An Ode to Yolanda

I'm not a car person per say. I can't tell you a whole lot about engines other than how they basically work. I will ogle over a Corvette but that's about it. I'm just not into cars. 

I was however in love with my first car, Yolanda, or as in love as you can be with an inanimate object.  I came home from a camp session the summer before my sophomore year to a pretty baby blue car.  She was a simple girl - no power locks, roll down windows, and no cruise control.  She had an upgraded sound system (thanks Mom and Dad!) and was easy to park. So essentially exactly what an almost 16 year old girl needed. 

Some of her favorite roads were U.S. 27 between home and Lincoln, U.S. 98 between the Southwood Publix and Saint George Island, I 10 between home and camp, and the back Georgia roads between Tally and Auburn.  She even enjoyed the ride between Auburn and Baton Rogue when the occasion was right.  As of late, she was becoming a fan of I 85 between Atlanta and Auburn. 

She always gently {and sometimes loudly} reminded me to wear my seatbelt.  Her favorite accessories were a warm fuzzy and leather name tag hanging from the rear view mirror, the Auburn alumna and Episcopal shield stickers on her back window, and the ever present car blanket in her trunk. 

She took us to too many volleyball tournaments, Happenings, and away football games to count. She got me safely to births, graduations, weddings, and funerals. In short, she was the best. 

A few weeks ago, a nice but at the same time very mean man hit her with his car. She protected me beautifully but was pretty beat up herself.  The insurance people called the result of the damage a total loss. I said my goodbyes and bawled to the poor kid at the wrecking yard. 

Almost 9 years, a whole lot of amazing road trips, and that one time we ran out of gas in front of the gas station made for a hard goodbye.  I'm excited for the grown up adventure of owning a car {well part owning it until I pay the bank off} but the new car is going to have a whole lot to live up to in the coming years. Here's to you Yolanda, the best dang car a girl could ever have. 

DISCLAIMER : I'm physically a-okay. The accident was the other driver's fault. 

Silly September

I went into the month of September thinking let me sleep when September ends, not so much wake me up when September ends.  Four straight weekends of football madness with the small things called work and laundry mixed in the other five days.  Prepping for four weekends of travelling and/or having people in town meant having enough frozen breakfasts ready to go and making sure I scheduled laundry time during the week.  I think I'm still in a daze from it but the best kind of daze [and not because of how well my team did in the first four weeks of the season].

Weekend One aka Labor Day

Mercifully, Auburn opened up the season with the Chick-fil-a Kickoff in the Georgia Dome which meant I got to sleep in my own bed this weekend.  The weekend kicked off with a trip to the Aquarium with two of my best friends.  I managed to go a long time without going but am obsessed now; definitely worth a trip if you haven't been!

Penguins!

Saturday was spent as it should be with corn hole, new and old friends, and Auburn giving us one too many heart attacks.  Games at the Dome are always fun but there's something off about not being on a college campus.  I much prefer grass lawns or at least walking by a library and thinking "thank goodness I'm not in there anymore" to a downtown parking lot.

A country apart but no issue picking back up!

The Labor Day holiday came at a perfect time as it gave me time to spend the day with my sister for her birthday.  She and her family just recently moved to a town about an hour from me so I try to take advantage of the proximity.  

Weekend Two aka Jumbotron Weekend

This weekend brought Auburn's home opener and unveiling of our new jumbotron.  The season ticket girls (two Atlanta friends and myself) headed over Friday night since the next day would be an early morning.  11 o'clock kickoff means mimosas should start by 8 so we threw together a make shift tailgate at a friend's before heading into the game.  Let me just say that walking in 15 to 30 minutes prior to kickoff and having a specific seat is the best thing since sliced bread.  I wouldn't trade my memories from student section for anything but once you start paying taxes and health insurance, a real seat is required on Saturdays.   

If you follow CFB at all, you know this was a ratchet game for the Tigers as we struggled against what should of been an easy team.  We pulled out a win in overtime but no one was quite sure if celebration or sighs of relief were more appropriate.  As always though, a win is a win and being back in Jordan-Hare is all we really wanted out of the weekend. 

Season Ticket Squad!

