Carolinagirl

Fall Is Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:34:18 -0400

With a 20-degree drop in the temperature from yesterday, I think it's safe to say fall has arrived! It will only be in the 60s for the next few days, and then level off into the 70s. With sunny skies, that's about perfect!

This past week has been difficult for many of us here. Our sweet Life Enrichment Director Jennifer was on a wonderful trip to Maine when her father-in-law passed away. We knew how much they were looking forward to the trip, and we were sad that it ended as it did. My friend Anna and I went to visitation at the funeral home to support Jennifer, who looked distraught. She took the following week off, and I hope she's feeling better when we see her Monday. We are having a lot of new people moving in, and Anna, Nancy, and I were asked (knowing that all three of us wanted to move from our previous tables) to move to a different table with some of the new residents! We were there for less than three weeks when Nancy passed away suddenly! I knew her from our Trivia group, and all three of us are liberals. She had just gotten through her cancer treatment and was doing well. Due to other health issues, she was in the process of moving from the cottages into the building. Only a few days before, she was saying she hoped to be able to attend the Trivia competition in Columbia next year, and she seemed to feel better than she had in a while. The suddenness of it stunned everyone! I guess, at our age and in a community like this, it is to be expected, but that doesn't lessen the blow.

One of our recent outings was to Musgrove Mill State Park. It was a lovely day, and we took a picnic lunch, which gave us plenty of time to attend a lecture and explore the grounds. A Revolutionary War battle was fought here, described as a turning point in the war. The park isn't that far away, and I had driven there, but didn't really check it out, thinking it might be nice to do with visitors. This was certainly an easy way to see it.

On the 10th of September, I gave a presentation on our African safari to Kenya and Tanzania. Tippy and I had presented it as an OLLI class, so the only thing I had to do was shorten it a bit. Even so, it was longer than most presentations of this type I had attended. It was just difficult to cut out a lot of it. Anyway, the attendance was great, and everyone seemed to really like it. I received questions afterwards and lots of positive comments. One resident even gave me these lovely roses the following day! I had two people say they were sorry to have missed it because they heard such good things about it. One resident who had been on safari said they didn't see nearly as much as we did. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have Tippy here to swap stories! Needless to say, I was very pleased that it went well.....and that it was over! I haven't told them that we went on a second safari!

I truly am not ready for the holidays and am in denial! Being a retired teacher, I could go the rest of my life without Halloween! It's a big thing here, and it kicks off months of holiday events. Even so, I do get a kick out of the Halloween pumpkin decoration competition by our staff. I'm amazed at the detail and the cleverness of the entrants. They really are cute, and I have no idea how they come up with such great ideas. We get to vote on the funniest, the most creative, and the best overall. It really is difficult to narrow them down and vote. In addition to this, we will have schoolchildren come through for treats, as well as children of staff members in their Halloween costumes. It'll be fun to see them.

On September 25, we participated in the annual Presbyterian Communities Trivia Competition in Columbia. For a brief time, we came in second out of five communities competing. There was a tie for first place, and after a tie-breaker round, we slid into third place. Even so, we missed only two questions and felt we did well, especially since we are one of the smaller communities (Florence, SC is the smallest).

Along that same line, we had a luncheon this week for a trophy exchange with the Columbia community. Back in April, we tied in the Olympic events. They got to keep the trophy first, and now we have it for the rest of the year.

David's been at it again! This popped up on my FB timeline, and I spent two minutes looking at it and thinking, "That looks just like Rosie, but it's not my door!" Finally, I looked up to see who had posted it! They really are cute, and Rosie's fans get a kick out of seeing them, too.

Not a lot else happening, except early voting starts Monday. Last time they took us to vote, but with Jennifer being absent this week, it will probably be a few days before that happens. So, I'm planning to be there on Day 1 and am hoping for a big (huge!) Blue Wave!!

I hope this finds you doing well and enjoying the seasonal change.🍂

Fall Is In The Air!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 13:34:51 -0400

Yes, we woke up this morning to 64 degrees and took our morning walk in longer sleeves! As I look at the forecast for the coming week, all temperatures begin with an 8 rather than a 9! All good news!

