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Does having a party at your house rev you up more than co-hosting at someone else’s home? Perhaps you don’t bat an eye at either? You’re the consummate party planner and thrower? Savanna’s baby shower was a blessing. The event took place in a fairy-tale setting. Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine (Sav’s faves) would have approved. The shower was in a house patterned after a European castle. The facade was stone with a huge tower serving as the front entrance. The driveway was long and peaceful, set back in woods on a flat plain. The landscape was natural, pleasantly groomed, not fake or artificial-looking. A stroll over light gravel and crunchy foliage led you to a 14-foot high beveled-glass front door that opened into the castle tower. There were more beveled glass windows throughout the tower. Sun shining through the many windows spread rainbows around the tower. I kept thinking how a rainbow maker would add yet more rainbow beauty. Have you heard of rainbow makers? They’re small crystals that circulate with solar energy. A rainbow maker certainly wasn’t needed in this beautiful tower but if there was one, guaranteed, it’d produce bookoodles of rainbows. Here’s a link to rainbow makers: and a snippet of what the area looked like. Most of you know I like to take photographs. This party was different. I took a single photograph. One! Here it is: The tower photo above was taken as the last people there were leaving the party. The picture wasn’t my idea and I obviously didn’t take it but I sure am happy to have it. (A friend who wasn’t able to attend was shocked there were no photos for her to vicariously chew on, after-the-fact.) Here’s the thing, taking photos is a relaxing pass-time for moi. Sav and I were wound tight for this party… Therefore: throwing a party in [my] house definitely revs my engines more than co-hosting in someone else’s home. Thus, no photo collage. But, no way am I a consummate party thrower. The girls and I (Jeff too) were so honored that our friends offered to host a baby shower in their lovely home. The beauty of it all is part of what churned us up. And the fact that it wasn’t our turf. Not being on our own turf was so odd because every invitee was a friend of Savanna, Diana or me. Guests who attended came from very different circles (family, church, business, high school, college, work). Seeing all the faces of people I/we love and care so much about walking into a home that I’d never been in before, at one point, caused light-headedness. I was standing with Diana while she delivered a toast of a funny anecdote about Savanna being a stellar babysitter. The story was about Sav sitting for two neighborhood boys, Brian and Stuart. The job was Savanna’s but on one occasion Diana filled in for her. The boys were disappointed that D didn’t live up to S’s standards of imaginary story-telling. Diana came home that night saying she “kids don't like her, never wanted to babysit again, didn’t care how much it paid.” The humor was welcome, a lot of people got a kick out of it. But all of a sudden I felt dizzy, wondering if dehydration was the cause. Now, thinking back, the cause was more likely that my/our stress-engines were internally overheated. The party was a week ago, Savanna and I continue to say we’re exhausted every time we speak and though she is pregnant and I am old, we both attribute our tiredness to the baby shower. That’s how magnificent it was! Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley In all things give thanks ~ Thessalonians 5:18

