In the Mix

This last week was a total hodgepodge of events that paint a picture of our random life in Athens:

*Wednesday we took a trip to the round town pump fest with VISTA pals. B & I decided to relive our childhood memories of the street fair with a trip on the 'Eggroll' - a ride that's pretty much now the grandpa of much fancier rides. It was a bad idea. We almost barfed up all the pumpkin goodies we'd scarfed down. This, again, validates the fact that we're OVER this kind of stuff.

*The changing of the leaves this year seemed better than I remember from recent autumns. We haven't had a lot of rain this fall, so the leaves were a crazy rainbow that persisted without rain to wash it out.

*Saturday we enjoyed the peak of the farmer's market. There was a great assortment of vendors we don't normally see - probably small plot gardeners sharing the wealth this year.

*In the afternoon we strolled over to a small arts festival to check out the goods and watch an acoustic set. It was small but inspiring - put on by a group of ladies who are doing good in this place - and had a real collaborative spirit.

*But Sunday was the best - first we attended the 'organ spectacular.' and it was. spectacular. We initially went out of obligation to peeps in our church who love organ music, lol, but it was actually great - not the soft, somber churchy hymn-kind, but full on Phantom of the Opera style. It was a progressive concert, moving from one location to the next, so we picked it up on legs 2 & 3: at the Presb and then at the chapel where we were married. The Presb was the 'patriotic stop,' but surprisingly I wasn't annoyed with the music - and a troupe of piccolo players appeared for the end of the Sousa! (all the oldies loved this). Then, at the chapel, I watched the leaves fluttering down through the giant windows behind the organ and thought about how great the PS W-day was.

*After hanging with our usual over 60 demographic at the organ spectacular, we went straight to a chili cook-off put on by the DIY kids across the street. Like being in the sea of gray-haired folks, we didn't quite fit there either - with everyone trying too hard to look all rough yet stylin. But everyone there was really great and my pal Sarah won the contest, per her usual awesomeness. The mayor gave our neighbor the key to the city, made of cardboard and spray painted glittery gold, and a local rap 'star' wound it up and down with some beatz.

Athens is just like that - this total mix of strangeness, where I don't quite know where I fit into it all, but there's always something small (but thriving and lively) going on, and I love it. Plus, I'm getting all sentimental about this place and its randomness and goodness because we're (hopefully) under 10 months til we move it on outta here.