GLORY DAYS OF GRAMMER AND PAPA
THANKSGIVING = FAMILY
A trip to Tennessee & fun was had by all. We arrived Tues. night & laughed & talked late into the night.
Wednesday brought visit to Cades Cove. A 16 mile ride around original valley settlement. There were a
couple of dozen stops to see all types of pioneer areas. The mill was working & home of original Cade ( it was only 50 yrs younger than our nation) that 20 people lived in. It was the size of our downstairs, maybe less. Cool & always an adventure to ride in mountains with Richard. Then we were off to a great country buffet restaurant - (someone needed to roll me home - ummmm!)
Thursday was Thanksgiving & off for 2nd yr to Calhouns - everyone ate the classic turkey dinner but the kids & Grammer - I had
melt in your mouth watering ribs with naked wings (spicy fried with dipping sauce) & baked potato. Then our usual movie, this time it was "Happy Feet". I have been tap dancing ever since cause I got happy feet - do you? Home to collapse afterwards & wait for the Peed family to arrive. Wow fun is tiring! Also Thursday night Mark & Richard rode by "the" stores ( Circuit City, Best Buys & etc.) to make fun of people in line. 2 since 8:30am Thanksgiving morning. I ask is that computer or TV that important? Not to me. Then home to Hopfers for game night & chocolate chip cookies.
Friday morning came & Papa & I went to get ladder on sell - it was gone I guess they wanted us to come before 10am - oh well! Back to Hopfers for trip to Dollywood with a few hundred thousand of our closest friends. I have no idea how many were there but we were in
1-1/4 mile from entrance according to our friendly tram lady (we walked back up hill). Good exercise to get rid of all you can eat yummy buffet & no wait in line! Great new Christmas show & parade of lights. Home to sleep.
Saturday called for a splitting of our troops. Stacey, Dare, Gretchen, Owen & Elijah went shopping. Richard, Dallin, Parker, Ryan, Papa & Grammer were off to the Tennessee & Kentucky game with 110 thousand of our friends most dressed in orange including us. TN won - YEAH!
We parked close but getting out required Richard's expertise & crazy driving combined. We ate Petros, hotdogs, frozen lemonades & etc.
We also watched the game & cheered Game night with cool pioneer game - build your settlements & cities but watch Richard & Dare they will try to block your win & did.
Before we knew it was Sunday & time to head home. SAD! Nice ride home minus major backup that Papa knew the way around. He is still my hero after 33 yrs. Hwy 19 was pretty & home around dark. Good converstaion makes the time go by fast. Thanks for the fun my Hopfer family. What a plan & it all came together with the 60-70 degree weather. How did you pull that off anyway?
