10/28/2018

Weekly Update 10/28/2018

I met for Happy Hour at The Atlantic with the lunch bunch group (and partners) on Monday night. I had been there before and enjoyed it. It is, however, just what they advertise to be – a neighborhood meeting place. For meeting a few neighbors it’s great; for large groups, it doesn’t work as well. We weren’t all able to sit together, so I didn’t get to chat with as many as I would have liked. But the food was very good, and the wine was nice.

I’ve been meaning to go to the Sorrel-Weed House for a long time. It is supposed to be the most haunted house in Savannah, but because it’s not on the CMA entrance pass I have, I’ve never been. I knew I wanted to go, I knew I would have to pay, so I decided that Halloween time was a good time to try it. Since I’m inclined to dismiss paranormal activity (I don’t deny that it’s possible, I just have ever experienced anything myself, so I’m skeptical), I probably should have just gone on a daytime history tour, not a ghost tour. Many of the people on the tour with me were really into it – taking pictures and videos, hoping that they’d see or hear something after they got back to their hotel rooms. I was more concerned that I would trip and fall in the dark, as they kept it spooky.

Saturday night, I went to chicken coop warming. (Is that what a house warming for a chicken coop would be called?) A friend of mine who lives in Savannah has four hens, and she built them a new home. As soon as I got close to the coop, I had memories of the chickens that our family had for a few years when I was very small – the odor is overpowering, and not to be forgotten! I’m not an animal person, but I thought I’d go. What’s not to like about a glass of wine with friends?

 At least I didn’t have to watch the Bills lose this week. I can put it off for a day. Surprisingly, I watched a few World Series games. B-O-R-I-N-G! And the Red Sox won. Now I’ll have to listen to my neighbor, Mike, tease me about Patriots for the rest of the NFL season. 

  

  

10/21/2018

Weekly Update 10/21/2018

The pool was closed for three days this week. And it was still quite hot, so I didn’t want to walk. I didn’t move at all this week. The temperatures have now become more autumn-like, and I fear my days of swimming are over for this year. I guess that’s a good thing as I won’t have to be seen in public in a swim suit for a few months.

Since I had some success with sewing lately, I decided I could still be as creative as I was in my past life. I discovered that I was wrong. I tried to make a costume for DH, in case I’m invited back for another Yellow Fever program, and if next time I’d need to have something other than my normal clothes. It was not successful. Lesson learned – you can’t do things like you used to any more, Wilma.

I attended two very nice lectures, one at City Hall, and one at TLC. At the monthly Hungry for History talk (a city program which is primarily for city employees and given by the archivist. Since I know her, she always invites me to her programs) featured the City’s collection of maps and surveys. In addition to the lecture, some old maps were available for viewing, and they were fascinating. At TLC, I attended a talk about Fort George, which is located near Darien, Georgia. It was first settled in 1722, before the city of Savannah, but was abandoned. There is still a re-created historic site there, and I have visited it, but that was a couple of years ago.

There were also two parties this week. One was at the MP clubhouse with a few residents sharing soups and chilis. The other was a 50^th wedding anniversary celebration for June and Jimmy, given by their sons. I had to arrive late to both events because of the Yellow Fever shows, but I was glad I went to them both.

On Sunday, I went to Coach’s. Jim and Connie met me there because both the Steelers and Falcons either had a bye week or weren’t playing in the afternoon. It was not crowded, and we didn’t have trouble finding a table together. Connie and Jim are from Chicago, so their game was much more a heart-breaker than the Bills romp. Buffalo seems to be getting worse and worse as the season goes by.

10/14/2018

Weekly Update 10/14/2018

On Tuesday, I got up at the unheard hour of 6 am to take the wreath that I’d picked up from the florist the day before to the Battle Field Park at the History Museum for the Battle of Savannah Memorial service. I’ve been in other years, but this was the first year I’ve been responsible for the Bonaventure Historical Society wreath. The rain held off long enough for a march along the path that the allied Independent forces took to engage the British in the bloodiest hour of fighting in the entire Revolutionary War. Then, wreaths were placed by civic organizations, a short speech was given, and new stones were dedicated.

