I live with an .......

honorary Savage! Robert, that is. We met a wonderful group of friends, Totally Savage, a few months back at an open jam and have been following them since.

They asked Robert to play Stormy Monday with them on Friday night at Brewsters Grille, one of their regular gigs, which was also the same night they were recording a live CD!

It was so funny when Larry was introducing the band and said, "and Jonathan on bass" only to look right in front of him where Jonathan was sitting at the table with me! Too funny! He didn't realize that Robert was playing, guess that means he's pretty good, huh? (I certainly think so!) Good music, friends and fun! Lucky for everyone I just happened to have my camera with me!


Then last night we went to our favorite neighborhood bar, Crystal's on the Square, and they were there! Robert played with them again, fun stuff!!!!!

Doh!!!

What was I thinkin'???

Monkey'n Around!

Mike and Chris decided to play monkeys on New Years Day with Nathan... Remind me again who are the kids in this story?

Mwaaaaa-aaa!!!

Nathan just blew you a kiss!

Setting the table

When I was a little girl, it was my and Sara's 'job' to set the table. Who would've thought that it would turn into something I really like to do? Robert and I collect different dishes and really like having a beautiful table set all of the time. The first two pix here are of our Christmas table.

A little mix and match, and here we are with a brand new table setting. Take special notice of the black tablecloth with the gold monkeys. Dinner's ready!!!

Mike is such a good Grandson!

So here's the deal.... During the Christmas holiday, Mike & Co. visit Indiana/Illinois to spend time with the family and they stay at Grandma & Grandpa Lugo's house.

Mike & Angela are now in the home improvement business and have alot of experience in refinishing floors, sooooo......... Mike decided that they needed a new floor for the bathroom. He removed the vanity, sink and toilet - then scrapped up the old floor tiles and replaced them with a nice 6x6 brown tile.

Fabulous job Mike!

Chillin' on a Sunday afternoon......

So Robert and I are sittin' here on a Sunday afternoon - our one day off together this week - watching the NFL playoff game between the Steelers and Colts, and I thought that I would catch y'all up on life here in Marietta, Georgia. I haven't broke the camera out in nearly a week, and missed some truly memorable moments.... darn!

We have both been working alot this week, but Robert has me beat. 84 hours in one week, yikes!!!! So, on Friday evening we decided to celebrate his upcoming day off on Sunday and went to Ralph's Tavern to see our friends Totally Savage play. Now this was one of their regular gigs, but they asked Robert to come up and play Stormy Monday with them. Larry said that Robert's an honorary Savage, that's pretty impressive in my book. Needless to say, Robert did not get much sleep (about four hours) until he had to get up and do it all over again at 5:00am. Order up! Breakfast for 1300 please.... eggs over easy.....

Sooooo.... it's 9:00pm and Robert calls to say he is on his way home from work. Yes, that made it a 16 hour work day. We decided to go to Crystal's on the Square, where everyone knows your name! Yup, it's alot like the setting of Cheer's and we love it because of the familiarity, in addition to the fact the crowd is more of our generation than not. A band named Big Biscuit was playing hits from the 60's and had the audience constantly on their feet dancing and having fun. We closed the place down at 1:30a.m. and made our way over to Nik's Back Porch to find more music and found The Mike Beal Band to close the last half hour of our night out with more oldies.

Sleeping in today was our goal and I am happy to let y'all know that we achieved it! Brunch at 2:00pm - yes! Now to decide whether to go to Open Jam tonight at The Firehouse.

I am also going through pix from the holidays and will be sharing some of my favorites with you. Nathan is exercising with his Daddy Mike. How cute is that?!

We ate a boatload.......

of sushi and sashimi on Friday at Fuji Hana Sushi and Steakhouse! I don't know that I have ever seen such an impressive display before.

So here's the deal for those of you who may not know this..... don't worry - I didn't prior to meeting Robert. Sashimi is the raw fish variety and sushi is either vegetables only/and cooked fish or meat. Soooooo.... the sushi is easy - I really do like it. Sashimi on the other hand is a little harder to 'like' if you haven't grown up eating it. You all would be proud of me that I tried something new.... sashimi! Now the truth is that I don't like all of it, but thoroughly enjoyed the tuna. This could be the start of something new!

