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Hi Triangleparkers, It's been a while since I last put fingers to keyboard for a blog. But when I heard the fam would be blogging about pickleball, I simply couldn't say no. Last Sunday, my parents, Diana, Elijah, Joey and I all met up bright and early at 9 a.m. to play 3 - yes 3 - hours of pickleball. We all had varying level of experiences. To paint a picture, I will rank us all 1-5, with 5 being pros. Diana (2): A former tennis pro, but zero pickleball experience or knowledge of the game. Also very little free time to read up on the rules as her job as a summer associate keeps her very busy. Elijah (4): A natural athlete, with little pickleball experience. Joe (4): Also a natural athlete, plays tennis regularly, with 20 or so games of pickleball under his belt. Me (2): While I could probably out-cardio all five of them, I am not competitive nor do I have much of a strategic mind while playing sports. I just feel lucky to get it over the net. I also have the experience of about 20 games, but I regularly forget the rules. Shelley (5): Has played multiple times per week for over 3 years. Also won a club-wide competition. Enough said. #queen Jeff (5): Also has played multiple times per week for years. Also a natural athlete. So, as you can imagine the games were a bit mismatched. Let's just say Diana and I were always put on opposite teams. However, by the end of the 3 hours, we both had made some great shots and gotten our hang at playing. I care less about winning and losing, and more about the time spent together, soaking up some sun, staying off our phones and enjoying a mutual activity.

As I’m sure you all know by now, my parents have fallen in love with PickleBall. I’m talking “playing multiple times a week and entering tournaments” obsessed (and my mom even won a team tournament!). I had never played with them before, only watched, but I was always curious about what drew them to it. So when Elijah was visiting Atlanta last weekend, my parents, Sav, Joe, and I geared up to go play. And it was a lot of fun. Like I said, I hadn't played before, but I played tennis a bit in high school, which I soon discovered is very different from pickleball. We didn’t warm up or hit around before jumping right into a game so I was a bit shocked at first. The scoring is unintuitive and the feeling of hitting the pickleball with a small paddle is very different from tennis. But after some time getting used to it and learning the scoring, I decided I really liked it! Since there were six people, we played a rotating version of doubles so we could all be on the same court and get playing time. And the actual playing was a lot of fun. It has very similar attributes to tennis, and a lot of tennis skills translate well, but it’s different. The court is smaller and the ball bounces a lot less so there’s less running. Plus the ball goes a lot less further when you hit it. I think tennis can get a little intense, on a big court with a lot of running, so pickleball seems like the perfect happy-medium. That being said, I was QUITE sore the next day! It truly is a full-body workout that’ll surprise you with some aches and soreness. I really liked learning how to play and spending some time with the fam. Not sure if I’ll be as obsessed with it as my parents, but I sure hope to play more in the future and hopefully before going back to law school!

