This morning dawned full of promise for a great day. The plan was to go to Chickamauga Battlefield, take lots of pictures, go to the town, have lunch at a quaint spot, do a little antiquing and end the afternoon with a train ride. Perfection!
I have driven to Chickamauga before. In fact, I have driven there from the very spot from which I departed this morning. There were a few steps I must have forgotten along the way, like BOTH right lanes at exit 178 dump one off the interstate. Not to worry, there must be another on ramp close by. Not really. Finally, after several turns, I am back in business. There is even a sign that says " Chickamauga Battlefield exit 180. No problem...is that 180A or 180B? Well exit 180A is first so that must be it. No, no, it is not. No problem, there must be an on ramp very nearby. No, there is not. Okay, so I have gone East, then North, then West, so South must be the proper direction. Of course it is. I am going to Georgia from Tennessee after all. A few twists and turns, I am back on I24, headed West, take exit 180B and I am cooking!
Everytime I worried that I was lost, I would see a confirmation that I was on the right path to the battlefield. And, sure enough, after about 20 minutes or so I am there. The park rangers were lovely. I watched an excellent film on the battles for Chattanooga. It just reiterated the futility of war...the fighting and killing of people that if known personally would probably be friends. I set out for a marathon picture-taking morning. After about 6 pictures, my camera just cut off, and would not work at all. I knew I had fully charged the battery, but a $1,000 18-month-old camera could not just stop working, could it. Apparently, it can. To say I was not happy is a huge understatement.
Nothing to be done but return to the hotel, try to charge the battery, and see if I can get it working. I'll be dadgum if those 2 right lanes at exit 178 don't dump you off headed West too. I could not get my camera to work, so I called the manufacturer, but they were not willing to overnight me a new one (seriously, I did not ask) so what should I do. I mean I take pictures every day. I love that camera. I understand all its eccentricities. Almost every picture I have taken of Simeon and Max, all approximately 3 million of them, have been taken with that camera. So, I did what any upset person would do. I went to Sonic to contemplate my next move. The decision was made to go to WalMart nearby and buy another camera....a cheaper, but not cheap camera, and to figure out what to do about the other one when I get home.
So, off I go to get my day back on track, just several hours later than planned. Chickamauga is very moving. Dozens of monuments representing thousands of men who served, including a monument to Abraham Lincoln's brother-in-law who was mortally wounded. I got my pictures, even though I do not love this camera, and will have to figure out a way to repair or replace my good one.
The little town of Chickamauga, GA is lovely. I bought 2 vintage/antique/new-but-dirty vases (?) for the grand total of $7.00, passed a shop called "chocolate therapy cafe." Yes, please. I walked all around town, and even though it was warm, there was a lovely breeze. The train come through...the train I hoped to ride today, but, alas, that did not happen. It was a day of ups and downs, of back and forths, but it is a day about which I will not complain.
Favorite signs seen on my travels today: on stone entrance - "welcome to historic Ft. Oglethorpe, established 1949" I must be bordering on 'historic') on the Chickamauga church of Christ - "if little
ears shouldn't hear it, big mouths shouldn't say it!" On the front of a secondhand store - "too good to be threw" seriously. And my favorite of the day...ta da....on the sign at a hair salon - "Gelus Hair Designs, " I promise.
So now after having had my "earlybird special" for the second night in a row at Cracker Barrel with all the other old folk, I am safely ensconced in my 55 degree (how I like it) hotel room thinking about my plans for tomorrow. What adventures await, I wonder.
For today, I wish you minor frustrations, good times, and I wish you
Blessings
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