The picture posted here is not the actual dinner we ate, but is very representative of it.

I can see clearly now.....

the flash is off! I've got a little story to tell about a girl who can't keep her eyes open! It's my sister Sara. Try as she may, I think it is next to impossible for her to keep her eyes open in a picture involving a flash. After trying many, many times, I finally turned off the flash and here are the results.

Happy New Year!!!

Even though Robert and I spent the New Year apart, it was so very memorable for me. For those of you who weren't there - I spent the past week in Chicago and Hammond, Indiana with family. Chris lives in Chicago, Mike & Angela were visiting along with Nathan and the rest of the family lives in Hammond.

Even though we just saw Nathan in November, he has changed so much. I never cease to be amazed by his development. He is verbalizing his wants and feelings very clearly, and is very well behaved to top it off! Even if I wasn't his Tutu (Grandma) I would be proud. Oh, and did I mention this is one of the cutest kids ever?

Vinyl Heaven

That's what Robert is in ever since we received Mike and Angela's Christmas gift, a functional turn table. This is no ordinary turntable, but one that is a replica of an old time radio/turntable complete with a record stand. It is perfect for the living room decor and has already accumlulated its' share of Beatles albums - as they are timeless.

Thanks Mike and Angela for the perfect gift!

Merry Christmas!

Robert and I would like to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. It is at this time of year we all should take a moment to pause, contemplate and celebrate the richness in friends, family and memories over the past year.

Doing so brings many wonderful thoughts to mind, such as the reunion of Robert (Kenui) and his son Kawika, Nathan's first birthday, Chris's graduation from UF and subsequent employment with IBM, the announcement of two more grandchildren on the way; Noelani and Dan, Michael and Angela, helping friends from NOLA, and the list goes on and on.

Cheers to all!

Where to begin....

I am reminded each time I speak with one of our 'one time' readers how dilinguent we have been about updating this blog. One and a half months is a long time, I know. My dog ate my homework? Oops!!!! We don't have a dog - does it count if Nathan has two? (Yes, I know they don't live anywhere around us...)

Sooooo..... what have we been doing since October?

• Halloween Partys
  
• Private Shopping Event on the Marietta Square
• Birthday Concert
• North Jawja Queen Party
  
• Wine Tasting
• Thanksgiving with the family
• Visit to the Georgia Aquarium
• Bowling at US Play
• Dinner with friends
• and yes, there's that thing called work!

Let's start at the beginning, Halloween is a time for bad costumes, and trust me I didn't let y'all down. I'm actually getting quite used to being mistaken for Peg Bundy, but you'll know it's me by the tiara. One should never leave home without one. Now just in case you're wondering, I couldn't talk Robert into wearing a 60's /70's Fro wig, much to my dismay........

I am sure that these events are held in many locations, but this was my first time attending a private shopping event at Marietta Square. It goes something like this, Lots of women, hor'duerves and wine at each shop, door prizes, scavenger hunt, discounts and someone to tote all of your packages! Let's stop and think about this.... Tipsy women with credit cards in tow..... this could turn into a seriously dangerous situation. The last shop with the chocolate martinis was the best! I even won a couple of door prizes....... Whew! What a time!

Ah, the birthday concert, now that was truly a funny night. My team at work took me to lunch for my birthday and gave Robert and I tickets to the concert of our choice. I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful team that also rocks at their job, in addition to being considerate. No really, when I was interviewing them, I asked if they would be willing to bring me gifts..... (Just joking!!!!!) The concert was Dan Bromberg, an accomplished acoustical guitarist who plays a mix of blues and blue grass. After the concert, we went to our favorite haunt Crystal's on the Square, where Robert was promptly 'flashed' by one of the ladies (using the term loosely here!) as we walked in the door. Wow! Come to find out it was a case of mistaken bald man identity! The guy who this was meant for was sitting across the room laughing at Robert! What a night!

