Behold, Behemoth!

Traveling the country doesn’t mean it’s all fun and games. We have to stop, from time to time, for general maintenance We just spent about 2 weeks near Huntsville, Alabama. John had some meetings, and that’s where his job is “housed,” and we should show up three times a year or so. While we were there, we knew it was time to check in with the doctors we saw when we lived there. So we had 2-3 medical appointments each day for a whole week, plus a couple the next week. Medical tests were done. Some were passed. Well, most. Lots of poking and prodding, and bruising from blood work. But we know we’re healthy. And our teeth are clean! Yes, they did try to engage in conversation with people who hadn't eaten or caffeinated.  Poor souls. We also realized, during late winter, that our house batteries, which allow us to boondock regularly, were dying. John uses a CPAP, and realized this when, one night, he woke up suffocating, because the batteries had failed and the power went out.  Ou...

While hiking that crazy steep hike, we found this; a tree that a bear had scratched, looking for grubs.  I use my iPhone most of the time for photos, and I confess I could have a better camera.  So you might not be able to see the grooves his claws left.  But you can probably see the yellow rectangle about halfway up.  That is a packet of cheese that someone left as an offering for the bear.  They left it unwrapped, so, yeah, that's gonna taste good. Am I right? Here's another example.  Gatlinburg, TN.  Millions flock there for vacations, and I gotta ask, why?  The crowds are obnoxious.  The "merchandise" is tacky, and Chinese.  The food probably rates about 2 stars, while there are 4 and 5 star eats just 5 miles away, at small, local restaurants and food trucks in the woods.  (If you're ever there, look up Wacky Tacky Tacos.  Oh.  My.)  I'm feeling my judgement, and I am sorry for it.  It is just a question I ha...

Back when we were pups, people like us went to high school, then to work.  Or to college.  Some of us traveled.  Some of us did all of the above, in various orders.  All kinds of experiences were had. John and I went to high school.  We went to college, working along the way.  We met, got married, had kids.  We sometimes marvel that our kids are at the age when we had 2, 3, 4 children, a mortgage, bills we are embarrassed about now, and they don't have those same challenges.  Understand, we are NOT complaining, or feeling like we missed something.  I, for one, firmly believe C. S. Lewis was absolutely right when he said,  “ The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own,' or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life -- the life God is sending one day by day .” None of what we were living was unpleasant, or an interrup...

Or is it? What constitutes failure? This morning we packed our lunches and headed into the Cherokee National Forest for a hike. It was a short one; 3 miles, round trip. But, in that 3 miles, we climbed 1,000 feet in elevation. We were supposed to go to 1,600 feet, but we failed.  We failed, we failed, we failed.  We just went unprepared. Lunches, water, fruit, boots, layers, even dog food, but we were unprepared. We did not bring hiking poles. Some of the trail was up, up, up, and I did it on hands and feet, creeping like a toddler. Some of it was down, down, down, and I did that on my tush, slipping as sliding so as not to fall. Poles would have helped, and we would have gotten to the top, where we are told there are “magnificent views.”We finally turned around when Molly started hacking and coughing. I think she got some pine tar in her throat after cleaning her fur.  We don’t feel like we failed, although we didn’t finish. We had a lovely day in the woods. Well, wait. ...

 Yes, it’s been a while. Yes.  We’ve just been having too much fun!  We visited seacoasts and plantations. Lots of restaurants, breweries, and distilleries.  Family and ERs.  All the hot spots.  One special spot was New River Gorge. It’s the newest National Park in the US’s list, and, yowzers, it satisfies.  Beautiful views from above.  Beautiful views on the ground .  And we got to be there. This is the best!