Melodee Visits

 Well, the rain began yesterday (11/5) around mid-afternoon and continues to this very moment (5 PM, Nov. 6)…..and will continue through the night. Yesterday, the dreariness was combated by our usual Friday gathering. This week it was Chris’ turn to select the location and she picked a winner – the Burnt Church Distillery. It’s fairly new and none of us had been there although I’d seen several events being held there. It has a modern, trendy interior and it seemed noisy when we entered. Even so, we had no problem hearing the conversation around the table, And, the food was delicious! We all agreed that we would visit again.

Today has been dark and rainy from beginning to end! When I awakened to the sound of the rain, I rolled over and stayed in bed until almost 9 AM. Even then, I changed from my PJs into another pair of PJs that looked like a sweatsuit…..in the off chance anyone would drop by! It was about 2:30 PM  before I actually got dressed only because Lynn and Tom invited us over to see Ted Lasso since I don’t get Apple TV. Again, it was a nice escape from a dreary day and I did like Ted…..how can you not! It is the feel-good program of our time and I’m all in favor of that!

An interesting thing happened when I went to get my $15 haircut at House of Great Clips (11/9). I’d signed in online so was next up for a clip when I noticed a stylist cutting the nape of a ladies’ neck the way I wanted mine done. So, I said I would wait for Amber to finish and ask her to cut my hair. I had noticed the young lady come in and she said she had been letting her hair grow for about 3 months. She showed the stylist the cut she wanted and they carried on an animated conversation, looking at photos online, as she worked. As I’m watching, I see this young lady turn into a young man before my very eyes! If I had run into her before the cut, I would have sworn she was a girl. If I’d run into her after the cut, I would have thought she was a male! Once the cut was complete, she rolled a large piece of luggage to the counter as she paid her bill. When it was my turn, I mentioned my amazement to Amber and she told me that the young woman was an impersonator of famous people. She was on the island to do a wedding as Justin Bieber! She was from NY and her next gig was in California. She had stopped at Great Clips because it was Sunday and one of the few places open. It really was kind of an informative moment. I’m not bothered by one’s sexual/gender preference or identity, but I’d never really thought about how strongly our appearance influences our perceptions. It really was a moment of awareness.

Liberal Ladies had their first live luncheon since Covid. They required proof of vaccination, which everyone appreciated, and they will keep the information on file so that we will not have to go through the process for future gatherings. They also accommodated fewer people with ample spacing. You could tell that everyone was happy to be able to gather again and have some semblance of normalcy.

It has also been a month of birthday celebrations – Tom, Chris, and Tippy have all celebrated this month and we had gatherings on or about the dates. Another special treat was a visit from Melodee from St. Louis. Those of you who have followed this blog for a long time know that Melodee lived here for several years, so there was not a lot of pressure to accommodate her visit. I did have some food on hand that we could grab according to our schedule, but my plan was to do and see whatever Melodee had in mind. She arrived late in the day on Wednesday (11/17) and that was strictly a gab and wine fest – it was non-stop catching up on the years since we last saw each other. One of her requests was a walk on the beach, so we checked the weather and decided to do that and “the island” on Thursday. After a leisurely start, we went to Mitchelville Freedom Park for a walk on the beach. It was a perfect choice as we had been to many events there in the past and the beach is a short walk through the woods. It’s also a peaceful, quiet beach with not many people around. It really was a lovely walk. – sunny, breezy, and almost 80 degrees! We then drove around the island a bit before stopping at a ceramic exhibit at the Arts Center by  Sheri Frabstein, an artist I’ve known since my days of working at the synagogue. From there, we returned home in order to prepare for dinner with friends from Melodee’s days with Drinking Liberally – Chris, Rhonda, and Lynn and Tom. Unfortunately, Tippy and Kieran were celebrating Tippy’s birthday in her mountain retreat and were unable to join us. Even so, it was a festive evening and we all enjoyed it.

