Atlanta | Peaches Prattlings

{February 14, 2025} February 14th…a bittersweet day

I say bittersweet because there is much sweet and a little bitter.

Let me start with the obvious, February 14th is Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Valentine. It began as a tribute to a martyr, but it has transformed into a cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of love and romance in many parts of the world. No shade to anyone who celebrates and enjoys the sentiment, I, myself am a sucker for romance. When I can shower my loved ones with love, what could be wrong?!

There was the St Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929, when Chicago’s Northside Gang lost seven of their members, on the plus side, sort of?, it inspired the Paper Lace’s 1974 song The Night Chicago Died. On the happier side, Valentine’s Day has inspired countless stories, movies, tv show episodes, books, songs, and a feeling of joy.

For me…aside from showing my loved ones how I feel, there are three things that stick in my mind. One, I was a part of from the beginning, one I wasn’t there for, but I can wish them well, and one, I’m getting to the point I can smile. I’m going to share, happy, sad, then happy, that will be a good way to end this post.

My friend JCT and her husband celebrate their wedding anniversary today, isn’t that wonderful?! A day about love and they get to wish each other love and happiness on a whole different level. I’ve known JCT and JT, yeah, I just realized that myself!, for 16 years! WOW! I met JCT when I started working for a company that hired me as a trainer, my first official software trainer gig, and it just went from there!

I met her and two other people I am still good friends with today. We traveled together to different locations training for a soft drink company, she and I hit it off like gangbusters. I still remember her calling me that Thanksgiving about 12am, could have been later, telling me that she was going to Walmart to buy a laptop for Black Friday. I thought she was nuts, but why not, I’ll come and keep you company!

I ended up hanging with her while her husband was at some other store getting some other Black Friday deal. After we took our winnings with us, I introduced her to Waffle House! And a tradition was born! NO! That was my one and only Black Friday middle of the night waiting for a deal experience, thank you very much! No, it was let’s go to Waffle House! Once I left Georgia, I didn’t always have access to Waffle House, so…when I would visit Atlanta, someone, didn’t matter who, and they would take turns, someone…was taking me to Waffle House! Y U M!

I met JCT, then met her husband, JT, then their daughter, STY, she was about 8 or 9 at the time, wow! and JCT’s mom, who has become another mom to me. And now, they are my extended family and I love them for it. When I visit Atlanta, they are on my list of people to see and crash with, they welcomed me in and the door is always open. And mom keeps trying to fatten me up with some amazing, wonderful, and tasty Chinese treats, again…Y U M! Happy Anniversary JCT and JT, here’s to many, many, many, many more wonderful years together.

Next, I don’t know if you remember me telling you about the passing of a dear friend of mine, AGM, on Valentine’s Day. Kind of fitting, he was so very loved and when we all came together for the funeral, it was a definite celebration of his life and how much he loved and was loved. I still think about him and as time passes, it gets a little easier to smile when thinking about him.

Well, when you think about his life and when we were younger, it’s easy to smile, at the things he did and said and how he made you feel. And that’s what I’m doing, as we speak, I’m sitting here, writing about him and I’m smiling at the memories from high school, running and jumping up into his arms, he was so much taller than me, but who wasn’t?! Sometimes he’d catch me and twirl me around, other times, we’d fall to the ground…always said he fell for me every time.

AGM, I miss you, and I love you, thank you for being in my life and a part of it, and letting me be a small part of yours.

The last, I said would be happy… is Gotcha Day for SDL and Miss A! That is the day the adoption was official and they were officially a family. And me, of course! I became Auntie George the second I found out about Miss A! SDL and I had been talking about adoption for so long and it took a long time getting there, but she got there. I’ll never forget the day SDL sent a picture to her mom and I saying ‘how would you like to see your potential granddaughter/niece?’ oh boy…did our hearts melt!

I knew SDL’s parents from a few of their visits, but as soon as the adoption process got underway, a new family was born, yes, they adopted me too! It was me, mom-mom, pop-pop, and auntie D who went to the airport to pick up SDL and Miss A and oh wow, did we all melt into the floor when they got off the plane! And they have been stuck with me ever since!

SDL, Miss A, and I have had some grand adventures! Whenever I visit Atlanta, I am at their house, sometimes for a week, sometimes it’s my home base, then we’ve gone on some great trips! They visited me when I was on the road, traveling for work, New Orleans, we visited Elvis together, NYC, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, last year we went to London, there are more adventures in our future, and you know I’ll tell you all about them! I could go on and on, but I have to end this post at some point!

Today is a very special day, there are people in my life that bring me such happiness and joy just by existing. My husband, my family, who are related by blood and marriage, my kids, grandkids, my friends who are my chosen family, I am going to get cheesy…I want to send love into the universe, I know I tell them every time I see them, talk to them, text, I never want to let a moment go by that I don’t tell them how much they mean to me, today and every day.

I started to say some very cheesy things and while that’s me, I just want to say, I love you all, thank you for being you and allowing me to be me, yeah, that’s cheesy enough. Happy Heart Day to all!

