Hot 'Lanta - June 7th - 14th

My time in Atlanta was a learning experience.  I like my small town with little traffic and clean air - Lake Havasu City.  I now also appreciate Atlanta's green colors (although grass tickles my belly).

The South has a certain charm - even in a big city like Atlanta.  Y'all folks talk funny here. Mommy says if I think this is Southern-speak, wait until I travel to N.C. and KY.  I like Atlanta and believe Georgia will be on my mind for a long time.

Mommy & Daddy were shopping at Whole Foods for "HEALTHY" stuff when we saw this across the street.  The Flying Biscuit.    I haven't been in the South long, but the only thing more Southern than a Waffle House, is The Flying Biscuit.  Mommy's REALLY upset she can't eat there.  She said something about "gluten" (but is wasn't nice and Daddy says I can't repeat it here).

We keep reading about all the horrible fires in Arizona.

I think I mentioned the word "green" a couple of times. Here's more "green".  They also have other colors in Atlanta.  There are lots of pretty flowers and flowering trees.  Here's a nice gazebo off the patio and pool at the hotel.  There's also a tree that has pretty blooms on it.

Here's a closeup of the blooms. This is a Natchez Crape Myrtle tree.  These blooms are white, but they also come in bright pinks and purple.  The good news is these keep blooming all summer long.  They're real purty, but don't think they'll grow well in Havasu.  Bummer!

And of course, it wouldn't be Atlanta without SOMETHING about Gone With The Wind.  Did you know Margaret Mitchell wrote the book backwards?  She was related to Doc Holiday who was Ashley Wilkes in the book.  Melanie was based on Mitchell's cousin who was a nun.  So who was Rhett, you ask?  Why, Margaret Mitchell's husband, Red, of course.  Margaret Mitchell hurt her ankle and was stuck in their apartment for about a year. Red constantly brought books home for his wife to read.  Finally, he brought home a typewriter and a bunch of paper. He told his wife there were no more books to check out of the library, so she'd just have to write one.  She kept the typewriter in a corner of the apartment. If someone came to visit, she'd cover it up. 

This is my Auntie Sheila Oliver.  She and Mommy are close friends. Really like family.  Auntie Sheila had a fur-baby, Chan, who was close friends with Daddy & Mommy's earlier fur-baby, Boesky.  So Mommy & Auntie Sheila have been friends for a long time.  They used to live in the same neighborhood.  It's a wonderful story of how they met.  You'll have to ask Mommy sometime.  Auntie Sheila came by the hotel and picked Mommy & me up to take us to lunch at her house.  Auntie Sheila has a REALLY big back yard with a large swimming pool and garden.  It was a lot of fun.

Auntie Sheila had wonderful presents for me.  I now have my very own puppy I call "She-pup" because Auntie Sheila gave it to me.  She also gave me my very own chicken strips.  I ate a few at lunch, a couple more back at the hotel, then when Daddy & Mommy went out to dinner - I found and ate the rest of the bag.  Mommy & Daddy were  NOT happy with me when they got back.  There is one more special gift Auntie Sheila gave me.  She placed a bed of toys on the floor that belonged to Chan and let me pick out one of these very special toys.  After long deliberation, I selected MooMoo.  This is a very loving gift that I will always cherish!!!!

That evening, we went to see Daddy's sister (Auntie Sherri) and Uncle Glenn Lundquist.  Auntie Sherri and Uncle Glenn came to Havasu earlier this year for the BalloonFest.  I also got to meet my cousins Quincy, Jolie, and Lucy.  It was a little overwhelming in the beginning. Mommy, Daddy, Auntie Sherri & Uncle Glenn went out for dinner - leaving the four cousins home . . . alone . . . I was very, very nervous. So Auntie Sherri let me stay in the main part of the house where I could watch the front door.  I was SO relieved when they came home!!!!  By that time, I was friends with my cousins and everything was hunky-dorey.

I whuv Auntie Sherri. She spoils me.

On Saturday, we went to watch Auntie Sherri play tennis at the Sandy Springs Tennis Center. She's a really good tennis player. My Daddy's a really good tennis player, too.  Actually, Mommy is about the only one that should NOT be allowed on a tennis court.

I watched a few sets before I started catching on to the game.

"Put me in Coach, I'm ready to play . . . today!"

I had to settle for a game of lawn tennis with Daddy. They wouldn't let me on the courts.

I eventually had to take the tennis ball from Daddy.

I figured it was better to practice on my own.

I practiced my "fore-nose" shots . . .

and my "back-nose" shots.

And after practice, we came back to the hotel for lunch.  Mommy & Daddy were ready for a nap, but I played with MooMoo.

Saturday night, Daddy & Mommy had dinner with Auntie Ellen & Uncle Phil Issenberg.  Uncle Phil is the one who encouraged Daddy to become a Rotary Member in 1991and all four have been friends ever since.  They had dinner at P.F. Changs and were so engrossed in talking and catching up with each other that Mommy & Daddy forgot to take a photo for my blog. So Auntie Ellen & Uncle Phil had to email us one. 

This is my Auntie Ellen & Uncle Joel Katzowitz.  They've known Mommy & Daddy since 1982.  Auntie Ellen & Mommy met while they were working on their Masters' Degrees.  Now, they're both Ph.D.'s.  In other words, they like books.
Mommy, Daddy, Auntie Sherri & Uncle Glenn, Auntie Ellen & Uncle Joel had brunch on Sunday.  Auntie Ellen & Uncle Joel have been to Havasu before and rode the ATVs to the waterfall when there was ACTUALLY water. "Power is our friend."  "Trust your machine."

Sunday afternoon, Auntie Stephanie & Uncle Patrick Thomas came to visit with their two daughters, Suzie & Ava.  Here's a photo of Suzie & Auntie Stephanie swimming.  Auntie Stephanie was pretending to be a seahorse. It started raining . . . again. We all sat in the gazebo for a while, and I got to be loved on by Suzie & Ava.




Know what the tall spindly things are in this photo?

Do you recognize this one?  It's the State Bird of Georgia - the "Construction Crane".

We leave for North Carolina tomorrow, so KYOTEE was fed today. At Costco, gasoline was $3.57 per gallon.

On our last night in Atlanta, Mommy & Daddy met Auntie Sherri & Uncle Glenn at the Merchant's Walk Stadium Cinemas.  This theater is close to where Mommy & Daddy lived in Atlanta. Everything has been renovated and is all digital now.  The theater has been updated, and it's really, really nice.  They saw the movie Super 8. Wow! What a suspenseful movie! It was too scary for me - or so they said.

Atlanta has something called "dew".  It's wet and gets all over the car.  Then dirt sticks to the car.  So Daddy always makes sure I have a clean ride.


As my time in Atlanta comes to a close, I'm sad to leave.  There are both friends and family here. There's "Old Stomping Grounds" for Mommy & Daddy.  There's plenty of green grass and a multitude of colors among the flowers and trees.  I've seen an actual chipmunk (looks like the ground squirrel in Havasu) and a real live squirrel (MUCH bigger than the ground squirrel in Havasu).  The people at the hotel have been very nice and there have been lots of other doggies here. Shopping is all around. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have multiple locations.  We won't miss the traffic and the high-paced race.  Tomorrow begins another adventure as we drive to North Carolina to see more family and friends.