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.,.....

If you ever wondered where you can find......

just about anything? Next time you are on a road trip, check out a truck stop instead of a local gas station. Robert and I have decided that these are a point of interest on any trip. Below is a list of just some of what you will find at any respectable truck stop:

• womens restrooms with coin op machines for perfume and sanitary nakins
• mens restrooms with coin op machines for cologne, aspirin & antacid and items "for HER pleasure and both of your protection"
  
• coffee that tastes like mud
• coin operated showers
• packages of Fruit of the Loom underwear - mens only
• handcuffs ?!
• tacky plastic signs to hang on the wall - with sayings like, "The more I drink, the better you look" and the proverbial "You might be a red neck if..."
  
• sign with suction cup (obviously for a truck) that says, "No Lot Lizards" and has a picture of a lizard in a fitting dress and pumps.
• arcade games
• 24 oz Rock Star energy drink
• hotdogs and taquitos that have been 'rolling' on the machine all day long
  
• statues of gators, castles and bulldogs that look like they are made of sand
• CDs of old musicians and time warp compilatons (e.g., Classic Hits of the 70's)
• attendants missing their teeth
• little packages of 'vitamins' and 'natural herbs' that will give you ENERGY
• sharpies (yes, we bought one!)
• pink trucker hats that say Corona
• do-rags with the rebel flag (isn't that an oxy-moron?)
• Nascar model collections (not cheap either)
• fireworks
• postcards
  
• over-priced candies and chips
• big truck car (oops I mean truck) wash

So, here's the deal. Stop in buy some clean underwear, take a shower, get some cologne and a trucker hat. Take your lot lizard out for arcade games, a taquito and a Rock Star energy drink. And to top the night off, buy her a sand castle to commemorate the night.

And that my friends is a truck stop. Hilarious stuff!

Nathan takes home the Gold!

The Cavaliers performed in Orlando at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday, June 25^th, which is coincidentally the same day as Nathan'’s first birthday party. Mike, Angela and Nathan joined us to watch the Cavaliers perform along with other Division 1 DCI Corps. This would be the first and last time that Nathan will ever have a chance to watch Chris perform. To ensure that he will remember the moments, many pieces of photo documentation were captured.

Robert and I ran into Chris at the Cavaliers Fan Booth where we were, along with dozens of other fans, purchasing this year'’s Cavaliers shirts. We told him where Mike, Angela and Nathan were sitting and Chris indicated that he would try to make it by before the show. And true to his word, he stopped by. It is amazing that Nathan remembers him so well. The photos for the evening began there, and didn'’t end for a few more hours.

The Cavalier'’s performance was awesome, as usual and with my new D60, I was able to get some fantastic shots. I am torn about which lense to keep on the camera during performances. The normal 18-70 lense is great for shots of formations, but doesn'’t do well with close ups on the field, and the telephoto 70-300 visa versa. The only tickets left when we arrived were for general admission on the first level, so we sat in the first row (no heads in the shots.) With that taken into account, it was fruitless to try to get shots of the formations, so I chose the telephoto. I still kept my trusty Fujifilm 5000 handy, just in case.

Cavaliers earned first place again, with their show, “My Kind of Town.” Check out the photo of Chris (Ass'’t Drum Major) and Aaron (Drum Major) accepting the gold medal on behalf of the Cavaliers.

Robert left quickly to get some of Chris'’s things from the truck. Meanwhile, Mike, Angela, Nathan and I made our way toward the Cavalier buses, only to find Chris being interviewed by a representative from DCI (Drum Corp International.) We then snapped a few pix with Chris and Nathan, when who should come back out but Aaron.

In his hand, he held the gold medal that had just been placed around his neck earlier that evening. Both Aaron and Chris autographed the medal and '‘awarded'’ it to Nathan, the littlest Cavalier. And that my friends, is how “Nathan takes home the Gold!”

C3PO, R2D2 and .......

D70! Now it's your turn to guess which are robots and which is a new, wonderful SLR camera. Give up? It's D70 from a long line of Nikons.

For those of you who know me well, I am a picture taking fool (more properly known as a fanatic.) I just broke into the world of digital cameras a couple years ago. The first was a Fuji 3100, nice camera with 6x digital zoom. Then I spied a Fuji 5100 with 10x digital zoom. I tell you I thought I was in heaven being able to take pix from the top of a stadium and still get some detail. The quality was OK too with a 3.1 megapixel.

