LAUNDRY

 

          It’s always surprising to me when my old 286 grinds and squeaks and brings up memories I haven’t given a single though to in forever. And, then, suddenly, there it/they is, as crystal clear as a blue summer sky. This happened just now as I was putting the second load of laundry into the washer.

The memory of my mom doing laundry popped into my head. Actually, it was memories. We lived in Idaho then and I was under the age of eight. My mom used two zinc washtubs and a washboard to do the laundry every week. I don’t remember clearly, but I think this entailed boiling water on the stove and adding it to the tubs. 

I also remember some kind of device my mom used when she washed the lace/sheer curtains. This was pieces of wood that would interlock. The wood had what looked to me like needles all along the edge. Mom would fit the edge of the curtains over the needles, and once dry, they were without wrinkles. I’d seriously like to know what this device was called, so if anyone has that information, please share.

Of course, there was no dryer for the wet clothes, so they were hung on a clothesline with clothespins. I don’t remember what she did in the wintertime when the snow was higher than my head, but I’m sure we didn’t go all winter without clean clothes. Funny how parts of some memories are totally missing.

Once we moved to Seattle, mom got a wringer washer. It was a Maytag and there were hoses that went from the sink to the washer to fill up the tub. I don’t remember if the clothes went in first or after the water was added. I just know the washer left the corner of the kitchen and practically filled the door to the sink area. After the washer had sloshed for a while, mom would feed the clothes through the two rollers that were above the tub. These rollers pressed most of the water out of the clothes. They weren’t dry by any means, but they weren’t dripping either. 

There was a shed attached to the house that was mostly used for storing the lawnmower and other garden stuff. Clotheslines were strung in this shed and that’s where the clothes were hung to dry. In the winter, the clothes froze and were stiff as a board. I cannot remember if freezing them dried them or not. What a chore laundry had to be for my mom for the first thirty or forty years of her life.

Mom did get a brand new washer and dryer when they moved from Seattle. I was even luckier because there was a laundry room at my first apartment; and when John and I moved to our first house, there was a washer and dryer there as well. The landlord even let us take them to our new home when we purchased our first and only home. 

The whole point of this exercise is, I guess, my inner brain talking to moi when I was lamenting having to do the laundry. I mean, one load is already in the dryer and another in the washer. That will leave only two more loads to go, and I’ll be done with the laundry for the week in a couple of hours. Fresh sheets on the bed, fresh towels in the bathroom, fresh undies in the drawer, fresh pants and tops in the closet. 

Looking back at how laundry progressed for my mom, I really can’t/shouldn’t complain about the few hours I spend doing laundry. The mental photos my brain brought to the forefront weren’t of a woman who was, like me this morning, feeling put-upon or pissed about this chore. I remember a woman who had a smile for me, who would take time to make me lunch, give me a hug or offer words of praise or encouragement for my piddly attempts to be helpful. 

Funny how memories like this rise up from time to time and bring with them a warmth and appreciation for what came before. Today’s memories also brought a life lesson…be grateful for what you have now and be thankful for those memories of what had to be a much more difficult time for mom. Even more, I should be grateful my life never incurred the difficulties my mom had to deal with. And yet, in my memories, she did so with a smile and without complaining.  

THEN AND NOW

  Don’t you think it’s amazing when you look back over the years of your life to see how much you accomplished and how much you’ve changed? Well, I do. In fact, I spent a brief amount of time this morning doing just that when I was contemplating the cleaning that needs to be done prior to hosting Thanksgiving.GP_haley1013 And, okay, it’s only AJ, Angie and Haley who will be attending and they probably don’t care one way or another about Kuma’s hair all over the floor or the dust that covers the various tables and knick-knacks throughout the house. They’re coming for the yummy food and to spend a bit of time with moi.

Still, in looking back, I’m absolutely amazed at what I used to accomplish on a weekend while working full time. Seriously, I’d vacuum from one end of the house to the other, dust every single thing in every single room, do a number of loads of laundry and end the two days with a sparkling home. In addition, I’d usually have made dinner both days, grocery shopped and planned ahead for the coming week. And, okay, I was much younger then and probably, no actually, had way more energy and stamina than I do these days.

