Today it was off to Tennessee to visit the family. My Aunt Katie is the dearest woman I know. She practically raised me when my parents were ill during my early childhood. At 80 years old, she mowed the lawn the day before we arrived, about 1 acre of lawn. She still keeps her 18 month old great-grandson everyday. She is amazing. It was great to see her. Aunt Ruby also came by for a visit.
We stayed in the Courtyard Marriot by the Knoxville airport in Alcoa. What a beautiful facility. If you ask, breakfast for everyone in your room can be included in the room price for an extra $10. It includes eggs (cooked to order), bacon, sausage, gravy, biscuits, fruit, pastries, waffles, etc. Great deal and good food.
On Thursday we drove around Cades Cove (http://www.cadescove.net/), a must when you are in Tennessee. If you can't get up in the Smokies do the cove. We say wild turkey and dear. Some of my relatives say a mother bear nursing her cubs last week. We weren't so lucky.
If you visit the gift shop at Cades Cove they have an old timey band (2 people on mountain instruments) playing music and singing and great honey with the honey comb still in. Honey combs are great to chew, by the way.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Vacation, Day 3
Today we had a leisure breakfast at TC's. I played my fiddle, I should say practiced on the stoop in the warm sunshine all morning. Then it was off to Pocket Loop at Pigeon Mountain. Most people are probably not familiar with the Pocket Loop as you have to take a dirt road past a few residential/farm type houses. There is a partially built boardwalk and the rest is mountain trail up to the falls. We had our "Flowers of the Smokey Mountains" book with us and identified a lot of plants. We spent the afternoon throwing rocks in the creek, catching salamanders (and letting them go) and playing with a huge millipede. All in all, a great day.
On the way home, we made another attempt at the incline railway on Lookout Mountain (http://www.lookoutmountain.com/) and this time we did it. Channel 46 from Atlanta was there and filmed us. Hopefully, someday it will be available on line.
On the way home, we made another attempt at the incline railway on Lookout Mountain (http://www.lookoutmountain.com/) and this time we did it. Channel 46 from Atlanta was there and filmed us. Hopefully, someday it will be available on line.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Vacation, Day 2
We woke up early today and had breakfast at T.C.'s house. The girls were outside in the fresh, cold spring air immediately after breakfast. We spent the morning at the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga (www.huntermuseum.org), had lunch at Tony's Pasta Shop in the Bluffview Art District(yummm!) and rode the carousel at Coolidge park (http://history.amusement-parks.com/tenncool.htm). We attempted to ride the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain but several busloads of kids were getting in line just as we drove up. Dinner was at TC's.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Vacation
Well, we tricked the girls last night and started our vacation after Grammy's birthday dinner. We were about an hour and a half past our exit before anyone noticed that we passed our house. It worked out well we were able to drive for about 3 hours and stopped about 11 p.m.
Today has been very interesting. The Courtyard Marriott we stayed in was typical, no problems. We stopped for gas and Starbucks in Tifton. At the Starbucks Claire kept pulling on my skirt/shirt as young children often do. (Especially Claire). I kept turning around and asking her to stop pulling on me, leave my shirt alone, your stretching my clothes out, etc. Finally, she stopped and scooted up beside me to whisper "Mom, your skirt is tucked into your pants."
Later in the day we stopped for lunch at the scarriest Subway in Georgia (Warner Robbins in case you want to know where not to stop). It was under construction and apparently doubled as a daycare. No, I'm not kidding. The kids (all under 4) were behind the counter and climbing under the cabinets in the refrigerators, etc.
Later in the day we made one more stop for gas and potty, in Rome, Georgia. Interesting little place. There were instructions on the wall to guide you in reaching inside the back of the toilet and flushing manually.
Finally, we reached our destination. Whew! Catfish and B-B-Que for all at Buck's BBQ and Catfish with our dear friends.
Today has been very interesting. The Courtyard Marriott we stayed in was typical, no problems. We stopped for gas and Starbucks in Tifton. At the Starbucks Claire kept pulling on my skirt/shirt as young children often do. (Especially Claire). I kept turning around and asking her to stop pulling on me, leave my shirt alone, your stretching my clothes out, etc. Finally, she stopped and scooted up beside me to whisper "Mom, your skirt is tucked into your pants."
Later in the day we stopped for lunch at the scarriest Subway in Georgia (Warner Robbins in case you want to know where not to stop). It was under construction and apparently doubled as a daycare. No, I'm not kidding. The kids (all under 4) were behind the counter and climbing under the cabinets in the refrigerators, etc.
Later in the day we made one more stop for gas and potty, in Rome, Georgia. Interesting little place. There were instructions on the wall to guide you in reaching inside the back of the toilet and flushing manually.
Finally, we reached our destination. Whew! Catfish and B-B-Que for all at Buck's BBQ and Catfish with our dear friends.
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