9/26/2021

 

Weekly Update 9/26/2021

I met a friend for lunch on a rainy Monday. I did Davenport House on Wednesday. I met in Green Square on Thursday. I drove Kay to a doctor appointment on Friday. All the usual.

Then, the weekend.

I got up really early Saturday to be at the Walk to End Alzheimer s by 8:30. I was walking alone, but I enjoyed watching all the other participants. I didn’t get a t-shirt, or a packet; that’s not what I was there for. I gave them my check, picked my flower (I choose purple. Every color meant something different – purple for the walkers who had lost someone to Alzheimer’s, yellow for someone who is a care giver for someone, orange for walkers who just want to support the cause, and blue for someone who has the disease), and got ready to walk around the lake. The route was only a mile and a half, and the pace was leisurely, but it was a lovely day, and I was glad I went.

In the evening, I drove back to Thunderbolt to meet Helen, Denise and Jane at a Thai food restaurant before picking up June and going out to the Tybee Post Theater for a performance of Golden Girls Gone Wilder. This drag show is so very funny! I have seen the original Golden Girls show, and a Designing Women show by this group. The audience was laughing and clapping, and everyone had a wonderful time. Since they’ve done several shows here, I imagine they will be back again, and I will be sure to attend those shows, too.

Sunday, I met Larry, Vicki and Patsy for brunch. They moved to the interior of Georgia last year, but still come to Savannah occasionally. I was great to see them. Jane and Helen met with us, too. Then, I drove back out to Tybee Beach. Another friend, Connie, moved to North Carolina about a year ago, and she was in town. I sat on the beach with her and Denise for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

So, I didn’t get to see the Bills play. It wasn’t a very exciting game, I don’t think. But I truly missed being in the bar to watch the Browns win, and Chiefs and Steelers lose. But, I had a chance to visit with good friends, and they are more important to me that watching a game on tv. I guess.

9/19/2021

 

Weekly Update 9/19/2021

The week started off slowly. The only time I left the apartment on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday was to go the pool. I know my days of swimming are rapidly coming to an end, so I tried to get there as often as I could. I’m “on vacation” from City Hall, and I didn’t even have DH on Wednesday. So I hardly moved at all.

By Thursday, I was ready to get out. It looked like rain, so the Green Square group met at Whole Foods for coffee and chit chat where we could stay dry. I also did my grocery shopping and stopped at the library to pick up a couple of books that had been reserved for me. Then I ventured out again in the evening to go to a lecture on Civil War medicine at the Massie Heritage Center. It was poorly attended, as many people are still reluctant to get out, but very interesting. There was another lecture at TLC on Friday. Roger Smith, the director of TLC (and a friend) gave a very personal talk about growing up in Savannah, and some of his early memories. You don’t find a lot of that in history books.

Saturday, I met Roseann at the Owens Thomas House. When we visited the Jepson a week ago, she had to purchase a ticket, and it was good for any of the three Telfair museums for one week. She wanted to tour OT because she hasn’t been since before the pandemic began, and they have changed their focus from a general history of the house to the enslaved experience in Savannah. It was interesting, but I still like that at DH the docents are allowed to give a tour that is their own. Because of time issues, I tend to limit my tours at DH to information about the house and family in the 1820s, when the Davenports were living in the house. But every guide tells stories that are interesting to them, and not scripted. OT has an audio guide that you download to your phone, and there are people in the house to answer questions, but there is not a “guided tour”. DH may change how it informs visitors when the renovations are complete in another year. We’ll see.

Sunday, I was back in The R Bar to watch the game. I actually stayed for only the first three quarters, as the Bills didn’t seem that they couldn’t lose, and I had a long drive home. I did get a Beef on Wek, a sandwich I haven’t had in twelve years. The horseradish was potent, but the sandwich was every bit as wonderful as I remember. When I was in the bar, I got a text from Sarah with a photo of her and Adrian all dressed in their Bills shirts. I think Adrian brought us good luck this week.

Next Saturday, September 25, I will be participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's. I don’t like to ask for money, I don’t like friends to feel obligated, and I’m not very interested in praising myself as a good fund raiser. So, what I’m going to do is ask this: If there is any reader of this blog, who would like to support this cause, please make a donation to your local Alzheimer’s group. That would not be in support of ME, but in support of a cause. I will making a donation, in addition to walking.

