Our Life Aquatic

This post is alternately titled: Let me tell you why Bim is such a smarty-pants. We got back last week from a visit to Atlanta, a city that I had been *falsely* led to believe is warm. Apparently during some seasons, it is. One cab driver told us it only snows in Atlanta a couple of days a year. I guess we just got lucky!

But that's not why Bim is a smarty. The reason we were in Atlanta is that he and his co-clerk were assisting his judge with a series of appelate cases that the judge agreed to sit for. So, Bim and his colleagues joined two 11th Circuit judges, and their clerks, for four days of hearings. Very interesting cases, most of them, but I won't elaborate here. I will only say that it was an honor for Bim to have this opportunity and he did a great job.

While in Atlanta we were put up in the Atlanta Ritz-Carlton (wa hoo) and Ally was showered with stuffed animals from the staff. Other highlights of the hotel for Ally were the super soft piles of pillows...

...the little bottles of shampoo, and the small rectangular space between the toilet bowl and the lid that turns out to be the perfect size for: my lip gloss, Ally's toy bird, a shampoo bottle and my watch. Thank goodness she didn't figure out how to flush.

At the end of the week we went to the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta, a wondrous underwater wonderland using more than 8 million gallons of fresh water. It is the world's largest aquarium and it did not disappoint us; in fact, we were totally delighted. Favorites were the Baluga whales, the hammerhead and whale sharks, and the jellyfish (except Ally wasn't crazy about the jellyfish).

We had some good southern food at a place called Aunt Pittypat's Porch and Ally and I ate grits for breakfast almost every morning; but my favorite food was at The Flying Biscuit. I think I can say it was the best breakfast I have ever had at a restaurant.

I can't end this report without a special shout-out to my girl, Ally. Our flight out of the city was delayed four hours. But at least we were in the plane on the tarmac all of that time! Oh, man. That could have been a real disaster, but Ally decided to use her powers for good instead of evil, and several of the passengers came up to me afterward to remark on what a good traveler she was. Whew.

Until next time, Hot-lanta.