Good times in Advent

We ate lunch on Sullivan's Island at Poe's Tavern on Saturday. It was cool and breezy, but the sun was shining and I went back to the car to get my W&L cap in order to counteract the Damn Wahoo sitting at the table at the entrance. It seemed everywhere I went that day there was another damn Wahoo or someone wearing a Sewanee sweatshirt. Heavy is the head.

This morning we awoke fairly early and packed the car with more stuff than we took down to Charleston. After saying our goodbyes, Cindy and Kate and I drove up to US 17 and drove down toward Savannah. The traffic on I-95 was packed and we decided to vacate the interstate for the old Savannah highway.

After travelling several hours down the old road, we got to a stretch of road which surrounded marshes and strip clubs in the boonies, then saw the new Talmadge bridge and the sunlight glinting off the dome of the customs house in downtown Savannah.

After crossing over the Savannah River, we drove around trying to find one of the more famous restaurants for lunch, but failed, so we finally made our way down into the area of the City Market, where I finally found a parking place and then walked past a monument to Hatian afro-americans who fought to keep Savannah free of the British during the revolution, then found a place to sit at an outdoor cafe, where we could sip champagne, eat lunch and watch the people go by and listen to a band playing down the walk from the restaurant.

It was a delightful time in the shadow of the old wholesale grocery. The bones of the building were magnificent. As I sat and ate my fish sandwich and red rice and drink my sweet tea, it occurred to me that I realize appreciate Savannah as much as I enjoy Charleston. They are two sister cities and share many things, but Charleston is usually appreciated more than Savannah for its vibrant historic preservation and its class. But Savannah is more egalitarian, democratic and is beautiful in its own right.

The ride back home was delightful and the traffic wasn't too bad and we got to drive cross country to avoid more traffic jams and pick up Tex at the farm out in the country where he was kept all week. Tonight, Kate and I drove around Griffin and saw the Christmas decorations and the big wreath on the Railroad Bridge. Now I am home and feel a whole lot better.

Christmas is here. I have shopping to do, but the season has arrived.

Folly pier in fog

The first few days of Thanksgiving were spent in a fog, with trips to seafood restaurants and drizzle and wondering if the sun would ever come back again, until Thursday came and we could be truly thankful for the blue skies and sea and mild temperatures and amid the bustle of preparing the Thanksgiving meal, I could sit in the sun and feel the ocean breeze against my face and feel thankful for what I have left, for what God has given me, because so often I sit in my drowse and worry about the next day or the next week or the next month and forget the sun and the beach and eating seafood on the shore at Thanksgiving, but in the past decade and the present week. Even in my losses, there is much to be thankful about despite the evil of the day, there are still many gifts to consider. That is what these days are about, despite the worries of the next day, keeping me up and worrying the lines in my face, like the waves channeling the lines into the sand which only show when the tide is out. Still, there is beauty in the times of fog as well and a mournful sadness which offers us a quiet beauty that we don't get when the sun is high and the skies are blue. There is depth in the fog which doesn't appear on the sunny days.

Avoiding mirrors

I must append my visage,
Less of me would be
An improvement
Less jowl, less tummy
What must I do
To carve the turkey
And leave the sweetmeat
There are days
But most mirrors
And cameras give me
No comfort
For I am older than I wish
And the days have added
Their layers to my profile
Leaving me to wish
For earlier years
When my look was chiseled
Well defined
Ah, the glory days
Are in my past,
Leaving memories
My normal comfort.

Friday in downtown Charleston.

We finally moved out of the house and headed into Charleston and found our way to Hominy Grill, north of Broad. It was a long wait to get a table, but they had an amazing menu and everything was super. I had red rice, field peas with snaps and duck sausage, green beans, tomato and okra and cornbread. I wanted the shrimp bog, because it looked really good, but the desire to take advantage of their long list of vegetables compelled me to order a vegetable plate. I tasted Cindy's shrimp and grits and they were good also. I also tasted Kate's liver pudding, which was amazing.

Afterward, we drove into the market area downtown and did some shopping and I didn't find a watch band for my watch, but did find a hat which Cindy was kind enough to buy me for Christmas. When it got dark, we headed on a tour of downtown Charleston and saw the sunset over Charleston Bay, looking over across the Ashley River to the areas south of Charleston. It was orange and pink and beautiful for the end of the day. After driving around the neighborhoods south of Broad Street, we headed back to Folly and I made shrimp and grits on Paula Dean's recipe and Kate made really excellent pralines. We had a nice meal and now I am thinking about the day and trying to figure out how I will end it without doing any more damage to my waistline.

Tomorrow is another day on the coast of South Carolina. Then home on Sunday. It has been fun.

Oysters, a bottle of wine and Thanksgiving

Yesterday, we drove into town and found a parking space near the city market. After walking through the market for awhile, Kate, Dad and I walked down to Mistral, a French restaurant which is one of our favorite places in Charleston, and Kate called her momma and they met us in the restaurant. There was no one in the restaurant at the time, but by the time we had enjoyed our leisurely lunch, with a bottle of wine, the restaurant had filled up with customers.

