What I love! | Peaches Prattlings

{July 24, 2014} Wow, my friends are AWESOME!!!

I cannot tell you how amazing my friends are! Especially during this past week! WOW!

I know I’ve told you how great my friends are, last year when I was packing my house to move to Colorado, I had friends help me at different stages.

CA, SDL and CKM helped me paint the bedroom and bathroom so the house would be sale worthy. CKM also helped me pack boxes a few times and was with myself and DCM when we were having the yard sale and packing the truck in the same weekend. TS was there a few times to help me pack. It was a team effort and if I have forgotten someone from last years events, I APOLOGIZE!

This week was crazy too! And without my friends, I would probably not have gotten half as far! I got in Friday morning and got a few things done, but it was Saturday and Sunday that rocked! The first person to show up was TS, who brought her packing abilities and food! As she was leaving, RJS was came to help me pack boxes and move things around the garage. After she left, BG showed up and helped me move boxes and pack more stuff. This is just Saturday!

After BG left, I continued to work, moving boxes, packing and moving stuff around. About 9:30, I messaged DG across the street and he and his wife, CG were kind enough to let me shower at their house, as I had no hot water. It was FABULOUS! I talked to them for a while and then headed home to get some sleep, early day Sunday.

Sunday had me up early to get started on the yard sale. About 11, who drives up but TS, what? I wasn’t expecting her, but welcomed her! She came ready to pack and move and feed me, wahoo!

We went crazy on the garage, getting everything set up for the movers and packing her SUV to take things to Goodwill and that vehicle was packed to the gills! Eventually she left and DG came over to get his ladder and I asked if they could keep my artwork and plant and helped me find my house key, very important!

Now all I had to do was find movers, a storage unit and someone to be there to greet the movers, RS to the rescue! She was able to get the lock and key for the storage unit, meet the movers, take them to the storage unit, lock up after they go and supervise, thank you!

Tomorrow, my good friend CMD is going to be cleaning my house top to bottom so the new tenants can move into a clean house on Friday, as well as getting the rest of the stuff out of the garage for donation.

Do you remember the saying “it takes a village”? It really does! And without my friends, I would have been absolutely LOST!

To my friends, I say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I am so lucky!

{July 13, 2014} Wrigley Field!

We went to Wrigley Field!

Anyone who knows me knows I’m not a sports fan, I do like my teams, New York, but…how could I pass up an opportunity to go to Wrigley Field!? It’s iconic!

The first thing we see are the penants, the different logos and names of the team, then some great murals on the walls on the way to the bleacher entrance. Harry Carey statues and tributes and then we’re in!

It’s an interesting stadium, it’s not as tall on some sides add other stadiums, but it had a nice intimate feel. People were right outside watching through the fence and on the rooftops right across the street.

There was a great aura about the stadium, a long tradition of summer fun. I didn’t realize that the Chicago Cubs is KCM’s ultimate team, how cool is that? They were playing a four game series against, get this… The Atlanta Braves! So of course, we were surrounded by Braves fans, crazy! I just left there!

I did get some comments about my Yankee hat, go figure!

The Cubs won the games Thursday and Friday, apparently The Braves weren’t having that and won 11-6. It was a good game with some good plays, lots of cheers and jeers, from both sets of fans.

Then came the seagulls, it was bizarre, but ingesting. Who was feeding them?

After the game, we walked around Wrigleyville, got Cubs tshirts, hopped on the El in search of food.

All in all, a good time!

{July 6, 2014} Another busy day! Gravestones, Cars, Dinner

Ready for another crazy day? Are you still keeping up? Did you take a nap after my last post?

Today started early for a Sunday, but we had things to do! I woke up before my alarm was set to go off at 8am and leisurely got up, which is the best way to wake up, meandered out and met TS preparing some coffee and tea, we made breakfast and had a nice sit down meal.

Then we got in the car and headed down to Oakland Cemetery for the tour at 10am. I have always wanted to tour the cemetery, “Less than a mile from the heart of downtown Atlanta, a hidden treasure, a secret sanctuary, welcomes you. This garden cemetery, founded in 1850, is the final resting place of many of Atlanta’s settlers, builders, and most noted citizens like Bobby Jones, Margaret Mitchell, and Maynard Jackson. It is also a showplace of sculpture and architecture, and a botanical preserve with ancient oaks and magnolias. Here in this peaceful place the full scope of the city’s rich and fascinating history unfolds before you.”

