1/28/2018

Weekly Update 1/28/2018

The ceiling fan in my bedroom died. Since I have it whirling all year long, I knew it was dead, and I was glad it happened now, and not in July. I ordered a replacement, and had my handyman come out to install it, but the entire process took a couple of weeks – deciding, ordering, waiting for delivery, scheduling with the handyman. It’s bigger than the old fan, but I like it.

old

new

Always looking for something less boring than walking around in a circle at the YMCA, I walked in the neighborhood near TLC. And I saw one of my favorite Automobiles! What’s not to like.

(I'm really stretching to find photos this week!)

The parking in Savannah just became more complicated. But I’m determined to get it right. There is a Park Savannah app that can be used to pay for parking, and I wanted to see if I could use it with ease. I had to be at the Jepson on Thursday for a showing of the movie Daughters of the Dust (the first feature film directed by an African-American woman, originally released in 1991, selected for preservation in the US National film Registry in 2004, and re-released in 2016, it tells the story of three generations of Gullah women as they prepare to migrate to the North) and I tried to pay through the app. It would not accept my parking space number, however (don’t know why) and I had to use quarters at the parking kiosk. When I was downtown again on Friday, I parked near the same area and the app worked this time. I hope I will be able to get used to this. Few people are more techno-challenged than I am, but I’m giving it my best shot. 

I was at training for DH on Friday morning. The house museum that I work for, and most of the others in Savannah, are struggling to interpret the slave experience, and to tell the stories of the individuals who were a part of the households. I learned some very interesting information about Nancy and Bella, two of the enslaved people who were owned by Sarah and Isaiah Davenport. Subsequent meetings will focus on some of the others. Little is know about them, but an intern did extensive research and it has turned up some information. Now, I need to find a way to incorporate these stories in my tour and still keep the time frame manageable. Not an easy task, but I’m a seasoned and talented docent, and I CAN DO IT!

It’s the start of Restaurant Week in Savannah, so instead of going to The 90 for drinks on Friday, I met Kay at Ruth’s Chris for dinner. That seems to be the first choice each year. And it did not disappoint.

The Australian Open is in the history books. I saw some interesting and exciting matches. But now, along with the end of the NFL season (like, who really thinks the Super Bowl will be super?) what do I have to talk about?  

1/21/2018

Weekly Update 1/21/2018

Donna’s daughter, Tonya, was visiting for a few days, so Connie organized a get-together Lunch Bunch happy hour on Monday evening. It was at the Prohibition restaurant (really just a bar with high-end bar food), and I thought it was great. The bartender really looked the part, too.

isn't he cute?

our group 

Saturday night, I had tickets for a Coasters, Drifters and Platters live performance at the Savannah Theater (not to be confused with the wonderful Lucas). June is also an oldies fan, so we went together. The music was grand, and I clapped and sang and had a wonderful time. 

June and me - ready to rock and roll

Savannah, in it’s quest for increased revenue, has instituted new parking regulations. It will now cost $2 per hour for parking on streets north of Oglethorpe Avenue, and where parking used to be free after 5 pm, and on weekends, we will be charged until 8 pm and all day Saturday. Locals, naturally are not happy. I know where there are no meters, and where I can park for free, so I’ll still do that. But I don’t want to be in those out-of-the way places after dark, and will have to pay or just stay away from downtown for evening events.

The Spurs tied, the Jags lost and I don’t care about the Eagles. At least I still have the tennis. What began as wonderful Sunday of watching sports turned out to be not so good after all.  

1/14/2018

Weekly Update 1/14/2018

It has been so cold for so long here. I had to cancel a scheduled oil change last week, but got that done Monday morning. Then, I went to Treylor Park for lunch with Barbara, and we had to walk on icy, slippery sidewalks. And this is what the fountain at Forsyth Park looked like – 5 days after the snow storm, but with no break in the temperatures!

The Learning Center also began it’s winter series, and I attended two lectures. One was on the automobile in America. It’s more a history of auto production, and I think I was hoping for more of a commentary on how cars totally changed everything: urban areas, manufacturing practices, even war. But it was interesting, and it’s a three week course, so I have two more. The other talk was given by the authors of a book about Savannah's Seven Ladies. Since DH was the catalyst for the these ladies to begin the preservation movement, I was especially interested. I’d already read the book, of course, but the talk added to what I knew.  

Since I’ve requested that I not do tours at DH for the month of January, I’ve had a some Friday afternoons free. That worked out wonderfully when I received a message that a group would be going to see The Post on Friday afternoon and I was able to join them. I’m pretty sure no one want to hear my rants about the movies, so I’m going to let that go. I did enjoy it, and I’m sorry to say that I hardly remember a lot of what it was about. I was so wrapped up in my own little life at that time, the larger events that shaped the world seem to have been largely ignored. 

The Weather Channel was broadcasting from Rochester on Saturday morning.  Because of the recent record warm weather, all the snow had melted, and the Genesee River was raging though the city center.  It had turned cold again, and everything turned to ice, and then they got more snow.  It was interesting to see the reporter on the Broad Street Bridge, and to see the water cascading near the library.  

I had to give a tour at the cemetery on Sunday afternoon, so I missed most of the Jaguars game.  I would have liked to miss the New England game.  And I’m very glad I didn’t miss the Vikings game – the most exciting finish I can remember in a long time.  

1/7/2018

Weekly Update 1/7/2018

The Bills go to the playoffs, and hell freezes over. We had a winter storm in Savannah, as did everyone along the east coast. We didn’t get it as bad as some of the northeast, but by southern standards, this was bad. The cold lingered for many days, and I didn’t get out to walk – I hardly got out at all. The snow, which has usually vanished in hours, stayed for days. On the plus side, Leopold’s gave away free ice cream for those brave enough to go downtown.

playing in the snow in the parking lot

ice coated my car, and icicles hung everywhere

the view out my window

snow at my front door

every cloud has a silver lining

Just in time, my new toilet paper roll for the outhouse is this:

New Year’s Day was celebrated at Heidi’s house with a group of women friends. We had been challenged to bring a dish to share that we remembered from our past. I can hardly remember yesterday, so for me to search my memory for foods from many decades ago presented a problem. I really couldn’t think of anything except a ham dinner. In the south, it is good luck to eat black eyed peas, or hoppin’ john, but I can’t think of any lucky New Years food from the north. I made a jello. Others were much more creative and motivated than I was, and everything was wonderfully tasty.  

Happy New Year!

diets started the next day

On Saturday, The Savannah Victorian Society held it’s Holiday gathering. Because December gets full of parities, this one was held on Twelfth Night, and it was well attended. The home of David and Pamela Young is wonderful – a Victorian built in the 1890s and filled with wonderful antiques. They have lived her for about 40 years, and raised 4 children here. The chandeliers actually use candles (and they were lit), the fireplaces were all working and provided a warm place to stand, there was a working Edison Phonograph with wax 78 rpm records, and lots of other museum-like pieces. And the food was great. Lucky for me, Donna drove, so I didn’t have to fear black ice and driving after a few glasses of wine (which kept me away from The 90 on Friday). The only draw back to the entire evening was that I missed the Titans beating the Chiefs, but Allen kindly texted me the news.  

a huge, lovely Victorian home

owners Pamela & David Young

they have a real, antique sleigh in the foyer for the holidays

no one went away hungry

Sunday was THE BIG GAME.  The loss was disappointing, but not unexpected.