blood donor girl at the ballpark!

It was Super Heroes Day!
Amazingly, there were more kids than boozers on this Thirsty Thursday.
Hooray!

Gnate, as you can clearly tell, is Gnatman! Yes, I understand the headgear looks more like that of Gnat Vader, but I can assure you it's meant to be more bat-like than Darth-like.
(smile)

Me?
I'm Donor Girl, of course!

Donor
Girl
Says:

GIVE BLOOD!

I have saved
more than
250 lives!

You can, too!

My hope is I have reminded folks to go give life-saving fluid to perfect strangers. You never know when one of those strangers may turn out to be the child of someone you love.

Tomorrow, I get a large pizza, with five toppings, for only $5.
Amazing!
How so?
The fine people at Papa Murphy's are again running their promotion! When the Sand Gnats get five runs in a game, you can trade in that night's ticket for eight bucks off a pie the next day.
Woohoo!!!
They have the absolute BEST cheeseless pizza in Savannah!
Thank you, Sand Gnats, for scoring those runs!
Too bad the 9th inning relief pitcher ruined the game. The Gnats were ahead by two runs, holding the Delmarva Shorebirds scoreless since early in the game, when they had raked over the starting pitcher for four runs. The relief pitcher gave up three runs, boom boom BOOM!
We tried to recover in the bottom of the ninth, but no go.
Better luck next time, my boys of summer!

approval from the wolf!

I should have read the Sunday newspaper before I jetted off to Bluffton!
Then I could have shared this with my stepmom.
She would have "gotten it" and it would have been our little inside joke.
Would have been???
It still can!
I'll send it to her and she'll chuckle over it, too.
Nice one, Daddy!

how i spent april 26th

Six years ago, on this date, Daddy died. My half-brother Michael was by his side as he took his last breaths in South Carolina.
The coming of this day has been heavy on my mind this past couple of weeks. It's been heavy on the mind of my stepmom, too. We had planned to get together yesterday for our lunch-and-a-movie date, but the torrential rains and high winds forced us to postpone until today.
That really worked out to be best for both of us.
The day was clear blue skies and a gentle warmth, encouraging us to get out and about, nudging us together.
I just have to believe Daddy had a hand in arranging that for us.
(smile)
Bonnie and I try to have our date every four to six weeks.
This time, it's been almost three months!
She had my nephews with her on that visit, so we didn't really get to "catch up", like we usually do.
We don't talk on the phone, as she has very limited minutes.
We also don't email often, as her only email address has been the one at work, and they frown on that being used for personal emails.
But we'll be in better touch from here on out! She has internet service at home now, as well as a good email address! Now, even if we can't be "live and in person", we can still keep each other posted on goings on in our lives. Yeah!

Today, we were able to visit and hug and dine at our leisure at our favorite place, Cheeburger Cheeburger. Hooray!
Just look at that salad!!!
I ate every bit of it, too!
Plus, we shared fried pickles and fried mushrooms,
as we always do.
Nice to have that bit of normalcy on this day!
Nice to be able to share all of this with her.

ame no hi

I was supposed to have met with my stepmom today for lunch and a movie. Instead, we got rained out by severe thunderstorms, timed to coincide with our arrival to Bluffton.
I headed out for Ame No Hi, just down the street at Victory Cinema.
No, that isn't some new term the kids are using these days.
Ame No Hi is Japanese for "A Rainy Day" and the symbol actually depicts it well: a simple framed windowpane with several rain drops on it.
Both modern and timeless.
How incredible that Yuiko Hotta's special film festival had the appropriate weather as its background!
Not that it needed to have happened that way. She had carefully selected the four films because of their usage of rain as a motif to portray a mood and set a scene.
In other words, the rain was part of the cast of "Rashomon", "Grave of the Fireflies", "My Neighbor Totoro", and "Seven Samurai".
Okay, okay, maybe not the cast, but definitely the cinematography, right?
(smile)
I missed the opening speech and the first movie.
Why? Mostly because the sky was pouting bucketfuls of water, continuously. But also, partly, because I had already seen that 1950 Kirosawa movie at least once.
Fortunately, I threw myself out of the house for the rest of the films. The SCAD senior had created this film festival as a thank-you gift to the people of Savannah for so graciously sharing this beautiful town with her. The festival was her way of sharing part of her culture with us.
Have you ever heard of anyone doing such a thing?
How very remarkable! What a gracious act of gratitude!
I, in turn, have much gratitude toward her.
I was there for "Grave of the Fireflies", an absolutely eloquent tale of the effect of war as seen through the eyes of two children. The setting is World War II, in Japan. Don't let the animation make you think this 1988 film is lightweight.
I was there for "My Neighbor Totoro", as well as the pre-film discussion by two of her film professors (Gustafson and Webber). Another 1988 animated creation, this was screened to a sold-out house. Wow! Apparently, the tale of two little girls in a new neighborhood, and the unusual friends they find, is very popular with children here in the States!
(As it turns out, I had already seen this, while going to school in Tallahassee, at a little two-screen arthouse cinema in the 'old' mall. How nice to see it again!)
I was there for the last film, too, a 1954 action classic. Sadly, that was not to screen. It had only been playing for about twenty minutes when the projectors went down. A nearby lightning strike had forced the early end of the film festival.
I walked away with an art book. She had seen me reading it, page by page, after picking it up from her display table. She wanted me to have it, so I could enjoy it over and over.
Domo arigato, Yuiko Hotta, for a memorable day.

