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Everything is home now. We had a fantastical time in Asheville with all weird and unique there. Happy to celebrate with Joyce and Leta and Hope and to see all of Susie’s family again.

We got home after starting at 6AM eastern time at about midnight PDT. Our luggage is still traveling and I am hopeful we will see it soon. Susie’s walker elected to take an extra day in Chicago and may appear Wednesday. It seems that when we changed flights to a direct flight, our bags and the walker remained behind. Our original flights arrived about 2AM with our bags. I have a pile of emails on this and again am hopeful that the bags will be delivered soon. The walker is another day of travel.

How all this started was that once we arrived in Charlotte Airport and we got through all security and boarded our plane we were told that we would be looking at a two hour or longer wait. Bad thunderstorms had hit Chicago. We would miss our connection unless it were also held. We discovered a direct flight had some regular seats left, and most importantly, it did not pass through Chicago. So the aircrew arranged for us to leave the plane and be rebooked on the direct flight.

Susie got a first-class seat. I had to fly economy as that was all that was left. So we stayed a few more hours and then board the PDX bound flight and got home that way. Our bags went by way of Chicago.

We started that day with packing and breakfast. We met at the Five Point Cafe for breakfast. I had cheesy grits and hash and poached eggs. It was all excellent and everyone like their food. We returned to Brooks-Howell and took more photos. We then left for our near three-hour drive.

We did OK until we hit highway 74 about 45 mins out from the airport. All of a sudden, the maps on my phone had me get off 74 and begin to drive farm roads. I could see the stalled traffic. All the cars with me were Florida plates, clean, and driving fast–yes rentals all using maps on their phone. We all followed directions and soon bypassed the terrible wreck of a semi and was back on the road. I did not know the maps on iPhones was that good!

My greatest fear is to leave something important behind when giving back the rental car. I left so many things in so many cars in so many places in the world. Nothing crazier than literally running after a vehicle yelling for them to stop and I have done it. This time only Susie was left.

Susie could not walk the distance to the gates. Instead, we got a lift via the rental company from a former truck driver who missed the west coast and who now worked for Hertz. He was happy to talk about Portland and Oregon. He gave up driving trucks when he had cancer and retired to NC, his wife is from NC. We even talked about how he missed the rain. It was exceptional to remind him of our rainy PNW.

We did the usual things and got a wheelchair for Susie and reached the gate for the first flight–the one we did not take–with two hours to go. So off to lunch.

We found Jose Quervo Tarquilla after a short search. The waiter recommended tacos, and there were really good. Amazing for an airport.

The rest of the story is that we got on and off a plane and then waited another couple of hours at the wrong gate. I noticed finally thirty minutes before boarding and got us in the right gate. Funny, every time I pushed Susie for any distance I saw the guy who we used last time, and he greeted me as “brother.”

I was not expecting to like North Carolina (I was not sure liberals would be allowed in), but the people, food, and well weirdness were much more than I expected. Folks were kind and helpful and happy to see us. It seems to me now a new place to come back to again. I am already thinking about a Spring Easter trip to see Susie’s, Aunt Joyce. But first I need my luggage and Susie’s walker to get back from Chicago!

 

We said goodbye to most folks as we headed to Lake Junaluska for church service. Barb’s family (Susie’s sister) headed on to Charleston to meet friends and tour a church tower. The rest by plane or car are headed home. Only Leta (Susie’s mother), Joyce (Susie’s aunt), and Gene and Glenda (Gene being Susie’s uncle and brother to Leta and Joyce and Glenda being his spouse) remain here in Asheville. Leta wanted to see the Methodist retreat center at Lake Junaluska, so we did the Sunday service.

We were a bit rushed but made it in time. It is up in the Smokey Mountains and not far from the national park: Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

The service was full of good music and ended with a duet of the organ and piano: Haydn’s The Heavens are Telling (I did not record it: Here is a link if you want to hear it The Heavens are Telling). The sermon, by Rev.Dr. Mark Ralls, was typical old school preaching with numbered points and various retellings and stories to match–but well done for the older style.

Here is the prelude with a pan of the auditorium.

We got to sing Amazing Grace–all of it. Leta was pleased with the music and the service.

We then toured the area and saw the cross that Sunday school kids help pay for.

We headed back for lunch in Asheville and hit stalled traffic on a Sunday! We finally made it back, and Glenda found a place for a late lunch searching the Internet while stuck in traffic: Zia Taqueria. Much later than we planned due to traffic.

