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[John G.]

Five!

[Freddie]

Update on my next door neighbor who had a stroke some weeks back. Progress has been slim. I don’t think he’ll ever return. His wife will have to sell the house and move him to long-term care.

One day, he was lending me a hedge trimmer and asking me to water plants when they left town. Now, he won’t be coming back.


I sent his wife some G&S audio clips to see if that sparked anything.

Sad news.  Vibes of all kinds for your neighbors.

[Freddie]

Starting Travels with My Aunt. Fun Maggie Smith, who seems to be channeling Estelle Winwood.

Latest word is the Broadway theaters are dimming the lights for Maggie Smith.

"In addition to Creel, a well-known and well-liked actor who died on Sept. 30 at age 48, the theater owners said they would also dim the lights of all theaters to honor Maggie Smith, the British stage and screen star, as well as the actor Adrian Bailey, both of whom died last month. The lights for Bailey will be dimmed Oct. 17; the dimmings for Creel and Smith will be scheduled in consultation with their families."
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/09/theater/broadway-lights-dim-gavin-creel.html

[Freddie]

It looks like Sunday might be our last 100+ degree day.

Good weather news!

[ChasSmith]

That is rough, DR Rodzinski. I'm sorry to hear it.

[ChasSmith]

And that is just bizarre, DR Ron Pulliam.

I think that would be quite the disappointment, reconnecting with someone and finding...that that's all there is? Wow.

[Jane]

Another bothersome thing:

When I was at my first Navy duty station -- Naval Air Station Jacksonville Florida -- my best friend was a guy in my rating (Radioman).  We had some good times, I was designated godfather to his first-born son, that sort of thing.

The friendship, since we were in the Navy, faced mandatory separation when he was assigned to Hawaii just after I was given approval to cross-train into the Journalist rating.  We bade farewell and promised to stay in touch, but that never really works.

Roughly four years later, after two tours in Italy, I was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel as staff journalist to the senior enlisted man in the Navy (Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy).  Among the perks of that job was easy access to finding everyone/anyone in the Navy and where they were located.  The mystery, however, was what happened to my friend who was not on any list of active-duty Navy people.  He had reenlisted four years earlier for a six-year hitch. His reason was that he was married and was in a "Critical" rating, meaning that reenlistment bonuses were very high if you committed yourself.  When I was searching for him, he should have had two years left on that reenlistment. 

Fast forward to the years when the internet became common in households, Google became a search engine and then Facebook began helping us find former friends and classmates. 

Essentially 49 years elapsed during which time I made occasional searches on Facebook for former friends, but this one friend wasn't to be found.

One day, i received a message asking me if I was the same Ron Pulliam he served with in Jacksonville FL 50 years earlier.

I was.  It was my friend.  Over the months since that time, we have spoken quite a few times.  He has regaled me with details of his three marriages, his children and grandchildren, his jobs and a more than generous recounting of all the Navy experiences he had before he was granted a separation from the service because of a divorce and having children to care for.

Yesterday, i had another call from him. It purported to be a welfare call to ensure I was as okay as my posts, post-Helene, indicated.   But, for the majority of hour we spoke, it was a non-stop recap of all his accomplishments/experiences in the Navy, how much he wished he could do it again and many sidebars.  I probably had 5 minutes of the conversation.

And now I find myself never really wanting to talk to him again.  Whatever our friendship was based upon, I am at a loss as to what it was.  And my memories of him never included non-stop self-aggrandizement.

I'd much rather discuss movies, music, some politics, etc.

What does anyone else think?

Sorry, that is hard.  It sounds as if he is rather sad.

[Ron Pulliam]

I'm so sorry, Ron Pulliam. But I had to laugh. That's kinda how I feel about anyone from high school ever finding me.

LOL

[Jane]

But you'd think that after 49 years and him finding you that he'd at least take a breath and let you speak!

Very true.

[Jane]

Did I miss DR John G.'s repor on how the Christmas Cake recipe turned out?

Cake smelled great while baking. It is now wrapped in cheesecloth. In a week I start pouring frangelico on it and continue weekly for a few months or so.

Darn, now I can't have any.  What happened to using Brandy

Do you mean amaretto? I have more frangelico.

Doesn't frangelico have hazelnut? 

Yup. I’m sorty, but I am not sending you any   

[Jane]

John, in my mind Christmas cake is fruitcake.  Is that what you made?

Without the citron stuff, the waxy, nasty, neon cherries and the like. It’s all dried fruit and nuts.

That part sounds good.  I just think it should be soaked in Brandy or maybe Whisky-lol

[Jane]

I'm so sorry, Ron Pulliam. But I had to laugh. That's kinda how I feel about anyone from high school ever finding me.

LOL.

[Jane]

It looks like Sunday might be our last 100+ degree day.

Fingers crossed!

[Freddie]

312 Guests are viewing this board - you'd think it's a Wednesday evening (Eastern time)!

[John G.]

John, in my mind Christmas cake is fruitcake.  Is that what you made?

Without the citron stuff, the waxy, nasty, neon cherries and the like. It’s all dried fruit and nuts.

That part sounds good.  I just think it should be soaked in Brandy or maybe Whisky-lol

That's more like my mom's whiskey nut cake.

[John G.]

Cindy Williams is quite charming in Travels.

[Jane]

I suppose I should take a snapshot of this one.

[John G.]

Congratulations, Jane.

[Laura]

DR Elmore, I am seeing the tour of Funny Girl later this month. Do you know anyone in this cast?

[ChasSmith]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/05/squeezed-out-last-accordion-maker-in-france-to-close-shop-after-105-years

The last French maker of accordions, Maugein, has gone into liquidation after 105 years. They blame unfair competition from China, along with the slump brought on by Covid. The last instrument leaves the factory next week.

[singdaw]

I'm so sorry, Ron Pulliam. But I had to laugh. That's kinda how I feel about anyone from high school ever finding me.

 

[George]

I wrote a cover story about a guy in Pumpkintown, SC, who does custom slate headstone carving. The issue is out now but I haven’t been able to reach the guy to let him know and get him some copies. Hope he’s ok.

~~~Ditto!!~~~

[Jane]

Congratulations, Jane.

Thanks.

[George]

Vibes for DR Rodzinski’s neighbors.

~~~Ditto!!~~~

[Jane]

Here it is.

[Freddie]

Here it is.

Congratulations, Jane, on your near-record HHW millstone!

[Jane]

Keith did Wordle in five today.  Considering the word I think that was rather good.

[Jane]

Update on my next door neighbor who had a stroke some weeks back. Progress has been slim. I don’t think he’ll ever return. His wife will have to sell the house and move him to long-term care.

One day, he was lending me a hedge trimmer and asking me to water plants when they left town. Now, he won’t be coming back.


I sent his wife some G&S audio clips to see if that sparked anything.

This is sad.  Continued vibes for your neighbors.

[Jane]

John, in my mind Christmas cake is fruitcake.  Is that what you made?

Without the citron stuff, the waxy, nasty, neon cherries and the like. It’s all dried fruit and nuts.

That part sounds good.  I just think it should be soaked in Brandy or maybe Whisky-lol

That's more like my mom's whiskey nut cake.

Every year my mother made several traditional fruit cakes for Christmas.  I believe she used Brandy.

[George]

I suppose I should take a snapshot of this one.

One post late, but still Congrats, Jane!