The HANDFUL

We are extremely thankful that we had a really nice Thanksgiving Day this year.  With no gathering last year it felt extra special this year to be able to gather. While there is no turkey coma happening (cause I didn't eat any turkey; ham all the way!) we are all taking it easy today in our PJs. Lots of game playing. We've even learned a new one, Qwirkle. I'm still thinking about how yummy the gravy was as well as the stuffing, sweet potatoes and pie, oh my!. I had peach pie...and maybe a pumpkin cupcake...and maybe a piece of banana bread...

Someone got to have mashed potatoes!

It's our favorite crew...

We plan on a low key recovery this weekend. Hoping to get ahead of the holiday madness and finish the little bit of shopping I need to do and then just enjoy the season and pray for good weather. We don't have a solid gathering plan yet but there is a bit of a plan in the works. I'm excited for it already. 

The HANDFUL

We are back in the North. Started the week with the girls and then headed on to the continuing bathroom remodel project. Progress IS being made, woohoo, albeit slow, there is progress. Heading back to the Meadow and preparing for Thanksgiving If all continues to go well we will be gathering in our usual locale with all the family. Hopeful anticipation for that to work out.

While there is plenty of work happening don't even think that is is ALL work and no play...because that just would NOT be true. There is plenty of play and downtime taking place no matter what the others are saying! We've had several breaks and tea parties!

The work happening is not as evident with just a looksy into the space. But trust me there is A LOT of work taking place inthe walls and ceiling and floor. There are working lights and fans in both spaces and the plumbing and sanitary are well on their way to being complete in the hall bath space. There is a bunch of progress going on even if it is not seen. 

And lest you think all the work happened indoors you would be quite wrong. Leaves were raked before our arrival but we were in on the loading and haul away. New LED Christmas lights were also put up (though they will remain unplugged until after Thanksgiving; because in our world that is how it works)!

 

We head back South tomorrow and hoping for a plus one or two then for sure we will all be together for the Big Feast. Hope your day of thankfulness is good

The HANDFUL

Is it really Friday? 

This week there were kids and more kids as well as retrieving ROADA from her annual service, marking a 91st birthday, little bit of bathroom work along with meetings and shopping oh my. May not seem like much but it was. As MiRV said, "I think we are busier now then when I was working". Think he could be right. I'm ready for a few days at home then let the gravy boat ride begin. I don't much like turkey but I love the gravy, noodles, mashed and sweet taters along with the dressing and I'm looking forward to that meal already.

I guess it was such a busy week that I didn't do too well in getting many photos...this one works though! Sweet, sweet girls!

The HANDFUL

What a week, we were up North, returned to the Meadow for a mere 36ish hours and returned to the North. More bathroom work to accomplish so our work clothes are staying pretty dirty...yet I'm certinly not the one in the thick of this job. It's all MiRV.  Running new sanitary and water lines, hanging drywall and putting in fans and lights, it's all getting done this week!

The HANDFUL

We had a little houseguest this week and while it was just a short visit we had lots of fun. We are already back North with her where lots of bathroom remodel work is happening. We did a bit of visiting and had lots of visitors while she was here. Always fun to have her stay. I think the highlight of her visit if she were telling it would be having a weinee roast and smore night in the backyard!

She is growing up...

Having the cousins visit was also lots of fun...

Putting up the ceiling drywall is just one of the several task on the todo list for this weekend!

Total bathroom remodel of not one but two bathrooms iswhat Stumble and Bumble are currently knee deep involved in. It's not a quick paced job but progress is being made. Stay tuned.

The HANDFUL

Got the Northern Crew here for a few days and ain't nobody mad about that! Lots going on with a birthday celebration tomorrow.

She got a great 25c buy at a yard sale this morning!

The HANDFUL

The best thought out plans change! So on Sunday we were rested and ready and decided to head on into Great Smoky Mountain National Park... Yeah, I'm not gonna say it was m.i.s.t.a.k.e. but it WAS super duper busy and crowded.  The drive up to Clingman's Dome was long and bumper to bumper traffic. People were doing pull off parking about for the last half mile up. When we left they were even farther back on both sides of the road. But the mini donuts on the way there were scrumptious!

Walking up the .5 mile path to the Dome was a worlout. Gracious! It was straight up, ooh-kay, okay, maybe NOT straight up but up at a huge angle. I made it. Views were good, some haze but still overall a spectacular view. Took the time to stop (wait in line) at the little ranger store on the way down in hopes of scoring a T-shirt but no joy. Not only are they VERY proud of their T-shirts at GSMNP ($34.99) they didn't have a size M in hardly any styles I liked. I'm just disappointed that the last few NPs we have visited are so stinkin' expensive with their T-shirts. Why?

We started our trek home this week. There were several routes to take and we pretty much had decided to just wing it but when we hit Kentucky we were sooooo close to Mammoth Cave National Park we decided to stop. And stop is all we did. While I had been here and got to take a cave tour in my childhood MiRVB had not so we were plannig to do the self guided tour like we did at Carlsbad. Nope, that didn't work out, they had no tickets for this type tour until October 18th. So we got the T-shirts (which were much cheaper than any other Park we visited and just as cool) and motored on.

As we motored we passed a very large GM factory... and as we pass MiRV realizes it is the corvette factory. Next thing I know we are crossing three lanes of traffic to make that exit and find ourselves in the parking lot of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Now I'm quickly googling and find out there are factory tours. We head inside to get the scoop. Unfortunately, no tours, you know COVID and all. So since we are here and all we just decide to tour the museum instead and $28.00 later we are in the museum theater learning all things corvette. While it was a cool stop, the venue has a big focus on the sinkhole that occurred a few years back. By far the Harley Davidson musuem in Wisconson is way better. But it you're a 'vette enthusiast I'm sure you'll enjoy a visit. MiRV certainly did. AND we go the T-shirts though MiRV would have preferred to pick up an actual corvette there!

Thankfully, we are back at the Meadow, have ROADA tucked away (although she needs to get in for a looksy at the water tank issue and service) and now we are catching up on home chores. I have sadly only really scratched the surface on our trip. There were so many more things we were able to see and do and I have just not captured them, this makes my crazy but also I know I cannot put everything here so I have attempted the highlights.