Weekend Three aka the One I Wait for All Year

Don't let anyone ever convince you that LSU fans are mean or that Baton Rogue is a gross place.  They know how to tailgate and hate Alabama just as much as I do so are good people in my book.  One of my best friend's from Auburn has family in Baton Rogue that we have gone and stayed with for every Auburn game played in Death Valley.  It's always a good time but this time meant seeing a beautiful baby and friends that live too far for regular visits.  

LSU and Auburn Thetas

The 8 of us live in 6 different cities!

We didn't pretend that we were 19 years old and had a relaxing Friday night catching up after some of us encountered crazy traffic jams and long work days.  Saturday morning was another early morning for me but I'll take early mornings because of football and gumbo over early mornings because of work any time.  The game was less than spectacular from Auburn's point of view and the hottest I've ever been on a fall Saturday.  Saturday evening brought another chill night of catching up and games.  Saying goodbye to the group wasn't too hard Sunday morning because I was seeing the majority the following weekend.

Weekend Four aka the One Where I Pretend I'm Back in School

So I didn't pretend to be 19 during weekend three but weekend four was full on throw back.  Most of my college family was in town and we made the most of it.  Lots of shenanigans, reminiscing, and creating of new memories filled the 48 hours.  It was another rough game for Auburn but I made it through the 2012 season so still deem this weekend a success.  We wrapped up our weekend with a Sunday food tour of Big Blue Bagel at 9 am and Pannie George's at 11 am.  It's funny how you can stretch your stomach when necessary.  The see you later's were hard this time because I don't get IRL time with a lot of the people until March.  As always, snapchats and phone calls will make it easier.

We're worse than herding cats.

So I made it through September in one piece and another year older.  It was a month filled with good people, bad football, and lots of naps on lunch breaks.  I live for the fall, not because of pumpkins or Halloween movies, but because football season is about more than wins : it's about people coming together and having a dang good time.  {That's not to say I'm not secretly still hoping every other team will take a dive bomb and Auburn will end up number 1}.      

The infamous "burnt orange" scarf.

The Summer without the Gulf

The last official weekend of summer is upon us.  For some it means one last beach trip or lake weekend, for me it means the beginning of the most magical time of the year.  College football.  Fear not though, this is not the post in which I gush about college football and all the wonderful aspects of it.  I'll save that for another day.  

However, as this Labor Day weekend approaches, it occurred to me that this summer was the first in my 23 years on this Earth my toes will not have touched the Gulf of Mexico.  Living in Atlanta is conducive to many outdoor adventures but the beach, specifically the glorious Gulf, is less attainable than I'd like. My short trips home this summer didn't allow time for a day trip down to St. George Island and the trip down to 30A is a long haul from here for a weekend.  

My soul yearns for water, so this has by no means be a water-less summer, just Gulf-less.  I am a creature of habit and don't like change but, as this pretend adulting business is full of change, I adapted and found other ways to satisfy my need for time on and around water.

Overlook at East Palisades!

The summer kicked off with a Memorial Day hike at the East Palisades Trail in the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area.  We followed the portion of the trail that hugs the river and takes you to a tall outlook point.  All manners of rafts and people were taking advantage of the river that day.

The next weekend was spent on the Atlantic, big and beautiful in its own right but nowhere near what the Gulf is for me.  Swimming in the Atlantic is always a tad more fun than the Gulf just because of the wave size. Really there's nothing to disparage about the Atlantic because it's still salty water and ocean breeze.

View from Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge in Nashville

A mid-June trip up to Nashville let me spend time on the Cumberland River listening to country music and wishing we'd rented a pontoon to listen from.  I'm a fan of cities built on rivers, even though the rivers aren't always such fans.  Just seems to make it less industrial and steely and take you back to what life should be.

Only way to do Fourth of July!

Gold Branch along the Hooch

Mid summer saw many water bodies.  A trip home for Father's Day meant time on the Wacissa.  A quick trip to Lake Martin.  A family reunion on the West Coast meant lots of waterfalls and time in the Pacific.  Other weekends full of hikes at various trails along the Hooch.

Towards the end of July, I spent a weekend with my nephews who live west of Atlanta. We took advantage of the wonderful hospitality of old friends who live on Lake Carroll.  The Saturday was spent jumping off the dock, learning how to paddle board and paddle boat, and catching up.

My younger nephew is an expert paddle boat captain!

This last weekend of August I spent a glorious 24 hours at Lake Hartwell with a good friend.  Saturday we were on the boat and visiting friends.  I attempted skiing for the first time in years and definitely felt it Monday morning.  Sunday morning was a rainy day but the perfect rain for sitting under the covered dock with coffee and a book.

