Sam's Birthday Party

Sam Whalen was 24 years old on Sept. 14. We went to Yarnell Rd. last night to help him celebrate. Paul cooked steakes and Rose did potatoes and trimmings. We had been missing those cookouts that they do so well. Kiley came to the party . Andrew was invited, but he had to work until 9:30 p.m. Sam got a new laptop, and two tickets to the game, and some money, for his birthday. Sam and Kiley are going to the game today. It will be Kiley's first experience at a UT game. We'll watch Florida and Tennessee play on TV. Sam looks GOOD ...Here's a picture...

56th anniversary, Sept. 10, 1950

gmaburka

We went to Gatlinburg for our celebration of 56 years together..Imagine that!! We stopped at the Apple Barn for our free breakfast compliments of cousin Bon..We stayed at the River House which is the closest motel to the park. We walked up the river trail to Sugarlands Center and we watched the movie there...(good place to rest.) We ate supper at our favorite Italian Restaurant and sat outside afterwards in the Elks Plaza and watched a free Appalachian Grass concert. Next day after breakfast at the Pancake House, of course , we drove the Roaring Fork road . We couldn't find a parking place at the Rainbow Falls trail so we stopped at the Grotto Falls and walked to the falls. It was a pretty hike and we talked to lots of people along the way. Since we are the locals, people ask us about the mountains...We walked the streets of Gatlinburg later and JMB bought me a new watch at the Acorn...one designed for small wrists...We visited with our Square Dance friends, the Kings, who work at the Candy Shop. That evening we ate ribs at Calhouns and the waitress brought us a huge strawberry shortcake with two spoons...(for our anniversary). Yesterday morning we walked up the airport road , ate breakfast at the Log Cabin then stopped at Laurel Falls to walk that trail with our 5 minute friends. It's like New York City..you talk to people and find out all about them in 5 minutes...then you never see them again. We have friends now in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, etc..Some of them rode motorcycles to Gburg.. After we left the falls, we drove to Metcalf Bottoms and then across our new shortcut from Wears Valley Rd to New Era Road to Chapman Highway. We avoided the traffic in Sevierville and Townsend. We got home in 45 minutes...!!

Well it was a lot of walking and a lot of eating...We had a good time.

Labor Day Weekend

Gpa and Gma drove to Nashville Saturday morning. We stopped in Harriman to eat breakfast and got on the interstate there. We stopped again in Crossville and shopped at the outlet mall. I bought some pants and a sweater at the Koret outlet store. After visiting every rest stop we arrived in Mt. Juliet at noon. David and Scott and Todd were madly cleaning house...David was rushing around putting things in order and Scott and Todd were making up the guest bed for us. Melissa arrived later. She had been taking Kevin and Summer(Connie's children} for a tour of Nashville. They had eaten lunch at the Wild Horse Saloon, so Melissa fixed us a soy butter sandwich and a piece of Tang pie.
David and Gpa and Gma took a long walk to Charlie Daniels park David said it was at least two miles.
Nancy and Clancy arrived, and we girls started putting together beef and chicken kebobs for supper...Melissa made peach ice cream to go with the Rhubarb Strawberry Pie for supper. Scott was the grill man and he cooked the kebobs . Melissa put together an eggplant dish. OH yes we had crab stuffed mushrooms on the skewers too.
All this happened while the UT California game was going on.We enjoyed watching David watch the game. He played hard!!! Todd and Allison arrived to watch the game. That made 11 people for supper. It was all delicious...
Sunday we all went to church and then back to the house for a wonderful lasagna lunch with Melissa's delicious chopped salad . And some more of those good deserts with added carrot cake that Nancy brought.
We had another walk with David..Their place is in such a nice neighborhood for walking .
Sunday night after church we went to visit Nancy and Clancy in their new house. It is so nice and in a quiet little neighborhood that has the nickname..Mayberry. It's close to a huge new shopping center with a super Krogers and Target , Pennys, and every other shop you can think of.
Nancy and Summer served pizza for supper...
We got to talk to our grandsons and to see them all dressed up at church..What a treat!
Melissa and David went all out to entertain us.. It was wonderful.