Nashville!!!

Saturday August 24, 2013 11:37 CST In the Study in Nashville, Tennessee The sunset in Bowling Green on Tuesday night was spectacular and Bill said there was a full moon as well but our room was on the opposite side of the building so I didn't see it. As a matter of fact, until I started typing this I'd forgotten that little tidbit. We were so close to Nashville that we lingered Wednesday morning and so had the breakfast room and lobby to ourselves. We ate a leisurely meal with several cups of coffee before moving on down the road to Tennessee. I called Becky and Bob as soon as we hit the road to give them our ETA and stopped at the Tn welcome center to pick up another Tn tour book, Nashville tour book, various brochures on Nashville sights ( and sounds ! ) as well as a new map. Then it was a hop, skip and jump around the city center and to our home away from home. Bill and I taught with Becky centuries ago in Swanton. As a matter of fact, for five years Beck and I had adjoining counter space in the teachers' prep room and literally worked elbow to elbow with an ashtray between the folders and blotters to share. Can you imagine the days we could smoke in a school?? Am I dating us, I wonder? I've given it up and Beck is like Bill--keeps a pack and smokes it within a couple of months. Bob, Beck's husband, is new to us and we to him, except by word of mouth--lol He is an absolute delight and after the first half hour of science teachers reuniting we included him in our conversations. He is into the geneaology of his family, indeed they are spending almost a month in Sicily with family members he's never met and seeing places familiar to his parents and grandparents--all deceased, of course. As a result, he and I spent quite a bit of time on the couch with his Apple mini something or other comparing notes and sharing pix etc. Also they have a few tablets etc so Bill and I were most interested in learning about the different devices. When they come back I will list the smaller than laptop items so I can research price etc. I think I'd like something smaller to take on our winter trip. Becky and I went off to Kroger's to pick up cold cuts and artisan bread for lunch and a chance to see where things are in relation to the townhouse. It also gave me a chance to see the car and now that I have I probably will use it if I feel the need to explore. It has a GPS that I can hit to take me home so I cannot get lost. After lunch, while the guys visited Bob's workshop and otherwise visited, Becky and I went over some essential things--where things are and how to run everything. Later in the afternoon, actually early evening Bob went off to a KofC meeting and we had a delicious tilapia and salad meal. And more reunion--catching up on where everyone is now that we taught with or that we taught. When Bob came home he had a plate then we all had ice cream and in pretty short order the day was done. Thursday we all reassembled around 8:30 ish. Since Becky and I are pretty much just coffee in the morning types the guys went off to the International House of Pancakes--it still has that sign across the building--of course, in our lovely American way of shortening all names, the chain is now better known as IHOP. When they came back the B's went off for a last minute shopping run and I printed off directions to I65 N that Bill would need to go home.I set the alarm system and locked up but the system keep beeping. So I unset it, came back in and did it all over again. Again it kept beeping so in I came once more, called Becky to ask what I was doing wrong--I expected the police at any minute since I'm sure the alarm company was getting alarmed! LOL But, I'd done it correctly so I reset it one more time, locked up and we were on our way. We took a drive to check out the route. It was hilarious trying to get out of the complex here. We stayed on the road it said to stay on but the first right came too soon and had the wrong name. So we went back and tried staying on the road in the opposite direction and went almost two miles and came to the street but it was too far and we figured it might not be the right place. We judged the street name by the residence complex name there and who knew if there was any correlation. So back we came to the house and started out in one last direction--lo and behold with the proper mileage on the MapQuest directions, we came to the same place and when we made the indicated turn we got to the next point properly as well. As is always the case, once you've figured out the route it is fast and easy and leads you to wonder why it seemed so complicated to start! Exhausted from brain strain and laughter and the heat we ambled into Applebee's for lunch. Our server Meg was a young single mother from Mass; there was another lady at the bar having a glass of wine, having taken a quick escape from family in town for her daughter's wedding. She said it was getting so frantic now that it was drawing closer she just needed a break. In the course of our conversation she found that I was going to be on my own for awhile and she is alone so we exchanged phone numbers and may meet up for lunch someday. There was also a fellow around our age who, when he heard we were from Vermont, decided he was going to needle us since he assumed were were liberals. We had a fun time with him especially when he said we must have been to only two conservative teachers in the State of Vermont. I hope we run into him again--he was truly a good time. When we got back around 3--the B's had just gotten back also. By this time, the temperature was well into the 90's and the heat suffocating. I opted for a nap and got up again around 5. Freshened up and helped Becky get things together while the guys went out to pick up the pizza and beer. The B's invited the neighbors with whom they are close to come over to meet us. What a terrific bunch of people--a musician retired from the Navy band, a salesgirl from a ladies shop and two retired ladies who also travel a great deal. Had just a terrific evening. Exchanged phone numbers and promised to stay in touch. So even though I'm on my own for awhile I certainly am not alone. Yesterday, Bob made a big breakfast for us all. Bill and I got out from under their feet as they gathered luggage etc and then we drove them to the airport in the Prius. Hugged and wished them a safe and fun trip and then as quickly as possible got that Prius back home, parked and got back into our own familiar car. Off to Kroeger's and I laid in what I hope will be a month's groceries. I really want to avoid using their car if possible. I just don't like driving some one else's car. If I ever had an accident I'd be so upset. Got back around 2ish. 94 degrees!! Made sandwiches and sat down in the A/C living room and watched Green Bay and Seattle play a pre-season football game. By late afternoon a heavy thunderstorm passed through. I cooked up some hamburgers and a salad, after which we moved onto the deck and just talked until about 8 pm. Watched TV together until about 9 when Bill retired and I continued watching this week's Burn Notice and Suits episodes which I'd missed. Up around 7, had coffee on the deck before making breakfast. Then Bill showered and packed and we had another cup of coffee before he took off around 8:30 to return to Vermont. He'll be back around the beginning of October if not sooner. I have two cloth bags of books, DVD's, embroidery and the TV remote, as well as resident music CD's. My plan is to have a nice retreat mostly alone. I've already started Dan Brown's Inferno. I'm glad I have people I can call to do things with should I get bored but at the moment I truly just want alone contemplative time. Before Bill's Mom died we had the house in Montpelier and periodically I'd take off for a week-end alone but since it has been sold I haven't really had a place like that to hole up in. This is perfect and Bill will have some solitude as well--he used to like it even more than I. So, no timetable, no need to dress if I don't want to, can eat when and what I want and do whatever, whenever. Would not want it to be like that all the time and I know I'll miss my B's but don't think I'll miss the new impish 4 month old kitten, Attila the Cat. I do dread the possibility that Misty might, like Soot, die when I'm not there but that is about all that worries me. Obviously, I don't anticipate any earth shattering events or picture opportunities during retreat so it may be possible that you won't get another blog or pictures till Bill gets back. But once he's here we will be exploring all that Nashville has to offer and I'll resume more regular updates. So worry not that it has been awhile since I've written. I will, as they say, be back. 'Til then---take care all of you. Kathy