Tropical Storm Lee and Out of town Guests!

Well, let me start out by saying that we survived the Tropical Storm and two extended power outages.  After having no rain since July 6, we have had two days of solid rain....almost 10 inches!  We needed it so bad.  The soil here is not so great (very rocky, hence - Rocky Top Tennessee) so the tree roots don't grow very deep.  Once the soil is saturated and then the wind blows at all...down come the power lines. 

Laser eye surgery was fine.  I could have driven myself home - they didn't even check to see if I was getting in a car with someone...anyway.  They put a ton of drops in my eyes and then flashed some lights in and heard some buzzes.  I think my close up vision is better, so that is good.

We had some super company over the weekend.  John, Janet, Kona and Madison came to visit.  They arrived late Friday night.  It is a long drive.  We had grilled chicken wraps, cole slaw, and french fries for dinner.  Went for a dip in our hot tub and to bed. 

Saturday we all got up, dressed, and headed for Lynchburg, TN.  The home of the oldest federally registered distillery in the U.S.  We had lunch at Miss Mary Bobo's, a boarding house.  It is family style southern food and is a lot of fun.  They served: Fried Chicken, Meatloaf, red skinned potatoes, green beans, tomato/pepper relish, fried okra, corn bread, and their famous Jack Daniel baked apples.  For dessert we had a chocolate cake topped with whipped cream flavored with more Jack Daniels.  After lunch, we were ready for a walk so we went to the tour.  It was so crowded!  Even though we had been both of these places with some friends earlier, we learn something different every time we go.  Here is a picture of John and Janet with "Jack on the Rocks".

We came home and ate Croque Madame's for supper as we didn't need anything big.  Pat and I had these in France when we were there and absolutely loved them.  You take french bread, slice, butter and toast under the broiler on a cookie sheet.  Take out and turn over.  Add ham, cheese (we had a choice of Colby/jack, Havarti, Swiss, sharp cheddar and pepper jack).  Put back in oven to melt cheese and warm up. Take out add a fried egg on top.  We served it with mixed fruit salad.  Loved it!  If you don't add the egg, it is Croque Monsieur!

Sunday up and out to a place Rachel Ray made famous on her $40 a day trip here to Aretha Frankenstein's.  It is a hole in the wall in the middle of a north shore neighborhood in a house and serves breakfast, lunch, and beer!  We went there for brunch.  It was a lot of food!  The wait was quite long, but worth it.  They only seat about 40 folks at a time.

We took off from there and went to Lookout Mountain.  We were in luck at the National Park - they were doing a civil war demonstration.  I loved it!  Not sure how much everyone else did....until we came home and I showed them that our great great grandfather most likely had been here fighting with Sherman (Union) at the time....don't say it too loud around here...the war is still being fought!  As evidenced by the fact only confederate soldiers were in the reenactment.....see picture.




Confederate Soldiers

Pat and Jan on Lookout Mountain!

I love it!  Went from there with good intentions to go to "See Rock City" but Tropical Storm Lee reared it's ugly head.  We got rained out and decided to sit at Starbucks with coffee and watch it rain!
Home for dinner...out at the Blue Water.  We had always had great luck there, but not this time...it was not a place that we are looking forward to going back to after this experience.  We will find someplace else.  More Hot tub and bed.  The dogs were great even though it was raining.  A little mud inside but no messes!

Monday we got up and more rain!  Took a while to decide what to do...most of the places here are outside things to do.  This is a very outside kinda place.  We went to lunch at Taco Mamacitas - very good then to Costco, (John wanted to see what we had different here....Closed) and then on a driving tour, home to let dogs out, short nap and then we went to the movie, "The Debt".  It was very deep and not at all what I expected.  We all agreed - Good!

Home for dinner of what was supposed to be shishkabobs....NOT....Rain!!!  So we made stir fry! 

Clason's left on Tuesday morning with not power at our house....quick showers by candlelight.  Long drive but glad they came. Hope they come back.

Yesterday we didn't get power back until almost noon.  Just in time for the "show".  Cleaned in the afternoon.  Pat and I had left overs and went to bed....tired!  More power outages!

John and Janet waving good bye from Track 29.....Chattanooga Choo!

Today all is okay so far...they just called....Miss Jan...this is a reminder about your follow up visit ...

This is getting too long....

Until next time...
Living Sweetly in the South!

Miss Jan