THANKFUL FOR FAMILY, TURKEY, PIE, GUNS, AND MOONSHINE!

Well, it isn’t all that “cut and dried”, we actually were/are thankful for much more, but the title of this post does generally sum up our Thanksgiving Day together.

Thanksgiving dinner/supper is always at Charlotte and Gary’s. There is lots of room, a big screen, a screened porch for cigars, and a wide vista of East Tennessee fields, ponds, and hills! I think the primary reason for holding the annual event at their house is so the turkey doesn’t have travel! Charlotte rises early to prepare it and by the time we arrive Gary is busy carving it.

Each sister brings her assigned dish, and the guys bring their latest pale ale discovery, and me, well, this year I discovered Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon! I really enjoyed the 80 proof clear elixir and its sweet corn taste. You should try it! We enjoyed our spirits in moderation…this year!

Visiting this year was Terri’s son Joey, his wife Krissy, and his daughter “Juliana-Bug-Bug” from Minnesota. Joey also brought his new little friend, a beautiful little Colt AR-15 A3 Tactical Carbine! Although we never fired the weapon all day, we did each grope it lovingly! There was a “shoot fest” at Steve’s on Monday, but we were entertaining Lily and didn’t attend.

Steve’s daughter Becky, and boyfriend Nick, joined us as well. Becky is a recent graduate and his currently teaching art in the Atlanta school system. They are always such a joy and I look forward to seeing Becky’s big smile each year.

Of course there is always the 15 minutes devoted to the annual “sisters group photo” (Linda wasn’t there…she has Thanksgiving with her daughters), but some of us tend to sneak…no…force our way into the sister-only shots! I was determined to get in the family photos this year. I bought a wireless shutter release for my camera, and after strategically placing my camera and tripod, I could fire the camera remotely! However, I made the mistake of shooting from too far away, which reduced the flashes range in some shots. BUT, they were good enough for blog use, and a good lesson learned. Thank God for Photoshop!

The photo session always reminds me of the Beatles’ “Hard Days Night” (or was it “Help”?) movie scene where they get off the plane snapping photos of each other! One of the sister’s will shout out, “Okay, look at Steve…now look at Ron…look at Paul!” It’s a wonder we ever get any decent shots, but even if the faces are looking at different cameras, they usually turn out to be an accurate record of the sisters!

The food was as good as usual, and, as these shots show, the turkey was ravaged to the bone and pies were all consumed!

After eating, Gary took us for a ride down through the fields to where he trains his Labs and hunts ducks during the season. He has flooded the nearby cornfields, providing a great refuge and overnight stop for ducks flying through the area. There were a couple of groups (of 6 or 8) circling the area as we left the area just about dark.

I am so thankful for this extended family. They mean a lot to me and I hate it when I have to miss a gathering of the dragons! I have missed two this year, both with pneumonia from my leaf allergy, and it really saddened me. They all teased me Thursday by asking, “And who are you?”

I responded with, “Paul Mashburn, damned glad to meet you!”

MOWING THE YARD AND PLAYING WITH GRAND-BABIES!

As usual, Judy and I picked up Lily from Wee-Pre-School yesterday, and had a ball eating at Chick-fil-a and playing blocks on the screened porch. It was a beautiful day with plenty of sunshine, giggles, and funny little sayings!

We then got a call from Connie, my former wife, who keeps Tia and Corey’s younger daughter on Monday’s at her house. She said she always cooked for Corey and her dad on Monday evenings, so we were welcome to come. Since she has invited us before, we decided to take her up on her offer this time.

As soon as Lily’s afternoon nap was over we headed across town. My mom and Corey were already there and it was so nice to see little Kinsley. This was only the second or third time I’ve seen the child since she was born in February. It’s just a timing thing, but Connie knew it was an opportunity for us to she her, plus an opportunity to visit longer with Corey than the 10 minutes it takes to say hello and load Lily into her car-seat for the trip home.

Kinsley is a doll, totally different from Lily, with big blue eyes and a friendly smile for everyone. Lily sometimes still hides shyly behind her parents, with her big brown eyes averted. So, it was nice to have one grandbaby that comes excitedly forward to be hugged and “man-handled”!