I've been trying to get to this for a week, but it wasn't meant to be. It's been a busy month of scheduled activities, further complicated by my volunteering to give a presentation on our African safari! I knew better than to volunteer, but I did it anyway, and now I'm getting anxious about it. I've spent time paring down the information that Tippy and I put together when we offered it as an OLLI class, in hopes of making it shorter and more concise. I'm doing it on Thursday and will be glad when it's over. Most of all, I hope folks enjoy it as much as we enjoyed the trip.

One of the high points since last writing was visiting friends in Bluffton. Maria (Felix and Hanry), my former neighbor across the street, was kind enough to invite us for a visit. Needless to say, Rosie was happy to visit with her friends, too. The first day there, we were fortunate to have an early dinner with Chris and Lynn before Lynn took off the next morning at 4:30 AM to pay a surprise visit to her granddaughter in Portland, OR, who was a brand-new mom! She was traveling with her son and DIL, whose visit was planned, but Sage didn't expect Lynn. I felt very excited for Lynn and knew it would be a good trip. The second morning, Maria had Ann, another neighbor, over for brunch, and we had a good natter. You can see from the photos that Rosie was happy to see her people, too! Tuesday evening, I went to Drinking Liberally and connected with David, Chris, Rhonda, Carmen and Dominick, and several new members since my move. As always, there was lots of good conversation and laughs. David followed that up with a visit to Maria's the next day to see Rosie! Katie also stopped by (and I neglected to get a photo - too much to talk about!) since she was unable to come for brunch. It was great to catch up with everyone! Wednesday lunch was our favorite standby, Olive and Fig for the F-word - Falafel! It was as good as ever, and I've really missed it! Chris, Rhonda, Maria, and I reserved a booth and put the world to rights! There's nothing better than great conversations with good friends! Due to the usual busyness of summer (travel, company, etc.) I was not able to connect with everyone, but I knew they were enjoying themselves. Maybe next time! It was a lovely visit, and I thank Maria for her hospitality. It was perfect!

We returned, and the following day, the Clinton Presbyterian Community Facebook page featured a little piece about Rosie!! I hope the link HERE will open to the correct article. If not, you may have to scroll a bit. Anyway, that was very sweet! Before we left, many of Rosie's regulars were wondering what they were going to do without her......little mention of me, mind you! I know my place in the overall scheme of things!

I've been on three outings organized by our Life Enrichment Coordinator. The first was to the newly renovated Laurens County Courthouse. We were provided a guided tour, and it really is beautifully done with top-of-the-line AV features, etc. There are photos of the earlier versions as well as a small museum. The main meeting room is beautiful, with several smaller meeting rooms also available. I'm sure it cost a pretty penny, and when asked about its usage, it seems that the county council meetings are about it! From there, we walked across the street for lunch at Roma, an Italian restaurant I'd been wanting to try. The food was very good, and I've added it to my list of places to take guests.

We also visited the Greenville County Museum of Art, which is noted for its collection of Andrew Wyeth watercolors. We were given a guided tour, which was very informative. There were several sketches from which he worked, and I was especially taken by the partial paintings that showed how we painted from his sketches. Needless to say, his watercolors are impressive. I really loved the "Birding" section by Grainger McKoy from Sumter, SC. The detail of the work was magnificent, with the rooster being one of my favorites. I was also taken by the large, decorative floral pieces they had in various locations. When I asked about them, our guide said they were for the well-known international floral distributor, Temu! Even so, they were very pretty. I think another visit will be in order, as we did not have time to see all of The Southern Collection or Notable American Masters series. It was very enjoyable and followed by a nice lunch. I also enjoyed seeing parts of Greenville other than the motorways. It was in a lovely area with some interesting buildings. All in all, a very nice outing.

In addition to these outings, I've gone on two shopping trips to various shops or malls, one in Greenville and the other in Greenwood. While it probably would have been quicker to go on my own, it is an easy way to learn my way around better. There were definitely a few places I would revisit, now that I know where they are and what they offer.

I'll end with a glimmer, and Rosie updates. The little tree is from my front door, and at a certain time in the afternoon it looks like a spotlight is on it. It just glows a brilliant yellow-gold! The photo doesn't do it justice.

Rosie is sniffing cars, as she likes to do. With some of the wheels, she can get her whole head in one section of the hubcap! And she obviously smelled something enticing in the hedges!

The last two are of her being fully alert in anticipation of a squeaky toy being thrown! I'm so thankful she is doing well and enjoying her people!