a tale of mermaids and sailors

This was definitely not the frilly version in the animated film!
Hooray for that, I say!
Hooray, also, for this world premiere of this ballet version! The Savannah Ballet Theatre has chosen to bring us the true, and adult, version of Hans Christian Andersen's story with the familiar title.
Yes, there is a mermaid, a young and naive waif who falls in love with a prince. She is so besot with him that she is willing to give up the life she knows in order to live in his world.
So far, you've already heard this tale before, right?
Did you hear the part where he is besot with a landlubber? What about the part where he rebuffs the mermaid's advances, apparently seeing her as only a child?
After all, she is just fifteen years old.
No? You say that isn't how the story goes?
Actually, that is exactly how the tale is told.
I absolutely loved it!
I am so blessed to usher at the Lucas!

pomp and circumstance all over the place!

The Leadership Awards ceremony was held at noon today. I made sure I was there!
Because I was getting lauded?
I wish!
Because I knew folks who were being lauded?
Not that I was aware.
I was there for the free lunch!
Well, that and the pomp and ceremony, of course. I love that stuff!

And guess what???
The fruit bowl didn't have strawberries!
Hooray!!!
Let me tell you, that is a rarity here.
I am sure it was because Nashia was one of the award recipients. Like me, she is allergic to strawberries. So, in her honor, that bit of poison was omitted from the feast.
Hooray!!!

After dining on fruit, spicy eggrolls, and other fine finger foods, it was time to whip out my baggies.
Baggies, you say?
You betcha!
I have learned to bring baggies so I can take tasty items home with me.
I loaded one up with the fresh fruit.
I loaded another up with the brownies and M&M cookies.
I even gave a bag away!
Then there was one more to be used later.
You see, the food is thrown away if it isn't eaten.
I do hate to see fruits and veggies, already washed and cut, go to waste.
They make my life!

Afterward, I had about an hour until the next event of the day.
Off to the car to offload the heavy bag of brownies!
Along the way, I smelled the roses.
So very aromatic in the warm sun!
That is such a treat, y'all.
Do be sure to try it sometime.
(smile)


I even went to the ticket office for my free ticket to the jazz concert on Tuesday. I thought I would need a ticket, too, for the upcoming Duke Ellington "116th birthday" concert, but it's free for everyone.
Most excellent!
Then back to the Student Union and the Ogeechee Theatre for the next event. As a veteran, I had been personally invited to The Department of Military Science Army ROTC Awards Recognition ceremony. I didn't have any students receiving awards, but I went anyway.
As the school photographer said, "they have really good food!"
(smile)
I can attest to that! I have attended for the past couple of years. No little sandwiches here! Oh, no! Hot food! Chicken wings, drumsticks, meatballs!
And very nice desserts, too. Pecan pie, chocolate torts, lemon curd cake!

A surprise was there, too -
my calculus instructor!
Yep!
As soon as I heard his voice,
I smiled!
Why?
Because I had enjoyed calculus at 0730?
Heck to the NO!
Because I had so enjoyed John Findeis.