Interestingly, the manager had graduated from W&L about seven years after I had. It was fun. Afterward, we drove around town, looking at the sights and headed back to Folly Beach. Missy and Megan got there around four thirty and we socialized until it was time to drive up to the road off Folly Road and we headed down the sandy road to Bowen Island Seafood.

We found cars parked near the collection of what looked like abandoned buildings. Exiting the car, we walked through the water collected on the sand parking lot to the walkway between the buildings. As we walked down toward a lighted plywood building, I looked through the translucent glass of a side building and saw the shadow of a man walking around. We passed him in the building and he called out to us, "Do you folks want to eat tonight?"

We answered that we did, and he suggested that we come back to him so we could place our orders. We walked into the little building and found a man in rough, casual dress who offered us self-prepared paper menus. We looked it over and I ordered the endless steamed oysters, but was told that the oysterman had not come by and we were limited to a tray at a time.

Afterward, we walked down to the lighted building and found a table which would accomodate us. We sat down at the rough table and considered the casualness of our surroundings for the evening. Later, they brought food and a tray of steamed oysters for me and we enjoyed our Thankgiving Eve repast. What a tradition.

Today, we were working on getting the different elements of our Thanksgiving supper prepared and I took a break and sat in front of the Packers and the Lions with a Mexican beer in my hand and looked out at the blue sky and water rushing to shore and felt the strong November breeze hitting me in the face from the balcony outside and realized how wonderful it was to celebrate Thanksgiving at the beach.

There are other wonderful places to celebrate Thanksgiving, but this was one of my favorites. Tomorrow we go back into Charleston and share this amazing, historical city with Missy and Megan. More tomorrow.

Tuesday before Thanksgiving, more seafood and beer

Well, today we spent the day on Folly Beach, where we drove up and around to get the lay of the land, then drove up to the road off Folly Beach Road, headed south toward Bowen Island Restaurant, and laughed together at how casual it looked. Picture this: a large collection of oddly mismatched buildings, with nothing to show that there was a restaurant in the mix, but with a large pile of oyster shells out front. Kate spotted an unlit sign which read: Sophisticate. It was beyond surreal. It was very funny though.

Later, we drove up to Piggly Wiggly and got gas, then we drove back into the village of Folly Beach and I dropped the ladies off and Papa Jack and I drove back to the condo to drop off the ten pounds of shrimp we had purchased at a seafood store at which we are planning to eat on Friday when they are planning a beer and seafood party on the dock. Should be fun.

After we deposited the shrimp in the condo, we headed back to the restaurant and sat down to eat a huge bowl of fish chowder with a nice amber beer. Then everyone went off to explore downtown, with the exception of Cindy and me, who headed back to the condo. I then picked up the rest of the party and we returned to condo unit for naps and Cindy, Kate and I went back to the Pig for groceries and provisions.

Tonight, we shared a meal of boiled shrimp, salad and macaroni and cheese. I have to make the biscuits and cornbread for the dressing tonight. I am not into it, but Cindy says Thanksgiving is on Thursday, so I must comply.

Must comply.

Went downtown, fooling around.

The morning arose and the rain was gone but a heavy fog and cloud cover was still present over the water and between us and the firmament. Soon after breakfast, we found ourselves on the beach, looking for perfect housing from the local crustaceans and the opportunity to watch some of the locals trying their hands at surfing in the rough surf. After walking up and back down the beach, we headed back up to the condo and got dressed for a day in Charleston.

After getting ourselves dressed for our travels, we headed on the road to Charleston. The first task was to find a Popeye's to buy a Cajun fried turkey for Thanksgiving. That turned out to be a herculean task as there just wasn't a Popeye's on every corner, and then when you were fortunate enough to find one, they didn't necessarily have any more Cajun fried turkeys. Fortunately, we were able find one at our second stop, a large bucket of red beans and rice, and got back on the road to lunch.

We decided to head back out toward the Atlantic coast and Sullivan's Island and Poe's Tavern. Kate drove us down to the coast and we soon found ourselves sitting at a table, drinking a beer, and enjoying the environs and hospitality of the tavern. After burgers and slaw and shrimp salad, we drove down to Fort Moultrie, for a look, then back across that big old bridge to downtown Charleston.

We got to drive around the historical residences of South of Broad, take a walk along the battery, then head around the old neighborhoods of Charleston. After driving around town for awhile, we headed back to Folly Island, got caught up in some heavy afternoon traffic, bought some liquor for later, then went back to the condo.

After some pimento cheese and other comestibles, we have settled down to some wholesome entertainments and quiet in the dark evening of our temporary digs, watching "Oh brother, where are thou?"

It is quiet now and Kate is off with friends, eating and drinking and enjoying the fun of Charleston and its suburbs. Soon, we will be slumbering to the sound of the surf beating against the shore again. Easy to sleep soundly to that nature sound.

Ah, vacation.