Hi Everyone: What have you been up to as a family lately? Do you ever find it challenging to come up with activities that entertain and benefit everyone? Things that appeal to different generations while alleviating moans, groans and mucho moola? I have a suggestion for you: Pickleball! But [beware], there's a warning: Pickleball May Cause Dinking Addiction. (Definition of dink: The dink is a finesse shot, hit with an upward trajectory, that lands just over the net in your opponent's No Volley Zone.) The thing is, once you down that first dink it can be hard to stop. You’ll want to keep dinking and dinking and dinking. Before you know it you’ll be thinking about who to dink with next. You’ll find yourself settling for almost anyone who dinks. Complete strangers become acceptable dink partners with zero shame -- especially if you score with them. You’ll want to meet up again and again just for more scoring. Facetiousness aside, pickleball is far from frivolous. Pickleball is fun, athletic, energizing, competitive and, yes, addicting. According to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States for the second year in a row. Pickleball grew just shy of 40% over the past two years (www.usapickleball.org). Who knew? I, Shelley Sweeney, have a dinking problem. Saying no when asked to dink is a work in progress for me. Pickleball started out as a low-key, fun activity that I picked up at a nearby gym. The ease of camaraderie and social interaction on the court attracted me most. But after discovering pickleball’s unique set of rules and aerobic offering I began taking it more seriously, incorporating it into my exercise routine. In other words, I became addicted to dinking. Eventually, I moved from playing indoors to playing [and competing] outdoors at a golf club. Indoor and outdoor pickleball are quite different and though I’d prefer not to be in the sun, outdoor play is more fun (IMHO). A golf club provides a more competitive environment which means watching what one eats, resting, and adding additional work-outs (pilates, Barre3, hot yoga, walking, whatever you choose) becomes prudent. Oh, the things pickleball fanatics do to keep a plastic, yellow, wiffle ball inside boundaries (30x60ft.) and just so high in the air to avoid the slam: Run Jump Twist Squint Huff, puff Shuffle Aim and, yes, Fall to the ground…all in the name of a point Have you heard of the five Blue Zones? They’re five places in the world where people live the longest and healthiest lives: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California. Five key things that these places attribute their longevity results to are: Family Social Interaction Activity Rest Diet If family, social interaction and activity make up a majority of things that lead to a long healthy life, pickleball has you covered. Here’s a great article on the Blue Zones that talks about Blue Zone advantages relating to pickleball. The fact that there is a sport whereby men and women spanning several generations (say, age 12 - 90) can enjoy together is incredible. And the cost of playing is minimal on public courts and in various gyms. Yes, it’s relatively easy to learn and compete in pickleball but I will say that rest and diet are imperative to supporting your body should you find yourself in a dinking addiction predicament, like myself. Live Longer, Live Healthy: Play Pickleball! Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley Here are fellow family member pickleball blogs:

Back in June, when my mom and I were planning a trip to visit The University of Illinois over Labor Day, I frankly thought it would be quite boring. I knew we would have fun and feel fulfilled picking out furniture for Diana, touring the campus and overall helping her get settled - but it was not going to be a trip to Tokyo or Paris. When coworkers asked about my Labor Day plans, I mentioned I was going to Urbana-Champaign to help settle my sister into law school. A few were familiar with the area, and in fact commented on the desolate, boring nature of the towns. Well alrighty then. Much to my surprise, Urbana-Champaign lives up to its fancy name with amazing food, drinks and activities! If you're ever in the area, use my guide below to ensure a fun trip. I have to admit I'm a little bit jealous of Diana's new home and I look forward to visiting her again soon. Yes, it was that fun! Kofusion The Bi Bim Bob bowl here changed my life! The rice on the bottom of the hot bowl gets crusty and charred - IYKYK. Harvest Market The coffee bar here competes with coffee shops in NYC. 10/10 espresso drinks. Maize I had my first birria taco experience (thanks, Diana). This trend hasn't quite hit Atlanta yet, but I look forward to the day it does. Curtis Orchard This family friendly attraction has it all: a corn maize, apple