This has always been one of favorite pictures of Zachary, chilling in a bubble bath when he was about six or seven years old.
Here are the two biggest heartstrings always pulling me back to Georgia. I mean, I love and miss and tons of peeps back home...but these two I simply can't live without or see enough.
My sister and my youngest son, my Lost Boy.
I left Orlando shortly before six thirty AM yesterday to drive up and see them both. I still had two more days off and needed to see them. I was almost to the Georgia state line when suddenly, out of the blue... this song came on the radio.
Ironic at best.
I mean, how many times do you really hear Ray Charles singing "Georgia On My Mind" on the radio?
I drove 85mph the entire way, only stopping once for gas, slowed by traffic for thirty minutes and was picking up my Lost Boy by 1:30 for a late lunch.
Zach's had a rough run of it lately; having to be a grown up all alone with his family living in another state when he's lived with them forever.
I couldn't have done it at his age, and has had a lot of obstacles put into his path, but has never complained.
Not once.
Which also makes me love and miss him even more.
Cindy, I miss simply because she's Cindy.
She completes me.
Not only is she my sister, but also happens to be one of the nicest human beings I've ever met.
So after lunch, Zach and I headed over to my sister's house to wait for her to get home from work.
It was great, no one at home and could plunder together through kitchen cabinets, the pantry and the refrigerator without feeling guilty...just seeing if there was anything that we might want or need to eat or drink.
I found the tequila for Zach...after calling Cindy to ask if she had any. My brother had left a bottle there last time he visited.
Thank You, Chris!
We took their boxer out back to the field and Zach ran her like a greyhound. Her name's Zola (our maternal grandmother, Zola probably wouldn't have been pleased) but should have been named Zoloft anyway...she has some emotional issues.
We even made (held) her to take a video.
We also went back to their vegetable garden and holy shitake mushrooms...
Welcome to Eden!
Cin got home and we stayed up late talking and laughing. Harvey, my brother in law (thank you Harve) took Zach back to his house while my sister and I continued the Par Tay.
I got up this morning and went to pick up Zach. We ate at Golden's on the square and tooled around.
The restaurant he is helping open is right off the square and they had a smoker out front with burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cobb and watermelon.
I hung around a couple of hours and got to know all his new work relatives. I think he's going to be just fine, once the restaurant gets open.
It's closer to than from and think will do really well, great location and lots of buzz talk going around about it's opening.
I hung around but finally had to leave for home... my new home. I drove back to my sister's house and packed up. It was almost two.
She had said she was coming straight home from church but wasn't back yet. I thought about leaving her a note...at two, saying "When did you switch your membership to an AME church?"
Two o'clock...perfect timing, would be back in Orlando by eight if I drove like a demon (like I do). I stopped in Senoia to gas up and get a big ole Co Cola Icee before hitting the highway. I opened the back door of my car to throw out trash and saw Zach's boots in my back floorboard. My boy don't have much, he's living on a shoestring until this restaurant gets open and knew he needed those Justin Boots I bought him last year.
I turned my car around and drove all the way back to the Newnan square.
At least I got to hug him one more time.
Well worth it.
So then, ironically enough (again) on my ride back to Orlando...this song comes on the radio.
Number one: my husband absolutely loves The Who.
Number two: my son Zachary has the bluest eyes ever, and often hides his feelings behind them.
So I drove once again like a demon back to Orlando. Made it in six hours flat. I should be a Nascar driver.
It seems crazy, especially since Zach and I fought more while he was growing up than I did with either other of my two kids
It's tough bringing up someone who is so much like you that you want to warn them where they are headed.
So I reached the flatlands again, going back home...my new home. I'll have to say it's a beautiful site.
I love all my kids. They are all different. I love them all in different ways. Variety is the spice of life.
I live a spicy life.
I am a hundred pound giant.
Till next time...COTTON
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