Way Down Yonder on the Chattahoochee

Cool your jets: this isn't the engagement story, but rest assured that's coming. Josh is a self-proclaimed redneck, so first, I had to become an honorary southern gal. Case in point: the first place he took me in his hometown of Acworth was Bass Pro! I am now the proud owner of a camo hat with a fishhook clip (I've never heard of this but apparently it's a thing). 

You see, I needed said hat for the hikin' and shootin' we'd do on Tuesday, our first full day, and the fishin' we'd do later in the week (keep scrolling). 

(Lake Allatoona, NOT the Chattahoochee River...yet). 

Tuesday night, we joined a local American Cribbage Congress club at a Ruby Tuesday in a neighboring town. We weren't sure what we were in for, but it was a blast. We each anted up with $11 and then proceeded to play eight games vs. eight different opponents. It was not my night, but I did beat a certain someone with the initials "JW" in game 7. He came in 4th overall and won a whopping $5!

Josh, too, allowed one "work" commitment while on vacation: leading a Wednesday morning chapel service at the school where his dad serves as principal. He gave a fantastic message on how Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, is our ticket for entering through the narrow gate. 

Afterwards, we headed into Atlanta for the day. 

The Georgia Aquarium is home to a pair of whale sharks, the world's largest fish. (L to R: Josh's mom, Josh's brother [Stephen, an LCMS pastor in Valdosta, GA], Josh, me.)

The only original, handwritten recipe for Coca-Cola is in the vault behind us!

Trout fishing day! Thursday morning, Josh, his best friend Darren, and I drove about 2 hours and then traipsed a short distance through the woods to a secluded creek that I have zero clue how anyone ever figured out was a good fishing spot. Normally, anyway. I was proud of the few "suckers" I got, but the boys were unimpressed and quickly gave up. 

We hit a slight roadblock on the way to our next destination...

Plan A

Plan B

We ended up at a recently stocked stream that bordered a fish hatchery, which felt a lot like cheating. Not to brag, but I did catch a bigger fish than Josh. 

I guess he got the better catch in the end, though :)

We called it a day not long after I got tired of my line getting tangled and my hook snagging on rocks and algae, but not before I learned how to gut a fish.

Friday, we finally glimpsed the famed Chattahoochee. Josh, Stephen, and I hiked a few miles along it to a bamboo forest. I scored three pairs of pants at a thrift store that afternoon, and ate the biggest slice of pizza I'd ever seen in my life at dinner with a couple that's lived in his parents' neighborhood for years. 

Out came the baby pictures on a lazy Saturday morning. A little later than we'd planned, we set out on a road trip to the Alpine haven of Helen. 

A staple southern snack: boiled peanuts. The juice inside was salty and savory and reminded me of gravy, while the nuts themselves had the texture of canned beans.

Our first order of business: shoot the hooch (translation: an hourlong innertube float down the Chattahoochee). I'm told it's a quintessential Georgia experience, and it couldn't have been more perfect. I was mentally prepared to be freezing, but it was blazing hot and sunny and I barely got wet. Then: ice cream and meandering through some of the shops on the main drag. 

The Christmas shop was closed but we couldn't pass up the photo op.

North Georgia evidently possesses the optimal climate and terrain for Bigfoot (aka Sasquatch) sightings. I can neither confirm nor deny this, but we DID see a black bear cub on the way there. 

Sunday was a marathon of church services (an AM Divine Service and the afternoon installation of a long awaited new pastor) followed by Boggle. While I handily destroyed him (and his mom and brother) as a general rule, I'm obliged to put in writing that he beat me in one round. 

We booked our return flight for Tuesday instead of Monday expressly so we could see the Braves play on their home turf at Truist Park. 

This is true love. I made him wear a Cardinals shirt, so it's only fair. 

The game didn't end well (a 13-9 loss after bringing the tying run to the plate in the 8th), but it was a lovely evening with a much-needed reminder in the sky above third base that everything would be OK as we transitioned back into reality. 

Until next time, blessings in Christ!