Soon Connie’s dad arrived. I love this man and I get the feeling from him that I’m still like a son to him. He’s a wonderful man who loves God and still works hard every day even though he’s around 80!

Judy got to feed Kinsley, who really loves eating…another thing besides the blue eyes she has in common with me!

I took loads of photos and thoroughly enjoyed watching the children play, including my son! Some of the shots turned out super and I just had to proudly share them with you. Hope you don’t mind!

We’re blessed with a relationship with Corey’s mom that allows us to visit and share our grandkids in a peaceful and even loving atmosphere. We got over the petty bickering years ago and have since grown to be good friends who just happen to share grandchildren. Connie and Judy like each other too and that’s special to us all.

This morning I was awakened by the doorbell. In my morning confusion, I could not imagine who would be awake at 8:30 in the morning. I opened the door and it was my neighbor from down the street that is in the lawn business. He had told me he would mow my yard and give me a price this week, but, of course, I had forgotten all about it. It was a great surprise!

I’m sitting here typing this post and listening to his mower running the rounds in the backyard. How wonderful! He also had a young fellow climb up on the roof and blew the leaves and debris out of the valleys. I tell you, I’m in Heaven!

I was forced into yard work retirement by my leaf mold allergy, but I might just get used to this arrangement!

Well, I think he’s about finished, so until next time…

THINKING ‘BOUT GETTIN’ OUT OF THE MOWIN’ BUSINESS

I mowed the yard Tuesday. The grass has stopped growing but my primary purpose was to mulch the fallen leaves that have accumulated since my mom has been sick. Normally, I try to keep up with the number of leaves in order to avoid them damming up in front of the mower, but having to be with mom during her resent illness prevented me from doing things normally. So, the leaves at times pushed up in front, making the wheels of the mower stop and the stirring impossible. I’ve learned to push them off to the edge of the yard and create little piles. Backing out of the pile, I can resume my trip around the yard until it happens again.

I say all this to tell you that I’m sick again…it’s that tree/leaf/mold allergy that I have developed over the years. I know the consequences of mowing the yard, but someone has to do it, and I’ve been at it about 7 to 8 months out of each of the last 40 something years! However, even though I’m now taking allergy shots twice a week, two shots a visit, I still have this affliction and I’m about over it!

Tuesday, while mowing, I broke a support piece on the deck of my mower. So, I got to thinking, you’re 63 years old and you’re going to suffer for mowing, so don’t you think it’s time to hire this done?!

While I was coming to this conclusion, my wife was sitting on the screened-porch snapping the last of this year’s fall shots. From here lofty perch, she attempted to capture a huge draft of leaves blowing from the trees and down across the yard where I was contemplating my life. If you look hard (CLICK TO ENLARGE) you can see the airborne leaves. What you can’t see it the leaf dust following along behind.

She captured a great shot up through the large hickory that grows over our open deck. There is great contrast with the chimney, some green from a white pine, and the blue sky in the background.

The yard is large and about a third on the hilly side, but it is beautiful most times of the year. So, I have enjoyed the opportunity to get lost in my thoughts and relax, but the allergy has made it less inviting. I think I’m going to find someone to take care of the yard while I watch from the lofty perch with Judy. However, until the shots do their thing, I’ll probably have to wear my usual dust mask on mowing days.

If you live in the Harriman area and would be interested in giving me an estimate, send me an email to fuzzbert_1999 at Yahoo!

MONDAY’S GRANDCHILD

Judy and I look forward to Mondays ‘cause it’s the day we get to pick Lily up from her church’s “Wee Pre-School”! As excited as we are, she sometimes is less than enthusiastic, sometimes hanging her head with her lower lip sticking out, or, like yesterday, starts crying for her mother! This always makes the teacher a little apprehensive about turning her over to us. However, we have all the right credentials and we know her name…so we must be okay!

I’m always afraid to say, “Lily, tell the teacher who we are,” because you never know what she might say in the moment of missing her parents. Then what do you tell the police!