picking, kittens, horses, a country store, goats and hay rides. I could have stayed here all day. Football Game (or basketball depending on time of year) If you happen to be in town during a home game, make the effort to go! It was a lot of fun and makes you feel like part of the community. Driving through corn fields The ambiance of Urbana-Champaign is relaxing in itself. I enjoyed driving through corn fields and channeling my inner Dorothy. We are happy to hear from Diana too: Having my mom and sister in Champaign for Labor Day Weekend was invaluable! I've only been here a couple of weeks and my apartment still needed a lot of work. They got right at it: cleaning, rearranging, decorating, and buying (much-needed) furniture. During well-deserved breaks, we went to amazing restaurants, a football game, and a beautiful orchard. The weekend flew by and I miss them already, but am so grateful for all their help and company! I'm excited to have them back again soon. Mom's Blog

Hi Friends, I hope you all are doing well, living life to the fullest in spite of gradually descending until once again ascending…toward eternal life ever after… Supporting, tending to, being on call for, entertaining, loving, and most of all appreciating one’s mother in her 90s is a delicate dance to choreograph. Having immediate family around to help orchestrate is a blessing like no other. My family's unselfish, ready-and-willing help is valued beyond measure. Sometimes I wonder who the blessing of [my] family falls on more: me or mom? When I hugged mom this past weekend and during the last few visits she felt frail and boney. She seemed to cherish the hug. “Touchy-feely” has not been an adjective I’ve used to describe mom, ever. But these days when I arrive I find her leaning in for affection, human touch. This action is quite foreign for me yet appears a new normal for her. “The 90s Is a Time of Decline” is not exactly headline news? However, those words are quite frankly a new and sensational headline for me, personally. I’m experiencing new auras, times to be cherished with mom in her 90s. Whereas, a new baby has precious fleeting energies and actions that quickly dissipate yet mature, an elder (my experience) produces precious, current energies that remain and expand, albeit wither. Allow me to plug Barbara Karnes, RN, who I’ve mentioned in previous blogs. Ms. Karnes is an end of life educator who is immensely helpful in explaining the natural process of dying. She speaks in a soft, tender voice that will touch and reach anyone seeking to understand the process of death. I know, I know! Mom is not dying. I’m not saying she is. But, actually, guess what: she IS dying. So am I for that matter. And so is the entire rest of the living, breathing world. Diana’s boyfriend, Elijah visited ATL last weekend. It’s always a pleasure to have Eli at our home. He and Diana (also Savanna and my son-in-law, Joe!!) are always up for a visiting and/or helping Gam out. These four young people are way beyond their years with respect and admiration for elderly people. Okay, I’m going off on another topic. But still… Elijah and Diana cleaned Kroger's shelves of Deer Park water last weekend. They loaded 16 gallon jugs into my car, unloaded it and hauled it into mom’s house before lining all 18 containers (she already had 2) neatly up against the wall in her laundry room. Thank you Sweeney and Garde family, and Eli for choreographing and dancing with me not only this past weekend but always! (Note to self: Find out if Deer Park will deliver) The 90s are tender times y’all. If you’re on a similar journey I encourage you to check out podcasts by Barbara Karnes, RN. God Bless you my friends. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley So, I do indeed have a life outside of the elder-tend (Amen, Amen and Amen). We enjoyed a Sunday morning of pickleball-madness this past weekend. Fun in the sun sums it up!!!!!! P.S. I hope relavent ads interest you!!!! Versus annoy you...

You’ve probably heard that the queen of England is quite a sportswoman? The firearm she takes aim with on the cover of this article suggests at least curiosity. The title “Queen Elizabeth II: A Badass Hunter?" nearly tells a story, regardless of the question mark. My late father would have gotten on famously with Queen Elizabeth. Dad loved a good deer hunt: wake up in the wee hours, find a quiet place to burrow, wait, aim, fire, kill, drag, skin, chop, freeze, thaw, cook. Most of you know the drill. Queen D (my queen :) didn't fancy deer hunting. Mom's part in pop's hunting hobby was preparing the kill, ensuring it met adequate expectations of deliciousness. Speaking of deer, queen D often talks about deer hanging out around her home. She tells stories of deer with babies napping outside her kitchen window, lone does that come and go, and once early in the morning she spotted a small herd in the center of her front lawn. --Now, that wouldn't have been a very exciting hunt for dad!