Plus, I also had John to lend a hand, although his favorite comment was always, “Why in the hell are you doing all this cleaning before company comes? You’re only going to need to do it again after they all leave.” He did have a point, but I simply couldn’t have guests visit when all was a mess.

To be perfectly honest, thinking of the past moi and all I achieved in a couple of days, I felt rather despondent over the loss of the abilities I once took for granted. But, as they say, life goes on and the years take their toll. Instead of being unhappy about what I’m no longer capable of doing, I should rejoice in the fact I can still undertake and complete so very many chores whether they’re required for impending company or just for my own satisfaction…I do love it when the floors, tables and glass sparkle in the daylight or lamplight.

So, I’ve determined I’ll take on a room a day beginning next week. By doing that, I should be able to attend my classes, see my friends, play with Kuma, and still have one room vacuumed, mopped, dusted and looking like an actual adult human lives here at the end of each day. Stay tuned…I’ll blog about either my accomplishments or my inability to adhere to my plan. 

THANKSGIVING

 

        Ever since I sent the family email about the holiday plans, I’ve been thinking about holidays past. This year’s and years post-covid have seen a vast difference in how we get together for the holidays now as opposed to years prior. I’ve enjoyed looking back at all those previous times, but it also saddens me when I think of the present.

As a kid, and, okay, I know that was back in the dark ages, the holidays were always full of family. Aunts and uncles, cousins, you might not have seen since summer, or even since the last holidays, even some neighbors would all gather together at someone’s house for turkey and all the trimmings.

I’m sure at the time of these various events, depending on my age, I simply wanted them to all go home or for my family to go home. There was always lots of drinking and socializing. Sometimes if the gathering went a bit too long, there was also arguing as a result of too much tippling, mainly by the great aunts and uncles. Still, I have warm memories of being hugged, being asked about school, social life or whatever else had been happening in my own little life.

This changed over time as the greats passed on, especially the one special great who always did the planning. The gatherings got smaller but they often still included people I didn’t see on a regular basis. 

The next big change came when John and I became parents. We decided we didn’t want to gather up our son, pull him away from all the new toys Santa had brought and go to someone else’s house. Initially, we just Christmas, but when my parents downsized, we became the Thanksgiving hosts as well.

Those Thanksgivings were full of people as well because we included not only family, but friends and their families. At one time, I remember seating twenty-two or twenty-four around the table. I could go back and look at the photos…we always took a photo after dinner…to determine just how many. Oh my, but how the memories of the faces that no longer inhabit my life remain in my mind as they were then. It also makes me wonder what they look like now.

This was a lot of hard work, but all attendees brought something to contribute to the bounty on the table. There was lots of comradery, laughter, memory sharing, and great food. These little gatherings usually began late afternoon and carried on into the evening, or at least until it was time for the little ones to be home and in bed. 

It makes me happy to look back at these times and dredge up the various memories brought to the forefront of my mind. It also makes me sad because so many of the folks who gathered around my table are no longer part of my life. Some have, of course, passed on, but others with whom I/we were friends have disappeared into the mists of time. I wonder if they’re still alive and whether they think about those Thanksgivings as they make whatever holiday plans they have these days.

I wonder, too, if their gatherings have become as small as the one I will host this year, if some of their family members will be absent, and whether or not they, too, look back and remember our splendid times together. And, perhaps, maybe, like me, miss those times as well. 

OH NO...I NEED A NEW MD

  ARRRRRRGH…I just spent far too long trying to determine which lucky person would become my new doctor. For more than twenty-five years, I had a wonderful doctor at Group Health and then she retired. She was replaced by another fantastic woman who is now going to continue to work for Kaiser, but her new position won’t have her seeing patients. So, I have to find a new provider; and hopefully, before I need to have an appointment.

