11/24/2019

Weekly Update 11/24/2019

Happy Thanksgiving!

on my dining room table

The only time of the year when I miss being in New York State is in October when the leaves are lovely in the finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley. But, walking through Forsyth Park this week, I saw this lovely tree. It gave me a brief glimpse of what I’m missing. But of course, there’s no Spanish moss up north.

you can't see the Spanish moss but it is there on this tree

I attended a lecture at CH and was on mid-century ranch houses. It’s an interesting architectural style that was prolific in America after WWII as suburbs boomed. And it’s a style that has been rather overlooked. I also attended the opening of gallery collection of photographs collected by W W Law, the leader of the NAACP in Savannah in the early 1960s. The opening included an interview of Otis Johnson, former Savannah mayor and activist. The interview was conducted by my friend, city archivist Luciana Spracher.    

On Friday, Kay, Jane, Barbara and I went to see Elf the Musical at the Savannah Theater. It was fabulous! It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but this already has me in the Christmas spirit (well, as much as I’ll ever be in the holiday spirit, which usually passes me by, but I felt good after seeing this show). The actor who was Buddy was as much fun and as entertaining as Will Farrell was. We all enjoyed it. 

Saturday, I was really busy. After opening BC, I went to visit a friend at Savannah Commons, an assisted living community. Judy makes jewelry, and her facility was having a craft sale. Some of the things were really cute, but I have TOO MUCH STUFF, so didn't buy anything. It was good to chat with her for a while, something I don’t do enough. From there I went downtown to the Massie School. It is one of my favorite museums in Savannah, and they were having an opening of a Native American exhibit. I heard a talk about Tomochichi, the Yamacaw chief who was helpful to James Oglethorpe when Savannah was first settled. I didn’t realize that they were also having a gingerbread house display. There were not many houses entered, but they were delightful. Following that display, I went to my friend Kathryn’s house for a gingerbread boy and girl baking party. She made all the dough and cut the cookies out, and we just needed to decorate. And finally, I went to the SCT to see A Year with Frog and Toad. I used to read that book with Allen when he was little, so I was interested in seeing the musical. I was exhausted by the time I got home to watch the UGA game.

there is a house in the vicotrian District in Savannah that is called The Gingerbread House.  It looks like this

Kathryn in her kitchen

And Sunday, of course, I was back at coach’s for the early games. Go Bills!

11/17/2019

Weekly Update 11/17/2019

It’s been cold everywhere this week, but I feel it more now that I’m a Southerner. I did get out to walk a couple of times, but it turned rainy along with the cold by the weekend, so I didn’t even do that.

I met Jane Monday morning before the weather turned bad. It was the holiday and we went to Skidaway State Park to walk. We went someplace a little different, and we went later than we usually do, but this worked out really well. Because, there was a man there from the Savannah Astronomy Club, and he’s set up a few telescopes and was watching Mercury as it’s path crossed between the sun and the earth. He allowed us to take a look, and it was really fascinating. Not only did we see Mercury, but he also pointed out to us a huge sun flare (it didn’t look huge, but was probably many miles as it rose from the edge of the sun). That was a nice bonus to walking!

it looked a little like this, but this is a photo I got off the web. The planet that I saw was smaller, but it was still very interesting

There was a Victorian Society lecture on Tuesday that I went to. It was presented by someone I was familiar with, Jonathan Stalcup.  He gives architecture tours in Savannah, but have never had a chance to hear him speak. It was great. There were two lectures on Thursday – one at the Jepson Art Center, and one at the Georgia Historical Society. It was cold and raining and dark, and I couldn’t decide which to attend. So I stayed home.

The annual HOA meeting was Wednesday evening. I don’t care any more about listening to the management company and the Board members congratulate themselves on a fine job (which, although it’s getting better, it’s far from fine). New Board members were elected, but again, I don’t care at all. I didn’t go to the meeting. I went to Barbara’s and celebrated her birthday with June and Debra.  

Because the weather was awful on Saturday, no tourists wanted to walk through BC. I didn’t even stay to hand out maps- I simply locked up and left. In the evening, I drove across the street to the High School for the Beauty and the Beast musical performance. I appreciate the SCT so much after seeing this production. It wasn’t that good.

Because I had not been at BC on Saturday, as I was scheduled to be, and because I knew there were no volunteers available Sunday morning, I went to open and stay for the first shift.  I set the alarm off as I opened, and the police came.  No good deed goes unpunished, I guess.  Then I went to Coach’s to watch the Bills game. At least there was no baiting the opposing players or helmets being used as weapons during this game. TNF was horrible. It’s a game, idiots, and you’re paid a whole lot of money to play it! Get over yourselves!

