8/28/2022

 Weekly Update 8/28/2022

Well, it’s official - I’m a southerner now. One day this week, the temperature was only going to get to the mid 80s, and I took a sweater with me when I went out! 

What’s wrong with gas prices?  I always use the same brand, mostly because I’ve got the “club card” and can save 10 cents a gallon, but also because there are Parker’s gas stations on every corner. Prices have been falling, but they’re falling faster at some stations than others. For the most part, gas is going for $3.39 per gallon, but when I stopped at another station yesterday, it was only $3.14 there. How can there be a 25 cent difference in stations that are all within about 5 miles of each other?  I don’t get it. 

I’m still looking for a nail salon that I like. The one I have been going to has left me disappointed the past two times - either I didn’t like the technician, or they didn’t do a good job, or just something wasn’t right. So I tried a new one this week. It’s a lot bigger (and cleaner) than the last one. But when I checked out, it cost twice as much!  The search continues. 

I’ve worked on my iPad spreadsheets this week, but I get bored easily.  I think I might be able to get by without the laptop. I hope so, because I really don’t want to spend that money. 

Adrian is adorable.  They bought him a doll this week, and posted photos of him feeding the baby, and taking her for a stroll. Good practice for when the sibling arrives!  

I saw this lovely double rainbow this week. 

8/21/2022

Weekly Update 8/21/2022

I did get out and do a couple of things this week. It’s been so long, I’m exhausted!  

The Pooler Page Turners book club met on Thursday. We read My Reading Life, by Pat Conroy. Although I enjoyed the book, I mostly liked the way he writes - wonderful descriptive prose with a large vocabulary that engages the reader in the joy of finding just the right word. But, I thought it was a rather boring read.  Mr. Conroy makes the assumption that everyone feels the same about books he’s read as he does.  Allen and I had visited Daufuskie Island and I’ve read The Water is Wide as well as The Great Santini and South of Broad. I even heard Mr. Contoy speak at the book fest several years ago. But he is not my favorite author. 

Wednesday morning I had to get up long before my usual wake up time to drive to Tybee for a GHS marker dedication. Savannah Beach, as Tybee was known for a long time, was segregated, for whites only.  In 1960, eleven black students staged a wade-in to demand that they be allowed on the beach.  A new historical marker was unveiled sixty-two years after the protest. There were two of the original students who attended the dedication. 

On Thursday evening, I braved the rain and went downtown to a lecture concerning barriers to public places due to disabilities. One of the speakers was Jamie Creadle from DH, who talked about lack of access to mobility impaired visitors in historic houses. But, to install a device to make access easier also compromises the original building. Other than mobility issues, the community also needs to be aware of barriers created by vision and hearing losses, or how to make guests who might be on the autism scale feel comfortable in restaurants, museums and other public areas. Difficult questions were asked, and no simple solutions were offered. 

And, to my delight, I zoomed with Adrian and read him a book Saturday morning. He rewarded me with many cute smiles. In the afternoon, I went to the knitting club again. I haven’t been except for one time months ago.  I decided it was time to go again. I added the two hats I’d made to the donations, but didn’t stay to knit for very long. 

I watched a lot of tennis again this week. On Friday, the Savannah Bananas were on tv, so I watched that. I have not watched any pre-season games. College football, the US Open and the NFL start soon. I’ll be glued to my recliner in front of the tv. 

8/14/2022

 Weekly Update 8/14/2022

(This will be an adventure. My laptop is in the shop for repairs and cleanup. So I’m going to try to do the blog on my iPad.)

When I was out shopping for a few things this week, I was surprised to see the Halloween displays out already!  School has started here in Savannah, so the back-to-school sales are all done, but it’s still only the second week in August. I suppose Christmas decorations will be on the shelves soon. It doesn’t seem as if everyone is suffering from high prices as these seasonal items are already for sale. 

I thought about trying to drag the sewing machine out again and make some dresses. I found a couple of patterns by doing an online search, but when I got to Joann’s, they didn’t have either of the ones I wanted. I looked in the pattern books, and didn’t really see anything that I liked. Patterns are now $20.95!  The dresses I get at Walmart are $10, so I could buy two for less than a pattern would cost. I used to be able to sew all sorts of things, but I can’t afford that anymore. 

I had a couple of lunches out. I met John one day (Mike is traveling, so it was just the two of us this time) and I met Denise Saturday.  Sunday, Jane and Kay came over, and I also included a neighbor here at the apartments. We sat on my porch with Bloody Mary’s and munchies. I also baked muffins this week. No matter what, I always find a way to eat. 

There was a big storm one day this week. The wind was blowing and the rain was pouring down. The area rug on my porch got soaking wet. It’s not really and outdoor rug, and it’s been looking pretty bad. I went to At Home, but couldn’t find one that was the size I need in a color I liked for the price I wanted to pay. I went to Lowe’s and found an indoor outdoor carpet. It was bigger than I wanted, and it’s not very pretty, but it cost about half of what I’d expected. That’s the one I got. 

My laptop is at the shop. It’s been terrifically slow, and I’m continually getting popups saying that my computer is not protected.  Why not? I pay Norton. Maybe it’s just old. Hell, I’m old and I don’t work as well as I used to anymore eithe. If it’s going to be too expensive, or if they recommend that I buy a new computer, I’m going to think seriously about relying on the phone and iPad, and skip having a laptop. I’m not sure how that will work, but I may try it. 

Adrian is adorable!  I was impressed with a video this week of him trying to put his shoes on. So cute!  

8/7/2022

 Weekly Update 8/7/2022

I did finally get out on Thursday. I went to TLC book club in the afternoon. We’re still reading British detective novels. This month we read the first Miss Marple story, Murder at the Vicarage, and compared it to the first Poirot, Mysterious Affair at Styles. All in the club agree that Agatha Christie is the best writer in the genre, and we all favor Poirot.

In the evening, I went to a lecture at DH. The son of another docent (and a friend of mine) has written a book, From Ring Shout to Bomba, about the roots of music in the slave states and Latin America. He gave a lecture about his research, followed by a reception in the garden. It was interesting, but I don’t think I’m going to read that book.

Adrian got his first haircut this week. He doesn’t look like a baby anymore! He’s a little boy now.