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Friday, January 8, 2010

I'm so glad you've stopped by!

It's 2010! The Holidays went by so quickly. Thanks to those who popped in to see if I was ok since I haven't posted for a while and hadn't visited sites lately, but I was just taking a much needed break. I even left my laptop home when out. My family was shocked. Here's what I've been doing..............................

I recieved a gift certificate from Here for Christmas. It takes a minimuum of 3 hours to get through this place and they have a wonderful little cafe where they make home made chili and other items, it is a day well spent . I'll show you in a later post what I  found, but I was sooooo excited.
On another day I surprised Jim by going to Entertrainment Junction
It is a new museum in the Cincy area dedicated to trains and model train builders. We're talking large scale layouts. Very detailed, all hand built, and the majority dedicated to vintage eras!. This place is huge, again another whole day excursion, but well worth the time. You cannot see it just once. They change it all the time and have special layouts different times of the year. During the summer they even have a garden set up with an outdoor train layout! Sorry not more pics, but my camera ran out of battery and no one sold any there. Moral of the story. When visiting this place take extra batteries you will be flashing a lot! But not to worry, we will definately going back, so there will be more pics in the future.
We went for short rides around the area. Snow and ice kept us from going too far in any direction. Seems all the really bad snows have been going around us. We are in this little bubble. Finally on New Years Eve we checked with Jellico Tn police and they said the Mountain was fine....it was getting to it thru Ky that was tricky, but we decided to take a road trip New Years Day! We left at 6A. weather wa fine til' we got just below Lexingron, Ky. little snowdrifts crawled across the road and the snow shower made it seem like fog. Once we got to Jellico, Tn the clouds see, to part a little and no snow or ice. Usually during this week there is ice and snow laying around, but luckily not this time! Around noon we got to Sevierville/Pigeon Forge just in time for lunch.

This  is the Apple House Resturant. A converted home as you can see. The atmosphere alone is worth the stop. They have a varied menu and the Apple Fritters are a must. They have a large aviary of beautiful finches and near that tables with porch swings instead of chairs.

When you're finished eating they have a whole shopping complex. They are an apple orchard so the whole barn is apple everything, especially the yummy apples and ciders. There is a bakery that specializes in fried apple pies, a candy store, and a winery...yes they have had a winery for several years now that produces award-winning wines.  From there we headed toward Gatlinburg.

See those clouds! They are covering the top of the mountains. You can see the breaks of blue sky, but the closer to the Gatlinburg connetor the more crowded it got. The picture doesn't show it that well, but the haziness on the mountain is snow..not good....the whole pass was closed to ice and snow. You couldn't get across to North Carolina. We turned around to head to my Aunt and Uncles for a visit. We thought we could go over to Cades Cove the next day, but no luck......it was also closed.
We had a wonderful time with my Aunt and Uncle and before we left she gave me her Toyota Serger! I am soooo excited. She gave me all kinds of books, video tapes, manuels....now I'm gonna have to get some classes.....I can't wait.
Now it's snowed here. We have had winter weather advisories all week. It's such a dry snow...not as much as some of you guys have gotten tho....and it's a nice sledding and cross-country skiing, but walking is slippery, so with my knee venturing outside is a scary thought. I've been working on the websites and trying to organize my craft space, and cooking. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get in to work to start the new year. To be honest cabin fever sets in quickly with me, so I'm ready to get out! What do you do when you're stuck inside? Did you go anywhere during the holiday week?

4 comments:

Shirley said...

Hi Melody, We are having more snow today. We have secondary roads closed because of drifts. The major highway has so many slide offs it looks like a parking lot. The streets in town aren't the best. but if you are careful you can get around. I didn't work yesterday and only a half a day today. The blowing snow and bitter cold is the main problem especially the bitter cold and they are saying -35 degrees tonight. I went and pick up medicine this afternoon so tomorrow I can stay stationary. I would love to bring John to see the train layouts. I need to save my money. I think weather cooperating you can get to your area in about a day. I did worry about you hoping that you made it to where you wanted to go. I enjoyed being able to sleep a little late. I have been getting back into the cooking habit because we have actually been in for a change. It took 2 hours just to get across town, stop at the grocery store and pick up a few things Wednesday. They dug me back out Thursday at about 4 oclock. I have been working on some tea towels that I am going to list on my blog I don't like my pictures so I am going to try to retake them. You take care and be careful. Your Missouri Friend Shirley

Niesz Vintage Home said...

Sounds like you had fun on your "break". :-)
Hubby and I have talked about going to the train museum, but have yet to go.
ooohhhhh, and I know you had fun with that gift certificate! That is definitely one of the best antique malls in our area. I haven't been in a while, and need to pop in.

Have fun with your new serger!
Kimberly :-)

Cinderella Moments said...

That looks fun!

ImagiMeri said...

That train museum looks awesome. My grandpa used to do HO scale model trains, and they always facinated me. The detail some of these people get is amazing. Thanks for the piccy's.

Meri