The man has a wonderful sense of humor.
Honestly, if it had been anyone else teaching that course at that time in the morning, I might not have taken Calculus III. Then I would not have become a chemistry major and a chemistry teacher.
Good thing he was the professor back then in the mid-1980's!
He's 76 now, just 20 years older than me.
Next time I'm at the airport, I'll look in on him at the USO there.
Two of my former students were there, too. Arthur Toussaint Jones and Stacy Coates! Both greeted me with smiles and warm hugs - hooray! This is their last year, so it was good to see them one more time. Maybe they'll find me on facebook... I will definitely "friend" them!

Back into the sunshine again!
This time, I stopped to admire
the "land coral"
outside the Memorial College Center.
Honestly, can't you picture this
as a scene under the sea?
I can!
Maybe you're not holding your mouth
just right...
try again...
See it now?
(Just nod and say, "yes", okay?)
(smile)
I had a couple of hours to pass before the 6 PM event, so I bopped over to the Learning Commons. Fortune was with me! Several computers were available for me to while away the time.

Soon enough, the 2nd Annual Lavender Graduation was underway.
My dear friend Todd Mauldin,
better known as rock star Blair Williams,
was again the keynote speaker.
Last year, he had spoken of
daring to pursue one's dream.
Now, after more than twenty years, he has finally achieved his dream of becoming Miss Gay America!
Hooray!!!
This year, interspersed with some comedy, he again encouraged the graduates to dare to dream, whatever their dream might be.
Very nice!

Then more good munchies!
This time, it was
coconut chicken fingers
and gyoza - oh, my!
You know I took some of
those goodies home with me!
The spinach artichoke dip looked
so rich and creamy,
as did the crab dip,
but none for me, thanks.

Today was not the day for lactose in my body.
No way.
But those lovely baby asparagus spears and lightly steamed broccoli florets? Yes, please!
Those filled up my last baggie.
My former student, Jacob Boney, was there for the celebration, too. I do wish I could have seen his Beyonce impersonation at the Drag Show last Tuesday! Honestly, if I had known he would be performing, I would have arrived late to the ball game.
Hmm... but then I would have missed being with Bill and Willie.
So many good times to attend, no clones to help me go to all of them.
The dratted things keep running off and getting lost.
(smile)

earth day with chip e wa of blackshear

Happy Earth Day, y'all!
The Galley went all out to celebrate! What an adorable cake! How better to mark the day than with a seaside scene in a seaport? Well done!
There was even a cut already, with a square ready to be plated, to tempt folks to take a hunk with them.

Don't want to spoil the look of the cake?
No worries!
Little bits of earthly wonder
were laid out on cupcakes,
with tiny fish
leaping into, and out of,
the ocean!
Some had sharks, too!
Even tiny islands, with sandy shores!

The cupcake I chose had
a tiny island paradise
amidst deep blue sea,
with a couple of (gold)fish
frolicking nearby.
Such delight!
The cake was very tasty,
too, and nicely moist.
(smile)
How appropriate!

No cake for you,
you say?
Well, there were
marshmallow cereal treats, too!
Even better -
they had been fashioned
into blue-green orbs.
Miniature Earths!
How very clever!


And today was Wednesday.
That meant the Chippewa from Blackshear would be taking his evening meal in the Galley, too.
What a nice bonus for me! Roast beast to eat and a fine young man at the table with me!
(smile)

What's his name?
I don't yet know.
I was just about to ask his name last week when two of my current students came by the table, to invite me to sit with them. I told them I was already dining with someone and invited them to join us.
They adjourned to an adjacent table, so one could charge her phone.
That interruption altered the dynamics at our table. Clearly, I was a professor and he was a student. We had both already established that, but now it was solidly set.
That's okay, though. We enjoyed the rest of our meal and our conversation, then he left for his criminal justice class and I was off to my office to prepare for the last lab.

Today, I had already plated my roast beast and taken photos of the Earth Day-inspired desserts. I had placed my meal on a table when I spotted him and his hat at what seems to be his usual table. I quickly gathered my bag and plate and sat with him, greeting him and pointing out the lovely cupcake I had selected.
Nice opener! He had not yet looked at that area.
We had a fine meal together, talking about the usual school stuff, but also about Halloween. I'm not clear on how we landed on that topic, but the holiday is quite dear to him and his family!
I do hope I will be able to share one more meal with him next week.