Summer 2015 may have been Gulf-less for me but I have learned and fully accepted that all water, not just the Gulf, has the same sacred effect of calming and restoring mind, body, and spirit.  So I suppose all there really is to say is "Go jump in a lake" or river or pool or ocean or sprinkler!

One Giant Trip : Part 3

I recently returned from a ten day and much needed vacation to California with Mom and Dad.  It was filled with giant views, a giant city, and my giant family.  I'll be chronicling the trip in three parts over the next few weeks.  

Day 8 : Cousins Galore

A drawn out breakfast with lots of coffee and chatting was a wonderful slow down from all the touristing.  Facebook allows us to keep up with the general goings on but you can't beat the face to face. Passing around the little ones is never a bad thing either.

Lady killer in the making!

I took a hike with my uncle, cousin, cousin's wife, and their little one.  By hike I mean a stroll along the rocky beaches that line the Pacific.  There was a great trail in place that was smooth enough for the walking stroller.  The great part about family reunions is the different combinations of people you spend time with throughout.  Catching up with a cousin who is in an older generation and just returned from living abroad was a treat.

Lunch was once again a drawn out meal {pretty normal for this side of my family} and no one was really in any hurry to be anywhere.  Until the kiddos were ready to move on, the adults (and pretend adults) were content.  The afternoon was filled with Skip Bo, a new game for me, and puzzles.  Puzzles are such a wonderful thing to gather around because they require just enough concentration that small talk falls by the wayside.  I am of the opinion that some of the best conversations come out of the craziest puzzles.

Gotta love a place cool enough for summer bonfires.

Dinner was followed by s'mores, wine, and fun on the hammock and beach volleyball court.    

Day 9 : Seals and Matching Shirts

The second full reunion day everyone headed in different directions are breakfast.  Some headed into town to the aquarium, others to the pool, and others down to Pebble Beach.  I spent the morning attempting to swim in the Pacific.  Let me tell you - it's cold.  I specifically packed a one piece bathing suit and was still frigid.  My cousin and I couldn't convince any of the under 6 age group to try past their tippy toes but some of the over 50 had already taken the plunge.

Mr. Seal! (He's the black bump in the middle of the photo.)

After lunch, three of us headed to kayak Monterey Bay.  We rented kayaks from Adventures by the Sea and had a beautiful ride.  The giant kelp forests were crazy cool but we wanted to get past them because paddling in them was tough.  Apparently, they don't like that.  The wonderfully nice owner of Adventures by the Sea came out and told us it was much easier to paddle on the shore side of the kelp forest.  I'm very glad he told us because when we were headed back we ended up within about 15 feet of seals.  One very happy Florida girl!

7 of the 14 Granny V grandkids.

Slurpees {because National 7/11 Day, duh} and we made it back just in time for family photos.  Thanks to two very efficient cousins with beautiful photography skills, we got all the necessary combinations of family done pretty quickly.  Four generations were represented at this reunion!  The evening was wrapped up with the younger generation finishing off the beer and wine.  

Day 10 : The Last Hurrah

Breakfast was followed by the first round of goodbyes as many people started their treks back home or on the way to the next stop of vacation.  Gathering and packing into my cousin's car (the one who lives in the Bay Area) before three of us headed back to the City.  We wound up a mountain to a fantastic bar for a beer before dropping one cousin off at the airport.  A quick sushi dinner before I headed to the airport rounded out a fantastic trip out to the west coast.  I know I'll be back soon!

One Giant Trip : Part 2

I recently returned from a ten day and much needed vacation to California with Mom and Dad.  It was filled with giant views, a giant city, and my giant family.  I'll be chronicling the trip in three parts over the next few weeks.  

Day 5 : Yosemite to AT&T Park
One last breakfast in the Wawona dining room and a stroll around the Wawona Pioneer Village wrapped up our time at Yosemite.  The Pioneer Village is a self guided tour of example buildings gathered from various parts of the park with most having been built in the first half of the 19th century. Beautifully preserved carriages had us marveling at the fact that people and, even more so, furniture were able to make it across the country relatively unscathed.  

Covered bridge at Pioneer Village (someone missed the Northeast).

