Here we sit at the Atlanta Airport. Wow, the week went by quickly, but it always does on a vacation. This morning we actually slept in! However, since it was after 2:00 am when the light went out it didn't really feel like sleeping in. We stayed at a Residence Inn and so we had a nice breakfast at the hotel. Then we were off to Georgia Aquarium.
It is located in downtown and right next to the Coca-Cola Museum. Melinda had heard about this and so Nicole and she decided it would be fun. They had never been to an aquarium before. My favorite 'attraction' was the Beluga Whales. They have three and I love watching them. It was VERY crowded and so it was a little more difficult to see all of the displays. One of the things they did have was employees had each of the major exhibits talking about the animals and providing information to us. They also had various places where we could touch animals. We all had a turn at touching the coral-like stuff and not any animals. We had a nice lunch there as well. I have now been to two aquariums and I would rank them as 1 - Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and 2 - Georgia Aquarium. Corrine and I have talked about going to the Aquarium of the Pacific and Monterrey Bay Aquarium. Hopefully we can make it there soon.
We left about 3:00 for the airport. Melinda was feeling a little nostalgic as well as feeling 'reality' hitting. This is her final departure from Atlanta and after being her so much she feels a little bittersweet. She is also feeling weird that she is starting a new job on Monday. She is happy to have it but . . .
Well, we made it to the airport. Melinda and Nicole leave at 5:45 pm on US Airways and I don't leave until 7:15 pm on American. I am sitting with them until they leave and then I will go to my gate. I have a layover in Dallas and will not land until 11:30 pm. I am hoping to be home by 1:30 am. I believe I hear a nap calling me name on Sunday.
It has been a great vacation and I am glad I was able to join Melinda and Nicole. Hopefully I will have this even scrapbooked before the end of the year!!!!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Take Me Out to a Ballgame!
This morning we had 'breakfast in bed' or should I say 'in room' at the hotel as we were getting ready to leave. We left the island and headed back to Savannah. We were going the opposite direction as the crowd and so we made great timing!
Nicole read about a 'must go' place to eat called Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House. It is another place that has a 'first come first serve' policy and people stand in line for it. We drove straight there and arrived about 10:15 am. There were only a few people in line so we ran over to Back In The Day Bakery and got Nicole some cupcakes (another favorite). Melinda and I also got a couple to try. When we got back to Mrs. Wilkes' the line was longer but we got a great parking spot (go Melinda). We did not make it in the first group of people eating (they seat about 80 at a time) but we didn't wait too long. We got in about 11:30 or so. It is served 'family style' and all the food is on the table when we sat down. There were more choices to choose from -- all southern style cooking -- than I can even think to write. We sat at a table with about 12 people. Our table had people from CA, UT, MI, FL & GA. The food was good, but not excellent and when we left we all agreed Paula Deen's place was MUCH better. One of the gentlemen at the table with us said his brother is a chef and said "Mrs. Wilkes is much better than Paula Deen's - don't waste your time". Well we were glad we did both, but Paula Deen's wins our vote.
Following lunch we headed back to Atlanta. I drove most of the way and about 45 minutes outside of Atlanta Melinda took over since she knows the area. We complain about traffic in LA, but it is at least as bad here. We drove straight to Turner Field and got there about 5:30. Unlike Dodger Stadium the parking is a little more difficult. We found a $10 lot at a Holiday Inn near the stadium and so we parked there. Melinda and I went in the bathroom and put our Dodger shirts on. Kim Gibbs, her husband Joey & new daughter Anna met us there and Melinda was able to visit with them for about 45 minutes or so. Melinda was glad she was able to see them because she won't be coming to Atlanta regularly anymore. Kim's daughter is beautiful. She is like a porcelain doll! All her features are just perfect!
