Road Trip with Jan

Today is the rainy day I've been waiting for! Jan and I had a great trip but I've been slammed since returning - Liberal Ladies' newsletter, appointments, meetings, etc. Even today VegFest was scheduled but cancelled due to the weather. Thus, I finally have time to work on this!

I had a lazy morning with two cups of coffee in bed while insulting trump on facebook. I finally got out of my PJs and put on a robe. That is as dressed as I'm getting today. Rosie came to the front door for a walk. I opened the door to let her see that it was raining and she turned around and went right back into the bedroom. That is one of the many reasons she is the perfect doggie for me, and I am not the only one who thinks so. My neighbor Tom (of Lynn and Tom) just texted me this meme a few minutes ago. They all know her!

Jan and I had a great time and, other than missing Rosie, it was good to get-away. I picked Jan up in Charleston and we had two nights there. Charleston is such a pretty city and it is always easy to find something new to show guests. It also has great food. We had dinner at 82 Queen, lunch at Husk (which has a delicious vegetarian plate not listed on the menu) and a light dinner at 39 Rue de Jean (Fried Goat Cheese Salad with beets, etc). Our luck with food continued throughout our whole trip. While there we took and on-and-off tour of the city and then drop out to Boone Hall Plantation, which I had not seen before. As you know to expect, photos to follow!

We then had four nights in Asheville, stopping in the Greenville area to check it out a bit. We had a great lunch at the Kitchen Sync. We found it online and when we drove by we thought it was closed. Then we did a second drive-by and there was a sign out front saying "open". So, we turned in and the parking lot out back was full, as was the restaurant. They had many vegetarian options and I settled on the potato tacos upon the waitress's recommendation.  It was delicious and gave me taco ideas. The hostess was from Liverpool and we had a nice chat with her. After lunch, we spent some time seeing a few sites like a downtown park, a covered bridge, and so on. It really is a nice area which I'd like to explore a bit more.

I really enjoyed time in Asheville, which I'd not been to since a child. It is very picturesque, more diverse than here, and a bit funky, which I like. We did another city tour with a fun guide, and it was great to just drive through the city and see the various parts and learn its history. I hadn't realized that Zelda Fitzgerald had spent so much time (and died) there and I came away wanting to read more about her. We had lunch at the Grove Park Inn, which was fantastic. It was a beautiful day and we got a prime seat overlooking the mountains. We then had dinner at the Laughing Seed (vegetarian) in a hippy-ish part of town. More good food all day long!