They also have some great events, like ghost tours, music events, 5k races, so many events.

We enjoyed the tour, saw some fantastic works of art that are actually grave markers, touching tributes, amazing statuary, stained glass. We learned about the foliage, how it is selected based on times in history, history of the different sections of the cemetery, tributes based on wealth and age of the loved on. One day soon, I will give you full photographs and information that I learned. Until then, here are a few pictures to enjoy. http://www.oaklandcemetery.com/

After the full two hour and so worth the money tour, we went across the street to Six Feet Under. I had been wanting to go and…if we showed our receipt would get $5 off our meal, what could be better!

We had a great lunch and for dessert, some fantastic white chocolate, banana bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce! Let me just say Y U M!!! http://sixfeetunderatlanta.com/

After lunch, we took our coasters to the High Museum of Art, they had $3 off coupons, how could we resist? This was an amazing event, there were cars from the early 1940s to new cars from the 2000s. These were some sleek, beautiful and amazing looking cars, a beauty and a joy forever. I will post a full album very soon, here are a few to get your gears shifting! http://www.high.org/Art/Exhibitions/Dream-Cars-Innovative-Design-Visionary-Ideas.aspx

After the exhibit, we drove back to TS’ house to relax and I headed out at 5pm to head to Buckhead to meet my dear friend LGR and her husband MR and their adorable daughter, CR. We met at Farm Burger for some good food, conversation and laughs, it’s always a good time. LGR and I have known each other for almost 20 years, I met her my second year in Georgia and when we get together or talk on the phone, it’s as if no time has passed, don’t you just love friends like that? I know I do.

http://www.farmburger.net/buckhead/

After dinner, I headed to my house to have a peek around and now I am writing you and tomorrow, I will head back to Ann Arbor, MI. What might be my next adventure?

{July 5, 2014} A marathon of a journey…for real!

Ok folks, get ready, this is going to be a douzy! We’re packing two days into one post! I owe ya!

Picture it..July 4th 4am! What? Yup, that’s when my day started…along with a bunch of other people in Atlanta, getting ready to participate or volunteer, or both, for the 45th running of the Peachtree Road Race.

I got up, hoping not to wake SDL or Miss A and I was successful. I got up, dressed and out of the house by 4:24 and I was on the road by 4:26. I made it to Phipps Plaza to park by 5am, they were closing the road by 5:30. I met up with CKM and checked in for my post. It was our 5th year volunteering for the Peachtree Road Race and this year, we got a special pin! We get a pin every year we volunteer and every five years you get a special commemorative pin and we earned it!

Then we went to our post at the start, we were going to be corralling the seeded runners, getting them ready to line up to go forward and run their hearts out. First there was the Original 110. This group consisted of some of the original 110 runners from the first Peachtree Road Race in 1970 and there were also some of their grandkids, it was really cool. http://www.peachtreeroadrace.org/press-center/history

Next came the wheelchair racers and they were fantastic. It’s a lot of fun to watch them take off, it’s like a giant windstorm came through. They have several rows of the racers, the last row are the runners who push the wheelchair participants, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and so proud! The men’s and women’s winners were both American! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peachtree_Road_Race#Wheelchair_race_divisions

Then came the Women’s 10k World Championship followed a few minutes later by the Men’s 10k World Championship. Both the men’s and women’s winners were American in this race group as well! http://www.peachtreeroadrace.org/articles/view/landry-hastings-win-on-picture-perfect-peachtree-day

Before The Original 110 group, a duo sang America the Beautiful and before the Championship races, they sang The National Anthem. It’s amazing to see the flag flying, all the participants looking up at the amazing flag with their hands on their hearts, some, like me with our hats in our hands covering our hearts and to feel such pride as I listen and sing and know that it has so much meaning to me and to this country and I will be honest, there is no other song that makes me tear up when i hear it as The National Anthem.

Then Group A followed a few minutes later by Group B and at that point CKM came running across the road to return her placard, I had already returned mine, since I was on that side of the street and as soon as Group C went, we jumped in at the very end, crossed the start and we were off!

