Sunday, May 15, 2011
Just what the heck is a gee-gawk?
I mentioned geegawks in the last post and a few have asked just what the heck I meant. I do apologize for the oversight. Actually, I think we made this word up. Now having spent time in the Navy I know that geedunk is junk food, so it seems obvious to me that geegawks are junk that you gawk at. But we didn't have this term in the Navy. I just learned this term from Jengoround on our Mother's Day weekend camp out. I had been referring to them as my dashboard treasures. You may choose which ever name you think applies. I will continue to think of them as treasures and will continue to add to the collection. But Jen, I do love the word geegawks. Thanks.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Gegawks, Bladder Blasters, and Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Wow, what a beautiful weekend! The weather finally cooperated and gave me a long, sunny weekend with cool breezes and warm friends and family. And I am grateful for having this little break as it will be one very hectice month before I can get away again.
But this was not just any drive down the trace. This time I was pulling my toad for the first time. Not nervous here, no, not me. First of all, I can't hook up at my house. Have I mentioned that I live on a hill? Makes it hard to get one vehicle level, much less 2. So the first order of business was to drive about 2 miles to the Kroger (and use my discount on gas from buying groceries for the trip) to fill up. The Goddess followed in the toad, and after the fill up we just moved to an unused, level area of the parking lot and took about 15 minutes to hook up the new Blue Ox tow system. Once I was satisfied that all connections were secure we headed for the Trace. We arrived in Merriweather Lewis National Park around lunch time to find that they had recently, as in the last 3 weeks, resurfaced all the roads AND pads. We took a nice pull through with room for our friends who were joining us to put up a tent.
Next test was unhooking the toad and seeing if all was right. Yeah, I did it! Finally able to take a deep breath again. Celebrated with lunch in downtown Hohenwald at The Emporium. Great chicken salad wraps! We finished the afternoon by dropping off some clothes and bottled water for the tornado vicitms in Alabama (great excuse to clean out the closet) and visiting with my SIL to get some firewood. Supper was hamburgers ala Goddess' special recipe, pasta salad, and chips with peach mango salsa. Yummy!
Saturday was a very busy day with family doings: ballgame for Addy at 10am and her twin brother's game at 1pm with a visit to my special friend Jane in between games. Nice part about a small town is that you can get around quickly. Then we had a little down time so we headed back to the campsite to check on Gus and meet up with our friends from nearby Centerville. Once Jen and Bradon got set up we headed to town for the big fish fry at Lomax Crossroads Church of Christ. All you can eat catfish, frog legs, and chicken! We had a good time eating and visiting with family and friends before heading to the big moment of the weekend - dance school recital at the intermediate school.
It was a full house and a very entertaining show. I loved the little tots who came out in their tutus and butterfly wings and either froze finally moving their toes and piroueting with coaching from behind the curtain or really rocked it and threw kisses to the audience basking in the limelight. That was fun to watch. My little great neice Mahaley was one of the later of course. My granddaughter Addy was in the intermediate group and danced in several numbers including the big finale. I loved it because she danced with her father - a moment I never thought I would see.
Back at the campsite Bradon and I walked Gus through the campgrounds for his evening rituals and stopped to visit with the camphosts at their campfire. We didn't bother to start our own fire as it was too late in the evening, but we did sit around outside talking until midnight. The night was cool but we were warm in our covers and slept in till nearly 7:30 on Mother's Day. Good son Bradon took charge of the breakfast cooking with 3 "mothers" offerring directions as he treated us to sausage and chocolate chip pancakes. We all enjoyed thoroughly.
Finally we headed off to the nearby falls to hike the trail and play in the cool water - well, Bradon did deserve a reward for that delicious breakfast. We went back to the picnic area at Swan Creek where I waded with Gus and Bradon, skipped rocks, and caught a crawfish. We did give a wide berth to the snake swimming by. Then back to camp for a big lunch/clean out the fridge event before we had to hook up again and start heading back to the city. I hated to say good bye to the weekend and all the fun. Whenever we hang out with Jen and Bradon I laugh so much my sides hurt and the tears flow. This weekend was no exception.