Our plan for the next day was to take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We didn't get as far as planned because a tree fell and blocked the road not long after we had gotten on the parkway. It took them about an hour and a half to clear it, so we just watched and chatted with the other folks who were in the same position as we. Once it was cleared, everyone went on their way. That night we had dinner at Benne on Eagle, which was exceptional. I had GRILLED EGGPLANT AND CAULIFLOWER — Fairytale Eggplant, Wild Mushrooms, Field Peas, Sunflower Seed, Preserved Lime. The restaurant has a rich, interesting history, which you can read HERE. After dinner, we walked through The Foundry Hotel of which the restaurant is a part. A band was about to play so we sat just to listen for a bit. Well, once the band began, most of the room got up and danced! It was great. I chatted with one of the ladies who said they just liked to dance to this band. Everyone knew when and where they were playing and just showed up to enjoy themselves. It really was neat and we felt like we'd just stumbled onto a little local tradition.
The next day was devoted to the Biltmore Estate.....and WOW! Being a Tarheel, I am finally glad I can say that I've seen it. The opulence is difficult to describe and I am glad to have finally seen it. The gardens were not at their peak; but, even so, they were beautiful and one could easily imagine their beauty in the spring. Our lunch was at The Stables, which had literally once been the stables with tile walls, wrought iron on the stalls, etc. Our waiter was Carlos who had been voted the Waiter of the Year and he definitely had his shmooze down pat!
After Asheville, we took off for Bryson City where we were to ride the steam train. I'm following my trusty Waze GPS app when we find ourselves on a tertiary road with no GPS. This road is dirt, pretty much one-way. Cars were parked along the side so we knew people were around, but we didn't see anyone. Finally, I see two guys in trucks with hunting dogs, so I stop and ask directions. I told him our destination was Bryson City but we were looking for Looking Glass Falls. To go back to the falls would take us out of our way, but he would lead us to get us back on track to Bryson City. We must have followed him for 20 miles on dirt roads, gravel roads, and finally paved roads. I told Jan I thought we were okay as long as we didn't begin to hear dueling banjoes!! Actually, he was a very nice young man and got us back on track.
I have to mention our good fortune to have stayed at the Marriot in Asheville. The employees were welcoming and helpful, especially in the Bistro. We had breakfast there every morning, and sometimes a light dinner. We got to know John who ran the Bistro in the evenings and enjoyed chatting with him. We were surprised to have a great salad there which both Jan and I have made since returning. It was their Signature Spinach Salad. I was thinking of just a green salad, but it was chocked full of yummy things - brown rice and quinoa, sweet potato, dates, gorgonzola, etc. It was outstanding! Knowing I was vegetarian, he left out the bacon and gave me a larger portion, which I scarfed down like a champ!
In Bryson City, we stayed at the charming McKinley Edwards Inn. The couple running it had only taken over about several months earlier and were very welcoming. They also had great ideas for publicizing and broadening the appeal of the inn. Our time there was very pleasant. The next morning we were out early to take the train. We were lucky to have an informed and interesting young guide (Janessa), as well as a passenger (Craig) who sat across the aisle from us, who had grown up in the area, and was a horticulturist!! He was especially interested in the paw-paw tree and its fruit but he was a wealth of knowledge. It took our minds off the six screaming (literally) children that were also in the car!! Those parents should be ashamed....and those kids will be inflicted on some teacher! Anyway, Janessa hung out with us as much as she could and we enjoyed the info we got from Craig.
Our final stop was in Athens, Ga, which was a lovely town. I don't know what I was expecting but I found it charming. The highlights were driving through the antebellum section and dining at The National. I had the vegetable plate (roasted tatume squash with paprika-salsa verde and preserved lemon; collard green falafel with beet tzatziki and Aleppo chili; roasted zucchini and chickpea salad with mint and tahini-ranch; roasted cauliflower salad with harissa and honey; seared okra with almonds; quinoa salad with roasted tomato; lightly dressed arugula) and it tired with Benne on Eagle for best meals on the trip. It was fantastic and somehow we didn't get a photo of us enjoying it!

We got back to my place and I gathered "The Squad" at our favorite falafel place. It was good to see everyone and catch up. It is great to introduce longtime friends to newer friends and allow them to put faces to the names they hear about here.  In the afternoon, we went to see the Savannah Gardens in Berkley Hall. There was an article about it in a local magazine, but when we went to the gate to get in to see it, he wouldn't let us in. Needless to say, we took that as a challenge!! We came back to my place and looked for phone numbers. I found one of the community realtor and within an hour we were strolling the garden. 

Our last dinner together did not disappoint. We went to La Dolce Vita in Bluffton. When Jan saw it in a restaurant guide, I asked where it was located because I knew I'd seen it before but couldn't remember. Well, it's in the same little strip mall where Chris and I used to make wine. Come to find out, it has been there for about 5 years. The owner/chef was born in Sicily and has been a chef for 40 years, much of it in NYC. Customers order and pick up his bread, pasta sauce, etc. It was excellent Italian food and I brought home as much as I ate. I will definitely be going back.

It was a great visit and I give Jan full credit for a fun trip. She planned the whole thing, made hotel and dinner reservations, everything! It made it very easy on me....and I knew it would be enjoyable for her, as it was for me. Thank you, Jan!

Surviving Dorian!

I had no sooner posted my last post when things began to get serious with Dorian. The good thing about hurricanes is that you have time to prepare and/or evacuate. The bad thing about hurricanes is that it is difficult to come to a decision. I would decide to stay one day and the next morning conditions would change and I'd lean toward staying. After seeing Dorian hover around the Bahamas for so long, I pretty much have decided I should just plan to evacuate. I would not want to be in a dark closet for 24 hours with a storm raging around outside!! 