Anyway, about a block down the street, she stops crying, not a tear anywhere, and starts talking to us. Of course, this is after we’ve told her we are going somewhere to eat, going to the park, or going home to ride her bicycle. Bribery has been a tool of good parenting for ages, and it usually works!

This week we decided to eat out before going home, and pizza seemed to be the magic word in Lily’s mind this week. So, we stopped off at Brixx Pizza, home of “wood fired” pizzas!

The waitress gave Lily a lump of raw dough to play with, and some crayons. She pounded the dough, and we kept encouraging her to make a hand-print in the middle, but she decided it was much more fun to bite off little pieces and put them back on the plate. They usually take anything made by a child to the oven and bake it, but Lily wasn’t interested in playing their game.

Instead, she loved the “cave” under the table where she played with an imaginary bear! Luckily for us the place is new and the area under the table was carpeted and clean. She popped up every now and then to shout out “smile” to me holding the camera! It’s almost impossible to get a shot of wiggly 3-year-old! Most shots are of

the side or back of her head, with her still saying “smile”!

The pizzas were unique, but quite good, so we’ll probably go back at some point. The one shown is a “Bronx Bomber” with spicy Italian sausage, prosciutto, Gorgonzola cheese, tomato sauce and fresh oregano leaves. Judy had the Chicken Florentine with wood-roasted chicken, crumbled bacon, Roma tomatoes, fresh spinach, and

feta and mozzarella cheeses. Lily’s was a cheese pizza that

must have been good; because

she wouldn’t even let me eat the end pieces she had leftover!

Back at home, she rode her bike, and busied herself plucking Holly Berries from the shrubs, and playing an imaginary fiddle made of a pine-cone and a stick she found. She had so much fun that we could not get her to take a nap. Instead she lay on the bed and “rested” reading her books, saying her ABC's, and singing every song she knew.

Soon Corey arrived and she got up excited to see her dad and the prospects of seeing “her baby” (her little sister Kinsley) again!

Momma Judy and Papaw are left waiting for Monday to come around so they can play again too!

NIGHT ON THE TOWN WITH COREY AND JOE BONAMASSA

My mom is home now and seems to be doing well, but last Tuesday night she was still in the hospital getting over pneumonia complicated by asthma. Tuesday was a rainy, foggy, and kind of chilly evening in Knoxville, Tennessee, but Corey (my son) and I were determined to relieve a week’s worth of worrying about her by enjoying a good meal, some pale ale and tea, and some great blues.

Joe Bonamassa, one of the world’s greatest guitarists blew us away! Corey could not believe an acoustic guitar could be played the way Joe delivered it Tuesday night at the Bijou Theatre! Awesome and unbelievable were two words that he used over and over to praise Joe’s playing. Check out this audience shot clip of a similar performance:

As one well lubricated guy in the balcony screamed, “You freakin’ rock, dude!”

Joe Bonamassa got his first guitar at age 5 and by age 7 he was playing Stevie Ray Vaughn tunes note for note. At the age of 11, during a short period of being mentored by Danny Gatton, he learned such styles as country and jazz as well as heavy rock. During this time with Gatton, Bonamassa sat in with Gatton's band whenever they played in New York. He first opened for B. B. King at 12 years of age. After first hearing him play, King said, “This kid's potential is unbelievable. He hasn't even begun to scratch the surface. He's one of a kind.”

Corey and I had dinner at the Downtown Grill & Brewery on Gay Street before walking the two blocks to the Bijou. And BTW, if you’ve never attended an event at the Bijou, you’ve missed an intimate little 900 seat venue for music.

Corey had his traditional chicken sandwich and fries, soaked down with glass after glass of unsweet-tea, while I enjoyed half a Hawaiian pizza (pineapple, bacon, and ham) with added onions, marinated in the Brewery’s own Downtown Blonde Ale (a light-bodied Kolsch displays a smooth malt note and a hint of fruit flavor in the finish. The Kolsch style has little hop flavor or aroma, letting the sweet malt taste prevail.)

