Monday, March 31, 2008

Savannah

was terrific. Perfect weather Friday and Saturday. A cool breeze kicked in late in the day Saturday, but we weathered it.

I ate far too much, and loved every bite of it. Dinner Friday at The Dockside, and supper at Bernies, both along River Street. Saturday included a mid-morning snack at Clary's, dinner at Belford's, located in the totally cool City Market area, and supper at Churchills. And we did not skimp on the buffet at Pirate's House on Sunday either.

A stray beer here and there at Isaac's and Wet Willie's rounded out the perfect food tour of the town. Not to mention strolling along the squares, and eyeballing the Mercer House.

As for my boyfriend, I think he found it as lovely and charming as I always have. It was most special to me to get to introduce him to Savannah. We've already discussed a second trip.


The Dockside: I had Lowcountry Stew (known in the SC Beaufort area as Frogmore Stew). I'd give it Two Yummms. But I've had better. Hell, I've cooked better.

Bernies: Split oysters on the half shell with one of the wild widdas that joined us, then a plate of fried oysters, fries and cole slaw. Pretty good. Their signature bloody mary was okay, but could have been a bit less spicy Two and a half Yummms for the food, one and a half for the drink.

Clary's: Really the only place for breakfast in Savannah. I had a ham biscuit. Three Yummms.

Belford's: Both the BF and I had their Shrimp, Greens (collards) and Grits. I've never had shrimp & grits presented like this-usually the grits are creamy in the bowl, with the sausage, pancetta, tasso gravy and shrimp stirred in, with greens on the side. Belford's served the grits as fried grit cakes, with the shrimp and greens on the plate as well. Four Yummms.

Churchill's: Authentic British food in an authentic British pub. Two Yummms. Although the authentic British person in the group said her steak and mushroom pie was pretty good.

The Pirate's House: Honey Pecan Fried Chicken, Seafood Au Gratin, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, collard greens, and red mashed potatos. Oh, and a spoonful of pulled pork bbq. And a biscuit. And a corn muffin. And a pecan square. I'm still stuffed. The coveted Five Yummms is awarded.

Ooh, ooh. I forgot about the margaritas at the mexican place on MLK Blvd on Friday night, complete with one gal in blue satin short shorts and high heels, her friend in lace-up to the knee gladiator high heels, a bitch-slap fight between another ho-dressed girl and the chick in the lace-up shoes, who then proceeded to slip and fall on a previously thrown drink. I'll save the story of me 'gently' moving the dingbat teen jabbering on her cell phone on River Street out of our way for another time.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Grant

that took over my life is done, submitted, submission confirmed, Yay!!

And tomorrow, off to Savannah for a three day weekend, with my friend and a few other widows.

It's a little strange, in a way, to be contemplating a visit to Savannah with someone other than my dear Donnie. I feel a little sad about it, but I also am looking forward to introducing this place I love so much to my new friend.

Y'all be good. Remember to feed the cat and lock the back door.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Feeling Called

...to Rite Aid and Walgreens to purchase half-price Easter Candy.

Mmmm, pink Peeps.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

I'm

up to my eyeballs in a grant that's not due until next Friday. But my deadline is *this* Friday.

Why, you ask? Or probably not, since I figure I've even managed to run off my most faithful readers (all three of them) with the drivel that's been masquerading as a blog post lately.

Well, since you asked. Next week is Spring Break. And I just don't want to spend another school break slaving away on a grant.

It's the main reason posting has been light over the past couple of weeks. When I'm deep in a subject, in this case, technology in the middle school classroom as a means to improve academic performance*, hardly anything else penetrates.

Except that's not quite true. There's some stuff bubbling on the ole back burner. If I meet my deadline, maybe I'll be able to move it to the front eye of the stove for your reading pleasure.

*Admit it, you almost fell asleep just reading that delightful jargon. I don't know how grant readers do it. I can barely stand to reread mine sometimes. They're stuck with reading multiple versions of the same thing, from a kajillion hopeful applicants.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Sunday Dinner

was so good, and I've really been enjoying the leftovers.

I didn't feel like going to the grocery store and I didn't want the leftover pork roast and cabbage I fixed Saturday.

What to do?

Turns out, I had a pie crust and some eggs and some sour cream and some cheese and some bacon and some fresh spinach.