On Tuesday morning I was dickering about it again and then decided that I had notified relatives that I was coming up and I may as well go, regardless of what Dorian would finally do. I left early Tuesday morning and had an easy trip up with very little traffic. I had to medicate Rosie since she is an anxious traveler - pants the whole time. She took the meds on the first try and was mellow throughout the drive. We were there by noon and checked into the motel.

The manager of the motel was of Indian descent and we had a great conversation talking travel and how it broadens one's outlook. He was born in Fiji, worked in Australia and New Zealand, traveled widely, and now worked in the States. He did say the people in that town were mean or bad.....I can't remember which, and I can well imagine how they react to an Indian person.  The conversation starter was that he spotted my bangles and commented on them! I then told him that I'd worked abroad and we went from there!!

As is usual with all families, there was a little drama. While I don't want it for public consumption, those with the password can see it HERE. 

Overall, I had a very enjoyable, fun visit but was hoping to get back on Thursday. Chris and Rhonda C. had stayed and gave me a weather report that morning. So, I got up earlier than usual and had breakfast with cousins Larry, Betty, and Peggy. That was the only time I left Rosie in the motel room and I really didn't like doing it. Before leaving for breakfast, I gave her a sedative for the trip. She was not the least bit interested in the Pill Pockets I had used for the trip up, but she did go for cheese!!  We left around 9:30 and got home around 1:30. The traffic was light and it rained most of the way, but I've been on I-95 with much heavier rain. This time it seemed that my timing was right - left early and returned early! It was good to be home! I unpacked the car and still have to put things away. That will happen later today......or tomorrow! 

On the way up, I finished listening to Radium Girls, which was sad but very interesting. On the way back I listened to The Good Neighbor about Mr. Rogers, and I have to say it was great to come back to a nice neighborhood. On our morning walk, we checked in with Reyna, and ran into Lynn and Bogey, as well as other dog walkers. We all caught up on what others had done. This afternoon my neighbor was picking up small branches in his yard and he came over and picked up mine. We were lucky to have only minimal damage - actually no damage at all just a lot of leaves and other debris scattered everywhere. It will be an easy clean-up. We were very lucky. Needless to say, the season has just begun and we are hoping we will not have to do this again anytime soon. 

Waiting for Dorian!

As I write this, we are waiting to see what Dorian is going to do. Yesterday, it seemed imminent and I was busy all day making preparations - until I hit the wall around 7PM! I reserved a motel room in Wadesboro with intentions of leaving today. Now it looks like we won't have anything until later in the week. The media is saying it will spend about 24 hours hovering over the Bahamas, in which case it may begin to spin itself out. It is a matter of just waiting!!

Good news to report about Tippy. She came through surgery with flying colors and was released from the hospital in less than a week. I was amazed that she called me the day after surgery when she wasn't even expected to be able to talk that quickly. She was told that she might go home with a feeding tube and trach, but both were removed before she went home. The pathological report was great - they got it all!! The rough part has been being on liquids for a week, but after her followup visit, she has graduated to soft foods. She has done amazingly well and everyone is impressed and thankful for her progress.

Speaking of Tippy and other amazing friends: I was sitting at home minding my own business when the doorbell rang. It was the postman with a package for me, which was puzzling since I hadn't ordered anything. The first thing I did was look at the return address which was from Hawaii! Now I knew it was a mistake except it was addressed to me! The box had a hole in it so I reached inside and tore the hole wider. From it, I drew a lovely yellow shawl with a lovely note for Tippy. It was sent to her from a shawl ministry at a Lutheran church in Hawaii at the request of my friend Rhonda in Alberquerque! The card told the story of their ministry, which was very touching. I could not believe Rhonda's kindness, but it doesn't stop there. I was about to dispose of the box when another card slide into view. I reach inside and there was a second shawl....for me!! I was so touched. I thanked Rhonda and told her I was seeing Tippy the next day and would let her choose the one she wanted. That was just such a nice thing to do. I have great friends!!

