THE CAST IS OFF AND WE HAVE A NEW FAMILY MEMBER

Three weeks post surgery and yesterday, the cast was cut removed.  Ohhh, what heavenly relief!  I could rub the spot that was sending itch signals (very gently).


Now, I have a brace for three more weeks.  This is a critical time with the limited freedom that I have.  The wrong move and the tendon snaps and retreats into the arm. (my own terminology).  If that would happen.....more surgery so I am being a very good patient.  I have the brace off to type this and then it goes right back on.  


We stayed in Townsend, TN for an extra day and then we headed for the Daniel Boon National Forest.  We did not quite make DBNF, but found a Wal Mart RV Campground in Oneida, TN.  


There we began to see that each region, each city has a personality of it's own.  In Oneida,  we saw hard working people, older cars and trucks on the road.  People were proud, hard working and friendly.  Another impression was the loud mufflers and what sounded like 3, 4 and 5 speed manual transmissions that rumbled up and down the highway until about ten thirty in the evening.  


While in Louisville, we noticed that huge loud Boom Boxes were the rage.  As we drove down the street, the vibrations would begin to rattle our teeth, then our seats as we grew closer to the "entertainment".  


In Asheville, NC, we found quiet.  No road music, just Southern hospitality.  I love the south.  Men are true gentlemen and women are more regal.  


Then there is the Gatlinburg area.  If you like bumper to bumper traffic, wild lane changes, road construction to handle even more traffic, this is the place.  Not for me!  Too commercial.


On the other side of the mountain is Townsend, TN.  (the peaceful side of the Smokies).  They truly live up to that motto.  Life is quieter there.  No bumper to bumper traffic, but you still have the potters, the art galleries, great food, great people. Gatlinburg, Pidgeon Forge, Knoxville and the University of Tennessee are all close by if you want a day trip. Ya gotta love it!


Monday was spent at the Kentucky Horse Park.  It is a lovely place with plenty of varried activities.  Of course horses are the center and reason for the park.  Many of the horse associations had their headquarters there.  


The campgrounds were quite nice.  Each site had a large lot for parking on a very narrow pad. We cozyed up to the side of the pad in order to have room at the bottom of our steps.  Toads had to be parked on the grass as there is not room on the pad.  Each of the 260 sites have a picnic table, fire ring, 20, 30, and 50 amp service along with water.  There is no sewer hook up on the sites, but they have two dump stations at the entrance/exit.  


Well, we are home.  Now to put finishing touches on the house so that we can have our realtor  list it on the MLS.  I hope there is someone out there that wants a house with two barns and five acres.  It is a suitable place for horses, etc.  We will see.  


Tomorrow, I'm off to the paint store and to look for the perfect stove for our "new" kitchen.  Have I told you that I really do not enjoy shopping?  Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do!  


This is long enough, I will tell you about our new family member tomorrow.....


Till next time


God bless and keep you in the protection of his loving arms.

MORE OF AS THE WHEELS TURN

if you have not read yesterday's post,  go there......this is a continuing saga

Around four o'clock Tuesday, we pulled out of Danny's shop that is located behind the Pilot Station in Waynesville, N. C. and headed to Mt. Pisgah National Forest campgrounds.  It was a fairly short drive and we were settled before the sun dropped behind the mountains.  We had a bite to eat and fell into bed thoroughly physically and mentally exhausted.

Wednesday greeted me with cool temperatures and sunshine.  John slept. I think he was a bit depressed and embarrassed.  I let him work through it  in his own way and time.  I fixed my breakfast and the dogs and I went for a long,  long walk.  

It was strange,  The only animals I saw was 2 squirrels.  And only one bird ventured my way!  So much for bear country. 

 I thoroughly enjoyed the walking up and down the paths.  It is the exercise I need now that I am living wheat / gluten free.  A month ago, I would not have been able to complete such a hike!  Who needs wheat, rye or barley?  Not me!  That "stuff" is poison to me.

We stayed one more night and then yesterday (Friday) heading for our present location, The Old Mill RV Park in Townsend, Tennessee. The park is located on the Little River and is at a  dam where the mill was located.

Today we went to explore the  Tuckaleechee Caverns a AAA top-rated cave in the Kentucky, Tennessee area.  We trekked the mile long underground pathways viewing the stalactites, stalagmites and the large creek that runs through the cave.  

In addition the Tuckaleechee Caverns house seismic equipment that monitors earthquakes throughout the world.  The equipment was built by Nanometrics and is embedded in solid  bedrock, which gives it a more accurate reading.  It can be viewed in the visitors center.  Today, all was quiet around the world, but Turkey's earthquake made the needles dance.  The equipment only  indicates an earthquake, not the location.

I was totally awed by the size of some of the rooms.  One room was the length of a football field.  Another room had a multi-story waterfall.

How did we fare?  John had to stop often to breathe  and there were times that i was thankful that he made those stops!  The climbing was a stretch, but really good for us.  We can tell that we have lost

some of our umph since returning from the southwest in the spring.

We hope to head back to the SW the first of December, so we have a lot of walking to do.  At least the heat and humidity is gone making it possible for John to be outside.

Tomorrow morning we are off to Muphresboro, TN to a fiber festival and whatever else floats our boat.  We are slowly inching our way home for my Wednesday appointment with the cast removal and to see Dr. DiLella of Ortho Indy, my hand surgeon.

Until later.............

God Bless

Smoky Mountains

The Smoky Mountain Fiber Art Festival is over.  We have made many great, new friends.  My classes were fun to teach and students have returned home with their scarves, purses and felting materials.  Oliver joined the class for a while and eagerly helped the students as you can see on one of the photos.  Felting is not an art for the weak.  It takes tremendous energy.  What I love about teaching is seeing the creativity of each student.  You can see their personalities come out in their work.  The students give me energy and gives me the desire to return to my studio and continue with my experiments with color, fiber and design. 

Again, the knit lights were a huge success along with the hand thrown pottery knitting bowls by John Todd of Paw Paw Pottery.  I am amazed with the colors that I regularly have great sales.  It seems that black is hard to find and, of course, I have it.  Choral is the new color for 2011 and is running a close race with black for top sales.  The student that chose to make a choral purse, of course, had to leave early and I didn't get a photo of her finished product. 

Thank goodness it is time to rest.  Three days of sales and two of teaching can make a person weary.  Now we are parked next to the Little River in Townsend Tennessee and letting the sound of the rapids sooth us.  John is planning on getting his fishing rod out and I may even join him.  Last night, he saw fish jumping and it totally excited about finally getting to fish.  In seven weeks of travel, he was unable, or unwilling to pay the high price of an out of state fishing license to fish a day or two to fish. 

We will leave for home Tuesday.  John has physician appointments Tuesday and Wednesday, then we are off to Bowling Green, Ohio, for the Black Swamp Spinners Guild Market Day.  I hope to see some of you there!