But wait, I finally found my dream camera (or at least this will hold me off a couple of years.) The D70 is a digital SLR. It has removable lenses and and almost instantaneous response time. It is 6.0 megapixels and the quality is phenomenal! This is all just in time for our trip to Florida. I will take wonderful pix of Chris and the Cavaliers, as well as my adorable grandson Nathan! Don't worry, I will share.

Strike a pose and get ready for that photo op, Sheri has a new camera!

So when did it happen?

We wake up one day and all of a sudden we are grown, responsible adults.

It rained hard last night and woke me up at 2:30.

Then Robert (in his sleep, no less) says, "What are you going to do with that?"
Now, since I am already awake, I respond in my very best NY accent, "You talkin to me?!"
Oops, I woke him up (he was dreamin'....) He said he was in "Hells Kitchen" (for those of you who don't know, that's a reality TV show about the restaurant business.)
So we joked around a little (mind you it's 2:30) and fell back to sleep.

Fast forward to 5:15am, the alarm is ringing and I am playing tag with it. I don't want to get up, I really don't want to go to work.

It's now 6:00am, and I drag myself out of bed, make coffee and get a shower. Robert is still sleeping because he is on vacation.

We have talked about this before. When did we go from being irresponsible, do what ever you want, to being so darned responsible? Could it be that we adopted or subscribed somewhere along the way to 'work ethic?'

So the work day begins, deadlines and meetings consume my thoughts and I forget the fact that I wanted to stay home and nap today.

Look at who's grown up, it's Robert and Sheri!

Happy Father’s Day……….

… to all of you Dad’s with a special wish going to three very important men in my life. My Dad, Robert and my son Mike. Let me tell you a little about these three Fathers.

Robert and I basically have a Brady Bunch between the two of us. His girls, all four of them are a true testament to the wonderful man and Father he is. He has a wonderful gift of making everyone around him feel special and loves the girls more than you can ever imagine. I am truly fortunate to have met him and privileged to share his joy of being a parent to such wonderful women.

My son Mike, is someone that I am immensely proud of. This is his first Father’s Day and he has indeed proven to be a great Daddy to Nathan. I was there to see Nathan’s birth and witness the love between Angela, Mike and Nathan. Truly incredible. Nathan is such a lucky child.

And last, but certainly not least is my very own Father. Back to my earliest recollections, I have admired him. Here is a man that has truly ‘made it.’ Born in a small southern town to poor parents, he was determined to make it out. Because of him, my childhood was very normal. I was never hungry or lacking in the proper apparel. I was given lessons in virtually anything I showed an interest in, voice, French horn, guitar and supported whole heartedly through out. As an adult, my Dad and I have great conversations about old times, current events, family and the list could go on. I am proud of my Father and know he feels the same way about me.

So, let’s start with yesterday. I talked to my Dad to let him know that I forgot to send his Father’s Day card and would get it in the mail first thing on Monday. Well, I started thinking about it and figured that since Nashville is only four hours away and Robert is starting vacation on Sunday – why don’t we just drive up there? I contacted Linda to conspire with her. When I aked if they had any plans for Father’s Day, she said no… What about a cookout I asked? OK!!!! Game on! Robert and I traveled a short four hours to Nashville, stopped at the grocery store and called Dad when we were pulling up to his house.

Sheri – “How are you Dad?”

Dad – “Fine, a little sweaty from working on this deck, but the weather’s great for working outside.”

Sheri – “Happy Father’s Day Dad”

Dad – “Thanks”

Sheri – “Can you come out to help me bring in groceries?”

Dad – “Sure”

Sheri – “No really Dad, we’re in your driveway!”

Dad – “Sure surprised me!”

We had a good visit with Dad, Linda, Kathy, Lou, Jenny and Jake. Ate good food, had good conversation and took LOTS of pix with the new camera (and several others too!)

I think the highlight for Robert was when my Dad gave him his first fly fishing reel, which used to belong to my Uncle Frank.

Great Day, great Fathers!

Guess who got hitched?!

Our beloved Tacoma went back into the shop to get his hitch this past week. It was hard for Robert to leave him, but it was a brief stay and he knew he was in good hands.

Now Tacoma is ready for some real manly fun, towing a trailer, boat or combination of the two. The hitch is nice and shiny (my description!), wired for lights and a light capacity load.