{February 5, 2024} It’s that time of year again! It’s the Hot Chocolate 15k! Let’s do this!

For the past 11 years, I have participated in the Hot Chocolate run in Atlanta. January 13, 2013 was the inaugural Hot Chocolate race in Atlanta, easy for me to do there because I lived there at the time.

The first race I did was a 5k, they offered a 5k and a 15k. As a background: a 5k is 3.1 miles, 10k is 6.2 miles, a 15k is 9.1 miles, a half marathon is 13.1 miles, and a full marathon is 26.2. Here’s a deeper description of all the distances. After that you get into the ultra marathon realm, and that is waaayyy beyond my comprehension! Although, I do know a few people who participate in those, and more power to ’em!

I’m not sure if you remember me talking, in the past, about some of the races I’ve done. I’ve done obstacle races, mud runs, 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, and a few half marathons. I actually used to do about 5 races a month, mostly 5ks and one mud run every month or every other month. I was even doing them while I was on the road for work or when I was traveling internationally. The week before I met PSM, I had just done a 5k in Ireland and for our first 3-week trip to Europe, the week before we left I did the Brooklyn Half and when we got to Lisbon, Portugal, the next day I did the Lisbon Half, crazy, I know! Why did I stop?

To be honest, I don’t actually enjoy running, and no judgement against those that do, I admire you, honest I do, I keep saying I’m going to keep doing these until I enjoy running, hasn’t happened yet! And don’t let me fool you, I run part of it, but most, I run the start and the finish, so when someone asks “Did you run?” Why yes, yes I did. Did they ask how much I ran? No, no they did not! There were a few 5ks I actually ran the entire race, I still remember the first one, The Atlanta Women’s 5k, I ran the entire thing and as I was crossing the finish line, I was tearing up, I was so proud of myself!

When I do a race, I try to run, not just the start and finish, but I try to run some of it, and sometimes I’m more successful than others. This time I ran the first almost mile and then I walked pretty much the duration of the course. I was speaking with someone at work, NO, who is training for a half and said she felt similarly to how I do, until she read a book ‘Born to Run‘ and that changed her whole perspective. I need to find that book. I realized that although I don’t enjoy running, I enjoyed participating in the races. I joke I do it all for the swag, but I did enjoy the sense of accomplishment at completing a race.

There were people who were trying their hardest, there were people who were pushing themselves, there were people who were training for other races, like a half or a full marathon and part of the training is to have a long run, well, 9.1 miles is a longer run and this was a fun way to get that long run in. Now, my friend BG is training for a full and he had a long run day today, his was 18 miles. When he sent me his time, for twice the distance, he took 30 minutes longer to finish than my 9.1 miles, gotta love that!

Back to the race…I started doing the Hot Chocolate in Atlanta in 2013, it was a 5k, I wasn’t quite ready for anything else yet! and I was doing it with a friend. The same year, in Ocotber of 2013, I did it again in Denver, 5k, I also volunteered at the expo for race pick up, that was fun, so I volunteered again at the expo in 2015 in Atlanta. 2014 in Atlanta, I did the 5k again, but the next time I did the race, 2015 in Atlanta, and from that year on, I did the 15k. Why? Becuase there was a medal! I did mention I do these for the swag, right?! The Hot Chocolate really has the best sweatshirts.

You also might be asking why I keep doing it in Atlanta since I’ve moved a bit, well…here’s the swag thing again…they came out with a legacy series, you get something extra at your 3, 5, and 15 year mark. In the beginning, you could do the race anywhere, then…they changed the rules and you could only be a legacy if you did the race in the same city year after year, well, they finally amended that, but…I love doing the race where I started and it was inaugural! Besides, I have friends and family to visit here, it’s a win-win!

This year, I decided that since I’m at 13 years, I’m going to give it 2 more years, get my 15 year legacy swag and call it quits on the Hot Chocolate run. Let’s see if I hold me to that! I’ll keep you posted!.

The race is always at the end of January or beginning of February, and here we are February 4th…The race starts at Centennial Olympic Park, downtown Atlanta, the start is at 730a and you need to get down there by 645am, who sets these hours?! And it’s always freezing! And we pay for this? What? I got down there about 630a, parked, and eventually got out of the car, it was inevitable, I was going to have to at some point, right?!

Best part…rain held off until later this afternoon! Bad part…lots and lots of wind! I had my hat and gloves on, wind dies down, take them off, wind picks up, put them back on, and on and on and on, for the entire run!

Just before 730a, we are lined up in our respective corrals waiting to go, someone sings the national anthem, and then we’re off. I ran the first mile, walked the rest, with a jog/run here and there and definitely over the finish line. It’s funny, as you know I don’t post any pics of myself or anyone else that you can truly see our faces, but the pics they got of me, as I was crossing the finish line, cracked me up!