On to the North Jawja Queen Party. I have been trying for a long time to convince my friends that The Larry Griffith Band is the best thing since sliced bread. Finally they believe! The NJQ joined Robert and I at an eating and drinking establishment named Doc's to see The Larry Griffith Band. An interesting combination of women with tiaras and boas dancing to Motown. The guitarist is King George, so I am thinkin' we have a ready made royal court!

On to the Wine Tasting with Dave and Judi. Dave just completed his schooling and received his certification as a sommelier. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a fancy name for a wine expert who makes recommendations when you are at one of them there fancy restaurants. This was a first for both Robert and I and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now, there's Thanksgiving..... this has to be the best one I can remember in a long, long time. There are many moments that are deserving of their very own post with pix. Let me just give you an idea of how much time we spent at the Atlanta airport, in addition to other arrivals and departures.

• Tuesday - pick up Kawika at 10:30am, Jessie and Sky at 12:30
• Wednesday 4am - Mike (my son), Angela and Nathan get in
  
• Wednesday - pick up Mary (my sister) at 7pm
  
• Thursday - no new arrivals, but my friend Linda joins us for dinner
• Friday - Mary departs at 7pm
• Saturday morning - Mike, Angela and Nathan depart for Florida
• Saturday noon - Linda (step mother), Jenny and Jake arrive
  
• Sunday noon - Chris arrives
• Sunday evening - Linda, Jenny and Jake leave
• Monday - Kawika leaves for Kansas City
• Tuesday - Jessie and Sky leave for Wisconsin

........ wait! is anyone still here? Oh yeah , Chris left this past Saturday going back to Chicago.
Lot's of fun was had by all during this time. Everyone had a place in this apartment of ours and managed to keep the place pretty darn clean. I am guilty of taking approximately 1500 pix during this short time frame, but I think I got a few good ones!

Some of the most memorable moments were the first time Robert and Kenui saw each other, playing baseball, basketball, video games, cards, cooking dinner, going to US Play and finally the Georgia Aquarium. I am sure I missed something, because it was sooooo much fun. Kawika played basketball with Nathan until he was dizzy. More to come on this visit!

Finally this past weekend was pretty quiet, but we still managed to get together with our friend Linda and her daughter Tammy for dinner. Chris, still in town, joined us and got Linda's version of wine tasting and etiquette in the professional world. Chris and I spent some time shopping before he was off to Chicago to face the cold, cold world. (really the world isn't cold, but Chicago is!)

Now, the excitement has died down. Jessie and Sky are back in Wisconsin, the fronzen tundra. Chris is back in Chicago, the windy city. Kawika is back in Kansas, kicking some soccer balls and anxiously awaiting Christmas. Mike, Angela and Nathan are back in Orlando waitin' for Santa to catch the surf in. Jenny, Linda and Jake are back in Nashville, while Mary is in Peru, South America teaching English. Robert and I - well we are back at work, crazy hours yes, but we have a motto by which we live.

Work hard, play hard!

Pumpkin Carving at its' best

Take a look at the pumpkins of 2005!!!! In Orlando, Nathan chooses his pumpkin, then Aunt Roxanna carves it in his likeness....















Then on up to Hotlanta, where Tutu Kane (aka Robert) is carving the pumpkin for the annual contest at work.

Announcing the very first official....

GOAL by Kawika in the Premier League! This news just in from Kansas City, hold the press, he put the ball right over the keepers head and into the net! It was great!

Congratulations Son!

Happy Birthday to........

Robert!!! This is it folks, the BIG 50!!!!

We celebrated in a quiet sort of way at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Scallini's. The wait staff even sang their very own version of Happy Birthday to Robert and gave him spumoni icecream with a candle!

Last week Chris took us out to Tavern on the Bridge for Robert's birthday. (another milestone - Chris paid for our dinner thanks to IBM!)

He received calls from Noe, Jessie, Michelle, Becca and Kawika! Whew!!!! Couldn't get through on the phone if I tried! ;-)

Reunited and it feels so good......

Does anyone remember this song? Well, we just have to tell it has so much meaning this week for Robert and I. After receiving Kawika's latest pictures and making plans for Thanksgiving we are just beside ourselves!