Here’s the best part….. Tacoma’s first towing experience will be in the Fourth of July parade in Marietta with a pink feathered float behind him! Maybe next year will see a boat, never know……

Now admit it, when you read this title you jumped to conclusions.....

We found a new place…….

…to eat! Funny as it may sound, even with Robert being a fantastic Chef, we eat out a lot. Some of our friends recommended a Mexican restaurant, La Parrilla to us and we decided to give it a shot.

Located on the 120 Loop near the Marietta Square in an average building lies La Parrilla. The first indicator that it was a good find was the full to capacity parking lot. Luckily for us, there was one vacant spot. (Good thing, because we were really hungry!) We were seated almost immediately and greeted by Sergio, our server for the evening, shortly thereafter. From here on, it’s hard to decide what was better, Sergio’s service or the food.

Sergio made sure that he answered our every question. “Do you need some more minutes to look at the menu?” Sergio asked us. When Robert asked about a drink displayed on the menu, he went to ask the Bartender to make sure his answer was correct. Robert decided to try the drink, Michilada, which was beer, vodka and lime mixed together with a splash of tobasco. Sergio stayed to watch Robert take a drink. “Do you like it?”, he asked. When Robert responded yes, he breathed a sigh of relief. A couple of times during our brief conversations, he made a reference, ‘in my country.’ When I asked where he is from, he said Columbia. I then asked, what brings you here to which he responded, ‘a plane.’ “Are you going to school here?” I said to him and he said, “Yes, English – I need English for life.” What a truly courteous young man. I do think he will do well here in the U.S.

So, if you’re ever in Marietta and have a hankerin’ for Mexican food, stop by La Parrilla and ask for Sergio.

Please join Robert and me in welcoming.....

the newest member in our household. Our long awaited Tacoma arrived on June 9, 2005. We have been expecting him since November and were pleased that the delivery was short and sweet. In preparation for our new addition, we considered many names, Tahoe, Explorer, Ram, Dakota to name a few - but decided that Tacoma was just the right choice.

As with all new arrivals, we were mainly concerned with his health and consider ourselves very fortunate that he has no defects. Four tires, four doors and two eyes.... and naturally we think he is better looking than most. I promise we would say that even if he weren't ours! His first bath was a memorable event and left him very shiny, maybe with even a little sparkle. Like most little ones, he likes a leisurely drive at night and listening to soft jazz, before retiring to his own long bed. We really love Tacoma and know that he does too as his eyes light up when he sees us.

Tacoma will be taking his first road trip with us to Florida in a couple of weeks and is very excited to be introduced to the rest of the family.

To round out the perfect weekend.....

we slept in again on Sunday. Now you may be thinking that we are one laid back couple with not a care in the world. (Hmmmm, now that you mention it, we may be.) As I wake up at 9am and reach over to the bedstand to call the Renaissance Waverly for reservations for brunch at noon, we decide that it is still too early and go back to sleep.

Now we are on our way, having cleaned up appropriately for brunch. We valet our fancy Cavalier (full to the brim with bags of clothes from the cleaned out closet in the back seat) and proceed to the reservationist. Lunch for two, Pope is the name, may we please be seated up front next to the band? Of course! The drummer of the band, Bernard Lynette says that we indeed have the best seat of the house. Why settle, right?

Brunch is wonderful as always, but the service is a little less than stellar this Sunday. Nonetheless, the music makes it worthwhile. A simple band comprised of a drummer, upright bass player (the bass, not the player - well, yes the player too!), a pianist and a singer. Nice lite jazz, easy listening......... As we are about to leave, Robert notices a table manned by a young gentleman from Lite Jazz FM who is 'giving' several items away. As we approach, a yong woman is trying to answer a trivia question in hopes of winning a CD of smooth jazz. The only problem is that she knows absolutely nothing about jazz or the station. It is obvious this young man is trying to think of a question she can answer because she just will not leave. "What is a stringed instrument that is here today?" he asks. "Oh, that's really easy" she replies,"it's a cello!!!" As he looks at us, with a look of 'if I give this to her, she will leave me alone' he replies, "You win a CD!" He turns his attention to us. "Do you listen to Smooth Jazz? " he asks to which Robert replies, "Of course, we listen all the time." Here's where the pressure begins........ "For a Smooth Jazz FM CD and a pair of tickets to see the play 'Five Guys Named Moe', all you have to do is answer two of three trivia questions." he says to both of us. "Question #1 - What month is a celebration of jazz held in the Atlanta area?" to which I reply, "May." That was easy, we are sure the next one will really stump us....... "Question #2 - What instrument does Chris Botti play?" This is too easy to be true..... "trumpet" I reply. Yes! We won!!!!

