Truth in Advertising

This is my number one combo hamburger from Wendy's. Looks so much like the menu board it's amazing. Not.

Being Italian, I love food, texture, flavor, and taste are all important to me. When I look at the menu board and see something that looks good, I'll order it. I have been more than disappointed with several local restaurants that have thrown quality out the window in favor of thrown together combos. With one exception.
This is an actual phone photo of my lunch at Steak n Shake.

This is my phone photo of the menu. Close, real close.

And it was good.

Knoxville-Good Eats

I had the opportunity to eat in a really great place this afternoon. I love Calhoun's BBQ more than any other BBQ in Tennessee. But I did not know this one existed. I knew of the one in Gatlinburg and in Knoxville on Kingston Pike but not this one on the river.

Although we did not sit on the deck over the river because of the temperature, we were just inside in the glass dinning room.

Awesome view up river towards Neyland Stadium.

Straight across the river, Baptist Hospital.

Up river again.

Down river looking at the river boats.

The food was great, and Tony picked up the check.

Another Full Vacation

Friday I started out at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Golf Tourney. Really good turn out for this event and I believe I heard about $84,000.00 was raised.

At the practice range, I thought someone actually stacked the range balls by hand. It's done with a template that the balls are poured into until the triangle is full. Then the template is removed and the rest is history.

After golf, I got the treat to spend the rest of the day playing with Emma. It was an animal crackers, cookies, and a goodies filled afternoon.

Chillin' on the porch.

Emma and Pop watching Springer.

(Don't freak on me, it was on this channel when I turned it on. I turned it quick)

Then we we're back at the drop the golf ball in the fishbowl game. This game is very loud since she only drops one, and takes it back out to do it again.

This is just a small sample of her emptying out the cupboards.

Can you say, "future plumber?"

She takes things out one at a time, then I stack the items on the counter.

Then we moved to playing tug of war with her blanket on the floor.

Take the flower from my hand grasshopper.

Nope, I'll get my own.

Back to golf, this must be the lesson she learned from her dad.

Saturday morning it's breakfast with Pop. Notice the nice bowls of her favorites, Cheerios and Mandarin Oranges.

Not long after breakfast started.

Off to the park to swing with Nana.

Decked out in UT Orange.

After the park, it was off to Wendy's for Chicken Nuggets.

Sunday after church, Jerry Allen and I went for a cruise of small towns in TN and KY. This was a short stop in Adams TN.

Jerry taking the lead towards Trenton KY after lunch at Cheeseburger Charlies.

So I did enjoy my mini vacation, although I did work a little bit.

Remember to live life to the fullest and never stop believing.

Rainbows

I love rainbows, I always have. I'm like a little kid when I see one.

But in this case there were two rainbows.
Did you ever want to look for the pot of gold?

Busy Weekend

After a long week on the road, I decided to take Friday off and try to relax. I did accomplish not commuting to Nashville, but I hardly would call it a day off. Days off were something you took before the invention of the Internet, laptops with a broadband cards and cell phones. So basically it was a work from home day.

I did get a chance to have lunch with Stacy and Nichole at Casa Blanca at Two Rivers. Then I needed to ride the bike for a while.

So I decided to take the long road down Lock B road to the river. Lots of curves on a two lane highway down to the water. There are quite a few old barns along the way, but this one caught my eye, something every peaceful and inviting about this one.

The water was well above the level I had expected. I wanted to find it at least down 6 more feet because I wanted to get the kayak out for the first time this year.

How I got there.
Where else but in Tennessee can you find beautiful butterflies and shell casings at a boat ramp?
Friday night Stacy and I went to Chili's for dinner then went downtown to Rivers and Spires.

That's when we ran into my son in law Scott, and his buddy Jeremiah.

I was told they were have a caricature drawn, but they looked to lovey dovey to me.

But I won't ask, and they did not tell.Stacy ran into a Ben and Jerry's ice cream vendor while downtown. She got a vanilla and I got a strawberry sorbet, large.

Saturday morning we were back up and out the door to get some breakfast at Moss' Cafe. For those who have never been there, you gotta go. It's a local favorite.

After we ate, I had to chair the Poplar Hill Home Owner's Association quarterly meeting as I'm this year's president.

After the meeting it was our usual Saturday trip to WalMart. This Saturday it was two trips, but at least I got to Lowe's too.

Saturday night I volunteers at Rivers and Spires for Grace Community Church, I got to help people into Velcro suits and watch them stick to the wall.

One of the inflatables was a sinking Titanic. The only thing missing was Rose kicking Jack in the head sending him to the deep.

Sunday was church at Grace, then off to Austin Peay State University for the Queen City Road Race where my daughter Lisa was running in the 5k race. Lisa with friends before the race.

On your mark, get set, GO!

While waiting for Lisa to finish, Emma loved running up and down the sidelines at Governor's Stadium. Let's go Peay!

Lisa coming to the finish line.

Across the line.

Finished! Proud of my little girl.

Back Home

The week started out with the usual staff meeting on Monday and I was not scheduled to travel at all. But as most of you know, that is subject to change at a moments notice. I had expected to stay close to home and was looking forward to a nice relaxing week in town.

NOT!

I had to go to Johnson City TN and conduct some recruiting.

The count on the car, 240,000 and climbing.

Just a pit stop.

I have been in Johnson City Tennesse at the Dept of Labor for the last two days conducting interviews. I asked my point of contact there, where the break room was. She showed me, and I have never seen an older soda machine since I worked at a Union 76 Station in 1975.

The snack machine was not much better.

Some of the slots were empty, others, just looked old.

Some great jalapeno corn dogs nearby.

As I was close to home on 41A, 240,734 and counting.

I am taking tomorrow off.

Goodnight.