          I have always been proactive when it comes to my health just as I was for my husband and children. The fact I was the editor for the last publication of the Textbook of Physiology and Biophysics, was of great benefit when it came to talking to doctors and understanding what they were saying back to me. Actually, there were times when I would have appreciated knowing a lot less about the human body and how it works.

Having a new doctor to “educate” doesn’t fill me with joy. Both my previous doctors “knew” me and would prescribe and/or advise via email without my having to trek into the office. Hopefully, whomever is the lucky provider of my health care will be able to access past information and communications. I would assume she will have access to My Chart. I can only hope she’ll be able to take a minute to look back and see my prior relationship(s); or that my current doctor will reach out and inform her as to my knowledge and understanding about my various conditions.

I’ve been extremely fortunate with the doctors who have cared for me for most of my adult life. I’m rather hoping this tradition can continue with whomever comes next, especially now that I’m OLD and have so many more complaints than in the past. Wish me luck.

NEIGHBORS

  I’ve been a resident in this neighborhood/house for fifty-five years. During all those years, the neighbors have been mostly friendly and helpful if help was required. Over those years, I watched their kids grow up as they watched mine. I have a lot of very fond memories of the folks that inhabited the houses in this neighborhood.

Unfortunately, time passes; and while I’m still here, the majority of my favorite folks and their/our children moved on to new locations for one reason or another. There’s only one other person in the neighborhood who’s been here longer than me and she turned 100 in September. I’ve a feeling I’ll be the eldest, longest residing neighbor in the not-too-distant future.

What’s caused me to reflect on all those years, those neighbors and the replacements who now occupy the houses around me is the fact I cannot do anything that would be personally satisfying because what I’d choose to do is undoubtedly illegal and would be recorded on someone’s camera. Still, I remain annoyed and thought getting those annoyances out through my fingers might be helpful to me.

I was fortunate enough to have one neighbor for thirty-eight years. We got along famously and were comfortable enough to borrow an egg, a cup of sugar or whatever our recipe lacked from each other. We simply met at the fence and handed over whatever the other one required. They were older and ill health necessitated their move.

Initially, the family that moved in seemed like a good fit, that is until he began to send us emails and letters about the fact our mutual fence was at least one foot on his property. He wanted that one foot back. Well, we didn’t erect the fence, the original property owner did so, and once a fence has been in place for thirty-eight years, it cannot legally be removed and replaced so the neighbor can recover that one foot of ground. This might not have been quite so annoying if John hadn’t been fairly ill at the time.

The house behind me was owned for many years by my son's best friend’s family. This family allowed me to put my yard waste behind our fence as well as my cutting back ivy, blackberries, morning glories and weeds so they didn’t grow through the fence. Again, initially, this family seemed as though their occupation of this property would be just fine. I did check about placing yard waste on their property and ceased doing so when they responded to my inquiry asking I not do so. This was just fine. At one point, I asked about the English Laurel and with agreement (they hated it as well), my sons went back there and cut it all down. 

As I had done for the entire time I’ve lived here, I continued to police the area next to the fence to keep the weeds from coming through. That appeared to be just fine until this fall when my granddaughter came over to cut and rake back the weeds from the fence. There was some yelling back and forth which I couldn’t hear because I wasn’t wearing my hearing aids. My granddaughter told me the woman was going to text me. I put my hearing aids in and my phone in my pocket.

No text came and all was quiet until my granddaughter yelled for me to come behind the fence. There stood a Lake Forest Park Policeman. I was trespassing and it didn’t matter that I’d done this for fifty-five years. It’s not my property. He hoped we could settle it amiably with us going back through the gate and remaining on my side of the fence. When the weeds grow through, then I can cut them back…great, just great.

My final annoyance has to do with the motion sensor light across the street. Once before, over a year ago, I asked if the light could be repositioned so it does not shine into my bedroom and into my eyes. Supposedly, it was moved; however, now that the trees are losing their leaves, the light shines right into my bedroom. 

This time I sent an email asking to have the light readjusted. It comes on when cars drive up and down the street, the neighborhood cats walk through the yard or the wind blows hard. I received an email back claiming I’d asked to have this done more than once (not so) and that they thought it had been fixed since I hadn’t brought it up (leaves on the trees blocked the light). My request for a readjustment was denied (a safety issue) and I could choose between having it on all the time or having it remain as is. Well, I certainly don’t want it to be on permanently.