We headed to the stadium about 6:30. We took some pictures and then we walked down to the area where the old Fulton County Stadium was. It is now the parking lot, but they have left the wall up like it was the outfield wall. They also have a simple memorial where home plate was and Hank Aaron broke the home run record. We took a picture there. We got our tickets from Page Odle and so we went to find the players will call window. We were told it was one place and after waiting in a long line we were told we were in the wrong place. We walked clear to the other side of the stadium. However, when we got our tickets we were very grateful. We were on the terrace level right behind home plate! You really couldn't get much better! This was Nicole's first baseball experience -- not a bad start! By the time we sat down we were there in time for the National Anthem and the opening pitch. The Dodgers looked good in the first inning but it all went down hill from there! Dodgers lost 6-1. However, we had a great time! The stadium was nice -- the "Braves Vision" screen was incredible! It had to have been HD.
It is now after midnight and we are heading back to our hotel. Although it is only about 10 miles it is taking us quite a bit of time thanks to the traffic!
Nicole read about a 'must go' place to eat called Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House. It is another place that has a 'first come first serve' policy and people stand in line for it. We drove straight there and arrived about 10:15 am. There were only a few people in line so we ran over to Back In The Day Bakery and got Nicole some cupcakes (another favorite). Melinda and I also got a couple to try. When we got back to Mrs. Wilkes' the line was longer but we got a great parking spot (go Melinda). We did not make it in the first group of people eating (they seat about 80 at a time) but we didn't wait too long. We got in about 11:30 or so. It is served 'family style' and all the food is on the table when we sat down. There were more choices to choose from -- all southern style cooking -- than I can even think to write. We sat at a table with about 12 people. Our table had people from CA, UT, MI, FL & GA. The food was good, but not excellent and when we left we all agreed Paula Deen's place was MUCH better. One of the gentlemen at the table with us said his brother is a chef and said "Mrs. Wilkes is much better than Paula Deen's - don't waste your time". Well we were glad we did both, but Paula Deen's wins our vote.
Following lunch we headed back to Atlanta. I drove most of the way and about 45 minutes outside of Atlanta Melinda took over since she knows the area. We complain about traffic in LA, but it is at least as bad here. We drove straight to Turner Field and got there about 5:30. Unlike Dodger Stadium the parking is a little more difficult. We found a $10 lot at a Holiday Inn near the stadium and so we parked there. Melinda and I went in the bathroom and put our Dodger shirts on. Kim Gibbs, her husband Joey & new daughter Anna met us there and Melinda was able to visit with them for about 45 minutes or so. Melinda was glad she was able to see them because she won't be coming to Atlanta regularly anymore. Kim's daughter is beautiful. She is like a porcelain doll! All her features are just perfect!
We headed to the stadium about 6:30. We took some pictures and then we walked down to the area where the old Fulton County Stadium was. It is now the parking lot, but they have left the wall up like it was the outfield wall. They also have a simple memorial where home plate was and Hank Aaron broke the home run record. We took a picture there. We got our tickets from Page Odle and so we went to find the players will call window. We were told it was one place and after waiting in a long line we were told we were in the wrong place. We walked clear to the other side of the stadium. However, when we got our tickets we were very grateful. We were on the terrace level right behind home plate! You really couldn't get much better! This was Nicole's first baseball experience -- not a bad start! By the time we sat down we were there in time for the National Anthem and the opening pitch. The Dodgers looked good in the first inning but it all went down hill from there! Dodgers lost 6-1. However, we had a great time! The stadium was nice -- the "Braves Vision" screen was incredible! It had to have been HD.
It is now after midnight and we are heading back to our hotel. Although it is only about 10 miles it is taking us quite a bit of time thanks to the traffic!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
There is Sunshine in my Soul Today!
The best weather so far! We have absolutely loved our day. We started with breakfast at a southern favorite - The Waffle House. It is an experience but I would call it a step down from Denny's. Melinda and I split a breakfast wrap and hash browns.
We headed straight to Hilton Head Island. We were unsure how long it would take us because everyone we talked to gave us a different answer. Even "jill" and "mapquest" had different answers. Well our answer was 90 minutes. It was a beautiful drive with trees everywhere. Like Nicole described it, it felt like we are driving through the canyon. Leaving Savannah we were able to go over the Talmadge Bridge which is HUGE and really quite fun.