The hat?
(smile)
That's his conversation starter, I'm sure.
He wears it with great pride, as he has crafted it himself.
The red strip of cloth used as a hatband denotes his favorite color.
The many feathers were either given to him or found by him and are from all over the country. Some are large, such as those from the pheasant and the vulture. Others, like those of the bluejay and warbler, are tucked into the hatband, nearly out of view.
He always has a welcoming gaze and a confident air.
You can tell he is comfortable in his own skin.
As an older person, I can really appreciate that in a young man.
I should have said something to him weeks ago.
I did notice that no one sat with him, probably because he was different from the other students.
Different is always fine with me.
I hope to dine with him next week!

five years with an odd lot!

This past three days,
Odd Lot
has gone all out
in the celebration
of their
fifth anniversary
as a group of
improv thespians.
Tonight was the only performance I could fit into my schedule.
But it was a good one!

Hearkening back to their roots, they had chosen "The Wizard of Oz" as the template for their zaniness! Trust me: this was not Kansas, for sure!
The audience, including first-time attendee Sandy, were still asked to contribute lines for the players to intersperse with their own. She was fortunate: two of her slips of paper were drawn from the hat!

Here we see the
Wicked Witch (Doug)
holding a terrified
Flying Monkey (Dorsey),
who was being
pursued by an irate
Flying Monkey (Maddie).
Dorothy
(the red-bearded Darwin)
watches from the right,
while Toto
(the dark-bearded Gabe)
keeps his distance
in a chair on the left.

You can't tell from this shot, but the Wicked Witch also is bearded, as is Glenda (again played by Dorsey).
The casting was done by drawing the names out of a different hat - and it just happened that the four bearded men ended up in the three female leads!
The Fickle Finger of Fate was at work, for sure!
That's the beauty of improv - you never know what will happen and it always adds to the fun!
Hooray for Odd Lot!
Here's hoping you'll have five more years of entertaining us!

the music of the night

Tonight was my first time ushering for the Savannah Philharmonic at the Lucas Theatre.
I felt like I had hit the big time. I was especially careful in my hair styling, my choice of white top, my shoes for the evening.
Let me tell you: this is regarded as a prime assignment. Shea Caruso, the House Manager, is very careful to be fair in selecting the volunteers for the symphony presentations.
I am so blessed she selected me!
I had so very much wanted to attend "Lights, Camera... Music!"!
Broadway music and film soundtracks, played by a full orchestra - of course I would want to be there!
Such a wonderful show, too!
Even though I found myself beset by tears during the violin solo. It was the song from "Schindler's List". I hadn't known what it was, just that it was done so soulfully that it plucked my heart.
I was also very moved by the title song from "Cinema Paradiso". I had thought I saw the movie down in Panama, but it would actually have been during my first years as a graduate student in Tallahassee. I saw many foreign films during that time, thanks to the arthouse cinema at Tallahassee Mall on Monroe Street.
Back to the show tonight! Songs from "Oliver!" started the show with a bang! Then there was the medley from "My Fair Lady", bringing memories of Saturday afternoons watching old movies with Mama - heaven!
There was even a more modern song, "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked" - nicely sung by a guest soprano!
After a brief intermission, we had the music of "Star Wars" blasting out of the cosmos! Nice timing!
And, at the end of the evening, after the theme from "Chariots of Fire"? Why, a collection of James Bond theme songs!!! How very good to hear those again!
We even had an encore, featuring "Rocky"!
Of course! How appropriate!
I went home on dancing feet, held to Earth with the help of four large bottles of red wine.
A full bottle of Merlot, two almost full bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, and about half a bottle of Pinot Noir.
They had all been opened and would have been poured out, you see.
I had been asked if I liked red wine.
I had no idea my affirmative response would be so rewarded!
Time to share the largesse!
But with who?
With Boo, of course!
She responded with a "I'm on my way" when I made the offer.
Together, we finished off the bottle of Pinot while watching a cute New Zealand film called "Kiwi Flyer". (On tv's Channel 240, it was titled "Derby Dogs", I guess to make it more palatable to us Americans. Good thing I looked it up and saw it was a foreign film!)
Now, the movie about a boy and his gravity dragracer is over, it's past 2 AM, and Barbara has taken her bottle of Merlot southside with her.
Me? I'm taking myself to bed, thanks.
Tomorrow, I guess I need to start planning a dinner party for those Cabernets...

and the Sand Gnats swarm the field!

