Tennessee Time

Well, I'm a little late in posting about it but week before last, we got to take a much-needed week long vacation and go to lovely Tennessee to visit with my family! Spring is a great time to go there (fall ain't bad either!) because summer is swelteringly hot and humid and winter is sometimes bone-chillingly wet & cold. The dogwoods and azaleas were just awesome! They were blooming profusely everywhere you looked and dang it! if I didn't go off and forget both of my cameras, so no exciting vacation photos to share! :(

We both gained about 10 pounds in that one week (okay, maybe slight exaggeration) but our 'schedule' consisted of "who-are-we-meeting-today-and-where-are-we-eating?' - Monday night Top's BBQ (which I do love, even though some might not AND it's conveniently close when you're clear out in T-county!), Tuesday afternoon Corky's BBQ, Wednesday night Red Lobster, Thursday night BBQ Station, Friday night Erwin's, Saturday night Mazzio's ... get the picture? I'm convinced that part of the reason our society has a weight problem is because so many of us center our social life around FOOD!!!!! And oh, my, I'm not complaining about that because I LOVE that, but I can see where it could definitely contribute to excess pounds! If we kept our "social eating" the same but added in healthy amounts of exercise, like riding our bicycles around town, walking to the store, tending a large garden, etc. then maybe that would help even out some of the calorie intake! But alas, I don't see that becoming a trend anytime soon, do you? I think if we worked just half as hard (physically) as our ancestors did, just even 2 generations ago, we wouldn't have the obesity problems we see nowadays. Imagine if you had to pick you out a 60' x 70' plot of ground out back, till up the soil with some hand-held animal-pulled implement, plant the seed (by hand, not with a tractor!), keep it weeded and watered (and forget the garden hose and running water, get that bucket and head to the creek!), pick the beans, peas, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, etc., take it all inside and wash it up, shell, peel, snap, cut, chop, dice, boil, then can or freeze all of that bounty and place it on your pantry shelves (quite a different scenario than walking up and down the grocery store aisles and plopping things into your shopping cart!), and on top of that having to fetch your water (for cooking, cleaning, bathing, washing, etc.) from either the well, the creek or the pump outside, hauling it in heavy buckets, chopping the wood you need to keep your home heated and your cooking done, sewing all of your clothes (and the clothes for all of your family) by hand ...... I could go on and on, but you get the picture!!! No wonder they weren't as heavy (as a whole) as 'we' are these days!!! Most of us would never make it if we were suddenly dropped back in time to the 1800's or early 1900's, would we?? We sure have a lot to be thankful for that we take for granted just because it's all we've ever known! Yet we hear so many people complain and moan about how "hard" they have it, how "tough" things are for them ..... poor, poor things!!!!

Well, I was SUPPOSED to be talking about my VACATION, not obesity and history!! Back to the good stuff ... we had a great time! Got to see all of the family (except sister #3, who we will see in a week or two) and that was sure nice. Saw nephew & wife's new home - VERY NICE and LOVE THAT BACK YARD!!! - and spend some time with awesome little great-nephew! Sure miss that little fella! Saw niece on that same evening while we enjoyed some mid-town bbq and she is doing well and looking well! We were fortunate to be there on youngest nephew's 16th birthday so got to celebrate that with him AND got to be one of the first to have him drive me somewhere!!! That was fun!! And mind-boggling that he is OLD ENOUGH to be driving me somewhere! My, how time flies! Spent lots of time with mom & dad and had a good time visiting, talking, reminiscing and relaxing (threw in a little cleaning here and there, too!). Of course, I had to sit down at the piano every chance I got and peck out a few songs to the best of my ability (which is not much to speak of!) but I enjoy it! Can't say the same for anyone within ear shot, as it's not exactly 'beautiful music!' :) Got to see #1 sister (& hubby) several times, had homemade ice cream at her house the first night, saw her on-the-job a couple of times and at mom's a few times, once to do some 'sangin' around the piano for awhile! Saw #4 sister (& hubby) a few times, as well, at her house and at birthday dinner - so all in all, we got in a good visit with everyone! The week went by all too quickly but I sure enjoyed the trip!

Two and 1/2 weeks from now, we'll be off on another vacation! Starting with the family reunion (which is part work/part vacation) and ending with week on the lake in Hot Springs - THAT will be fun and relaxing too! Anyone who is able is free to come and join us there!

Gotta run! Talk to you all later!