Back Home After Another Fabulous Trip to Africa

I'm starting this without really knowing how I can adequately describe our trip. One would expect it to be much like the last one, but it was different in many ways. Each country is unique and has something wonderful to offer. This time the camps were more remote and we were without TV, wifi, etc for three weeks - totally unplugged, and it was wonderful!  We also had closer interaction with animals. They actually came into our camps at night - elephants, hippos, monkeys, impala, baboons, etc. We were walked to our tent at night and could not leave it until we were awakened by someone who checked the path and let us know all was clear. 

Before I tell you our animal experiences, let me say that we had a great group. Everyone got along well and interactions were easy and amiable. Tippy and I met Marilyn and Sandy (Boston) our first morning in Johannesburg and quickly agreed to a city tour together. The high point was the apartheid museum, which was so well done. Our favorite installation was a series of quotes from Nelson Mandala on several color-coded topics. There were bundles of rods in corresponding colors. The point was to choose the quotes that resonated with you, select a rod in the corresponding color and place it in one of several holders. When I finally get my photos organized, they should give a better representation of what I'm trying to describe. We also went to Mandela's early home (across the street from Desmond Tutu's), Soweto, and had local food at a restaurant nearby. We had a knowledgeable guide and I'm so glad we got to see some of the city before starting the tour. Others on our tour were from Arizona, California, Connecticut, and two Southern ladies from Waynesville, NC, and Decatur, GA.  There is a good chance our paths will cross again and it would be fun to compare memories of the trip.

The tour began and ended in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, but we didn't see the Falls until the end of our trip. We saw them from afar as we transferred to Kashawe Camp in Hwange National Park. We had a day of game viewing and then a day of visiting a local village and St. Mary's Primary School. The villagers gave us a good tour of their village and described their daily life. The school was a special treat as we had time to talk with the students. We were amazed at the cleanliness of the village and all of the countries we visited. There was no litter anywhere. When we were on game drives and needed a bathroom/bush break, we were given bags to put the TP in rather than leaving it behind!! 

It was one of the first nights that we had an animal encounter in camp. Many of us were having trouble sleeping in the beginning and I was "hovering", as I call it - as much awake as asleep, when I heard what sounded like two huge explosions of flatulence! I then got a strong whiff of urine. I knew something was outside, so I got up (3:30am) and looked out the window. Sure enough, elephants munching on bushes between our tent and the next one. The amazing thing is that they are quiet, just munching. I'm just standing there watching them when the guy in the next tent blasts his air gun, which is to be used for threatening (life or death!) situations. At the sound of the air horn, the elephants begin trumpeting and running away.....toward our tent. They got away safely without damaging anything. We hated that they were frightened because they weren't harming anyone, and Charlie, who fired the air gun, got a lot of ribbing the next morning!

View from our cabin on the river.

From Kashawe we flew to Lufupa River Camp in Kafue, Zambia.  We landed on a dirt runway that was a great game viewing spot at night when the animals took over the runway. This was one of my favorite camps as it was right on the river - lovely and relaxing. The camp also had a great guide, Isaac. He knew everything about animals, birds, and plants associated with the river, then at night, he would tell us about the constellations! Amazing! One evening we took a cruise and had sundowners as we watched the sun set. It was here that we could hear hippos swish in and out of the water as they grazed at night. We grew to enjoy all of their grunting and guffawing at night. It was also this camp that had their own resident warthogs - Lulu and her kids, who slept under the porch of cabin #4! We were also surprised one lunchtime when we had lunch out in the bush. They brought everything out to us and it was like something you would see in a movie! Food was cooked on the spot and we even had a bar. It was amazing! As we were sitting there, an impala and a warthog ambled by....can't get much better than that!

After three days at Lufupa River Camp, we flew to Baobab 2 Camp in Chobe National Park. Botswana reminded me a lot of Tanzania, which I loved. It was definitely greener than Zimbabwe and Zambia and had rivers and streams flowing through it. It also had more animals and larger herds than we had seen thus far. Our camp had a small watering hole and in the evenings the baboons, impala, etc. would come for water. In addition to our usual game drives, some women came in one afternoon to show use their woven baskets. It was interesting to learn how they got their colors, and their products reminded me a lot of the basketwork done here.

From Baobab 2, we went to Saguni Lodge in the Okavango Delta. Certain times of the year this area floods, but even with low rainfall over the last year, there were still fingerlets and channels weaving their way throughout the area.  One afternoon we explored the delta via mokoro, a dugout boat powered by a man with a pole. We were at eye level with hippos, crocs, etc. The high point was when we came upon a herd of elephants crossing the stream. The matriarch stood on one bank and kept a careful eye on us until all had gotten across. She then crossed. It was amazing and before I could video it, my camera battery died!!