I've also discovered that Rhonda is a Pinterest junkie!! She sends these great, personalized cards that she makes herself. I do the Facebook page for the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate and I'm always looking for something like this to post. I asked if she would mind if I used it and she didn't object. It received the most exposure of anything I have posted thus far - it reached 17,000+ people, over 300 shared it, and one woman used it has her page photo!! I loved it!

South Carolina is becoming quite the place for Presidential candidates. Chris and I had a busy week when we saw and heard both Andrew Yang and Pete Buttigieg. Yang spoke at a restaurant and had a full house. He is a techie and some of his ideas are very forward-looking. He also seemed to be able to fully analyze a problem to get to its source. I was very impressed with him. We had an interesting experience at his event. Chris and I are sitting there with our which and chips waiting for things to start. Suddenly this handsome young man asks if he can join us - who would say no!!  He was a staffer for Yang and sat and talked politics with us for about 15 minutes or so. He excused himself when someone started making announcements. Since Yang was delayed a bit, he came back and chatted some more!! As we have said before, it is so great to see these young people so involved. Mayor Peter had the largest crowd I've seen - 700-800 people. He is very comfortably able to articulate his ideas and views and is willing to actually answer questions rather than hedging. He, too, is very impressive and no doubt has a long political future ahead. It's fun to see them, shake their hands, and get a selfie. 



After Yang left Las Palmas restaurant, he went on the Beaufort and enjoyed a little dancing. I thought THIS was cute.

As though we don't have enough to do, Chris and I attended the most recent meeting of the Lowcountry Immigration Coalition. It occurred after the shooting in El Paso and there were actually 4 new people in attendance in response to the shooting. I plan to attend future meetings and my guess is that Chris will also. It is the best way to know what is happening in the Latinx community and how we might help. No sooner had we done this, than I saw first hand how these people can be exploited. Rayna has a delightful woman helping her, named Antonia. Antonia's husband has also been helping Richard. They had been paying on their car and had almost paid it off when the previous owner came and took it back! I'm sure they felt safe in doing that, knowing that they would not/could not go to the police. I suggested they contact Aimee, the immigration attorney, but they were even afraid to do that. They are such kind and hard-working people. It is difficult to see them treated so badly.

Sun City Democrats held an Empty Chair Town Hall Meeting in response to Lindsey Graham refusing to meet with his Democrat constituents. They had personally delivered a petition to his office with almost 1000 signatures asking that he meet with us. He didn't even bother to reply, so they devised the town hall meeting. No one knew quite what to expect, but it was very cleverly done. There was an energetic MC from Washington. There were also some players who presented all of Lindsey's flip-flops, which were many more than I ever realized.  This was another event that attracted a lot of people.

We also had an opportunity to hear our Congressman, Joe Cunningham, speak on climate change and the environment. We heard that there would be protesters so we had to be sure he had a great turnout. It was actually presented by a committee from a local church and they will be doing more of the same on this issue, which should be interesting. It's good to see groups stepping up

I was looking forward to a cocktail party on Thursday given by one of the Liberal Ladies Steering Committee members (Randie) for our group. Mid-morning on Wednesday I received an alert that the party had been canceled. Randie's husband had died suddenly of a heart attack that very morning. They were having breakfast before going out. Randie left the table to finished getting dressed. When she returned to the table, he was dead!! A memorial service and luncheon were held on Friday and I'm not sure how Randie held it all together. I'm sure things will be different once things settle and she has time to digest it all. So sad!

I will leave you with a Rosie story. Most mornings Rosie stays on the bed until I'm dressed and ready to take her for a walk, but once in a while she will jump off the bed and sit on the rug at the end of the bed - where I can't see her. She will then bark - one playful bark. If I don't respond, she will bark again. When I finally get up and round the corner, she is in that playful, front-paws-down pose, tail wagging. Once I get closer, she hops up and runs back onto the bed, ready to play. On those mornings I accuse her of waking up naughty!! She is a mess!!

