6/30/2019

Weekly Update 6/30/2019

Another week of not doing much except going to the pool and working on my tan.

I did get to see Toy Story 4. I love that series, and I wanted to know about the continued adventures of Woody, Buzz and others. It was just as good as the other ones, and I enjoyed it. It’s a little difficult, however, to be an old woman going into a kiddie movie without a grandchild. It used to me easier when I could make Emily go with me as a cover for wanting to see a kiddie flick.

I went to a lecture for an art exhibit opening at the Jepson Center on Thursday. It wasn’t as much a lecture, as a conversation. Suzanne Jackson, the featured artist whose works make up the exhibit, and Alphone Davis, another artist from the West coast during the 1960s were in a conversation. They talked about their early works, the galleries they opened in San Francisco, how their works evolved, and what challenges them to continue to create today, when they are in their 70s. Suzanne Jackson has worked in paintings, but also theater, dance, poetry, costume design, prints and drawings. She has also been involved in teaching, arts administration community life, and social activism. She primarily worked in California, but has lived on the East Coast, and moved to Savannah to teach at SCAD in 1996, where she retired a decade later.

Saturday, Barbara and I drove to Augusta. She had an errand to run, and asked if I’d like to ride along. I wasn’t doing anything else, so why not? We drove through some rain both going and coming home, but while we were walking around the lovely city, the weather was great. We ate a wonderful burger joint, FarmHaus, and the pimento cheeseburger with very thick onion rings were so good. We walked along the River Walk for a bit, and took pictures of ourselves with James Brown. It was an all-day travel, but it was worth giving up more pool time for.

6/23/2019

Weekly Update 6/23/2019

Another week of not doing much. But, since Friday was the summer solstice, I spent as much time in the pool as I could this week. I’ll try to get there often next week, too, as the sun’s rays are most direct and I can tan more easily. I was swimming everyday except Monday, even when my knee hurt.

I went to a Savannah Banana game on Tuesday. Annually, Charles and I try to get a game, because he likes baseball, and I think I’m the only person who will go with him. It was a delightful evening weather-wise - warm, but with a pleasant breeze. And the home team won! It was quite depressing, however, because some of my GRANDCHILDREN are older than the players. How can that be? Just thinking about that makes me feel old.

I don’t eat well, and I don’t usually like to buy fruit or vegies to eat. It’s even harder to get any enthusiasm for produce when everything at the Publix is grown in California. Georgia actually grows more blueberries than peaches, so I wanted Georgia blueberries. I found a u-pick farm not far away, and June and I drove there on Thursday. When we got there, not only were they not picking, but it was way too hot for me to want to be in the field with a plastic bucket; we simply bought the packaged blueberries in the store. They were not cheap, but they were very good. They were particularly good served with vanilla ice cream.

I had planned to go to an outdoor concert on Saturday night, but the storms rolled in and I decided to stay home where I was comfy and dry. I have found that things generally are slower in the South, but this summer has been even more so than normal. There’s not much on the calendar for the coming week, either. On the plus side, I’ve been reading a lot, but I’ve been boring.

6/16/2019

Weekly Update 6/16/2019

I didn’t do a lot this week. In fact, I don’t do much of anything any more. It’s an age thing.

I did get to the art gallery opening at SCI for paintings by Preston Russell. He is a local physician who has been painting for more than 40 years. When he retired, he had more time to paint, and now has a large collection. Many of his works focus on Savannah.

I had breakfast one day with Barbara at the Funky Brunch cafe. It is near DH, and she’s wanted to go there. We finally had a chance to get there, and it was good. Not as good as Two Cracked Eggs, but it was fine.

I had a couple of things to go to on Sunday. Charles’ birthday was Saturday, but Sylvia had a few friends over for a gathering (and wonderful cake and ice cream) on Sunday afternoon. After that, I was invited to a barbeque with neighbors who live on Green Square. The owners of the Green Palm Inn, Rob and Angela, were hosts.  Why I was included is a mystery to me, but I was delighted to be included, and it was fun.

