You Can Choose Your Friends But You Can't Choose Your Relatives, Part TWO

“Well he must have cooties, either that or his jock strap don’t fit.” Grandma Jones

“Grandpa always said better out than in” Grandma Jones on farts

"Grandpa didn't ever want me to get my ears pierced, he said I already had enough holes in my head." Grandma

It really isn’t a terrible habit to just wake up when we wake up – ok well a little after Emma wakes up and then wakes Phil up. Anyhow, that way we’ve gotten enough sleep and we aren’t cranky in the car. There’s nothing worse than being cranky in a car for several hours.

Before heading out of Nashville we headed downtown for a quick walk down Historic 2nd Avenue and down the River Front and into the little Fort Nashborough set up. It was nice to get out and walk and see a little bit of downtown. Then we headed out to Centennial Park to see the Parthanon, a pretty amazing building in the ‘Athens’ of the South.

Then we hit the road – and probably one of the boringest drives we’ve had so far. Lots of farms and about nothing else. Yay corn! However, we took a quick detour at just the right time. Dunbar Cave State Park – was a nice little rest stop for a little walk and a visit to a big cold cave, and also home of Miss USA 2007, though not sure what town we were in. So if you really want to know, just google Miss USA 2007. The cave gave off cold air as the park ranger led a group of doomed visitors inside after locking the gate. We could hear their screams as the cave monsters tore their flesh off. I think we were lucky to not have arrived in time to figure out how to get tickets.




We arrived in Belleville, IL at Grandma Jones’ house around 5pm. We were able to sit around visiting until it was time to meet up with Uncle Jim and Aunt Bonnie for dinner at Jefferson’s. Once again, one of the best things about hanging out with family is the stories that you’re told and it’s also been fun for us that grandparents can relate to the simple way we lived in Tanzania.

The next day, Sunday, we staged as excuses for Grandma to skip church. Grandma and I sat around in the kitchen and chatted over coffee and toast while Phil slept in.

I finally woke up, had coffee, and then we headed to the ‘Shrine’ for brunch buffet. I think I save us money by waking up so late that we get to skip breakfast. We sat at brunch with Grandma just people watching – there was the family mom that couldn’t stop talking to the nuns who just patiently/attentively listened, there were the fancy dressed church goers with their Sunday hats and leopard print dresses, and the kid with a Mohawk and his strait laced parents. People watching should be a sport.

For the rest of the afternoon we patiently waited for my cousin Lori and her fiancé, Shawn. I hadn’t seen Lori since she and the family came to watch a soccer tournament in Memphis my junior year of college. And that wasn’t even a real visit. She’s all grown up and engaged and graduating from college soon – crazy. Anyhow, it was great to see her and to meet Shawn. Thanks for making the trip up guys!
Now we’re just preparing ourselves for the drive north to Chicago.



Stay Tuned. Tupo huru.