The only other thing to let you know is that I've added a tab at the top called Photos from Friends. I thought it might be fun to share photos of friends we have in common. I'll give it a try and see how it goes.

A Hot, Busy August!

July and August have proven to be busy times. On the 16th of July, Chris and I had a Progressive Ladies' luncheon and then later in the day attended an ACLU workshop.  It focused on being informed and asking candidates strong questions that will draw out their positions on specific issues. There were quite a few people present and it is always energizing to be around such wonderful, motivated young people.

I was so pleased when Cheryl made time for a visit. Other than my principal, she was the first person I met when I went to Saudi. I arrived late at night but she had food ready and Jan had sent over a bottle of wine. At our first meeting, even late in the evening, I remember us talking for a good, long time. We have remained friends ever since and it was good to have a chance to catch-up, recalling everything from Nurse Neva and Ivan the Terrible to trips taken together. I'm fortunate to have such good friends and good memories. It was also nice to be able to do a few things around here at our own pace. We did a little walking tour of Bluffton with Rosie and also had an afternoon at Palmetto Bluff, one of my favorite places. As I always try to do, I called the troops (my local friends) to get together for lunch at the Olive and Fig. Cheryl and I pick up Reyna and Lynn while Tippy and Chris met us there. As we were picking the others up, I mentioned that I might begin referring to us in my blog and "The Girl Gang." Without hesitation, Lynn said, "I've got a better one - The Squad!!" She was right! From henceforth we shall be known as The Squad!! Everyone was in fine form at lunch and there were lots of laughs. I'm mad at myself for forgetting to take a photo...and that no one in the Squad reminded me (that is their charge from now on!)! For me, it was a real joy to share time with longtime friends and relatively new ones. Needless to say, the weekend went by much too quickly but I do hope we will be able to get together again soon.

Otherwise, my typical routine continues. Most recently, I've done the Liberal Ladies' newsletter (which you can see HERE) and am an administrator for the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate's Facebook page. Being vegetarian, I enjoy preparing my own food (and all of my guests have been very gracious about a veggie menu, although I do try to give them many opportunities to have other options away from home). My Instant Pot is a lifesaver in the summer and I've experimented with it a lot. After Cheryl's visit, I'm also trying to get back into zentangle again, however slowly.  My walking routine continues. Out of the last 48 days, I have only missed 10 days, which is very good for me. There is also Drinking Liberally, which we now have a Bluffton and a Hilton Head chapter, with both going strong. Here are some photos from Tippy.




I'm sure you've all heard of the horrible mass shooting in Texas and Ohio. It is just such a sad time in this country and it is difficult not to feel that we are teetering on the edge of the abyss. Each day is worse than the last and our leader (the term used very loosely) is a madman. There are days that are just sad to the bone. Shortly after the shooting, our local Indivisible and Moms Demand Action organized a vigil/protest. It drew only about 100 people, but it was hurriedly arranged in less than 36 hours, so for this area, it was a good turnout. I attended and was impressed with the service itself and the opportunity to unite with others who hate to see what guns (and those who value them more than life itself!) are doing to this country. My hope is that this is an episode that we will not let pass as more obscene news breaks. The coverage of one of our local news stations can be seen HERE.


That brings us to yesterday when Chris and I did part 2 of our donate-to-a-fundraiser/tour-a-home project! This time the fundraiser was a brunch in Beaufort to benefit Jaime Harrison, who is running against Leningrad Lindsey. The hosts live in a fabulous apartment with a grand marsh view. There were about 50 people in attendance, with many new faces. Jaime was there also and he is a great person/candidate.  He is a wonderful storyteller and his personal story is compelling - born to a single mother of 16, going to Stanford and Harvard, working with James Clyburn, and so much more! Our hope is that he will become better known and get the backing he needs. Needless to say, we will do everything we can to help.