We decided to head back to San Francisco via a different route than we'd come so headed south out of the park.  Coming out of the mountains always knocks me out - guess it's my body's way of adjusting to the pressure.  Along the way, we saw the crazy effects of the current California drought. Mostly brown trees with the occasional spots of bright green agricultural fields (majority of which are almonds!).  

We crossed the Bay Bridge which to date is the largest I've ever been on.  This bridge has been retrofitted since the 1989 earthquake and also provides fantastic views of the city.  Mom and Dad dropped me off at the hostel I would be staying at and headed to their hotel.  I chose to stay in a hostel here to meet people and mostly to save a little money.  So glad I did!  The Hostelling International San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf location is breathtaking.  Located at Fort Mason and in old army barracks, my room had a view of Alcatraz and was super quiet. The base now houses National Park Service offices and great green spaces.    

The hostel was long and skinny.

After settling and getting ready, I headed out to meet Mom and Dad so we could make our way to AT&T Park.  The concierge at their hotel suggested walking there (mostly downhill) and taking an Uber home.  What a great walk it was.  We walked through North Beach (essentially Little Italy), caught glimpses of Chinatown, and experienced the rush hour walking that you tend to find in a big city.    

View from our seats!

After meeting my dad's older brother and his youngest son, we grabbed a bite to eat at Pedro's and headed into the park.  Anytime my family is in a new city we try to go to whatever baseball game we can. This game just worked out perfectly because it was Mom's birthday and if she can't be at the beach, a baseball game is the next best option!  The stadium sits right on the bay, as in if they hit it out of the park, fish are getting knocked out.  It was a beautiful night with wonderful people. 

Day 6 : Across a Bridge and Into Jail

After a filling breakfast at the hostel, I wandered around near Fisherman's Wharf and eventually met up with Mom and Dad.  We decided to go ahead and rent our bikes for the day so we could get the most use out of them.  Blazing Saddles set us up with all we needed. {Got a great discount via my hostel, always ask wherever you're staying if they have any city partnerships!}  We popped into the Maritime Museum  which has beautiful art deco paintings and would be an ideal reception or celebration venue.  Later in the evening we did notice an event happening on the rooftop.  

And the ride to the Bridge began. 

A pause for taking in the view!

 The first part is this ridiculous hill that only the Europeans (and Dad!) seemed to be making it up without stopping.  The top of the hill crested at my hostel (on the base) and looks over the bay and old docks.  From there it's an easy ride through Crissy Field and by some beautiful yachts.  The trail takes you to Fort Point for the first fantastic photo op of the ride.  It was a foggy/rainy morning which could have been a bummer but we got to see some surfers right at the point! 

The surfers were all in full body wet suits!

After another few hills, we finally hit the Bridge entrance.  Aside from a few close calls with "real" bicyclists, the ride was awesome.  We stopped a few times for pictures before beginning the downhill into Saulsalito.  Mom and Dad loved the downhill and flew quickly into town.  My bike skills are historically not so graceful so I took it a bit slower.  The homes in this city are gorgeous but the weather is what I fell in love with that day.  Perfectly sunny and apparently always like that.  We grabbed a quick lunch of fish and chips before hopping on the ferry.

Saulsalito's beautiful homes.

We made it back to city side just in time for our Alcatraz ferry and were on our way out to the infamous island.  It's hard to describe the experience of being at this island prison.  Definitely surreal and made me never want to be in any jail ever.  The guided tour is very well done with voices of former guards and inmates describing daily life as well as the more well known prison events.  A former inmate was on the island that day doing a book signing - again just a very odd feeling seeing someone who committed so much fraud (he forged and counterfeit checks for many years) almost being treated as a celebrity. 

I had no idea about the Indian Occupation of the Island in the 1970s. 

Upon returning from the island, we wandered back to Blazing Saddles through Fisherman's Wharf to return our bikes.  Following advice from friends, we found a restaurant not directly on Pier 39 for a less crowded dinner.  Pompei's Grotto was delicious and the service was great.  Definitely doesn't beat Gulf Coast seafood but when in Rome!  After dinner treats at Ghirardelli Square and I was ready to pop.  We were all worn out after a full and fantastic day of being tourists.  

Day 7 : San Francisco to Asilomar Beach

We wrapped up our last morning in San Francisco with a ride through the city to find the Painted Sisters and the Full House house.  Wandering through neighborhoods is such an easy way to get a feel for a city.  A drive down Lombard Street was necessary and as cool as I had expected.