Outside the Bijou we stopped to take a photo of Joe’s equipment trailer, and then went inside out of the drizzle. I gave Corey a tour of the theater, since he had never been there. I told him some of the history of the theater, mainly about it once being a brothel, and during my time at the University of Tennessee, a porn theater! He was shocked to hear that I had once visited such a place, but I was merely skimming the surface of my colorful past!

I also mentioned that some say the Bijou is haunted!

I got a shot of Famous Grouse blended scotch whiskey over ice and preceded up stairs to our loggia seats. Our view of the stage was completely unobstructed, situated along the right wall of the auditorium, just behind the upper level box seats. To our left, the balcony seats began just one level up from our view. We could get up and leave the theater and come back without bothering a soul!

Corey had never heard of Joe Bonamassa, but he became a fan Tuesday night. He has always loved “slide” guitar, like his daddy, so I’m sure there will be a couple of CDs of Joe’s in his vehicle soon!

I’m looking forward to more “nights on the town” with my son in the coming years.

A LOVELY DAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

I visited my mom this morning and stayed until after lunch. She is doing well now and her appetite has been changed by the Prednisone her pulmonary has put her on. This steroid should help clear her lungs of fluid and inflammation. I’m hoping to take her home Wednesday.

She wanted KFC, not the wimpy stuff either, the full fat original recipe dark meat with slaw, mac and cheese, and a big biscuit! She loves her some KFC biscuits! She ate both pieces of chicken and a large portion of the sides. I was so happy to see her eat like that!

I left early so I could get home and see Lily. It’s been two weeks since I’ve gotten to see her, so I met her and Judy at Riverfront Park in Harriman. Lily had made friends with a little girl about a year younger and they became each other’s shadows.

The two girls played hard for about 2 hours in the cool, clear, fall air, with the bright colored trees in the background. The little one even learned to slip down the slide on her belly like the older one. It is a shame the two girls may never see each other again.

It took a little gentle coaxing to get her back in the car seat, but we were soon at home, and she was tucked in for an afternoon nap.

Before she knew it, her dad arrived to gather her and her day-school things up for the ride to their house. Corey, Judy, and I visited for about 30 minutes before waking her, but it was time enough to ask Corey to accompany me to the Joe Bonamassa concert Tuesday evening. He agreed, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s night on the town!

More on that later!

It was a lovely day in our neighborhood!

PURVEYOR OF GOOD NEWS

It’s blurry, but it was worth documenting the good news mom’s doctor brought us this morning, “No recurrence of the tumor,” she said, meaning that mom’s 2001 cancer has not come back.

Mom has been in the hospital a week today with a diagnosis of pneumonia. The CT scan confirmed the pneumonia is in the upper right lung and the lower left lung. However, with the antibiotics and breathing treatments over this past week, mom is much improved. She is eating well, and walking each day around the floor.

When we arrived at the emergency room last Sunday, she could barely walk or breathe, and had a temperature of 101. After a four hour wait, she was diagnosed and admitted.

She is still plagued with a debilitating cough that leaves her weak, gasping for breath, and hoarse. Her family doctor has now referred her to a lung (pulmonary) doctor, whose job it will be to rid her of the fluid and infection in her lungs, and therefore, the cough.

I’m hoping she will be discharged by mid-week.

Prior to the CT, an x-ray raised suspicions of a cancer recurrence, but it could not be accurately determined through the fluid surrounding the lungs. Today’s CT scan relieved us all and now she can get on with the business of getting well.

Just outside her hospital window, a beautiful fall is waiting to make her ride home even more enjoyable.

SAYING A FINAL GOODBYE TO UNCLE TOM AND REKINDELING OLD RELATIONSHIPS

Within fourteen hours of being told he had a “mass” on his kidney and liver, Uncle Tom passed away quietly in a Florence, Alabama hospital last week. On Wednesday evening the family gathered to support Aunt Carolyn (and each other) in her grief. She had gone home to get a few things to make her overnight stay in the hospital room more comfortable; when she got the call telling her Tom had slipped away. She feels badly that she wasn’t there, but he was talking to her when she left. It was quite a shock to everyone and only began sinking in at the funeral services on Thursday morning.

It was too quick for the family, but quick enough that he didn’t suffer.

