Just over 2 years ago (yes, things are slow around here so I am digging up old stuff) hurricane such and such tore through Atlanta.

I stayed at work watching the trees bend and sway without much thought. I called Marc (who was my navigation system back then) to find the best route home. See, we traveled the same route to and from work and he was nice enough to report which roads had fallen trees, which traffic lights were out, etc.

In one conversation I asked if our tree out front had fallen - see the previous hurricane such an such created a nice big crack up the trunk that I had not dealt with. Marc replied, "Biggie is home and he certainly would have told me if your tree fell". Well, Biggie settled in and I got the call.

Marc: you are really lucky
Me: are the animals okay
Marc: you are really lucky
Me: (jumping through the phone) are the animals okay
Marc: what?
Me: my fucking children (panic setting in)
Marc: oh yeah. everyone is a little shaken up but let me say. You are damn lucky

I arrive home to find the 100-year old tree in our front yard took the digger I expected. But we were lucky. It missed the outside wall of our house (took out the rafters that extend beyond the exterior wall and a very small branch went through the roof). It also avoided our neighbors house. It fell on a public street between 2 houses with (literally) inches of clearance. Whew. The city has to pay to clear the tree ($6,000 was our best estimate from a tree company) and no serious damage.

No electricity for several days was fun. The first hour or so I kept flipping switches...no light. After several times I began to question water coming out of the faucet. I had to stop and think about those things we take for granted.

I got so motivated that we pulled out the coleman camping stove and the whisperlite from the attic. DUMB ASS! Our stove is gas with an electric ignite. When it wouldn't ignite, I got the same rejected feeling of trying to turn on a light; I never thought to use a match or lighter to flame the gas. .

So here are pics and the story behind each of them.......Let the hurricane season begin! I know how to use my gas stove without electricity!

This pic is my first arrival home to see the damage. That is Biggie T and Marc figuring out how to tarp the roof



Close fucking call!


Biggie T. and BuffaloRob working the tarp thing. KitCat - I think the orb in here just might be the angel that saved our house!



We decided no electricity and a big fucking tree in the street called for a party. Several neighbors came over and drank and sat in the tree.....laying down it was still 15 feet tall. Here is Marc, Biggie T. and the atrophysicist girl that lived across the street


Butch wouldn't miss a party for the world.



Marc and I posing




The sun comes up and reveals all




My good friend Johnny and his wife Diane (brother-in-law name forgotten in the background). They showed up commando style to secure the roof and get us electricity. Gotta' fucking love good friends with talent! Oh yeah- me on the right in my antique wheelchair still shaking my head in disbelief

As my travels take me to places for work and not necessarily where I want to be..I found myself rummaging through some pictures from our trip to Magyar territory - Budapest, Hungary. I love to take pictures of cemeteries, architecture and people that I have never met...

Since I am traveling so much and have not been around for the Edgewood Estates haps lately - guess I will share some photos of places I have been and seen.

This is the Parliament...one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. This shot was taken from a castle (circa like 600 ac) in the Buda hills. The water is the Duna River - as they say in Budapest or Danube as we call it


This is also in Budapest - a great restaurant we ate at with BuffaloRob's parents. This trip was for his father's first highschool reunion since leaving Hungary in the late 50's. Rob's mother is Hungarian but her family moved to Amesterdam during WWII....These guys are singing her favorite Hungarian song. BuffaloRob is in the left of the picture pointing for me take a picture of his mom. It was like being a kid in a candy store for her.




On our walk to the market I saw this couple standing in their window talking. When they saw me grab my camera- the woman tried to hide. I yelled out the little Magyar I know and Rob actually said it, "please let us take your picture" in Hungarian - the man gladly posed. The woman was reluctant but finally emerged under her husband's (I will assume) coaxing. The cool thing of this photo (I realized later)....during Soviet rule people were not allowed to display flower boxes or grow gardens (other than for personal food). Today the flower boxes are proudly placed on the decayed buildings...everywhere in the city

"Home again, home again - jigity jig"

Probably not how it spelled but growing up my aunt Denise would always sing this song upon a return home. May have been a long drive, may have been a short drive but they always ended in that little number.  It is appropriate to sing as I have returned home from another trip.

This time of year is usually emotionally odd for me.  Not always sad; but certainly there are reflections of the people I have lost in my life.  It seems most of them pass along in the months of May and June.

My (adopted) uncle on his 40th Birthday, my mother, an aunt, a grandfather and a few friends over the years have claimed these two months as their months of death.  Some spanned years and some within days of each other.

Six FootBlonde and E.M. Diesel at "Needs More Cowbell" were gracious enough to post a memory of a dear friend that also ties to a favorite band of mine.  If you don't know "Needs More Cowbell" - you can find their link in my "Blogs I Like" list

Thanks you for posting you guys!  Keep up the great Blog 

I am a glutten for punishment...I will get that out of the way now. I have gone and accepted yet another job that will take me traveling. At the beginning of the May I knew I would be traveling through June 2nd....it has now turned into July before I will spend more than a weekend at home. Hubbie is great! He keeps the furry and feathered kids in line and there is no housekeeping needed upon my return .

So, here is what I have learned in my traveling:

• It takes 4 hours to drive to Charlotte from Atlanta
• Jacksonville, FL has the largest land mass of any city in the US

• Sacramento is North East of San Fran (who woulda' thunk)
• Sacramento looks like Dallas with trees and half the population
• Las Vegas has the crappiest, least informative airport on the planet.  And I think it may be the only airport that is packed at 11:00pm on a week night
• Gas is REALLY expensive in California
• Mapquest is accurate about 1 in 5 times
• The only people still buying the PT Cruiser are rental car companies renting at the economy price

• Marriott hotels always have the following breakfast - really flat weird scrambled eggs preformed to fit on a biscuit, sausage patties, cheese (american at Fairfield and cheddar at Springhill or Courtyard), waffles, fruit and yogurt

• People on airport escalators pay no attention to "stand on right - walk on left".  God forbid you need to run to catch a flight because they cram up the entire escalator.  They also lollygag around quite a bit
• The earbuds that came with my new Creative Zen Micro Mp3 player don't fit in my ears. 
• Jacksonville airport security will confiscate lighters AND matches at the security gate

 

And back in Edgewood Estates

• Marcellus (our neighbor) is not going to improve his yard because "Super Negro" (his nickname for Butch) keeps yelling at him about what he is doing wrong.

I am not dead yet. May find some time this weekend to post and stop by to see everyone.....

Hope everyone is doing well