The food was excellent and the staff very helpful. I had the hatch chili stew with fried eggs on top and meat, one of their Sunday brunch items. Spicy! The chilis were supplied directly from Mexico they told Gene–they have some kind of special license. We noticed that the folks eating were tattooed and mostly young. Portland really has to up-its-game I see.

Back to the rooms and a nap. We plan for breakfast at 8 tomorrow.

I bit of a quiet day.

We skipped dinner as lunch was a lot!

Travel back to Oregon on tomorrow!

Today is the day of the big party. We all came here to celebrate Joyce’s 90th Birthday, Susie’s aunt. It is also Susie’s mother’s birthday. Hope, Susie’s nephew’s wife, birthday was just a few days ago. So it was a day full of birthdays.

I started the Saturday morning with the usual and then meeting up with Barb, Susie’s sister at Joyce’s apartment. The party was at 2PM, so we had plenty of time. Barb and her whole family wanted to walk, so I joined them.

This is my, “I am up what are we doing” text picture from this morning.

Well, Ashville downtown is about 1.5 miles from Brook-Howell. Clint, Susie’s niece’s husband, decide to stop once we got to the first strip mall and left us to acquire breakfast and to fill Hope’s order. I then continued with Barb and family for another mile. Mesha, Susie’s nephew, married to Hope (if you are keeping score) was also was us. He is a gluten-free guy, and so we need a more let us say a less traditional breakfast.

We found the Green Sage Cafe, which fit the bill. It was very well accommodating to gluten-free and vegan and other options. I tried to order a vegetable bowl but was informed that only breakfast was served, so I asked the cashier what she liked and order that. I did not know what it was. It included two still runny fried eggs–excellent. I broke the eggs and let the golden goodness enhance all the rightful veggies and rice. My that was good. You tell you are in the south as the food was perfect.

Mesha headed over to a gluten-free bakery and Gordon, and Kaleb (Barb’s husband and their son–got out a scorecard yet?) headed back. Leaving me, Barb and her daughter Emma to explore the Yoga Festival. This was just a bit of the part of the festival in downtown (I learned later) and some folks selling services. The greater festival was elsewhere: Asheville Yoga Festival.

It was still lovely, and if you need equipment (i.e., mats, weighted blanks, tees, yoga pants, marijuana, jewelry, tea, and so on), they had it ready for you to purchase. We walked through the park where the little festival was set-up and looked at the options. I met folks for a retreat center where you can “Restore Inner Balance”–maybe next time: OM Sanctuary.

I was happy to meet the people that made the gift I sent my sister: A cloth grocery bag with “Eat Locals” and a zombie on it. I did not know they were based here in Asheville until after I purchased them. You can see that the gal has an “Eat Locals” shirt on.

Available on Amazon or at their shop or at the park in Asheville or their website: Moonlight Makers.

We, now just Barb, Emma, and me, next tried a few shops with amazing tees (one with a cat Darth Vader using the “force” on a goldfish). The unofficial motto of Portland, Oregon is “Keep Portland Weird,” but Asheville has a tee that says “If Asheville is not weird enough for you, you ARE too weird.” I did not know that Portland had competition.

Next tea. We went to Dobra Tea for tea. It was great and calm. Our phone had exploded with texts. The folks back in Brooks-Howell were trying to find the syrup and waffles. There was a lot of texting and back and forth, but in the end–from what I can tell–everyone who needed a waffle, pancake, or other forms of syrup using foods was served and syrup supplied. We walked back.

We then collected Susie, Leta (Susie’s mother), and Barb’s family and headed for lunch at Chick-fil-a. I had never been to one that I remember. Leta is not a fan as Chick-fil-a is infamous for its political stance on Trump (pro). I do not use politics to judge food; otherwise, I would miss out on some excellent and healthy eating. I liked my sandwich, spicey.

The party started at 2, so we rushed back and got ready, and I helped put the AV in order and grabbed my laptop to play the PowerPoint of Joyce’s life done by Barb. It seems that only my computer, Apple MacPro Retina 2014, had the older DVI to connect up. Gordon and Emma had to rush off and get no sugar added ice cream for all of us with sugar issues. They were back soon, and we had a great time. The other members of Brooks-Howell’s community came and we, the family, served them ice cream and cupcakes (with and without sugar) and cake (as usual) while Joyce’s life as a Methodist missionary showed on the screen.

