Home to Hollywood (MD), Monday, August 29 and Tuesday, August 30, 2013

After hours of packing,

and loading,

we are finally on the road -- for 500 miles, 4 states, and 9 hours including a Cracker Barrel lunch somewhere in North Carolina, bound for Hollywood, MD, home of Tom, Jr. and family.

First item is hanging out with the family (Tom, Jr, MacKenzie, and Emett - Kenz's boyfriend).

Kathy, Morgan, and Leanne

Including Maddie and Tucker.  Note Tucker's new haircut.

Then there is the house tour which includes Leanne's art work and knack for decorating. 

They live in Hollywood, MD....get it??  The Hollywood, CA, hill....the movie theme is throughout the lower level....

And the "stars"  of the "show" are (LtoR) Maggie, MacKenzie and Morgan.

The "show" is "Good Times", as yet unrated!

We doubt the dining room is set like this every night???!!!! 

Then, a delicious dinner and more hanging.

We are quite good at it (MacKenzie, Leanne, and Tom, Jr).

We get some much needed sleep.  Tuesday Kenz takes us to the farm where she rides horses.

We get to meet the chickens,

tour the barn 

the grounds,

and meet the hairy legged rooster.

The garden and house.

Some of the horses grazing happily.

Bye to the chickens.  A beautiful, quiet, peaceful place.

Back at home, Tom, Jr. is home from work and we gather in the kitchen.

We cook.  Leanne taught us how to make Bang Bang Shrimp -- excellent!

MacKenzie is learning to cook.

Morgan and Gabby have an iPad duel as we wait for desert.

Lemonade pie with raspberries -- fantastic!

Tucker can dance.

After both dogs get a "Gabby-do" haircut, MacKenzie bundles up like she is living in Antarctica....her Scrooge father (that would be Tom, Jr) keeps the thermostat at 80!!!!  Tom and I have it at 71......thanks, Leanne, for putting it at 74......and good night all.  Thanks for a great visit....we missed you, Maggie.

Knoxville, TN, to Summerville, SC, May 31-June 3, 2013

Any drive through Knoxville takes us to Farragut and past the home where we lived for 8 years....one of our favorites.

The Ashburns are Kara, my youngest daughter, and her new husband, Jerry.  This is their new home that we are seeing for the first time.

An upstairs living and a downstairs living

"Our room"

A storage/potting shed tucked behind the new double garage is becoming a workshop....Jerry's turf!

All of the above pictures are the original part of the 60 year old home they have purchased.  The picture just above this was the sunroom, now Kara's home office.

They added the left "wing" of this house.....

Their bedroom, bath and closets are on the main level....

and a spacious party room underneath the bedroom

Jerry's "prized" possession....maybe Kara, but more than likely the 1969 Mustang he has spent some years restoring.  

We went by Kara's former home.....a condo in the downtown area.  We met her new renter who is moving in soon.  Jerry's former home is on the market.

We walked to Market Square from the condo.....lucky day...it is Saturday and the Farmers' Market is in full swing.

Krutch Park borders the square.

Lunch at a nearby bistro.  Jerry is finally with us.....he has been on the road and did not get home till nearly midnight last night.

From one meal to the next......Jerry took orders for the meat....well done, rare, etc.....it was cooked exactly as requested!

We could have eaten inside, but everyone voted for the porch!

Eating again!!!!  This time for brunch with Jerry's parents, Pam and Jerry.  We are fortunate to have fun "outlaws".

Hangin' out with our grand dog, Pepper.  So ugly that she is cute.  Sorta.

To earn our keep, we help with some of the "moving" chores.  

Parting with some clothes is never easy....particularly the shoes!

The unique aspect of helping Kara move is her pocket change.  Kara and I have done this before....and I was astonished at how much money we found in purses, drawers, pockets....everywhere.  I think when she moved from D. C. to Knoxville, it was nearly $200 in change.  She said she had discovered over $100 during the initial move from her condo.  The change we found today was so sticky and gummy we had to "launder" it!

Any guess how much more there is?

Heading home on Monday, we drive through Newport, TN, where I lived for 23 years!!!  Tom and I met here and this was our first home.  We lived here for a year before moving to Knoxville.

The Smokies are looking smoky today.

The drive from Newport to Asheville on I-40 is a beautiful one.  Rockslides and one tunnel collapse have plagued this section of the interstate.  When I first moved to east Tennessee in l968, there was no interstate.....there wasn't even phone service in the mountainous areas.

WE ARE HOME!!!!!!

Found this in our front yard....bet we know who the culprit is!!!

The Barbieri's have been living in Germany for the past 3 years....They live on one side of the "center of the world" and we live on the other.....Thank you, Peck's!

Our lovely lagoon, fountain and sunset....we are back in our nest, safe and healthy.   We are deeply grateful for this epic journey and its enduring memories.