So, the light remains as it was; however, I took care of the problem myself. I taped a large piece of aluminum foil over the part of the window through which the light shines. It no longer shines directly into my eyes. And, yes, I could pull the shade closed and eliminate it altogether, but it’s not a choice that would work either. I sleep with my window open 365 days a year and when the wind blows, it makes the shade move and make noise which wakes me up. My problem, right…right.

The remainder of my neighbors are just fine. We chat, wave from our cars, visit each other now and then. Still, I wish the neighbors that originally occupied these three houses were still here. But, as people keep telling me, life moves on, things change, and I just need to adjust.  So, okay, by writing this, I’ve decided I’m adjusted!!!

FAMILY VACATION IN TENNESSEE (Part II)

     

      After a very fun time in Nashville, we got up and headed for my brother’s home in Crump Tennessee.  It’s a little more than two hours from Nashville, and the car’s GPS led us right to Crump and then his home on the Tennessee River. Initially, Ricky didn’t have a clue as to who was parking in his driveway because he didn’t recognize the car and the plates said Florida. As we climbed from the car, he, of course, recognized moi. Lots of hugs and introductions all round.

          It was also Ricky’s birthday, so the fish fry he planned was for both his birthday and our arrival. As the afternoon moved forward, so did the appearance of guests and family, all with potluck items to add to the table. I introduced AJ, Haley and Tyler whenever possible, but they certainly didn’t seem to have a problem mixing in with all the guests.

          I had a chance to catch up with Uncle Gene who will soon be 85. He looks terrific, and while still sad due to his wife’s passing, he keeps himself busy around his place and eats most of his meals at a diner in town (more about that later).

          Ricky had a few assistants when it came to preparing and cooking the catfish. I stayed away from that section of the fish house, but should have investigated because whatever piece of equipment he was using to cook the fish looked totally foreign to me…something I’m going to have to ask him about the next time we talk.

          Not only did family attend, but either three or four couples who are Ricky’s neighbors. Everyone was very outgoing and friendly, and I appreciated seeing my nieces and nephews even though it didn’t seem as though there was enough time to catch up with everyone. I’m also certain you, my reader, has attended events where you wished you’d had more time with every single person there.

          The food was excellent, as it always is at a potluck. The catfish was cooked to perfection and my plate was practically overflowing with the various accompaniments. I also ate my first frog leg and was so amazed by how good it was that I had a second. It was a bit like a chicken wing only bigger and tastier. I wondered if I could get them in Seattle and still don’t know because I haven’t checked.

          The party went on for the entire afternoon and into the late evening. While I didn’t get a chance to talk a lot with a number of the folks, I went to bed thinking and hoping I’d get a chance in the days to come. In some cases, I did.

          That was Sunday. Monday, we just kind of lazed around for the morning. Ricky and Tomia did lead us over to the Shiloh Military National Park. Again, there was a video for us to watch and I learned so much about the earliest battle of the Civil War which lasted two days. Initially, it looked as though the Southern Military group was going to push north and defeat the Northern troops. It would have been a defining win for the South. Unfortunately, the Southern fighters were exhausted and General Grant was on the other side of the field for the North. Almost 24,000 soldiers from both sides died which is why it is called the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Later I looked up this site and found that an actual tour can take up to seven or eight hours (if you like to hike) if you want to see everything that’s referenced. This Military Park also contains a cemetery and well-preserved prehistoric Indian Mounds.

          Ricky and Tomia went off to buy some jalapenos for jalapeno poppers. We stopped at a store and I bought salad fixings and corn on the cob. I had heard Ricky tell Tyler that we’d have duck for dinner. What I didn’t know as I watched Tomia fill the jalapeno peppers with cream cheese (No, I couldn’t help because there wasn’t enough room at the counter.) was that she was adding a piece of duck breast before wrapping the whole thing in bacon. Ricky then cooked them on the grill.

