Rain FINALLY Gone

Wow, just realized it has been nearly a week since my long Gatlinburg post. The recent rain days just seemed to make the days fly by. The past week has been fairly busy though. Florida friends, Linda and Steve, were headed back to Tampa from Michigan and emailed us saying they would drop by River Vista last Saturday for a couple days. Steve and Linda were both educators as well. Linda was a math teacher and administrator and Steve was a vocational work experience teacher and coach. As a matter of fact, Linda and I both taught math at one point in time at Coleman Junior High in Tampa in the late 70’s-early 80’s. Then Steve and I both taught and I was an assistant football coach for Steve at East Bay High School from ‘84-87. Steve and I then both moved to the new Bloomingdale High School where Steve taught and was head football coach and I served as an assistant principal. Steve and Linda have been fulltiming in their motorhome, traveling the USA, for the past few years. Steve and Linda were also members of the same FMCA chapter, Roamin’ Rigs, as we were. Oh yeah, Steve and I do share one other thing---we both have back issues. As a matter of fact, when I was at my lowest points in late June/early July, Steve emailed me sharing his issues etc and it really helped me through the mental part of my recovery. Anyway, we were able to go out and have dinner and get caught up with each others happenings before they headed south Monday morn. They left us with some great fudge they helped make while in Michigan.

My physical therapy has continued on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays through this week. Next week I begin only Tuesdays and Thursdays until we head south. I am in the strengthening and endurance mode now. I use walking(hiking) sticks to assist me with balance. I no longer use the walker at all. I have no pain in my lower back. My left hip does get sore if I push myself or overdue it a bit. But, both the neurologist and pain management doctor have both released me after being really pleased with my progress.

Tonight we will be going with friends Pat and Sandie to dinner and a production of “Rhythm of the Dance" to be held at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin, NC. The two-hour dance and music extravaganza contains a wealth of Irish talent. The show is an inspiring epic, reliving the journey of the Irish culture throughout history. Using modern art forms of dance and music, this richly costumed show marries the contemporary and the ancient. Combining traditional dance and music with the most up to date stage technology, the show is a thousand-year-old journey executed with all the advantages of the modern day stage show. We look forward to the event.

We have made plans to have our deck, shed and landscaping timbers restained. Barbie and I did the work two years ago but this time we are having a man and his crew do it that have done alot of painting of cabins etc in the park. Their work is beautiful. They powerwashed it all a week ago and were to start the painting Monday but with the rain from that “monster” storm that has crossed the nation this week, they haven’t been able to start yet. I suspect tomorrow they’ll begin.

With the rain and little wind the past last days the leaves are now falling in this area. I’m gonna miss the wonderful colors we’ve experienced over the past few weeks. We’ve really enjoyed seeing our first leaves changing in probably 38 or so years. I’ll share a few more photos we’ve taken.

“Til next time………………………………