This coach is on the way home; more Mary Ann

The Saturn, a Car we towed:

Sherry always wanted to drive thru a tree. So on one of the passes thru California she did.

We now tow a Honda CRV

For Monday:

We are hoping to be on the road or in our back yard, as you read this. It has been a good trip except for the news and situation of our dear friend Mary Ann.

Mary Ann married early and had her first child at 15. She is a giving lady and is also a friend of Lisa who comments here on the Shipslog. When I mention Lisa her face glows. Just a day or so ago she said, “She is the smartest thing. Jack, I crochet, but that Lisa can read patterns and do anything with yarn, she is a genius.” Like Lisa she has crocheted hundreds of ‘caps(?)’ for newborn babies.

There is always a presence of Mary Ann in our motor home. Her picture with hubby Buck is prominent; also a beautiful Afghan made by her is on the couch. When Mark spent the night in the Motor home he would always say, “I slept with Mary Ann again last night.”  When Sherry mentioned Mark's statement to Mary Ann, of course she made one for Mark. He has actually worn it out! He says it is the perfect warmness.

Much can be said about Mary Ann. Most of all she is the example of a real FRIEND. Anyone is fortunate to have such a friend. Sherry and  Evelyn talk of Mary Ann often. They were all in the same school until Mary Ann quit to get married.

When you pray, remember her. She is a kid; I am a month older than she. ;-)

Nite Shipslog 

PS:
 My dad was Mary Ann's pastor. She told us once when she and some girls were out riding they ran out of gas, late at night. At a pay phone she called dad to keep from letting their parents know. She said dad brought them gas and sort of lectured them about being out that late. She said, "He was just sweet!"

Stuff, but mostly Mary Ann…

Cars of beauty: I have used this on before. This was at a service station in Inverness FL, the driver favored Rick of Life 101!

For Sunday’s stuff:

WE are winding down a short vacation in the mountains. It has rained some every day and at times all day. LOL … But we came up just to relax and walk in the mountains if we could. It has been a good time in spite of the weather.

WE have a wonderful friend who lives on top of this mountain. On her way home she stops to chat. Mary Ann is a beautiful, tall woman. Sherry has known her most of her life, I met her in 1954. One of my most successful books is entitled Mary Ann. It is a spoof about her being kidnapped from her home on top of this mountain and flown to a hidden location to be groomed and sold as arm-candy for a wealthy man. LOL

 Mary Ann NOW!    Below is  Sherry holding Debbie Mary Ann's first

 Mary Ann when I first met her!

As for Mary Ann, I have never seen this woman without a smile. Sherry was being kept up on her situation on our trip Fri. Thursday night she had text’d Sherry to say they had found a 100% blockage during a stress test so she was going in 6AM for a stint. Her last line was, “So I don’t have to cook tomorrow!” with smiley emicons. ….. She has had many physical setbacks.

Sherry text’d back, “We will be praying. We will be praying, this is just like you, looking on the bright side.” 

Things did not go well. She is now in ICU in an induced coma. She needs prayers and some positive thinking. So thanks for your help in those areas.

Nite Shipslog    

 PS: Clearing up a previous post about the Green MT Inn of Blowing Rock I tried to verify the size, but could not find it. However I had forgotten, we have seen the Grand Hotel on Mackinac and it is larger than  Green Mt.Inn. So we Carolinian's probably have over blown the Inn.  :-O 

       

Driving the Snakey roads

 Cars of beauty:

 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt 

For Saturday:

We decided to picnic Friday on Wautauga Lake over in Tennessee even if it was raining. We left the motor home and got 100 yards when my lover smiled and said, “I didn’t even fix the sandwiches, and you did not get the drinks. WE both cracked up laughing and returned and left better prepared. The weather was good!

I do not know what this flower is, BUT it is BEAUTIFUL!

 Sherry knows there will be a bumper crop of Blackberries the roads were lined with them, she wants to come back and pick!

 I can't see a red barn without thinking of "The Little Red Barn" steak house in San Antonio, if you are around, better try it.