Kawika is Robert's son who lives in Kansas City. He plays Left Forward for the KC Comets, aPremier Soccer team (the elite of the elite.) He auditioned with 60 other kids for two positions and made it! Congratulations Kawika! I think soccer must be in the blood.

Can't wait to see you Kawika!!!!

Adventurous Mary -

That's what she should be nick named......

Most only dream about packing up, going to places strange (no pun intended!) and unfamiliar, but this is what Mary does every day!
(scrapbook page by Jen Strange)

My Dad and I were talking the other day about various assundry topics of which Mary was one. He said she had plans to visit South America soon, but hadn't heard from her in awhile. The next day, completely out of the blue, Mary called me! I thought she had been talking with Dad, but no - that wasn't it!

Mary is headed on her next adventure to none other than Peru and will be stopping by Atlanta! Yeah!!!! I think the last time I saw her was in 1999 or 2000 and it will be so good to see her again. I will be sure to post some pix to keep you all up to date!

Can't wait to see you Mary!

"Yup, there's work to be done.........

in the fields, ahem I mean yard!" says young Nathan as he surveys the landscape.

October is.......

Cashier Appreciation Month!!!

and it just so happens that I know one of the best there is in the home improvement industry!

My Mom, ten year veteran of said warehouse, can help you get in and out FAST! Need some advice on what tool to use, or what the latest gadget is? Come on over and see Joan. And while she is out to take your money (afterall that IS what her job is) she is very accurate! And talk about friendly, whew - she has customers who will wait in line just to have Joan check them out. When Joan Thanks you for shopping at her establishment, you know it is genuine.

Cashiers thank us every day for shopping at their store, let's take an opportunity this October to say, " Thanks for all you do!"

Thanks Mom!!!

We have wonderful news to share.....

with everyone. Noe, Robert's oldest daughter is expecting this coming spring! The look on her face in the picture to the left tells the story about how happy she and Dan are, not to mention Robert and I.

In the past year, Noe has landed her dream job (Flight Attendant with Northwest,) met her dream man and now - well this is just the beginning of a fairy tale come true!

Congratulations Noe and Dan! We love you!

(Ahem.... please let our new grandbaby know that Tutu Pink and Tutu Kane are very anxious for the special day!)

There's no place like....

home! You are looking at the very building that Chris now lives in! He and his friend Tommy, who goes to school in Chicago, have a two bedroom apartment right here in The Baxter on North Broadway. Robert and I can't wait to visit them (in the warm weather of course!)

This past weekend Chris took a trip over to Indiana, just a few short miles away, and came back loaded with all kinds of goodies from Grandma. Towels, coffee maker, hammer, nails, cleaning supplies..... all essential to beginning his future all on his own. And we can't forget that Aunt Sara let him borrow an air mattress until he can actually get a real bed.

Don't forget to visit Chris at chrislugo.com

Hello????

Last week my cell phone rang. Before I picked it up, I looked at the display which indicated that Mike is calling.

Me, "Hey Mike, how's it going?"
Nathan, "la-la-aughhhhh-da-da..."
Me, "Hey there Nathan, this is Tutu Pink, how are you Darling?"
Nathan, "la-la-da-da- hmm?"

The conversation continued in a very similar manner for about 30 seconds, then silence. I am assuming that Nathan left the room to be with Mike and Angela, chase the dog or something to that effect.

I call back later and speak to Mike who is laughing. He said that when the phone rings that Nathan runs for it, but hasn't quite figured how to answer it yet.

Wonder if Sprint offers the Baby Calling Plan?

In the doghouse at such a young age......

That's where Nathan is! Evidently our young man has great manual dexterity and can open and close the door or the kennel. Nathan is now the lucky little boy with not only one, but two doggies in his house. Chaos, also in the dog house and Havoc, new puppy. What a lucky little boy he is!

Dinner Anyone?

While on his latest quest to the Antique Store to purchase a railroad crossing light I told him I had seen, Robert came across this fantastic piece of early 60's furniture. Check out the RCA Victor stereo console on the back wall. What a find! This must have been the Cadillac of stereos, because it still sounds fantastic!