In fact, they helped us hook up the toad for the ride home then they followed us up the Trace until they had to turn off and head west for their home while we continued on to Nashville. It was a long, fun-filled weekend with so much love and laughter. And SUNSHINE. I am so happy to see blue skies again after all of the rain clouds this spring. My heart goes out to those dealing with cloudy skies and rising flood waters. My nephew and his wife of 11 months live in an apartment on Mud Island. Makes that first year an exciting one, doesn't it?
But this was not just any drive down the trace. This time I was pulling my toad for the first time. Not nervous here, no, not me. First of all, I can't hook up at my house. Have I mentioned that I live on a hill? Makes it hard to get one vehicle level, much less 2. So the first order of business was to drive about 2 miles to the Kroger (and use my discount on gas from buying groceries for the trip) to fill up. The Goddess followed in the toad, and after the fill up we just moved to an unused, level area of the parking lot and took about 15 minutes to hook up the new Blue Ox tow system. Once I was satisfied that all connections were secure we headed for the Trace. We arrived in Merriweather Lewis National Park around lunch time to find that they had recently, as in the last 3 weeks, resurfaced all the roads AND pads. We took a nice pull through with room for our friends who were joining us to put up a tent.
Next test was unhooking the toad and seeing if all was right. Yeah, I did it! Finally able to take a deep breath again. Celebrated with lunch in downtown Hohenwald at The Emporium. Great chicken salad wraps! We finished the afternoon by dropping off some clothes and bottled water for the tornado vicitms in Alabama (great excuse to clean out the closet) and visiting with my SIL to get some firewood. Supper was hamburgers ala Goddess' special recipe, pasta salad, and chips with peach mango salsa. Yummy!
Saturday was a very busy day with family doings: ballgame for Addy at 10am and her twin brother's game at 1pm with a visit to my special friend Jane in between games. Nice part about a small town is that you can get around quickly. Then we had a little down time so we headed back to the campsite to check on Gus and meet up with our friends from nearby Centerville. Once Jen and Bradon got set up we headed to town for the big fish fry at Lomax Crossroads Church of Christ. All you can eat catfish, frog legs, and chicken! We had a good time eating and visiting with family and friends before heading to the big moment of the weekend - dance school recital at the intermediate school.
It was a full house and a very entertaining show. I loved the little tots who came out in their tutus and butterfly wings and either froze finally moving their toes and piroueting with coaching from behind the curtain or really rocked it and threw kisses to the audience basking in the limelight. That was fun to watch. My little great neice Mahaley was one of the later of course. My granddaughter Addy was in the intermediate group and danced in several numbers including the big finale. I loved it because she danced with her father - a moment I never thought I would see.
Back at the campsite Bradon and I walked Gus through the campgrounds for his evening rituals and stopped to visit with the camphosts at their campfire. We didn't bother to start our own fire as it was too late in the evening, but we did sit around outside talking until midnight. The night was cool but we were warm in our covers and slept in till nearly 7:30 on Mother's Day. Good son Bradon took charge of the breakfast cooking with 3 "mothers" offerring directions as he treated us to sausage and chocolate chip pancakes. We all enjoyed thoroughly.
Finally we headed off to the nearby falls to hike the trail and play in the cool water - well, Bradon did deserve a reward for that delicious breakfast. We went back to the picnic area at Swan Creek where I waded with Gus and Bradon, skipped rocks, and caught a crawfish. We did give a wide berth to the snake swimming by. Then back to camp for a big lunch/clean out the fridge event before we had to hook up again and start heading back to the city. I hated to say good bye to the weekend and all the fun. Whenever we hang out with Jen and Bradon I laugh so much my sides hurt and the tears flow. This weekend was no exception.
In fact, they helped us hook up the toad for the ride home then they followed us up the Trace until they had to turn off and head west for their home while we continued on to Nashville. It was a long, fun-filled weekend with so much love and laughter. And SUNSHINE. I am so happy to see blue skies again after all of the rain clouds this spring. My heart goes out to those dealing with cloudy skies and rising flood waters. My nephew and his wife of 11 months live in an apartment on Mud Island. Makes that first year an exciting one, doesn't it?
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