Actually, technically, there's not a little black spot on the sun today.
At least I don't think that there is...
Seems like I'd actually have to be able to see the sun in order to tell for sure.
But I've now gotten that song stuck in my head, and you know how that goes.
Let me tell you about this morning, and the 15 different kinds of craziness going on around here...
I woke up this morning, in the 4:30-4:45 neighborhood (not my favorite, by the way!) with the vaguely annoyed sense that someone had just blown out a bunch of candles.
I say "vaguely annoyed" because I really, really hate the smell of candle blowout. I'm kind of a freak about it. But if you light a candle in our house, you have to take it outside to blow it out because I don't want that smell in the house.
I know, I know, weird...
So anyway, I woke up thinking "Who's blowing out candles at this unGodly hour?" Which rapidly turned into "Sweet Cracker Sandwich - the house is on fire!" Which immediately turned into me leaping out of bed to investigate.
The smell was pervasive throughout the whole house, which was not helping me pinpoint the source. Until I opened the front door - when the smell of smoke was so strong that it literally made me gasp.
Which was a dumb move on my part - because that led to a coughing fit of monumental proportions...
Seems that the smoke from the South Georgia wildfires has once again made it up to the metro Atlanta area. With a vengeance this time. It's impressive in a terrible sort of way. It really makes my heart go out to those in South Georgia - if it's this uncomfortable up here, I can't even imagine what the air quality is like there. Nor can I even imagine the stress for those who live in the fire's path - some of these fires have been burning for weeks, now...
This is what the sky looks like this morning:
This is the "famous" Atlanta skyline view - the one that you see pictures of all the time*. It more commonly looks like this.
(And here's a random pretty one at night...)
To really compare and contrast? This is what the sky looked like yesterday:
I took that yesterday outside of IKEA. I just liked the yellow and the blue. And the security camera...
It's just as well that today is a good day for staying indoors - there's too much going on here. Ah yes - the aforementioned "15 different kinds of crazy"...
(That's the other song stuck in my head - and you can take your pick: the Gnarls Barkley, the Patsy Cline, or the Pylon. They all apply**...)
I started to list out all the different kinds of crazy - but I'm not going to. Basically, they aren't particularly interesting. It's just that time of year, as I am sure so very many of you know...
I will share some of the high points though...
Bubba turned 40.
So there have been all kind of birthday goings-on. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. My Bubba is a good egg. I'm a lucky grrrrl.
The end of the school year.
Need I say more? There is at least one event every single day at school which requires my time and attention, etc.
Such as this -
That's right - "Third Grade Greek God Presentations and Feast" Behold the Mighty and Fearsome Poseidon! And behold - I freaking made that tunic! Woo-Hoo! There was measuring and cutting and ironing and even a tiny bit of basting involved... And a WHOLE LOT of safety pins...
My favorite part? The octopus that I used to hold the thing together on the left side...
And lastly?
We've got out of town company coming this weekend.
And the lovely Autum and her daughter, Alyssa, taught me that there's a whole lot more to being a good hostess than making sure the sheets on the guest bed are kinda clean. I still can't get over the hospitality that I was shown on Daisy&Cookie's Big Weekend o' Fun! And I am trying to emulate that to the best of my abilities - so there is all kind of meal planning, activity planning, and the house cleaning... Oh! The Humanity! There is house cleaning, the likes of which this house may not have ever seen...
And - sigh - guess I'd better get back to it all!
Hope you have a great day today!
(and breathable air!)
*It's easy to get this shot - there's a bridge over Freedom Parkway which has nice wide shoulders for parking, and good sidewalks for walking over the bridge. I think that's why you see this angle of Atlanta so often...
**Although, today may be leaning more towards the Pylon....
22 comments:
I just love this time of year - although when they get in high school there are no more plays or receptions for volunteers, etc. I'm feeling kind of empty. But! I will live vicariously through the Sheckster's end of year pics.
Happy Birthday to Bubba!
Maybe you could come to Knitch this Thursday - lots of relaxing and wine drinkin' and tinkin' going on.
Holy smokes - literally! Incredible how the air changed in just one day. That just looks nasty.