As you can tell, our dining room is near complete with the hutch and Formica table. The record stands are also authentic, complete with albums from the Beatles, Rolling Stones and many others.

So if you're ever in Hotlanta - stop by for dinner and take a step back in time with us.

Hittin' it outta the park in.....

Chicago! That's what Chris is doing as of late.

Within the last week Chris has officially moved to Chicago, interviewed and accepted a position with IBM and also secured an apartment - all this while also visiting relatives and friends in the area. Whew! I'm tired just writing about it.

The funny thing about Chris moving to Chicago is that even though it's not where he grew up, it's like going home. Both sides of the family are based in Hammond, Indiana - right outside of Chicago, so he'll never be alone on holidays. I think the only bittersweet part of this is Mike, Angela and Nathan living in Florida. Nathan is growing up so quick and both Chris and Robert & I are missing out on some really fun times with him.

A job with IBM?! That's a wonderful entry on anyone's resume. Chris will spend the next few months in training and three of those weeks are here in Atlanta.

The apartment sounds wonderful too. He and a friend will be sharing a two bedroom apartment on N. Broadway, four blocks away from Wrigley field. Hardwood floors, fireplace and lots of closet space make this one a real deal. I can't wait to see pictures, how about you?

The latest photo's are here!

Hardly seems as if one year has passed since Nathan made his grand entrance into the world.

I talked to Mike last night, and I have to tell you it always makes me so proud of how his life has turned out. One could not ask for a better Father and Husband. I look at him, Angela, who by the way is beautiful and wonderful herself, and Nathan - and think to myself....this is the all American dream, a hard working, happy family.

Nathan is not only walking, but running. Mike said that he is also talking non-stop. Momma, Daddy, Chaos (the dog), pup pup (Havoc, the new puppy), hello and the list goes on. Here's the only pitfall in all of this.... They are holding pictures hostage until Robert and I actually make it down to Florida to take our own! Yikes! Looks like we better start plannin', huh?

It's official....

Chris is on his way to get his education on Life in the Big City! This year has been, and will be a turning point in his life with graduating from college, aging out from the Cavaliers and now moving to Chicago. He and his car made it just fine (whew!), and now begins the interviews..... Many may think, will Chris be fortunate enough to find a job? But rather I think, who will be the fortunate one to have Chris work for their company? I say that 1) as a proud Mom, but in addition 2) one who has reviewed many resumes and interviewed many applicants for open positions. May I add that speaking on behalf of 2), he is a good catch for any company.

Good Luck Chris!

Basketball anyone?

Robert and I took Chris, who is in town on his way to Chicago, to Sidelines Grill for dinner this evening. After which we decided to play a friendly game of basketball. May I tell y'all that I proceeded to score higher than either of the guys? Now they will tell you that the game is not functioning correctly, but believe me when I tell you they just don't like being beat by a 'girl'!

49 points!

Will you....

read me a book?

I see you!

Nathan gets up close and personal with Tio Chris!! You want my picture? How about this? (Nathan 14 months old) Gosh I miss him so much!

The best $2.50 I ever.....

spent was on a can of green hair spray paint. Now, I know to the average person this may seem like a very strange comment, but hopefully you will agree after you read my explanation.

It all started four years ago in Madison, Wisconsin at Walmart. Sara, Mom, Marilyn and I were hunting for anything green that we could find. You see Chris was a first year rookie in the Cavaliers and we felt the need to show our support. Aha! Green hair spray paint - what a find! We purchase said hairspray and proceed to the womens restroom. It is there that we each sprayed our hair green. Young girls in the stadium approached and wanted to know where they could get their hair sprayed. So I whipped out the can of spray and must have done five girls hair.

Fast forward to Orlando in 2003 and Denver in 2004 - the scene replays itself again and again....... With the season coming again, I proceed to find green hair spray paint once more. $2.50? What a bargain! This year's story is even better than the previous three combined.....