We had a lot of fun, walking, talking, hi-fiving kids and adults alike, seeing great costumes and signs and enjoying the beautiful 67 degree morning! Yes folks, I said 67 degrees in Atlanta in JULY!!! That was unheard of, but it was perfect! I actually had long sleeves on for a while!

It took us officially 1:49:33. Out of 28693 women participating, I came in 25589. I’m pretty proud! There were 28478 men, 29694 women and 57171 total finishers. Not too shabby if I do say so myself!

I really enjoy the tradition that CKM and I have had for the past 6 years and I look forward to volunteering and participating in the Peachtree Road Race as long as we win the lottery and get numbers!

There was another cool thing that happened. Meb Keflezighi, who won the Boston Marathon this year and was the first American to win the Boston Marathon since 1983 was doing the Chase Keflezighi, fundraising for Kilometer Kids, a kids running club, hoping to raise $75,000 by starting LAST at the Peachtree Road Race and had a goal of passing 22,500 participants!!! You know he did it! http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/keflezighi-runs-down-pack-at-ajc-peachtree/ngZBG/

After we crossed the finish line, we made our way with thousands of other participants to get our coveted finishers t-shirts. I know I always say that I do these races for the t-shirt and this is one a lot of people will say they do for the shirts. This is one of the few races that you only get your shirt after you finish the race. It really is a coveted shirt and people wear it proudly like a badge of honor!

After the run, we got our shirts, some fruit and popsicles and ice cream and started to walk to get something to eat. I want you to keep in mind just how much we walked. We just finished a 10k, that’s 6.2 miles. Then we walked about 2.5 miles to get to the Flying Biscuit Cafe for some breakfast to include some creamy dreamy grits! Oh My! So worth the 45 minute wait, with everyone else! http://www.flyingbiscuit.com/

After brunch, we started walking towards the MARTA [train] station and decided we didn’t want to get on the train with everyone else so we were going to walk down to the next station on Peachtree Street. Neither one of us remembered that there isn’t a MARTA stop on Peachtree until we were almost back at the start so…we walked the 6.2 miles back to our cars! What? In total we walked about 16 miles! That is crazy! CKM realized she had walked a half marathon, unofficially is what she said while she was laughing through the pain! [Please send good vibes to her for the seven blisters she got on her feet!] Yes you did! And it was great practice for me for the half I’m doing in February. Although…I might be doing one in Las Vegas in November, I’ll keep you posted! I need to get her a 13.1 t-shirt!

Tired yet? Just hold on!

After we got back to our cars, I headed out to Suwanee to see my friend LK and her family. I met them at the pool and we had a great time! As soon as I changed into my bathing suit, I jumped in the pool and stayed there until we got out to go home two hours later! It was great, we talked, I played with the kids and got some extra sun.

At the house, we made pizzas for dinner, the kids had friends over, there was a lot of laughter, shouting and fun. After dinner, we showered and dressed, I carved a watermelon basket, I’m getting better at them! And then went up the hill to the top of the cul-de-sac for some snacks and fireworks! I talked to a couple who’s son lives in…wait for it…Broomfield! What are the odds! and some other very nice neighbors they have. One of the older neighborhood kids were letting off fireworks, some of them were really good and some just noisy.

About 10pm, I walked the youngest, K back to the house, we put on jammies and cuddled under the blankets and a little while later everyone else came home and found us dozing on the love seat. After she sent the kids to bed LK I sat, folded laundry and talked, it was really nice. I know I’ve told you about LK, we grew up together and being in that house is like being at home and I love it.

Like the last time I was there, I had an allergic reaction to something so I took a Benedryl and got a little sleepy, let’s just say. I wrote to you and then passed out, waking today about 11:40am, it was awesome! I had woken up about 6am and then 8am and I decided that was not going to be the final word and fell back asleep, I got a text that woke me telling me there were pancakes on the counter! Thank you! It was so awesome to catch up on some sleep and I will be able to go another few months on 3-4 hours a nite! SO NICE!

I got up, showered and dressed, had some pancakes and then everyone came home from wherever they were. At 2:30, they were all heading to the pool, so I kissed and hugged everyone, got in the car and headed to TS’ house.