Friday, with cooler temperatures, we did a day in Bluffton. We started with Palmetto Bluff, which somehow Melodee had missed when she lived here. It’s always a lovely place to visit and we had a nice stroll around the village, topping it off with lunch at Buffaloes. Unfortunately, the Inn has been under renovation and we were not able to go inside so I will be eager to see the final result when it reopens. From there we went to downtown Bluffton, parked at the Church of the Cross, and did a walking tour of oldtown. Since Melodee lived here, they have added two new parks to the area which really adds to the feel of the town. I was happy to explore (which I should have done earlier!) and have an opportunity to browse some of the galleries. I also found Woofgang Bakery, which is dedicated to all things doggy! I came home with a bag of treats that Rosie really loved and my guess is that I will be going there frequently! When we had browsed to our hearts’ content, we stopped at the Burnt Church Distillery for a light bite to eat. I thought Melodee would enjoy seeing the newest, trendiest place in town (that I know of, anyway!) and we were both eager to share the plant-based “grazing board.” As luck would have it, that menu item was not available as some of the items were not in stock AND it was a popular item, which is good and surprising. So, that will be on my list to try at some point. In any case, we found tasty substitutes and enjoyed the atmosphere, which is very modern and hip. One thing of interest is that when Jan visited some time back we sought out the Secession Oak (do you remember, Jan?). Well, within the last few years, the tree had split and was removed, and the distillery has a huge portion of it in their entryway with plans to use it as a base for a decorative table. Part of the charm of the distillery is that a room is devoted to the history of the area and the Secession Oak fits right in….and I thought it might spur a memory for Jan!  From there we went home and had a leisurely evening as Melodee prepared to leave the next morning. It really was a great visit and a fun time, and I’m pleased that she made a stop here. It was wonderful to catch up and really made me appreciate our “old times” together.

Melodee left today (Saturday -11/20) and I had a quiet day planned. I was expecting a delivery of Rosie’s food (Farmer’s Dog food which arrives frozen). I received a text message that the package had been delivered and when I went to the door to retrieve it, there were two packages, with the second being from Harry and David! My curiosity was piqued! Well, the Harry and David box was from Melodee…..who had just departed! How is that for planning and timing?? Well, it was a wonderful surprise…and not at all required, but I certainly appreciated Melodee’s thoughtfulness. How can that not make your day?! It has really been a nice week with Melodee’s visit and get-togethers with longtime friends. Rosie and I have been to the park for her walk and I’m ready to settle in for the evening by watching The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. For some reason, I had thought of it recently and it suddenly popped up in my Amazon Prime scanning, so it was meant to be and I’m looking forward to seeing it tonight. Dopesick and other more serious things are on the list, but I know the Marigold Hotel will do me good!

While I have been enjoying the company of friends and being able to get out and about, my thoughts have been with other friends. As many of you know, Eileen’s older son was rushed to the hospital on Monday with what was thought to be a brain tumor. It turned out to be a brain bleed and he was kept in an induced coma, which he seems to be coming out of today (11/21). It has been a tense, up and down week for the family and I hope that Darrin’s responsiveness is a step in the right direction. Eileen had planned to visit me right when Covid hit and travel was brought to a halt. Travel from the UK has just opened again and she has her ticket in hand but I’m sure it all depends on Darrin’s recovery. Please hold them all in your thought thoughts and prayers.

Also, on November 8, Cheryl posted on Facebook that they had suddenly lost their sweet doggie Darcey! Knowing how I would feel if something unexpected happened to Rosie, Cheryl and Phil have been in my thoughts since. Cheryl, I hope you are feeling better and I send comforting thoughts your way. I know you miss her.

 

A Trip to the Mountains and Other Things!

Shortly after my last post, I joined Tippy at First Watch for brunch and by the end of the meal, I had agreed to join her in the mountains for a few days. She was leaving on Tuesday and offered to drive up in tandem, which appealed to me as I was trying out my new(ish) car and traveling with Rosie, the nervous traveler. Being able to call back and forth on our car console made the trip easy although it certainly added to our overall time. All I will say is that you don’t realize how bad our interstate roads are until you travel 300 miles with a nervous passenger!

We made it to Franklin, NC, stopped at the local grocery store, and headed up a little one-way, winding, vertical road to Tippy’s cabin. It really is the perfect get-away retreat. Even though the mornings were overcast and foggy, the afternoons cleared up and were delightful. Sandi, a friend from our last Africa trip, came up from Atlanta and spent 2 days with us. It was great to see her and we spent a lot of time out on the deck enjoying the nice weather, beautiful scenery, falling leaves, and fun conversation. We also had enough food to feed a small army! We had a walk by the river which included two picturesque bridges. And the day before Sandi arrived, Tippy and I had gone to Dry Falls, which was unique in that we could actually walk behind the falls. That, too, was a lovely day. This was really my first outing since all of this Covid business began. It was wonderful to get away and have such a peaceful change of scenery. My thanks to Tippy for inviting me and allowing me to get away and to Sandi for joining us and giving us an opportunity to catch up.

With my new car, my hope is to be able to do a few road trips and include Rosie; so, the trip to the mountains was a test run. On the way up, we took interstates and she had (only) two panting episodes even though I had given her medication to relax her. Each time we stopped and gave her time to regroup. We did have one funny episode on the way up. We had stopped in Spartanburg, Tippy’s hometown, for lunch at Wade’s, a well-known restaurant in the area. Rosie and I are sitting at a picnic table waiting for Tippy to join us when this lady drives up and says “Hey, Rosie, what are you doing?” I was flabbergasted! Little did I know it was Tippy’s cousin Mindy who just drove by in the off chance she would catch up before we resumed our journey.