After watching the Cavies practice one final time before the last day of competition, Robert and I stop at Wendy's to get a quick bite to eat and to change into our 'Cavies Baseball jerseys'. I also take the opportunity to use the mirror in the bathroom to spray my hair. Imagine the suprise when I walk out with green hair! Yes, that is always a priceless moment. For some reason, people automatically assume that once one passes a certain age they do not do anything out of the ordinary. I try to talk Robert into spraying his beard and moutache to no avail......

We missed the Pre-Finals Get Together, but do arrive in the parking lot just in time to catch Mom, Sara and Ken before they leave. As we are talking to them, a car stops and the gentleman driver asks where he can purchase some green hair spray paint. Imagine my delight to find another adult that would like to paint their hair green!!! Yes, Alan Boyer, proud father of a Cavalier had his daughter paint a stripe of green in his hair and beard. He then talked her into it as well. Yeah!!!

Robert and I eat, then proceed to the parking lot at Gillette stadium all the while I am trying to talk him into painting his beard and moustache. He is resistant, but finally must have gotten tired of my insistence. (Nice way of saying that I wouldn't shut up until he did - ya know, "It's the last time ever that you will have to show your support for Chris, blah, blah.....;-0) Yesss...... I get to paint his beard and moustache.

It is funny how Robert really was the one who attracted most of the attention with his beard. This may be because people assume that women do crazy things, but it is more unusual for a man? Not sure why, but everyone kept telling him how much they like his green paint.

So, we're sitting in our seats in the Cavaliers Block, waiting for the show to begin. a large group of young adults from Japan are sitting next to us as well as in the row below us. They, like many others, are very interested in the green hair thing. They even wanted their pix with us..... OK, now the wheels are turning. We offered the remainder of our green hairspray paint as a gesture of friendship..... They proceeded to paint C-A-V-A-L-I-E-R-S, one letter on the top of each head. The pictures are pricesless. The only thing that would've made it better is if the Cavaliers were on the field when the pix was taken. (credit for photo goes to Alan, Photoshop to take out a couple of extraneous item goes to Robert and finally my camera Nikon D70 for being so awesome!)

One fellow fan even asked me if these were our kids..... Well no, but we would be happy to claim them any day - What fabulous people!

And all of these shennanigans are made possible by The Cavaliers! What a privilege to have been associated with them for the past four years. I know that Chris will continue for years to come. Who knows..... maybe one day he will paint his hair green.

Welcome to a very special baby.....

Silas Edward, born on August 19 to Corwyn and Lori. Silas doesn't know yet, but perhaps the whole town of Marietta is in love with him.

Corwyn is the son of Keith, owner of Crystal's on the Square, a hole in the wall bar with an atmosphere reminiscent of Cheers. Live music, good fun and friends. Corwyn and Lori were with child, when Lori was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Even with her life at risk, they put their child first. Lori would carry him until he was able to survive on his own then pursue her own fight for her life.

Silas arrived, a healthy 5 lbs 8 oz, with a clean bill of health. Grandpa Keith proudly wore his button on his sleeve last night and was showing everyone his miracle grandchild. Silas is nothing short of perfect. He is gorgeous, with an olive complexion and lots of black hair. He even rivals my very own children in this category.

Another major issue, in addition to all of her health issues, Lori lost her medical insurance as of yesterday. Another wonderful person also named Lori began to arrange an Benefit, held on August 20th, to celebrate Silas's life and raise money to help Lori fight for hers.

All of the bands who played last night donated all of their earnings and tips to Lori. Local shop owner of Alchemy, Laura, donated handmade jewelry and a couple of neoprene wine and beer carriers to auction off, with all proceeds going to Lori of course! I walked away with a gorgeous handmade necklace and a wine holder for Robert. (He says it may actually hold coke and crown if necessary!) Robert said that when I went in to bid, he knew that I wouldn't be beat out at the auction. Well he was right! A worthy cause and jewelry?

The necklace is special in it's very own rights. It is the first piece of jewelry that one of our good friends Michael ever made, and also contains pearls from one of her Grandmothers bracelets. I actually feel very priveleged to have won the the auction.

Keep our dear Lori in your thoughts and prayers as she continues her fight, but know that she, Corwyn and Keith have a beautiful gift from above to provide endless inspiration.