   

6/9/2019

Weekly Update 6/9/2019

Not much going on this week. I was at the pool a lot, but many days I had to go earlier than I liked because rain was forecast for the afternoon. I also watched a lot of the French Open tennis tournament from Paris.

I went to one lecture at TLC on Notre Dame in Paris. The talk combined history, and the recent fire, as well as looking to the future as plans are made for rebuilding.  I went to the CMA awards ceremony on Wednesday, too. Several museums and galleries were given awards for displays and events for the past year. It’s always nice to be recognized by your peers. And the lunch was good, too.  Saturday, I went to a picnic at Daffin Park for Wear Orange Day. This is to show support for gun control. It was really quite depressing, because I can’t really imagine that congress will smack itself in the forehead and say “by golly, those 40 women in Savannah are right – we really need to have tighter control!” 

I drove neighbors John and Dave to the airport very early Wednesday morning for their travels back to Connecticut for the summer. Owners are leaving MP in droves, and the few of us left behind tend to plants, autos, mail, and general keeping watch. The parking in front of my building is easy now, as most cars are gone.

On Sunday, Jimmy Petra was given an award and a commendation for his service in the Navy. I didn’t find out about that until a few hours before it was going to happen, and I was already committed to giving my regular tour at BC. But I did did get to visit him and June for a few minutes before the presentation, and I got a picture of them.

But the big thing from this past week (and it’s all ancient history now) is that it marked the anniversary of 50 years ago on June 7, 1969, when Paul Field and I were married. How can that much time have gone by? We were just kids!

6/2/2019

Weekly Update 6/2/2019

Monday was the holiday. Instead of going to BC and watching a ceremony, as I have often done in the past, I drove to Darien to visit Fort King George, which I had understood was exhibiting historic displays. It was 100 degrees, and I was content to be in my a/c’d car for the more than one hour each way travel. When I got there, I was surprised to be the only car in the parking lot! What? No visitors, or worse yet, was it closed because of the heat and there were no costumed reenactors or park rangers? Well, it was open, but I was the only one who wanted to watch a cannon firing in that heat. Fort George was established in 1721, 12 years before the City of Savannah. The area was coveted not only by the English, but also the Spanish and the French because the Altamaha River provided access to the interior for trade. From the beginning, the soldiers suffered from disease malnutrition, heat, enemy threats, insects, and a destructive fire in 1725. The fort was abandoned in 1727. The State of George has a park here now, and the fort and it’s outbuildings have been reconstructed. I wandered around, and chatted with the actors for a while, but I told them they didn’t need to fire the cannon or muskets since I regularly saw that at Fort Pulaski or Wormsloe. They were friendly, and answered my questions with knowledge and interest. I didn’t stay long, but it was different way to spend a day.

On Thursday, I took my life in my own hands again, and drove to Statesboro, GA. There was an exhibit at the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau about Otis Redding that I’d wanted to see. Otis Redding was a Soul Singer in the 1960’s whose most famous hit was (Sittin’ on)The Dock of the Bay. His music was greatly influenced by Little Richard and Ray Charles, also native Georgians. Tragically, Otis Redding died in a plane crash in 1968 when he was 26 years old. I thought this might be a good display for me to see. It took me an hour and half to drive there, ten minutes to see all there was, and another hour and a half to drive back home. But I’m glad I saw it.

Saturday, I helped Connie and Jim move to a new home. It’s also a historic home around the corner from where they were renting. When the old landlord decided to move back to Savannah, he gave them a whole month to find someplace else to live, pack, and move. The “new” place was build c.1794 for Judge George Jones of Wormsloe Plantation. It was a hot hot day to move, and I’m not that much help. And in a surprising turn of events, I was tasked with carrying the box from the bakery. What are the chances? I can’t wait to see it after she has all her wonderful furniture and knick knacks set up! It will be amazing.

  

Sunday evening, DH held it’s annual Volunteer Appreciation Garden Party. I wasn’t there for too long – a glass of wine, chit chatting until I thought my face would freeze up in smile-mode, and then I left. It was a very nice evening to be in the garden.