-- Jeff and I wined and dined our queen mother [again] this past weekend. We chose a favorite Italian restaurant (the one I've talked about a million times before) that happens to be close to her home, Carbonara Trattoria. (As we were leaving the restaurant, a tall, friendly, handsome man approached us happy to see queen D. It was her doctor of many years. I’ve accompanied mom to many doctor appointments and had never met or seen her doctor...often wondering if one really existed.) Guess who stopped by during our usual digitgal photo shoot? One of mom's friendly, neighborhood deer circled the house, staring at us, rather nonchalantly. Almost as though she was perturbed: excuse me, this is my turf, queen D belongs to me. I earnestly wanted to feed a carrot, celery stick or canned corn to the sweet doe. Queen D wasn’t on board for wildlife charity whatsoever, at least that night she wasn't. Mom is definitely not a deer-killer enthusiast or "badass hunter" like the real Queen. Nor is she one to enable wildlife. In fact, she’s never been an enabler of anything. Keep smiling, loving, and praying, my friends. Reaping what we sow is so, so true. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up - Galatians 6:7-9

Queen Diane is doing quite well. I know this because my youngest and I visited the Queen last weekend. We found Queen Diane spunky, spry and sporting just the right amount of cynic. (I guess if one makes it to 92-years-old it’s okay to let your inner, cooped-up cynic out for a chat or two.) We enjoyed snapping a few pics and a marvelous mexican meal out on the town with her...well, around the corner from her house. Mom continues to live in her spacious home. She continues to do all of her grocery shopping, meal prep and day to day chores. She keeps up with the predictable grind pretty well. She doesn't appear fatigued or wiped out from basic maintenance. --I must say, the mere thought of planning and preparing three meals, every single day fatigues me. Mom's meals aren’t complicated (hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, toast, tuna, baked chicken, basic meatloaf, spaghetti, etc.) or exotic as I prefer but, somehow the simplicity of her routine leaves me with an odd inept feeling. Can you imagine what it will be like when your passions are confronted by old age? When you must know [when when is when] and if you can’t figure it out someone will decide for you? Have you heard of Deer Park water? The gallon jug kind that doesn’t have a handle on it? Mom is obsessed with Deer Park water. She has been schlepping gallons upon gallons into her house for decades. Deer Park water is the only water she’ll drink in her home. She hauls Deer Park from the shelves of Kroger, to her car, to her pantry...all by herself. Because Deer Park doesn’t have a handle by which to carry the darn thing, doing so is especially awkward. Frail mom is forced to cradle a gallon of water in front of her body, squeezing chest muscles together while her back hunches over the container, distorting proper posture all together. Sad. Not good. But you can’t tell her…anything… Whenever Jeff and I have offered help she says: no, no, no. A couple weeks ago, Jeff and I shopped for Deer Park on her behalf in spite of her not wanting us to. The time has come! "When" is now. We betrayed her insistence and lugged ten Deer Park water jugs from Kroger to her pantry. The Queen’s 92-year-old, frail body got a break. No, it wasn’t easy. I find the shape of Deer Park awkward. No way would I haul that or any gallon jug of water into my house week after week. …And I’m in pretty good shape, mind you. When we finished lining up the ten jugs in her utility room she said, “It feels just like Christmas!” On that note, we’ll be making plenty more days like Christmas, for the Queen. ”When” is now…at least for water hauling. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley

​​​​Hi Everyone, How is your summer going thus far? Weddings, graduations, students home for the summer, travel picking up? All the above has geared up for Triangle Park ATL! …And, Diana just finished her 1L year at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (UIUC). She’s working at Alston & Bird (Atlanta) as a summer associate (a blessing indeed). Most of my readers know that Diana is in law school at the University of Illinois. Her whole family is thrilled where she landed. But…Several of y’all have asked Jeff, me, and D: Why the University of Illinois Law School? Do you even have a connection to Illinois? Why would she want to practice around Chicago? Here's the Scoop: Diana’s aim is to be a patent