Ah Vacation Lost

We are home

We are glad

We are exhausted

For the most part, our trip was wonderful. It rained, and that is ok for us Aquarians who like sitting on the porch watching the lightning rip thru' the mountains BELOW us. We were able to recharge and regroup and just enjoy each other.

We got into town about 6pm on Thursday night and the main drag thru' Pidgeon Forge was lined with antique and historical cars. They were having a show/parade/meet, and I kid you not, there had to be over 2000 vehicles of various ancient-age alllllllll over the place. We all were able to find our various childhood and teenage cars. We oooed and ahhhhed over most of them and laughed over a few. Little did we know how this bunch of car nuts would drive (pun intended) us insane.

We hit the map and drove to the back of beyond. We were on the very top peak of a mountain ridge and most of the entire region was below us. The poor Kia Cadillac was very tired by the time we engaged the emergency brake to keep from rolling back down the ravine! We unloaded, unpacked, sacrificed beef to the "Grill-Gods" and called it a night.

For the next 2 days we didn't leave the cabin. We just hunkered in and enjoyed the hot tub, the swing on the porch, and each other. It rained the entire time. A warrior-kitty came to mooch a meal of turkey and fat-free half & half Friday evening. She stayed for a little affection and disappeared into the night.

Saturday afternoon we decided we wanted to wander and headed down the mountain to the Gatlinburg shopping area. We found Him a leather vest, a lovely picture, and sunglasses. It was His birthday weekend, after all. Swan and I giggled over the CRAP that was for sale in all the nooks and crannies of all the stores. Who in their right mind would be see with a black and purple lace corset purse that was pre-formed with bullet bosoms??? I almost HAD to buy it for Swan for Thunder.....giggle!

After an average Mexican dinner at "No Way Jose's" we headed back to the cabin....remember the car thingie??? ACK!!!!!!!!!! It took us 2.5 hours to go 1 mile. The place was packed. The roads were clogged. And every manor of "person" was either in a pickup truck riding down the road or sitting along the curb in folding chairs watching the traffic jam! Swan decided to get out and walk to the grocery because HE needed more soft drinks and meet us at the turn to the cabin. She walked 2 VERY LONG blocks, got the beverages, used the restroom, walked back to the corner, and waited almost 30 minutes for us to drive 1.5 blocks. It is times like these that strangers should be glad we do not travel with "toys" for short trips. I sure could have used a good bullwhip or crop a time or two!

But finally we got our Swan and made it back to the top of our mountain just before the sun died for the day. Only to have to pack it all up and be on the road by 11am on Sunday. And you just KNOW what that means don't you??? Everyone else was also packed up and on the road by 11am on Sunday, too! Traffic sucked, we finally got to the AppleBarn to get our year's supply of Big S Farm's Salsa-the bestest ever! and then.....insert a shiver here......we headed to Master's Heaven......

The Knife Cathedral. The Shrine of the Holies. Smoky Mountain Knife Works.....and please remember to watch for the men who are prone on prayer rugs in the parking lot as you attempt to enter! It is pathetic when they enter this place. All these men enter the door and you can see them shiver and their skin ripple as they behold the glories of the showroom. I try not to roll my eyes too fast, HE might hear them. Swan and I just carry the ticket and trail along behind Him mentally ringing the cash register as He selects His new toys. We usually figure on 1-2 hours and several paper towels for the drooling. And when we leave, I will have to drive, so He can caress His latest acquisitions and I can watch Swan in the rear view mirror memorize what they all look like so she can track them all down when HE misplaces one at 2am and absolutely HAS TO HAVE that SPECIFIC one IMMEDIATELY and she crawls out of bed and tears the house apart and sets all the car alarms off in the neighborhood just to please MASTER. Oh yea....you all KNOW what I mean....

We finally got home at 8:20pm. Unloaded the car. All is good. We are home. All 3 cats are alive and well and fed treats. Laundry is running and the phone rings and Tom's 87 yr. old Dad is on his way to the emergency room. Soooooo Tom leaves us to finish and He spends the rest of the evening in the emergency room with his sick Dad until they get him to a room at 2am. Then He got to come home.

Well....this family's last vacation was over 2 years ago. Not so sure that after Sunday this rates as a vacation either.....but those mountains?.......magnificent!

T