POST THANKSGIVING

Tuesday night, relatives came down for Thanksgiving. Wednesday the toilet refused to drain. We called our great plumber who showed up about lunchtime.

The outside pipe is overgrown with tree roots. He freed the stoppage but said it would probably need a bigger auger and to call him this weekend if it happened again.

We took showers, washed dishes, flushed, and checked the sewer pipe gauge. The water seemed to be going down a little at a time so as long as we stretched things out, it was working.

Thursday morning, we got up and no, the gauge was still too full. We hated to call Mr. Baker on Thanksgiving so we didn't shower, flushed sparingly, collected water from washing dishes by hand in a pan and threw it outside. (I suspected long ago I'd never make it in the good old days when everyone had outside toilets; this collecting used water and taking it out convinced me for sure.)

Friday morning we called Mr. Baker first thing. He came right away with a friend and a larger auger and evidently (I didn't see it) got out a huge wad of tree roots. So the water is flowing again--for the time being. We will still have to have the drain dug up and replaced.

So another tiny disaster to add to last week's list.

Along with the sweet potato souflee that tipped as I set it on the table. Marshmallow topping slid right off along with some of the sweet potato mix. We put more marshmallows on and toasted them though, and it was still delicious.

Once we got the table cleaned up.

Oh, well. The year is coming to a close. Maybe our luck will change.

Hope everybody had a happy Thanksgiving, too.

TINY DISASTERS

We've had a strange year. Unexpected things keep happening.

The first of the year, we lost one cat and soon after, the other. Then I had a broken tooth that had to be crowned. Then the transmission of my car broke and needed replacing. Then both cars needed new tires. The plumber had to come because the toilet tank would ony fill when the bathroom sink faucet was turned on. We got a rat in our bird feeder and had to take them down. My eyes started acting up again.

The first of this month, my guy's old car started having problems just before a trip to north Georgia. At thirteen, I guess it had good reason to fall apart. I wish it could have waited another year but...So we bought a car.

Then the back bedroom sprung a leak after a record rainfall that had streets impassable and the backyard flooded. Then our door from the garage to the house decided it didn't want to be opened. My guy took off the door knob but the lock wouldn't come out. The door didn't budge. The locksmith fortunately had tools and said, yep, the mechanism was broken but the knob was okay. So he replaced the innards.

Finally, up in north Georgia, waiting in the eye doctor's office seven hours from home, the lights went out. We sat there two or three hours, refusing to leave since we'd have to reschedule and make another trip. Luckily, the lights did come back on and several people had left so we were able to get out about dark.

None of these things were terrible calamities but when they just keep coming, I can't help but wonder if I'm living wrong! I'm hoping next year will be better.

And the back bedroom still has a trashcan under the hole in the ceiling for water to drain. We've not yet been able to get anyone in to check out the leak.

Sigh.

OUR FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME

The movie people have wrapped up filming and are out of here, but we locals are still impressed with what they did in the old part of town. They not only brought in old cars and hired locals as extras for the twenties era story, they also packed in dirt to make the town street (in the movie block) look like an old-fashioned dirt road!

Here is a photo of the town. Don't we look like Ybor City, Florida? All the hispanic names on the stores and the spruced up storefronts add to the illusion!

A lot of local actors scored roles. I think this is where they waited for their shot at fame:

I have no names but their costumes were great! They kept walking back and forth in front of where I sat in one of the squares. Don't know if they were going for make-up or snacks or what, but it was exciting to see them. One man claimed he was having such a great time that he'd have paid to be in the movie!

Alas, all is over. Our moment of excitement has come and gone much too quickly.

Thank you, Ben Afflect, for picking us to play a part in Live by Night! It's given a much-needed boost in the economy and let us see how beautiful our town can be when it's all dolled up.

I don't know when it's coming out but it's bound to have a big local audience!

CLASSIC CARS

At the Stewbilee a couple of weekends ago, we had a classic car show. There seemed to be more pickups than usual. Here are a few:

And there were some outstanding cars. Like this pink Cobra, which the sign says is a memorial car:

And this 1967 BMW. According to the sign, there are only about a hundred fifty of them in the US!