Yeah, I wish I could lay claim to that line!
But I must give credit where credit is due. My ex coined that phrase when he was the announcer for the Savannah Sand Gnats. Somewhere in that computer, him saying that line may very well still exist.
That would be cool!
Tonight was the first home game! What a night it has been, too!
Bill had the ticket for the game, but no worries! Lauri and Lynn had a box seat with them for me! I never did catch the reason, but that's okay. We all had fun and Bill joined us when he arrived.

While I was waiting for the Englers,
I danced to the ragtime tunes of the Savannah Stompers.
Seriously!
"Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?"
"My Blue Heaven"
"Ain't She Sweet?"
Such fun!

We all moved into the stadium,
they to locate the seats,
me to find Mister Willie.
A few opening game announcements...
then the confetti was loosed!
Blue and red and silver, oh my!
Twinkling down, raining among the red and blue streamers draped on the rafters!

With the boys of summer,
both Sand Gnats and Riverdogs,
on the baselines by their dugouts,
the military band regaled us with
"The Star-Spangled Banner"
with the color guard proudly
flashing the red, white, and blue for us!

Then, literally, the
Sand Gnats swarmed the field!!!

Woohoo!!!

They held the Riverdogs
scoreless for that first inning!

Even better!

Meanwhile, up in the stands,
"situation normal."
Mister Willie Smith, Jr.,
was getting interviewed
by the local FOX station.
(Remind me to find that video,
please.
Thanks!)

Here's Jack!
He had back surgery
late in the season last year,
so it's been a while
since I've seen him.
67 and still smiling Jack!
(Willie only has him beat by ten years.)

Soon enough, the 3rd out had been struck for the Riverdogs.
Bruce, longtime Riverdog fan now working for the Gnats (!!!), had arrived to keep Willie company during the game.
Off I went to sit in F 3, seat 18, with "the ones that brung me."
(smile)

Just in time, too!
John Mora had managed to steal his way from first to second!
Then he stole third, too!!!
Wow!
When Jon Leroux made his hit,
Mora gave us our first run!
Yeah!!!

The next man up was Stefan Sabul.
Home run!!!
Woohoo!!!
He and Leroux dance across home plate -
figuratively only -
to bring our tally to three runs.
Fabulous first inning!

The next couple of innings are a blur.
Truly!
I was catching up with the Englers and, admittedly, was not focusing on the game at hand.
Oops! That's okay, I knew I could catch the play-by-play here.
Plus, any major plays would be caught -
we were two rows behind home plate!

Sure enough,
our first at-bat in the 4th
scores a home run
over left field!
Great hit, Pedro Perez!!!
Woohoo!
The Gnats are on fire!!!

Here's me and Bill Peterson,
living large,
in the boxes!
(I was trying
to snap one of
him with his beer,
for his brother,
but I really like this.
So does he!)

Here's Willie,
giving a rallying cry to the boys!
Why, you ask?
We had just had the 7th inning stretch.
The boys must have stretched, too!
John Leroux was again on base when a ball sailed over the left field wall, this time from the bat of Wuilmer Becerra.
Woohoo!!!
Marvelous, simply marvelous!

Middle of the 8th!
Time for some "Sweet Caroline"!
Lauri and Lynn do their foam finger thing
while Gnate mimes the song.
Neil Diamond would love it!
I just know he would!

End of the game!!!
Final score:
Sand Gnats, victorious, with 8 runs.
Riverdogs, losing, with only 3 runs.
Woohoo!
Time for the fireworks
before calling it a night...
What a great success,
in every way!

better not hear a peep outta you!

Four little peeps
snuggled
together
in a tray,
colorful
and cozy
earlier
today.

Two little peeps
with nowhere
to hide,
their bright
marshmallow
bodies
beckoning
another
bite...

Delight!

news can cook!