Chris and I rode over together for the brunch but she needed to be home by 2PM, so we made a quick stop by the new Herban Market (vegan) to pick up falafel wraps....yum! I came home and played with Rosie for a little while (feeling guilty that I would be away for much of the day), before taking off for Beaufort again, this time to attend the Warren office opening from 2-4PM. I had not intended to go but got a text from Kelsey, a staffer who has been faithful to attend all events, and I hated not to go. The main speaker had spent time in Saudi during the Gulf War, so we had a chat. They also had folders for each of Elizabeth's "plans" containing a synopsis of the plan, which Chris and I had already talked about - make them short and easy to understand. I also ran into several people who had been to the morning brunch, so I didn't feel like a total political wonk!! They were the people who were wearing a "Make Lying Wrong Again" sticker! I only stayed for about an hour, but yesterday's schedule ensured a day at home today! Were it not for walking Rosie, I probably would not have gotten out of my PJs today!!

Tippy goes in for her surgery tomorrow and I know you will hold her in your thoughts. She is very positive, as is her medical team. I am Plan B to do whatever I can whenever I'm needed....and Lynn has volunteered to keep Rosie if I need to go up to Charleston! We will all feel better when a clean bill of health is issued. Tippy has her own version of MAGA - Make Amick Great Again!!  We're all for that! 
As you can see, I've been playing with Google slides. So far, I really like it, though I can't do everything I'd like to do. This is my first time playing with it so maybe I just haven't figured it all out yet.
Hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying the summer - and staying (or being) cool!! Love to all!

July in Full Swing!

Summer is here with a vengeance and I've chosen this time of year to start a walking routine!! I've needed to do this for a long time as I'm the heaviest I've ever been, but I couldn't begin to tackle it. Then, I saw this poster online and thought 'even I can walk for 15 minutes'!!  Previously I' d been thinking about walking miles as I used to do but realized I'd been thinking about it wrong. Instead of miles, I could do minutes and gradually increase the time as the weather improves. Our routine is now that I take Rosie out for her mosey (Mosey with Rosie) and then I put my walking shoes on and go out for 15 minutes or so. I started on June 23rd and have only missed 5 days so far. I can't tell any difference at all except I know it's better than not doing it, so I'm hanging in.

One reason that I'm not losing weight is that Reyna keeps inviting me over for Chili Rellenos and other specialties (and Drinking Liberally meets at a Mexican restaurant)!! Several have asked about her new little girl and here she is - Suzanne. Now that school is out she hardly ever gets to lie down or get settled.....she's carried around all day by her older sisters. She really is a cutie and a good baby.

While 2020 is a ways off, things have been busy here. Chris and I have found a fun way to contribute to campaigns - we sign up to attend cocktail party/fundraisers. It's almost like a tour of homes! The first one we went to was held at a 6000 sq. ft. home overlooking Calibogue Sound. It was an amazing house, a fantastic view, and an enjoyable evening. We've also signed up for a brunch in Beaufort to benefit Jamie Harrison, who is running against Lindsey Graham.  We've heard Jamie speak before, but he will be attending the brunch and we'll see him in a different setting.....and maybe get a selfie!! 

Yesterday, we (Chris and I) went to a Women for Warren gathering at another beautiful home on Callawassee Island. I was interested because the invitation specifically said that she (Warren) wanted to mobilize women, which I'm all for. We've seen where 200+ years of men have gotten us and I fully believe women can do better and will behave differently. She definitely has my attention! 

And I mustn't forget that we got a short notice that Joe Cunningham was in town and meeting with constituents at the old oyster factory park, so we went to that also. He is such a nice guy and I do hope he will be re-elected. We will have our work cut out for us.

We are also signed up for an ACLU workshop tomorrow called Rights for All. I expect that to be very informative.

On Friday, Tippy, Kieran and I attended Lights for Liberty vigil in Beaufort to protest the treatment of those seeking asylum at our southern border. It was the first time in ages I've LEFT my house at 7PM to attend an event!!  Usually, 7PM is time for me to get home! We were pleased that the crowd numbered around 200. There were three speakers - an Episcopal priest, a rabbi, and George K., who has worked on immigration issues as long as I've been here. They all were short and sweet but hit just the right tone. Then we marched to the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge and had 5 minutes of silence for those at the border. The original plan was to walk on the bridge and have the vigil there, but it was the opening night of the Beaufort Water Festival and permits could not be obtained. It all worked out well since we were able to see the fireworks from the festival as we drove home.....a nice way to end the evening.