I told you this would be a long one!

At TS’ house, I found SF and her friend C, they were going to a movie nearby and wanted to see TS’ new furniture. It was nice to catch up with them and after they left, TS and I got down to business, catching up in person!

I have to tell you, she was the first person to tell me that reading my blog was like sitting across from me at the table, she always knows what’s going on in my life and sometimes feels like she’s hearing things for the second time when I tell her a story!

We talked about going to a movie and then time got away from us and we talked until it was time to cook dinner and we cooked together, it was great! Eggplant with pesto, sauce and mozzarella [well, the cheese was for TS], asparagus and multi-colored baby carrots and some cold salads she had picked up, a feast!

After dinner, we kept talking, finally her cat, Molly came downstairs to say hello, we cuddled and TS and I kept talking. All of a sudden, we realized it was 12am and we needed to get some sleep, we’re going to tour the Oakland Cemetery tomorrow, which I’m very excited to do since I have never done it!

Tomorrow or Monday, I will post photos from this weekend! Right now, I wish you all a great night and get some sleep, unless you already fell asleep from this long post!

{July 3, 2014} Atlanta Day 1…What a day! First class, Beetle, good food, good friends, expo, walking!

Are you ready? I’ve had a long day, you might need a nap!

The day started way too early, as it always does when I fly out early and today was no different. I opened my eyes at 6:10am, unsure why my eyes were open at 6:10am, when I had just fallen asleep a few hours earlier. Then I remembered that I was flying to Atlanta at 8:30am so it was time to get up.

First thing I did was call Ryan at the front desk and say “Ryan, I have a 6:30am wake up call…I’m awake”. I had already packed last night, so I showered, dressed and walked out the door to get into my new black Beetle, I miss my Annie! Headed to the airport, waited for the shuttle for what seemed an eternity, finally got to the airport and checked in for my first class seat! I got the email yesterday that my request for upgrade was granted. I didn’t have to pay, I am automatically on the upgrade list. Go me!

I got to Atlanta got my bag, which I saw later one of the sipper pulls is broke, pook, and headed out to Avis to get my car. I looked at the reservation which I had made for today through Monday and for some reason it only showed today to tomorrow. Huh? I talked to the woman at the counter and she said it’s all good, I’m not just Avis Preferred, I’m Avis First, that seems to hold some weight. The very nice woman at the counter said I can give you an upgrade for no extra charge, but it’s a Beetle! Go figure! I’ll take it!

I headed downtown to meet CKM for lunch. The place we originally picked out was closed so we found something better, a cool NY deli where they yelled and it made me feel at home! A fantastic egg salad sandwich and a potato knish..yum! http://www.reubensdeliatlanta.com/about-us

Next, it was over to the Georgia World Congress Center to pick up our race packets for the Peachtree Road Race tomorrow. Then we followed tradition, ours, and walked around the expo looking at the different vendors and picked up a few things. I’ll show you pictures soon, I’m so beat! Bottom line, we had fun, tried stuff on, bought so some stuff and laughed a lot

After we were done with the expo I took CKM back to her car and headed to meet SDL and Miss A for dinner. I felt really bad that I wasn’t able to meet them at the pool earlier, I love watching Miss A swim!

We met at Smokerise Pizza where I got baked eggplant and pasta, it was tasty. We caught up while we ate and SDL fed Miss A and then, i held out my hand to Miss A, she took it and began walking like a champ! She even let go of my hand, walked a few steps and then pushed my hand away and stood on her own for at least ten seconds! I almost burst out crying!

Anyone who knows Miss A knows what a big deal this is! So…I walked around with her for about thirty minutes and her mom, SDL, said “you know you can’t leave now, right!” I’ll take it! What a joy, so much laughter!

After dinner, we headed back to SDL’s house, had a bath, read a book and then it was time for night night and here I am telling you about my day. Ok, enough? Nap time?

Yes, definitely nap time, I have to get up at FOUR AM to meet CKM at Phipps Plaza so we can participate in our fifth year volunteering for the Peachtree Roadrace, we get a special pin for our five years! And then we are going to participate in the Peachtree Roadrace.

