Kathy & Mom's Visit

We were excited to have our first visitors over the weekend. My sister, Kathy, who is the best middle school math teacher in Colorado, is on her Fall Break and she brought Mom out for a visit. Mom had been a world traveler in the years before her Alzheimer's progressed, and she was very excited about packing, boarding an airplane and heading off on another trip. We're thrilled and honored that their first destination was Atlanta.

Michael and I met them at the airport where we all boarded the MARTA train to get back to our condo. We use MARTA often to get around downtown Atlanta, and it's also the best way to get to the airport. The train lets passengers off inside the airport terminal and it's so much easier than fighting the horrible Atlanta traffic. We had fun riding the train toward downtown Atlanta, going right past the state capitol building with its gold dome and by Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Just south of the downtown area the train goes underground until it eventually emerges in Buckhead which is the area north of downtown where we live.


We have a lovely pond in our condo complex and Mom got a real kick out of feeding our ducks, which are actually just a bunch of freeloading fowl. Many of the local residents frequently stop by to visit (and feed) the ducks. When the ducks notice people walking toward the pond, they immediate rush over to sample the treats! Their delighted quacks draw even more ducks, and before you know it you're engulfed in a feeding frenzy. The ducks' motto seems to be "What have you done for me lately." As soon as other humans approach the pond, they quickly turn their backs on you and scurry over to see what their next course will be.

Mom and Dad were married in 1948 and spent their first summer together working at Grand Lake Lodge in the mountains of Colorado. Mom was a waitress and Dad was a bell hop. That was the summer they met another young waitress, Betty B, and became life-long friends. Betty has lived in Atlanta for many years and has provided great insight and advice as Michael and I navigate and investigate our new city. Mom really enjoyed visiting with Betty and we all had a delightful dinner together.

On Sunday we enjoyed an easy hike along the banks of the nearby Chattachoochee River. Despite Georgia's record drought, the Chattachoochee River is magnificent, especially compared with the "wimpy" rivers of Colorado and California that we are used to. We were hoping for more spectacular fall colors during Mom and Kathy's trip, but we had to settle for a beautiful blue sky day with mild temperatures in the 70's and a smattering of reds and yellows in the foliage. I assume that the fabulous fall colors will erupt in a few weeks in our area, since we're finally having colder overnight temperatures. With the millions of trees in and around Atlanta, it should be incredible.

Monday morning Michael headed off to work, while Mom, Kathy and I took the MARTA train back to the busy Atlanta airport. Fortunately we gave ourselves a good 2 hours before their flight, because when we got off the train the line to go through security was snaking throughout the terminal. We knew the situation was dire when we spotted the TV news crews filming the crowd as many frustrated passengers were having to rebook their flights for a later departure. I waited in line with them until we hit the X-ray machines, where we said our final goodbyes. I walked away wondering if Mom really posed such a threat that the security people felt compelled to put her through the discomfort of removing her shoes . . .

It was a wonderful visit, although we did miss Dad and look forward to showing him around Atlanta next time. For now, I know he enjoyed the much-deserved peace and quiet at home. In addition, this couldn't have been a worse weekend for him to stay with us. We don't have cable TV and as a result he would not have been able to follow the amazing success of the Colorado Rockies baseball team. Over the weekend the Rockies swept the Arizona Diamondbacks to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Even more incredible is that the Rockies have won 20 of their last 21 games, including the exciting extra-innings game against the San Diego Padres at the end of the regular season to make it into the playoffs as the Wild Card team. GO ROCKIES!!!