LOL!
No, news cannot cook! But that's how I interpreted the show's website when I first saw it flashed on the television screen.
I had just watched a show with this dryly witty young man in the bowels of hell, cooking bare-handed in icy weather, outside. I had made a note of the website, then gone to bed.
Periodically, I would catch the show, always very late at night or very early in the morning, depending on your perspective.
The fellow would crack me up! For example, he was on a boat, on an icy-cold day, and he had just finished cooking something. Next, he made a hot cider-type drink. After the first sip, he said, "makes me feel almost human again."
I completely understood.
Being cold is absolutely the pits.
Being outside and cold is just hell.
Anyhow... tonight, I happened to tune in and he's cooking in a volcano.
I kid you not.
I was fascinated. I watched the entire episode, even taking a photo at one point when he was cooking vegetables in the runoff from a geyser.
I swear, I kid you not.

Afterward, I decided to actually visit the website.
That's when I discovered it isn't "news can cook", some travelogue documentary.
Oh, no.
It's "new Scandinavian cooking", complete with recipes! It's a cooking show designed to entice you to cross the Atlantic Ocean for these foods with novel ingredients!
Andreas Viestad is the young man. He is a world-renowned chef and food writer. His style actually reminds me of Alton Brown, if that particular chef had a bit more snark in him. With both men, I get not only interesting recipes, but also fascinating stories about the history of the spices or the medicinal use of the herbs or all manner of stuff in that vein.
It isn't just meal preparation - it's science.
"New Scandinavian Cooking" is now in its eleventh season. The show I just watched, with Andreas cooking in volcanoes and geysers, is the fifth episode of season ten. The title? "Mighty Volcanic Oven", aptly enough. He cooked lamb and fish and carrots and even broccoli, placing the last on a length of rope and dipping it, as it was, directly into geyser runoff for about one hot minute.
Literally.
(smile!)
Alrighty then. To bed I go!
G'night!

joy, joy! happy, happy!

What an incredibly fabulous day!
Amazingly productive, too!

This morning, I met with my outlaw Melinda to get her membership into my credit union.
Little did I know she would have her two daughters and two granddaughters in tow!
Impromptu family reunion!!!
I got to spend two hours with her, my first niece and seventh niece, and my twin great-nieces. Then, while we were still in the lobby, waiting for our turn with a consultant, my first niece's sweet husband and their foster son arrived. What a great way to start my Saturday!
But, wait!
It gets better!
We found out the credit union was having a special promotion for minor kids. Woohoo! Just for being there at the right place, at the right time, Chelsea, Alyssa, and Leila were each granted fifty dollars in their very own, brand-new, savings accounts!
Incredible!!!
My foster nephew will get that, too, later this week. How so? My first niece and her husband are new members at my credit union, as of today, and will be enrolling him.
So very good!
Membership definitely has its perks!
(My many thanks to the consultant, who not only invited us all into her office, but then gave us such good information and was so very helpful - and patient - with us!)

Then I was off to the Fan Appreciation Day festivities! They had begun at 11 AM... and it was already approaching 1 PM! Oops!
I invited all the new credit union members to join me for free hot dogs, but they all had other places to go and fussy babies to tend.
That's okay - some of my baseball family was there waiting for me. Willie was enthroned in a high lounge chair, that almost let his long legs dangle. He loved it! The chair was in a place of honor, right at the entrance, so everyone could see him and pay homage as they entered.
Most excellent!
Courtney, the EMS tech, was there, too. She is such a sweetie!
Joey and the new guys set me up with my goodies, then I was off to spread the wealth... and the hot dogs.
After a good visit with my middle brother and company, I returned home.
Oh, my! Already almost 4 PM!
Soon enough, it was time to bop downtown for the JAVAFLIX meetup. I was just there to vote for next month's movie, as I had already seen tonight's film twice (including once with the bfe).
Patrick of PA was there, of course, as well as Bonnie and Don. Very nice! Sandy, the soft-voiced karaoke buddy, was, too! Also, Bill Cooper and his lovely MaC were!
And, for a brief few minutes, Kristin the librarian was in the house with Chas and their baby son! Too bad they couldn't stay longer, but the boy was not having it. Maybe next time?
I hope so!
I'm glad I was there for the vote. Amazingly, I had not yet seen a single one of the five movies previewed! I had heard of one of them, a horror flick, and deliberately avoided the multiple opportunities to view it, so I certainly did not vote for it. But two others, "Living is easy With Eyes Closed" and another (whose title I have forgotten), sound very promising! Sadly, they are foreign films, with subtitles, so I doubt they will be chosen...but my fingers are crossed!

