Countdown...

Number of years since my first date with Eric: 8
Number of weeks since I last saw him: 6.5
Number of hours until I pick him up at the airport: 11

Yippee!

Horse Days of Summer

I just returned from an awesome trip to Lexington, Kentucky, where I was visiting my friends Marybeth and John. Marybeth and I have been friends since birth, and although our memories of the first few years are a little fuzzy, we always enjoy catching up and talking about the good ole days. We also lived together for a couple of years at Auburn, and John is a fellow alum. Add our love for food and drink, silly animals, and traveling to the mix, and you've got yourself a fun time!

I didn't have a chance to hear any bluegrass music on this trip, but I saw the endless green pastures of many resplendent horse farms and drank a little Bourbon, so I would consider my first Kentucky tour a success. Thanks to MB & John for being such fun hosts! And of course, a special thanks to Sabrina, Murphy, Finnegan, Teagan, Beamish, and Caffrey for allowing me to share their parents and their personal space for a few days. :)

A Perfect Game

Although it didn't technically meet the baseball definition of a perfect game, it was perfect to me! As a "Welcome to Atlanta" gift, Jeff got tickets that landed us on the 1st row behind the Braves' dugout for last Friday's game between the hometown Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers.

We had 4 tickets, so Dad & Rosalie were able to join us, and it happened to be Dad's birthday. We started the day with a delicious lunch at Horseradish Grill. Then after a little shopping and rest, we made our way to Turner Field. After Jeff bought enough merchandise to pay Ryan Langerhans' salary, we went to our seats. Soon after, someone from the dugout threw a ball up on top, and Rosalie caught it. She missed her seat when she tried to sit back down, but she held on to both the ball and her hot dog. Quite impressive!The game itself was exciting, with John Smoltz pitching a complete game and the Braves making some great defensive plays. We were tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th when Jeff Francouer hit one to the wall that allowed Andruw Jones to score the game-winning run.

Other high points of the game included but were not limited to: the 4 of us and our big heads being displayed on the jumbotron during the National Anthem; 1st base coach and former Braves' 2nd baseman Glenn Hubbard throwing a ball to Jeff and me and giving us a little wink; appearing briefly on TV (according to our reliable source, Matt); some nice guy next to us handing over a $100 gift card to Jocks & Jills (only $80 worth of chicken nachos left to eat, Jeff); and an unbelievable fireworks display at the end of the game. So like I said, it was a perfect game!

Introducing our cats...

Sabrina and Toby(?) - or some other creature who has taken up residence under the covers.

Do You Have the Time?

Can you tell my friend Jeff and I always have a good time together? NO?! Okay, then just take my word for it. We have known each other since we were kids, so at this point we have to remain friends or kill each other - otherwise, too many secrets will be revealed. It doesn't take much to amuse us, and the number of inside jokes is endless (the title of this post being the most recent).

We did not waste any time blowing it all out in Atlanta during Jeff's visit last weekend. From tapas at Sabroso to lava rock bowls at Zocalo to baba ganoush at Apres Diem, we experimented a lot with cuisine. To burn off some of those ethnic calories, we walked around a lot in the neighborhood and played tennis at Piedmont Park. We also managed to see a movie. It was an awesome 42 hours, and I can't wait for the encore! Auburn blintzes, anyone?

George, Mark, and Emily

I had lunch today at a local joint called George's Restaurant and Bar. Like so many favorite neighborhood hangouts that are chock-full of character, George's is nothing special to look at, inside or out. But you don't need great looks to offer delicious burgers and cold beers for cheap!

When I sat down, I noticed there was a small engraved plaque on each side of the table. The plaque across from me read "Mark O'Meara," and the one in front of me read, "Emily Saliers." I couldn't make a connection between the professional golfer and the professional musician, except that they were both connected to George. My server confirmed that the plaques on all the tables were in recognition of well-known folks who had dined at this fine establishment. Although she probably didn't sit in that exact spot, I was thrilled to be at Emily's table. I have loved Indigo Girls' music for two decades, and I think Rites of Passage is the most perfect album of all time.

Maybe next time I go in, Emily or Mark (or even George) will be sitting next to me!

Pest Control

When I got ready to go to bed last night, I was unpleasantly surprised to find a cockroach the size of Texas on the window sill next to the bed. Even my bug-loving cat wouldn't touch it. A few paper towels and pep talks later, I had disposed of the enormous creature. And besides lying awake half the night waiting for his relatives to show up and crawl in bed with me, I felt better.

For anyone thinking I'm a heartless murderer, I'd be happy to introduce you to Ralph - the spider who has been living in the shower for a couple of weeks. We've become buddies.