Believe it or not, I have managed to get a few other things done and my bust of energy remains. I had three area rugs cleaned and they brighten up the whole place. This Flokati is Rosie's favorite play area and here she is inspecting the clean rug. She's glad to have it back.

I thought I was going to have company over the July 4th as my cousin texted to say that he and his wife would be on the island from noon on the 3rd until noon on the 4th!?!? Don't even ask!!  I was wide open so just asked them to let me know what was convenient for them. I got another text on the night of the 3rd saying they could meet me for coffee at 1PM on the 4th, but I suggested they just stop by here. So, I got busy and made a little cheese plate and a blueberry tart. One PM came and went, as did 3PM.  I texted several times saying that I was getting concerned. Not a word until the next morning when he said they had to leave suddenly. I hoped there was no emergency.....no, they just had to leave unexpectedly!!  He said he had texted me but I didn't receive it and the only problem was that I was left with a whole blueberry tart and loads of good cheese!!!

So, to rid myself of the temptation, I decided to invite Rosie's boyfriend, Bogey, to come over for a play-date and bring his mom and dad (Lynn and Tom) with him!! Bogey has visited only once when Mama Mia was still alive. Needless to say, that didn't go well. He was very excited to have a new place to explore and everyone seemed to enjoy it.  He/they will definitely be invited again. Isn't that the cutest picture of him? Lynn sent it along with a Happy 4th message. He looks on his best behavior. 

With all of that, both Rosie and I have been to our respective doctors and gotten a clean bill of health, though she was not pleased to get her shots. It took me two days to get back into her good graces. Tippy invited us for a nice walk on the beach on a morning that turned out to be very tolerable - overcast and with a breeze. It's always fun to see her off leash where she can run and explore.....and Tippy and I never run out of things to talk about.

An update on Tippy: She had her biopsy and it is cancerous. She remains very positive and has a medical team that is confident they can go for the cure. They meet today to develop a plan for her and Tippy will go up tomorrow to get details. She has a fantastic support team here but I'm sure she would appreciate your good thoughts as well, and I will keep you posted.

It's also been a busy month for birthdays!! I hope I'm not forgetting anyone when I wish

Ann W

Sharon B

Melodee D

Jane M

Jean M

Eileen H

Very Happy Birthdays!

Into Summer

Shortly after my last post extolling our great weather, South Carolina set records! Not in education, healthcare, or anything benefiting the populace, but in the weather. Over the holiday weekend, Beaufort was the hottest town in the country exceeding 100 degrees. The following week, Bluffton received the highest rainfall in the country. The sky just opened and it poured. I heard that we received between 5-6 inches in a few hours. Since then we have continued to get moderate amounts of rain, which we really needed. Lawns were getting burn spots and the lagoons were really down, so things do look much better. 

There isn't a lot to report since my last post, but I just wanted to touch bases with everyone. As I look at my calendar, I've been busy but mostly with regularly scheduled events, groups, friends, etc. Chis and I took in a good movie, Red Joan with Judi Dench, followed by a good meal at our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant. Then her friend Sue, whom I've gotten to know, visited and we got together for a chatty dinner. I regret that I didn't get myself together enough to invite them over to see our Africa video (though Chris had already seen it and twice might be too much!!) as Sue was very interested in our trip. She has the link but it might be more fun watching it with others. 

Yesterday I did just that with a few neighbors. I have two neighbors whom I don't know well ask about the trip as he said it was on his bucket list. So, I invited them over, along with Lynn and Tom (neighbors and friends) and Tippy and Kieran. I'm not a great entertainer but this seemed casual enough for me to manage and enjoy. No sooner had I gotten the food and drinks together than I receive a call from Dolores saying they couldn't come!! Bill had hurt his neck/back and couldn't come, so I encouraged her to come on her own, which she did. I just thought it would be a good opportunity to answer any questions they might have...anyway, we had a good time and Tippy and I enjoyed seeing it again and reliving parts of it. I'll send the link to Bill and if he has questions, he can find me.

