sadly, it did not pan out...

... but we had a pleasant day of not-sledding, nonetheless. It was certainly cold enough, but if the contractor people decided to cancel there was nothing we could have done about it. I was initially really disappointed that we had all made the effort to plan to get together for a replay of the hilarity we had when at the first sledding event back in January. But the notification came (call or email or text, I can't say) that the day we had decided upon was not going to work, just simply not do-able.

Something to do with the weather I am sure, but don't know if it had been to warm or too wet. We had a good rain earlier in the week, and I know what happens when you pour water over ice, which is basically what would have happened to the 'artificial', machine generated snow. It is, I am thinking, very similar (though of course on a much grander scale!) to the little hand-cranked toy we had that  was remarkably frustrating to use and profoundly aggravating to operate. The" Snoopy Sno-cone Machine", maybe a tragically disappointing birthday gift for a youngster who was (is) devoted to sno-cone consumption.  The 'machine' part of the title requires a huge stretch of the imagination, as the person desiring to enjoy the sno-cone was required to exert 100% of the energy necessary to grind the ice cubes up into flakes, little  more than mush once the vile-colored flavoring was added.

Anyway: remembering the 'snow' on the hill in front of the politically incorrect monument carved on the side of Stone Mountain, I think it was pretty close to solid ice, from the increasing temperature of the air on that bright sunny day in January. I recall the snow machine, with a long tube that was constantly blowing/generating more ice crystals, that was probably melting faster than it could shoot out of the tube. I think we have rescheduled to go in Jan. on the Monday that is a federal holiday, collectively observing birthdays of various and sundry notables from American history.

We had the day off, though the sledding was a bust, and spent our time roaming around the city. Went to the newly refurbished Ponce Market, that is located in the old Sears distribution center on Ponce de Leon Ave. Lots of little eateries, and high end shops that will likely struggle to make rent once the new wears off. And on the upper floors, high end loft apartments.

Then a circuitous stroll through the IKEA store in Atlantic Station. The thing I had to wonder: how is it that they know what you are looking for before you come in the door? And deliberately put it as far away from the front of the store as possible. To make you look at everything else they sell before you get to the thing you came in for. As well as tempting you to buy all manner of trinkets you do not need and never thought to want until you see them in the store, cleverly accessorizing their furniture.