          I made the salad and Tomia showed me how to cook the corn in it’s shuck in the microwave. It’s two minutes per ear. When it’s done, you hold the skinny end with a hot pad, cut off a bit of the fat end and the corn slides out totally free of the silk. Amazing. Tomia then put the corn into two separate containers, each with a cube of melted butter. By the time we ate, the corn was saturated…and extremely yummy. Also yummy were the stuffed jalapenos. I ate two, and initially expected them to be HOT, but the cream cheese and fat from the duck breast somehow prevented the HOT from being too HOT.

          On Tuesday, we were off to Muscle Shoals and Haleyville Alabama. We went first to the Muscle Shoals recording studio. I had no idea that this little nondescript building was responsible for recording so very many artists. At one point, it was Detroit and Muscle Shoals that were responsible for recording the music we all love. The gentleman who provided the tour knew so many stories about so many artists, I now wish I had put my phone on record. If you’d like to learn more about Muscle Shoals, there is a great documentary which can be found at https://youtu.be/hKmGUIM1uAI?si=NJ1BU94hXdDn036-.

          Then we went to Haleyville so Haley could have her photo taken beside the “ville” sign. We were hungry and stopped at a Mexican restaurant that we found didn’t serve alcohol. We had a small appetizer, left and tried another Mexican restaurant. We could see the bar as we walked in, so this was the place. Tyler and I had medium margaritas and Haley had the fishbowl while AJ stuck to one beer. A little bit of shopping for Haleyville souvenirs and then we headed back to Crump.

          On Wednesday, Ricky took Tyler and Haley fishing on the Tennessee River and my niece Anita came to visit. AJ went for one of his marathon walks. Anita shared lots of family information and delivered t-shirts she’d planned to send in 2019. Some health issues took precedence and she didn’t remember they were tucked up in the closet until we came to visit. Niece Tina (Anita’s younger sister) runs a dog rescue operation in addition to her regular job. The run/walk happens the beginning of November and on the long-sleeved t-shirts, there’s always an “in memorium” section. The 2019 carried the line, “In memory of John Karlberg.” I had no idea the news of his passing had gone far enough to be remembered there. AJ, Haley and I each got a shirt, plus I brought one home for Thor. Anita also told me Tina is looking up in the attic for another shirt that remembers either Kaizer or Karma, probably Karma, which she’ll mail out to me.

          Both Tyler and Haley caught a big catfish that afternoon, and as we sat on the deck, we saw them returning up the river. I didn’t personally see the fish being cleaned, but there are photos. The results went into the freezer and I’m sure Ricky and Tomia will think of the kids when they chow down.

          I thought we had planned to go out to dinner (my treat) on Thursday. First, we went to the Tennessee River Museum across the river in Savannah. It was very interesting to learn about the area and how it developed because of the river. I also brought home the Historic District Driving-Walking Tour Guide. Number 13 is called the Williams-Churchwell House. It was rebuilt in 1869 because the original was burned in the Civil War. The blurb about the house didn’t include any family information. Number 20 in the guidebook is the Churchwell McGinley Taylor House, built in 1876 and purchased by E.P. Churchwell in the 1880s. He was a merchant in downtown Savannah and the home has remained in the family for over 125 years. I’m gonna have to ask Ricky if we’re related to those Churchwells.

          When we left the museum, we ended up parking behind some buildings, but I didn’t know why until we got inside where we found Uncle Gene. It’s the place he always has breakfast and lunch. He was treating all of us to lunch. It was cafeteria style, and I ordered the chicken-fried steak (HUGE), mashed potatoes and deep-fried okra. I could have had corn and peas, but they were reminiscent of when Grandma or mom opened a can and cooked them for hours. I also passed on the corned bread, biscuits, bread. A glass of sweet tea went well. I wasn’t able to eat it all, so Haley (who ordered a hamburger from the menu) finished it off. Ricky had ordered a piece of caramel pie which he shared with the table. OH MY, it was yummy and I ended up with the last couple of bites. Uncle Gene ordered three servings of banana pudding. I haven’t had banana pudding like that since the last one my momma made. Another few bites and I was…as they like to say…full as a tick. I also had a feeling there’d be no dinner out that evening.

