We've finally begun to settle into Atlanta and it seems like the both of us are beginning to acknowledge that this is going to be our home for the next couple of years. It hasn't been easy to make that realization but by doing so, it's made us a little more willing to accept the downfalls and highlights of living in this city.

My initial read of Atlanta was a scary one. We had arranged to stay with some friends of Doug's in Decatur for a couple of days while we apartment hunted. Decatur is a city within Atlanta with a cute little downtown area. We were staying in the more suburban area, where houses were on big lots with large driveways and there were miles of rolling hills in-between main streets. I thought that this was Atlanta and we would soon find ourselves living in a similar situation. This did not excite me.

But our hosts were amazingly friendly and confirmed the stereotype of southern hospitality. Unfortunately, their dogs did not share in their generosity and one let me know how they felt about my arrival into their household by trying to eat the back of my leg. One could argue (that person being someone who's leg had not doubled as a chew toy) that they were just nervous because of the sudden disruption in their routine. Whatever their reason, I would run in the other direction whenever I saw them and let out loud whimpering noises whenever they barked at me. By the end of my stay, I think we had an understanding: they were the bosses of the house and if I was doing something that they didn't like, I would certainly stop immediately.

I guess that's life here. Our apartment is unpacked and the walls are still just as yellow as when we moved in. The last tenant had terrible tastes in paint. Doug and I are feeling the first true pains of returning to the world of renting. Do we spend our own time and money to repaint or do we develop an affinity for OSU orange colored kitchens and sunshine yellow living rooms?

Also: Scout arrived to Georgia on Saturday. Note to those out there: don't fly a 14-year old cat across the country unless you want to smell of urine for a week and have your sleep interrupted by the sounds of your panting asthmatic feline friend. Doug seems to think he deserves some recognition for flying her across the country. I've joked about it since, but I'm sure that the sensation of having cat urine ooze into the open wounds of the road rash created by Friday's tumble was not a pleasant one. Thank you Doug. I'm not sure that Scout is happy to be here but I know we're both happy to have her.