The Birthday Boy

Friday, July 11: Irv and Wanda met with their trainer at the YMCA this afternoon to decide their fitness goals. Irv is so good... improve strength in arms, legs and back along with cardio. Wanda's first goal is to loose weight and inches. Vanity, Vanity saith the Lord! The bicycle Wanda had worked on previously weighs you but the trainer said it wasn't acurate and Wanda had to weigh on a real scale becuase of the goal. After taking everything out of pockets, holding her breath (just kidding) Wanda stepped on the scale. Amazing, Wanda only spoke with the trainer 10 minutes and lost 17 pounds. That's what we like. We'll work out 3+ times a week.

Sunday, July 13th: Julie gave a birthday party for Kelly (20 years old on July 11) and Irv (73 years old on July 24) on Sunday evening. Wanda and Irv drove through a pouring rain (so what's new?) to go to church with Julie and the girls at Eastside Baptist Church. It is an absolutely wonderful church... the orchestra, choir, special singers and director are professional quality. The music is so inspirational and the pastor's sermons are thought provoking and not boring! After church we helped Julie prepare for the Fiesta Feast. So much good food. After being total gluttons we attacked the Pinata which blindfolded Irv broke. Serious grabbing off the floor began... very eduational for children. Irv collected a lot of loot... a plant, a gift card to Harry's Wholefoods which is the elite grocery store in these parts, gourmet candy and... Julie gave him 2 tickets to the GA Dome for an exhibition football game between the Falcons and Colts. Just heard on the news, Peyton Manning (for those of you who are not football adicts like myself... he is the quarterback for the Colts) hurt his knee and won't play for 6 weeks. Drat!!! I was really looking forward to seeing him play. Just as well, I haven't pulled for the Indianapolis Colts since the dirty owner moved them out of Baltimore in the middle of the night. I do love their players and coach though. We may try Atlanta's mass transit system, MARTA which goes right to the Dome. Do any of you remember on the news quite some time ago when the Tornado swept through Atlanta... there was a basketball game in the Dome in overtime which saved a lot of people's lives. Reference "the weather which is anything but boring here" I am told a severe thunder storm every day is not the norm... only 2-3-4 a week is the norm. Oh good! We'll tie our new awning down real good if we every get it installed.

Monday and Tuesday, July 14 and 15th: Cam gave Wanda another project which also is enjoyable and learning experience. The Breast Center in Rome, GA will have a Mobile Mamography Coach. Wanda had to create a circuit of towns around Rome, GA for Coach stops at Physician offices, Health Departments, Wal-marts and Industries/Businesses. The coach needs to be on the road at least 15 - 20 days a month. Since Wanda was born in Cedartown which is the closest town from Rome and knows most of the towns very well, it was a trip down memory lane so Cam got a bit of family history. The neat thing was creating a virtual map of the circuit with the towns indicated by virtual push pins. One is never to old to learn new things... the more the better. Wanda has grandchildren to keep up with regarding technology. She's almost up to the kindergarten level.

Thursday, July 17th: OK... Wanda is awake at 5am and up at 6am. Irv has to visit the VA Medical Center in Decatur, GA (close in Atlanta suburb) but 38 miles from our campground through Atlanta morning rush hour traffic. The appointment was at 10am so we left at 8am to allow for traffic and accidents. 9am we rolled up to the free VA valet parking. Irv was able to begin his medical processing early and they are very thorough... and pleasant. The main reason for the visit was to register on get on the record in the Atlanta VA plus Irv is having Catarac surgery September 2nd and needed a chest X-ray and EKG.... so they took his history, assigned a primary care doctor, gave him a Tetenas shot, blood work, X-Ray and EKG all from 9am - Noon. Wanda was anxious about the time because Grace had to be picked up in Alpharetta from Princess Ballet Camp at 1pm. Fortunately, Irv finished and called Wanda before she got to far down the road to turn back and pick him up. You can get around quickly on these great roads. A friend at Julie's party was commenting that for sure Atlantan's loved to shop and if there wasn't a shopping center/mall on everycorner, they were building one which is true but she couldn't say much for the roads. Irv and I were stunned! These are the best roads we seen from NY - CA - FL and back. Traffic moves rapidly through this area.