We arrived around 11:00 am and we were really excited to hear our room was ready for check-in. Yeah! We have a gorgeous room and it has an ocean view and it is really quite a spectacular view. We feel like royalty here. It is a resort/spa and they treat us really well. We immediately changed into our swimming suits and spent the next five hours laying out. The sun felt so good! It was wonderful to lay there and soak it up. We are all pink. The water, however, was ice cold and so our feet are the only things that got wet. Our server was from Sandy UT. What a small world to meet someone from UT all the way out here. We had lunch and of course drinks by the pool.
The gal from the spa was giving complimentary chair massages and so we all enjoyed one and then at 4:30 we rented beach cruisers for an hour and road out on the sand. It is flat and that makes it nice. The sand is also easier to ride in because the tide was low. We rode down the coast without any problems. We felt like we were in heaven and Melinda said she was fulfilling a dream. However, as soon as we turned around to go back we realized we had a problem. THE WIND! We were peddling into the wind. Wow! It felt like we were peddling up hill. I am not going to lie - it was really hard. The sand was also more wet and so it was harder to peddle. Several times we all stopped and walked our bikes for a break. However, I have to say that Melinda was the WINNER. When I got to the point I needed a break she kept peddling - she was labored and slow but she kept going. From that point forward, she did not stop until she got back to the hotel! I, on the other hand, stopped and walked twice during that time. She was so focused on her goal. We rode for about an hour and we felt like the last 30 minutes was the best exercise -- better than the gym.
After the bike ride we all came in and took quick showers and changed for dinner. There is a PGA Tour going on here and the island is very crowded. We wanted to drive out to see the lighthouse. We were told it would be impossible tomorrow because it is right next to the golf course where the tournament is going on and it would take us two hours to drive 4 miles. No, thank you. Well, we got very lost but we eventually found it. Imagine our surprise when we found out it was not a 'real' lighthouse! It is the only 'man made' lighthouses and is not a functioning US Lighthouse (Coast Guard) lighthouse. Basically it is for show! Funny because it is a 'popular' lighthouse in that everyone has heard of it. Well, we saw it at dusk and our pictures really didn't work, but we did see it. We walked around to a couple of shops and then we ate at the Waterfront Cafe which is below the lighthouse. It was good food. There were so many people there -- most with a lot of alcohol in them.
Tonight after we came back from dinner we took a "moonlight" stroll along the beach. We didn't go for very long but the girls both feel it would have been a lot better if their companion was 'male' and not 'female'. I had a good laugh.
We headed straight to Hilton Head Island. We were unsure how long it would take us because everyone we talked to gave us a different answer. Even "jill" and "mapquest" had different answers. Well our answer was 90 minutes. It was a beautiful drive with trees everywhere. Like Nicole described it, it felt like we are driving through the canyon. Leaving Savannah we were able to go over the Talmadge Bridge which is HUGE and really quite fun.
We arrived around 11:00 am and we were really excited to hear our room was ready for check-in. Yeah! We have a gorgeous room and it has an ocean view and it is really quite a spectacular view. We feel like royalty here. It is a resort/spa and they treat us really well. We immediately changed into our swimming suits and spent the next five hours laying out. The sun felt so good! It was wonderful to lay there and soak it up. We are all pink. The water, however, was ice cold and so our feet are the only things that got wet. Our server was from Sandy UT. What a small world to meet someone from UT all the way out here. We had lunch and of course drinks by the pool.