Now it’s time for lights out! Good night!

{July 3, 2014} Transformers-Chicago Tour…who’s with me?

How cool would that be? Go to all the places they filmed and BLEW UP!

I watched Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon…again and had a different take on the movie after visiting Chicago. I think I posted a few of the pictures from my tour and I’ll post them again.

But…my thinking was, how cool would it be to take a tour of Chicago strictly going to the locations that they filmed the movie, take pictures of the buildings, streets and bridges and then show you shots from the movie. Ooh yeah! I so need to do that!

I was inspired by two things, seeing the movie again and my good friend TS, who took her daughter KS on a Madeline inspired tour in Paris when KS was a child, how wonderful is that! I hope you know Madeline “In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines …” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeline

I wonder how many movies or tv shows we could do this with, the possibilities are endless!

{July 2, 2014} Who do you think might be waiting for us?

Do you believe in heaven? Do you believe our loved ones are waiting to welcome us?

Two very dear friends lost souls that were important to them and it’s made me wonder. I have always enjoyed watching those shows where people claim that they can talk to the departed, John Edward and Theresa Caupto, but can they really talk to the dead and what’s waiting for us when we cross over?

The first call came earlier today from a dear friend of mine, JSAC, who’s grandmother had passed. He was happy about the fact that he had gotten to see her before she died and knew he needed and wanted to see her; he had been out of town for a few days and knew that when he got back, no matter what was happening, he was going to see her on Monday and that’s just what he did. She wasn’t very responsive, but he talked to her for quite a while and knew, in his heart, that she was listening to all he was telling her.

Today, when he called to tell me, I said the same thing his sister did, Grandma Peaches, as she was affectionately called, was waiting for him to see her, almost as if it was her last bit of business to be completed before she could be at peace.

About 10:45 tonight, I got the text I was dreading from my sweet friend, MM. His sweet boy, Toshi, a spunky, stubborn, loving cat was gone. As you know, I was with MM over the weekend and we talked about Toshi, who had lost a lot of weight and was moving a lot slower but was holding on. MM told me, even before I asked, that he had talked to Toshi a few months ago and then he told me Sunday that he talked to him again Saturday night, giving him permission, if he was ready, to go and that he would be alright, he would see him again someday.

Our pets are known for staying around for us, until either they just can’t move anymore or they know we will be ok and it’s time to move on. I had a wonderful therapist who said the greatest gift we can give our loved ones is the permission to go if and when they are ready.

The people who talk to the departed say that some people are waiting to welcome their loved ones to the other side. Do you think Grandma Peaches was waiting for Toshi, to keep him company until MM was ready to be with him again?

Maybe he’s bringing her love and peace to her heart and a mouse as a token of his appreciation. I know that wherever they are, they are happy, healthy and at peace.

{July 1, 2014} My walk downtown

A story in pictures.

Today I took a very nice walk downtown and I saw Mother Nature at her finest and I would love to share the pictures with you.

White and blue Heron, at least that’s what the guy who pointed them

White heron, taking in the sun.

Just a really weird flower

Daisies make me happy

Sunflowers make new very happy#

Baby Buny! This is for LG, and her squuuuueeeer

Teeny tiny frog

{June 30, 2014} Transformers: Age of Extinction

Optimus Prime!!! Bumble Bee!!! Optimus Prime!!! Bumble Bee!!! Optimus Prime!!! Bumble Bee!!!

Oh yeah…and Marky Mark!

Today, I went to see Transformers, Age of Extinction, with MM and we both had mixed emotions. I’m a purist, so to speak and I love the first and third Transformers movies, the second one didn’t do very much for me, but I still watched it and I think I own it, but I have Dark Side of the Moon on my iPad and I watch it when I fly frequently, although, I don’t always finish it because some of my flights are not long enough! They are trying to revitalize the series and Michael Bay is a fantastic director, but I’m not sure I would watch this one again, if not for Optimus Prime and Bumble Bee. I think I’m still working through the fact that Shia LeBouf wasn’t in it, you get used to and comfortable with certain characters and that’s what made the movies so great!

