Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 12/19/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Very neat seasonal looks everywhere you turn.

HR and buddy Ellie at our church’s Christmas Party

2. Holidays and Seasonal Changes.

3. Robert’s Recent Rescue.

So the other afternoon HR and I drove over to Jesup GA to one of our very favorite Christmas Tree farms, Days of Creation.

We bought a pretty fresh wreath.

When we got home, Robert put the wreath, along with some branches of spruce, in our shower (!) to freshen them up with some cold water. (Some things in a marriage you simply put up with.)

Oh, that’s his life-size Mr. Nutcracker he plastered on the shower door.

In another room, I heard him yell/squeal, “Neal, look!”

It took me a minute to see the little fellow.

“What are you doing?!” I asked.

“I’m rescuing him, of course.”

His new home outside our door.

4. These amazing little slider hotdogs we had yesterday for lunch at local Sly’s Sliders and Fries.

Holiday Yum

5. Nearby church spires at dusk here in Savannah.

May you look around and see some Peaceful Beauty this last weekend before Christmas.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 12/12/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

Robert and I have been up in Philadelphia this week for an anniversary getaway, so most of my Happy Bringers are found within our travel.

1. First, a few photographic mistakes I made during the week. Which are actually sort of cool.

2. Delicious and messy Philly Cheesesteak at Pat’s King of Steaks (who supposedly created the iconic sandwich).

3. The Joy of being able to travel a bit. Everybody certainly doesn’t have the luxury.

4. Well, …

It was our anniversary after all.

5. Unbeknown to HR and me while planning our Philadelphia trek … landing smack dab in the center of Philly’s Gayborhood.

The blue dot is our hotel, Alexander Inn.

Iconic gay bookstore, Giovanni’s Room, a short walk away.

May you have a Grand and Gay Weekend ahead!

P.S. As I write this post, Robert and I are on the Midnight Train to Georgia. (We arrive in Atlanta early morn.)

[We’re] leaving (leaving)
On that midnight train to Georgia (leaving on a midnight train)
Hmm, yeah
Said [we’re] going back (going back to find)
To a simpler place and time (and when [we take] that ride)
Oh yes,
[we are]”

Posted in Art Joy

One-Word Wednesday 12/10/25

Spectacular!

Philadelphia Museum of Art on Monday

I don’t quite know how to tell you this, but when the guards weren’t looking, HR somehow managed to “confiscate” Van Gogh’s spectacular masterpiece (on the day of our ninth anniversary, no less). Then with his uncanny abilities, dastardly reduce the treasure to pin/brooch size!

He obviously didn’t think I would notice his new “pin” (he has a zillion).

But I did.

Here we are this morn at our hotel’s breakfast, Robert so casually enjoying his coffee, watching the news, not realizing I was documenting evidence.

Now I must decide what to do about all his travel shenanigans.

Posted in Special Days

We’re Happy-ing Our Anniversary!

Today, December 9, marks the 9th Anniversary of … Us.

Nine years ago today

*********************

We’re now on a week Anniversary Getaway that started with a busy weekend in Atlanta and continued on to the neatest little boutique hotel in downtown Philadelphia.

Today, HR and I are taking the Amtrak …

… an hour away to a cold New York City for an Anniversary Day Trip.

First stop …

Then the subway to a NYC museum we have never visited …

Hi Robert.

I look a tad demented. I blame it on the cold.

Fascinating!

Gingerbread!!!

!

On to our Anniversary Meal at Del Frisco’s Grille, Rockerfeller Plaza.

Indeed, a Happy Anniversary.

Posted in Monday Moaning or Monday Marveling?

Monday Moaning or Monday Marveling? 12/8/25

Definitely Marveling this Monday!

This Monday morn finds Robert and me in Philadelphia (via an overnight Amtrak sleeper car!) after a delightful and holiday-ish weekend in our beloved Atlanta.

We’re from Savannah, and love its stunning beauty and unique and storied history, but the ATL is like our quirky, always-welcoming but busy younger sister who managed to marry up and simply has SO MUCH to show us and (if truth be told) to BRAG loudly about.