It was here that we had a sudden storm one night. We could hear the wind growing and suddenly it blew a lamp and glass off the bedside table. Tippy and I hopped up to close the windows, then realizing that we probably should allow the air to blow through, just not as much as before.  Tippy pushed her bed closer to mind to get away from a window, but I suggested we leave space between them in case we needed to hunker down between them if things began to fall. It was really that bad. To make matters worse, our bathroom had a tarp over the top and one side of it came unanchored and whipped back and forth with the wind. The next morning we reported the damage and the camp manager offered us an upgrade to an executive cabin. It was wonderful to see how the other half live and we were situated right on the lagoon. We heard hippos cavorting all night.

This part of our trip drew to a close in Victoria Falls, and we finally get to see them. Some in our group did the helicopter ride but we did the river walk. The falls generate so much mist that we were issued raincoats. The falls could be heard and the mist seen long before we actually saw the falls. Needless to say, they were amazing. The video shows only one section and there were something like 12 viewing points over about a mile. In addition to the falls, I like the town of Victoria Falls. We spent much of one morning at the colonial Edwardian Victoria Falls Hotel. It was truly from another time and absolutely beautiful. The town also had lots of shops of various quality and it was fun to browse. Our final meal was a dinner cruise down the Zambezi River. Although it rained, it was still a nice evening.




It was here that two couples ended their trip and the rest of us went on to Cape Town, which we really loved. I'm so glad we added this to the original trip. We did the usual things - Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Graden, the Boulder Beach penguin colony, the waterfront, etc. We also had one day of wine tasting in a very scenic area. The whole area was beautiful and dramatic. We had a nice morning on Table Mountain and, by the time we were leaving, clouds were coming in and hovering over the mountains. The scene almost seemed to change by the minute.

Random thoughts:

• You might think that if you've seen one animal, you've seen them all. Not so - the zebras in this area have a white, black and beige stripe, so they generally appear darker than those we saw in Kenya and Tanzania. The giraffes also appeared more muted in color than those we saw last year. In every country, we saw animals we had never heard of....and birds, birds, birds!!
• In all of our camps, the common lounge and dining room were open on three sides, which was wonderful. It gave us a great feeling of being part of nature. We had several "loos with a view" - private, but with an open window that looked right out into the great beyond.
• Like last year, the food was outstanding. There were three vegetarians in the group and we were well cared for. We would have an early breakfast, stop for tea, coffee, and cookies around 10am, then lunch. Since it was hot, we had free time from lunchtime until around 3:30, when we would have another snack before a game drive. We would end the game drive with sundowners as we watched the sun go down. Then, back to camp for dinner. Needless to say, I didn't lose weight!!
• It is always a treat to just observe the animals. I was pleased with my camera and I have loads of photos. This time we did get to see a leopard up close and personal, as well as 8-9 lions sleeping under a tree after a kill. Elephants are always amazing to see, and warthogs are among my favorites. 
• I also met my role model - Alice, 86, from San Francisco, with her 79-year-old man-friend of 40+ years, Henno. They never missed a beat and were delightful to be with. She kept referring to us as "you kids" which delighted us all. They were amazing.

I know I'm leaving out so much but I hope to better tell the story when I get my photos organized. Paulette, one of our group from Arizona, is an archivist and took copious notes, which she will share with us. That should be a great roadmap for putting photos together. I'm looking forward to reading it and reliving the whole thing! We were not disappointed and each day was a new adventure with so much to do and see. I would go back again!!

Before I share a few animal photos, the trip did start on a sad note. Mama Mia stopped eating again and I was in great turmoil the week before leaving. I knew I couldn't leave her care to Curtis and most likely she would not be here when I got back. So, on the Thursday before our trip, I had her put to sleep. It is such a difficult decision to make and I was a weepy mess. I ran into a neighbor at the vet and she sat with me until they called us into the office. If it had to be done, I wanted to be with her and not leave her to strangers. It was not easy for her and I hated that part, but I was with her. Since being back, I looked at photos I took of her before I left and I realized I probably should have done it sooner. I didn't have time to think about it  much while on the trip, but the house certainly seems empty without her. 

Packed and Ready to Go!

We're getting excited! We're within a week of departure on your trip to Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Tippy worked in Florida for three weeks and got home last weekend, so we got together for final planning on Monday. We were so giddy that the waitress at Olive and Fig kept saying, "You ladies are so cute!!" I think by "cute" she meant silly, but we were in a good mood. From there we went to AAA for Rands, all of which made us feel that it's actually HERE!!

Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to being able to totally unplug from the craziness that is America, to enjoy the beauty, the animals, the people, the excitement of a total change. Yesterday I found myself even looking forward to the food!! Unfortunately, southern Zimbabwe was recently hit by a cyclone that wreaked havoc and we aren't sure if that will affect us. I have confidence OAT will look after us well so am not worried about it. 