Turned out to be one nice quiche. Which has reheated nicely for breakfast the last couple of days.

There's something to be said for having actual...groceries from which a meal can be assembled in the house.

Is It

Spring Break yet?

No?

Three more days? Really?

That's just mean.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

It's a Quiet Saturday Morning

I'm here with my paper, my thoughts, and the kittie.

It no longer seems odd or off-kilter to be alone here on Saturdays. And I no longer have the overwhelming urge to go...anywhere for the day, do anything, as long as it wasn't spent here. Alone.

I've gotten used to doing the chores by myself. Making all the decisions by myself. I mean, I did it before, when I was single, lived alone for so many years. But it's been a struggle to relearn those skills, for lack of a better word.

In some ways, things are easier because there's someone new in my life, because there's the knowledge that someone is out there, thinking about me, someone who isn't required to care whether or not I'm okay. Someone who cares because he wants to.

There's always going to be that residual sadness. It ebbs and flows, like all things in life. I guess I'm just missing my friend this morning.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Of Sweet Pickle Relish and Salmon Patties

I made a batch of tuna salad yesterday evening. And I added sweet relish...for the first time in about fourteen years.

This afternoon at the grocery store, I bought a small can of salmon that I plan to use to make a couple of salmon patties. If I've had salmon patties in the past fifteen years, it's been at a restaurant.

Why? Well my dear, departed husband expressed sheer horror at the very idea of adding sweet relish to tuna salad. And he didn't like salmon patties.

Another brick on the path of this journey.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Madison, GA

It snowed. Again. Mostly flurries that disappeared by mid-afternoon on Saturday. But it sure was cold. And windy. Every now and again, I had the feeling my sporty little Chevy was gonna do an ET and cycle off into the atmosphere as I made my way down the interstate Saturday morning.

But we made the best of things. Again. More good conversation and good silences. Plus a really good meal at the Blue Willow Inn on Sunday.

I could get used to this.

And: Go Winthrop Eagles!! Another NCAA Dance invite. Yay!!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Lisa Marie Presley

wrote this delightful little missive on her Myspace Blog after photos of her made the rounds and she was accused of being *fat* for no reason other than appearing to be eating too much:

After being the target all week of slanderous and degrading stories, horribly manipulated pictures and articles in the media, I have had to show my cards and announce under the gun and under vicious personal attack that I am in fact pregnant. Once they got a glimpse of my expanding physique a few days ago, they have been like a pack of coyotes circling their prey whilst eerily howling with delight. Starting with a London publication and then New York and Chicago all writing false defamatory degrading stories about all of the dark possible reasons I could be putting on weight. The US tabloids have been calling all day wanting confirmation on all kinds of insane theories.They couldn't wait to find out if my weight gain was because I was just overeating, in which case It would be open season and they can do the old following in her fathers sad and unfortunate demise story again or less interesting for them and probably much to their dismay, I could just be pregnant and therefore have a legitimate reason for weight gain at which point they should probably wipe the saliva off of their fangs and put them back in their mouths or they may expose the black little souls that they are.Now that things are confirmed, hopefully they can stop all of the harassment and I can stop dodging the continuous bullets.

It is unfortunate that I couldn't have announced something that is this much of a blessing and that has made us so incredibly happy under better circumstances. How they have handled themselves with this has been nothing short of irresponsible and disgusting.Pardon my seething contemptuous tone but ladies, You KNOW if you were pregnant and you felt you were expanding uncontrollably by the moment as a result and the worldwide media started badgering and harassing you for it, plastering you everywhere in an unflattering light, you would be mortified as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aww, poor Lisa Marie. What a terrible, degrading, slanderous, unflattering thing to happen to you. Someone called you... fat. Based on this little rant, it sounds as if it's the worst thing that's ever happened to you. Guess your dad dying such a public death in your childhood takes a back seat to being called the *F* word. I particularly love the 'I could be just be pregnant and have a legitimate reason for gaining weight.' comment. Pray tell, you dimwit, what are the other 'legitimate'-read allowable-reasons in the current obesity witchhunt climate we fnd ourselves in, hmm?

Please know that I say this with all sincerity and candor, and it comes from someone who was and is a true fan of your late, great father: Go fuck yourself, you pissy, bigoted, bitch.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

This Dear Man

was our neighbor-he and his wife bought the house next to my late husband and me here in Tinytown several years ago as a second home. They became fast, dear friends, and I know my Dear Donnie treasured the wonderful conversations he and Tom shared.