Above is my soft spot next to old barns, Old houses, I want them all. Can you imagine the stories that this house has seen? .........

The trip is only about sixty miles, but 1-2 hours driving thru Blowing Rock and Boone, NC heading toward Elizabethton, TN.  Most of the roads are the normal Eastern Mountain roads, crooked, but beautiful.

 The above sign was every little bit, below is where the trail crosses. We always look for this  sign.

Anyone who knows my girl knows she has a deep affection for the AT. The Appalachian Trail goes thru Pond Mountain Natl preserve to and around Watauga lake. So our plan was to walk a little on the AT. I will say this one more time. While dry camping at Standing Indian CG in NC, in all my wisdom after traveling North America for many years, “Honey let’s sell everything, buy a boat and sail around the world!”

“NO,” she said, shocking me. “Let’s hike the Appalachian trail.” WHAT?  WE made it about 1900 miles. She still loves it.

Friday’s trip:

 This is on the AT. The AT is identified by a white blaze 2'x6" on trees rocks and pavement along the trail Seeing two blazes tells the hiker to pay attention the trail bends or turns.

 WE went in about a mile. We met a total of 5 hikers none were 'thru hikers'.

 Sherry was ahead of me here, on an upper switch back. I get behind taking pictures at times.

 She had the camera and I was ahead this time.

 I wish I knew something about mushrooms....

 Above are the two flowered bushes identifying the Appalachians, A small bloom in the foreground will be a Rhododendron not bloomed out yet in the back ground is the laurel showing up everywhere. A ranger once told me, remember long leaf, long name, short leaf short name. ;-)

 The view from our picnic table on Lake Wautauga. Sherry on the phone following news of a dear dear friend.

 Neighboring table, it is hard to believe some families. I policed up the area.

 We had a good day.

Nite Shipslog  

That Promise (Maybe a plan)

Cars of beauty: My car was a 48 chev, the car Vondale drove was a '48 also but a Fleetline like below.

For Friday: (Pics from the net, too much rain and clouds for our own)

We sit here in the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about an hour and half from where I met Sherry. After we started dating, we and our best friends would head off for a Sunday afternoon drive. We could make it to Blowing Rock, NC and back before church on Sunday night.

At times we would switch drivers so each couple could smooch in the back seat. Neither one of these goody goody girls would go any further than a long kiss. HA! (She did stay busy warning and moving wandering hands.) Still today I tell her, ‘you shoulda!’ And she will say, ‘I wanted to, but what would mama have thought!’ 

BUT just the other day we took a ride. We drove up to Blowing Rock; both of us looking for the same thing, a particular house. Over 63 years ago we were on the same road two lanes then, weaving up the mountain. And there on the side of a giant hill was a beautiful home with a big green yard. Sixteen yrs old and at one of my ‘BIG PLAN’ moments I promised her that home or one like it. WE HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT EXACT TIME, the home looked like a lover’s dream. It was overlooking a beautiful valley. She did marry me, but she never did get ‘that house.’

 The wind across this rock is said to be so strong at times it could raise a human in the air, many lover's tales here.

Most of our married life we rented and lived in trailers. I was in my 40s when, at her suggestion, I started building. Carpentry turned into General Contracting and as the business grew I (we) have built 3 beautiful homes for us, each one I would tell her, I never did get you that house in mountains. She always said, “It doesn’t matter, I got you.” This girl could have done better, but I am sure glad she said YES and settled for a 26’ trailer with a BATH TUB!

 Note of interest. The Green Mountain Inn of Blowing Rock (I believe) is the largest wooden hotel in the USA, On the nat'l registry as 129 years old.I cannot verify that stuff, but have heard it. Probably no hotel wants to be advertised as wooden. It is ten times larger than this picture and made of an extinct chestnut wood.......

 

Nite Shipslog  

  PS: We have seen the house many times since the first time. .BUT..We did not see ‘the promised house’ this trip. One we saw could have been it, but trees blocked our view. OF course the road now is a 4 lane road, and rerouted in some places. We had hoped to see it. Rain & clouds prevented our  pictures of the great vistas of Blowing Rock.