Robin and I are in Gatlinburg, TN. Her sister and brother-in-law were using a time share with some friends. The friends had to leave early, and her sister asked if we wanted to finish out the week. We said, “Yes!” so last night we drove the six hours down from Indianapolis, and here we are!
This morning, Robin and I got up, and went to breakfast at Pancake Pantry, an institution in Gatlinburg. Robin got the wild berry crêpes, and I had the Swiss chocolate chip pancakes. It did not disappoint!
After breakfast we did a little shopping. Robin wanted to get some custom salt from this shop she remembered from our trip here a couple of years ago. I served as the mule, carrying our hard-won booty from shop to shop. I was able to get a few cigars for myself. (Don’t tell my doctor!)
We naturally started looking for some things for our grandsons, Roman and Stevie. We found an honest-to-goodness magic shop, Doc’s Magic Shop. When we entered, a nice, elderly gentleman, Doc Waddell himself, greeted us. He showed us a couple of tricks on the counter, and he was pretty good. He did a trick with a pen sticking through a dollar bill. Robin was staring right at it, knew it was a trick, and still couldn’t figure it out. He gave her the pen and let her look it over. It was an actual pen that could write, but she couldn’t see how he was doing it. He did it three times before I saw it. There was a magnet on the back of the pen, and he held a false pen head in the crook of his little finger. Even knowing how he did it, I was still impressed.
We bought a couple of tricks for Roman, and a few Lego characters for Stevie. We picked up some doughnuts from the Donut Friar, another Gatlinburg institution, for breakfast on Friday morning.
Robin and I went back to the resort. Robin spent the rest of the day chatting with her sister Janet. I talked some with Eddie, Janet’s husband. We cooked up some teriyaki pork chops with green beans and Brussels sprouts, and had a nice dinner. Four adults with no children. Heaven on Earth! After dinner, Robin and Janet talked some more. Eddie and I went out onto the balcony and had a cigar. I had mine with Salted Caramel bourbon from Ole Smoky Tennessee Distillery. It was a good way to end the day.
Tomorrow we are going to Clingman’s Dome. The Appalachian Trail crosses near the summit, and I will spread some of my parent’s ashes near there.
Meditations of a Bald, Fat Guy 