A Terrific, Wonderful, Good, Very Beautiful Day

Just a quickie this morning.  We’re on baby sitting duty at 7:15 this morning while Jackie and Catia go on a school field trip – Sheesh, even God isn’t up at this hour of the morning.  Anyway, yesterday was an absolutely beautiful, fantastic, gorgeous, tremendous, wonderful day.  The sun was shining brightly with minimal humidity and temperatures in the 70’s and not a cloud in the sky.  What a great day for a cookout and that’s exactly what we did.

But first, we made our bi-monthly run to Wally World in order to restock the larder.  Then we sat outside in our comfy patio furniture and, yes, Alex got to sit out for a while as well.  We did some reading and neighbor visiting.  The kids and grand kids joined us around 6:00.

We set fire to some wood and cooked some hot “dawgs” over the open fire to have along with potato salad and baked beans.  Then the grand kids proceeded to do what they do best, wear out the adults.  It was fun and it will certainly be difficult to pull ourselves away come Monday.

Take Care Until Next Time - - - - - - 

A Kalina Day

Yesterday was Kalina day.  Judy and I picked up Murfreesboro grand daughter number two and headed for the nearest playground.  When we turned into the parking lot, her eyes lit up as she’ll yelled, “Playground!!” with a great big smile on her face.  Kalina likes her playgrounds, that’s for sure.

Slides are her favorite and this playground had several different slides to chose from.

 

The problem is that they are all plastic.  Do you know what a plastic slide does to one’s hair?

A one point Kalina said she was tired, but that wouldn’t stop her.  She just denied that the word was ever uttered and kept on going like the Energizer Bunny.

Finally it was time to “Feed Me” so we watched her eyes light up once again as we turned into the Golden Arches.  Kalina had the chicken tenders kid’s meal with apple juice.  Have you ever tasted McDonald’s chicken tenders?  Those have to be the worse tasting, poorest excuse for food that ever donned the face of this earth – the taste is pretty much akin to that of cardboard.  It’s a good thing that “they” give you some barbecue sauce to hide the lack of flavor.  If it weren’t for the toy inside the box, I don’t think that “they” would ever sell a happy (yucky) meal.

Next we had to swing by UPS to drop of a package.  On our way home, someone fell asleep and it wasn’t Grandma (although she had thoughts about just that).  Kalina got just enough sleep to keep her from sleeping at nap time – sorry mom, grand parents get to do that.

We came home and spent the rest of the day reading and visiting with our neighbors - met some real nice folks.  Next to us is a couple of sisters who just enjoy getting out of the house for a few weekends each year.  A few sites behind us is another Escapees couple from Bardstown, Kentucky (just outside of Louisville).  Also, nice folks.

That’s it for our day so Take Care Until Next Time - - - - - -

The Search

We spent about four hours visiting multiple neighborhoods in Murfreesboro and smaller communities south of I-24.  In conjunction with grand kids one of our needs is for a good worship center.  World Outreach Church is just south of I-24 on New Salem Road (which is also route 99).  Chapel Hill, Christiana, Eagleville, and Rockvale are all possible candidates and would be within 15 miles of the church.

Like we said yesterday, it’s all about options.  We looked at country settings with both houses and mobile homes (we wouldn’t live in a mobile home, but sell it and park our RV while we built a small home); we looked at condominiums and houses in neighborhoods.  We haven’t decided what our life will look like after we grow up (fulltime RVing) so all the information that we can garner will help us paint that picture.

Okay, today is going to be another great day with temperatures in the high seventies and low humidity.  We’re planning an outing with Kalina this morning.  When we stopped by yesterday she was one excited little girl – she loves her G’ma and G’pa.  It’s gonna be hard to pull up the jacks and leave town again this year.  These little tikes certainly have a draw on our heart strings.

We’ll share pictures of today’s outing tomorrow so Take Care Until The Next Time and don’t let the bed bugs bite - - - - -  

It’s All Mikee’s Fault

The sun’s in my eyes, the ball took a bad hop, and my glove is too big, but it’s all Mikee’s fault.  What’s Mikee’s fault?  Why the institution of Tea Time, of course.  Yep, Tea Time occurs around three o’clock everyday and, most likely, will not really consist of any tea, unless you’re a teetotaler.  At Mikee’s house it’s a martini or screw driver and at our house it’s a margarita.  But, as Peggy says, “It’s all good!”

We had a storm front pass through our area yesterday afternoon which brought with it a cold front.  After several days of “record” warm, we woke up to temperatures in the low 60’s – that seems Brrrrrr to us.  If we were true northerners, sixty would be a good temperature in April.

Being that it was a storm day, Mike, Peggy, Judy, and I headed for Lebanon to drop off Mike and Peggy’s Maine Income Tax forms at the post office and then to partake in another fine meal at Demos’ Family Restaurant. 

Mike and I had a seafood stuffed baked potato (A big baked potato loaded with shrimp, clams and crabmeat blend in a creamy Newburg sauce and topped with sautéed mushrooms, diced tomatoes, onions and peppers).  Peggy had the Mushroom Burger while Judy had the Greek Style Chicken Sauce Spaghetti.  Again, as Peggy says, “It’s all good!”  Mike and Peggy treated us to dinner – thanks guys. 

Demos’ is a great restaurant with good food and good prices.  There are five restaurants in the Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Lebanon area.  So, if you find yourself in the area looking for a nice “home cooked” meal, thar ya go!!!!

Judy and I spent a couple of hours reading before Tea Time.  Judy made her world famous frozen margaritas (thanks Dortha for that recipe) and we sipped away while solving all the country’s problems.  It’s amazing the solutions you can come up with over a couple of margaritas.

Then we hunkered down and did more reading while waiting for the “severe storm” that never materialized, but that was perfectly fine by us.

Today we’ll be out and about looking for possible landing sites for when we decide to come off the road.  Now, don’t get too excited ‘cause we’re only looking toward some future date down the road.  We know we like Rainbow Plantation, but this area has something that the Plantation doesn’t – grand kids.  It’s all about options.

Take Care And Don’t Let The Boogie Man Getcha - - - - - 

Cedars Of Lebanon

We regress just a little.  On our trip from Alabama to Tennessee, we set our cruise control at 58 MPH rather than 62 and that increased our miles per gallon from 11.2 to 12.7 while towing; based on $4 per gallon, that that will result in a $500 per year savings in the fuel budget.

The greater Nashville area has been experiencing unusually high temperatures with Saturday setting a new record high at 91*.  For us, it has been just wonderful to be able to sit outside and enjoy the warmth. 

Yesterday we enjoyed a nice family cookout with “hamburglers” and hot dawgs along with Momma’s ‘tater salad and Duke’s baked beans - It was all so yummy!  Mike and Peggy joined us as they are part of the family, after all.  Around three o’clock, Judy made up some of her world famous frozen margaritas; just right for cooling us down a hot summer’s afternoon (it maybe spring here, but for us northerners it feels like summer).

I think Mike, Peggy, Judy, and I are planning on a nice relaxing day.  This afternoon another severe weather pattern is suppose to pass through the area.  It seems that the nation has been experiencing one “severe” weather pattern right after another this year.  Thunder storms are predicted in our area around three which is “Tea Time”, so we’ll just have to have a Margarita Thunder/Lighting Party – any excuse will work.

Take Care Until Next Time - - - - - -