Grandson Daniel, a young Savannah actor and singer, tired and resting on the set …
My Saturday Evening Post: 2/12/22 “Dramatic Napping”
Category: My Saturday Evening Post
My Saturday Evening Post: 1/29/22 “The Mirrored Target”
Recently Robert and I were walking around at Target, looking for a “screen protector” for my new iPhone 13.
$49 to protect my phone’s screen?! Seriously? What do I get? A special agent? And protection from what exactly? (TIB—Truth in Blogging—I have dropped cell phones with great damage too many times to remember.)
Anyway, after I begrudgingly paid for the special agent, we headed out, passing by the home goods section. I was minding my own business, not looking for any trouble. Out of the blue, Robert called out, in his in-store, raspy, yell-whispering voice, “Neal, stop! Grab that macramé mirror right there!”
Not having any more sense than to obey, I did as I was told.
“Now, look into the mirror. No, not that way, sideways!”
I finally realized, all nervous jumpy and macraméd, that Robert was simply chasing a photo op.
Later: “I don’t like that photo! My hair is so gray. And thin! Look at that baldy spot. My skin is sagging. My glasses are Coke bottle glasses! My sweater’s crooked. And my ears look exactly like Dumbo’s. Delete it!”
The Universe had had enough. And interrupted my ranting. “Look in the mirror.”
Like with Robert’s request, I obeyed.
“Even though it’s not at all really important, you have hair.”
“But,” I began.
“And pause for a second, Neal. You have skin that can sag.”
“Yes, but .…”
“And you have glasses in front of eyes to help you see.”
“You have a sweater to keep you warm.”
“I know, but ….”
“You have ears to hear what the world tells you each moment.”
I ran out of “buts.”
“Look a little closer in that mirror, Neal.”
“You have consciousness and focus. You have understanding and appreciation. You have breath. And warmth. And life.”
“You. Are. Alive!”
I looked again.
And finally saw beautiful.
My Saturday Evening Post: 1/15/22 “Charcuterie”
Robert and I attempted our third charcuterie board. Well, maybe “boards” since there were two.
Charcuterie (shar-KOO-ta-REE) is a term with origins reaching as far back as 15th century France; literally translated, it means the products of a fancy pork butcher. Modern charcuterie does often include pork, but the definition has widened to reflect a dish served throughout many cultures.
Known in Britain as a “ploughman’s lunch,” served in Italy as “antipasto” and familiar to many North Americans as the humble “meat-and-cheese plate”– these days, charcuterie can be found in any number of variations and is served everywhere from pubs to high end restaurants.
— Darcy’s Market
Yum!
My Saturday Evening Post: 1/1/22 “Real Feel 83?!”
Hello there! Happy Spring!
I mean, Happy New Year!
From ridiculously warm Savannah.
12/25/21 My Saturday Evening Post — Christmas Edition
“Isn’t There Anyone Who Knows What Christmas Is All About?”
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NOEL!
My Saturday Evening Post: “Yes or No?”
We’re “shopping” at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta.
Yes or no?
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Yes. Definitely.
My Saturday Evening Post: “Bless Us All”
Each December, Robert and I LOVE watching the old animated holiday classics, reminiscing of yesteryear. Last night we pulled out The Muppet Christmas Carol.
My capital “F” Favorite song in the movie is “Bless Us All,” sung by poor, sickly little Robin/Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchit crew. It always gets me choked up (until I realize that, as a “grown man,” I am crying over an anthropomorphic, singing, cloth-born frog puppet).
“Bless Us All” is actually a beautiful, prayerful meditation, expressing both gratitude for all we have (the sun, family, each other, etc) as well as supplication for greater good outside of our individual little worlds.
I invite you to take a couple of minutes out of your Saturday for a quick listen …
Muppet Truths …
“No place on earth compares with home.” (Of course, “home” can have various definitions for us.)
“We have so much that we can share with those in need we see around us everywhere.”
“Let us hear the voice of reason singing in the night.” (Oh my goodness, yes.)
The full lyrics …
BLESS US ALL!
My Saturday Evening Post: “An Artist and Her Pop-Up Work”
Thanksgiving afternoon, after The Big Meal, the lucky thirteen of us in my big ole modern family …
… sort of scattered throughout hostess daughter Amy’s sprawling house, the adults congregating in the den before the obligatory football games, while the children (ages 3-17) did who knows what.
At one point, nine-year-old Madison resurfaced: “I’m bored. Matthew (her twin) and Gabriel (her cousin) won’t stop playing video games.”
“Go outside for a while,” wise Nana suggested.
Checking on her a bit later, I saw a now-spirited Madison and a growing pile of sticks. She loves artsy endeavors—note her self-made turkey hat? … bandana?
And then a bit later (who knows how long, the tryptophan was working on me), Madison asked the adults to “Come see what I made!”
Those adults who were still conscious rambled outside to find … an outdoor pop-up art installation!
“A free-form, aesthetically pleasing amalgamation of found object natural elements representing both land and sea,” I immediately thought upon seeing the piece.
“Huh?!” Madison seemed to think in response, judging from her body posture.
Oops, a few last-minute touches …
As self-proclaimed artistic judge, I found the work dazzlingly daring yet delicate, detailed and deeply thoughtful, while being both dreamlike and dynamic!
“Huh?!” I even asked myself.
The artist was then joined by little sister/helper Isabelle (3) …
The Joy of Grandchildren and … Art!
My Saturday Evening Post: “Who Let the Fish Out? A Trawling Adventure on the Sea Dawg”
Last month, Robert and I took our second day trip over to the University of Georgia’s Marine Extension and Sea Grant on Skidaway Island.
“By advancing research, education and training, and outreach, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant promotes the economic, cultural and environmental health of Georgia’s coast and prepare citizens to become good stewards of coastal ecosystems and watershed resources.” — Marine Extension and Sea Grant website
A cloudy day, with rain threatening, we braved our away onto the Sea Dawg, UGA’s 43’ research vessel.
Here’s how UGA described our adventure …
Here’s Robert looking excited and normal (and a little bit like a dark Gilligan) …
And here’s me with a sort of seated and crazed I’m-not-so-sure-about-this-floating-Dawg-thing look …
We did two trawls, and although at first glance each catch looked like it held basically one type of little fish, upon closer inspection there were a couple of dozen different fish species, as well as sting ray, jellyfish, sponges, coral, etc.
Thankfully, these trawls on the salty Wilmington River brought up very little trash.
We can’t wait for the next adventure on the water. Thanks, UGA. Woof.
NealEnJoy 