You can guess that my major concern is leaving Rosie and Mama Mia for that long. I've alerted the neighborhood that I'll be away and asked them to douse Rosie with lots of love and affection....as they usually do!!  Mama Mia is more of a concern in a different way. She is very frail and I've tried to treat her with things of than hemp oil (Cosequin, Rescue Remedy and something for her skin and coat), but it isn't working as well. So, I've gone back to the hemp oil, which the pet sitter will not be able to administer, and have ordered a hemp product in capsules that can be sprinkled on her food - which she may or may not eat!!  That's the best I can do and I hope it works.  I'm sure they will be okay but I will miss them.

In preparation for a 16-hour flight (from Dullas in DC directly to Johannesburg), I've loaded some audiobooks on my phone.  Thanks to a friend (Rhonda T), I've begun using audiobooks as a way to detach from 24/7 MSNBC. I leave one TV on with the sound off, so as not to miss breaking news (!!!), and I listen to an audiobook - and I'm really enjoying them. I've used them before on long car trips and am not sure why I never considered it for general use. I'm also more productive as I can just take it with me wherever I am or whatever I'm doing around the house.

A slight update on our movie experience - we made the local paper!!  One of the ladies wrote an article and got it published HERE.  It was met with comments and ribbing around the neighborhood and, if anyone wondered about my politics, they know now!

No good deed goes unpunished!
Reyna was away for a week and her daughter's birthday fell during her absence, so Joann came by and asked if I'd help make cupcakes for her class. How can one say no?? So, we went to the grocery store and bought supplies and she concocted grand plans for colors, sprinkles, the works. I was to pick her up on Saturday at 1PM for the project, but when I got there, she had gone to a dance practice - not her practice, but her cousins. So, I went home and thought I'd go ahead and back the cupcakes and frost them (plain frosting). The won't be the grand scheme, but they will be cupcakes!  Around 2:30 the doorbell rings and it's Joann. She takes one look at the cupcakes and bursts into tears - "they're white! I wanted colors!" Yada yada yada! I tried to be sympathetic but finally, I pointed out that we had a plan and I was there to pick her up at 1PM. "but I wanted to go to the rehearsal" - well, you got to go AND you have cupcakes. "But they aren't' the colors I wanted" - well, had you been here they would have been. Since I only had about half of them frosted, we colored the other half. By the end of the event, she was in better spirits and I'd already begun practicing saying "NO!"

That's about it for now. I just wanted to touch bases before leaving, but be prepared to be bored with photos and stories when we get back. If it lives up to the first trip, it will be spectacular. We will only have wifi in the evening and in the lounge, but I hope to post photos on FB as I can. In the meantime, take care of one another and be in touch as you can.

I will leave you with this little FB exchange with Bob Smith in Thailand on the occasion of his birthday. It started my day (March 13th) with a laugh.

Thanks to all my friends who sent Birthday greetings for my latest milestone on March 12. I can't believe its 72 years this time around - that's my physical age of course - my mental age is considerably less and getting lower all the time, currently hovering around 12!!!

Donna Morris A belated very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I'm surprised to learn that you and I are the same ages - 72 and 12!!

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  Bob Smith Thanks, Donna. It's great being these ages, isn't it? 😃🎉

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  Bob Smith BTW: There's a new rule (I just made) that states you have to deduct your mental age from your physical age. So that makes 60. And we know that 60 is the new 40. So there we go - - - - - - Prime of Life 😉

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  Donna Morris Bob Smith, sounds reasonable to me!! I'm going to be using your rule from here on out.
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15 Minutes of Movie Fame!

Yes, we did get our 15 minutes of movie fame, but before I tell you about that, I want to share another wonderful birthday experience. Well before my birthday, Chris asked me to save January 29 for a day in Savannah as part of my birthday celebration. The day rolled around and it was wonderful. I loved that the whole day was planned by Chris and I didn't have to think of anything!  That in itself was a treat. We left here around 10:30 and went to a great fiber art exhibit at the Jewish Center. It was enjoyable to see and we could take our time and enjoy it. The artist, Urban Jupena, was from Chris's home area and she went to school with him, which added to our curiosity and enjoyment. From there, we had lunch at The Vault, which was new to me. It had formerly been a bank and maintained that decor/theme. It was trendy, with delicious food. We observed that one nice thing about being in Savannah is that there are lots of young people around, mostly SCAD students, and how much we enjoy interacting with them. We then went to the Ships of the Sea Museum, again new to me, for a second exhibit. This exhibit was only about 6 pieces or so, but I enjoyed seeing all of the model ships of old. Our final stop was at Lulu's Chocolate Bar! How's that for a great want to end the day! We headed home around 3:30 just as it was beginning to drizzle, so even the weather cooperated. It was truly a delightful day.