attorney. UIUC has good patent programs, a good ranking, they offered a nice scholarship and the location allowed D to get away from Georgia for a taste of down-to-earth midwestern culture. Yes. As a matter of fact we do have Illinois roots and even if we didn’t, after being covid-couped up and surviving "The Institute” (not to mention Georgia Tech is a mere two miles from her childhood home), we were thrilled Diana could escape to new territory. -- My grandfather graduated from the University of Chicago Medical School and my grandmother received a nursing degree from Wesley Memorial Hospital in Chicago, now called Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Below is a photo of a 1942 Aurora, Illinois newspaper article featuring my great-great grandmother who shared President Lincoln’s birthday (February 12 -- Illinois is "the Land of Lincoln"). She spoke with him when she was a young girl. Tryphena Ward-Keasler is buried in Aurora, Illinois and to this day her descendants reside in the region. Also, Jeff spent a good portion of his childhood outside Chicago, in Downers Grove. No, as a matter of fact, Diana does not want to practice law in or around Chicago when she graduates, nor does she have to. She began interning at Alston & Bird while attending Georgia Tech and per above she’s currently working there. If D doesn’t flunk out of UIUC law school (she just received a CALI Award* and is top 10% of her class), the hope is that Alston & Bird will hire her FT upon receiving a J.D. and passing the bar. *In case you’re curious what a CALI Award is (and don’t feel like googling it): The CALI Excellence for the Future Award®, often shortened to “The CALI Award” or referred to as “I CALI'd a Class”, is given to the student who receives the highest award in a law school course. Awards are given at the discretion of the faculty and in rare cases two awards can be given for the same course. (www.cali.org) (Diana was first in her Constitutional Law class (70+ students). All that cozy snow in central Illinois provided ample study incentive.) May I interject…Savanna was also a stellar student -- full Zell Miller scholarship throughout college and interning for Governor Nathan Deal where she took a private helicopter ride with Governor Deal, departing from the front lawn of the Governor’s Mansion destined for Forsyth, Georgia where he delivered a speech Savanna wrote at a state trooper graduation ceremony, among other accolades… The plan was to insert a joke about people who brag about their kids at this junction of the blog. I don’t want to come across as too “braggy.” Proud maybe, but not braggy. Anyway, I found mostly jokes about men bragging about sons and a few about moms bragging about sons. Nothing on moms being proud or bragging about daughters. Come on moms, shout out about daughters! Nobody seems to mind if you do…and even if they do… Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley

I've lived in the south my entire life, but until recently had only been to Charleston twice. Each of those times involved short trips with itineraries out of my control. I never truly explored the city. Friends and family would say "Charleston is amazing." "I want to move to Charleston." "The food is to die for." "You have to take your next trip in Charleston." But I honestly didn't understand the hype or have a desire to go. Traveling for me has always meant leaving the south. Fast forward to 2021, and my BFF deciding to move to CHS. Of course, Joe and I booked a trip to visit her within months. And I am so glad we did! Charleston could not be more charming, and I'm so thankful we had the chance to leisurely explore the city with a "local." Enjoy the below list of some of our favorite places! Already looking forward to our next trip. Brown's Court Bakery: This outdoor coffee counter is tucked in a cute alleyway. We ordered cortados and muffins each morning. The muffins were baked into the cutest mini loafs - I recommend the morning glory. Xiao Bao Biscuit: A stone's throw from our airbnb, we ended up having lunch here by accident, after discovering our intended restaurant was closed. I recommend the house made ginger drinks and the Japanese pancake. Pictured: The Japanese pancake with cotton-candy pork. Mex1: Delicious Mexican restaurant on Sullivan's Island! Try the street corn queso dip. Sugar Bakeshop: The cupcakes are scrumptious and the patio is the cutest thing I have ever seen. I could have sat here for hours! Pictured: Chocolate and grapefruit cupcakes. Airbnb: We loved our Airbnb. It was an affordable carriage house walking distance to many great restaurants. Pictured: Kombucha purchased at a convenience store about 200 feet from our room (also pictured). I know my parents are considering a home on Amelia Island, but my vote is for CHS.

