And most of this week was Atomicon, so that's what I'm going to write about.
Our vet, where we board Tucker and used to board Snowy, closes for lunch, so since we wouldn't make it there by 11:55, we coasted Thursday morning and arrived at the vet's office just as they reopened at one. Tucker is not Willow, who had to be dragged into the doctor's office; he went back quietly, then I picked up sandwiches and two zeppole (Sunday is St. Joseph's Day) and we had a nice ride up to Helen. We stopped at the Cleveland, GA, Ingle's supermarket to get distilled water for the CPAP tank, and then schlepped all our stuff inside the Country Inn and Suites. We brought our pillows again this year, and also all the catherization supplies, so we were set.
For supper a bunch of us went to Spice55, the Thai place, for supper, and it was delectable and delicious as always. We have several Thai places in our neighborhood, but if I want really good Pad Thai I come here. Alice had warned us in the Facebook group that since tomorrow was St. Patrick's Day and Friday we might want to skip eating out and instead get food to bring in, so James and I ordered entrees for tomorrow.
We both hardly slept. James has to use the bathroom multiple times a night, so we had to leave the light on in the bathroom so he would not stumble and fall on his nightly trips. The door would not stay cracked just a tiny bit, but instead kept opening wide, so we were up half the night because of the terrible daylight bulbs they have in there. This was a shame because they had actually changed the horrible noisy air conditioners they've had for years and replaced them with ones that were quiet, so we could sleep. At one time I'd had a nightlight in the suitcase, but it wasn't there now.
 |
Daisy the bookstore cat
|
Friday was rainy and quite chilly. We'd prepared for it and planned to stay in just talking with everyone. We had leftovers for lunch, plus I had some of the salad I picked up at Ingle's. When the rain slowed down in the afternoon, we went to the Mt. Yonah Book Exchange—as usual the owner had put the "Welcome Atomicon!" sign out!—with a small herd of others including Maggi and Clay (this is their first time at Atomicon). Clair bought almost every watercolor painting book they had. I bought a book on writing and also James Michener's memoir. We also stopped at Ingle's where I ran inside to buy nightlights for the bathroom and they had a Starbuck's at the entrance, so I stopped there, too, to order a surprise. Nothing better on a damp chill day than peppermint hot chocolate!
We had a nap and then a big happy dinner in the common room (the conference room) and chatted and watched Clair paint. Worked on fic and chatted and read a bit.
Saturday was a much better day at the start. The hotel has a free breakfast and at first all was fine as we availed ourselves of cereal and oatmeal and other goodies (James has more choices because he eats eggs and sausage; I despise eggs and the sausage will only give me indigestion). Then we went for what has been the best part of the last few Atomicons: we are in walking distance of downtown and we just go to walk around there. We stopped at the glassblower's shop and James bought a neat ring. We discovered the olive oil/vinegar store is open (Alpine Olive Tree) and we got more balsamic peach and also some chipotle flavor oil for James. We stopped at Hoffer's (the bakery/breakfast place) but I wouldn't have bought the cake if I'd known it was eight dollars a slice! Yow! And I bought my annual almond bark and dark chocolate orange creams, and got James some sugar-free chocolate cashew clusters at the Hansel and Gretel chocolate shop.
Alas, on the return leg, we both got stomach aches—I believe it was from the salad from Ingle's (I'd also bought some for James on Friday)—and ended up in the public restrooms. Both of us thought we were okay then, and headed down the side street between Alpine Olive Tree and the antique shop (one of the "antiques" they have there is the faux Tiffany triple-bulb light fixture we have in our foyer, which we got at Lowe's). There is a new history museum open at the old city hall and we had just gotten in there to look around when I started getting a bellyache again. We eventually just walked back to the hotel and ate our leftovers for lunch.
For supper Maggi, Clay, Alice, Ken, and James and I went to Rib Country barbecue in Cleveland. You can get a rack of ribs here for the price of a half rack of ribs at any barbecue place in Atlanta, and they are tender and perfect. We are planning to stop there again on the way home Monday.
Sunday morning, St. Joseph's Day, I shared slices of the two zeppole I'd bought with anyone who wanted some. Zeppole, which are soft pastry covered in frosting and filled with yellow cream (egg custard) are so rich a little slice is about all anyone can eat. For lunch James and I picked up sandwiches and some cheese at the new cheese shop and also bought pioneer porridge and country gravy mix at Nora Mill, then came back to the hotel to eat as there are no tables at the cheese shop. It was a beautiful day, but very windy and cold, and James, who has been cold all the time since he was hospitalized in October, gave up halfway into our second walk into Helen. I was very sorry because I had really wanted to see the history museum, that is if it was open on Sundays.
This is the first time we have stayed over until Monday and we were kind of disappointed that so few others did. Of course the Lawsons and several others who usually do stay over did not attend this year. Then Monday morning Daniel got sick and Clair had to call the ambulance to take him to the Habersham emergency room we had to go to a few years back when James' pulse was racing. (Daniel was okay; he had just vomited and was dehydrated.) We packed up and did stop by Rib Country for tonight's dinner, then drove past the vet to pick Tucker up. We got there ten minutes before the vet opened after lunch, and I really needed to pee, so James took me over to Kroger to use their restroom. I was rewarded by finding not only Lindt dark chocolate Easter bunnies, but they had Cadbury dark chocolate filled eggs, too. Previous years we have had to order the chocolate eggs online. So—Easter candy!
Alas, we have had to make arrangements to have Tucker's teeth cleaned. His gums are very bad. This will cost about $750. Aieeee! And, even worse, we will have to get up at 7 a.m. to drop him off before nine.
And we had the ribs for supper and I got sick. This wasn't the rib place's fault. When you get them at the restaurant, they come with no barbecue sauce, and they are so moist and juicy and well cooked that you don't need it. I forgot when you order them to go they do put barbecue sauce on them. Their sauce is very vinegary. I ended up with a killer case of heartburn and retched so hard I strained the muscles in my torso. Now ever time I cough, and cough I will due to the damn pollen, it hurts like hell.
Labels: Atomicon, books, food, friends, illness, travels
----------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at
11:06:00 PM
