Back to the "Deep South" in Duluth GA

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I get a kick out of hearing the term "Deep South" in 2026. It is a crazy incredibly outdated label. I think maybe I should start saying the "Deep Northeast". I am a Yankee. My family came over on the Mayflower and moved to Upstate NY via Connecticut. Terms used in the revolutionary and Civil war days are generally inappropriate. My family is all but totally out of NY State now. I find the term "deep south" to be of the same thinking that the movie "Heidi" is what contemporary Europe is like. It is a long drive between Berkshire, NY and Duluth, GA. Most of the 35K miles on the truck were spent in between. I drove the truck about 3k miles in 2-1/2 weeks. It was great to spend time on the farm. It was good to make some progress on needed repairs and improvements. I also felt good about making some new friends up there. I will be back up there in August.
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I am back in Atlanta, Duluth actually. The way airline security is setup at ATL it is a pain coming back from overseas. You have to go through security of some kind three times. So, with Atlanta being my final destination after returning from overseas I have to get searched. What I mean is that when I arrive home I have to go through security just like I was getting on a domestic flight. I had to surrender a water I purchased in the secure area at Heathrow airport before I could leave the Atlanta airport. It is not so much the surrendering the already-checked water, it is the glare you get from the Homeland Security bots. Nobody likes the glare. The situation exists largely because of the pre-homeland security layout of ATL. It is uncomfortable coming "home" and having to get security-searched (In addition to customs) just to leave the airport.

I stayed in an old manor house in England. It was nice and quite reasonable for someplace less than 30 minutes from Heathrow. It is a great stopping off place before heading back to the US. (Taplow House) The garden (assuredly albeit not in its heyday) is worth it.

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