There were plans made yesterday to visit Echo rock. I’ve never been there. Have heard a lot about it, but have never actually seen it. So I was sort of looking forward to it.
At the last minute, however, the rest of the clan made the decision to go to Huntsville and buy groceries. Yay.
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| Not a lot of Curling Clubs in Atlanta….. |
Actually, it wasn’t a bad trip. For one thing, Diane let me drive her car – a new Subaru Outback. Since the Outback is on my extremely short list of cars that I’m considering (to replace my aging and expensive Audi), I was really rather pleased to be able to drive one for an extended period and on a few different road types. It drove really well and remains at the top of my list. On the highway – with the A/C at max – it cruised along at about 30 MPG, and it did a great job smoothing out the bumps when I took an alternate way home along the (dirt and gravel) Midlothian Road. Had to brake hard twice when I got on the Nippissing Road – once for a quail (which was wholly unimpressed with the car’s horn) and again when the Thompson Road driveway suddenly appeared on my left before I was ready for it.
I’m a bit baffled why it doesn’t have a temperature gauge (it has, instead, a needle that swings wildly and is supposed to tell you how economically you’re driving); but other than that, it’s a nice car. Now I just have to decide when I’m actually going to commit myself to 3-5 more years of car payments.
While in Huntsville, we ate at a river on the docks (I believe the restaurant is called “On the Docks”). I had a burger, served to me by a young woman who looks exactly like the Olson twins.
Upon our return to Camp Ulvik, we immediately hopped into quiet mode. For me, that meant practicing the big horn for a couple of hours. I read a number of different etudes from my Arban’s Cornet Method – nearly broke my fingers (and my chops) on variations of Yankee Doodle, Blue Bells of Scotland, and America. Fun pieces all, though. I might try to concentrate on one of more of them today.
Dinner last night was prepared by Diane and Don and consisted of flank steak, baked beans, and salad. Great stuff.
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| Nellie the amazing wonder puppy |
The after-dinner gaming hour turned into an extended bullshit session – I played with the dog and listened to my iPod – until everyone agreed that bed sounded really good at around 10:30. That being the case, I fell into the lake a few times, took some pictures of Indian Point (it’s really not getting dark here at all this year….at least not before midnight), splurged on a cell phone call to Amy, and finally drifted off to sleep listening to the water slapping against the boats downstairs.
What a great way to fall asleep.
TWD