We leave the brunch and head to the outlets at Discovery Mills. The weather is poor and the traffic worse, but alas Bass Pro awaits our arrival. Robert and I part ways, I head to Chico's and Robert to the boat section. Amazing as it may seem, I do not find anything at Chico's that I absolutely 'need' and even pass on the shoes at Nine West. Am I sick or what?! I did however, pick up some mango scented fragrance at Bath & Body Works. (You always knew I was fruity, right?) I proceed back to Bass Pro only to find Robert in the section for Fly Fishing. We stock up on the latest selection of fishing line and a fishing pole rack for the closet. Funny as it may seem, I actually find a pair of light weight jeans for myself there. (No! they don't have the Bass Pro logo on them!) We head on home to get ready for the play.

Parking is a breeze at the Alliance Theatre, well worth the price. Our seats are on the end of the row, which gave Robert plenty of leg room. As we wait for the show, Five Guys Named Moe, to begin, we had no idea of what we were in store for. Great singing, story line, audience involvement. At one point, we were doing the Conga with many other audience members on the stage. We sang, laughed and cried. A three year old princess who was carried on stage by one of the actors stole the hearts of many when she waved to her Daddy, who just happened to be the drummer in the orchestra. Tap dancing, how long has it been since you have seen any? Well, we saw it last night. We highly recommend this show to anyone who has the opportunity to experience it.

As we leave, we realize that it is Sunday evening after all. Open Jam at Kennesaw Billiards is tonight. It is late and we don't have time to get Robert's bass, so we just head on out. Most nights at the jam are great, but tonight is just OK. Robert plays Jon's bass and does well as usual. We see some of the regulars, like Michael who is singing like a blue bird once again. She is a very talented woman.

A perfect ending to a perfect weekend. The best part? Robert also had off today. Fishing was on the agenda, but he will have to tell you about that at another time........

The Perfect Saturday means......

sleeping in with the one you love, not having any deadlines to meet and basically doing anything you want. This was the case for Robert and me yesterday.

After staying out late Friday night, we decided before we turned in for the night that the next day would be a lazy day. After waking up at 9am, I made breakfast while Robert checked his email and wrote his fantastic music review. Belgian waffles with real whipped cream (not hard to make) and coffee really hit the spot. The remainder of the day was spent watching Star Wars, napping, doing a little editing for work (me) and figuring out what to do last night.

We started with a simple dinner at one of our favorite eateries, AJ's Seafood. We sat outside as the weather was absolutely gorgeous. The rain finally took its' leave of the Atlanta area to let us enjoy the beginning of summer. Allie, our waitress, was fabulous as always and Tony, one of the owners came out to sit with us. The business is doing well and the quality has remained consistent from day one.

From there, it was on to Darwin's. For those of you who have never been to Darwin's, let me tell you it is a real treat. Not a fancy establishment by any means, but one that has a lot of character. Autographed pictures of musicians line the walls and ceilings, old dinette sets and even school desks with mis-matched chairs suffice as seating - while lighting is a compilation of various odd lamps. The stage, backed with gold lame' provides a quirky setting for the band. Darwin's is also listening to its' customers, providing a non-smoking show for the first set, then smoking for the second. Any way you look at it, this place is always 'Smokin'! Come on in, take a seat and make yourself at home because tonight is a special treat.

Now playing at Darwin's is The Andrew Black Band. Three accomplished musicians will provide the entertainment for the night. Andrew is the ultimate entertainer, singing 'to' his audience and even working his way throughout the crowd, really making you feel that he is glad you are there. Then there's Jon Schwenke the bass player. This is one of the players Robert likes to follow and emulate his style. Jon is not only an accomplished bass player, but sings extremely well too. He is the epitome of cool. And finally John McKnight on drums. Talk about personality and talent all rolled into one. John will drum any available surface, throw his sticks in the air, catch them and continue to play without ever missing a beat. These guys are some of our favorites and it is such a pleasure to hear them and experience their show up close and personal. Added bonus of the evening..... John gave me a broken drum stick, very cool. It will hold a place of high esteem in our music/family room.

And here we are again, the morning after... sleeping in. Til the next time........

I am sooooo happy because.......