The family gathered on a hillside in Sheffield, Alabama, just across the river from Florence, to say goodbye. Uncle Tom served in the United States Air Force for over 20 years, so the Air Force sent a detail to the funeral. It was a very touching funeral with taps, an honor guard firing rounds in the air, the flag being removed and folded, and finally being presented to Aunt Carolyn.

After the pastor read from the Bible and said his prayer, the pallbearers filed by and left their boutonnières on top of the coffin.

The earlier service was marked by one of his granddaughters reading a poem she had written, one of his daughters reading letters received from friends who couldn’t make it, and a prayer Tom had written in his personal Bible. I read a few words that were heavy on my heart that centered on the “black pepper” incident I once posted.

As is normal for most extended families, we don’t see each other more than a couple of times each year, sometimes its twenty years, and more often than not, the circumstances revolve around a tragedy. “The Cousins” enjoyed seeing each other and we always take the time to take a group shot. We were missing a few in this one, but we are discussing an annual reunion that will keep us in touch. I’ve also encouraged Facebook as a means of staying involved in each others lives, and I have already added several cousins to my “relatives” list.

I don’t know what it is about the “cousins”, but they always make me “act up” and this gathering was no different. I was going around taking one handed photos of me and various cousins…usually the girls for some reason, and having a great time making them laugh.

Happy as we were, we missed, and will miss, Uncle Tom. For the past couple of decades he has kept the family close, taking grandmother’s place as the focal point for our family. It’s now up to us to keep the relationship going. I’m hoping Facebook and a possible annual reunion will do the trick. Otherwise, there is no doubt that we will drift further and further apart. Since we still enjoy “playing” with each other, as we did as kids, that would be an even worse tragedy.

UNCLE TOM HAS PASSED AWAY

In my previous post I mentioned that my Uncle Tom (in the center) was sick...well, he died this morning at 3AM.

It was just two weeks ago that he was visiting here locally with my mom and giving me a big hug. Now, within two weeks he's gone! Man...we should all be so lucky when our times come. At least he didn't have to suffer through chemo and a lot of pain. His kidneys shut down and he went down hill fast.

As you can see in the 2 or 3 post I've had about him (you can search for them if you're interested), I will miss him a lot. He was special to me...laughed at every joke I ever told!

My mom, on the right in the shot above, has no lost 3 husbands, 4 brothers, and 1 sister. Neither her or Aunt Nell (on the left) ever expected to outlive their younger brother Tom.

HANGIN’ WITH MY PARTNER

Corey and I hit Wild Wings in Knoxville today to watch Tennessee play Georgia…great game! We finally put a balanced attack together and came up with 45 big points!

Our team is young with a new coach, but as the games tick by the experience comes. Everyone had better get what they can of us this season, because the VOLS are coming on strong. Corey predicts a championship in 2011! Let’s hope he is right.

The Wild Wings Café was packed, with extra tables set up everywhere there was space. There were plenty of TV screens to watch, at almost any angle, but we sat on the front row at a “high-top” looking directly at the big projected screen on stage. Terrific seats, great food (a 25 piece sampler platter), good tea and Fat Tire, and an enthusiastic crowd of folks dressed in “Big Orange”.

Check out the huge draft of beer, complete with tap, that some tables ordered! With a plastic bag of ice floating on top, there was plenty of cold beer for the entire game.

I was on a high when I got home, but my mom had called telling us that my Uncle Tom is not expected to leave the Florence, AL hospital. He has cancer on one kidney and on his liver, and the prognosis is not good. Mom is very upset because she is 83 years old and about to lose another sibling. Since Tom is 10 years younger than mom makes it especially hard too. Her age makes it difficult to travel and stay away from home for long periods, so I’m not sure what she will decide to do.

Anyway, whatever she decides about going or waiting, I’m here for her.

All in all, a good day with my son is what I’ll remember. Knowing that time takes us all too soon, there is just too much time between the good times, but my partner makes them memorable when they do come around. It’s days like today that I will remember when my time comes.

WHY I PRAY

John Muir once wrote, "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul." He was talking about the formation of our great national parks, but I suppose the statement could apply to my bedroom, for it’s true, I have healed and found cheer and strength for my soul there.

Primarily, my room is where I pray, and I don’t just pray for myself, for prayer is not a selfish undertaking. I do pray for my health and well being, but I also pray for the same blessings for my family and non-family members that I care about. If you have expressed a need in your life to me, through our conversations or on your blog or Facebook page, there is a good chance I have prayed for you in my room as well.

Often I hear the distant sound of a siren, or the thumping of the “Life Star” helicopter making its way down the valley to a local hospital, or perhaps a traffic accident, to pick up and transport a victim with special and urgent needs to the University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville. Either of those sounds is enough to immediately prompt me to stop what I’m doing and say a little prayer for that unknown person/s and their family.

Prayer is a big part of my life, although you would never know it, even if you followed me day in and day out. It’s private. It often is silent and personally locked away inside my brain. Other times it is an audible whisper of a specific name or need in the darkness of my room called out to my God.

I don’t remember when I first began praying, but it must have been around my sixteenth birthday, for this was the age I was first baptized. Yes, I’ve actually been baptized three times. The first time I was a scared naïve young boy who was frightened by the thought put into my head by a Baptist preacher during "alter call", “What if you walked out of here tonight without answering ‘the call’ and were killed?”

That is scary stuff to a young uneducated mind, and that’s exactly how most acceptances of Christ’s blood occur. I realize such first time events can lead to a long life of Christian dedication, but it does take time to fully understand exactly what it all meant. Later there comes full understanding, but few go back for another baptism.

The second time I “went forward”, as it is known in the Baptist Church, it was because of a great sin in my life. In order to avoid dying and going to hell for my sin, as I believed then, I again accepted Christ and was baptized again.

Many years later, I became part of another church group, totally foreign to my Baptist upbringing, but the doctrine truly spoke to my heart and the logic in my brain. I dropped out of the Baptist Church and accepted this church doctrine and its people and once again was baptized in a long galvanized tub, just long enough for me to stretch out in, and, with the many hands of the church’s deacons and elders pushing me down, I was finally completely submerged! That one is the baptism that I personally accept as being the “real” one and will be the last one I will ever experience.

Anyway, somewhere around sixteen I realized how good I felt if I prayed each morning and night, and I felt better yet if I prayed for everyone I knew, especially those in need. Therefore, it continues today.

A typical prayer outline might go like this:

My wonderful, gracious, and loving Father in Heaven, thank you so much for giving us this day.

I ask that you watch over my mother – keep her safe, healthy, and strong. Thank you for her Father.

Please watch over my brother and his wife.

Watch over my son, his wife, Lily and Kinsley…and thank you for them and bless them.

Watch over my daughter, her husband, and Katie Bug. Please bless them as you have blessed me.

Watch over Danielle and Christi and their babies.

Please watch over me and Judy…keep us safe and healthy and forgive us of our sins. Lead, direct, and protect us Father. Without you Father we are nothing and there is nothing. Thank you from your love, your Grace, and your many, many blessings.

Watch over my brothers and sisters-in-law Father.

Watch over our men and women in the military Father and bring them home safely.

Please watch over our country and protect us from terrorism.

Please watch over…(here I insert names of non-family members I know that need special help, or who have asked to be remembered)

Father watch over and keep us all safe.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Over the years I’ve prayed for some very serious situations and, more often than not, those prayers have been answered. Therefore, it would be very hard for anyone to convince me that prayer doesn’t work. I don’t demand that my prayers be answered, just that His will is done and that I will accept His decision as best. Although, there have been times when I went “boldly before the throne” and asked that He see my reason for asking for His help.

So, when you see my light go out, please wait a few minutes before disturbing me, because almost immediately, laying there in the dark, with my eyes closed, and my arms bent at the elbows and raised upward, I begin to talk to my Heavenly Father. I may be talking to Him about you!

A BIG WEEKEND IN ROANE COUNTY TENNESSEE

This past Saturday was a big event day in Roane County, Tennessee. Both Rockwood and Kingston held annual events that brought people back into the little rural communities to socialize.

I visited Rockwood's 2009 Fall Festival which was held on the main drag. The event included a beauty pageant, dunking booth, and lots of bouncy things for kids, crafts, hot dogs, baloney sandwiches, fried apple, peach, cherry, lemon, and vanilla pies, popcorn, fried chicken legs and much more!

There was an old tractor and car show and many musical acts including Bill Wright, Russ Roberts, Joanne Cash Yates and more. The music played constantly, one act at a time, while people strolled the street eating and looking at the crafts offered for sale. The antique stores had a continuous stream of "lookers", while child giggled and screamed in glee!

Over in Kingston, about 10 miles away, hundreds of cars were parked on the acreage surrounding the old Southwest Point Fort, and crowds walked to see the 2009 Kingston Country Fair. Craft and food booths were lined around the ball field, and inside the field fence was various things to do like listen to bluegrass music, climb a rock wall, face painting, ride a slow pony to nowhere, or bounce or play in the colored balls!

I missed the antique car show, which, by that time, was cruisin' over to Rockwood's event! Darn! I sure wish the events had been on different weekends!

It was a beautiful day in Roane County with low humidity and fall like temperatures, a bright blue sky, and a warm wind coming out of the west. As a matter of fact, I saw folks having lots of trouble keeping their booth canopies firmly grounded. At Kingston, one tent lifted up and flipped over backwards, leaving one booth worker rubbing her head! At Rockwood, one worker held on to the tent while another made my sandwich!

Anyway, I had a great time eating my fried baloney "samich" and cherry pie! Wish you had been there...you could have held my drink for me!

There are more photos of both events posted HERE!

A VISIT TO ANOTHER RESTORED THEATER

I just wanted to share some photos I took while on a wet and soggy "lessons learned" trip to Maryville, TN Saturday. Capitol Theatre there was restored a few years ago and continues to turn a profit for its owner Heath Claiborne. He told us several pitfalls to avoid and gave us the 50 cent tour.

We found several people visiting their coffee and souvenir shop, milling around the lobby, and many were in the auditorium setting up for a wedding. Gary introduced himself to Benita and Heath Claiborne, owners of the Capitol, and we soon had the 50 cent tour, including the auditorium, the basement, the upstairs interactive video game and lecture room, complete with wide-screen, and Heath’s private artist studio. My apologies to the lady I cut in half!

I went with Gary Baker (right in the group shot) and Dr. Julian Ahler (retired - center of the photo), who have a habit of doing a "road trip" once a month, and have begun inviting me alone. We all work on the Princess Restoration Project in Harriman, so these trips usually involve fact finding for that effort. Although, sometimes we are hunting watermelons, sourdough bread, and homemade cheeses!

Today we found a wonderful doughnut shop (Richy Krème), a used bookstore, and a pint of ale and appetizers at Sullivan's Fine Food in historic downtown Maryville!

As we begin to spend the $1.7M the Princess Foundation just received from TVA, there will be several of these trips, and plenty of opportunities to share my adventures with you!

There are some other shots posted at FLICKR and more about the theater on the Princess Blog!

MUSHY SEES HIS FIRST NFL GAME

Yes, after all these years I finally got to a professional football game. It seems like I saw a pre-season exhibition game twenty or more years ago, but I can’t be sure. Anyway, I was quite pleased with my first experience even though it turned into a very hot and humid day in the sun.

My friend, Gary Baker, invited me and a couple more friends to Sunday’s Titan vs. Texans game in Nashville. It’s only about an hour and a half to Nashville, so we took our time, stopping for a Cracker Barrel breakfast in Lebanon, TN.

I rarely go to University of Tennessee games anymore, preferring to watch in HD from the comfort of my recliner. Fighting the traffic and crowds in Knoxville is just not that much fun. But, this was different…we parked about 200 yards from the main entrance, and walked directly down to our 45-yard line seats with ease! That coupled with the great fellowship and cold Fat Tire beer was something I could enjoy most anytime.

Gary has been down with bad sinus congestion all this week, and I think he thought he was about over it. However, it turned out that the heat, humidity, and the drive was more than he could stand. We didn’t stay the entire game, and started back before the game, which was a fairly boring offensive game, was over. Titans lost 34-31.