The day before we went to Savannah, I had a dental appointment, to which I was actually looking forward! For more than a week I'd been having pain in my right jaw, especially in the morning when I had to gently get it mobile before even brushing my teeth. As it turns out, I'd been grinding my teeth at night!! I attribute this to trump as I had no other reason in my life to grit my teeth --- just another symptom of trump dysplasia syndrome!! The dentist recommended an over-the-counter mouth guard, which made an immediate improvement.  I'm still using it most of the time but I don't expect to have to permanently, but I am very happy to have relief from the discomfort.

I mentioned last time that we (Liberal Ladies) had received an invitation to be to be extras in The Glorias movie, the life of Gloria Steinem. As the time approached, we hadn't heard anything so we were beginning to doubt that it would happen.  Our Steering Committee Chair inquired about it and was told that our services would be needed, they were just trying to get everything organized. We were told that we needed to come dressed appropriately for summer in 1977 in Houston!!  Some took that as a serious assignment. I just looked in my closet!! We were to wear our best outfit and bring 2-3 extras. So, the day arrived and we drove to a parking area behind the police department, where a shuttle took us to the location, the Savannah Civic Center. We went upstairs where we did paperwork. From there we went to wardrobe, hair, and makeup. At that point, we were welcomed by the Director, Julie Taymor, of Lyon King fame! She was very kind and told us that the idea of the movie came about as she was with Gloria Steinem, Madeline Albright, and others, watching the 2016 election returns come in - and the deflation they felt. The movie is independently financed and they hope to be able to release it at a time when it will have the greatest impact. Julianne Moore is playing Gloria and Bette Midler, Bella Abzug, though we had no idea we would see either. In any case, Julie Taymor was very welcoming and down to earth. I was amazed at how many of the staff and crew looked like they had been dressed straight out of the thrift shop. Everything was very casual and low key. 

The first thing we had to do was put our extra wardrobe on a table and let the wardrobe people look at what you had on and what you brought. In my case (and Chris') we were okay with what we had on, which tells you a lot about my closet!! Kathy, who had enthusiastically spent lots of time in thrift shops and wore a trendy outfit of the period, was asked to change into jeans and knit top. Tippy was also asked to change from a conservative dress and sweater to pants and a loose top, so go figure what they wanted.  From wardrobe, it was to hair and makeup. My hair was okay, but I spent a lot of time in makeup - the woman had her work cut out for her. The artist who did my makeup was from Charleston and another from Atlanta. We learned that they put out a call for those people just as they do for extras, minor players, etc. While they did our makeup early on, several remained on set for touchups throughout the shooting.

From makeup, we went to the set. We did not nearly fill the convention hall, but somehow they will make it appear that we did! It was interesting to see where they placed people. We thought we would all sit together, but that wasn't the case. The crew would look around and say "you two ladies go sit on the other side of the aisle" and just move people around with no scheme we could comprehend. Initially, we were placed so that there was quite a bit of space between groups of us. As the day progressed, we were seated together near the podium.  Late afternoon, Bette Midler arrived dressed as Bella Abzug (but wearing her bedroom shoes!) to film her speech scene (close up). There were several takes and we were cued to cheer, wave signs, etc. Somehow, I really lucked out and was seated on the very front row, looking straight up at Bette! Once her take was good, she left to our applause. Everyone was very respectful and not intrusive, so I didn't get any photos, which makes me want to kick myself now!

Following Bette's scenes, we did various crowd scenes - voting on various platform issues from the convention. We were reacting to the vote on the sexual preference issue on which the majority approved, so they walked around and designated those of us conservatively dressed to stand to vote against it. On another issue, the original response was about a 60/40 break so they asked everyone who had birthdays between January and August to stand. If it appeared to be about 60% of the group, they were good to vote yea, unless they wanted to relocate people. It was all very interesting to see. On one occasion, one of the crew pointed to me and asked me to go onstage and sit in the third chair. I went up to applause from Tippy, Kathy and those they had recruited as my fan club! I was settling in when another crew member came up and asked if I was in their wardrobe or my own clothes. When I told them they were mine, he said I couldn't be on stage! So, I disappointedly returned to my previous status. After that scene, another crew member directed me on stage again, but the original guy came by and told him I didn't have on their wardrobe. My claim to fame stifled again!

Somewhere in the midst of everything, some Liberal Ladies began to filter out. They said that any of us who wanted to stay for the full day's filming would be welcomed to do so....and that we would be paid. I'm guessing that this was around early evening. I had come for the full duration, so Tippy, Kathy and I signed up, not knowing that this would go one until 3:30AM!! Probably around 9 or 10PM, we broke for "lunch". We ate with the crew except they had one menu and we another! Even so, we were all surprised at how nice and friendly the crew was. When I was prevented from sitting on the stage the second time, I jokingly said to the crew person that I would give him my clothes if I could sit onstage, and he said he'd given that up as his NY's resolution and was trying not to dress as a woman anymore! One recommended that we not tell our friends we were in a movie because the hours we'd spent filming would be only a few minutes in the film and we'd be hard-pressed to recognize anyone. They were all very pleasant, even as the night progressed.

