On the way to Myrtle Beach

Mom and I decided to stop on the way to Myrtle Beach rather than drive straight through. Google Maps didn't want us to have to go through Nashville, so we took county roads to bypass it. Thank goodness for my MiMi. (ed note: MiMi is my phone with GPS. When Mike is lost on the road, he calls me for help and I look up where he is and give him directions from Google Maps. So instead of a TomTom, he has Me-Me. So that is what I named my phone.) Unfortunately MiMi wasn't quite as clear as we expected, and Mom might have called her a few less-than-pleasant names. This became a problem later when I tried to voice-text Mike regarding our activities. MiMi didn't exactly translate what I was saying. The conversation (via text) went something like this:
Mike: How are Thelma and Louise doing? Because we were on a great adventure and that is one of Mom's favorite movies.
Me (to MiMi): We are good, but we passed up Brad Pitt.
MiMi: We are good, but we picked up Brad Pitt.
Me (to MiMi): PASSED UP! PASSED UP!
MiMi: Shut up! Shut up!
Mom: Cackles like a pteradactyl
Me (to MiMi): We DROVE BY him!
MiMi: Joe Biden!
Me (to Mom): Stop it! MiMi doesn't speak pteradactyl.
Mom: sounds like a flock of pteradactyls needing an inhaler
Me (to MiMi, in tears from laughter): MiMi has gone crazy.
MiMi: MiMi has gone crazy.
Mike: Sounds like she's not alone.

Well, we did finally make it to Knoxville. I used my Starwood points to get us a room at the Four Points by Sheraton. Since I'm a gold member, they upgraded us to a junior suite. But that wasn't the best part. We were tired, but not so tired we couldn't order room service for breakfast the next morning. We just left our order on the doorknob, and at 6:00 am (yeah, that was 5:00 CT), it arrived.  Mom had never had room service before so it was a Kodak moment.

I love me a full American breakfast, and the charge in Knoxville was about half what I'd pay in DC so we went all out: bacon, eggs, potatoes, toast, juice and coffee. And yes, Mom took the little baby bottle of ketchup with her. We got an early start on full bellies, promised to play nice with MiMi and headed to Myrtle Beach. Since the CD player in the new car didn't work, I bought a cord to connect my iPod and loaded up a "Nana mix." We sang at the top of our voices:  Blondie; Johnny Cash; Elton John; Neil Diamond; the best of the 60s, 70s and 80s; Elvis; and classic country: Rose Garden, King of the Road, Stand By Your Man, The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A., The Gambler, He Stopped Loving Her Today, 9 to 5, and my personal favorite, Harper Valley P.T.A.

 

After a stop at the Great Smokies Flea Market at exit 407, we were back on the road. But not for long. Just off I-40 is a great little town Mike and I discovered on one of our many trips to Gatlinburg, Waynesville, NC. I originally looked this up because the artist who makes the Sonshine Promises figures has a studio here. Her studio is only open by appointment now, but the town itself it adorable, with great shopping, restaurants, and a charming Main Street. Mom made a few new friends there.

We had a nice break, did a little shopping (got some great deals at a secondhand shop) and hopped back on the road. By the time we made it to the hotel, Pam already had dinner ready and we settled in for a movie. Thelma and Louise, of course. It was a great start to a great vacation.