I always like going to Augusta. It’s still a southern city, unlike Atlanta. When I moved to Atlanta back in 1985, Atlanta was still a southern city. No more. The old Atlanta Journal newspaper had the motto “We cover Dixie like the dew”. Dixie is a no no. That motto is ancient history. The Sunday features section used to be called Dixie Living. Now it’s just Living. Once again, Dixie is a no no. You don’t hear many southern accents in Atlanta anymore. Too many people have moved here from other parts of the country. It’s only a matter of time until the carving on Stone Mountain is sandblasted off by the American Taliban. If Stacey Abrams Tank had her way it would be.

Augusta is till southern. At the Atlanta VA I hear a lot of Southern accents. It’s music to my ears.

This week in Augusta is the Masters golf tournament. When I started making my yearly trip to Augusta I didn’t even know where Augusta National was. I stayed in hotels at the Washington Ave. exit, but I always took the River Parkway to get to the VA. Less traffic lights than taking Washington Avenue.

It’s hard to believe that Augusta National could exist where it does. From I-20 to the edge of the property it’s fast food restaurants and shopping centers. All of a sudden, on the right, there is a fence with shrubbery hiding the country club. The first few times I drove down Washington, I didn’t even notice it. There’s no sign. If I hadn’t read somewhere that Augusta National was off Washington Avenue I wouldn’t have known it was there. That stretch of Washington Avenue is trashy.

Since I stayed downtown this year, I had to take Washington Avenue to get to my hotel. On the left side of the road across from Augusta National you could tell sumpin’ was going on since they were preparing parking for lots of cars. Lots and lots of cars.

My nurse at the VA told me that this is a good time for Augusta because they really clean up the town and make it as pretty as they can for the Masters. I saw some of that last week with flowerpots full of flowers on the downtown streets.

I really like Augusta. I hope it stays southern and doesn’t get ruined like Atlanta.