Last weekend was Triangle Park’s first Grandma/Girls Get-away (“3G”). Our first girls-get-away was when Diana was a baby. The three of us packed up and headed to Richfield, Utah. Our second excursion was when Diana was about 2-years-old, we journeyed to Idaho. Ever since those two trips, we continued traveling together, just the three of us. Our third trip was to Michigan, then Oregon, California, New York, the Bahamas and on. There are also in between trips with just two of us traveling together. This latest trip was our 2nd annual trip to The Cloister / Sea Island. We want to make Sea Island an annual event. Who wouldn’t? Even though these special get-aways are indeed girl trips, we are making an exception to the rule and allowing one boy in. Beginning 2024 Triangle ParkATL’s annual girl trips will be + 1 boy. Many of you already know that Savanna is expecting a baby boy, Charlie, in May or June. So, how will adding a boy to our girls trip work? What will that be like? Grandma along to babysit? One thing is for sure, I won’t mind babysitting Charlie! Or! That he is a boy... This past trip was getting baby Charlie used to the idea. After all, he was along for the ride. We hired a photographer to document our trip again this year. Sure enough, Charlie was in on the action. He’s just so cute already. Look at that little basketball bambino. Our scheduled photo session day was cold and windy but we did it anyway. The location was Avenue of the Trees on St. Simons Island. You may recognize the spot. It’s right before the gate to The Cloister Lodge. A beautiful setting regardless of the sun being absent. Savanna rented all three of us dresses from Rent the Runway. She’s done this several times with success. Lilly Pulitzer is not my and Diana’s style per se but we enjoyed the brightness of Savanna’s design choices, especially on a cloudy day. It’s crazy that the dresses fit us. How is that? I can try clothing on for an hour in a dressing room and have nothing whatsoever work out. Savanna orders online and with confidence packs the items, letting us know that she has what “we’ll wear.” This was not the first time she’s controlled our le stylisme. Quick plug to the photographer! I/we loved working with Calli Kennedy, The Living Lenz. It doesn’t take much to fluster me with technological maneuvering. Calli’s process was utterly seamless from start to finish. Here is a link to her website: The Living Lenz Calli epitomizes professionalism, friendliness and gentle spirit. Thank you for reading and Happy St. Patrick’s Day all you Irish folks (7% for me according to 23 & Me)! Our first “3G” trip was fun, especially +1! Love, Shelley I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also ~ 2Timothy 1-5

Do you have a problem eating alone in public (excluding business travel)? Does the thought of cutting into a steak or solo-sipping wine alone in your hometown make you insecure? What about vacation traveling to a city where no one knows you? Would you be more comfortable eating alone in public where no one knew who you were? A couple weeks ago I returned from a solo vacation trip to London, England. My girlfriends rather loved the idea of me going alone. A lot of positive feedback was received from friends. I especially liked friends who said, “hmm, I never really thought about doing that. Now, that’s a thought…” The only negative feedback was that a couple friends said: “I wouldn’t like eating alone. You’re going to eat alone? Or, room service?” The answer was: Both. I only ordered room service if I was too tired to venture out, which was three times. Because the “eating alone” dilemma came up with friends more than once, it got me thinking. When I began planning a solo trip to London, eating alone didn’t enter my mind a single time. There are so many people in London that imagining being alone was/is virtually impossible. Room service meals would indeed be alone, and welcome. But, my eating-alone enthusiasm is contained to London and other United Kingdom cities that I’m obsessed with (all of them). Making a reservation for “1” as I did around London, does not float my boat in Atlanta. Eating alone makes me uncomfortable too, at least in my hometown it does (save for behind the driver’s wheel). Like London, Atlanta has many nice restaurants. But you won’t find me making a reservation for “1” and being happy as a clam chatting up the wait staff [alone] in ATL. I will choose inside my house every time while on home turf. Savanna and I passed by Felinni’s Pizza on Howell Mill Road in Atlanta last weekend. The sun was shining, spring was in the air, a beautiful day. We saw a man eating pizza and a salad outside on the terrace, alone. Savanna said, “that’s sad.” I said, “he’s probably from out of town, enjoying time away alone, doesn’t know a soul, loving life…eating!” To each his own. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley "Words are the only things that last forever" ~ Winston Churchill

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Welcome to Triangle Park ATL ​ About Triangle Park gets its name from a small ▲park that sits at the end of McKinley Road in Atlanta, Georgia where I (we) raised two daughters (Savanna and Diana). Years ago a huge oak tree took center stage on the small, postage-stamp-size triangle. I pay homage to ▲park by naming this webhome after it: www. Triangle Park ATL.com "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickley broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12 I'm an empty-nester mom staying digitally and diligently connected to my girls and you through art, photography and blogging. The best part of having an online home is you, the readers. Thank you for visiting! Shelley Triangleparkatl@gmail.com

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