We had most of the day to make it down to the family reunion so decided to take the Pacific Coast Highway south to our destination.  Such a beautiful drive - cliffs, occasional farms, and so many wildflowers.  We stopped to take in the views and stretch our legs.  There were a good amount of people taking advantage of the state park system and gorgeous weather.  

The rocks were so neat and different from what we have in the Southeast.

Santa Cruz was our goal for lunch.  Hula's was recommended on Zomato as a local favorite.  We all had delicious sandwiches and then took a stroll down the main drag.  Very laid back and what you would expect from a place known for its surfing crowd.    

We made it to Asilomar mid-afternoon to check in for the family reunion.  The grounds at Asilomar are beautiful and great for large events. This reunion was the original reason for this grand California tour.  It is organized by my dad's generation of cousins from his mom's side.  It's become a much anticipated event as so many of us are spread across the States (and world every so often).  After checking in, I wandered down to the beach with Mom, aunts, and a few cousins.  Dinner was followed by lots of catching up in the common area before we headed to bed.  

One Giant Trip : Part 1

I recently returned from a ten day and much needed vacation to California with Mom and Dad.  It was filled with giant views, a giant city, and my giant family.  I'll be chronicling the trip in three parts over the next few weeks.  

Day One - San Francisco to Yosemite Lakes

An uneventful, early morning flight to San Francisco meant we had the whole day to make our way towards Yosemite.  [Perks of travelling with Mom and Dad mean it's way easier to rent a car, I can pay for health insurance, vote for the president, and jump out of a plane but renting a car is still out of my responsibility reach!]  A pit stop for all of our first In-N-Out experience which met all my expectations but definitely doesn't beat Whataburger.

This meal gave us our first taste of the beautiful weather to come!

We made it out to Groveland which is the last town before the Yosemite gates.  Lots of stores and restaurants for those passing through as well as plenty of accommodations.  We spent a while in California's oldest saloon, Iron Door Saloon.  There were a ton of dollar bills stuck to the ceiling, beautiful chandeliers that held true to the original style, and a window into the ice cream store in case you were hungry on the way to pee.

We soaked our feet in the stream at Yosemite Lakes for a long time!

A slight hiccup with the original reservations led us to the Yosemite Lakes campground.  The hiccup was such a blessing in disguise.  We snagged the last available cabin for the night, stretched our legs in the creek, and had a picnic dinner on the cabin porch.  Under a beautiful pole barn, we listened to a country cover band that played everything from the 1950s on.  It was a picturesque Fourth of July evening sans fireworks.  Families gathered together, s'mores roasting, and a smattering of languages being spoken.  It was a scene that made me proud to say "yes, this is my country".

Day Two - Yosemite Lakes to Wawona and Mariposa Grove

We began the drive into Yosemite after a makeshift breakfast of granola bars and fruit on the cabin porch.  Winding roads and plunging valleys brought us to our first view of El Capitan through the trees.  First breathtaking moment of the trip.

Tunnel View with Dad.

We wound through the park and stopped at Tunnel View.  Fun fact of the day - back in the 1850s, the first white people who stumbled across this view said hey, let's build a tunnel here because it's a bomb view.  Food for thought on the access we have to the wonders of America that came at a price to the Native Americans and their way of life.

I digress though.  Tunnel View led to more valley views and winding roads to get to the Wawona Hotel.  Straight out of Dirty Dancing y'all.  European style boarding - individual rooms with communal restrooms.  Perk of this is the super comfy bathrobes they provide for bathroom trips!

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.  It just so happened this was the last day the Grove will be open for two years as they conduct restoration efforts to save the existing trees and insure new trees are able to grow.  I don't like to plan too much for trips but was very glad I saw the closure notice on the NPS website or else we may have missed these beauties.

Wawona Fallen Tree after quite the hike.

The trees took my breath too many times to count.  I have made the comment before that it's insane how some houses Europeans live in are older than my country but those castle have nothing on these trees.  Big Foot is about 1900 years old and two trees survived having a tunnel cut through them (sensing a theme yet?).  All in all the Grove was a phenomenal hike.  If you ever visit, take the trail all the way to the Fallen Tree!

Wawona Swim Tank

A cool down swim in the 1918 swim tank followed by a delicious dinner in the Wawona Victorian dining room topped up this fantastic first Yosemite Day.