Back at Ricky’s, I went for a walk in the hope my tummy would decrease in size. Walking back, I ran into Ricky who was taking Haley and Tyler to Uncle Gene’s to fish in his pond. Tomia and I sat around and chatted about stuff for a while. When AJ returned from his walk, Tomia drove us over to Uncle Gene’s. Now, when I say he has a pond in his back yard, I mean a POND. He told me his property line is on the other side of the trees on the opposite side of the pond in the middle of the creek back there. He doesn’t do all the upkeep himself any longer, but has someone come in a mow the hay on one side. He said it was due for a second mowing right about then.

I think everyone tried their hand at fishing except me and AJ. We sat with Uncle Gene on his back deck and watched the fishers and the ducks and one swan move around the pond. Tyler and Haley caught some small fish, but released them back into the pond. The day was coming to an end when we said farewell and piled back into the vehicles to return to Ricky’s and pack. The sun was still shining as dusk fell.

We packed up, including three boxes that would be shipped via UPS the next day. I had the smallest box and Haley and Tyler the largest. Haley said in the future, she was going to buy one of those hard suitcases and carry her stuff back home in that…far far cheaper than UPS. Then to bed with a bit of concern about Hurricane Helene…would it hit Nashville?

The next morning, it was windy and rainy. We said our thank yous and farewells, stopped by the UPS store with our boxes and hit the road. I was happy to be in the back where I couldn’t see the highway because I think visibility at seventy miles an hour, or whatever speed AJ was traveling, was pretty much zero.

Still, we arrived in Nashville without a problem, turned in the car and went to our rooms at the Hilton adjacent the airport. AJ had applied for and received permissions for us all to enter the airport and take advantage of the restaurants and gift shops. We did and I wanted ribs one more time; however, the rib joint didn’t look all that appetizing, so AJ and I ended up at Hattie B’s Chicken. It was both hot (cooked) and hot (spices). I asked for macaroni and cheese but got fries which was fine. Once again stuffed, I picked up a couple more souvenirs before heading back to the hotel and bed.

The next morning, it was still windy, but the rain had stopped. The airplane was on time and lifted off without a problem

NASHVILLE, JUST NASHVILLE

 

          I honestly don’t know how I had any kind of life when I was working full-time. I’ve been trying to sit down and write about my Tennessee trip since I got home last Saturday and this is the first opportunity I’ve found…and then only because my tummy isn’t happy and I thought it was better to stay home close to my own convenience rather than risk going to my fitness class and being totally unfit.

          The trip to Tennessee was splendid. Everyone got along and we all had a lot of fun. We arrived in Nashville Thursday afternoon, checked into the hotel and went out to find Broadway…this is the street that has bar after bar after bar. Honestly, I was absolutely amazed at the crowds of people that were walking up and down the street. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people except for functions like the breast cancer walk.      

          And, I was totally enthralled by the wide variety of appearances of the various individuals strolling along. Again, I’ve never seen such huge differences in how people dressed, made up their faces, combed (or not) their hair. I could have happily sat on a chair on the sidewalk and been entertained for an entire day.

          Not only is it bar after bar, but every single one of them has live music. As I walked past one, the sound began to fade only to be replaced by sound from the next location. Out of all the musicians I heard, there was only one talentless guy…AJ told me to silence my hearing aids and I did, but I could still hear him…he managed to make a few of my favorite songs sound absolutely awful.

          Many of the bars have an extension on the roof. At one place, I counted 74 steps; at another 95 steps. Do you think I got my exercise in Nashville? I also have to admit that I did have to stop and breathe for a bit when I climbed the 95 steps. I definitely needed a drink or a beer once I arrived. If there isn’t live music up top, the band on the bottom is piped to roof speakers. At the place with the most stairs, the sign indicating the mezzanine was behind the door (or the door may have been open covering the sign), so I didn’t stop where the kids had told me they were. I got to the top only to realize the top wasn’t the mezzanine because I couldn’t find my people. When they found out where I was, they made the trek up to retrieve me.