I finally have a 'TEAM'! Since this past February, when we re-org'd our department at work and had a temporary hiring freeze, I have been 'team-less.' We received a call last week to say 'Go for it'! Soooo..... my fellow managers and I began interviewing candidates like crazy. In a little over a week, I have a team of four.

Two started this past Tuesday. We went to a store on Wednesday to get them familiarized with their 'customer' and to experience first hand the processes they will support. The next two start in two weeks. It is a good feeling to make the call to let them know they were selected for the position. All are extremely talented and 'ready' to get out there and make a difference.

Next on the agenda for me is to put a team together to create a 'Team Building Event' for our entire department. YEAH!!!!!

Friday Night Blues...

And I'm not talking feeling blue, I'm talking about feeling the Blues! We're both off Saturday, so we decided to find some music Friday night. After checking the internet, we printed up a map and headed off to the Virginia Highlands area. There's a club there named "Blind Willie's" and it's rated in the top 5 jazz and blues clubs in Atlanta.

We got there around 9:30 and here's a plus... lots of parking, just across the street from the club, with a parking lot attendant! Walked over to the club and it was just starting to fill up. We got good, no, great seats right up front. So far, everything was going well. It didn't take long and we were settled in, Sheri with her Martini, and me with my Corona. The crowd was a good mix of people, very comfortable.

The house band, "The Shadows" started up just after 10. I didn't get the names of the members, except for the guitar player, Rick Callahan. He has a good blues style, with a touch of rock. The leader was the harmonica guy, and I liked his style. Clean, not with alot of extra notes. Well defined tone. He also blew a mean Sax. Even getting it to growl at times, nice!

There were two guests. The first one, Sweet Betty, sang a mean blues, really mean! A great stage presence, I do think that everyone in the room felt she was singing right to them. The dancers were all up and loving the music.

The second guest was the legendary Tommy Brown. He's been around Atlanta all his life, touring across the world too. Starting out in the 40's, he's influenced great such as James Brown, Billy Wright, and Little Richard. In the 1950's, Mr. Brown received a BMI award for his #1 R&B hit "Weepin and Cryin". Check out his website if you get a chance. He was great on stage. He's still got some slick dance moves too! The room was rocking, dancing, having a great time. He brought the house down when he did "I'm gonna kill the Ice cream man". He came onstage around 1am, and was clearly the highlight of the night.

All in all, Blind Willy's was a good time. Great blues, lively crowd, and the surroundings made you feel like you were hearing the blues as you could have back in the 40's and 50's. And that alone is a treat.

Thank you, Blind Willie's, we'll be back sometime, for sure.
Peace

IKEA... Do you have one.....

in your town? I have only been to the IKEA located in Chicago and was simply amazed at the economic, yet stylish selection of merchandise. Imagine my delight when I learned that IKEA will be opening in Atlanta! Why Chris (son) and Jen (sis) are both quite enamored with the wide array of merchandise. And for those of you who know me well, know that I will have to check this new shopping venue out as soon as possible.

I signed up for the IKEA mailing list and received the following email yesterday. What a hoot! Wish that I had both the time and the nerve to do this, but alas, I have neither. How about you?

DO YOU LOVE IKEA AS MUCH AS YOU LOVE ATLANTA AND FUN?
Are you so excited about the first IKEA store opening in Atlanta that you positively can't WAIT for grand opening day? Would you do almost anything for the chance to be selected among the lucky few Atlanta-area residents who will experience the new store and all its features before everyone else?

IKEA Atlanta and Star 94 are looking for you! Click here and let us know, in 250 words or less, why you deserve the chance to be randomly-selected as one of the five IKEA AMBASSADORS OF "KUL" (Swedish for "fun") who will live in the IKEA Atlanta store from June 26 through grand opening day on June 29.*

Each of the five randomly-selected IKEA Atlanta Ambassadors of Kul will receive a $2,000 IKEA Gift Card and also help benefit a worthy cause - IKEA Atlanta will match $2,000 for each of the five Ambassadors of Kul to a local non-profit organization. Hurry, contest ends June 3, 2005 – click here to enter now. *Entrants must be 18 years or older for consideration as one of the five participants. Click here for complete contest rules.

Cleaning out the........

closets was how I spent my Sunday. It was a rainy day (not night, ha!) in Georgia when I decided it was time to clean the closet. It all started when......

