10 things I love about Atlanta

Ted. While taking a morning walk around the neighborhood in Atlanta where we are currently living, I was reminded that it is really  different from many of the cities we have visited this year, but I like it.

The City Built in a Forest

This well-earned nickname says it all. And the trees are most appreciated for the shade they cast during the dog days of summer.

“Hey”

Everyone I meet on the sidewalk has a smile and a greeting. There are nearly 7 million people in metro Atlanta but it’s really just a collection of small neighborhoods.

“Hey, y’all”

Southernisms sound gentle to my ear now that I have lived in Georgia more than half of my life. To hear other expressions, check out “Sh%t Southern Women Say” on YouTube.

Diversity

Every morning I pass whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians on the sidewalk. They live side by side in most neighborhoods.

International

This is one of the fastest growing international communities in the world. The children playing together in the parks speak many different languages to their parents but English to each other. The variety of ethnic restaurants is incredible.

Dekalb Farmers Market

Strolling the aisles, one can hear ten languages in 20 minutes.  I counted 15 different types of hot peppers. And the varieties of fish they sell…my, oh my!

Uber

Many of the places we visited in Europe have banned Uber. I realize they have their reasons but it is nice to be back in a place that has embraced ride sharing.

Active communities of faith

Churches, synagogues, mosques and temples seem to be on every street corner. Furthermore, they are well attended by young and old alike.

Ponce City Market

Atlanta is finally embracing a concept we have seen elsewhere around the world. The city is learning to repurpose older buildings rather than tear them down. 

Baseball

Whether they win or lose, the Atlanta Braves still have a ton of fans and one sees the ball caps everywhere. Yeah, it's a quaint, old-fashioned game but it’s still alive here and I love it! 

The Camino provides

Ted. In 2015 Judy and I walked a portion of the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrim trail to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

On our walk, we met several folks who told us of times when problems arose along their journey, only to disappear through the kindness of strangers. They used an expression that we were to hear a lot; "The Camino provides."

I consider our new journey to be a pilgrim’s walk and we use this expression whenever a problem evaporates due to a fortunate coincidence or a random act of kindness. On one occasion, our flight into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia landed late, virtually insuring that we would miss our connecting flight to Indonesia. Fortunately, the second flight was late as well, so we made the connection with time to spare. When we arrived in Sydney, Australia, and later in Kasane, Botswana, friends of friends magically appeared to guide us along our way. The list of examples is long.  

The Camino has really been providing now that we are back in Georgia with no home and no car. Friends and family have showered us with offers of assistance. At the moment, we are living in the guest room of our friend, Ritchie while a car, loaned to us by another friend sits parked in his driveway. A lesson for us can be found in the advice of St Francis De Sales; “Be at peace, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imagination.“

Insanity and R & R

Judy. One month in Georgia, and we are finally slowing down. We’ve been embraced by friends and family, and are reveling in being among folks we love. We’ve delighted in our kids and grandsons, exploring Cade’s cardboard “fort”, watching Ollie try to crawl, and beaming at Parker’s mad bass skills as he played at Athfest with one of his bands. Friends have opened their homes and guest rooms and celebrated our temporary return. I’m reminded of the old Girl Scout song I loved:

         Make new friends, but keep the old.

         One is silver, and the other gold.

A couple of weeks after our return, Ted, grandson Parker, and I volunteered at Reading Camp through our church. Children, grades 3 – 5 who have difficulty reading came to “camp”, where we read books and played games to help boost skills and encourage their love of reading. It’s been awhile since I taught and I was delighted with how much I enjoyed the kids, their curiosity, and their love of books. Kudos to the folks who started this five years ago.  

Two days after our return, I received an email from my agent with an audition for an industrial for an assisted living facility. To my delight, I got the job, and spent a week in Chattanooga, TN, taping with a wonderful woman and little girl; and a producer, director, and crew to die for, not to mention an outstanding makeup artist who sent me from age 50 to 80. Each day was a joy, and I even had time to do a nature walk at a

nearby state park one afternoon, and to have dinner with an old friend. The end result looks to be a work I am quite proud of. AND I was away shooting while Ted was in Denver visiting his dad and sisters. Couldn’t have worked out better

BUT we were ready to crash alone for a bit, so we have settled for a couple of days in the North Georgia mountains to do some hiking and figure out some plans for 2018.

We checked into a hotel and managed a couple of hikes on favorite trails.  There’s been lots of rain, but some rhododendron and some wild azaleas held on, and the forests were absolutely verdant. Plus, we got an early morning start, so often had the trails to ourselves. Bliss!

Fully rested, we’re ready to visit more friends, get doctors’ appointments in, and, in my case, spend a week working at the Atlanta Merchandise Mart, before spending the last two weeks in an airbnb in Athens.

Good to be back, and ready to go on.    

Quote du Jour

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

- Gustave Flaubert