The days are long, the drinks are strong, the food is plentiful, the people are friendly, the books and magazines are many. And, somehow, the weather is good. It's a fine Walsh-family vacation we've got going on at the cabin this week and I'm soaking it up.
Learning and loving the Canon XSi...a few shots from the "people" folder :)
Recently, friends Eric and Lindsay danced their first dance as husband and wife to "Home" by Michael Buble. Tonight, the song was on my iTunes playlist, filling my apartment, and reminding me of them. This song is one of Michael Buble's best, and tonight, it touches my heart.
"Home"
Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm
May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that
Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home
Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home
And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me
Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home
And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home
For the first time in my life, I have been watching for the moon this week. I first noticed in on Tuesday, when the orb was so bright against the dark sky that it simply demanded attention. But it wasn't the moon alone that made me return the next night to find its place in the sky; the moon, here from my hotel room in Atlanta, corresponds perfectly to the Atlanta skyline. On Wednesday, the moon glowed the same color orange as the lights of the skyscrapers, encouraging me to open all of the curtains during the night, to expose the windows and the view outside. Last night, no moon delighted the skies, but the downtown still sparkled in the south. I am requesting a 7th floor room at the Hyatt every time going forward - I cannot get sick of such a view.
I am sitting on a couch in room 708 at the Windy Hill Hyatt as the setting sun glitters sherbert pink upon the Atlanta skyline; the flash of it reminds of a dress worn by Carrie in the "Sex and the City" movie. Sitting northeast of the city tonight, I have a close to picture-perfect view of Downtown Hotlanta, from the highest floor of the hotel and perched behind a dip in the leafy hills. Just Thursday, I was down in the midst of Downtown, dining on the 72nd floor of the Westin and traversing the Georgia Aquarium. Now, a weekend spent enjoying this southern city is a memory...a darn good one, at that.
I am amazed at the breadth of things Atlanta has to offer its guests. Picnic havens, Civil War-era squares, cocktails and views, museums and sports. John and I spent our second-ever weekend in Atlanta digging past the surface of the first two pages of the travel book, where we found some local delights. The Atlanta Botanical Garden, Harry's Farmer's Market and Martinis & iMax were among the off-the-beaten path highlights (although all sit in fabulous, not so off-the-beaten-path locales inside Atlanta). Nonetheless, the most traditional of Atlanta tourist spots is still one of my favorites: the Aquarium. The beluga whales and the Great Barrier Reef tank get me to come back every time. We also found ourselves enjoying what is outside of Atlanta's great perimeter: Chattanooga, Tennessee. North of Georgia, underneath the 90-degree sun, we tour the battlefields that saw the fight for Chattanooga between the North and the South and enjoy lunch at an ivy-dripped cafe on the bluffs of the Tennessee River.
Flag Day was just a few days ago - and we are reminded of the event in the town square of Marietta, Georgia . There, the preserved antebellum gathering spot is covered with waving American flags. It is patriotic, small town and simple - the sign, at the end of our weekend, that seals the deal: some summer days are best spent in the South.
I stood on the campus of
Standing in the area known as the Quad, I was inundated first with the love for my friend, who was to marry on Saturday. Fulfilling my personal attendant duties, I fussed with her dress and helped make sure all of the details aligned for the big day. As I watched the wedding unfold, I was struck with the feeling of how lucky I was to know Lindsay and her now husband, Eric. I met people at the wedding I would have never known, had it not been for this friendship. I had a great time with John, making memories at the reception that we will never forget, because of this friendship. I am blessed in my life with people I could call for anything, because of this friendship.
At the same time, I also found myself thinking of Jenna, and her big event this weekend of high school graduation. Crazy that my little sister can be over 18 and graduating into the next stage in life already. She found herself sad this weekend, faced with the realization that moving on is simply the only choice. At the back of the St. Thomas Chapel, I wished she could have had a glimpse into my standing right there and realize all that was to come – all that I could not summarize through any card of congratulations – all that was the unlimited potential to impact her life. For I stood at
