Sunday, November 27, 2005

The Visit

Several weeks back I had received a phone call from my cousin in Florida.... since we do talk often, I considered it a routine visit, and time to catch up. The real surprise was that she was coming up to Atlanta. Since we are closer than two peas in a pod... I could think of no better "spirit raiser" than a visit from one of my favorite people in the whole world.

But then there was so much to do first. The house had to be cleaned (and I mean seriously cleaned!), banana bread had to be baked, and the gardens had to be freshened. After all I have this impossible reputation that had to be upheld, and even though I'm over the hill... some things never fade in my family.
But then she wasn't just coming to my house, she was coming to my "home", and I wanted everything to look clean, shiny and most welcome. Traveling with her was her husband.... a funny, interesting and informed person, and teenage daughter..... a lovely girl and sweetest person you'd ever want to meet. Needless to say it was a wonderful three days....and just what the doctor ordered for my sagging and depleted spirits!

On Saturday I had to work a catering.... and they decided to tour the new Atlanta Aquarium that just opened up this past week, as well as many sights in the city, meeting up later that afternoon for a big turkey dinner. Off they went to venture in the big city, which deserves accolades for them just wanting to make the attempt. Atlanta is not an easy city to navigate most times.... and I've been here for many years, so I gave them my "drive safely" prayers and told them to have a wonderful time. The line to the Aquarium was wrapped around the building three times...and they decided to catch it on their next visit. Instead they ventured into the heart of the city, parked their car and set off on foot. At this point in the excursion, I had called to ask her if she had gotten into the "$200 million fish tank" (no kidding!), and she explained the situation to me.

Her next statement was, "where are the bullet elevators?". Bullet elevators are the ones that go on the outside of the Westin/ Peachtree hotel, being a great thrill to ride one of these. As you descend up 76 floors, you have this wonderful vista of Atlanta in front of you... and on a clear day you can see all the way to Stone Mountain. (We don't even know if the are called "bullet elevators"... someone nicknamed them in our family because of their shape, and the name has stuck ever since). For $5.00, you can ride up to the top where there is this fabulous restaurant and lounge that revolves around so that you can see the whole city just sitting in your chair. I was pretty impressed the first time I went there, and was glad it had the same effect on them.
After wandering around, they came to Underground Atlanta, which was another "site" on their list of places to go. Again, they were not disappointed.
The only little problem they encountered was that they did get "booted" at their parking spot. Good little campers that they were, they took posed pictures that they could laugh at in the years to come, paid their $50.00 fine and went on their way.

We celebrated the visit Saturday night with a big turkey dinner, and much laughter around the table.... and knowing that prayers were answered because we were all together enjoying a magical moment. Perfect is not a word we are able to throw around a lot, given circumstances we face in life everyday... but it is the epitome of how Thanksgiving was for me.... even if it happened two days after the actual event. I came to realize that it was the time together, no matter the day, and being with someone on my side of the family was the true "thanksgiving" I had been missing for years.
My cousin has always been the little sister I never had, and although we are eight years apart, we are closer by our bonds of love for one another. I was the person she always came to for advise, and she was the person I turned to for words of comfort when the world was falling down, and my wonderful Aunt (her Mother) was currently unavailable. She is family, and knows my life because it is so well interwoven with hers. There is something to be said about life.... it is not how well you've loved, but how well you've been loved. Sometimes I feel that my cup runneth over.......

9 Comments:

Blogger Neo said...

Ellen -Nice to hear you had fun. My apologies for not reading sooner, my weekend just kind whipped on by.

12:22 PM  
Blogger Ellen said...

Neo- It was a busy weekend for everyone, and I didn't even get a chance to catch up with blogging till last night myself. Your turkey looked delicious!
Hope it was a great weekend for you as well!... oh, but they go by too fast, don't they?

12:26 PM  
Blogger Neo said...

Ellen -It turned out great! My stuffing kicked butt too! I think you saw a photo of it with my post.

I'm hanging in there, and praying for 5pm to come soon!

2:25 PM  
Blogger Lee Ann said...

That sounds like a wonderful time!

3:31 PM  
Blogger Ellen said...

Neo- Yeah, I saw the turkey on the picture you posted (same day as the punked Neo, Ha Ha!) It looked great!

Lee Ann- A wonderful time was had by all... just too short as always.
Best of luck on your trip over tomorrow!

4:55 PM  
Blogger Snaggle Tooth said...

Hi, soundz like ya had a good thanks-time visit for your soul, just what the holiday-doc ordered! I'm glad for ya!
N the sight-seeing troops had some fun, even with a ticket... so expensive! Ouch! What good sports!

I saw that new, privately paid for, huge, walk-through Aquarium on the news last week, n was wonderin if you'd get to go see it soon. I'd actually brave the line for that opportunity! I love animals of all types, even fish n sharks. I hear they have Whale-sharks, which I've never seen in person before. The Boston Aquarium is tiny in comparison, I've been there several times. That Boston parking is only $22...
Looks like it'll take a bit more time for the novelty there to wear off.
Glad ya got to share some priceless moments, definately the best part of life!

10:19 PM  
Blogger Ellen said...

Snaggle- Yeah, that big fish tank is the main attraction of the city right now. We decided to wait until the clamour to get in quiets down a bit before we venture it ourselves. I have been to the Boston Aquarium (on one of my trips up, years ago)... and to several others in trips between here and there... and they always are pretty much fun.
Atlanta has named their whale-sharks: Ralph & Norton after the Honeymooners.... cute, huh?

On Sunday, we took them to Stone Mountain, and had another wonderful day looking at the "big rock". Don't know if you know too much about St. Mountain, but it is the largest stone (besides one in Australia) on earth. It has a carving of the confederate leaders etched on one side, attractions, as well as hiking trails that surround it. It's pretty impressive the first time you see it, and I almost got married there years ago.... long story.

Yes, the holiday docter was good to me this year, indeed!

12:28 PM  
Blogger Snaggle Tooth said...

Never heard of the Stone Mountain or either of the two biggest rocks... Never did study Geology, but did get "A"s in Earth Science n Ocean Science Bio courses.

They decided to sell small pieces of Plymouth Rock on E-bay this week, who wants to pay for rocks...

The whale-shark names are funny, ya think for honey-mooners they'd try to get one of each sex to keep 'em happy, though!

4:26 PM  
Blogger Ellen said...

Snaggle- I can't believe they'd chomp off pieces of Plymouth Rock to sell... how awful! I thought that's why they fenced it in the first place!?!? Oh well, maybe it's wearing away and they can make a buck off of it, huh? After all the "pet rock" guy was laughing all the way to the bank.

Yeah, you'd think they'd have the same sex sharks... but then we'd have to build another fish tank if they got "romantic" and had little ones. I love the idea of calling them Ralph & Norton, though!

7:27 PM  

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