One lecture that I had wanted to attend was canceled due to bad weather (it wasn’t that bad, but everyone over reacts to hurricane predictions). I did go to a couple of very interesting ones at TLC. One was on Charles Lamar, who owned the slave ship The Wanderer. There is a connection between that and DH, since Cornelia's Davenport’s husband, General Henry Roots Jackson, was the federal prosecutor who tried that case against his friend Lamar for the illegal shipment of over 400 Africans to Jekyll Island in 1858. Another lecture also has a tie to DH, as it was about the renovation at the Berrien House on Broughton St. I can see that building every Friday from the porch as I finish up my tours, and the wallpaper in the hall at DH is an exact replica of wallpaper found in the Berrien house hallway when restoration began.

And the third lecture that I went to was to find out more information about a planned 5 day trip to New Orleans. The older I get, the more I realize that most of my travel days are behind me. There are places I’ve always wanted to go to (Chicago, Memphis, the maritime provinces in Canada), but I know now that will not happen. New Orleans was also one of those places. When I heard about this travel, I decided to look into it. And I signed up. It won’t be until next March, but I paid my deposit. It will be easier for me to be in a group, with a leader, who will have everything arranged.   

I moved back into the beach room from the blue room, where I’ve been sleeping for the summer months. I’ve turned the a/c off, and opened the windows, so I’m back in the end room, hoping for a cross breeze. I was horrified when I slept there the first night because the sheets were so uncomfortable. That’s where I made Jan sleep when she visited a few weeks ago, and I didn’t know how bad it was. I bought new sheets, but I still feel awful about being a bad hostess. I didn’t want to just toss the sheets in the garbage, so I dragged out the sewing machine. I made a sundress and a pair of pajamas.

Hurricane Michael never hit Savannah. Some beaches in Florida were devastated, but here we only had some high winds and some rain in the night. The temps have fallen, however, and I didn’t get to the pool much this week. I was forced to begin my walking routine again, and I went to the Y twice. I’d rather be in the water.

Friday was opening night of the Yellow Fever program at DH. I volunteered to be in the program this year, and got the coveted role of Lady 2. I have four lines, and I don’t wear a costume. You’d think I couldn’t mess up four little lines, but we’d had few rehearsals; I did ok. We also did it again on Saturday night. The program will be every Friday and Saturday for the month of October. Many locals come to the show, and I knew a few people each night. If I’m not asked to participate next year, I guess I’ll know that I wasn’t that good.

Randy Webb and his sister, Jeannette, visited Savannah on the weekend. I used to work with Randy at City Hall in Rochester. I was busy all day Friday with DH, and they had sites to see on Saturday. We did meet up on Sunday, when they came to Bonaventure to take the tour. The tours were all large, and the weather was just right. After that, we went to the Crystal Beer Parlor, where we met Jeannette’s two adult sons. Rather than have me bore them at the cemetery in the afternoon, they opted to watch the NFL games at Wild Wings. Good choice, but most of the games sucked and I was not unhappy to have missed them.

10/7/2018

Weekly Update 10/7/2018

The Victorian Society met at a home that is being renovated in Gordonston Heights on Thursday. It’s an arts and crafts style, built in 1917, and has had only one owner, so much of the interior is original with few updates. It was wonderful. Jim Abrams, the SCAD professor who is doing the restoration, was there to explain a little and answer questions.

The film, Good Bye Stranger (which we’ve been told is a remake of Lady and The Tramp combining live action and cartoon) was filming in Greene Square this week. Connie lives near there, and it’s also not far from DH. I walked over a couple of times to see what was going on. They covered the streets with dirt, added a lot of plants to the square, brought in antique cars and vehicles, and changed some of the names on buildings. It was very interesting. During actual filming, nosy pedestrians were chased away, so I didn’t see any of the action, but it was fun to see the prep work.

Performances of the Yellow Fever program at DH were canceled both Friday and Saturday evenings. I found myself with free time. What to do? How about The 90. I was able to go there on Friday to meet up with Susan, who was back in town for a visit (after enjoying a great meal at Tequila Town with Kay, Adam and Erin). And again on Saturday, to meet Connie and Jane.  

Sunday, I watched the last half of the game at Coach’s. I really thought they were going to lose again, but they played a good final two minutes and managed the clock so they could win by one point. After that I went downtown to go to the annual Picnic in the Park at Forsyth. I haven’t been in several years, but Connie offered to have me park by their house and walk to the park with a group so I wouldn’t have to be on the dark streets alone. The Philharmonic played, we sat on the lawn (with just about the entire population of Savannah), ate and drank, and enjoyed a lovely fall evening.