Vacations are wonderful

Vacations are wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.  Both mentally and physically. A peace fills your soul, your mind, your body, even though you really don't do anything that very different than the things you do every single day.

True, you may do them in a different place, in a different state, but they are still the same things.  But you are vacation and that makes all the difference in the world

We just went to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee for our vacation this year.  We planned on renting a cabin instead of doing the hotel bit right in town, and asked all friends and family members starting way back in FEBRUARY if they would be interested.  The more adults we got in on the trip, the cheaper the weeks' lodging would be was our argument, plus we would pay now, and could 'save' more for spending on vacation after the lodging, gasoline, and groceries were paid for.  We gave a deadline of March 21 (my hubby's birthday) as the need-to-know-by so we could make the reservation for the last full week of June, with the knowledge of how big a cabin we would need.  We ended up with seven adults (we didn't count children because they wouldn't be paying, and could sleep on couches and/or chairs anyway and didn't eat that much) and had two couples and three singles.  It ended up costing each adult only $219.00!!!!  For the week!!!!  Lodging, gasoline, and groceries.  We bought 3 boxes/bags of cereal, a big box of strawberry PopTarts, 3 loaves of bread (2 white, 1 wheat) for toast & sandwiches, lunchmeat & cheese (ham, turkey, bologna, American, mini ColbyJack) milk, cases of water, snacks, condiments etc.  We had made a menu of the suppers we were going to make and made a comprehensive shopping list of all the ingredients so nothing was wasted, and nothing extra was bought.  We ate either breakfast or lunch every day before venturing out, and made supper when we came back.  The only time we "ate out" was Friday morning when we were heading home, and each paid their own then, and each knew ahead of time.  The gasoline was figured by keeping receipts on the way down, and multiplied for the trip home.  I dare anyone to do better than that for a week-long trip away from home! OK, 5 days. But, still...

We got a 4 BR cabin with a main floor - a kitchen, dining room, one bedroom (K) & bathroom, laundry room, an upstairs - one bedroom (K) & bathroom, a downstairs - two bedrooms (Q) (D) & one bathroom, and a big game and a kitchen.  There were two balconies - on the main floor, one that had a grill & a picnic table & rocking chairs and downstairs one that had a picnic table and around the corner, a hot tub!

We got there Sunday afternoon and found our cabin.  If one has never driven UP the mountains before, looking for a cabin, please know that this is quite an experience.  Hair-raising turns and cars (and trucks and SUVs) appearing out of nowhere and 'Do I turn here?' and 'Is this it?'s 'No' and keep going up and keep going up and keep going up and then finally BAM there it is. Whew.  Unload and unload and unload. NOW you (the female) gotta go back down to the grocery store for week's shopping.  Just knowing everyone else is back at the cabin luxurating in the hot tub while you are traipsing around a strange grocery store makes the blood boil even more, let me tell you.  Even though I had my daughter-in-law with me and she did all the running searching for things we missed here and there, I was SO ready to be done with that shopping and get back to the cabin.

Monday, we went into Pigeon Forge.  The Titanic Museum is great!  We were gonna go see the Wax Museum but decided to pass on it after Titanic took longer than expected.  We then spent some time at the Incredible Christmas Place (what a surprise...).  I love that place!  My grandson was not as thrilled with the train display out front as I thought he would be. I was though - I could watch it for quite some time. And I'd rather watch it in June than November or December. LOL  Then back to the cabin for supper and playing games all evening. We did bring the Wii, so we either played game shows like Pictionary, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy on it, or we played cards or board games.

Tuesday, we drove over to Cherokee.  We stopped at an overlook for pictures, then at Newfound Gap.  It is so easy to take a zillion pictures of the Smokies. They are just that beautiful. It is so hard to do them justice in a photo, though.  No, we did NOT go to Clingman's Dome.  I am not a glutton for punishment, and I do know my limitations.  I reached those when we went to Mingo Falls.  While in Cherokee, my sister and grandson went to the Museum of the Cherokee Indians, and daughter-in-law went shopping.  My husband, my son, and I went to the casino.  Guess who was done doing their chosen activity first?  Yep, us three. We had fun, though. On the way back to the cabin, we searched for, found, and stopped at Mingo Falls. At said falls, you climb steps they have put in.  When we went there many years ago, those steps were not there.  THAT was rough.  Now, you just climb steps.  Still rough, but just steps.  But soooooooo worth it.  Mingo Falls are gorgeous.  My son, daughter-in-law, and grandson took off their shoes and socks and got in the creek and played around once they had come back down from looking at the falls.  They were done playing by the time I finally made it down to the parking lot.  Yep, I am old and fat and slow.

Wednesday was Gatlinburg day.  I had abused my legs so much I could not go.  I was so upset!  This was when I was starting my Christmas shopping!  Boohoo!  So, the rest of my family went without me.  I stayed at the cabin and rested my poor legs. It did feel good to do nothing.  I just laid around, read my book, played Wii (Wheel of Fortune) with my friend Bert, and had a very relaxing day.

Thursday we went to Cade's Cove.  If you have ever been there, then you know that this the place to go to see wildlife and stay cool while doing so.  You travel through there doing about 20 mph or so, and get your eyes full of deer, wild turkey, horses, and maybe, if you're lucky, bear. We were not lucky.  We saw lots of deer, one herd of horses, and a couple of turkeys.  We sure were glad to get to the halfway point and the visitor center and the bathroom, though!  On the way back, a tree had fallen down across the road just a few minutes before!  Wow, big excitement!  There were only five cars ahead of us, so it had not happened very long ago.  It was awesome.  Guys jumping out of cars everywhere, grabbing branches, and throwing them to the side.  I grabbed my camera and got out, too.  Because of my health, I cannot lift and carry and could not help.  My grandson says (loudly, of course) "Granny, really? Pictures?" in the most incredulous voice.  I found where the tree had broke, and took pictures of that, too.  Then we took the Gatlinburg by-pass and stopped and took pictures of Gatlinburg from overhead.  From the skylift would have been good, too, but it was down for maintenance the two days we were there.

Friday we headed home.  We stopped at Apple Barn for breakfast.  This is on Apple Valley Road.  Well, breakfast at Applewood Restaurant at Apple Barn. Then, visited the little Christmas shop there, as well as the winery.  I don't think the ice cream shop was open yet.  I don't know, I didn't walk back that far.  I just took pictures of the big Apple Barn there in the back and of the winery & the Christmas shop.

I still say vacations are wonderful, even though you do regular stuff, just in different places.