Between a rock and the wrong place

Today we made our rescheduled trek into Atlanta - no detours for vomiting this week. We started out at the Midtown location of Trader Joe's - what a fabulous store! J and I were content to wander the aisles and peruse the delicacies; A was interested only in the food samples. We tried not to go wild, and limited our purchases to artisan bread, bagels and three types of cheese.

We headed west into Decatur to go to the Dekalb Farmers Market, which is not like a traditional farmers' market nor is like a traditional grocery store. It is an amazing cross-section of food and people from all over the world. I did the majority of my grocery shopping there when I was a poor graduate student and ate quite well for an economical price. It was not uncommon to see a Buckhead matron in a fur coat, punk rockers and large immigrant families (all touching the grocery cart) shopping peacefully side-by-side. We inhaled the rich smells in the seafood section, drooled over even more cheese and stood in awe at the variety of fresh produce. We bought a few more unusual items and added them to our treasure trove in the cooler.

Downtown Decatur was our next destination, where we had lunch at Ted's Montana Grill. J and I enjoyed delicious burgers and A seemed to eat his body weight in chicken tenders and fries. I also indulged in a Bloody Mary, which hit the spot.

Our last stop was the campus of Emory University, my alma mater. I couldn't remember anything about how to get around campus, so we finally parked and then hoofed it. Campus was just as beautiful as I remembered, and I was amazed at the amount of construction taking place. I also marveled at the size and opulence of the Goizueta Business School - not the tiny little building in which I attended classes! A enjoyed running around the various quads throughout campus and I bought him an Emory t-shirt.

J and I were rather sad to leave and drive back out to Hooterville. Decatur is much more our speed: diverse people, shopping, housing, yada yada yada. We felt at home there, which we do not feel living out here in the country. And while we know that living in Decatur is not feasible due to housing costs, job location, etc., it was still a stark reminder that we are living in the wrong place.

One little, two little...

Three little native people! Today was the Thanksgiving feast for all kindergarten classes at A's school. J and I both were able to join our little Pilgrim for lunch; it was my usual morning to work in the class so I was already there.

A was thrilled that Daddy, in particular, was able to come for lunch. While the food wasn't particularly delectable, it was great fun to see A and his classmates dressed as Pilgrims and native Americans, or at least the kindergarten interpretation. At least A's Pilgrim collar did double duty as a bib!

Each child had made a laminated Thanksgiving place mat, and their places were also adorned with a paper tepee and a laced paper canoe along with a tiny pinch pot that they had made.

After the feast, we returned to their classroom to hear Thanksgiving songs and to eat pumpkin pie that the students had made yesterday. I am no fan of pumpkin pie so I passed, but J said it wasn't too bad.

After two hours of working in the classroom, then lunch with excited children and numerous mainly annoying parents, I felt like helping myself to some Pilgrim hooch when I returned home!