events and stimulus, I feel I must expound on it. In a self-indulgent action, I went to Hotlanta to visit Janie. She's the one that's known me since I was in fifth grade. Suffice it to say, that was quite a while back.
How fortunate I am to have a friend who has abided through many years, sometimes close and sometimes not very connected. But here we are at the point of retiring from the world of work and able to craft things in our lives that we can enjoy together.
During my four+ days there, I went with Janie and Linda (her close friend, business associate) to the DeKalb County Farmer's Market. It's a very interesting place, filled with things not found in ordinary markets that I've frequented, but offering also the rudimentary things for a well-stocked kitchen. It's a large place and when you've shopped the entire space, you have covered some territory.
Thankfully after shopping we went home, unloaded groceries and got to sit down. There's a sign you're aging: having to rest from grocery shopping. Oh, the things I once could do, such as shopping, laundry, vacuuming, dusting, cooking, chauffeuring, etc. etc. sometimes at the end of a day at the office.
The next day we visited the Ikea store and walked the two football fields (or thereabouts) of the upper and lower floors, looking at, testing, discussing room displays and many pieces of home furnishing. There's more stuff there than one can take in, or at least it was a lot to see from my perspective.
I'm sure they benefit from having a cafeteria on site because folk need to sit down and refresh. We had very pleasant open-faced sandwiches of cold shrimp and boiled egg.
THEN, Saturday we prepared dinner for Linda and her husband and another mutual friend at Chez Morgan. The food was fine with everyone contributing something, including Janie's sumptuous dish of salmon fillets poached in a tomatoey, spicy and tasty sauce. I contributed by chopping shallots, garlic, olives et al. I'm sure my service was irreplaceable.
Dinner was much fun because those four people are crazy. They are all artists and independent business people (Linda's hubby teaches, but also draws and paints beautifully). I was the beneficiary of good humor, funny stories, interesting viewpoints and (after some alcohol had flowed) some riotous song and laughter.
I recommend a visit to http://www.artwithcattitude.com/, Linda's website where she has placed themed artwork available on cards, etc. I bought a set of cards and love them. They are high quality and quite charming. Give it a look.
Sunday Janie and I lay around like slugs (her word) because we were tired, damn it. 'twas a lovely day of reading, lounging, talking, sleeping, with some nice food tossed in. Wonderful what good eating you can do with fresh salad ingredients and leftovers!
As result of this nice trip, I also acquired couple of drawings Janie did which I will have framed and then hang in my home. I've always been jealous of her talent; but she's such a sweetheart I cannot begrudge her the abilities she has.
Also she gave me some paintings her mother-in-law did that are quite nice, but Janie has no room for. If you are an artist, and you are married to an artist as Janie was, and you have talented friends and associates, and have acquired pieces from many sources, your walls fill up. And, of course, everyone has favorites. So now I have four very nice pieces to add to my collection.
I am most fortunate to know delightful, talented and good people; my Atlanta trip was another foray into just such a fine group.
Mi bendición.
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