The gal from the spa was giving complimentary chair massages and so we all enjoyed one and then at 4:30 we rented beach cruisers for an hour and road out on the sand. It is flat and that makes it nice. The sand is also easier to ride in because the tide was low. We rode down the coast without any problems. We felt like we were in heaven and Melinda said she was fulfilling a dream. However, as soon as we turned around to go back we realized we had a problem. THE WIND! We were peddling into the wind. Wow! It felt like we were peddling up hill. I am not going to lie - it was really hard. The sand was also more wet and so it was harder to peddle. Several times we all stopped and walked our bikes for a break. However, I have to say that Melinda was the WINNER. When I got to the point I needed a break she kept peddling - she was labored and slow but she kept going. From that point forward, she did not stop until she got back to the hotel! I, on the other hand, stopped and walked twice during that time. She was so focused on her goal. We rode for about an hour and we felt like the last 30 minutes was the best exercise -- better than the gym.
After the bike ride we all came in and took quick showers and changed for dinner. There is a PGA Tour going on here and the island is very crowded. We wanted to drive out to see the lighthouse. We were told it would be impossible tomorrow because it is right next to the golf course where the tournament is going on and it would take us two hours to drive 4 miles. No, thank you. Well, we got very lost but we eventually found it. Imagine our surprise when we found out it was not a 'real' lighthouse! It is the only 'man made' lighthouses and is not a functioning US Lighthouse (Coast Guard) lighthouse. Basically it is for show! Funny because it is a 'popular' lighthouse in that everyone has heard of it. Well, we saw it at dusk and our pictures really didn't work, but we did see it. We walked around to a couple of shops and then we ate at the Waterfront Cafe which is below the lighthouse. It was good food. There were so many people there -- most with a lot of alcohol in them.
Tonight after we came back from dinner we took a "moonlight" stroll along the beach. We didn't go for very long but the girls both feel it would have been a lot better if their companion was 'male' and not 'female'. I had a good laugh.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Like a Lighthouse!
Day two of Savannah sightseeing was a lot of fun. This morning breakfast was at a drive-thru (I will vote differently for tomorrow. We headed first to Wormsloe Plantation. This was a a fun experience. The road heading out there was beautiful - driving through trees. We drove past a Piggly Wiggly and we all started laughing. We had to stop! Nicole went in because she wanted to see if the store looked like the one in "How to Win a Date with Tad Hamilton". She found shirts with a pig on the front and the back says "I Am Big on the Pig". We laughed so hard we all got one (for night time use of course)! We also took a picture of the sign which said "1/2 off sale at the pig". We thought it was so funny.
Anyway, Wormsloe has a large stone arch entrance. We stopped and paid as we got in the gate. The lady who was at the house working had her 17 month old son there with her. His name was Jacoby and he was such a cute kid. We had so much fun playing with him. The drive from the entrance to the museum is 1.5 miles and it is absolutely gorgeous and it is lined with 400 oak trees. It was beautiful. We watched a film about the area and the plantation which at home time had a large dairy farm. We took at nature walk (about one mile) around to see the remains of the original house and the family burial spot. We saw the most interesting palm trees there as well as a fun red bird and a hawk. Nicole and Melinda were both hilarious. We were walking on a marked trail and anytime the brush moved, etc they got so freaked out! I was laughing so hard! Nicole really wanted to see a plantation but it wasn't quite like we thought. We expected it to be many homes with guides dressed up in period costumes, etc. Apparently there are several of those in Charleston. Oh, well - another place to go on vacation!
After the plantation we headed to Tybee Island. We went straight to the lighthouse and braved the wind and the 175 stairs to the top. Melinda went out on the balcony long enough for me to take a picture of her and that was enough. I struggled for the first 'lap' around and followed Nicole. It was easier that way. This was Nicole's first experience with a lighthouse and I think we have her hooked. After we toured the other buildings around the lighthouse we drove into 'town' and found lunch at Lighthouse Pizza. We then walked out and saw the ocean. One thing to note -- the water here is brown! It is so weird. No one we have asked really has an answer but we are assuming the sand in the water stirs up differently.