Hi Everyone: I hope y’all are doing great!? What are you up to these days? Exploring new destinations? Lately, when we’re not rescuing horses, Jeff and I are exploring Amelia Island, Florida as a possible retirement-home target. (No! We’re not selling McKinley Road. Ever. Maybe we will though:) Getting up to speed on aspects related to Amelia has become an adventure from a part-time resident’s perspective, potentially. If you live in the south you’re more than likely familiar with Amelia Island? But, if you live(d) in the northwest United States…say…Oregon, where I grew up, perhaps you have no idea where Amelia Island is? I had no idea Amelia Island existed when I returned to Georgia 40 years ago. Do you know that Amelia Island has existed under eight flags? Or, that any U.S. territory has existed under more than a couple flags for that matter? I didn't. If you happen to be well-versed on Amelia, then you know that the following flags have graced her, over 450 years time: French - 1562 - 1565 Spanish - 1565 - 1763 British - 1763 - 1783 Spanish - 1783 - 1821 (with 3 interruptions) Green Cross of Florida - (date not provided) Mexican Rebel Flag - December 1817 American Flag - 1821 - present Confederacy - 1861 - 1862 Amelia Island was originally named “Santa Maria” which was derived from a mission the Spanish conducted after defeating France. The mission was aimed toward converting and educating natives. But after the English destroyed Spain's mission in 1702, Oglethorpe renamed the island “Amelia” in honor of King George II’s daughter. Who knew! How large is Amelia Island? I was curious too: 13.5 miles long. Width varies from a quarter mile to two miles. There are 11,600 acres; 18.2 square miles (7 square miles in the city limits of Fernandina Beach). Elevation averages 20-25 feet above mean sea level. Annual average temperature: 69.9°F. (Amelia Now Spring 2022) All sounds good to me! Wait, there’s more Sweeney-intrigue stuff about Amelia Island: “Since 1995, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance has annually brought some of the rarest, most beautiful and unique automobiles to the island every spring.” (Amelia Now Spring 2022) Every spring! Jeff is a big car buff so this is pertinent info. And, ya, there are horses on Amelia to boot. But, way more important is that pickleball is alive and well on the island! --Speaking of horses. When the real estate market comes down off its high-horse we’ll get saddle-comfort about trigger-pulling. Maybe a cute, little spot near John Grisham or something? Tips on Amelia from y'all are welcome and appreciated. Thanks for reading! Love, Shelley (Following up the previous blog, Jeff and I really hope some of you can join us at The Mane Event in September/Cherokee Town Club! More to come…)

Happy Resurrection Day! I haven’t blogged in a while because…well…you don’t want to know why. It was just one of those things, so to speak. But all is good now, and I couldn’t be happier to make it back in time to wish everyone a HAPPY EASTER. Celebrating victory over death is cause for celebration indeed! Having an eternal connection to the Holy spirit is invaluable, to say the least. Earthly connections pale by comparison -- they’re fleeting, lacking in promise and most definitely lacking in life beyond the grave. Cheers to The connection for life and eternity: Jesus. Ok, enough preachy stuff. But I do want to wish everyone, not only a Happy Easter, but also a happy spring filled with everything except Covid-19. It’s hard to believe two years have passed since the first lockdown. What a miserable politically-induced health fiasco that was. Please Lord, have mercy on us, no more pandemics. (Yet, then again, we thank him for the not-so-good things (pandemics) too! Don't ask Why, ask Who! I know, I know, the bible is complicated.) Jeff and I attended 11 a.m. Easter service at Church of the Apostles. We were joined by a dear friend, Gail, her husband, daughter, and son-in-law, as well as, our daughter and son-in-law. Dr. Michael Youssef’s service was uplifting, inspiring and full of praise, as it always is. The Word isn't watered down at Church of the Apostles. Michael teaches the Truth, not feel good stuff. And, ya, the Truth hurts sometimes. But...it's the Truth... God has been so good to me and my family. Giving thanks, giving back, and worshiping Him is a humbling honor. Having a personal, spiritual relationship with God is the greatest gift I’ve ever received. I’ve never been a religious person per se (ok, except for coffee and exercise) but I'm gung-ho about my private relationship with God. It’s a private club…just me and Him. Or, YOU and Him? Happy Easter, again, I hope you had a wonderful day. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley

