Visit with Daughter and Son-in-law in Atlanta: We had a great weekend visit in Atlanta with Kristen and Ben. As usual Kristen had a great weekend of activities planned. First we had dinner at The Vortex, an Atlanta legend, hamburger dive that looks like a biker hangout. Most everyone there had tattoos but us. The burgers were great and the atmosphere was strange but fun. It definitely one of the those "must do" things in Atlanta.
Next we were off the Georgia Aquarium for some jazz, wine, and fish. But the fish were not on our plate. They were all around us, even swimming over our heads. This is an amazing place and going at night when most of the kids are gone and its just adults listening to great music makes it even better.
The next day we went to a great place for lunch called the Marietta Diner. You've never seen such a menu. And the food is plentiful and delicious. You eat enough in one meal to do you the entire day. In fact, that's what we did. After that meal, we didn't want much else. So, we decided to go work off a little of this feast at Dave and Busters. That was fun, especially for Susan. This is her kind of fun. I enjoyed it but I'm not a gambler even if it is for stuffed animals and carnival prizes.We had one more stop to make before heading out to Stone Mountain for the famous laser light show. We had to go back to the Marietta Diner for some of their wonderful desserts. Their cakes are gigantic and they looked so good we just had to have some to take with us on our picnic at the park.
Well you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men. We had everything we need to enjoy at great summer evening laser show until, and uninvited guest appeared, the rain. And boy did it pour down.
We tried not to let this dampen our spirits and it did stop before the show started. However the fog and ground clouds made the show not so spectacular. Oh well, we have to try this again some other time.
Our next summer adventure was a visit with our other daughter and son-in-law in Charleston. This was tied to a weekend retreat with our Church friends at the SC Lutheran Retreat Center on the Isles of Palms.
We arrived a day before the others so we could spend some time with Kelly and Travis. We took off, after we arrived, to the beach. We walked on the pier, shopped in the beach shops, and had dinner at a new place in Folly Beach. It was great to have few hours visiting with the kids before they had to leave.
The rest of the weekend was spent in fellowship with our Church friends. As activity directors, Susan and I were busy planning games, movies, and fun things for everyone to do.The best thing to do, however, on the Isle of Palms is vegging out on the beach. This is the best beach in SC and maybe even the US, as far as I'm concerned.
Our Church, JOY Lutheran, plans retreats at our retr
eat center every year. It is a great time to get to know those people you see every Sunday in Church but don't know much about. You find yourself in long conversations with casual friends and before you know it, you have made a close friend for life. We do this every year and wouldn't miss it.