I hope this finds YOU doing well also! Let me hear from you when you have a minute. xoxo

Another Month Has Flown by in Record Speed!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 13:29:19 -0400

Yes, if I don't start each post with that statement, I'm certainly thinking it! How does the time pass so quickly? I don't know if it's a byproduct of getting older or just a sign of the times, with things seeming to whirl out of control on so many levels! If you figure it out, please let me know!

While many activities are planned for residents here, my routine usually leaves Mondays and Tuesdays relatively free. I try to get exercise five days a week, alternating among the treadmill (2 days), the NuStep machine (2 days), and one day of Strength and Balance. I usually do that right after lunch before leaving the main building and having an opportunity to talk myself out of it! Thursdays, I participate in the Trivia Club, and on Fridays I play cornhole before happy hour. That doesn't sound like much, but there are always other things happening in between - concerts, monthly birthday celebrations, etc. It's certainly enough to keep me busy, and Rosie and I have to have our "at home" time!

One of the offerings this month was to City Scape Winery near Pelzer. You know I was there! It was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but when we were there after lunch, they had a nice clientele. We tasted 8 wines and enjoyed the scenery. It was a very nice change of pace, and I think all attending enjoyed it. Pelzer also has the Mill Town Players and other things I've heard about, so it may be well worth another visit to check it out.

One Saturday morning, I also joined the Laurens County Dem Women's Coffee & Chat. This is something I'd been meaning to do for months and finally got around to it. They had just changed meeting locations, and it was a small group, but (as Dems tend to be) it was a welcoming group. I had met or seen all of them either at the first Laurens County No Kings protest or at the monthly meeting. I like making connections outside of the Presbyterian community, and this is a good way to start.

It's difficult to believe it's time for school to start, but it is. Our Life Enrichment team put together a back-to-school event for children of our staff members. Everyone was eager to help. There was food and games in the parlor, then the kids picked up a lunch bag and filled it with goodies. I worked the table of goodies, and it was wonderful to see the kids with their parents and chat with them a bit. I hope the kids (and their parents) enjoyed it as much as we did. We have such a wonderful, caring staff, and it was great to be able to do something to show our appreciation.

I have to share these photos of Rosie! My friend David sent the regal one on a Sunday morning. I had only one cup of coffee at that time, and I emailed him back saying it was so cute and looked just like Rosie! Then, after walking Rosie and having a second cup of coffee, I looked at it again and said, "That IS Rosie!" So I emailed him back to confirm that it was her and marvel at how he had done it. All of her fans here have gotten a real charge out of it, and I've shared the second one (when she had a run-in with the law!) with a select group! The kitty belongs to our local cat lady, who lives 2 doors down. Sally follows Erna like a doggie. One day Erna came over for a visit, and as we were chatting, I heard something at the door. It was Sally! She sat there patiently as we visited. Luckily, Rosie was on the sofa with Erna and didn't know of Sally's visit until Erna was ready to leave.

Once a month, we have the Chef's Table, usually mid-afternoon. It's kinda described as a cooking class, but Chef Mark usually just feeds us something decadent! This time it was truffles. I got a kick out of this story, and I hope you can read it. Anyway, he did chocolate, coconut, and pistachio truffles. They were delicious! I had one pistachio on the spot and brought a coconut and pistachio home for later! He also does a Fine Dining night about once every month or so, which is as good as anything you would find in a nice restaurant.

I'm also happy to report that the dining room is now offering vegetarian options on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday consistently. It's taken a while, but it is moving forward, and I've been encouraged by the number of people who try various dishes. The interesting thing is that the vegetarian dishes look so much more appetizing that the meat and 2 veggies plates! The chef and dining room staff have been very supportive, sometimes even notifying that meat may be in something I don't expect. One of the servers and I have a running joke. On Sundays, lunch is a buffet. So, I have my meal, then I go back for meat for Rosie. He accuses me of being a fake vegetarian, using Rosie as an excuse!!

On that note, I'll close. As summer winds down, I hope everyone is in good health and spirits to enjoy it to the fullest. Love to all!💖

Summer Is Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 16:22:26 -0400

Yes, summer is almost upon us, but I have to say we've had a wonderful June. Here, we are at the end of it, and I don't think we've been in the 90s yet (though 97 is projected for later in the week! That's how fast it arrives!)! We've had some warm days in the high 80s, but frequently with a breeze and a slightly overcast sky. Not heavy enough to be dark and depressing, just enough to deflect the harsh rays of the sun. Overall, for June, it has been very mild and balmy. We've appreciated every day of it!

