Driving Through Tennessee

Today we drove through the state of Tennessee. It was also our shortest drive this trip, only 317 miles. Tennessee is beautiful. 

The first stop was Frozen Head State Park. It was s special stop for Jason because this is where they run this crazy race called The Barkley every year. We went to the visitors center where he wanted to buy a T-shirt. I stayed outside with Stella as dogs weren't allowed inside. There was a little hike nearby that I took while everyone was inside. So pretty. 

We walked the trail that is the beginning of the race. This is the infamous Yellow Gate. It is pretty countryside but it's easy to see how one could get lost, which is kind of the challenge of the Barkley. It is nicknamed The Race the Eats It's Young. 

Another stop was the Parthenon in Nashville. The Parthenon? Aren't we quite the world travelers.? ;)

It was a neat thing to see. We didn't go inside because there were no dogs allowed and it was kind of expensive. But the grounds and relief work were beautiful. 

It was next to a large park which we walked through. Paige liked the duck pond. She found a turtle to watch. There was a playground as well. We stayed for a bit but it was really hot. We got back in the car and headed to the far end of Tennesee.

We needed to get out of the car badly towards the end of the day. We found a Civil War battlefield called Parker's Crossroads. It was pretty cool. 

"Never stand directly in front of a cannon. How true that is." ~ Brian Regan 

Its hard to picture a bloody battle happening here so many years ago.  It was interesting to read about the people involved.  Here is a little bit about it from the website.

As Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s expedition into West Tennessee neared its conclusion, the Union brigades of Col. Cyrus L. Dunham and Col. John W. Fuller, attempted to cut Forrest off from withdrawing across the Tennessee River.  Dunham’s and Forrest’s routes on December 31, 1862, brought them into contact at Parker’s Crossroads. Skirmishing began about 9:00 am, with Forrest taking a position along a wooded ridge northwest of Dunham at the intersection. Confederate artillery gained an early advantage. Dunham pulled his brigade back a half mile and redeployed, facing north.  His Federals repelled frontal feints until attacked on both flanks and rear by Forrest’s mounted and dismounted troops. During a lull, Forrest sent Dunham a demand for an unconditional surrender. Dunham refused and was preparing for Forrest’s next onset when Fuller’s Union brigade arrived from the north and surprised the unprepared Confederates with an attack on their rear. Forrest's reported his uncharacteristic "surprise and astonishment“ at the appearance of the Federal force, but on the field he responded to the shock with more typical boldness, ordering: "Charge ’em both ways." The Confederates reversed front, repelled Fuller, then rushed past Dunham’s demoralized force and withdrew across the Tennessee River. Both sides claimed victory, but the Confederates were able to escape what should have been a perfect trap and Forrest lived to fight another day.

We made it to Jackson, TN after nightfall and checked into our hotel. We've still got three more days of driving and tomorrow is the longest day. 

North Carolina to Tennessee

This morning we left our house on Truewinds to drive through North Carolina and into Tenessee. 

I made these itinerary lists for each car because Jason and I would be driving separately across the country. I hoped we could stay together but knew that that would not always be the case. 

We went to the Schillers in Charlotte for lunch and to have a bit of a visit before saying goodbye. It was so hard to leave and we ended up staying for 4 hours. We got into Knoxville late but it was worth it. I loved all the beautiful greenery that we passed through today. 386 miles today!

 

Loading Up and Saying Goodbye

Well, today was nuts! Yesterday we said goodbye to so many good friends at church and this past week. It's been emotional. We got a few sweet texts as well. 

Good friends fed us and helped us in other ways through this crazy moving week.  The Bales came over to say goodbye and I couldn't resist taking a picture to send to the Pulsiphers. 

Today the packers came to load us up. It was a fiasco. Not enough workers showed up so they were very behind. The lead guy called in his mom and dad to help. Last-minute things were just getting thrown into boxes. They were about to leave when I had to run down the driveway with my vacuum and a throw rug they had forgotten. I hope they make it to our new house. The driver said he would get our household goods to us on July 10. That's a week after we arrive. An empty house for seven days. Sigh. 

I spent all day cleaning up as soon as they cleared a room since the new owner' realtor said the ONLY time they could come for the walkthrough was tonight at 5:30pm.  It was hectic and everything was behind schedule. The movers left close to 5pm leaving me about twenty minutes to finish cleaning. I did what I could and hoped it was enough. And guess what? We waited and waited and the realtor never showed up. Our realtor, Heather, came over to be with us during the walkthrough and so she finally called her. After she gave some lame excuse we told her that we were leaving first thing in the morning and that they'd missed their chance. The key would be in the lockbox.

Jason also went to return the modem to Spectrum since EP has Spectrum but it's another different regional office. So we had to return the equipment. But it turned out to be another hassle. We kept it until today because we needed the internet. I knew it would be last minute but I had called them and the person on the phone told me how and where to return it. Well, when Jason arrived, the Spectrum office wouldn't take it even though that is where they told me to return it. They said it was due to COVID. They told him that he could drop it off at a UPS Store (none were open by then) or take it to El Paso and return it there. And so we packed it up, hoping they would take it in El Paso. I don't want to be charged for it. 

