At the end of my two-week road trip in August, I sat down on the couch, so glad to be home to blog the places I had gone. I remember that evening, slowly penning the right words and selecting ideal photos. Oh, yes, the entry described family and clothes shopping Burlington and Greensburg, North Carolina and the exquisite visit to downtown Atlanta, my favorite. In Atlanta, I tasted 70 Coca Cola flavors served worldwide and toured the Coca Cola factory. Like a child, I was anxious to take a picture with the big white polar bear; but once beside him his size and fuzz gave me a fright. Oh, what a sight. My girls enjoyed “Mommie being scared.” Inside the Pop Art Museum oversize drawings and paintings amazed and dazzled me. Of course the retro signs brought back memories of the green glass bottled coke, which cost a dime, housed in a bright red soda machine. However, I had no memory of a Black family in commercials or advertisements; therefore when I spotted one: photo op. Despite the 100 degree 
weather, the girls and my cousin traipsed through the Olympic Park. And it would not be the same without visiting Dr. MLK’s home. “Let Freedom Ring.” Another reason I know I blogged the vacation, I wanted to spread the word about Thumbs Up Diner: the best, fresh, succulent fried catfish and oversize pancakes. To top the palate, next door a sit down bakery shop: slices of red velvet, pound and chocolate cake. Mmm.
grandma and me
From Atlanta, I visited my 90-year-old Grandmother. I didn’t have enough time to spend with her. I’m not sure if its age or maturity, but every year I see her I want to spend more time listening to her stories. This year when she looked at my 15-year-old, she said, “Hold on to your youth.” My daughter smiled and darted out the door to play with the cats. At 15, I would have done the same thing. I turned to my grandmother and she said, I rushed, I did not know what it was like to be a teenager. My grandmother, Mary Alice Hooks, married at 14 and bore 10 out of 12 children. I needed to hear her story, I could tell she was a
A WOMAN THAT HAS..
a past
juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age.
With that a horn blew and I had to leave the storytelling lips of my grandmother, who I know is waiting to burst forth a story just for me.
Nemo world
Next we headed to Orlando for a week’s rest and relaxation. And if you have been to Disneyland, I need not say anymore. OK maybe just a word or two about my favs. I’m not a fan of roller coasters. However, my girls and my cousin (who taunted me as if he was 10-years-old) were relentless when it came roller coasters, so I ventured out and rode more stomach-churning, nerve-wrenching rides than I imagined. Four days and five parks we stood on long lines, baked in the Florida sun, and indulged in tons of family fun. When I return, two absolute repeats are: Planet Hollywood’s House of Terror and Universal Studio’s 3-D Spiderman explosion.
Running in the Garden
On the way home, (nonstop driving never to do again) we also detoured into South Carolina to tour Mr. Pearl’s hand sculpted garden. Worth the bypass.
This is why, when a friend of mine said, “Angela, I noticed you haven’t been blogging.” I was mortified. I knew two-months had lapsed, but not the road trip. Hence I digress and retrace my steps for the entry has been lost in the Blog Triangle.
angchronicles 