Our next stop was Fort Pulaski and this was fantastic. We had no idea we planned our arrival so well. We got there just before 3:00 pm and it was right as one of two (for the day) guided tours was started. This is a National Park and so the guide was from the NPS. He did a fantastic job and it was so cool to hear the history of the Fort. We were able to go all the way up and walk around the top (Corrine, the architect was from Europe and it resembles a European Castle with a mote, draw bridge and everything). After the tour there was a demonstration of a musket firing. Once again the tour guide was fantastic. He had the greatest Southern accent! He gave us history off the Fort as well as of the Civil War. He then demonstrated the musket. In conclusion he gave a 'speech' about patriotism and being proud to be an American. I wanted to stand up and shout "God Bless the USA" when he was done. It was wonderful. Since they only do these a few times a day we were grateful we saw both. One funny thing happened here. The mote around the Fort has wildlife living in it including three alligators. As we approached the entrance we could see one of the alligators out sunning. Nicole and I walked up closer to it. Melinda wanted nothing to do with it! I was able to get a really good picture of it was the long lens.
Our next location was the Corkspur Lighthouse. This one was located out in the marsh (one thing I didn't mention - all the land around there including the plantation is marsh land). There was a nature trail from Fort Pulaski that was 1.5 mile round trip walk that took you up to about 50 yard away. Unfortunately, the gates closed and we were not able to go out. I then had Melinda take us out to a private dock so we good get just about it as close so I could get a picture. The museum store had 'minis' so Melinda and I got ours.
After leaving Tybee Island and heading back to Savannah we decided to go 'car' sightseeing and we drove down streets looking at the old homes, etc. There are some really 'trashy' areas here but there are some really beautiful homes and mansion. We came back to the hotel and relaxed for our 45 minutes and then changed for dinner.
Tonight we had a 8:45 pm reservation for dinner at The Olde Pink House which was once a haunted mansion known for ghosts! Nicole had seen this on the Internet and we were not disappointed. Melinda and I had Filet and Nicole had pecan crusted chicken. We all really enjoyed the food! We were glad to find it. We once again have a late night but more importantly we have had a fun day!
PS - my camera has most of the pictures but I can't get them off the camera now. I am posting a few pictures from Nicole's camera so you can see a few things.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
And we walked and walked and walked . . .
14037 steps, 5.53 miles and 4 activity points later we are back at the hotel! Today was a great day!
We started early today but we are glad we did because we had a full day! There is a Denny's right by our hotel and our day started there for breakfast. We then drove back to the historic district and Melinda worked her magic and got us a "front row Joe" parking spot! We waited in line for about 40 minutes to get a lunch reservation for The Lady & Sons restaurant. We also did a little shopping at Paula Deen's store (Nicole was in heaven). Following our shopping we got on a shuttle and signed up for the Old Savannah Trolley tour. This was a 90 minutes 'off and on' tour of the main 'attractions' of the city. There are 14 stops. We decided to ride it through to decide which areas we wanted to stop and get off. Oh, the weather here is kind of crazy. We all thought (based on previous weather reports) the weather would be warmer, but it was freezing today and the wind was blowing. We were glad we were in a covered trolley. We loved this tour and it was really interesting to hear the history of this city. I forgot how important Savannah was in the Civil War (or as it is called here - the war between the states OR the war of northern aggression). The last stop of the tour was just a few blocks away from the restaurant and so we walked over for lunch. We are so glad we went back. The menu is different for lunch and we really enjoyed it. We had the buffet yesterday and for lunch we ordered off the menu. Melinda and Nicole had the chicken pot pie! Wow - not only did it look amazing, it was really good. I had a chicken sandwich on pumpernickel break with jelly roll potatoes (a fancy way of saying 'high-fat' french fries). We ordered dessert as well and it was yummy!
