See America last. Mr. Bassett is off in Tennessee at an Episcopal gathering in Sewanee, Tennessee. Yes, like the river, but not spelled the same way I am told. I don’t get spelling. I’m going to join him for his last few days, but even though he loves the place he thinks I’d get stir-crazy spending more than a few days while he is off in workshops. Not being an old folk who likes to stay home, I’m off to San Francisco for Naida and Raul’s annual Summer Solstice garden party. Yes, the party is a little early this year.
Naida’s cat population is down. She now only has four living in the house. One is a new rescue which had a crushed leg that had to be amputated. He now covers his very real leavings in the cat box with a phantom limb. Some how he gets the job done.
Another one had an injury that left his head cocked at an angle that makes him look perpetually curious, which he is. Any door left open he immediately investigates. I went to unload the drier and left the door open for only a minute.
I’m sure all the cats have names and I’m sure I was told what they were several times.
Saturday I went off to the new and improved SFMOMA (modern art museum) solo. Hence the “selfie”. Same old art, greatly expanded and improved building!
I found a friend and we passed judgment on all offerings. Actually, I really enjoyed a video installation by Shirin Nshat with Philip Glass music. It’s only 11 minutes long so, if you’re there check it out. I enjoyed the outdoor space too.
Sunday, I want off to the garden party. The garden, which Raul and Bob put in many years ago, and is always listed as one of Northern California best, is looking as beautiful and quirky as ever. I was frustrated by my inability to capture the garden’s intimacy or mass with a camera, and I forgot to take pictures of the guests, much to their relief.
Monday I was off for Tennessee, but my flight was not until late in the evening. I had an urge to go up to Coit Tower to check out the WPA murals which I had not seen for a long time. The longer I examined the frescoes the more details became apparent. Note to newspaper headline. Is that man holding a gun?
After one more stop in the old neighborhood I would be off. There had been an unpleasant incident that weekend in Orlando and the old neighborhood had shown its sympathy.
After a long and arduous flight with a layover in Charlotte (I should’ve gone to see my friend Myra) I made it to Sewanee. The retreat center was as John describes it, “high on a mountaintop in Tennessee.” By California standards it is a mere hilltop. But by California standards it is also almost frighteningly green.
The campus of University of the South looks like a little bit of Cambridge or Oxford though its smaller and warmer. The student population during the year maxes out at about 2000 students, making it about the size of a smaller LA high school.
The church looks totally like a UK church only cleaner, but upon examining the stain glass windows you realize you are in the Southern US. I think Coit Tower put me in a frame of mind for looking at small details.
Speaking of Coit Tower, which looks like a giant . . . fire hose nozzle? Sewanee has its own erection over looking a vista.
On the last evening John’s group, which has accepted me with open arms, when into town for dinner. I became the designated driver and everyone had a drink or two.
The next morning they did not look too hung over at breakfast.
After John was finished with his group, we took off for Chattanooga to visit with Cary’s mom and her boyfriend. Sandy and Gary live in a gated community near downtown Chattanooga. In other periods of my life I might have made fun of places like this, but not living in a community on the waterfront with swimming pools, tennis courts, no traffic, and no crime does not sound bad at all.
Gary’s bookshelves are filled with Civil War history books. So after taking us to a late lunch, we did a quick tour of important sites in the Battle of Chattanooga. We wound up on the top of Lookout Mountain where we examined cannons and ate ice cream.
All too soon it was time to say goodbye to our hosts and pushed on to Nashville.