11/10/2019

Weekly Update 11/10/2019

Beginning on Monday I attended a DH Harvest Lecture that featured Regina Mason, and author, playwright and editor. As a middle class African American growing up in the 60s in California, it had somehow never occurred to her that there was slavery in her background. As an adult, and as she became more educated, she had more questions. Her research led her to discover that one of her ancestors, William Grimes, had written an account of his enslaved years and his life-long quest for freedom. The talk that she gave was wonderfully interesting. As with all the stories I hear as someone who has a yearning for history, I find personal stories ever so much more interesting than the collective, general recounts of history books. This fit my need for one of those stories perfectly. And since it was held at the Second African Baptist Church, I had the added bonus of being inside that historic building.

Regina Mason speaking on William Grimes 

I met Kay and Jane at the Crystal Beer Parlor for supper Tuesday. We weren’t able to get to The 90 last Friday, so this was our “make up” date. I was disappointed that the Bowl of Soul was no longer on the menu, but I liked the shrimp and grits I had. And we shared one of the best peach cobblers in the South.

Wednesday, I needed to be downtown for the monthly CMA luncheon. St John’s Church was hosting their annual Holiday Bazaar, so I went early to stop there before lunch. I was so let down! There was no White Elephant sale, no crafts made by the ladies of the church, and no used books – all things that I have loved in past years. I didn’t even order the chili that I wait all year to eat because I was having lunch at another place, and so I didn’t get to the baked goods sale. I guess that’s one less not-to-be-missed event I won’t have to put on my calendar for next year. 

Thursday, Kathryn and I finally presented our slide show to the BHS annual meeting. We worked very hard to get the photos and the narrative to be interesting, and I think we did well in our little 10 minute talk. We are both technology challenged, and as she refers to herself (and I love this - it sounds a lot better when than when I describe myself as not very social) as a high functioning introvert. We’re not ready to peddle it to PBS, but I think that for two old women, we did fine. There was a lot of good feed back from the listeners, too.  

The first slide of the presentation.  Then I was using my mouse, so I couldn't get any more pictures

a poster board with the photos, just on the outside chance I could't get the slides to work

Kathry and Sam,the cemetery preservationist

Saturday afternoon, I went out to The Landings to go to a concert that Jane had invited me to. It was ok, but actually not the kind of music I find interesting. The singer, Kristen Toedtman, was wonderfully talented, and her voice was clear and melodic. But she sang new wave songs in Spanish, accompanied by her guitar, which, as far as I could tell, was not enhancing the melody or lyrics, but rather playing unrelated notes and rhythms of its own. And while I was struggling to enjoy that, LSU was beating 'Bama! (That was not the worst game of the week end, either)

Kristin Toedtman

11/3/2019

Weekly Update 11/3/2019

I did so little this week, that the only things I really have to report are I got a haircut and got the oil changed on the car. Big whoop.

On Wednesday, however, Barbara, June and I went to the Tybee Post to see the Downton Abbey movie instead of playing Rummikub. I’d already seen it, but liked it so much that I wanted to see it again. Before they showed the film, there was a tea served on the lawn of the theater, and also a costume contest. People dressed up as characters from Downton Abbey, but since no one on show every wore jeans and an old shirt, I wasn’t a participant.

I was ready, but I got zero trick and treaters!

Friday, I went to see Dracula at the SCT. I enjoyed it, but it probably would have been more fun to see it BEFORE Halloween. Those young actors and actresses always do such an amazing job.

June’s is getting ready to sell her condo, and on Saturday, her Realtor had workers come in to paint, clean and “stage” her home. Because she had to be gone while they were working, we spent some time together. We drove out to the Mall (gasp! - you know what a good friend I am if I would do that!). I needed to buy a new crossword puzzle book at Barnes and Nobles, and we looked around at all the Christmas crap that is in all the stores already. Then we went to lunch. I was disappointed because we had planned to go to a new restaurant that recently opened not far from us, but when we got there, it was closed. I don’t know what that was about, except perhaps because it was Rock and Roll Marathon day, and many roads were closed throughout the city for the runners. Perhaps the owners of the restaurant felt they would not have enough business. We had burgers at a place in Thunderbolt, and then went to visit Jimmy. I didn’t get a chance to see what was done at her condo, and I’d like to see how they change it. But I’ll have other chances.