And I loved this station wagon. Wonder if the surfboard on top comes with it?

This picture doesn't fit in with the classic cars but I thought I'd put it in. As we were leaving Stewbilee, railroad tracks cut us off from the parking area. Guess what we heard approaching? Yep. A train. We had to stand and wait while the train stopped and the engineer got out and switched tracks. Took about fifteen minutes before we could get across to town and our car.

But the day was well worth the inconvenience at the end though!

FAIR

I know I promised pix of classic cars this week, but the fair happens to be in town. County and regional fairs are always nostalgic for me. I remember the ferris wheel and exciting rides like the Hammer or Tilt-a-Whirl as well as the booths testing throwing skills or shooting skills or whatever. It was at a fair I lost all my ride money in an inexplicable urge to pitch a ring over a dish. That's when I learned I was no gambler!

Anyway, my guy went to the fairgrounds with his group of photographers and ended up with some great shots.

This is the entrance:

This is the midway. A little blurred and he didn't want me to use it but I wanted to show the crowd:

This photo, taken at dusk, is one of the two ferris wheels:

This is the ferris wheel after dark:

This is one of those rides where people sit in swings and then the thing starts going around until everyone is swung out with their feet hanging out in space:

 And this is the second ferris wheel:

Ah, so much fun to recall being a youngster and eating hot dogs, funnel cakes, and cotton candy! Pitching darts at balloons and winning trinkets! Rushing from ride to ride! Getting sick behind the merry-go-round...

Well, maybe not the last.

STEWBILEE's POOCH PARADE

Today was our annual Brunswick Stewbilee. We have Brunswick stew samplings from all kinds of different vendors. One little man was working feverishly at his table by himself, handing out samples, but there were no signs to indicate who he worked for. When I asked, he said, "Myself!" Turns out he's running for Clerk of Court next year! His stew was pretty good, but I think he neede better advertising around his table if he wants to get any votes.

There are also other activities: booths selling various things from cupcakes to jewelry, music from several bands during the day, a classic car show, children's activities, and -- my favorite! -- the Pooch Parade. I'll go into the cars next week but today we'll focus on the doggies!

Here are a couple. Not sure what they're supposed to be, but one of them looks like he's in his pajamas.

This sweet mastiff wore a wig and tutu. She won a prize for best big dog costume.

And here we have a clown with her yellow jacket. I thought she would have gotten a prize but was evidently beat out by a little dog with a cat on his back! Wish I could have got a picture of that but I never did see it.

And here we have a beekeeper, though you can't see him very well since he's standing behind his two bumblebees. Keeping them from escaping, no doubt.

You can't see the sweet little puppy very well, but the lady in red holding him is a volunteer. He wore a red bandana with ADOPT ME on it as he frolicked around. Several people were petting him so I hope he finds someone to take him home.

And the young people in yellow standing in front of the band, are members of the Boys and Girls Club. They volunteered to be judges for the Pooch Parade and did a fine job. I have no idea how they picked the winners because there were too many delightful costumes for me to show here. But the kids did finally decide, and then huddled around each winner and petted it and cooed over it.

I couldn't believe all the cutie pies and how well-behaved they were! Not a single fight or even a threatening grrr!

LOVERS OAK

In our mainland town, there is a tree called Lovers Oak. I have no idea why. I'm sure some of the oldtimers could tell me if they would.

According to the plaque, it was alive at the time of the signing of our Constitution in 1787. Other sources put it close to nine hundred years old. I have no idea of the real truth.

This view shows off the trunk.

And here is the entire tree.

Impressive, isn't it?

And wasn't is the operative word.

A too-big truck went by the other day and tore off a branch. You can see the stub in the next photo. The huge limb, about a foot or more in diameter, hung directly above the Lovers Oak sign.

But the tree is still there, minus one of its appendages. I hope the county arborist will put some tar on the broken place to keep insects and disease out.

I think we ought to become a sanctuary for trees. Then when something like this happens, someone would have to pay a hefty fine. Maybe then they'd be more careful.