12/17/2023

 

Weekly Update 12/17//2023

This was a busy week, trying to get ready for Christmas. I had a couple of parties and lunchs to attend, and I created my cards. I’m almost done, but if you don’t get a card by Christmas day, it’s probably stuck in Jacksonville.

On Tuesday, the ladies who meet for wine on Wednesday had their holiday party at Diane’s lovely home in the Landings (an exclusive gated community near Savannah). I didn’t bake cookies this year, but instead made muffins. I found a new recipe for gingerbread muffins, and I thought they were wonderful. I also made my old recipe of pumpkin muffins, and they are always good. Paired with a portion of hot apple cider mix, I gathered up my little packages, packed up my roasted brussell sprouts, and went off to the party. It was very nice indeed, to spend time with good friends in a relaxed way. And I ate too much.

Wednesday was the day I had been dreading for a very long time. Lisa has always told me that I shouldn’t worry so much, because it only makes it worse: you won’t change the outcome by worrying and if what you fear doesn’t happen you’ve worried for nothing. This was nothing. I had my annual checkup with my doctor first thing in the morning. Not much has changed since I last visited, and he did not need to change my BP meds or prescribe anything new. I had a late morning appointment to have the “software update” on my car. I wasn’t sure if visiting Dr M would take a long time, and I’d be late for the Hyundai dealership appointment, but that was a non-issue and I had plenty of time. I was also terrified of what a “software update” would cost. The bill was for $0! My mood lifted considerably as I drove home. I’m in relatively good health and my car shouldn’t need any repairs for a while. That’s a good feeling.

In addition to my regular volunteer time at City Hall on Tuesday, I went back on Thursday for the office party. There are only three employees and myself, so we went to Vic’s on the River for a lunch. Then, we had a tour of the River Street Inn. It is listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and overlooks River Street and the Savannah River. It is expanding to include a new speakeasy and restaurant. All decorated for Christmas, it was old, rustic, and elegant, all at the same time.

Saturday, Kay, Jan, Denise and I drove to Midway, GA. It was raining, so we didn’t get to walk around the historic cemetery there or the church building which dates from 1792, but we had tea in the museum, and then a museum tour. Midway was organized by Puritans from New England and South Carolina in 1754, and is named because it is half way between Savannah and Darien. The settlers were primarily rice planters who developed large plantations that were worked by slaves. Although the museum is not a historic building itself, it houses many antiques and highlights a display of the three signers of the Declaration of Independence who were from Georgia: Button Gwinnett, George Walton and Lyman Hall. I had not been there in a very long time, and it was nice to see the displays again.

Sunday it rained it all day, part of a weather system that extended from Florida all along the coast to New England. So, I had an excuse to sit in my recliner and watch NFL (and I’d watched a lot on Saturday as well). My streak has ended. I’ve walked for a t least an hour every single day since October 9, but that’s over now. I’m not sorry about missing a day; in fact, it was becoming an obsession, which is not good. The Bills game was almost boring. They played very well on both sides of the ball.

Adrian and Annie just keep getting more and more adorable. I sent books to them for Christmas, all wrapped and ready to go under their tree. For Adrian, I sent Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, a story I remember from elementary school. I think they have visited with Santa a few times, but neither is enthusiastic about getting close to the strange looking old man.