After "lunch" we went back to filming. This time it was a scene with Bella Abzug and Gloria Steinem, so we got to see both stars - and this time Bette had shoes (and Bella's iconic hat) on since it was a full shot. This is when my starring moment came. This time Julie Taymor was looking around and pointed to me and asked me to go onstage and stand behind a row of seated ladies. This time no one objected!! So, as Bella and Gloria took the vote on the ERA Resolution, I am onstage to their left!  When it passes, they move to the right of the podium, hold and raise their hands, as we cheer, hug, chant, etc. I have no idea whether or not I will be in the movie, but I certainly had a better shot at it than I ever expected. Once that scene was done, we had several more to do before winding up at 3:30AM. Once over, Julie Taymor thanked us again. Oh, for the final scene I was seated about 4 rows back and the young lady who sat beside me just happened to be Julie Taymor's assistant, who had come in from Chicago. She, too, was very warm. I told her that I was surprised that Ms.Teymor seemed like such a nice, low key kind of person. She confirmed that and said that most of her top people were of the same temperament, making it a good working atmosphere. That certainly seemed to be the case to us. I really expected it to be more chaotic. While there was a lot of time sitting around for set-ups, etc., it was all done efficiently and without angst. Once home, I Googled Julie Taymor and, though I knew of part of her theatrical career, I was unaware of her varied and diverse early life growing up. Definitely a good read HERE. Anyway, she left a very good impression on all of us, taking the time at the end of a long day to thank us again for helping out.

So, at 3:30AM we went upstairs to collect our things and sign out. There was a shuttle waiting to take us to our car, and we made our way home. I got in at 4:30! That's definitely a long day and a late night for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was especially nice that Liberal Ladies could be a part of this particular film. I talked with several ladies from Savannah who do this regularly, which would be fun. All in all, it was a totally enjoyable experience.....and it was great to share it with friends.

Unfortunately, I got very few good photos, so this will mostly serve as a reminder for those who actually attended the event. It may give you an idea of the setting.

As a little historical background, I found THIS ARTICLE informative. Tippy read the Resolution topics to us as we were driving over; and, while we feel we've come a long way, there is much left to be done.

I just got off Skype with Eileen in the UK and we were both saying that we don't know what we do with our time, but we seem to stay busy. I'm still doing Liberal Ladies' newsletter, Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate's website, and have now volunteered to do their newsletter also. Someone stop me from volunteering!! Add to that, the meetings that are required, other groups like Drinking Liberally, Lowcountry Indivisible, Democratic Club, and just normal gatherings with friends, and my calendar fills quickly. I'm lucky to enjoy it all and to be able to share with such great friends.

Well Into the New Year!

It's hard to believe we are already at the end of January. After the holidays, I was hoping to find time to just lie in a darkened room and regroup, but that didn't happen - am not sure why things haven't slowed. In the meantime, I was dealing with a niggling cough. It seemed that I had a lot of sinus drainage during the night, all of which collected in my throat. I didn't feel particularly bad, except for a horrendous-sounding cough that didn't seem to produce very much. All was going well until January 18th when I hit the wall. I simply couldn't stay upright! I went to bed about 1:30 in the afternoon, not really sleeping but just resting. I also rubbed everything - nose, sinus area, throat, chest - with Tiger Balm!! When I was a kid my mother would do that with Vick's, and I thought Tiger Balm would be Vick's on steroids! Well, the next morning everything was clearer and looser. So, I'm feeling better but would still like a few days in a darkened room!

January began with a "dog sitting' exchange that I got snookered into. I was sitting by an acquaintance at a social gathering and we were talking pets, showing photos, etc. She suggested it might be a good idea if we exchange pet sitting gigs. And, without thinking, I agreed - never expecting it to turn into anything. The next week she invited Rosie and me over to meet Cabo, only to also learn that she was leaving on a cruise the first week of January!!  Cabo, a Coton de Tulear, is absolutely adorable but definitely in a one pet situation. He is demanding of all the attention in the room. If I threw a squeaky toy, he would barrel past Rosie and she would back off, finally not even bothering to chase it. I knew I was in trouble when she brought one of those sticks used to toss the ball. She said, "I don't use it to throw the ball, I use it to try to get the ball away from him"!! In addition, I had to sequester Mama Mia to the sunroom AND make a visual barrier so Cabo couldn't see her.  That was great until the temperature dropped, then I had to barricade the bedroom area so MM could sleep in the den. I was mad with myself for even entertaining the idea and have chalked it up as a "once in a lifetime, never to be repeated experience." I now know that it is too disruptive for Rosie, Mama Mia and me to ever do it again, especially long term. Live and learn!!

My cough episode did put the kibosh on our plans to go to the 3rd annual Women's March in Charleston on the 19th. Due to issues at the national level, it was not highly publicized this year, but Tippy, I and friends had planned to go and I hated to miss it. It felt like I was breaking a tradition. I'm hoping next year it won't be needed!!