He stood at head of class until the end
Thomas Walter Thompson 1938-2008

By Marty Clear, Times CorrespondentPublished February 29, 2008


TAMPA - Fed up with the harsh Michigan winters, Tom Thompson loaded his family into the car in 1973 and headed south on Interstate 75, which wasn't yet completed.
The highway ended in Tampa, his son Robert Thompson said. "So that's where we ended up."
For the next 35 years, Mr. Thompson devoted himself tirelessly to Tampa students of all ages. He taught school during the day and volunteered to teach people in jail at night.
He taught even when leukemia sapped his strength and he couldn't walk unaided.
He died at home Feb. 13, surrounded by family. He was 69.
Mr. Thompson had grown up in a working-class family in Philadelphia. His father went from one factory job to another.
"He knew that wasn't the kind of life he wanted for himself," his son said. "And he saw education as his way out."
When he enrolled in Hope College in Michigan, he became the first person in his family to go to college. He started teaching grade school while he was still a student.
He met his wife, Jeanette, when both were performing in a community theater production in Michigan. They began their lives together there and have two daughters and a son. During his first teaching job, Mr. Thompson developed what would become his specialty as an educator.
"Wherever he went, he started remedial reading and language programs," his son said.
When the family came to Tampa, Mr. Thompson took a position as principal of Spencer Memorial Baptist School in Seminole Heights (now called Tampa Baptist Academy).
"It only went up to sixth grade, and there were about 200 students," his son said. "It was his vision to expand it to eighth grade, and he did that."
But he found he didn't like the administrative side of education.
"He ran a day care center," his son said. "But he didn't like doing that. It wasn't teaching."
He returned to the classroom once and for all, teaching at Oak Grove Middle School, then for more than 15 years at Hillsborough High School.
Mr. Thompson always had a fascination with the Titanicand shared that passion with his high school English students. Through the year, he would have them research and write about the ship, its passengers and its period in history. At year's end he would host Titanic parties in which students dressed as survivors.
A couple of nights a week, he went to a county jail, where he taught his favorite students. The inmates were still young enough that they could turn their lives around, and Mr. Thompson wanted to make sure they had a decent chance to do that.
"He kept in touch with a lot of his students for years after," Robert Thompson said. "He wanted to make sure they were living the way he had taught them they could."
He retired a few years ago but hated it. He immediately went back to teaching at Hillsborough Community College, where he taught reading and study skills.
Mr. Thompson had battled leukemia for the past couple of years. Then he developed pneumonia. He was dying and he knew it, but he kept teaching.
"He needed a walker," his son said. "My mother would drive him to HCC so he could save his energy for teaching."
He kept teaching until the end of January, just a couple of weeks before he died.
Besides his wife and his son, Mr. Thompson is survived by daughters Kristen Thompson-Norris and Kathy King and three grandchildren

Stuff and Things

This round of allergics seems to be wearing off. No sniffles and the coughing is almost nonexistent.

Which, yay for that. Because the constant coughing? Was most annoying.

Today was my first day back in the office since last Wednesday! Amazingly, it only took me three hours to plow through emails, memos, invoices that needed approval, mail, and standardized testing minutia. Which left the rest of the day to work on a fifteen-page grant proposal.

That has to be submitted online by Friday. So guess what I brought home with me. Go ahead, guess, I want you to.

I have plans this weekend. Plans that include my friend. Said plans also include another batch of wintry weather, kind of like our first weekend. This time thankfully, no snow is forecast.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Hello

Battling allergies. Feel like crap. In spite of that, here a few things:

Randomly:
  1. I don't know what this 'Lifewater' stuff is, but the commercial with the lizards & the girl in the shiny dress rocking it to 'Thriller' tickles me.
  2. William F. Buckley died this week. I can't say I've agreed with him hardly ever at all, but damn, didn't you just...feel smarter after listening to him?
  3. Why work on your craft, say Lindsay Lohan or J.Lo & Marc, when magazines are willing to throw away money for you to pose in sensationalistic photos or pimp out your newborns?
  4. Joel McHale, host of The Soup on E! is my new crush. Cute, funny, smart and beyond snarky. My kind of man.