One More Day...

I only have one more day of my little "mini-vacation." and now that I'm back home my stomach is beginning to churn from all the things I need to do before I start the new assignment. My brain keeps spinning from...don't forget this...and you'll need to do that...and hey, what about this?? Today I'll start making lists, because without them I doubt I'll remember everything.

The concert this weekend was really neat. Robert Plant (from Led Zeppelin) and Alison Krauss seem like an odd couple at first, but boy can they sing!! What a combination of voices! It was a great show in a smallish civic center in downtown Asheville. Our seats were close to the stage, we were in the second section back.

Asheville...what a sweet little town. It's filled with cute restaurants, art galleries and boutiques. And it's also a good mix of older people and young folk. I would say anyone who enjoys the arts and music would be drawn to this place. Needless to say I felt perfectly comfortable in Asheville. H-m-m-m, I may consider it rather than Savannah for a retirement spot.
It would be a bit closer to my family and the only thing missing for me would be the ocean! But the mountains would be a good trade off! Perhaps I'll have a little condo in Myrtle Beach too. That would be a great combination. Myrtle in the winter, Asheville in the summer. Wow...now that's an idea!!

After the show we walked up a few blocks towards my car and headed to a little coffee shop. We sat there on the street sipping a hot cup of joe watchin' the concert crowd clear. Then we had no trouble driving out of town. It's kinda funny in a way...I wonder how many people drove roundtrip, 600 miles to see the concert? But the drive was a good excuse to do some sightseeing along the way. I would certainly do it again...in fact I may start searching now for the next great concert in some distant little town.

A Lesson from the Local

On the way back from Asheville I drove a few miles off the main highway on some little backroads to see this cute little old covered bridge. While there I met a good ole boy named Frank. He's the man who owns most of the acreage to the left of the bridge. He was telling me a funny story about how he has had to "police" the area over the years.

"People are always down here making sin," Frank said. "Once I walked down to the bridge and there was a guy standing in the creek holding a can of white paint and a big paintbrush." Frank has a southern drawl and a slow way of speaking when he tells a story. It just grabs your attention as he accentuates every word.

Frank said, "I asked him what he was doin' and he said he was just fixin' to paint his name on that big rock over there on the creek bed." "Well when yur dun with that, can I use your paintbrush," Frank continued. "I'd like to paint my name too!" He said, the guy answered, Sure! Then Frank told him, "Yeah, I'm gonna paint my name on your truck!" The guy replied, WHAT???!!! Frank went on matter-of-factly, "Yeah, that's my rock ain't it? And you're gonna paint your name there on my rock, so I'm just gonna paint my name on the side of your truck. That sounds about right don't it?" Frank grinned as he finished the story, "That guy got the message right quick!"

And nope come to think of it, I don't recall seeing anyone's name painted on that creek bed. Apparently Frank's calm way of making his point works! I guess I'll just have to remember that one...