Part of the family gathered at "Johnny's" tonight, a simple fish and fried food restaurant a town or two down the pike from home. I knew that I was back in the South when the waitress asked, "And what for you, Honey?" I almost responded, "Parden me. Do I know you?" before realizing where I was. Actually, had we known each other (which would have basically meant that I had patronized the restaurant on one prior occasion) then it would have been "Sweetheart."
A late start out of Madison Monday morning placed us in London, Kentucky around midnight. Tuesday was spent meandering leisurely through the Appalachians and taking advantage of some hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I had never accessed the park from the Tennessee side and was astonished to experience Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge (thankfully we were able to bypass Dollywood). With it's theatres, restaurants, hotels, casinos, amusement parks and surf shops (can someone explain the latter to me?) the area seems to be striving for the title, "Branson of the Appalachians." Once you negotiate this mess you arrive at the gateway to the most visited national park in the country. I marveled at the fact that several weeks ago I was able to hike for an entire day in the Cascades without encountering another soul. Here I could barely drive for the traffic. But the hike to Clingman's Dome and Andrew's Bald was a nice 5-mile leg-stretch opportunity in the middle of a long day of driving.
Arrived back at the farm around 11:00 pm and spent several hours visiting with my parents around the kitchen table. I helped with a few chores today that dad no longer has the energy to manage. His spirit and his spirits are wonderful. His body is noticeably weaker.
I will check back in this week when I have opportunity to venture into town for cyber-connection. I logged onto mom's dial-up this morning...had breakfast, read the paper, cut the back lawn...and the computer was still chugging to pull up the blog.
I will spend this week with family, reading and visiting.
Today I received word of Elaine Heinz's death. My prayers reside with her family. Atonement is a much different place today because of the discipleship of Ray and Elaine. As Phyllis writes in her prayer notifications to us, "What a reunion is taking place in heaven!" Indeed.
Blessings to you all.
(I wish that I could take credit for the picture above, but the Smoky's were too smoky [humid and hazy] yesterday for a good exposure, so I borrowed this one from the national parks service.)
A late start out of Madison Monday morning placed us in London, Kentucky around midnight. Tuesday was spent meandering leisurely through the Appalachians and taking advantage of some hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I had never accessed the park from the Tennessee side and was astonished to experience Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge (thankfully we were able to bypass Dollywood). With it's theatres, restaurants, hotels, casinos, amusement parks and surf shops (can someone explain the latter to me?) the area seems to be striving for the title, "Branson of the Appalachians." Once you negotiate this mess you arrive at the gateway to the most visited national park in the country. I marveled at the fact that several weeks ago I was able to hike for an entire day in the Cascades without encountering another soul. Here I could barely drive for the traffic. But the hike to Clingman's Dome and Andrew's Bald was a nice 5-mile leg-stretch opportunity in the middle of a long day of driving.
Arrived back at the farm around 11:00 pm and spent several hours visiting with my parents around the kitchen table. I helped with a few chores today that dad no longer has the energy to manage. His spirit and his spirits are wonderful. His body is noticeably weaker.
I will check back in this week when I have opportunity to venture into town for cyber-connection. I logged onto mom's dial-up this morning...had breakfast, read the paper, cut the back lawn...and the computer was still chugging to pull up the blog.
I will spend this week with family, reading and visiting.
Today I received word of Elaine Heinz's death. My prayers reside with her family. Atonement is a much different place today because of the discipleship of Ray and Elaine. As Phyllis writes in her prayer notifications to us, "What a reunion is taking place in heaven!" Indeed.
Blessings to you all.
(I wish that I could take credit for the picture above, but the Smoky's were too smoky [humid and hazy] yesterday for a good exposure, so I borrowed this one from the national parks service.)
1 comment:
Don't you just love the South? I always find the endearing terms: "Honey" and "Sweetheart" a compliment whether they are sincere or not.
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