Robert and I decided that our family room was much too cluttered with 'stuff' and furniture. So we bid adeiu to the yellow couch and the sixty's coffee table acquired from the thrift store a year and a half ago. Now don't get us wrong, they served us well, but it was really time to say farewell. (Side note - call for help - odd job offer.... "If you live here in Marietta and want to make a quick $20, come get the couch and table off of our back porch and carry them to the dumpster.")

So, we decided to rearrange the furniture and set up the keyboard and guitar racks again. The room now has an open feel and is condusive to playing music (Robert, of course) or playing on the computers. Yes, they are both on-line now, his and hers!

Did ya forget to tell us about the closet Sheri?! No, you're not getting off that easily. Who else do you know who could write a mini-series about a closet? Needless to say, all of the 'stuff' got thrown in the closet. One could not walk in the walk in closet if that was the goal. So my goal became to be productive while Robert slaved over a stove at work. By the time he returned from work, I had unpacked and set up a new file cabinet (complete with a tye died peace sign magnet on the side,) in addition to putting together two small shelving units. It is so organized, one may doubt that it is actually a part of our apartment. While I was 'at it', I also attacked the closet in the guest room.

Results?: about eight bags of garbage and ten bags of clothing to give to charity. The garbage has successfully been transported to the dumpster, while the clothing still resides in my trunk. The local Goodwill was leveled to build a Super Walmart, and the drop box of a competitor charity was blocked by constuction and more importantly rain. In my trunk it may remain, until I feel the urge to go shopping and need the trunk space.

Back to our wonderful room (with the organized closet attached) and the great rug we ordered from The Home Depot. (I hear they have the most wonderful 'stuff' there!) The goal with the rug is to complement the olive green naugahide recliner we bought last year and I think we found it! Once the rug is in, we will have a light celery green paint mixed to complement it to cover the walls. We are thinking aobut a 12" to 18" chocolate stripe all the way around the room with the same color of draperies. Keep in mind this is the Beatles room, so we will also be using the existing artwork we have. We are very excited about this update to our room, as it is the one we spend the most time in.

This will be a month long project, so stay tuned for updates!

(See Jess? A post can be about anything including a useless, but nonetheless descriptive narrative about a significant (or otherwise) occurence or experience. )

Jenny joins Robert & Sheri for.....

a night on the town in Marietta, Georgia. Jenny, my little sister, joined us for a night in Hotlanta (well actually Marietta) on her way to spend some well deserved time off from work and real life responsibilities with her friends in south Georgia.

The evening started with dinner at one of our favorite Italian restuarants (just exactly HOW many favorites can we have?) Scalini's. Think Olive Garden, but much, much better. They also have bottomless bowls of garlic rolls that are literally swimming in a pool of real butter and minced garlic. Mmmmm....... Only problem with that is, you'll be tasting garlic for awhile, but if you're like us - you'll consider it a necessary sacrifice. Jenny had chicken parmesian, Robert - veal marsala, and me, mussels. The photo ops also began at Scanlini's and continued on into the night with Jenny and I playing dueling cameras.

Next stop, Marietta Square. When we arrived, the Square was hoppin' with a 'Concert on the Green.' Don't know who was playin', but they were makin' a hit with the crowd. We proceeded to our favorite neighborhood pub, Crystal's. The patrons are mostly our age, which didn't really dawn on me until Jenny remarked that she was the only one under 30 in the place. My guess is that she was the only one under 35 for at least 45 minutes. The band, Hound Dog, was pretty good, playing mostly 70's folk rock. Not really sure how many of the songs Jenny had heard before, but we knew all of the words. (Repeat after me, we are not old - just more experienced and wise than some!) At one point, the lead guitarist was asking the crowd to join in on the chorus of, "Take a load off Manny." We all joined in and he said we sounded like the "Marietta Tabernacle Choir!" After the first set concluded, we decided to leave and walk around the Square a bit for some additional photo ops.

As we walked down the street, a group of early twenty somethings' were sitting outside the ice cream parlor (which by the way was closed, darn!) discussing the local rubber stamp store. I can't tell you how funny it is to hear a young man talk about bunny rabbit and butterfly stamps! We head home to download pix and chat a bit.

This morning Robert had to work early, so Jenny & I slept in. I made belgain waffles with real whipped cream for breakfast. Jenny added some additional chocolate and strawberry toppings to have a virtual sundae waffle. It was a good visit, catching up with Jenny - we ought to do this more often.

Sheri