Been workin' and playin' real hard .......

and it's pretty obvious that we have been neglecting our blog here lately......

Since the last time we dropped by, we have been working hard, putting in alot of hours. That's pretty much Robert and my motto, "Work hard, play hard." Robert has worked so much throughout the year, that his boss actually had to force him to take three weeks of vacation this summer. Whew! That's also a little dangerous, because he may be tempted to become an "International Man of Leisure" if we're not careful! (ha-ha!)

So what have we really been doing? Well, a couple of performances with the Fried Flamingo Queens and the A1A Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band, some open jams (blues & jazz), entertaining all four of Robert's daughter's here in Hotlanta and taking a trip to Boston for the Drum Corp International Championship........ Oh yes, and working here and there between......

I will try my best to catch up on individual posts so that we can adequately cover all of the shenanigans properly.......... (and yes, we took some pix to document the moments!)

Tom, Dick and .....

Harry! Harry's is just about the coolest store Robert and I have ever shopped! If you ever come to visit us, you simply must make a trip to Harry's. Harry's, also known as Whole Food Market, is an upscale Farmer's market with variety that will make even a Chef's head spin.....

The first time Robert and I visited, he appeared to have 'died and gone to heaven'. I tried to keep up with him as I was pushing the cart to no avail. I just parked it and watched him go from item to item in the Produce department like a kid in a candy store.

As you enter Harry's the first thing you will encounter is the live plant area. Beautiful orchids and bonsai trees are just a couple of the wonderful choices. Enter into the Produce department. Fruits and vegetables in abundance at great prices. Guava, papaya, sugar cane, fresh chantrel mushrooms, tamarind and cactus leaves are on displays among hundreds of other choices.

There must be 20 kinds of olive oil, 200 kinds of dressings, and the list goes on.
Each of the aisles is dedicated to an ethnic food type. Exotic brands from overseas are oh so interesting. The really cool part is that Robert actually knows how to prepare most of what one can find there. The sample trays are all over the store. Everything from fruit, vegetables, chips with humus or salsa, cheeses and breads. If you're not careful, you may not even be hungry by the time you leave!

A whole wall of generically packaged spices, candies, trail mixes and nuts are available at a very reasonable price. No more paying $4 for a small jar of spice, when you can pay $2 for a 6oz container. Rice is available in 10, 25 and 50 pound bags, whew!

The meat department offers at least 15 different flavors of sausage, next to every other imaginable choice of meats. The Fish Market also offers a wide variety of fresh seafood, with a tank for the live lobster. This past week when we visited, a large crate of blue crab were for sale. I kept watching people walk up, take the tongs in hand and put them in the bag. Robert and I walked over, only for me to ask a stupid question like this, "Do they try to get away?" Not being able to pass this one up, he replies "No, they hold on" as he demonstrates. The crab is holding for dear life, but is trying to get away at the same time. Hmmmm.....

Continuing the journey through the store, you will find a large selection of wine and brews to your left with the all important chocolate on the right. Around the corner, the bakery! Smells great and there they are again, the samples! Coffee beans of every flavor are available to grind and smell just heavenly. The olive bar, selection of cheeses and deli meats are impressive as well.

le Crueset pans and kitchen utensils are available as well as many unique food preparation items. Now hold on, because if you got all the way through and decided you are too tired to cook, there is a buffet, soup and salad bar. They even have sushi.

And finally my favorite part, fresh flowers. Robert has a habit of bringing me flowers from Harry's and I admit I love it.

They even offer cooking classes with a Chef on the weekends, but I have never gone, because I have my very own right here at home!

And that my friend, is Harry's!

Dennis the Menace comes to .....

Hotlanta! Who would've thought that Atlanta would be so severely impacted by Hurricane Dennis?

The Corporate Command Center at my place of employment is staffed to help our associates in their time of need, as well as provide supplies to our customers. We stay pretty much in tune with the hurricane warnings so that we can anticipate the impact and react quickly. Even through all of this, I don't think anyone expected Dennis to hit so hard.

