Flashback Friday...SureShots

Two SureShots

Directions to here:
Be careful out there!

Flashback Friday...the meaning behind the meal.

I can't count the number of meals that I sat down to eat at this table.

And after sharing our version of comfort food and what we thought was normal everyday food, I found out that "normal" people think meals in the Vandercar kitchen were a little odd.

Okay, well, whatever.
But, I will admit there was one combination that even though I loved, I never really understood how the two went together. It was the nights we would have grilled cheese and homemade cocoa made on the stove.

Mom would use velveeta for the sandwiches and try as I might, I can never get it to be as gooey and smooth as hers. She would make hot chocolate on the stove and all I remember is a lot of stirring and that it tasted sooooo much better than any mix out of packet ever could.

I was always a little grossed out, cause Dad would take his grilled cheese and dip it in the cocoa.

But, I guess, with all the other combinations of food we had, I never thought to ask why we were the only ones that I ever knew of that ate these two things together.

Fast forward to 2001.
My mom has been gone for 2 years and I'm beginning to see how the rest of my life is going to be. The older I get, the more questions I have. Not big ones. Just simple ones. Where did you get this watch? Why did you say this phrase (Home again, Hooligan)? Who gave you that plate? Some questions so simple that only she would ever know the answer to.

I am interviewing and video taping my dad for his 80th birthday video. He answers most questions by shrugging his shoulders and nodding yes or no...real captivating material! We are talking about his time as a POW. He as usual, does not have much to say. He tells me what they ate. He tells me that they slept on wood bunks and shared blankets. He tells me about a radio that they hid in the latrine. I ask him what the May 8th was like, the day that the war ended. He tells me that they woke up and all the Germans were gone and the gates were open. He tells everyone wanted to go across the street to a barn where they knew the Germans were stockpiling Red Cross packages, but everyone was afraid that it was a trap or a trick that the Germans were playing. He tells me that the trucks come and give them the good news that the War is over. He tells me that they were given their first real meal and they all thought they would eat and eat and eat, but they could hardly finish one sandwich cause their stomachs had shrunk so much. I ask him what they were fed. He tells me "grilled cheese and hot cocoa."

Ding.
The dime drops.
I have a huge smile.
The strange combination finally makes sense.

For as long as they were married, my mom lovingly made and fed my dad the Victory Meal that reminded him of one of the happiest days of his life.Dad with fellow POW's

I believe this is at the camp that they were sent to after their release...to rest and recover.

So, I thought on this day after Veteran's Day and 2 days after their anniversary, it was a good time to make me a little grilled cheese and learn how to make hot cocoa on the stove.

It tasted just like home.

Directions to here:
How did mom make the cheese so much more gooey?
And yes, that is a plate from your childhood.

For you and for me....

A Veteran
is someone, who at one point in their life,
wrote a blank check payable to the USA for an amount up to, and including,
their life.
Thanking my Dad
and everyone who has made this sacrifice for you and for me.

The Future

On November Tenth

they married and faced

this
future.

Flashback Friday...Jump back.

I've been taking pictures a long time.

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I saw this post in my head...even before I clicked the shutter.

Turner Trip...Day Two...Afternoon

I did get back on the highway. And I did drive lots of miles without stopping. But in Tennessee even the Interstate is full of photo opportunities.

I had to stop and see what this place was all about.

Fireworks.

It always amazes me that there is one Fireworks place that can stay in business, let alone one at every other exit. I never see cars there. Some day I'm gonna investigate this world and see what kind of people keep these places in business.

But whoever they are and whoever the owners of this place is,God Bless their red, white and blue

Americana Patriotic Heart.

On the other side of the road there was a sign from my working girl past.

And an outlet for Sister Susie..."two please."

And I am not making this up...

These two things were living side by side.

I HAD to stop to take a picture of this sign.
A friend of mine had stopped a few years ago and took a picture of a neon Christmas Tree on her way back from somewhere.
I'm pretty sure this is the one. She told me about having to jump a fence to get the shot...and sure enough the INN was closed and fenced off, but I went to the parking lot of yet ANOTHER fireworks place and stepped around the corner and got my shot. Then turned around to find this one hiding in the trees.

By this time, it was later in the afternoon. I realized that I was not gonna make it to the beach house at a reasonable hour. So I resigned myself to waiting to see if Jill would call me...and got off the Interstate and onto the road that went in the general direction toward South Carolina...but thru the mountains of Tennessee.

Directions to here:
You'll soon see that I'm glad I did!

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeen!!!

Flashback Friday...I Want Candy.

This may be my favorite Halloween picture, ever.