Then there was discovering Rosie’s other fears! The whole change was difficult for her. She didn’t eat for the first day and was frightened to go out on the deck.  We made a little circle with our chairs and put her bed in the middle and she slowly joined us on. There was one moment when her alter-ego took over. One afternoon we walked over to Robyn and Mary’s to enjoy their deck. On the way, we ran into their new neighbors, who, along with their dog Brutus, joined us. The property was fenced in so Rosie and Bruno could roam free. Things went so well that she remained unleashed as we walked home. Sudden, she realized her freedom and did her crazy run, but this time, unleashed, she could do it her way. At top speed, she ran down the drive, around the fence, and took a left, running completely out of sight. My heart sank!! Then she appeared and ran to the right – out of sight again. Finally, she came back to us having totally enjoyed herself! I didn’t learn from that experience and leash her so as we approached Tippy’s, she ran straight up the “mountain” into the woods! Thankfully, the new neighbor ran up the hill and chased her down. She had exacted her revenge and I learned my lesson (though it was fun to see her enjoy herself as she ran free).🐶

Tippy stayed on a few days after Rosie and I left. On the way home, we took secondary roads and I put her in the back seat across from me so we could see each other. She rested much better; however, there were no rest stops or convenient places for either of us to stop for bathrooms, water, or walks. So, it’s all a work in progress and I’m still hoping she will become less threatened on longer journeys.

Since getting back (10/18), I ventured into Savannah again, this time going to Macy’s. It should have been easy but Waze took me around my elbow to get to my thumb! My guess it that it was due to construction, but it took me to parts I’ve not been before, including down to the port!! Anyway, I made it and did some shopping during a good sale. My purpose was to buy some clothing that fits and then to purge my closet To have a closet full of clothing that doesn’t fit is depressing so my aim is to have a smaller selection of items that fit. Let the process begin.

Saturday, (10/23) I got my Covid booster. I wasn’t even sure Moderna booster had been approved but when I got online, I found that it was. After checking around locally, I was able to sign up at my local CVS and get the shot the next day. It was quick and easy, leaving me with only a twinge and a bit of redness at the point of the shot. I’m happy to have it done.

Then on Sunday (10/25), Tippy joined me for the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival. I probably would not have gone except a neighbor is an organizer and I knew how much effort he had put into it. It was a nice afternoon, and we did a leisurely stroll through checking out the vendors, having some ice cream, and listening to the music.

This coming week I have an unplanned dental appointment – NOT one of my favorite things! I’ve been having some sensitivity in one of my front teeth and I’m dreading what may ensue.

When we returned from the mountains, our weather here began to feel more fall-like. Except for one day of dismal rain, we have had bright, crisp days. I’ve added a light blanket to the bed and love waking up snuggled and warm in the morning. Love it!

My house under a full moon.
Sent by a neighbor.

Yesterday, I had an unexpectedly pleasant day. Chis and I had planned to go to a matinee performance of The Thanksgiving Play by the Lean Ensemble. As I was having my morning coffee, Tippy called to say that she and Kieran were going to a play that afternoon and she’d get a ticket for me if I would like to join them. I told her Chris and I were also attending and we’d see them there. Then, off we went for Rosie’s walk. I had just finished breakfast when the doorbell rang. It was Reyna’s Joann and Richard’s twins in full Halloween costumes. There was a unicorn and a bumblebee. When I asked Joann what she was (no discernable costume!), she said she was a Diva!! I almost laughed out loud. Only Joann would come up with something like that. No longer had we gotten through modeling the costumes than the doorbell rang again! This time it was my neighbor Mark and the adorable Felix. Mark apologized and said that Felix led him straight to my door and would go no place else!! Aside from the fact that Felix always gets treats from me, I’m sure he saw the girls come in and that was more than he could resist. In any case, I introduced them to the unicorn, bumblebee, and the Diva! So, I went from a leisurely morning to rushing to have lunch and get dressed in order to meet Chris on time. The play was not one of their best – about over-the-top politically correct intentions run amok. Even so, it did provide an opportunity to get together with Tippy and Kieran over a glass of wine. Once home, I walked Rosie and then joined a driveway party for one of our neighbors who will be moving to Pennsylvania mid-month. Tiki torches lined the driveway and everything was set up outside. I had just been invited that morning as I was walking Rosie, so I self-identified as the party crasher! There were about 5 couples and the occasional trick-or-treater. I only stayed for a glass of wine but I did appreciate being able to wish my neighbor well and it was a nice way to end the day.😀

Something from Conde Nast: