The trip to Bryson City

I am off to Bryson City, NC. Where is Bryson City you ask? You will have to Google it because I’m not exactly sure myself.

Roseanne picked me up at 10am. She was running her long run (16 miles) which was supposed to be done by about 9am, but it was hot, muggy and slow goings, so she finished right before picking me up. On the plus side, I was congested, so I had to take her word for it that she smelled. I sat beside a very large girl leaving Dallas after her first MaryKay Summer Meeting, and she was quite excited about it all. I think she wanted to talk, but I quickly gave the international signal for don’t talk to me by picking up my book and putting on my headphones. Across the aisle was a young girl, maybe 13-15. I thought of Dad. She talked the ENTIRE trip. Total stream of consciousness a constant barrage of sound. She made my ears hurt. In front of me holding a baby was the poor woman this girl clapped her eyes on as entertainment for the trip. All I can say is better her than me.

Changed planes in Cincinnati, I was going to grab a bite, and sit in the little café. Thank heavens I didn’t because it turns out that I had to go wait for a bus to take me to the next terminal (that took forever to show up) and then the terminal was very, very long. Yikes. I would have never made it.

For the final flight, I sat beside a guy flying from California, where he was stationed in the marine corp. He said he was going home for 2 weeks, then to Iraq for 7months, then college. He was nice and interesting, so we talked most of the way. The best part was when he began to describe his hurt ankles, trick shoulder, etc. All of his injuries added up to make him feel really old. I believe his words were, “I feel like I’m 30.” Ouch. The blade sinks in.

I arrived in Asheville a few minutes after 6pm. I’d been calling Hertz since Wednesday begging for GPS in the car. Luckily, they had one car that had it. Yippee. Headed towards Whistle stop Lodge middle of nowhere North Carolina and arrived by about 8pm.

Monica and David drove up yesterday with Nicole, Mom, Dad, Cassy and Travis. (They came up to Dallas early to go with Mom and Dad since Fran and Jim couldn’t come until Monday)

Mom started getting antsy at about 7:30, so she called about every ten minutes after that. Good thing I planned ahead and put the ear bud in. I was fairly certain I’d be talking to her.

The house is 3 floors and has a bathroom on each floor. All wood floors and walls. Huge kitchen/dining room table. Very nice.

To those of you who mocked my preparedness of bringing 3 bottles of vodka, I say to you, I am in the middle of nowhere. I haven’t seen a liquor store, and I know for a fact I’ll be hitting the liquor soon.