After lunch we went to the Greene-Meldrin house for a tour. It was built in 1853 for a prominent gentlemen and his family. It is now owned by St. John's Church and they gave us the tour. This is where General Sherman stayed when he was in Savannah. Because Mr. Greene was never an American citizen he was able to provide shelter for Sherman instead of him taking over another house. Nicole had read about this online and so she wanted to see it. There are about 20 squares in the city and this was located in Madison Square. The city is laid out on east/west and north/south streets around squares. It is really cool. We also went to the Forsyth Park and fountain. It was beautiful and the sun had come out at this point and so we enjoyed our walk. We also went over to see the oldest tree in Savannah. It is 300 years old and it is huge. That reminds me - there is Spanish moss hanging from all of the trees here. It is very fascinating and hopefully our pictures will show it. We drove down Jones Street because it is a beautiful street with trees forming a tunnel on the street.
About 5:30 we went down to the River Front and walked around the stores. We took pictures by the "Waving Girl" fountain and then went to the Cotton Exchange for dinner. After walking back to the car we were ready to call it a day. We have had a great day!
We started early today but we are glad we did because we had a full day! There is a Denny's right by our hotel and our day started there for breakfast. We then drove back to the historic district and Melinda worked her magic and got us a "front row Joe" parking spot! We waited in line for about 40 minutes to get a lunch reservation for The Lady & Sons restaurant. We also did a little shopping at Paula Deen's store (Nicole was in heaven). Following our shopping we got on a shuttle and signed up for the Old Savannah Trolley tour. This was a 90 minutes 'off and on' tour of the main 'attractions' of the city. There are 14 stops. We decided to ride it through to decide which areas we wanted to stop and get off. Oh, the weather here is kind of crazy. We all thought (based on previous weather reports) the weather would be warmer, but it was freezing today and the wind was blowing. We were glad we were in a covered trolley. We loved this tour and it was really interesting to hear the history of this city. I forgot how important Savannah was in the Civil War (or as it is called here - the war between the states OR the war of northern aggression). The last stop of the tour was just a few blocks away from the restaurant and so we walked over for lunch. We are so glad we went back. The menu is different for lunch and we really enjoyed it. We had the buffet yesterday and for lunch we ordered off the menu. Melinda and Nicole had the chicken pot pie! Wow - not only did it look amazing, it was really good. I had a chicken sandwich on pumpernickel break with jelly roll potatoes (a fancy way of saying 'high-fat' french fries). We ordered dessert as well and it was yummy!
After lunch we went to the Greene-Meldrin house for a tour. It was built in 1853 for a prominent gentlemen and his family. It is now owned by St. John's Church and they gave us the tour. This is where General Sherman stayed when he was in Savannah. Because Mr. Greene was never an American citizen he was able to provide shelter for Sherman instead of him taking over another house. Nicole had read about this online and so she wanted to see it. There are about 20 squares in the city and this was located in Madison Square. The city is laid out on east/west and north/south streets around squares. It is really cool. We also went to the Forsyth Park and fountain. It was beautiful and the sun had come out at this point and so we enjoyed our walk. We also went over to see the oldest tree in Savannah. It is 300 years old and it is huge. That reminds me - there is Spanish moss hanging from all of the trees here. It is very fascinating and hopefully our pictures will show it. We drove down Jones Street because it is a beautiful street with trees forming a tunnel on the street.
About 5:30 we went down to the River Front and walked around the stores. We took pictures by the "Waving Girl" fountain and then went to the Cotton Exchange for dinner. After walking back to the car we were ready to call it a day. We have had a great day!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Savannah GA - Here I Am!
Wow! It has been quite a long day -- or should I say two! I left my house on Sunday evening, April 13th about 9:15 pm. I went to the Flyaway in Van Nuys and unfortunately I missed the 10:00 bus and so I had to wait 30 minutes. My flight was scheduled to leave at 12:10 am. By the time I got to the airport, checked in, went through security and used the bathroom they were boarding my plane! How perfect was that timing! I flew American Airlines and thankfully the flight wasn't cancelled! I had a 2 hour 40 minute flight to Dallas TX. It was a FULL flight and thankfully I had an aisle seat. Unfortunately my legs (restless legs) did not cooperate and it was a very long flight! I arrived on time and had just enough time to get to the next gate and they were boarding the next flight. This time I had a two hour flight to Atlanta. Again I had the aisle seat and again it was a full flight! Wow! Even my flight to Italy wasn't as bad as this one. Once we landed the taxi to the gate took about 30 minutes! I thought I was going to die!