The course is decent, I was with everyone for the start, dwindled down as we went, since I wasn’t running the whole thing, huffing and puffing with my new friends as we climbed hills, who knew Atlanta was so hilly?! I did, and every time I do this stupid thing! ha ha. The worst, well, the worst part of a run, according to everyone, is that last one or two tenths of a mile because you know you’re almost there! You’re sooooo close. This one…why does the last tenth of a mile have to be UPHILL? It wasn’t a huge hill, it was a steady incline, but you could see it as you’re going up it. At that point I’m the little engine that could…I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!

With this distance, especially if you’re not a runner, or you’re encouraging other folks, you just did a mile, eight to go! They have mile markers out there and then when you get to 3.1 miles, there is a 5k sign, and you’re like…I just walked to my neighborhood, or I just walked to the grocery store and back. Then there’s the 6 mile marker and then the 10k, awesome! Only 3 miles to go! Then you’re down to 2 miles, then you see the 8 mile marker and you’re like, I can’t quit now, I’m almost there!

I have three goals when I do a run, I’ve shared these before: 1. Start. 2. Finish. 3. Have someone behind me. I think those are pretty good goals! There was a point, I was at the back with two other women, we were encouraging each other, pushing each other on, then we caught up to other people, and then somewhere around mile 8, I was pushing ahead of them, I must have found my second win because by the time I was rounding that last corner, there were a lot of people behind me. I ran over the finish, cheered and people were cheering for me, it felt amazing! I did it, another one down!

I got my medal, I told you I do this for the swag! ha ha and then I stopped that pace and all of a sudden, my body said a big WTF, now…I have a race shirt that says WTF on the front and Where’s the Finish? on the back, this was not it, I knew where the finsih was, I just crossed it, ha ha. This was, the adrenaline that you just experienced has left your body and you know what you just put it through for 9.1 miles!

I got my medal and hobbled over to the finisher’s tent to get my finisher’s cup. This is a cup filled with lots of goodies, a hot chocolate in the middle, dipping chocolate, and things to dip in the chocolate. As some of you know, I don’t like chocolate, so I got mine with out any chocolate, poor guy who gave me my mug said he didn’t like it, and he was in the tent giving out the stuff, it smelled so chocolatey! Poor guy! I also gave away a few of the things to some kids near me, the marshmallow and the Rice Krispie treat, not my thing. I enjoyed the banana, pretzels, and trail mix, and my bottle of water, y u m!

I ate as I walked to my car, high fived finishers, congratulated others, and sat in my car with the but warmers on for a bit, ooh, that felt good! All in all I am very glad I did it, despite what my body says! I saw 2:39 when I crossed the finish, my time, that they emailed 2:33, I think that’s pretty respectable time for walking, with a little run thrown in, 9.1 miles!

Another year, another Hot Chocolate 15k done. I’m proud of myself, I just checked my time from last year and I was 5 minutes faster! Go me! ha ha. Now I’m going to check all the years and see what I did!

So, my friends, another race done, I think this may have inspired me to get back into it, and who knows…I may tell you about a race I actually ran! Oh my word! Or even got to where I enjoyed running! I know, I know, don’t get ahead of myself!

Nighty night and sweet dreams!

{May 27, 2021} Our first overnight visitors!!!

We have our first overnight visitors and I am over the moon! It’s…wait for it…wait for it…SDL and Miss A!!! Ok, now you know and you knew how I felt as soon as I said it!

We had a visitor last year, our first! DLP was in St Louis for a family event and came to see us, we went out to breakfast, then she came back and saw our house, but sadly, had to go after a few hours. Today, SDL and Miss A arrived for a long holiday weekend visit!

They left Atlanta Wednesday afternoon, after school and an appointment and they were off! It is about an 8.5 hour drive if…you make no stops! Well, for me, when I drove to Atlanta was about 9.5 hours, I factored in at least four 15 minute breaks for gas, food, and bio breaks. For them, it takes a little longer, so they cut the trip in half, keeping me posted along the way.

I worked most of the day, they got here about 4pm, just in time to take the dogs for a walk, in the rain…where did that come from? Seriously?! When I checked the weather a few days ago, it was going to be warm and sunny with very little chance of rain and now…more chances of rain for the weekend. Ah well. They were here! Hugs, hugs, hugs, and more hugs! A tour of the house, where are they staying, all that good stuff, then it was time for a walk. Well, Miss A, SDL, Ruby, Bee, and I started on a walk, water came from the sky, they went home and the pups and I continued on our walk.

We got home and PSM was just about finished with work so…instead of sitting too long, SDL said if she sat too long she was done! It was a long two days! We headed out to the food Miss A, SDL, and I always do when I visit them, Mexican! We went to El Maguey, where PSM and I went to celebrate Cinco de mayo. It was great! We talked, ate, laughed, caught up, reminisced, laughed, talked, ate, you know, wash, rinse, repeat. It was like no time had passed, just as it always is when we get together!

After dinner, we headed home, it was time for a bath, cuddle, running around like crazy people, then off to bed. I’m just a happy Auntie G! I love family visits! We have so many options for the weekend, let’s see what we can get in to, I’ll keep you posted!

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