Abby

May 25th 2004
We finally got a dog. Waaaaaaaaaaay back when we were living in an apartment (circa 1997), we decided to wait until we had a house to get a dog. No sooner had we bought a house than Jeb joined E&Y and started traveling regularly (along with Stacy who had been doing so for several years already). It's 2004 now and we're both finally in town and we decided to inaugurate our new house with a new pet - our first. After some consideration (and some compulsion) we decided to adopt a greyhound. Only 4 days after we met her, we brought her home. Osceola Linnea was the track name, which we changed (quite creatively I might add) to Abby. She's been both a pain in the butt and a joy and after two months, we can't imagine living without her. We're sure there will be too many pictures of her in this blog before long.

Asleep 

Sleeping Roach.

We hear from other greyhound owners that they often sleep this way. We didn't quite believe it until we saw it ourselves. Yes - she will fall completely asleep this way and even start twitching if she's dreaming.

 

Santa's Little Helper? 

Abby - Our New Addition to the Family 

New House

We finally moved from suburbia back into town, or IP (inside the perimeter), as some people like to refer to it. We said we'd live "out there" for no more than 5 years and ended up staying just more than that.

We moved onto a little one-way street in one of Atlanta's first planned neighborhoods - Candler Park. Our home, built between 1910 and 1920, is a moderate-sized (for the time) shotgun house that's been refurbished, expanded and improved over the years. From the street, the house is about 10 steps up from the sidewalk and (shocking to some of our friends) has no driveway or on-property parking. That's right, we're relegated to the street. Of course this stinks when it's raining, but does have a silver lining - having to get out of your car and walk down the street to get home, we've instantly met most of our neighbors. Hardly a day goes by that we don't see someone and chat between the car and home. In addition, the folks across the street keep kids after school so when we get home early, there are kids running, biking, pogo-sticking, etc. up and down the street. It gives the street sort of a Leave It To Beaver-ish feel - except not... well you'd have to know the neighborhood.

People keep asking how we like it and we must sound like IP fanatics because we start "gushing". We really are astounded at how good the change has been. Our neighbors are friendly and fun. We are one block from what some would call the "village" of Atlanta and walking distance to several restaurants, shops, parks, and even the neighborhood swimming pool and a little 9-hole golf course. Most anywhere we go is "just around the corner" and we often go a full weekend without getting in the car.

Anyway... I'm sure we'll rant on about this later. See our initial pictures below.

New (Old) House 

Our New (Old) House in the Snow 

Carload of Landscaping

Of course we had to go out and get a whole slew of plants. Stacy thought it was funny how much greenery we were able to fit in the car.

 

Christmas 2003

We celebrated Christmas 2003 in Atlanta this year with Jeremy and Emily. Mom and Pop Brees were with Grandma Millie in Lake Charles and passed through on their way home.

A Boy and His Kite

Emily tipped us off that Jeremy wanted a kite. Rather than wrap it, we just assembled it that morning. The first words out of Jeremy's mouth was, "Who's is that?" Bingo.

 

Stacy and Emily 

Let Me Take Your Picture Brother 

Chain Frame 

Mission Lanterns from Jeremy & Emily 

Jazz. 

Figuring out the Kite

After breakfast, we went to the local YMCA soccer fields and tried to fly the kite. Winds were variable and the darn thing required the skill of a military pilot to fly. More often that not, once up it simply cartwheeled and took a nosedive into the dirt.

 

More Figuring Out the Kite 

Figured Out the Kite 

What's with the Eye?

Stacy with one of her patented "crazy eye" faces.