Tuesday, July 4, 2017

July 4, 2017

Well, July is upon us, much too quickly. It appears I missed the whole month of June! This year the 4th. seems a bit somber as so much is changing in our country, at headlong pace.  I was invited to a few things tonight, but just decided to stay in, not wanting to be dealing with traffic after fireworks, etc.  Someone recommenced a Netflix movie - Thurgood, about Thurgood Marshall, I assume - which seemed a good, patriotic substitute for fireworks (and I can be in my PJs!)!

I and many of my friends continue our work in the Resistance, which is wearing after 6 months. It is amazing how much destruction can be done in such a short time.  A shoe drops almost every day, each one more terrible than the last. In my case, I make calls or send faxes almost every day, but you do get to a point where you just have to take some down time!  We are all beginning to wonder if we can maintain 4, or God forbid 8, years of this!!  It really is depressing and totally disappointing!

I have maintained my usual groups and activities, all of which are great diversions.  June included a very nice Liberal Ladies cocktail party and the Democratic Picnic.  On the 17th, my friend Melodee and I went to the Juneteenth celebration at Mitchelville Beach.  We especially enjoyed the McIntosh County, GA. Ring Shouters (seen HERE in Library of Congress video) and the Praise Singers.  It was a pleasant afternoon and something a little different to do.



The photos of me in the video prove that I have become my mother!  I never really thought I looked like her, but actually gasped when I saw the photos!  Looking like her is not a bad thing, just a surprise!  Oh, the joys of aging!

For years, I've wanted to go to the Port Royal Street Music concerts....but it seemed like too much of a drive.  They're held every other week through the summer (except July...hot, hot, hot!).  Since Melodee lived there for a while, she was familiar with the area and the concerts, so we headed over one Saturday afternoon/evening.  It really was a delight.  I was dreading the heat, but the area was shaded and people just brought their chairs, or wheeled up in golf carts, with wine and snacks, and listened to the music.  There were people of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages....socializing, dancing, just enjoying the music.  It really was fun and I will definitely be going back again.



This past Friday, Chris and I had a day in Savannah, another place I don't go often enough.  We started with a great lunch at Kayak, an excellent little restaurant, and then did a little walk around the area.  There are lots of interesting shops, which we enjoyed.  Then we went to the Jepson Museum to see the Kahlil Gibran art exhibit.  It happens that he had a long, enduring friendship with Mary Haskill, who eventually settled in Savannah and donated many of his art pieces to the Jepson Museum.  I was totally unaware that he was also an artist and his work was very impressive.  To counter that, in another area of the museum, was an exhibit by three Arab women which showed the stark reality of what is happening in parts of the Middle East today.....very thought provoking!  We made our way home just before the afternoon thunderstorm began.  It was a great escape and I really enjoyed it. Chris does her share in the Resistance and I think we're going to have to come up with more distractions like this!

I've also started walking again - about 2.5 - 3.5 miles a day, about 5 days a week.  Katie Wingrove's wedding is the major motivation, but it also gets me away from MSNBC for a while.  in addition, rather than watching MSNBC all the time, I've started listening to NPR on my computer.  Even though they, too, talk politics, it is not the same thing over and over - and they do cover other topics.  So, I am trying to find ways to keep current without the constant barrage.  Walking does make me feel better, both physically and mentally.....though not sure its helping with the weight at all! 

July seems to be a sparse month, but things usually crop up.  I do need some time to prepare for my trip to the UK, to which I'm looking forward!  In addition to the wedding, it will be great to see friends...and the country itself!  It may be the "get-away" I really need!!

That's about it for me.  I hope this finds everyone doing well and Happy 4th to all Stateside!