Our buddy Nathan Hammond (first to my left in the photos - then David Webb and Gary), took the controls back while Gary sat, eyes closed, in the back. Gary didn’t miss a beat in the conversation though, so he never really went to sleep. However, you can bet he went straight to bed after getting home!

I’m posting this just to tell Gary THANKS, and get well soon! He was a trooper!

BE SURE TO DOUBLE CLICK THE MERGED SHOTS FOR A BETTER VIEW!

MY FAVORITE PROJECT GETS $1.7M IN FUNDING

Some of you news buffs may remember hearing about a devastating ash spill at TVA's Kingston Steam Plant on December 22 of this year. TVA is still engaged in the cleanup of that catastrophic containment breach, and settling with area home owners that lost their homes and property.

In a further attempt to make amends and gain positive PR, the Tennessee Valley Authority has earmarked $43 million in Roane County, Tennessee restoration projects. While education is the primary area needing funding, a portion of that funding, $1.7 million, was awarded to the Princess Foundation Project, a project that I have been a part of since the first of 2009.

In celebration of that good news, I posted this piece on the Princess Theater Blog today:

THE BEST NEWS FOR HARRIMAN IN 40+ YEARS!

The Roane County Economic Development Foundation announced today the projects that will be funded with the money TVA donated on Monday (9/14/09) for the restoration of Roane County, Tennessee.

Today (9/16/09) the Foundation announced the “approved” projects that the $43 million earmarked for Roane County economic development. Those specific projects were:

$5 million: Kingston sewer improvements

$32,000: Rockwood paving improvements

$1.7 million: Princess Theater complex renovation in Harriman

An approval for $32 million for the Roane County school system expansion is anticipated to come very soon.

The $1.7 million for the restoration of the Princess "complex" area in Downtown Harriman, could actually have been included in the promised $32 million that will be directed toward the Roane County school system, since the theater, and the two adjacent buildings, will become an Arts Education and Conferencing Center managed by Roane State Community College. However, it is important to highlight the Princess Project because this project will have a long lasting effect on the County’s educational system, and bring new life to Downtown Harriman area.

Most people think the Princess will become a “movie theater” again, which is far from the truth. True, there may be times a special movie, especially ones created by local movie makers and/or the arts departments of Roane State and the local high schools, is shown and premiered at the Princess Theater, but the truth is the primary purpose of the auditorium segment of the Arts Education and Conferencing Center “complex” (see area #3 in the photo above) will be for arts and event productions, large scale teleconferencing meetings, reunions and similar party and planning events, and live music.

Area #1 (in photo above) is slated to become a TV and radio station operated by the students of Roane State Community College. Area #2 will become part of the lobby of area #3, an area that will showcase art and memorabilia. Area #4 will be used as project related offices, teleconferencing management/control areas, and dressing areas for the various events, shows, and live music.

The result of such a “complex” will be the enhancement of arts education in the area which results in entertainment for the citizens of the area.

As Harriman Mayor Chris Mason said today, “This Princess project will have more of a positive impact on the downtown revitalization than anything else we could have done. The best thing about this project is that it will expand our youth’s education throughout the region and that is what really motivates me to keep going on this project.”

The Mayor went on to say, “Today I have the pleasure to let you know that the Roane County Economic Development Board voted unanimously to give the Princess Foundation for Arts Education and Conference Center $1.7 million for the project. This, combined with the grant will fully finish the project and make it the most technologically advanced building in our county. It will be an extension of RSCC campus where all of our youth will be able to participate and take classes in media production, lighting, stage production, sound design etc. It will bring tourists in from out of town to watch shows on the weekend as well as be the catalyst for economic growth downtown.

I want to thank everyone that has participated in this LONG endeavor including the Harriman City Council that formally passed a resolution requesting that this project be funded. THIS IS THE BEST NEWS THAT HARRIMAN HAS HAD IN THE LAST 40+ YEARS!! This project WILL change the downtown as we currently know it and will change the lives of so many youth in our region.

The projected open date will be Summer 2010.

Thanks again…the future is bright for the City of Harriman!”