Major thorough fares here in Atlanta were shut down due to flooding from rain and overflowing tributaries. Two of my friends and one of my co-workers had their basement flood. Robert and I are fortunate to live in a complex situated on the 'high' road and more importantly on the second floor. This is one time when we don't really mind the steps.

The weather bureau has forecast an active hurricane season, so batten down the hatch and try to stay dry!

The award for "Most Whimsical Float" ....

goes to the Fried Flamingo's of Marietta!

Many hours of prep time during the weeks prior and waking early to get properly feathered for the Fourth of July parade paid off! Six Fried Flamingo Queens and their Drambuie Boys, along with The Body Handler strutted their stuff on an 18 foot long pink feathered float pulled by Tacoma down the streets of Marietta cheered by on-lookers.

Robert and I were discussing afterwards how long it had been the last time we were in a parade. For him, with his girls in Hawaii and for me, high school! The funny part is, this is the second one this year, with at least two more to go........

We all settled down in the park only to be approached constantly by others wanting their pictures with us. Our group also passed out sequined tiaras to the young princesses and pin wheels to the young princes.

• One little girl asks, "Is that your hair?" to which I answer, "Of course, I bought it!"
  
• Another princess wants to know if I get to keep all of that jewelry and if I want to see her perform her baton twirling routine. Yes, and yes I reply as I applaud her showmanship.
• The children are mesmerized by the bubble machines on the float, trying to catch them before they float away.

Two of my favorite moments of the day are the when we all had our pix taken with two, more experienced queens. Their silver hair and sparkly eyes really tell a story..... Deep down, we are all Queens and just want to have fun!

As the afternoon progressed, the FFQs and their respective Drambuie Boys departed two by two. Robert and I took Tacoma back home for an afternoon nap, only to return for fireworks later that evening.

Happy Independence Day! We are proud to be Americans!

Hot fun in the ....

summer time in Hotlanta! Whew, it sure it hot, but we are lovin' it, especially since Robert is on vacation this coming week!

We began the weekend dining with our favorite server Sergio at La Parilla on the South 120 Loop. A couple of weeks later he still remembers us, and even what we had to eat. Wow! What a memory. He was comical, the way that he kept coming by the table and saying, "Me again, everything OK?" We really like this guy! Also, a guitarist named Gil Caro was playing. He has a very clear and pleasing voice. We bought one of his CDs & really enjoy it. Nice start.

Oops, a little stretch here, Robert did work on Saturday and I joined my fellow Fried Flamingo's in beginning to prepare the float for the Fourth of July parade. Hot, hot, hot and alot of humidity would adequately describe the weather. The nine foot long and nine foot wide cape that I made for Darlene, the eight foot tall flamingo fit perfectly and even looks good. We glued pink feathers like there was no tomorrow. After about four hours, all ten of us were very hot and sweaty, ready to call it a night. After Robert comes home, we make our way to try out a new restaurant, Nick's Back Porch. Hmmm..., decent food, terrible service - probably will not go back unless one of our friends is singing there. Now, off to Crystal's on the Square - the Salsa Brothers , oops, I mean Santos Brothers are playing. They're OK, so we have a drink and sit out on the walk in the nice cool summer breeze.

Today, we sleep in, then I serve Robert breakfast in bed. (He really deserves it!) I spend the morning making six red, white and blue head dresses for the Fried Flamingos. They turned out rather well, if I do say so myself. Robert spent the morning preparing his Fantasy Football League (he's the commissioner you know!)

Then, we take Tacoma (our baby) to see Darlene (the flamingo float. ) We put the finishing touches on Darlene and set Tacoma up with the speakers and stereo. I think we're all ready to go tomorrow morning at 6:30am. If you are at the Marietta Square tomorrow morning about 9:30 - 10:00am, you just might see the Fabulous Fried Flamingos of Marietta and the Drambuie Boys in the parade. Don't worry if you miss it, because I will be sure to put the pix on line.

Now, we are off to Kennesaw Billiards to the Open Jam night hosted by the Larry Griffith Band. Robert will play his bass, and I just may take some pictures.

Till tomorrow.,.....