Monday, March 10, 2014

Daniel days

Daniel came to visit us over the weekend! I wanted him to get a real feel for the area and our life here so I took him to Hobby Lobby. Welcome to the south!

After I picked him up from the airport on Friday I took him to the Parthenon. As one of the few places I can get to in Nashville (besides the doctors office), it's become a staple of my Nashville tour. 

Saturday morning we went for Mennonite doughnuts (best doughnuts OF ALL TIME) and to see Fort Campbell. I always like to take guests on my award winning Fort Campbell tour and this time Christopher came along as assistant tour guide. It comes as no surprise that he tells things along the lines of "The 639th was established in 1902 under the guidance of so and so. That office building is the home of the SOAR and they deploy such and such. The 2257LTL's transport troops performing operational exercises." My typical lines are "That's where people store their campers. Oh look! A soldier!"

It's a very well-rounded tour.

The last stop on our tour was to pick up my friend Scherrie before driving back towards Nashville for a little more site-seeing. We went to Fontanel Mansion, one of the largest log cabin in the world. It was built by Barbara Mandrell who apparently is a Somebody in the world of country music from long ago but I couldn't tell you one song she sang. If we were talking about Johnny Cash or, OR COURSE, Brad Paisley or Josh Turner I'd have been a little more educated and possibly even willing to serenade my fellow tour members with a number from my large repertoire.

I learned something from the tour: the missing pieces in my guest room are a large feathered headdress and a sequined and bedazzled ox (?) skull. I don't know why I didn't think of that myself. 
We went to Nashville so Daniel could have some "real" barbecue. Christopher says my kind of barbecue, Sweet Baby Rays squeezed from a bottle onto chicken, is fake. He probably saw Daniel as his second chance to win a New Englander to his side. I think he forgot we grew up in the same house therefore ate the same food therefore may have the same definition of barbecue. Be that as it may, we put the address for Jack's Barbecue into the gps and arrived at a different Jack's than we intended. Christopher and Scherrie stuck their heads out the window like dogs sniffing the air to see if the place passed the smell test. They said it did not. I said it was clearly the same type of Jack's restaurant as the one we meant to go to since the signs were identical but the two bbq experts insistence that it wasn't won out. We got to the Nashville Jack's and LOW AND BEHOLD I was correct one again. We ended up at a hamburger place since the wait was too long so Daniel never got his real barbecue, but he saw the sign. Twice. 
Touristy picture with Sesame sticking out large and in charge. 

You will not believe what happened Sunday when the Sunday school teacher's wife asked Daniel what his last name/my maiden name is. He pronounced it differently than the way we were taught by our ancestors and have said it since the beginning of time aka our lives. He said it's easier to say it his new way because people understand it better (it is difficult for the uneducated to pronounce), but why suddenly change how you say your name after 30 years of saying it one way?? I got very worked up about the whole thing and am fairly certain it was responsible for the gray hair I found a few hours later. 

He went home today but not before fixing our broken chairs and holding bows for me at the Hob Lob. Like I always say, my home is a prime vacation destination.

8 comments:

Jen said...

It's always nice when family visits. :)

stephanie said...

Your post tour sounds like mine only mine is sprinkled with "and here's the girls favorite park!" "and the commissary, just make sure to avoid it after payday *cackle*" *awkward silence* whatevs. Are you busy this week?

Jenn said...

How horrible is it that I'm spacing on your maiden name right now? Have you ever told it to me? Have I really forgotten it if you did? I can usually remember facts like this! Anyway, I feel like we're horribly behind on catching up on things, but alas, I have given up gossiping for Lent. The most holy sacrifice, I know, but I can't give up wine at a time like this, so gossip it is. But maybe we could play a game of "guess who" and we can communicate that way.

Toi said...

I don't usually comment on blogs, but I'm finally breaking my silence here. I'm one of the other married girls from Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life. I don't know why I've never stopped by your blog before. I've obviously been missing out. You are really funny! And you look adorable pregnant. I just had a baby in August. I'm so excited for you and your husband. And I'm excited to see what you have cooking in there! Some day we'll have to have a big married Kelly's Korner gathering and bring all the babies.

Oh and come to Kansas, we'll show you real bbq!

Amy said...

Great tour. If you haven't already, check out the Jefferson Davis Monument in Fairview, KY. For a small fee you can go to the top of the monument and see for miles around. Check the dates for tours. Plus there is a great Mennonite plant nursery very close to the park.

Kate @ Daffodils said...

Um that is hilarious that he start pronouncing your name another way!

At my grandfathers funeral (this is a connected story, I swear) my MIL was talking to one of my Opa's employees who is from Hungary and told him she was from the Faaar-cccooouussss' klan of Hungary and I almost spit my drink out because her maiden name is Farkas. Can't really pronounce it any other way but Fark-ass. But good try Deb.

Michelle said...

I love this!! And this makes me want to visit more than ever.

I really think you need a bejeweled ox skull for your house.

Karen said...

I definitely feel like my house is also lacking in decor now... I had no idea I needed a bejeweled ox head - the things you learn when you are down South. Having family visit is always fun!