Day Three - Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point

I'm a fan of big breakfasts and the Pioneer Breakfast hit the spot for our full day ahead.  Once down in the Valley, we parked for the day and used the shuttle or our handy dandy feet to get around the Valley.

Whoever said "don't go chasing waterfalls" was sorely mistaken and has never been to Yosemite.  Lower Yosemite Falls was low enough that we could scramble over the rocks and get up close with the falls.  This is one perk of coming the time of summer we did, it's the tail end of snow melt feeding the falls and word is by the late teens of July they'll be done flowing until spring.

These two are always up for an adventure.

Vernal Falls was our next destination.  A casual 2 mile hike in Florida is fine, 2 miles with an 1000 foot elevation game kicked our Floridian butts.  A butt kicking I'd be happy to take again and thank goodness for whoever hauled and cut the granite for the last 600 steps.  It would have been near impossible without them.

Vernal Falls behind me...

...Vernal Falls below me.

On the pit stop to Vernal Falls (the viewing bridge for those who aren't able to make it to the top), we stopped to eat lunch and met a wonderful couple from Colorado.  They live right near where my sister used to live, the husband is an elementary school teacher, and they were just super chill people.  Meeting people like this and chatting for the 30 minutes is why I travel.  So next time you're out on a trail or in a hotel bar, introduce yourself to the person next to you!

I didn't dare let go of this railing.

We left Vernal Falls, grabbed soft serve ice cream, and headed up to Glacier Point to get the view looking down into the Valley.  An easy hike took us out to Tate's Point, at the point you can look directly down into the Valley.  And by directly down I mean you stand at the top of a cliff face and a small guard rail separates you.  Mom loved it up there, I got somewhat used to it, and Dad was not a fan.  The view was incredibly terrifying.

A small dinner of salads and brie wrapped up this epic day at Yosemite.

Wacissa and Watermelon

My hometown is small.  Not small in the sense that there's only one Publix but small in the sense that we don't have a stop light, the Winn Dixie is the "nice" grocery store, and you know someone isn't from around here when they try to go to the bank after 12 o'clock on a Thursday.  It's the county seat of a largely rural north Florida county and according to people in the state for Lovers, we pronounce the name incorrectly.

An old home on the outskirts of town.

A small but very mighty town.  Mighty because in the span on 48 hours during the third weekend of June you can experience some of life's greatest things.  The Wacissa River and the Watermelon Festival.

Festival is actually a two week affair that kicks off with a BBQ dinner and bed races.  This is a real thing and if you've never seen one, you're not living life right.  Strap the smallest (but adult) person in your group onto a twin bed with wheels and barrel down the road.  Pageants, rodeos, and fashion shows follow for the next two weeks.

The third Saturday of June is the culmination event of Festival.  The morning kicks off with a parade that is entertaining no matter your age.  There's a children's play in the historic Opera House that has certainly come into its own since my days of gracing the stage.  Antique cars are just as plentiful as the funnel cakes and carnival games.

The Honorable Mayor (aka Dad) moving the parade along!

Festival at its heart is a celebration of the bounty of the summer season.  It's a time for eating too much the best dang watermelon in the world on your back porch and saying a prayer of thanks it was a beautiful, muggy Florida Saturday.

If parades and funnel cakes aren't your thing, grab a boat and head to the Wacissa River.  A spring fed river home to wild animals and a few wild humans, you're guaranteed to cool off in the heat of summer.  No trip down the river is complete without a swing into Big Blue or at least a jump off the floating dock.  We met the man who put the floating dock on the spring 30 years ago this past trip which was really neat.

Always a refreshing 72 degrees!

The absolute best part about a day on the Wacissa (and I got to spend two!) are the people you see.  Everyone from a baby on the shore to an older couple birding can enjoy the river.  If you grew up within a 30 mile radius, you'll probably run into people you graduated high school with or your middle school computer teacher.  You'll hear a few foreign accents - this past trip it was an Australian couple and German speaking group.  And best of all, you'll be around people who appreciate Wild Florida as much as you.

So if you ever need a break from the big city or hectic life, let me know.  I'd be happy to take a trip and show you my town.

Father's Day trip down the river!

Nashville Top Ten Countdown

10. I-24 between Chattanooga and Nashville. 

Hands down one of the prettiest rides I've ever done. Lots of peaks and valleys. Old farm houses. Two distilleries. The University of the South. 