I stayed until the evening's film began, then off to midtown! The Savannah Children's Theatre was performing a musical! Not just any musical, either, but one of my favorites: "Little Shop of Horrors".
Hooray!!!
Ever since I had spotted it in this weekend's line-up of events, I had wanted to see it. Tonight was the night!
I sang along, sotto voce, with all of the songs!
Well, almost all.
The play has a couple of numbers that aren't in the movie.
The play has a different ending, too, than the movie.
What a pleasant surprise!
Andy Paul (Seymour), Anna Schneider (Audrey), and Matthew White (the dentist) were absolutely perfect in their roles!!! I especially enjoyed the songs, "Somewhere That's Green" and "Suddenly Seymour" - Anna's voice and demeanor were spot-on! I got goose-bumps just listening to her!
I tell you, I just may have to see it again...
... and I definitely will be paying more attention to this group of kids.

Great timing on this comic, n'est-ce pas? I'm only now catching up with some of the newspapers during my two weeks with SMF. If I had seen this earlier, it wouldn't have had the cachet it now has.
Right place, right time.
(smile!)

first anniversary with lunch ladies!

How perfect!
During our lunch today,
I was able to enjoy one of my favorite pieces of art at Sweet Potatoes,
right from my seat,
the entire time.
Very nice!
Only two other Lunch Ladies, Debbie and C, were there when I arrived, so I was able to choose the chair I wanted for this occasion.
You see, it was my first anniversary with this group of women.
I have so been looking forward to sharing it with them!

Even my car had a role
in making the day special,
granting me the mileage
"162525"
as I was on my way.
Sah-weet!
The number of women lunching eventually rose from us three to a total of seven.
The bubbly gardener, Agnes, had arrived right after me.
Juliet, Nancy, and Clara came just a few moments later.
Very nice!
Quite a manageable size for a luncheon!

I'm glad I was there to point them toward the joys of the vegetable plate!
My four sides came from the menu of the day:
roasted brussels sprouts,
red beans and rice,
squash & zucchini with onions & peppers,
and the sweet potato of the day (the baked one, my favorite)!
Yum!!!

The perfect ending for the lunch:
a few moments
to bask in the
afternoon sun
on this rainbow bench.

Many thanks to all!
See you Lunch Ladies
next week!
(smile!)

hot pink and the Bird Girl

It's a Pop Art Pop-up Party at the Jepson!!!
I was there, too! You betcha!
Art lecture! Reception! Dancing!
Free for me! (Membership has its perks!)
(smile!)
Free for all, this time. What a rarity!
I had hoped to meet up with a new group, Savannah Social, at their "Studio 54 disco party!" event. Sadly, I never did run into them as a group, but I recall seeing several of them, individually, as the night wore on and the crowd thinned.
They arrived late.
I was there early, to take in some of the new exhibits before the 6:00 PM lecture. I was only able to do one, though, in the hour's time available. What a great one "The Visual Blues" was! Featuring works by painters and print artists fo the Harlem Renaissance era, the exhibit was also aural candy, regaling me with the blues and bebop and swing of that period. I will have to plan to return before it leaves early next month!

I spent a little time with the Bird Girl, too.
She had moved to the second floor since I last saw her.
I tried to tell her the elephant joke, but she didn't get it.
"What are jellybeans?"
Really? That's the part that stumped her?
That's like my British student not knowing about root beer floats.
CrAZy!

Speaking of food,
Leoci's Trattoria handled it and did a superb job of it, too!
Remember them from the Ocean Film Festival wrap party?
I'll be going to Leoci's with the Lunch Ladies next month!
Hooray!

I definitely will have to return to the Jepson soon! I still have not had the time to peruse the "In Living Color" exhibit, as this dolly reminds me.
That's the one exploring the Andy Warhol works and their effects on modern printmaking.
Next week, when the weather is gray and rainy, will be the perfect time for that splash of color!

Have I not mentioned the new sculpture yet?
Tsk, tsk!
"Hot Pink" was crafted by Anne Ferrer and traveled with her, in her suitcase, from Paris, France. It took all week for it to be hung and inflated in the atrium.
Isn't it gorgeous?
It's like some exotic, carnivorous flower, floating on high!