Nicole got in so late and she and Melinda didn't go to bed until almost four. Therefore Melinda woke up when I called her to let her know I had landed. The hotel was right next to the airport. We went back to the hotel and they finished getting ready and we headed out to Savannah. It is about a four hour drive! I had a hard time staying awake and I was grateful to get a few minutes of sleep from time to time on the drive. We also stopped at Wendy's for lunch on our way. The interstate we drove on was really out in the middle of nowhere. We didn't pass a lot of large towns, etc. However it is beautiful to see all the green trees.
We arrived in Savannah around 4:00 pm and we drove straight to Paula Deen's restaurant "The Lady & Sons". This is what Nicole wanted to do and so it was top priority. They do not take reservations and only take people on first come first serve and when we arrived they had no more availability for the night. We were disappointed. They did tell us to come back around 7:30 pm and we may be able to have a seat at the bar or a table top. We decided to go to the hotel and get checked in a freshened up. We got on the Internet and made some decisions about what we wanted to do/see while we are here. So, we have an itinerary planned out now. So we will be burning the candle at both ends.
We went back into town and about 6:45 we were going past the restaurant to go to the parking plaza and so we stopped to see if they could let us in. Nicole worked her magic and she got us in! Paula Deen is a great southern cook and the food was wonderful! We all had the buffet - fried chicken, peppered steak, pork, potatoes, cornbread corn dish, lots of different vegetables, sweet potatoes and more! We had biscuits and hot cakes and yummy desserts! We all ate too much but enjoyed every bit of it! Nicole was in heaven! After dinner we walked around the park right next to the restaurant and then went to River Street. It was after 9:00 pm and the stores were closed. We decided we would come back in the daylight.
It is now almost 11:00 and the bed is screaming my name! So, I am going to listen and head there now! Tomorrow will be an early morning and a full sight-seeing day!
One more thing - I had a "Melinda Moment" today. As I mentioned, I have had very little sleep today. When we were coming into Savannah I was just waking up from a short nap. I saw a large building and said to everyone, "Wow, I wonder if that is the Atlanta Temple?" Melinda started laughing and said, "The Atlanta Temple?" and I responded 'yes'. She then reminded me "Alisa the Atlanta Temple is in Atlanta and we are four hours away in Savannah!" Well, we all started laughing and I found myself on "Melinda's side" of the experience!
Nicole got in so late and she and Melinda didn't go to bed until almost four. Therefore Melinda woke up when I called her to let her know I had landed. The hotel was right next to the airport. We went back to the hotel and they finished getting ready and we headed out to Savannah. It is about a four hour drive! I had a hard time staying awake and I was grateful to get a few minutes of sleep from time to time on the drive. We also stopped at Wendy's for lunch on our way. The interstate we drove on was really out in the middle of nowhere. We didn't pass a lot of large towns, etc. However it is beautiful to see all the green trees.
We arrived in Savannah around 4:00 pm and we drove straight to Paula Deen's restaurant "The Lady & Sons". This is what Nicole wanted to do and so it was top priority. They do not take reservations and only take people on first come first serve and when we arrived they had no more availability for the night. We were disappointed. They did tell us to come back around 7:30 pm and we may be able to have a seat at the bar or a table top. We decided to go to the hotel and get checked in a freshened up. We got on the Internet and made some decisions about what we wanted to do/see while we are here. So, we have an itinerary planned out now. So we will be burning the candle at both ends.