The 20th was my birthday and we had quite a celebration. Reyna had Chris, Lynn, Tippy and Kieran, and myself over for homemade Chili Rellenos and Red Rice. I really hated for her to do it because it is a very labor intensive dish, but the finished product is delicious. We had a lovely afternoon of friendship, good conversation, and delicious food. Everyone seemed to enjoy it - I certainly did. It was a great way to spend a day and it made my birthday very special.

With as busy as things have been, I have freed up my schedule a bit. I'm taking a respite from my hospice visits at least until after our Africa trip. Even so, I continue doing the Liberal Ladies newsletter and have just taken over the administration of the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate's Facebook page. This is just my kind of thing as the work can be done at home, but there are also a lot of meetings involved.

We are also happy to announce that we now have 2 chapters of Drinking Liberally - one in Bluffton and a new one on Hilton Head started by Tippy. They are on alternate weeks so we can now go to DL every week if one so desires. At our last meetings, there were about 25 at the Bluffton meeting and 30+ at Hilton Head. 

You Aramco folks will enjoy this. At our last Liberal Ladies Steering Committee meeting, Lynn (the Chairperson) mentioned Jean Vahey. I wasn't sure I understood her correctly but was going to ask on our way home, then promptly forgot. So, I'm standing in line to get in at our next meet, and there behind me is Jean!  As it turns out, Jean was on her way back from visiting one of her boys and seated beside her on the plan was the producer (I think) of a movie being made in Savannah. The movie is The Glorias and is about Gloria Steinem (played by Julianne Moore, with Bette Midler playing Bella Abzug). The producer was saying that they needed lots of women to reenact a convention in Houston in the 70s. Jean connected her with Liberal Ladies, as you can imagine Jean networking. She attended our meeting and invited us to submit our information, which several of us did. To this point, we haven't heard anything, but it was scheduled to happen on Feb. 13, so there is still time. Another aside is that the producer also invited a liberal ladies group from Skidaway Island and told them about us. We have made connection with them and hope to get together (Steering Committees) sometime soon. It was all just a weird and unexpected set of circumstances. Jean and I traded cell phone info but I haven't heard from her nor contacted her at this point. She is working full time at the Bargain Box Food Bank, which is one reason she hasn't attended more Liberal Ladies meetings. I will get in touch as soon as I can. She looks well and it was good to see her.

That pretty much catches you up on my comings and goings. Tippy and I are just about 6 weeks away from our trip and, at the rate this first month has gone by, it will be here before you know it. We are fortunate that our injections from last year are still valid and we have all of the gear.....and will be taking much less! Needless to say, we are looking forward to it.

Finally, a thank you to all who thought of me on my birthday - by phone, card, ecard, email, text, etc. It was great to hear from everyone and I appreciate your good wishes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019!

Wishing friends and family a year filled with good health, good friends, happiness, joy, and adventure! I send love to you all.









Rosie didn't seem at all ready for 2019. I had to roust her out for bed for her morning walk and, as soon as we got home, she went back to bed - literally! We all have our down days and I hope that is all it is. For NY Eve, I went over to Reyna's for Chili Rellenos and Red Rice. I took her my Southern food for NY Day - Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas with Greens, in this case, kale. I think this is a keeper. I've tried several things over the years and this is my favorite. Being vegetarian, I didn't use the bacon, ham hock, nor did I add the Balsamic. Even so, it was very tasty. This developed from a recipe for Black-eyed Peas over Smoky Grits. The peas seemed bland so I looked for a better recipe. Then, for New Years we need cornbread, so I'm serving the peas over polenta rather than grits. Add a salad and it's ready. Tradition includes pork, but that won't happen here. Everything else is covered.

Christmas turned out to be much busier than expected. On some days, like the one shown here, I had two events happening, which is way too much for me! In this case, Chris and I went to Democrat SOB (South of the Broad [river]) holiday luncheon. Our newly elected Congressman, Joe Cunningham, was there and I got my obligatory photo. Somehow I always look better with a handsome, young man!! It was a fun way to celebrate his victory and we hold many good wishes for him. Later in the day, I joined the Liberal Ladies Steering Committee for our end of year luncheon. Both were nice in different ways and I enjoyed them both.

The holidays are also a time to touch bases with friends individually - through food, movies (The Green Book), special holiday activities, etc...and I was never at a loss. All of which makes me very appreciative for the friends I have here, who support me day in and day out. As much as I am NOT a phone person, it was wonderful to catch up with distant friends as well and learn of exciting happenings (grandbabies), future plans (moves to France), health challenges faced boldly, and stepping out of comfort zones!  It made me aware that, even at our age (and I speak only for myself, at my advanced age), we are engaged, active, interested, hopeful, and "happening"!! We are a lucky bunch......and I love you all!