Here we are on our last night in the house on Truewinds Dr. Jason is reading the kids a bedtime story before we retire to our air mattresses (lent to us for the night by sweet friends) for our last night in Fayetteville. 

 

Packing Up

Taking everything off the walls and packing up breakables is always sad. It means the move is really happening. 

We did a trial run of packing the car to make sure we had enough room for what we needed to hand carry. Jason used these shelves to try to get more in. I had to give away or throw away a lot of food, supplies, and cleaners. It always seems so wasteful. I did all the prep work and the movers arrived on Wednesday. 

Sitting around while the packers pack up your stuff is always a little weird. This time we had to just put Stella in her crate for most of the day. She was very stressed about the packers and did NOT like them in the house. The kids made a box fort and played on devices for several days. One of the days, Sis Garcia invited the girls over for half the day. That was super helpful. 

The house was packed by Friday night and we had to spend the weekend in "boxlandia". We tried to be out of the house as much as possible. We went to a movie and had the theater all to ourselves. Tomorrow is our last day in Hope Mills Second Ward and I am sad. 

 

Father's Day

It's Father's Day and they pack us up this week. I still tried to make it special for Jason but life is hectic right now. Eva made him a blue ribbon that said "Best Dad Ever". He wore it to church. I got him a funny card. I think he liked it. 

I made one of his favorite meals (reuben sandwiches) and we pampered him all day with lots of foot rubs and a nap. I got him a belt that he can attach his race buckles to. 

 We are so lucky to have a daddy like Jason in our family!

Superior Bakery

There are a few places in Fayetteville that have no comparison. Superior Bakery is one of those places. I doubt we will find another place like it. It is #26 on the list of top bakeries in the US according to Yelp. 

Not only is the food SO good but the owner and staff are amazing. There are always free samples. The owner, Nicko Poulos,  comes out to talk with customers. he is known as Mr. Nick. When the kids went after cleaning the church one time he asked them why they were up so early on a Saturday. When they told him, he gave them each $5, saying that was a worthy cause to do service. 

Another time he gave my family Superior Bakery shirts so we could proudly wear them. On another visit, we had a nice chat about how family, religion, and sacrifice are important. He told us about how his father came over from Greece in 1951. He began working as a dishwasher until he saved enough money to purchase a closed bakery, which he re-opened in 1956. His father donated much time and money to their church. Mr. Nick firmly believes in giving back. It's just a homey kind of place where you feel known and welcomed. 

We knew we had to go say goodbye before we left. We got pictures with Mr. Nick as well. 

Scenery

I think Jason will miss running here. I hope that the mountains of El Paso will be a nice replacement.

He sent me this one morning when he was running. Apparently, the train track is NOT abandoned.  Running with your noise-canceling headphones can lead to some surprises. ;)

 

For Sale?

 Jason got a text this week from the Pulsiphers. If you remember they are the people who sold us the home and are friends with the Bales. Brother Pulsipher asked Bruce Bale for our number. He had some questions about the house and their realtor hasn't returned messages for days. In fact, our realtor showed us a picture of the outside of the house since she drove by. The "for sale" sign is still outside. Sigh.

The Pulsiphers are trying to figure out how to get the key to us. Usually, the realtor takes care of that but since he has ghosted them after being paid, they are in a bind. It turned out to be a blessing. I was able to communicate with the wife and ask questions. She was able to ask me things as well, like if it was okay if she left some food in the freezer and if we wanted some of the cleaning supplies she would have to throw out becasue the packers won't move them. I was able to get their new address to forward mail and things like that. They are super nice and helpful. I still feel bad for them about their realtor though. They ended up having to leave the key with the RS president who lives down the street. 

Orbiting

There is a whole house and every living thing is within six feet of me. I know I should feel loved but sometimes I just need space.

Sisters can be so annoying sometimes. Haha!

 

Gangster Stroller

We are still decluttering and trying to sell some things before we move. We have no need for a double stroller anymore. 

 Jason made a post in the neighborhood app about selling it. He is so funny. It read:

This is a gangster double stroller. Be The Boss while transporting your progeny in style in this bad boy. It packs down pretty small so you can fit it in the trunk with all your other Boss gear like nunchucks, yoga mats and Beyonce CDs. Only used a couple of times before we figured out that double strollers don't really work for us since our kids are huge and a bit nuts. 

Escape Room Again

We did another escape room. This one was called Budapest Express and we were on a train trying to find a murderer before we reach the station and he escapes. 

 This one was 8.5 difficulty and we got out in 43 minutes!! It says we used three hints but we really only used two (she gave us one unasked and we already knew that one anyway). We celebrated with milkshakes. 

 

Young Men Campout

The Young Men wanted a campout this summer. Before Jason was released, they planned one. Not all the YM could go but a few could (Buckners and Brendan). Even though he was no longer in charge of the YM, Jason still went as the leader. He and one of the advisers took the young men to Raven Rock for a hike and overnight camping trip. The adviser brought along his son who is Paige's age. He must have loved all the "guy time".

It rained on the hike in and drizzled most of the day. They spent a lot of time under the tarps. When it dried up they explored and learned some survival skills. Apparently, they found a snake to bother as well. It was a pretty place to camp. 

Brendan and Jason came home saying it was fun.