We went back into town and about 6:45 we were going past the restaurant to go to the parking plaza and so we stopped to see if they could let us in. Nicole worked her magic and she got us in! Paula Deen is a great southern cook and the food was wonderful! We all had the buffet - fried chicken, peppered steak, pork, potatoes, cornbread corn dish, lots of different vegetables, sweet potatoes and more! We had biscuits and hot cakes and yummy desserts! We all ate too much but enjoyed every bit of it! Nicole was in heaven! After dinner we walked around the park right next to the restaurant and then went to River Street. It was after 9:00 pm and the stores were closed. We decided we would come back in the daylight.
It is now almost 11:00 and the bed is screaming my name! So, I am going to listen and head there now! Tomorrow will be an early morning and a full sight-seeing day!
One more thing - I had a "Melinda Moment" today. As I mentioned, I have had very little sleep today. When we were coming into Savannah I was just waking up from a short nap. I saw a large building and said to everyone, "Wow, I wonder if that is the Atlanta Temple?" Melinda started laughing and said, "The Atlanta Temple?" and I responded 'yes'. She then reminded me "Alisa the Atlanta Temple is in Atlanta and we are four hours away in Savannah!" Well, we all started laughing and I found myself on "Melinda's side" of the experience!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Another Quilt
In early February I went to JoAnn's out in Porter Ranch and then met Michelle's family for dinner in the valley. I showed her the fabric I had purchased to make a baby quilt. I didn't have anyone specific in mind for the fabric, I just liked it! When she saw it she said, "Oh, you can make that for me to give Christine Coons for her baby shower." This is one of Michelle's friends from childhood. We both laughed! I decided to go for it. I got the quilt top done and then Michelle and her girls came over for FHE and we finished putting it together, tied it and then did the binding together. So, this is the finished quilt. Lori was happy to help me hold it up for the picture. I hope Christine and her new baby girl enjoy it!
Dancing with the Stars . . . In Person!
So my younger sister Rachel pulled off a surprise for me. She knows I have really enjoyed following Dancing with the Stars. On Sunday she told me she had arranged for me to miss work on Tuesday and she was taking me on a surprise day out. She was really excited. She told me I would need to dress nicely and recommended I wear a dress or skirt. I was to be ready by 11:00 am.
When I showed up to pick her up (she thought I would want to have the navigation in my car so I drove) there were two signs on the front door with former contestants pictures on it and it said, "Are you ready to dance?" I was very happy to hear what she had planned! I have only seen one TV program live and it was Wheel of Fortune about 20 years ago!
We went straight to the studio because the ticket didn't guarantee us a place in line. We ended up standing in line from just before 1:00 pm until it started at 6:00 pm. I found a Subway and went down and got us some lunch while she held our place in line. We ended up being the first 25 people in. We had seats on the floor behind the contestant's family and friends (we sat behind Corky Ballas). Of course, everything looks much smaller in person, but we had a lot of fun! It was the first night the women danced and they were really good!
After the performance we drove to Thousand Oaks and stopped at The Cheesecake Factory. We got food to go and then we both came back to my house and watched the show (yes, we saw it again) and ate dinner together! It was a great evening! Thanks, Rachel for being so creative and fun! (For pictures -- go to Rachel's blog)
When I showed up to pick her up (she thought I would want to have the navigation in my car so I drove) there were two signs on the front door with former contestants pictures on it and it said, "Are you ready to dance?" I was very happy to hear what she had planned! I have only seen one TV program live and it was Wheel of Fortune about 20 years ago!
We went straight to the studio because the ticket didn't guarantee us a place in line. We ended up standing in line from just before 1:00 pm until it started at 6:00 pm. I found a Subway and went down and got us some lunch while she held our place in line. We ended up being the first 25 people in. We had seats on the floor behind the contestant's family and friends (we sat behind Corky Ballas). Of course, everything looks much smaller in person, but we had a lot of fun! It was the first night the women danced and they were really good!
After the performance we drove to Thousand Oaks and stopped at The Cheesecake Factory. We got food to go and then we both came back to my house and watched the show (yes, we saw it again) and ate dinner together! It was a great evening! Thanks, Rachel for being so creative and fun! (For pictures -- go to Rachel's blog)
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