          At one place, I talked to the man who perused IDs to make sure the person entering was old enough. I was never ever asked for ID…can you believe that? Anyway, I asked him for the name of the band that was playing. He told me he didn’t know, that several groups would be there playing throughout the day and night. When one group left, it would go to another location and play there while a new group would come into that bar. I guess there’s lots of work for musicians and singers in Nashville.

          There was one very impressive young woman who played the fiddle. We (more like Haley and Tyler) kind of followed her and her band to various places. When she came around with the tip bucket (seriously, like a 5-gallon Home Depot bucket), I got a chance to talk to her. She’d been playing since she was four years old, so she’d been playing for twenty-two years. Her fiddle-work was amazing and she was cute as a button. Haley said that at one place, it looked as though the tip bucket had more than $1,500 in it.

          AJ and I were out and about every day wandering here and there, but were fairly happy to call it a day by 8:00 or 9:00 pm. Haley and Tyler stayed out every night until midnight or 1:00 am, bar-hopping and dancing and listening to music. To say they had a splendid time would be an understatement.

          I have to confess I did drink one afternoon/evening. Back at the hotel, I laid down to wait for AJ to do whatever he was going to do. Then I’d get up and get ready for bed. Well, I fell asleep (or passed out) and didn’t wake up until the morning. OMG, it’s been decades since I went to bed without brushing my teeth or washing my face. I couldn’t believe how bad my mouth tasted and felt. I think I used half my toothpaste scrubbing.

          We did tour the Ryman Auditorium. The tour begins with a wonderful video about the Ryman’s history. It was narrated by an actress portraying Lula C. Naff. This widow and mother began to work at the Ryman in 1904 as a stenographer. In 1910 Ms. Naff became the official Ryman manager, a position she held until 1955. She often went by L. C. Naff to avoid discrimination. She was responsible for efforts that went toward saving the Ryman when the possibility of it being demolished was promoted. The video was very informative and interesting and if you’d like to know more, look at Wikipedia. Anyway, I don’t think the kids realized the video made me cry. I managed to suck it up before we had to get up and leave. The video just brought back so many memories of growing up and listening to the Grand Ole Opry with my mom and grandma…they would have loved, loved, loved the tour.

          At the end of the tour, you can stand on the stage and have your photo taken. Well, of course, we all did that. Unfortunately, my photo has gone to another dimension for the time being. I know I unpacked it, put it on the counter with other stuff, but it’s disappeared. I’ve looked in all the places I could have put it, including the garbage, but it’s no where to be found. I wanted to frame that damn photo, so the fact it has gone to that other dimension, really pisses me off.

          On Saturday, we toured the Country Music Hall of Fame. OMG, again, the memories some of the exhibits brought back was amazing. After an hour or two, I got to the point where I felt overloaded with music, information, photos, etc. To do this place justice, I think I’d need to visit several days in a row, leave and then return the next day to take up where I left off. There’s Just. So. Much. To. Take. In. Also, there is one exhibit that must get changed periodically according to who’s currently the most famous. There was one entire long wall, plus additional exhibitry devoted to Luke Combs that began with his birth. Again, I’d like to be able to take my time and absorb the entire Combs exhibit.

          We could also get food at almost every single place we visited. I only had barbequed ribs once, but they were soooooooo gooooooood. I tried to have them for the last time in the Nashville airport coming home, but that restaurant didn’t take orders and then serve. Instead, you chose from what was behind the glass and those ribs didn’t look very good. I’ll have to have a Briley’s fix in the near future.

          Here I am at three pages and I haven’t even left Nashville yet. So, I’m going to stop and post this to my blog. I’ll continue with the family visit and other tours as I continue to write and blog about the trip. I know there’s lots of stuff I could have included in just this post about Nashville, but I’m older now and think I may be having difficulty with my short-term memory…that, or it was simply overload, or at least that’s what I prefer to think.