Time flies eh?
Kate and I got to spend a weekend in Nashville, TN to celebrate the wedding of Kate's cousin, Seth Robinson. It was a great excuse to get away for a weekend. We did some touristy stuff, including:
1. Visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame. As a relatively new fan of country music, I was very excited to see the roots of country music on display. It is a great place to visit, even if you're not a fan. This gets a rating of 4 out of 5 Krispy Kreme donuts.
2. Eating a hearty breakfast at the Loveless Cafe, which has world famous grits, biscuits and gravy. From what I understand they have defibrillator paddles at each table and a cardiologist on the premises for weekends and holidays. (5 out of 5)
3. Checking out the orginal Grand Old Opry and the New and Improved Grand Old Opry at Opryland. For grins I pronounced it with the long O as in "Oprah Winfrey" as opposed to the proper pronunciation of the short O as in "opera". I have to say I giggle just thinking about it and the annoyed looks that I got every time I said it. And yes, I'd take the family there for a week. I'm sure for the kids it would be torture on the level of Colonial Williamsburg. (original 5 out of 5; new 4 out of 5)
We also took a jog through some beautiful parkland and visited Franklin, TN which is a quaint and friendly town. It's the kind of place that makes you feel at home and at ease.
And of course, the wedding was very nice too.
The rehearsal dessert featured a huge table full of southern delicacies. I was more interested in the bluegrass jam that was happening in the living room. The grooms dad, Harry Robinson (of Tom, Dick and Harry Robinson - I'm not making that up) is an accomplished musician. He is the music minister at a Methodist Church in town. In the last 5 or so years he has picked up the dobro, which has become popular because of Jerry Douglas, who plays with Alison Krauss. Harry has recruited and trained several men from his church to form a bluegrass band, and now they are really, really good. They played for about two hours and I was spellbound.
The wedding was outdoors in a nature preserve. The sun was setting and the weather was perfect. The bride was gorgeous and all was well.
So, recharged and ready for toil, I set out to conquer our front yard "landscaping". For those of you that haven't YET visited, it was a mess and really had no other description. The worst and most difficult part was the years of white stone that have gone in the front flowerbeds. I'm not exagerating, there was at least 10 inches of white gravel down there. Personally, I think if I dug it all out, I'd end up somewhere between
earth's mantle and outer core. So most of the white gravel is out, as are about a dozen spindly azaleas and various other sickly
shrubberies (if only the Knights that say Ni were around). The remaining azaleas and japanese maple got a much needed buzz cut (thanks mom). Topsoil and mulch now cover the beds and I'm slowly adding perrenials, annuals and some herbs. It's a nice start.
Finally, and with a heavy heart - prayers go out to the Cho family. Dave was a roommate of mine for a short time when I lived in Oakton and he passed away last week. I believe he was diagnosed with liver cancer early this year. My impression of him is a man that didn't care about the status quo. He lived with zeal and passion and did some things that would seem improbable, if not impossible. And, he continued to praise God as cancer ravaged his body. I admire him for his
courage and his steadfast love for the Lord.
He leaves behind a wife and 5 children, including a baby born a week after he died. See
this link for ways you can help them.
As always, PEACE to you.
Yep, it snows in Surf City too.
Beach entrance at 4th St.
4th St Dune
