Hubby and I had no intention of going to Texas to see our families during our Christmas break from work. We talked about it and talked about it and decided we really didn't need to spend the money and we didn't want to leave our youngest son at home alone even though he had to work the whole time. I know that the fact we have not been home in more than 18 months weighed heavily on our minds. So at the 11th hour we talked to the kid, cooked an early Christmas dinner, opened gifts and then packed up and got out of dodge.
Getting out of dodge was pretty easy, and it was just the thing we needed to be renewed and refreshed. Our timing could not have been any more perfect. See, no one in the family knew we were coming home. I never called them to tell them anything at all. I was dying! I almost broke down in Nashville where we spent the first night of the trip. I was starting to panic thinking about what would happen if we showed up and NO one was home. What kind of nightmare would that be driving 27 hours from VA to TX and they moved the party. Hub held steadfast about not calling anyone.
Here is my view from the passenger seat in the van of the pyramid in Memphis, TN. I know this seems a bit odd, but who on earth came up with this idea? Who builds a pyramid in the middle of the SOUTH???? I happened to have lived there back in the late 80s when this was built and it was a big deal, but still just seemed so silly to me. I love Memphis, but wouldn't this have been better built say some place in AZ or the desert of CA? Just saying...
This is one of the south's most famous bridges. It's the bridge that is most commonly called the Mississippi bridge, but it has another name. I doubt anyone that crosses this bridge calls it this.
I am old school, and just call it the Mississippi bridge. More folks call it that than by it's other name; I am sure!
While I was on the trip, I pulled a Yarn Harlot move... (see June 18 entry)
A while back I showed pictures of this hat that I was knitting for my one and only nephew, Zachary. Well, here he is modeling his new hat. I a matching hat for his dad, my brother. They will look goofy together!
Here is another shot of Zach and his hat. See when you knit for family, they really do wear your stuff. I will write more about my vacation and how it relates to yarn later...hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and that 2008 will be a wonderful year for us all.
8 comments:
Hi Vickie!
Your pictures are wonderful. Didn't know there was a pyramid in Memphis. Thank you for that....I heard a little news clip about a week ago about pyramids. Here's the bottom line "Egypt will copyright its ancient monuments and try to collect royalties from people producing replicas of its cultural heritage -- from pyramids to the sphinx." (http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,525443,00.html)
I think your comments about the pyramid in Memphis are right on target. Wonder if there is a grandfather clause in the Egypt's plans to collect royalties.
I also love the pictures of your wonderful hats!
No warning at all? I don't think I could ever do that. Not sure I'd want to be on the receiving end of a surprise visit like that either, though I'm sure it all worked out well in the end. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story.
The hat you made for your nephew is really cute!
Memphis, TN and Memphis, Egypt. That's the connection that inspired the pyramid. It does look strikingly out of place, tho.
Road trips are good for knitting, but that sounds like a long one. I'd love to hear more about your Christmas.
Denise-can you believe that?? How funny they want money. Now there's a shock...not. It's always about the all mighty buck. I can't wait to see if they can collect from anyone. What a laugh.
WW-I know it was a bit sneaky just showing up, but we thought it would be a nice surprise and it turned out well. I thought my mom was going to have a heart attack when she opened the front door. She said that she had just been talking about how I hadn't called her and that just wasn't like me. So she was happy. Hubby's family in Dallas was just as happy. We got to see family that we haven't seen in about 7 years. I have never met Zachary so that was even better.
Luni-I am thinking it was supposed to be this huge tourist mecca but they play some professional sports in there if I remember correctly. My Navy Wives group bought a brick to put in the area around the pyramid and the money went to charity. Some day I am going to find that brick!
Gosh, your response above makes me smile--I can tell you're no sports fan!?
I came back to tell you it is a German clock, as you guessed, my grandmother's. Since it is actually my grandfather who came over from Germany, I'm a little uncertain as to where the clock was purchased.
Actually, I love football. Being a native Texas, it's embedded in my DNA. I am a Dallas fan but there weren't any football teams or basketball teams in the pyramid when we lived there. It was under construction. I am not wild about baseball because that requires me sitting in the sun and I hate sweating. Basketball is not my thing either, but I can take a great nap while it's on. Tennis and golf are great for napping too. lol!
The clock is just super! I love that it's from Germany. My husband's family is from Germany. So because I lived there and his family is from there, it seems perfect that I love those old clocks. I should start collecting them, but I don't have anymore space on my walls. lol!~
I have done the "sneak up" thing, and it will be one of the best memories I ever carry with me. One of the last times I saw my dad in respectable health. I just knew I had to drive up when I did -- so there I went.
A good trip is a good trip and sometimes flying by the seat of the pants is the best way to "plan."
Kemtee-I am sorry about your dad and I know how that feels. Mine died in 1999. I regret not going home more and I guess that's what most everyone does after the fact. I was lucky enough to have spent the last three weeks of his life with him while he was in hospice. I showed up there and no one told him I was coming. They all knew but we wanted to surprise him. It was a great trip and I have no regets. I saw a new nephew I had never seen before and my only brother. On my husband's side of the family, we saw a niece we had never met and saw my BIL and his youngest child whom we haven't seen in about 7 years as best I can remember. So it was worth the trip.
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