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Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 2/7/25

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Savannah winter camellias … in my bathroom.

2. My Crock Pot Sunday Sirloin Tip Roast, which we had, well, last Sunday.

Here’s a photo timeline of how it went down.

Put it in the Crock Pot, then walk away for eight hours.

But unlike Lot’s unfortunate wife, you know in the Sodom and Gomorrah saga, I did not look back and be turned into a pillar of Morton Salt.

Gracious, do I ever look like a grumpy old man, even if I am wearing my Christmas jammy pants, which may be out of season, but oh so comfortable and fashionable.

Eight hours later …

And because I’m sure you want to know, I’m out of my Christmas jammy pants by now. But seriously, do they expect you to wear your holiday attire ONLY on the holiDAY itself?!

Oh my GOODness!

Okay, I’ve probably brought you to near catastrophic boredom ranting about this roast, but do you know the difference between top and tip sirloin? I admit that I did not. Well, let AI inform us …

Here is what AI did not tell you: “tip” is substantially cheaper than “top,” (which is why I bought it to begin with).

You can now splash some cold water on your face and continue reading about my remaining Happy Bringers.

3. The amazing ability to SEE! In any direction. Take a moment to be grateful for this miracle. Everybody doesn’t have it.

4. Somehow, on a walk yesterday afternoon near us here in Savannah, being able to see a little beauty even in the wake of destruction.

A tree which had to be cut back because of disease.

Or maybe that’s not beauty. What do you think?

5. Completing 14,000 minutes of meditation this week.

But seriously, wouldn’t you think I’d be a bit more … enlightened by now?! Instead of still sometimes wondering what meditation actually is.

May you have a WONDERful Weekend ahead.

Humor

“Petty Cat”

Posted on February 2, 2025 by Neal Saye

“What you looking at? Y’all have us as pets. Why can’t I have a pet?”

My Saturday Evening Post

My Saturday Evening Post: 2/1/25 “Expresso Cat. Fox?”

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Neal Saye

So tonight, I made Espresso Martinis for Robert and me.

I settled on the couch, and kitty cat Benny jumped into my lap.

Okay, “Rest little one.”

But then, lo and behold, a FOX jumped into my (beautiful) martini glass …

We talked a while.

Then somehow, he disappeared.

And that’s my Saturday Evening Post.

Joy, Humor

Left Behind

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Neal Saye

It’s hard to believe that a week ago Savannah was COVERED in snow and ice.

Quite the rarity.

But it’s 70° now, and I just finished a delightful afternoon walk.

But as I was traversing a particularly shady area, LO AND BEHOLD, look what I saw!

A gigantic Snow Frog leaping from the Monkey Grass onto the sidewalk directly in front of me.

I started to question his pedestrian sensibilities, but then decided against it.

I wanted to give him a little more precious time to get to wherever he was going.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 1/24/25

Posted on January 24, 2025January 30, 2025 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. My insanely delicious baked Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks for lunch yesterday. And so easy to make.

(I pretend they’re healthy, with the addition of the celery and carrots.)

2. Still marveling at our rare Snow-vannah we experienced this week.

Looking right and left outside the door of our old mid-1800’s apartment building …

What’s a snow shovel? And where on earth would you buy one? Or even want one? Isn’t snow supposed to melt the next day?

We also don’t have sleds or sleighs or whatever you use to careen playfully down snow-covered hills.

So you have to improvise. Here’s a little video of grandson Gabriel doing just that in his front yard.

That’s called Minimalist Sledding.

And other grandchildren in their backyard across the state from us in Columbus, Georgia …

But this morning, everything doesn’t look quite so angelically white and inviting. Why didn’t someone tell me the beautiful powder turns into gray and slushy mush?!

Who wants to slide in that?

3. The priceless blessing of a warm dwelling. I so often take it for granted, but I know that everyone is not so fortunate.

4. Lavender!

I love its restful, calming scent.

Beautiful Red Oak Lavendar Farm we visited recently up in Dahlonega GA

H.R. and I have enjoyed chocolate-lavender candy bars, lavender cookies, lavender salt and lavender tea. Have you had lavender in other foods or drinks?

4. The ability to lean.

May you lean into some Good Moments this weekend.

More years (decades!) ago than I care to admit.

My Saturday Evening Post

My Saturday Evening Post: 1/11/25 “The Highest Bidder?”

Posted on January 11, 2025January 11, 2025 by Neal Saye

So back in 1985 I started saving my yearly/monthly calendars.

I’m not sure why.

So that makes … what? Forty years in 2025.

I suppose it started out as just a way to remember birthdays, appointments, to do’s and other important (or unimportant) dates I was prone to forget. This was before the days of “Siri, remind me ….”

But it morphed into jottings of my hopes and dreams, my frustrations, my successes, my problems, my New Year’s Resolutions (difficult to look back over today), my very … non-Facebook life.

As I skim through the pages of years/years of pages, I see emerging themes: family, children, travel, career, wife, ex-wife, coming out, husband, grandchildren, parental deaths, medical issues, joy, sorrow … Life.

I’m not sure what to do with them. Leave them to my daughters? Burn them?