 Weekly Update 9/12/2021

Sunday was a huge disappointment! Djokovic lost, but that was the only loss I liked. The Bills and Browns both squandered leads, and The Lions were never in the game. Trevor Lawrence lost, as well, but he didn’t look as bad as I though he would. I was excited for the Bills game. I found a Bills Backers Bar in Bluffton, which is about a 40 minute drive from my apartment. Coach’s is also about 40 minutes away, and I didn’t want to waste opening day surround by Steeler fans, which is what I would have found at Coach’s. I drove to South Carolina. There were a lot of fans, a few NYS license plates on cars in the parking lot, and everyone was happy for the first half. Then the wheels came off. It looks like the old Bills are back. Dammit.

I did get my Bills stuff out of storage and decorated the apartment a bit. My front door proclaims my allegiance, but I now think it may just be an embarrassment, like all the years at MP.

I promised I’d tell you about the day trip to Ebeneezer. It was a terrible disappointment! It was so horribly unorganized. I felt like writing to the site and asking if the Heritage Festival is an outreach to promote their history to the general population, or just an event for people already involved with the association and “outsiders” are intentionally made to feel unwelcome. When we got there, about 11 am, the museum closed “for lunch” until 1 pm. The church, which I understand is the oldest church building in Georgia, was not open at all. Nothing was going on in there – no service, no meetings, nothing; it just wasn’t open. There was one Salzburger house 1755 that was open, and it was cute, with lots of antiques, toys and clothing. And lots of booths to sell pickles and jams, soaps, plants, Christmas ornaments, quilts. But, (even though I asked) no maps of displays, no schedule of events, nothing to make it easier to find anything were available. We left after not too long, and went to lunch at a cute little restaurant in Rincon. But I had hoped to learn more about the Germans in Georgia. I got no help from this festival.

I’ve been given a bracelet to wear when I’m at the pool. It identifies me as a resident. Apparently, just like everyplace else, it’s a problem with people coming in to use the pool who don’t live here. It’s not a big deal for me to do this, but I’m always wondering why people don’t play by the rules. Is it that hard?

Another one. Everyone knows how I feel about dogs. Well, I was at the Ace Hardware store on Thursday, and a customer with a Doberman – a DOBERMAN – walked in before me! I said to the checkout clerk as I walked in, “what is that? A comfort Doberman?” She just smiled.

On Saturday, I met Roseann at the Jepson. I haven’t seen her in quite a while because she got COVID and hasn’t been at DH in more than two months. There was an interesting exhibit at the Jepson that highlighted silhouettes. Because there are three of those pieces of artwork at DH, we thought it would be interesting to see this display. It was nice, and we wandered around all the other exhibits, too. Then we had lunch there. It was delightful. The food and service were outstanding – as they should have been for the prices!

9/5/2021

 

Weekly Update 9/5/2021

Sports are back! I watched some incredible tennis this week. It seems as if the torch is passing to young players, as old ones are either not entered or were eliminated. I also watched a pretty exciting UGA upset of Clemson (thanks, Defense). I watched some of the SU game, but they had it well in hand, so I was able to devote my attention to the my adopted “home” team. It’s been nice to see and hear the crowds, both in the football stadiums, and at the US Open.

On Thursday, I met June for Rummikub. It’s been quite a while since I’ve done that. It used to be a once a week thing, but since I moved, and Jimmy got sick, and then the virus, we just don’t see each other often any more.

On Saturday, I took a trolley tour in downtown Savannah. But it wasn’t the usual tourist route. This tour focused on the Salzburgers. The Lutherans were expelled from Salzburg, Austria, in 1731 and walked across Europe, seeking religious freedom. They sailed to Georgia, landing at Savannah in March, 1734. They were allowed to settle on land farther up the Savannah River, and established Ebenezer. Today, there is still an active church and community in Rincon, and they celebrate Heritage Days every year on Labor Day weekend. This tour was in conjunction with that celebration. I’m going to be going to the festival on Monday, so I’ll have more about that on the next update. On the Trolley, we were shown the Monument in Emmet Park, which was a gift to Savannah in 1994 from Salzburg Austria, the German Memorial Fountain in Orleans Square, as well as a guided talk about Colonial Georgia. It was very interesting.

On Sunday, my neighbors organized another picnic at the pond in front of my building. There was too much food, and it was hot in the sun, so I got tired quickly. But it was good to get together with them. Some have not renewed their leases (we all moved in about the same time), so I may have a lot of new people around me soon.