The month began with a visit from Rhonda. She had planned to come on one of the weekends that turned out to be either snowy or icy, so we had to postpone. It then hit me that a good time to come would be for one of our monthly "Fine Dining" events. So, she came for a few days the first week of the month. This was the first time it was held outside on the patio, and it was a bit warm, but we didn't let that stop us. This time, the Chef had an outstanding charcuterie table. I could have made a whole meal off of it! He always does a vegetarian dish for me, and I think Rhonda had bass (and I forgot what the other meat option was since I don't eat it and never even look). Everything was farm-to-table and locally sourced, including the wine. It's always a nice treat, and everything is so nicely prepared and presented. I hope Rhonda enjoyed it.

We had a very nice catch-up, and Rhonda is always ready to talk politics. She let me vent as much as I wanted.....and we covered a lot!!

The next day, we were off to Newberry, which is a lovely little town. They've done a wonderful job of maintaining the buildings and making the Opera House a major attraction. It's also more of an artsy, hippie-ish town than I realized. We started at the Opera House and took a few photos outside, never even thinking it would be open. It was only after strolling the main street that we were told it was open and contained works by local artists. Before we left town, we circled back and went inside. They've done a great job of restoring it and offering entertainment to the wider community.

Somehow, I learned of a Japanese Garden in Newberry, so we looked for it. The Wells Japanese Garden is a small delight in an ordinary neighborhood. It's lush and shaded, with the sound of a pond/stream. I really enjoyed it and would visit again. While we were there, we were told of the Newberry Arts Center, which we didn't have time to see. Since getting back, I've also learned of an orchid farm. So there's more to Newberry than originally meets the eye, and it definitely warrants more investigation.

After we returned from Newberry, we were visited by the CPC chaplain, Pastor Debby. In our conversation, she happened to mention that Greenwood was having its Festival of Flowers. I had heard about it, but had no idea when it happened. Rhonda has a green thumb and loves plants, and she would have loved it. Anyway, the following weekend Rosie and I rode over to see what we could see. They have large topiaries, which are beautifully done. I saw only a few of them in one particular area, and there were many more. I asked Rhonda to put it on her calendar for next year, and we can check it out.

Life moves quickly! Since my last post, I'm sad to report the passing of our friend, Tom. Lynn and Tom, along with Chris and me, made up the Pandemic Pals. All through COVID and after, we dined every Friday at one house or the other. It was practically the only socializing we did through the pandemic, and we continued it long after. Tom was brave and patient to put up with three opinionated women, but he always had a wry, witty response! He will be missed, and I send my love and condolences to Lynn.

Then, just like that, about a month ago, Tippy and Kieran announced they are moving from HHI to Alpharetta, Ga......and the move will take place on July 7! No messing around for them! I was hoping Alpharetta was closer, but it's still about a three-hour drive, so no luck there. Even though I'm still adjusting to the news, I wish them all the best. I think the move will give them a new lease on life.

This week has been difficult for Rosie. She seemed to be almost herself again after 3 visits to the vet and multiple medications. Then, this past week, she had low energy, wasn't eating much (only when coaxed), would wake me early to go out, and then only wanted to eat grass! So, it was back to the vet and more meds. I haven't seen much improvement yet, but she is eating (after an appetite stimulant), which means I can get her meds into her! I'm hoping to see improvement soon. Thanks to Mary and Jim for the thoughtful messages this week. You didn't know I needed them, which makes them even more appreciated.

I will leave you with a sweet Rosie story. One day last week, we were on our morning walk, and Rosie was sniffing cars as she likes to do in the parking lot. A young lady drove up and parked, got out of the car, and was walking to another car when she stopped and said, "That wouldn't be Rosie, would it?" You can imagine my shock at hearing that from someone I'd never seen before! She turned out to be the wife of one of our maintenance men! He has a dog and told his family about Rosie, who often visits them if they're still in their office when we take out our morning walk. She has been known to stand outside their door and whine until invited in, and they all pet her when passing anywhere in the building. She really is a lucky little doggie, and that encounter made my day!💖

Sending love to all.