Thursday, October 29, 2015

Atlanta Trip 2015: The Overview


WE'RE BACK!

And for the record...and for you who might have missed it on Facebook...here is a quick synopsis of our just-finished two weeks in the Atlanta area for our annual trip to America.  In the coming days and weeks, I'll fill in the blanks with individual posts, of course.

We arrived on a Wednesday evening and the next day ate supper at son Mark's new apartment.
It's the second year in a row that he made our old-timey favorite potato-sausage soup,
so we're calling it a tradition, including the amazing coconut pie I used to make.

 The next day, Friday, we went to the Cumming Country Fair with g'son Nicholas,
but this time with his dad, Nick...the first time.
It was wonderful to watch them having so much fun together!
This was Nicholas' 13th time at this fair in his 15 years...and the last with us, we decided.
He can always go again but maybe on his own or with someone else.
We've had our memories and can now move on to more flexible times for visiting.
And he agrees.  What a great finale to that tradition.

The next day, Saturday, we went as a family (minus Mark) to the Historic Oakland Cemetery
near downtown Atlanta, founded in 1850.
Where have I been all my life!  I lived in Atlanta 25 years and never knew it existed.
I'd go back again because there was so much to see.

Then we had our annual Sunday-Thursday visit with Bob and Peggy in Jackson, GA.
They always find fun day trips for us, like this Skyview Ferris wheel next to Centennial Park,
where the 1996 Olympics were held.  What a great way to see the city of Atlanta.
We bought discounted Groupon tickets and rode it twice, once in daylight and then at night,
with a delightful restaurant supper in between.

Last year was when we first saw this 1951 MG that Bob had just bought.
This year, after restoring it bit by bit, he took us for a ride in it.
Talk about feeling like the Queen of England!

We took another day trip to the Candler Field and Museum in Williamson, GA.
It's always fun to see the small aircraft that people still fly.
And if the for-hire biplane had been there, Astrid and I would have taken a ride!

Once back to Amy's on Thursday, we drove up to the cabin in two cars.
THIS is THE tradition every year now for 6 years in Georgia's Blue Ridge mountains.
Within the first 15 minutes of arriving I had taken the above pics.

The leaves changed every day before our very eyes.
How can you resist that!

We weren't there for the full moon but almost.
Mark and I both took astronomy in college but he was the one who remembered the "terminus:"
the line dividing the bright and dark side of the moon.

Look at these two images Astrid took below, standing on the cabin deck!
We were the only ones up each morning to see the sunrise around 7:30 a.m.
 

 You remember, of course, that Astrid and I fell in love because of our photography blog!
Needless to say, I keep falling in love.

So many memories from the cabin still light up the corners of my mind:
pool, ping-pong, fabulous meals, s' mores, Spades, jigsaw puzzle, etc.
What a great way to spend quality time with the family we love.

In between everything, I took care of 2 doctor's appointments and my eye exam,
plus getting new (but basically the same) frames for my glasses, which broke after 11 years.
Now I feel all set to go for another year or two before I get checked up again.  HA!

As we like to say, LIFE IS GOOD!

19 comments:

  1. It all looks so wonderful...but it's that quality time at the cabin that I'm always excited about! So happy for you both!

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    1. Quality time, indeed, Robin. We wouldn't miss it for anything!

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  2. Life is SO GOOD. I loved seeing all this again after FB. The photos tell it all ... well summarize all! :) By the way, that photo of the moon is one of my favorites, ever.

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    1. Sometimes we just need to see it and say it, Ruth...that Life is good! We are so incredibly blessed compared to so many others in today's world. It's hard to accept the "difference" sometimes! (sigh) Thank you for the generous compliment about "my" moon. That means a lot.

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  3. Great post, Mom. As always, you've done a great job capturing the weekend in photos. There's a little snippet of everything here. We're already looking forward to next year's trip. It's less than a year away! :-))

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    1. HA! Less than a year away, indeed. How is that possible. :) Thank you for YOUR part in making this all work out. THANK YOU.

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  4. It was a fun two weeks, and lots of new traditions I look forward to every year. You and Astrid both shot some spectacular photos (as usual), I agree with Aunt Ruth, the one of the moon was awesome. I think the moon was full by the time we left, but of course it was cloudy by then so it didn't matter. I'm glad you're back safe and I look forward to next year already!

    Mark

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    1. You weren't with us last year but this year you were, like old times. THANK YOU for coming and helping to make the memory we want and cherish. And thank you always for your generous comments about our images. As you know, I'd love to see YOU taking more pictures, doing what you used to love so much. Here's to next year!

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  5. We are so lucky and very fortunate to have a place like this for a vacation, catching up with family and friends. Every day we are thankful with what we do. The pictures show what a wonderful time we had with the family. Next year same place again.... That sounds a great idea and a wonderful thing to look forward to. Thank you for all these pictures to add up to wonderful memory to keep. IHVJ.

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    1. You're more than welcome, of course. Each year it is the same and different, both...something to really enjoy and look forward to. Maybe next year we'll be able to discover some of the attractions in the area!

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  6. Looks like you had a great trip! The soup in the first collection of photos looked very delicious!

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  7. I'd like to try a bowl of that potato sausage soup! Looks like it's the sort of stuff that grows hair on your chest. (Not that I need that of course)

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    1. Oh, yes. It's been a long-time favorite for all of us...from the old country! You'd love it, hair on your chest or not. :)

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  8. I’m clearly delinquent in reading and responding to your blog, but Jane and I are being pulled in all directions by book talks. Your visit to Atlanta seems action packed and full of fun. That MG looks just like the one my father-in-law owned in 1963 when my wife was learning to drive. Alas, it never ran, and while in the garage, local kids broke in and painted it with gallons of liquid plastic that was being stored in gallon cans beside it. If you see unusual shiny spots, that’s the car.

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    1. The thing is, Ted, you have a life and I know it. Your book is "all important" right now and I am thrilled for you. That you stop by at all amazes me.

      1963 was the year I graduated from high school, which I remember well. But why in the world do kids have to be so destructive????? I bet you were never like that! Neither was I. (sigh)

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    2. I can’t say why the kids, there were two of them, brothers, did it. I think they were just young and stupid with little direction in life. They looked like kids out of Our Gang comedies. I have an idea why many kids today grow up feeling disconnected and shut out and become hostile. The world is sick, I fear, and getting worse. Sorry to answer in this way.

      I wouldn't miss your on-going blog posts for mere book talks.I just may put them on hold sometimes for a few days.

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  9. Visiting family, sight seeing with them and making memories as well as sharing favorite foods is bliss! Not to mention that foliage....oh my that was breath taking.

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    1. Yes Yes and Yes, Donna. These are such great memories for us each year. You'd think there wouldn't be anything new left to discover!

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