Directions to here:
For adults only:
Sandy and I call this the F.U. Bunny pic.

Turner Trip...Day Two...Noon-ish

The "drive straight thru" pedal was to the metal until I crossed this border and saw a sign for

Jelico, Tennessee.
For some reason, this name sounded familiar to me.
I was pretty sure that it was the town that Jr. had told me this story:

On one of their trips south, Jr. saw a sign for "The Mountain Woman Exchange."

Of course, this was some public service organization that went about educating women who happened to live near the mountains. But Jr. always teased about taking Janet back down there and exchanging her for a mountain woman.
I, of course, loved this story and thought it would be great to have a picture of the sign to go along with the story. Well, let me tell you, I saw the entire length of Jelico 2 or 3 times over and can say for sure that the Mountain Woman Exchange has either closed its doors or moved farther up the mountain. The mountain women at the corner gas station confirmed this for me and the sign and the Exchange is no longer there.

But there were quite a few other things to see and I ended up spending an hour or more taking in the sites:My kind of downtown
True Story:
He just showed up, riding the horse right down the middle of Main Street.
Is he looking for the Mountain Woman Exchange too?
Revival in the Appalachian south:

This could get interesting...

Down one of the residental streets, I saw this familiar site.
I wondered if it was the same truck, from the night before...(see previous post).

Fruit Stand?

I stopped at the Y intersection to take a picture of this building and a beat up pickup truck pulled off the side of the road and started waving and shouting something at me. I started to give my "just taking pictures" speech and realized all they were telling me (in a very thick mountain accent) was that I needed to take pictures of the back of the building.They were right.
A shell of a once glorious building.
I still think it is beautiful...in a desolate, stoic and noble way.
Then, walking back down the alley toward the car, I turned around and saw this scene:
At first, I couldn't tell what it was, but as I got closer realized,
I could never have dreamed up this shot.
But there it was, just waiting for me.
Perfect.

Flashback Friday...It's that time of the Year, again.

Directions to here:

It's time to talk about 2010!

Send me your links, pics and clips!

Turner Trip...Day Two...Morning.

Day Two started out...much like how Day One ended. Under glorious neon...daytime version.
It took me almost an hour to get out of the parking lot cause I had to capture these signs from every angle.
I don't know why. I just have to.

The only thing better than neon and neon that can be shot backwards...is if you can get both forward and backwards in the same shot.

You can see by my lingering in every corner of this motel that I am breaking down on my resolution to "drive straight there." I still have good intentions tho...Oh, wait...just one more, shot.

Oh yeah, and this one. It reminded me of a line in Sheryl Crow's "Leaving Las Vegas" about a Barstow and a Crossroad Trucker...so of course, I had to take just one more.

Okay, we're out of the parking lot. 

We're back on the road....Southbound.

Flashback Friday....For Boone and friends

A boy and his dog.

A girl and her grand-dog.

Directions to here:

"Be the person your dog thinks you are."

Thanks for the unconditional love, Boonie.

Turner Trip....Day One

When it comes to me and traveling,
I should know better than to say certain things out loud.
Like:

1. WHEN I am going to leave for a vacation where driving is involved and
2. That I am going to DRIVE STRAIGHT THRU to my destination.

ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.ha.

yeah, you get the picture.

So, the daylight portion of my first day on the road was spent running errands and packing the car.
At dusk (and 7 hours later than the "WHEN" I had said out loud), I finally pulled out on Main Street and headed South with "The Girl" set to lead me down to Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

Here's the first shot of the trip: A drive by shooting on the Interstate.
These ponies reminded me of the scene in "About Schmidt" where Warren and the cow share a solemn moment on the road.

After this, I pretty much did drive straight with no stops all night.
I passed Corbin KY and thought about stopping at Elmer's house
(where our Range Line church group did the house repair mission back in July).
I was curious to see if the siding I put up had blown away!
But I stayed the course and kept driving.

I did however, take a side swipe thru Corbin to find The Colonel's original cafe.


I figured since I was going to spend a week with the Sanders cousins, it was appropriate to stop and add this sign to my collection:










My trusty mom and pop motel guide told me that there was a motel in Williamsburg KY and I pressed on until I saw this beautiful site:

The only thing better than a neon motel sign,
is a sign that can be shot from the back.

Here's where I ate the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwich I've ever had:and the waitress called me, "Sweetie."

Here's what people do for fun in "them there hills of Kentucky."

And here's A Room with a View
that probably only I would request and love as much as I do.

It's gonna be a good trip!

Directions to here:

Main Street to Meridian
to I-65 South to I-64 to I-75
Be a good driver and obey The Girl.