Tennessee

So what did you do for Easter? I bet your grandparents didn't take you to the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, TN. You guessed it, mine did.


My grandparents are the coolest, they let me tag along on one of their trips to TN. They have been going to Shelbyville, TN at least 4 times a year since they got into showing horses like 50 years ago. Since then they have made a lot of "horse people" friends and they are a part of the quirky community that collects there in Shelbyville for the many horse shows that take place.

The big talk of the town was that "Jim", the chef that used to work at "My House" (famous local restaurant) was now at "The Mill". Also, the government is getting suspiciously overly involved in the local horse shows and instituting some new and ridiculous rules. I just sat back and enjoyed the simple conversation that didn't involve schedules, or taxes, or deadlines. It was lovely.

Unfortunately my grandparents are as adverse to having their pictures taken as I am. So I got almost no pictures of them, or of me. Not a lot people at all really. Bob (grandma) actually told me I can't take her picture again until she's dead. I'm like, "I'm not going to take any pictures of you when you're dead" she replied with nothing but a triumphant smirk. She got me again.




Rare pic of both my grandparents. It's probably 40 years old and it's of them in front of the JD Distillery way back when. I randomly had it on my computer
Parish Patch Farm/ Inn where they stay. When we got there it was around 6p.m. The front door was open and there was a note on the desk that no one was around because the phones were out, but they'd see us at 8 for breakfast.



Stone walls built with no morter. They're stacked, flat lime stone rocks dug out of the fields by slaves and stacked to make a wall like 200 years ago.
Horse Shows!!!
Look how craftily this lady matched her outfit to her pony, poor little guy - matching red accents and everything


At the end of each class (group of horses competing against one another) they line up like this to be judged
One of the best things about my grandparents is that they are just as comfortable taking friends and clients out to fancy shmancey eateries as they are to stopping by the local "Cafeteria" to grub before the show. This place was 100% classic.
70% of the people in here are probably carrying around an extra 150 lbs or so - the other 30% are their kids who probably carry around an extra 50. So sad.

mmm, southern cook'n
Cute random old couple at the show
Custom airbrushed front plates for your rig

** Feeble attempt of a blog

I have been wicked busy, tiered, and without internet for months it seems, but I think about blogging often - so that should count for something.

There are some great stories and pics that will just have to be posted later, but I do have a few new developing life plans if anyone's interested.

One of the latest, look for a job in Telluride, CO. 6hours from SLC (self explanitory - cause everyone cool lives there), 6 hours from Denver (Sarah, the Neil, and so much more), 6 hours to Vegas (Manda and Cub Dawg), and 6 hours to Sante Fe (family just moved there and say it's awesome) PLUS (note big plus) mountains as far as the eye can see.

The next, and most recent plan I've been crushing on, finish up work here until about mid May, spend the summer in and out of SLC, go back to NY in August for Carly's wedding celebration, to Amsterdam from there to work there for a few months or so and meet up with Linds (cousin) in Europe, travel around intermittently with her while working in Amsterdam at my mythological job that rocks and I don't have to commit to for more than 4 or 5 months, come home for Christmas, ski for a month or so, then meet up with Amanda in India to do work at a leper colony, then get my dream job/ life in Colorado or Montana or San Fransisco or Utah?

That's all, just the latest scheming. A girls gotta dream . . .

How sweet is this picture? It explains so much about my childhood.
ps. that's my dad and his first born, on his back, while he rides a dirt bike.

. . . and on another note, this is my grandpa with one of his Great Danes.

Great Danes

I'm lounged on the sofa watching 60 min (a new phenomenon since our little tv decided to start picking up 5 local channels!)

One of the big stories is about happiness. Denmark was voted happiest country in the world by a study done in England. These are interesting studies because they seem quite relative. Plus I'm also not sure how well happiness would lend itself to a scientific study like that, but whether Denmark is number 1 or not they had some interesting things to say.

• They are people who don't expect to be the best, or the richest, the healthiest even.

• They have 6 weeks vacation a year from their jobs.

• There aren't many extremely wealthy people, or extremely poor ones either.

• The country's history is one of defeat, take overs, and resettlements.

• Their university's are free - students that pass required tests are paid to go to college.

• They also pay about 50% of their income in taxes.

Can you imagine the US paying their government 50% of what they make? and agreeing on how it's spent!? and trusting that they will be taken care of!? I wouldn't

A bunch of Danes were interviewed and generally they felt like they would be found as "the happiest" because they have humble expectations. They laughed how if they would have been voted 20th most happy country (like the U.S. was) that they would probably be like "Cool, at least we're in the top 25". My first thoughts when I heard that the U.S. was 20th was "oh man, I knew we wouldn't be the happiest. We wouldn't deserve it any how - we can be such jerks" - that's a sad commentary on my out look for sure.

I admire their priorities. I know it's hard for me to not get caught up in feeling like I'm supposed to be doing more - and getting more too. To be better, but better than what? every body else?

In an attempt to follow in the Danes foot steps (reasonable expectations), I don't suppose that the US could or would be able to change their "bigger, faster, stronger" aditude, but I hope that on my own I can find a balance for unreasonable expectations. Being content sounds a lot better than the stress I put on myself for more, more, more.

Just a little Sunday ramble for ya. Happy mid Feb. week! I miss everyone a whole whole lot.

A friends grandpa recently passed away - unfortunately I didn't know him too well, but I just read his obituary and I thought it was great. He wrote it himself -

R. Paul Cracroft "P.C." Ironic, huh? First time my pic's run in the paper in years, and I'm not around to clip the obit. Tough! . . .

Coming from someone who doesn't read a whole lot of obituaries I think this one is pretty great.

Paul Cracroft

is it shady to post an obituary? if so oops. That's what they get for letting anyone get a blogspot!

Two Tumbleweeds

Art and design blog keep'n it real

The unpredictably clever, creative, and inventive twins have done it again - and it's so pretty
I'm so glad they're putting not only their artistic skillzzzzz together, but their kooky ones too, because it's one of my favorite things about them

www.twotumbleweeds.blogspot.com

There is a wealth of good finds already built up in this relatively new blog, so start catching up with it cause there's a lot to learn from these scoundrels