Chris came over on Christmas day for a collaborative lunch, which was delicious and comfortable. We tried to arrange a Chickpea Loaf from a newly opened vegan place, but plans went awry. I was taking a Lentil Loaf over to Reyna's on Christmas Eve, which I knew would only be eaten by Reyna and myself, so I offered left-overs as an entree. Chris brought "crack" mac and cheese and I made a sweet potato casserole from a newly snatched recipe from a friend. We added a salad and desserts (Chris) and had a filling, delicious meal. My intentions were to include a photo of us at the table, but I completely forgot even though I left my camera on the coffee table as a reminder. A mind is a terrible thing to lose!

Sometime in the midst of it all, Tippy and I "Thai-ed one on" at our local Thai restaurant in celebration of our upcoming trip to Africa!! We will be going to Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia in mid-March 2019. Needless to say, we are very excited and have acknowledged that we need to curb our enthusiasm. Our first trip was so incredible that this, or any other, will do well to live up to it. If this one can maintain the standard of the first, we will be happy campers. We are going to Johannesburg a day early, mostly to recover from the 16-hour flight from Dulles. We have also added a post-trip package of 3 days in Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope. This may be our last time there and we hope to cover as much as we can. We are both really looking forward to it and March will be here before you know it. 

Rosie, Jim, Magenta, and Anthony. We intended to take
a photo at the restaurant but, like Christmas day, we forgot!!

The day after Christmas I received a call from Jim and Anthony (thank you, Anthony!), who were on their way from points north to FL. They asked if they could stop in for a short visit. It has literally been years since I've seen them and a few hours would not do! Even though they only stayed one night (not enough time!), it was great to see them and catch up. I really would have visited them and other friends in FL if Rosie traveled well. She doesn't and I hate to sedate her for hours, but I would love to be able to take road trips to visit friends.....and just to get away from time to time, and I'd love to take my girl with me. This was spur of the moment but definitely icing on the holiday cake. Since Jim's retirement, they have been traveling and enjoying life, so it's difficult to keep up with them. I hope it won't be so long before seeing them again.

Since I've taken a break from politics, as much as one can when exposed to trump 24/7, I've been catching up on TV viewing. The three regular channels all seem drivel since watching news channels full time, but I have gotten into Netflix, etc. After Christmas lunch, Chris and I checked out HULU, hopefully as a means for dropping our local cable. What Hargray has done here is to make agreements with communities at the onset to lay the cable, etc. for the promise that they will not allow another company in! So, it is like a monopoly and we are at their mercy. Most of us have done as much as we can to resist, in my case even writing the FCC, but to no avail. Now we are looking for other alternatives. So, I signed up for a free month of HULU to check it out....and have become totally immersed in The Handmaid's Tail! WOW!!  I have tried reading Margaret Atwood and found it hard going; but boy, does it make for spellbinding TV, especially in these times. I've also discovered that they have Killing Eve with Sandra Oh, which will be my next viewing selection. If I can find something that streams either CNN or MSNBC happening news, I can drop cable and be fine with other options.

Thanks to one and all who thought of me during the season, in whatever form.  These are two of my favorites for diverse, but funny, reasons. Whose Boat is This? is a takeoff of trumps visit to FL after a hurricane and saying to a family that had a boat deposited on their property, after losing everything else, " well at least you got a boat"! The book was put together by Steven Colbert, with appropriate sarcasm, as a fundraiser. The kicker is the last page that says, "there is no moral", which sadly depicts our current times. The black shawl is a feel good, luxurious, sparkly Laura f-n Ashley (inside joke) upgrade to my Loft scarf experience!! I can tie it and wear it as a billowy cover.....of a multitude of sins, but I think I will have to upgrade my leggings to match! I also received lots of candy, which I took to mean that either I am not sweet enough or heavy enough!  Sadly, I know the conclusion to draw!! Thank you and I will enjoy it all!!

I've rambled on enough and there are things I've forgotten/neglected to include, but it has been a good holiday here, and I hope it has been the same for you. I'm holding you all close to my heart and wishing you only the best in 2019!


via GIPHY

Winter, No Heat, and the Holidays!

Rosie's electric blanket!!