At a recent Drinking Liberally, I was surprised by this cute gift from my friend David! Needless to say, he knows and likes Rosie, so the gift may actually be for her. It seemed a shame to stick it in a cupboard, so I am using it as a little cactus garden.

Our Drinking Liberally group has grown or, more correctly, split into two groups.....one in Bluffton and one on the island. So now every Wednesday of the month one can eat and drink with liberal thinkers. I'm still planning to go twice a month and rotate between the two groups as there are people in both groups with whom I'd like to remain in touch. This week the HHI group had 24 people show up, which is very good for the summer when people have lots of things happening.

I was invited to a fun cocktail by one of the ladies, Myla, on the Liberal Ladies steering committee. She isn't here full time and just felt she wanted to get to know us better. She's a very vibrant personality and as it turns out, she has won a Tony Award for producing Pippin!!  She continues to be involved in that type of thing which is why she is out of town so much. Her husband happens to be Larry Kramer, the former publisher of USA Today. One interesting thing about living here is that for a place its size you run into a lot of interesting people.

After finishing our trip video, I had a burst of energy and got a lot of things done around the house. That is totally unlike me so I had to ride the wave as long as it lasted. I got rid of two rugs and replaced them with fresher, better-looking ones - in the process pulling something in my neck! Assembled and donated all of my cat supplies, including the cat condo, which is the best one I've ever seen. The people at the thrift shop sent an email to tell me they had sold it that very day......and I had to practically beg them to pick it up because it wasn't "furniture"!!!  I knew someone would love it. I  also got rid of lots of stuff like these cameras, long outdated but difficult to throw away because they bring back fond memories of Thailand!! Am I the only one who holds on to this type of stuff.....I've got loads of it. In any case, I hope the mood strikes again.

I also put up this little birdhouse outside the sunroom. Before our trip back in mid-March, there was a little bird that kept fluttering at the sunroom window. He wasn't smacking into it, he was fluttering against it, would peck at it and even light on the screen. I just thought he would eventually go away, but Curtis even commented on him while he was petsitting. When I came home, he was still here. So, I went out and bought this little colorful birdhouse and put it where he fluttered most....and for the last week, he hasn't been around! Well, buddy, that's the best I can do. You are going to have to figure out the rest!!

File this under Who Would Have Thunk It!  

Little Bluffton is having its first Pride Parade on Saturday! While some of the local liberals will be in Columbia for the state Democratic convention, the rest of us need to show up for this. Somehow Facebook has gotten wind of it and is supporting it and about 4 other similar small-town events. Thus ⇩

Almost all (too many!) of the Democrat candidates are showing up for the SC Dem.convention so MSNBC is covering it all day Saturday. I'll be glad when we get down to a serious number and have a better idea of who will actually run against trump. 
Pauline, who is in the States visiting her family, just called and we had a nice chat. She is hoping to stop by here on her visit next year, which will be nice. I'm also looking forward to seeing Cheryl next month and Melodee in the early fall. Jan also mentioned visiting in the fall so 2019 is shaping up to be a good year for visitors, which I like.
On a less happy note: Tippy was on her way home from the mountains on Monday and texted me to ask if I wanted to join her for a glass of wine when she got to Bluffton. Naturally, I agreed, just expecting to chat and catch up. Her real motive was to tell me that her throat cancer had returned. I was stunned....and couldn't imagine how she felt! Her local doctor wanted to wait a month but she proactively sought a second option at MUSC, which has one of the leading throat clinics in the nation - who knew?? She is there today in prep for a biopsy in early July. She is her usual cheerful, optimistic self and has a great outlook, as well as a massive support system with everyone already offering to help in any way. As anyone who has experienced or cared for someone with health issues, there is a helpless feeling about it. Tippy has everything working in her favor and it is a matter of helping her get through it and back into action. We/she has more places to see and people to meet. I'm holding positive, healing thoughts for her.