eternally chaotic

Well…this is certainly a case of better late than never.  A post that should have happened months back never did.  I started and stopped writing it several times but never finished.  So in lieu of keeping it perpetually updated and eventually posted, here it is:

Labor Day weekend was fantastic.  The family, all six of us, took a road trip to Indiana.  Specifically the greater Indianapolis area.  I wanted to introduce Carol, Isaac, Jacob and even Violet to my grandfather, aunts and uncles, cousins and the various kids they have all produced or acquired.  I also wanted a chance to show Carol around the areas that I grew up.  In all cases, and in contrast to the Bush definition of such, the trip was a “mission accomplished”.

The trip was indeed fantastic, regardless of how many months ago it might have been.  We were able to visit most of not all of my family, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (the Atlanta version could learn a great deal from this place), eat ice cream from Mrs. Curls, and inhale a particular northern culinary delicacy – The White Castle.

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A special treat this weekend.  Stone Mountain Park was hosting the 10th annual Indian Festival and Pow-Wow.  An interesting assortment of Indian cultures and traditions.  Right inside the gate we walked into a show getting ready to start called “East vs. West”.  Two Indians, one from the eastern tribes and one from the western Sioux tribes, compared and contrasted the lifestyles and traditions of their ancestors.  Seems the eastern Indians were more civilized, happy to barter and trade to make life easier, while the western ones, the Sioux in particular, raided and pillaged to get what they wanted, or to advance their lifestyle.  I am sure this is a gross over exaggeration about the differences but it was neat to hear what they had to say and see the difference in the everyday tools used by each.

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Fall is here…although sometimes I think fall actually skips the southeast and winter tries desperately to blow in early, dragging wind and rain with it.  Such was this particular day.  With winter…fall, comes the annual Dahlonega Gold Rush festival.  This was a new festival for the girls and I.  We have been to the Duluth Fall Festival and the Norcross Art Festival but hadn’t ventured out much beyond.  It was fun from the beginning and much, much larger than the others – not to mention more organized.  There were certainly some planned destinations as well.  Carol and Bonnie wanted to eat lunch at the “Smith House“, watch the parade on Main Street, and checkout the goodies offered by the hundreds of vendors.

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We recently packed up the van and headed to Moccasin Creek State Park in northern Georgia for a weekend of camping.  Certainly a well needed trip away from work and the daily grind.  Carol had planned this trip six weeks in advance and it seemed to take an eternity to arrive.  Unfortunately not everyone got to go.  Violet had to stay behind from the get-go.   Even though this was a short trip, it was to relax a bit – take deep breaths – wash – rinse – repeat…. and while camping with Violet would certainly prove fun it would also, at least until she is a bit older, be exhausting.  Jacob also stayed behind, opting out the night before, choosing to hang out with Nana, Troy and Violet (we missed you buddy!).

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