I've been wanting to update the blog for a week but have used it as bribery in order to get other chores done! Today, a cold, windy day and President George H.W. Bush's funeral, seemed to be the perfect day to sit inside and get it done. This is made even more enjoyable by the fact that I now have heat after being without it for over 2 weeks!! I pay for a home warranty service (American Home Shield) that is usually helpful when something breaks around the house. I just call them and they send someone to repair it. This did not prove true in this case. There was a massive leak in the air handler and with the age of the system, the serviceman recommended replacing the system, as they always do! That was further indicated by the fact that the refrigerant used in my system is R-22, which will no longer be produced after 2020. Part of the delay was due to my effort to find out how much they would pay toward the replacement. As best I could determine, they would actually pay less than for the part that needed replacing! Every time I called, there was a least a 20-minute wait on hold. Each time I spoke to a different person who added to or corrected the previous information. Way down the line I was told that there were alternate, approved refrigerants that would work in my system. I called the local repair service and they would not do that!! Finally, in total disgust and weariness, I just had the part replaced; BUT, it didn't end there! Rather than buying the part locally and shortening the process, AHS shipped it in from some other place. That was a 4 day wait. Finally, Monday heat was restored. Thank goodness! I was especially concerned for Rosie and Mama Mia. Rosie would let me cover her and would often refuse to get out of bed until she was good and ready. Mama Mia wouldn't stand for that, but I did find a couple of sunny (when it was shining!) places up off the floor for her to sleep, and she would join us on the bed at night. As I look over my calendar, it seems that since the election, my time has been spent with repairs. First was rot around the top of my chimney. Then my car - at one point I had no heat in my house or car, so we couldn't even drive around to stay warm!! Then my fridge started leaking!! So, I hope things will maintain for awhile!!


Speaking of Mama Mia, I think I mentioned some time back that I thought I might have to put her to sleep. I finally broke down and took her to the vet, which I should have done much sooner but had previously vowed I would not put her through that again. She has renal failure, which will no doubt shorten her life, but the vet suggested I try hemp oil. I don't know if I am more surprised at how much it has helped her or the fact that she lets me give it to her. I had no idea I could medicate her. She is doing much better and is snoozing in the sun in the sunroom.

Most of my friends and I have taken a well-earned break from politics, knowing that things will heat up again as we approach 2020. I've actually had the presence of mind to read a few books, including these two. Educated is "a searing, unforgettable memoir in the tradition of The Liar's Club about a young girl who, raised by Mormon survivalists in the mountains of Idaho and forbidden to go to school, defies her family and earns a Ph.D. from Cambridge University". In addition to the author's struggle, it gave an insight into some of the real wingnuts in our country!

Becoming was as refreshing as I'd hoped. The book is in three parts - Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More. The first paragraph of Becoming Us gave me goosebumps as she described her reaction to Barack, proving that he has the incredible charisma and charm that we imagine him to have. Overall, it was an insight into their relationship, their political life, their families, and so on. I really enjoyed it and admire them both even more.

At the moment I'm ready Small Fry, by Steve Jobs'  illegitimate daughter with whom he had a dubious relationship. Getting back to it will be my second treat after completing this entry. 

I've also taken on a few projects, such as organizing my recipes. They were is 5 different notebooks, which over time has become unwieldy. So, being motivated by "recycling" a cast-away crate from the dump, I was inspired to put all recipes in one place. I already had lots of folders but they didn't fit the crate well enough not to slide off the track and slump. So, I purchased a dowl, cut it to size (with the handle little saw shown), and problem solved!! For some reason, I take great satisfaction in projects like this that don't amount to a row of pins!! 

As a reward for doing the newsletter for Liberal Ladies of the Lowcountry, I sit on the Steering Committee. I was totally surprised and honored to be asked to be Chair-Elect for the coming year, which means I would be the Chairperson in 2020! This was totally unexpected and I was very flattered, but that just isn't my thing. I love the group and enjoy doing the newsletter, but am not interested in leadership beyond that; so, with appreciation, I declined. Our group now numbers over 500, which requires more direction as we grow. I'm happy to provide support however needed, but I wouldn't want to take anyone else where I might lead!!

Thanksgiving was very pleasant as my friends and neighbors, Lynn and Tom (Bogey's parents) invited Chris and me for dinner. Nothing beats good company and good food. It was a delightful evening.  After that, when we were in a cold house, they invited Rosie and me over for breakfast or coffee one morning to warm up. We walked over, but as soon as Rosie did her business, she would walk not further. So, I picked her up and took her to their road. As soon as I put her down, she ran straight to their house!! Rosie and Bogey love each other and it is so much fun to see them together and off the leash., though I was embarrassed that Rosie ate all of Bogey's prescription food!!  Then, one day this week, I was walking Rosie and we ran into a neighbor who lives at the corner of Lynn's street. Mary turned into the street to go to her house and Rosie turned with her.......and headed straight to Lynn and Tom's! Mary said, "I think she's going to Lynn's" and she was 100% right. They weren't home but Rosie was outside the door whining to get in!

Christmas decorations usually go up the weekend after Thanksgiving but it was delayed this year. Finally, over this last weekend, I managed to get things up over a 3-day period. I could only manage so much each day!! It certainly doesn't seem worth it just of me, but I do enjoy them once they are up. At the rate I'm going, I may not (probably won't) do Christmas cards. Even so, please know that I love and think of you, my friends and family, more often than know and throughout the year. Please think no less of me, for you are always treasured within my heart and I consider myself fortunate to know each and every one of you. I'm wishing you and yours all the peace and joy of the season.

Merry Christmas!