the essence

We are on our vacation & finally have access to the Internet!

W spent our first few days at Ray's grandfathers', which is located between Sparta & Crossville, TN (the land is about 15-20 miles from either town). His grandfather owns around 500 acres of land which is so much in the middle of nowhere that we don't even get a cell phone signal out there. Needless to say we had no access to the Internet either. A little scary when you realize how dependant you've become on those things when you suddenly don't have them.

We left much later than planned on Friday & took our time driving up. We slept in the car for a few hours & stopped in Atlanta. We waited around long enough to walk Underground Atlanta & looked at The World of Coke or whatever it's called, but decided to save that visit for when we come up for the weekend (sometime in the future?).

Once at the grandfather's I slept most of the afternoon, until we went out for a Chinese dinner. We ate out a LOT. Mostly every meal, with some cereal at home. I opened the refrigerator & his grandfather had carrots. Let's just say having nothing to eat kept me from snacking. Basically though I'd be so full from the two meals that there was no need to eat out three times during the day.

Sunday we "went to town" (we did that a lot...I never want to live so far from someplace that I ahve to say I'm going to town...it got old pretty fast) to see a movie at the brand new movie theater.

The Rocky Top 10 is so new (opened last weekend) that only six of the ten theaters were actaully opened. The place is such a novelty that when I called for showtimes the recording even mentioned the seats having cup holders. The guys saw House of Wax, I refused & saw Monster-in-law (remember, only 5 movies were playing so my choices were limited). I was about a half hour early, but I had fun watching the people walk in.

I think this is the only theater in town & it has stadium seating & the reclining chairs. I didn't realize how much I took for granted because when I walked in & sat in the chairs I thought "these are pretty tiny for stadium seating." When I watched other people sit down, they'd realize the chair bounced, tell the person next to them & then they'd all be bouncing for awhile. It was really funny to watch, expecially since I was in the back of the theater & saw quite a few people do that.

Sunday night we had Italian & Monday morning we ate at a hometown restaurant (really cheap, greasy food with HUGE portions). Ray & I went to a local winery on Monday where we tasted many different wines & bought some fudge made at the winery. We went that afternoon to Burgess Falls with his grandfather. Apparently some Tarzan movie was filmed there once & it was an incredibly gorgeous place. Of all things the battery died in the digital camera Ray's Dad let us borrow but the 20+ year old polaroid his grandfather had with him worked just fine. :)

We left around five this morning & headed to my grandparents' place in Carrollton, KY. I called Mom on our way because I NEEDED Starbucks. She found one for me inside a mall right off I-264 in Louisville. Yea! :) Thanks again, Mom!

There was some good ol' country cookin' waiting for us when we got here. :) Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, rolls, corn, green beans, salad, pie, cookies.... AND, I just got back from the grocery store with my grandmother.

When we got home Ray & my grandfather were outside & Ray ran to the garage & ran back out with one of those old-time push lawn mowers to show me. He ran all over the yard with that thing, looking like he was having so much fun (let's see how much he'd have if he actually had to use one of those to mow the yard!). I decided to try it & after a few seconds I felt like such a city girl as I pushed this thing around the yard in my four-inch heels & carefully chosen accessories. :) (Think a bit of Eva Longoria from the Desperate Housewives episode when she's mowing the lawn in her gown) It was really cool though, just to try. Definitely wouldn't want to use it for real, though.

Rumor has it my brother will be coming some time today. I always get excited when I find out he's coming to visit. :) I should go work out now, but I just might choose to read one of my magazines instead.