A blog category of pics I’ve taken of HR (Hubby Robert) and … well, just about anything
Robert (aka HR) back in February and … his healing-from-pneumonia/Covid walks in Savannah squares near us.
Pulaski Square here. With his portable oxygen. And (notice his finger) his oxygen saturation thingy.
My fellow. All better today!
A blog post from back in 2014. Please excuse the grainy photos.
Every First Tuesday Savannah’s City Hall opens its doors for free tours. I know, I know, touring City Hall doesn’t sound like the most exciting entertainment venue around. But hold on just a second. After a hefty helping of Gabriella’s Zesty Chicken (on mashed potatoes) at Zunzi’s, I wobbled down Bull Street, remembering just in time to look up before I reached the river, and saw this …
… Savannah’s incredibly beautiful City Hall.
Completed in 1905 …
… City Hall features two figures who adorn the front, just below the clock and gold dome. And those two pretty ladies represent Commerce and Art. If you know anything about Savannah, you will find those figures so, so timely. Because what was true in 1905 is certainly true today: Savannah is both a big business city (Savannah Port and Gulfstream, for example) as well as a cultured, artistic town (SCAD, Savannah Music Festival, festivals galore).
Come along.
The original clockwork is now in the lobby:
Looking up to the interior stained glass dome:
Here I am with the really interesting tour guide (and SCAD grad), Luciana Spracher. She knew her stuff!
Did you know Savannah has a flag?
View from a back window of city hall:
I pretended to know the mayor. But you can only stand in front of her office for so long before people start to wonder what you’re doing.
TANGENT: A couple of months ago, I attended an event at the Savannah Civic Center with our mayor, Edna Jackson.
Okay, okay, maybe I wasn’t exactly with the mayor, but you can’t tell that from the above photo with her and Savannah State’s President, Dr. Cheryl Davenport Dozier.
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Luciana led us into the Savannah City Council chambers. For some reason I just got so excited.
Here I am sitting at the mayor’s desk. (Does she know people do this?)
What a fun (and educational) tour! Thanks, Luciana.
I Love Savannah!
(Or is the plural of “Happy” spelled “Happies”? The jury seems to be out on that question.)
This blog category is the journaling and journey-ing of my quest to say (with cautious sincerity) “Hello, Anxiety” and to take a look at the condition from my “me-andering” views.
I LOVE yellow. It’s such a standout HAPPY color.
I also love Happy. Happiness. Happier.
I even have a Happy Cup! Don’t you?
I like him because he’s always happy. No matter which way you turn or spin him. No matter what you put in him. Even hot coffee! Even with his fine line wrinkles (look at pic closely).
A contributing factor to my ongoing issue/challenge/frustration with anxiety is that I aspire to be that Happy Cup. After all, I write a blog named “NealEnJoy”! So when Unhappy (i.e., breathing difficulty, fear of nausea, etc.) comes a knockin, my first response is often to ignore it (as if) and with gritted teeth BE HAPPY. Or more honestly put, pretend to be happy.
This opposites-competing cognitive dissonance is not fun or … happy. Try though I do to keep happiness wound up.
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Here’s my Happy Holder. What, you don’t have one?
He doesn’t turn around or spin in quite the same way as my Happy Cup.
And he irritatingly tells me that my blog should more truthfully be named “NealDoesn’tALWAYSEnJoy.” Because Neal (or anyone else) doesn’t always.
“Backside” thinks he’s so smart he even quotes Jung.
A DIFFICULT BUT TRUTHFUL LESSON.
But I have to confess that I still prefer Holder’s “front” side …
1. Realizing that some broken things CAN be fixed.
My special wooden “N” (for Neal) that I somehow dropped and splintered.
But now it’s back on the top of my Desires Board, next to Mr. Happy and down just a bit from my Yes Stick. (Okay, I can see your furrowed brow. During the pandemic, HR and I traveled to a bunch of Georgia State parks, where we went on many a hike. I would often see a Y-shaped stick or tree branch on the trail and tell Robert it was a Yes Stick, to pause and think of something to say “Yes!” to. On one marvel-ous hike at Tugaloo State Park, HR saw this Y Stick, brought it home and shellacked it for us. Yes! TMI?)
2. The incredible ability to walk (which I usually just take for granted). To be able to put one foot in front of the other … and go forward! Try it!
3. Finally finishing with Robert this week the eye-, mind- and heart-opening A New Origin Story: The 1619 Project.
A difficult but so important read about the role that slavery and racism played in our nation’s founding—and continues to play in the U.S. today.
I wish its meticulously documented truths could be taught in every high school.
5. Butterflies
Callaway Resort and Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA
4. Soap. (For sensitive skin)
I wish you a joyfully clean weekend ahead.
1. My homemade pickled jalapeños … on everything.
This time a turkey, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and onion pita.
2. Truth …
3. Discovering Senior Citizens Inc. here in Savannah and attending a fascinating lecture, “The Rosenwald Schools: Challenge and Triumph.”
I bought the book!
4. Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes.
5. My chair in our study! It has a personality of its own. It’s alive. It (he? she? they?) is a place of refuge for me. It’s where I read. And mediate. It’s where I sit in peace.
And where I often sit in not-so-peace when my anxiety, Truffles, comes a’knockin. (My anxiety protocol sheet is at the ready nearby in the magazine rack.)
And the checkered pillow?
I bought it for my father when he was in assisted living and early dementia.
When I lean back on it, I feel his strength.
May you sit in joyful peace this weekend.
Deer me! Here’s hoping your Thursday is looking up.
Good Evening to you all, my blog buddies.
Sweet dreams!
So HR and i were driving home from T.J. Maxx a little while ago, after shopping for a new Gratitude Journal for me …
Robert‘s attitude, when I found the little journal, indicated that he thought it was kind of too tiny for a journal and sort of sissy-ish. I took that as a great compliment and immediately purchased it.
But that’s all off the subject. So we were driving home, stopped at a red light and saw this …
Wait. Let me get a little closer.
A little bit closer.
Isn’t that gloriously cool?
A blessing from the car in front of us!
I receive it!
And pass it on to you. So look for the good!
NealEnJoy 