Of course, we love Mark Wahlberg, he was good in it, all muscled and the “everyman”, just a dad trying to help a friend and protect his daughter. I’m shallow, I liked the way he looked in the tight t-shirts wielding a welding iron. What I didn’t love was his stunt double who was very noticeably not Mark Wahlberg in some action sequences.

His daughter was kind of annoying, typical teenager, more focused on the boyfriend she wasn’t supposed to have and forgetting it was her dad who really saved her life all those times. Her boyfriend is cute, but really annoying, even with the Irish accent, and we know how I feel about those. I’m not sure how he added to the plot, but I guess there has to be a love story in all of these movies.

There was a strong supporting cast, Kelsey Grammar and Stanley Tucci, I’m not telling you who was the really bad guy and who was the sort of bad guy who turned around in the end and became a good guy. The voice actors for the transformers included, of course, Peter Cullen playing Optimus Prime and Frank Welker playing Galvatron, also the voice of Megatron and John Goodman was Hound, all great actors for the roles, Peter Cullen and Frank Welker being the original voice artists from the original cartoons.

We both thought the movie was a bit long and I know I should not have had the 32 oz bottle of water, as I had to get up and use the facilities twice and anyone who knows me knows I do not like to get up during a movie for that! Luckily the bathroom was right next to the theater.

There were a few good fight scenes and a lot that might not have been necessary, but it was the Transformers after all. The government is paranoid and feeds mis-information to the public and incites panic. The working man rises up against the government and the people trying to hold them back and put fear in their hearts and minds. The Decepticons want to destroy the earth, fun.

There were explanations to the ice age and extinction of the dinosaurs, bad transformers, metal hyenas, with fur!, transformer dragons and dinosaurs, oh my! Optimus Prime took his rightful place as leader of the Autobots and brought himself to his true ‘height and strength’ the leader he truly is. The personalities of the Autobots, more than the Decepticons, fit their body style and personalities. The Decepticons are all bad, so who cares what their personalities are like!

The bottom line is that no matter what, we should always have faith in ourselves, you may lose it in others, but never yourself.

I hope MM was ok, I kept hitting his leg every time Optimus Prime first came on the screen and when he transformed, kicked arse, got a new body and paint job and generally was Optimus Prime. Not to mention when Bumble Bee hit the screen, so happy to see him!

I enjoyed the movie because it was The Transformers, yeah, that’s pretty much it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2109248/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4

{June 27, 2014} How to Train Your Dragon 2

Go see this movie! That’s all I have to say, go see this movie!

I loved the first How to Train Your Dragon, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0892769/?ref_=nv_sr_2, about a boy viking who is being brought up to hunt and kill dragons and discovers there may be more to them than he realized and forms a bond that cannot be broken with a night fury dragon he names Toothless.

In the first movie, which came out in 2010, Hiccup, our main character and hero was about ten, I believe and in this movie, he is twenty. Isn’t it amazing how fast kids grow up! [And I just took a peek and the next movie is coming out in 2016! You bet I’ll be there and adding it to the collection, like this one!

This story is about responsibility, family, love, understanding, forgiveness and courage. The courage to stand up to those who will hunt you and take you down, courage to stand up for what you believe in, courage to face even your family for what you know is right.

There is love, unconditional love, long lost relations, family, a major heartbreaking loss, the realization that you are stronger than you realize and we really are made up of both of our parents, we get both good and bad from them equally. I can’t tell you how difficult it is not to tell you everything, but there would be too many spoiler alerts! Did you know that in the dragon world, there is hierarchy, just like in almost any society; an alpha and all stem from them and must pay heed to them and do their bidding. Which can be both good and bad…

Lastly, there are dragons, I mean a lot of dragons, all shapes, sizes and colors and baby dragons, it turns out, are just like any other kid, they don’t listen to anyone. But, everyone’s favorite dragon is there front and center, Toothless. Toothless is a great friend and companion and protector for Hiccup and Hiccup is nothing but fierce about Toothless. And just when you think the movie can’t get any better…Toothless finds his footing, does what he does best in protecting his best friend and discovers something inside him that no one knew was there. Especially Toothless!

Everyone has to find their own way, make their own path in this world and it’s interesting to watch the journey that Hiccup goes through to find out what everyone else could see in him already.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646971/?ref_=nv_sr_1,

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