Great greek god costume! Have fun getting ready for guests - I will admit, that always stresses me out a tad.
ha ha! for once i am first to comment. sorry to hear about your smokiness. i don't mind the smell of candle blown out when it is in the bathroom and covering another kind of odor.
happy 40 to bubba. hope you cooked him a fine meal. i'm reading another southern cookbook, called The Glory of Southern Cooking and found a spread called Jezebel that I must try.
the Poseidon costume is great. did Scheck have a trident? love the octopus brooch. bet he was the cutest Greek god in his class.
good luck with your houseguests. if they stay too long, remind them of what ben franklin said "fish and visitors stink after three days."
oops, i guess the others beat me to it. sigh... maybe someday i'll be first.
Geez, that is some smokiness there. Hope it clears up for you soon.
That's weird about the blown out matches smell. Where does that stem from, you think?
Love the octopus.
So sad about the fires. Hope you'll enjoy the end-of-school-frenzy. Before you know it, you'll look all misty-eyed back on it and remember it fondly! Have fun with the guests too -- you're lucky to live in a big fun city with lots to do!
Oh man, that smoke is incredible.
Oh my goodness. How awful. Those poor people. Poor you.
Happy Bday to your hubby!
And your son lots too sweet!!
... it's the same old spot as yesterday...
personally, i think the orange octopus on the blue is very fetching.
I feel your pain with the smokiness. Believe it or not, we had a day of about a week ago all the way up here in North Alabama. I just can't even imagine what it must be like to be right there in the thick of it.
IKEA, how I love thee. We lived in Atlanta for just one year and I don't think I would have survived the entire time were it not for trips to IKEA and barbacoa burritos from Chipotle. That traffic is enough to make anyone crazy!
I am right there with ya on the busy-ness thing. I'm like the 95th person to comment here today because I didn't turn my PC on until after 3! Unheard of 'round here. Only 3 more days.
So that's what the smoke is! I've been looking curiously outside all day thinking, "WHO has a fire going?" Of course it didn't occur to me that it was the fires in S.Ga. I keep blinking because my eyes feel like I've had them open underwater in the pool for the last several hours. Those poor people down there.
Schecky is rocking his Poseidon outfit! One of the kids around here was all mad because he didn't know his Greek mythology and the person he chose to dress up as was a goddess!
Finally, happy birthday to Bubba!
i'm really proud of you. that tunic looks pretty awesome.
man wildfires..smoke..flames..that's a whole bunch of scaryness.
hope you have an excellent weekend!
Oh my gosh, that is terrible! I know its dumb, but its never occurred to me that the smoke would be that bad.
I am the same way about the smell of a blown out candle in the house, I take them outside to blow out also. And Bubba looks nothing of 40! Happy Birthday to him!
Crazyness here too. Can't believe how fast the school year's gone! No costumes to make here, just LOTS of cupcakes to bake and frost. Great job on Schecky's tunic.
Yes, the smokey sucked today. Horribly!! What is most amazing is how it cleared up this afternoon!! I was shocked.
Should we start our rain dance now?
Yay for bubba and for Shecky!! Happy days!
i can't believe all of that smoke! Craziness, you need to hook yourself up to an oxygen tank :)
I know that awful smokiness all too well. Ick. (My husband is turning 40 this year too).
Ugh! That smoke is terrible. My mom even had it a week ago all the way down near Ft Myers FL from the fires in N. FL. Craziness! I don't miss that from my FL days.
Great job on the toga! See you could sew if you wanted to!
Happy Birthday Bubba! You young stud, you!
Have a fabulous visit with Autum & Alyssa!
Wow, so much to comment on.
First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBA!!!!
You get and A+++ on costume design! Great job.
Stay inside till that smoke clears.
Lastly, I'm worried that you may have misled folks into thinking there were wonderful meals prepared when you visited us. You know I have a reputation to uphold as the anti-cook.
I am sure your guests will have a wonderful time and enjoy fabulous southern hospitality.
I didn't realize you were close to an ikea. I'm coming to visit very soon. Get the sheets ready.
Phew! I'm tired just reading about all your busy-ness. We down here in Tampa had some very smokey days like you have had up there in Atlanta. Horrible. Thankfully it's been a week or so since we've had one.
The tunic you made ROCKS! Zeus would be proud to have him as a son.
XOXO
Used to love me some Pylon. Ahhh, the good ol' days in Athens.
Happy bday Bubba! Lordy, I'm next.
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