I had a

hankering for crab legs Thursday.

The best I have found

lately are at Captain Billy's Fish House in Franklin. So,

I was sitting in wait for my husband when he arrived home

from work. Usually, after an hour's drive home from

Delta, he wants to do just about anything but get into a

moving vehicle again. As it turned out he had the same

craving.

The crab legs were as good

as I expected they would be and, I declare, those

parsleyed potatoes defy description. Not only is the food

good, but the right table affords one an awesome view of

the Chattahoochee.

As you enter the old

building, there's an aquarium in front that immediately

captures the attention of the little ones. Captain

Billy's Fish House is just an all around good place for a

family outing if you are hungry and like sea food and a

casual atmosphere. The music that's piped over the PA

system always appeals to me, too.

The sounds of Michael

Kolmstetter's classical guitar was the entertainment

Thursday night. While I listened to such timeless

favorites as "Amazing Grace" and "Mine

Eyes Have Seen The Glory" playing softly in the

background I observed that Captain Billy's is also a good

place to celebrate a birthday.

The celebrating was down

one level from us, and over a table or two, but still we

could overhear the singing and the announcement that it

was the honoree's 81st birthday. She didn't look 81. She

didn't sound 81. She certainly didn't act 81 (though I'm

not quite sure what that means anymore).

Uninvited, I sung

"Happy Birthday" along with the family. Of

course they never knew, but I wanted to wish her a happy

day nevertheless. As they prepared to leave I left my

table and walked over to ask her secret.

There was little or no

hesitancy as she answered my question, "I drink two

ounces of vodka every evening before supper. I told my

doctor and he said just keep doing what I'm doing. And

that's another thing, I always do what I want to do when

I want to do it. I've been to Vegas five times and I go

to church all the time. I walk three miles every morning

and cut my own grass and clean my own house."

Now, I have asked that

question of many an octogenarian, but I don't think I

have ever approached one who was so ready with an answer

and downright sure of herself at that. Ah yes, I did

enjoy my visit to Captain Billy's last week.

Talking about enjoyment...

I can't begin to describe how much I enjoyed the wedding

of our friends who got married last weekend at the Pine

Hurst Tea Room in Stockbridge. I had seen the tea room

ads and even visited their web site. But I was not

prepared for such an enchanting country Victorian setting

and phenomenal food.

I understand the house was

built at the turn of the century by a descendant of

Robert E. Lee. For years it was the home of the mayor of

Stockbridge and remained in the Lee family until 1995

when the Dubbs family bought it. They had been in the

catering business since 1979 and had thought for a long

time that the old home would be an awesome location for a

tea room, reception area and general special event

facility. How right they were.

to wait for a special event to enjoy the Pinehurst Tea

Room. They offer elegant luncheons daily, high tea on

selective Wednesdays and Sunday brunch on the second

Sunday of each month. Anytime you want to have a special

time with friends, family or business associates and feel

the need for just the right touch, Pinehurst should be on

your list of options. You can reserve a table, room or

the entire facility. (Reservations are required for high

tea or Sunday brunch.) I'll go back again.

When you live in the middle

of nowhere like I do now, you have to be prepared to

drive a ways for special meals or functions. But that's

all right. I am so blessed and thankful to be able to

enjoy the peace and quiet of the country that I consider

it worth the effort to drive an hour west to Franklin or

an hour east to Stockbridge for a nice outing. Besides,

the scenery in both directions is awesome and heaven

knows it beats fighting the traffic and smog that always

awaits me when I drive north into Atlanta.

That's not to say I won't

and don't drive north. It's just that I'll take country

living and country driving any day when afforded the

choice. I know I have often complained that we have too

many choices in America. Maybe I've been wrong. Perhaps I

should just be thankful.

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