Tybee

I’ve been quiet on the blog lately. I’ve been busy with freelance work and played some with Twitter, but mostly I’ve been so bored with myself that I haven’t felt like there was anything to share, despite going to the Decatur Blues and BBQ festival and joining the awesome Decatur library and doing a lot of other little projects nesting the house and yard. I’ve slipped somewhat into introversion, which isn’t a bad place at all, though a bit unnatural.
Anyway, this weekend gave me something to blog about. The Professor and I went to Tybee Island to stay with my brother and his dear girlfriend, Laurie, at a friend’s house. It started off inauspiciously with a very heavy rain in Savannah, one so heavy that the streets flooded and cars stalled. Here’s a picture of a street, not the river.

We made it safely through and to Tybee, and the weather cleared up for us, and everything was deliciously cool and the tree frogs were in full song. Austin and Laurie took us to Sundae Cafe, where we had a fantastic dinner. After that, we went back to the house and had a yummy key lime pie with oreo crust that Laurie made and we played hearts until the wee hours. Despite starting off with a fantastic losing streak (I kept forgetting that it was bad to have the Queen of Spades), I managed to win. Which was awesome. But the best part was just hanging out and telling jokes and laughing.
The next morning, late, we headed to the beautiful beach. The waves were high. I was fascinated by this gull, who seemed to have a loose feather, and who occasionally stretched in a way that resembled advanced yoga.

Hudson and Melinda drove up and joined us, and a rousing game of bocce ball was underway.

After a dip in the ocean and floating with noodles, the Professor and I took a long walk along the beach. Here I am in my old scratched sunglasses, my large straw hat, and a few new freckles. I was trying to get the Professor and the water in the picture too, but my aim was a bit off.

At five, Laurie took me to a beach yoga class, which was fantastic. It was a gorgeous setting and the teacher had a lovely peace about her and flow to the poses. It rained lightly on us part of the time, but that was a wonderful touch too–the best setting in which I have ever practiced yoga. And bonus: later, when my hair dried, it was softer than it’s ever been. I gather rainwater has that effect. You will find me in the rain much more often now that I know that.
That night there was an hour and a half wait at AJs, so we went in search of margaritas elsewhere. We dined at Fannie’s and ate and drank well.

The next morning we went on a walk and Laurie spotted this giant spider. It was about five or six inches across. And gorgeous.

Before the Professor and I headed back to Atlanta, we stopped by and saw Laurie’s new and adorable house, as well as my brother’s new house. Here’s Laurie’s, complete with turret! It’s even more charming inside. And the neighborhood was a dream.

We stopped by Austin’s home too. He bought this house on the street but kept his on the lane and rents it out. It’s a huge house–too big for my camera. Here you can see the back end of the house, the fenced in courtyard, and the garage in the distance, which he uses as a billiard/football-viewing room.

The city has just stopped landscaping the grounds on the other side of the sidewalk due to budget cuts, and he was asking me for landscaping advice, and I *so* wanted to stay and fill it with plants for him. I settled on pulling weeds and making some suggestions of flowers and shrubs that would do well in the shade under the live oaks.
We made it back to Atlanta safely, and it’s good to be home, but I look forward to getting back to Savannah again before too long.