I've added a weekend trip just in this in-between stretch to my list.

Standstill traffic near Bonnaroo but the views made it okay!

9. The view from Tootsies rooftop.
Saturday night we started our evening here for a quick drink.  It's right on Broadway.  Looking right were Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame.  Looking left were the lights of Broadway and the Cumberland river.  Willie Nelson sang here before he got his big break.

Summertime is for rooftops!

8. Bakersfield.
Fantastic tostadas made even better by the laughs we had trying to explain what it was to the guys. Tried Yazoo's Hop Project and loved it.  Also it was just nice to get out of the mid-afternoon heat and suck down some water.

7. Aaron Watson, but really his fiddle player. 
Fantastic old school country artist from Texas.  I had never heard his stuff before and loved it.  But really, the fiddle player is what hooked me.  I believe any good country song should have an even better fiddle solo.

6. Zac Brown Band's cover of Bohemian Rhapsody.
WATCH.
I felt like I could die happy.

5. Dancing at Honky Tonk Central.
One of the best parts about friends moving to new places is meeting the great people who take care of them.  Added bonus is when they're generally amazing people and like to dance to any music as much as I do.  After the headliners were done Saturday, we headed here to bust a move.

Loved connecting with these girls!

4. The Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge.

Two things about this bridge.  One : The view of downtown and the river are fantastic. Nashville is so compact compared to Atlanta and I loved being able to take in the majority of the city at once. Two : There's a few spots where when the headliners at CMA Fest were playing you could stand with a beer and just listen.  AKA what we did Friday and Saturday to see Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Zac Brown Band, and more.

Downtown Nashville!

LP Field and the Cumberland River

3. Meeting Andi at Acme Feed & Seed.

Although I'm not a fan of the Bachelorette, meeting her was pretty dang cool.  We were on the rooftop and she just walked up to us and started chatting.  Thank goodness my friend keeps up with her on Twitter! She was down to earth and super chill, just came for the music like the rest of us.

Before Andi moved to NYC, she lived right across the street from me in Atlanta!

2. Singing along to Corey Smith on the river bank.

This may or may not have been the tenth time I've seen him.  21 and If I Could Do It Again bring back so many memories.  Mexico Beach with my Lincoln Ladies, Sky Bar before I was actually 21, and the first time I saw this kickin' performer down at St. George.

So weird seeing him without a ball cap on!

1. Seeing my lady A's.

These two girls mean so much to me, what a treat to spend a weekend in their town.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

For a good portion of my life, Sunday mornings were spent serving as an acolyte, on the volleyball court, or in the Corley computer lab.  And I loved it.  Mainly because the people I spent those mornings with were good friends or family.

Now, most Sunday mornings (except when I'm travelling) consist of a good book, journal time, or NPR program and usually decent cup of coffee.  I luxuriate in the fact that I don't have anywhere to be unless I'm going to make it to church that weekend.   I can have a second cup of coffee or listen to a little more NPR.  There may be a pile of laundry in my closet or the kitchen may need to be cleaned but there's no rush on Sundays lately.

Big cup of coffee and a great book!

 We have a great porch that gets a good breeze - even in these southern summers- and it's hard to pull yourself away sometimes.  I had a lot that needed to get done this past Sunday but from 9:45 until almost 3 in the afternoon, I only moved for a snack.  I had a great book, caught up on my line-a-day journal, and the weather was just right.

Porch view! Excuse the dead plant, still working on the green thumb.

At one point though, I began to think that I really should have gone to church.  With my crazy travelling the past few months, I haven't made it to a Sunday morning service in too long. I miss it but sometimes back porch time is just as spirit filled as a Rite II service.  My thoughts wander more than they can when I'm paying attention to a sermon or reciting the creeds.  I like the wandering.  It's freeing.  It leaves room for God to speak.  And for me to listen.

Sundays are for a lot of things.  For church, for laundry, for lunch prepping.  But mostly they should be for whatever feels right when you roll over in the morning.  It's a day set aside for rest and I'm a firm believer that rest looks different to everyone.  For some, it's not moving from the couch.  For others, it's resting in the tradition of hymns and communion.  And for the crazy ones, it's for calming their mind on long runs.  I'm still working on that perfect Sunday routine but, for now, the occasional day of not moving from my porch is entirely restful and as close to perfect as I could hope.