I hope y’all are doing great and aren’t enduring anxiety to the point of physical pain, like I have been. But, if you are, I have a remedy for you: Spa Getaway. The girls and I (Triangle Park!) jetted off for a 60th birthday celebration (...Jeff and I have secret plans ;-). This particular “girls” trip was something that just sort of fell into place. Timing is everything. Diana was on spring break, Savanna needed a break and I was available...coping with the big 6-0. First stop: Amelia Island, Florida. I had never been and Jeff and I are considering a retirement home there. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton. Savanna generously secured a couple delightful upgrades (3-bathroom suite, champagne/chocolate surprises, photographer, etc.) that added to an already opulent ambience. Immediately, upon arriving at the Ritz--and I mean post haste--we headed to service appointments in the spa. Sav and I received facials and Diana opted for a massage. --Diana’s trip was grueling. She awoke at 3:15 a.m. in snow-blanketed Champaign, Illinois, drove an hour to the airport, flight was delayed an hour, she bolted to make our flight to Jacksonville, only to discover the pilot called in sick (yep, sick) which delayed all of us an hour, her bag didn’t make the Jacksonville flight and a nearby passenger to her held a barf bag the whole flight. BUT, her massage was amazing, she “almost fell asleep.” I’ve had a facial or two and a massage here and there, but I’ve never just hung out in a spa: relaxation room, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, private shower (three jets!), herbal tea/snacks, heavenly scents emitting from who knows where. Have you spent hours in a spa? So, before leaving Atlanta the right side of my jaw locked up from anxiety. After receiving scary news, I awoke the next morning unable to open my mouth all the way. My jaw involuntarily shook, needle-type sensations irritated my back (apparently the upper vertebrae were messed up) and I was stuck in doldrums. Blah blah. I’m not looking for sympathy, I’m segwaying into how utterly awesome spending FOUR days in a spa can be for body burdens. Particularly burdens brought on by system shocks a/k/a stress. The Ritz jacuzzi with soothing baby blue and green tile, neatly folded towels, greenery, lounge chairs, bay window and adjacent sauna and steam room began the pleasant stroll to recovery. Years ago, I used to sit in a sauna from time to time but I haven't thought about doing so until last week. Laying down, spine flat on warm boards, sweat streaming off head and neck, muscles and joints voluntarily releasing was an unexpected, welcome, heaven-sent healing. After all that healing heat, we stepped into private showers filled with products that disagree with humidity. The shower and dressing room had aroma=therapy scents that were so soothing I reduced to tears. Crying in the shower is a beautiful thing. Tears just wash straight down the drain and no one is looking. From Amelia, we stopped on Jekyll Island as we made our way to Sea Island. Jekyll is my favorite-favorite place in the world to bike ride. Diana opted for quiet time alone to take care of law school stuff while Sav and I enjoyed absolutely perfect weather (70/cloudy) for bike riding. Jekyll bike trails are in and of themself a spa treatment. Next stop: The Spa at Sea Island/Cloister (and I mean cloistered). The Cloister spa beat the Ritz in scenery and serenity (except the sauna, Ritz sauna won). Cloister staff were ever present for guidance and comfort. The pool was surrounded by opulent decor and we all partook in swim time with a dip in an adjacent hot tub. Next to the pool was another jacuzzi-type, warm (not hot) tub that offered a short, circular staircase down a small flight of stairs where you could sit by a waterfall. I could go on writing hundreds of words to describe the Cloister Spa. The facility was impeccable, calming, top notch. Pretty sure you get the picture. Of special note was, in the private showers there was a hand held nozzle that emitted revitalizing citrus aroma: orange, minty freshness. Who wouldn’t be renewed after all that? If you need a relaxing break from daily stresses, or one big special stresser, consider a spa-getaway remedy. If not the Ritz or Cloister, somewhere else! While you detox, remember to forgive…yourself and others. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley Disclaimer Alert: IF you happened to read the last blog, it was not about my husband.