Here’s one of our sister’s sweatshirts:

Enough family drama.

On Friday night HR and I had evening reservations for the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s annual “Garden Lights, Holiday Nights” display.

Oh My Goodness!

The Earth Goddess

Robert’s photo of the goddess.

This is what I was watching through the special glasses:

Then on Saturday afternoon we attended the absolutely incredible 45th Anniversary Holiday Concert of the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus.

And look, here’s the choristers. (I just learned that word.)

Wait, no, that’s just Robert and me.

The event was held in the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Philip on Peachtree Street in Atlanta..

Here they are!

We tried to audition, but they promptly told us to sit down and be quiet until the sing-a-long part.

Such Holiday Fun and Joy!

We have a full day planned in downtown Philadelphia today. I’ll tell you all about it soon. Now you have something to look forward to.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 12/5/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. This photo I snapped yesterday of an elderly couple, holding hands and walking into Walmart. For some reason, it sort of melted my heart for a moment.

Even in Christmas colors! 

2. Robert and I attending last night‘s annual Christmas tree lighting at the Jepsen Center for the Arts here in downtown Savannah.

The event featured a Fabulous Harpist (who we have seen at another downtown event or two).

And here’s Robert bothering her while she’s trying to perform.

TIB (Truth in Blogging): They were chatting, and she was excitedly telling Robert about how she unexpectedly started getting email checks for her work that somehow made its way … to Russia! TMI?

Look, The Clauses! (Is that how you spell their plural last name?)

I think she was the real Mrs. Claus. 
Robert apparently did too. 

I got HR a quick part-time job, taking festive photos of other revelers.

3. The good-feeling ability to be excited about seasonal changes and holidays. I know that it’s a blessing because many people are not happy at this time of year.

4. Beautiful Camelias, the “Winter Rose,” blooming all over downtown Savannah.

Hiding behind a courtyard wall

5. Beautifully delicious coffee (peppermint mocha) at Origin Coffee Bar.

Robert got a cookie with his coffee too, but it dropped in and melted. I laughed, a bit too loudly. He tried to even the score by saying that his coffee was much better with the melted cookie. 

**********************

And here I am trying to be all bohemian coffee shop-artsy …

May your happiness this weekend be better than a melted cookie.

Posted in My Saturday Evening Post

My Saturday Evening Post: 11/22/25  “My Favorite Color”

Walking through Hobby Lobby the other day, Robert and I came upon these neat seasonal kitchen towels …

I stopped to chat with them for a bit, while HR wandered off … who knows where in the gargantuan store.

“Uh, did you know that Fall is not actually a color?” I probably somewhat ‘I’m-a-retired-professor’ asked the towels.

They answered immediately, and I might add, a bit mockingly: “Uh, you call yourself a retired professor, and yet you don’t understand simple literary devices.”

Taken back a bit by the question, I could not think of a single literary device.

The towels, sensing my embarrassment and feeling a little sorry for me, gently explained: “The statement ‘fall is my favorite color’ primarily uses a literary device called synesthesia.”

“Right,” I said, trying to remember if I had ever heard of “synesthesia.”

I turned away and quickly Googled.

Synesthesia involves blending senses—in this case, treating a season (“fall,” a concept related to time and nature) as if it were a color (a visual property), thus associating the qualities of the season (the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows of the leaves) with the single concept of a “color.” Google AI

“Y’all ARE right!“ I sorta yelled. (It doesn’t take much to get me excited.)

“Fall has always been my favorite season. And now it’s my favorite color too! Thank you!”

But they were already starting to chat with the next customer, explaining Sensational Synesthesia.

I love these fall colors somewhat hiding in the morning shadows here in Historic District Savannah.

Glorious chrysanthemums at a market we visited recently.

Mama and her cute little triplets we saw on a walk.

My jalapeño cornbread last night.

Yes …

And that’s my Saturday Evening Post.