houses. I had parked far from River Street to save myself some parking meter fees, and I’d hoped the rain would stop before I had to waddle back to the car. It didn't, and I was soaked by the time I got home again, But the gingerbread was worth it. It seems as if the displays are getting smaller each year, but no less impressive. Most are created by professional pastry chefs, but a few are made by groups and organizations – Girl Scouts, youth groups, etc. I am always reminded of the tradition of making houses with the girls every year for a long time, something that I always enjoyed.  

Saturday evening, I went to the Nutcracker ballet. This is also another thing I used to do in my past life that I enjoyed, but I haven’t been to see a production in many years. It was at the grand Lucas Theater, and staged by the local ballet company, and included many very little beginner ballerinas, which were adorable. And when it was over, as we were all exiting the theater, it was snowing! Well, not really – there were snow making machines over the marquee and big, beautiful flakes were floating down. It’s a lot better to have a lovely snowfall when it’s almost 70° than it is to have it accumulate and know that this is the first of many, many inches that will fall this winter.  

can you see the snow?

I decorated the condo a bit again this year. I’ve done more in past years, but this year I concentrated on only the inside of my home. Since Audrey is no longer with me, I had to find another plant to string with lights, and I think the one I chose works just fine. My toilet paper roll creations for my bathroom are a Santa, and a reindeer. My nutcracker collection is in the kitchen again, and it was nice to remember each and every one as I took them out of boxes and set them out. The new one this year is right in the center – a Celtic warrior from my visit to Wales. 

my little "tree"

my newest nutcracker 

I have quite a few

toilet paper rolls make great crafts! especially in the bathroom

inside my front door

Many of the things I do at this time of year are reflections of things I've done before, and that I have such fond memories of. Not all my Christmas memories are happy; in fact, most are not. But I still try to re-capture some of the past that I did enjoy. And I've got a few new things that I like to do in Savannah that I did not do before. For example, one tradition that I’m indulging in now is to re-read A Redbird Christmas. It is my favorite Christmas book, and I’m reading it again.

UGA won, the Bills lost. About what was expected.