 

Susie chatted with the folks. I played with the young kids, when I was not helping to eat the ice cream, who then ran off with my wallet and phone. Kaleb retrieved them for me. We fed the local mosquitoes.

We sang “Happy Birthday” for Joyce.  We had photos taken of the family. I did not get those. I suspect I will see the prints of the pictures in family homes for years.

Clean-up and then Pizza for dinner. I return to the room. I closed my eyes for just a moment, Leta wakes me “When are we leaving”? Actually, fifteen minutes ago. Oops. Susie said nothing about me falling asleep.

We drive back to the places I walked to. Parking is a mess. I found a hair salon that sells its parking, on the same block, for $5. Sold. No reason to hurry and about 40 minutes later we have all 18 of us crammed into two booths.

The Mellow Mushroom is a chain of edgy pizza, again reminding me of the Pacific Northwest.

 

One hundred minutes later or so the pizza comes. The waiter explained that they are understaffed (on a Saturday!) and the managers are re-learning their pizza skills. I think she said, “Bless them, they are trying.” It was good pizza (we did call them three hours ahead to tell them we were coming).

Back late. Off to church in the morning. Most folks are headed back home or on to more adventures on Sunday morning. We leave on Monday.

Joyce and me

Barb and me

Today was our trip to The Biltmore Estate. I cannot really describe this as it is a vast estate open to the public. The house and everything are massive and over-the-top. Biltmore, built in the 1890s, is still the largest house in the USA. This is the Vanderbilt family estate and is still owned by the descendants. I did get in trouble. I walked up to the staircase and was informed that I could not do that as the tour direction must be followed. We stuck to the tour after that. We road in a 120-year-old manual elevator to the second floor and saw many of the family rooms. We had to stop as only stairs, a lot of them, allowed access to the third floor and the basement. On the second floor, we watched a video of the parts of the house that Susie and others could not reach. A bit odd, but it worked for us. The third floor was for servants, and the basement had the kitchens, laundry, and a few different things like a bowling alley and a swimming pool.

(I forgot my phone in the car, so there are few pictures–I bought a book)

I then walked with Barb and family, and soon others joined us in the walled garden. Susie, Leta her mother, and Joyce Susie’s aunt decided to rest on a bench while we checked out the gardens. I love old roses and was surprised to see so many new ones and awed by roses from the 1700s in the garden and 1800s. Emma, my niece, and I walked through all of it. I am happy to see so many old roses.

The indoor gardens had a model train running around it. Orchids in full flower were placed everywhere. We also so some bog plants like pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants. I like the garden more than the old house. It was alive and yet classical. I also wanted a shovel to take a few old roses back to the Portland area. I have ten different roses growing at my house. I found one, Mr. Lincoln, at Biltmore. Emma was surprised by how tall it was, five or six feet for some bushes.

As always, time runs out, and there is still much to see. Our tickets had us enter the house at 1:45 and still at closing, we had things to see. Amoung stuff we did not see was The B-52s, who had a show there tonight. We heard the sound tests, and we were wondering why it sounded familiar and then saw that it was the B052s were on tonight. It also may explain the tiny outfits some gals were wearing to the Biltmore. It just did not seem the right crowd for 1890s mansion tours–ah, tour and show package.

We instead rushed back to Brooks-Howell as we had agreed for dinner there. We got there late and had dinner served not on plates but boxes as we were late. It was good, and we saw everyone. The grandparents had taken the kids to a farm-like setting while we did mansion. Everyone survived that.

The kids went off to swim in the pool after eating (did we not do that when I was young) and I met Barb–Susie’s sister, Gordon–Barb’s spouse, and Emma–Bard and Gordan’s daughter–for a few boardgames. We played Escape From R’lyeh. It is an easy to learn Lovecraft styled card game. Later Clint and Hope (both night owls, in-laws like me, and gamers) came over and played two more games. We then talked about board games for a bit.

So a busy day and really fun. Tomorrow is Joyce’s party for turning 90. We are all so happy to be here and celebrate and visit and play spooky Lovecraft styled games.

Before all this started, we got up and got organized. I had in our room the waffles.

I sent a text out that we had the waffles (see above). Soon others came to partake of our bounty. Toasters are only allowed in a shared space with a dire warning about always watching the toaster. We managed to get Susie breakfast and others who wanted waffles too. The youngest enjoyed microwaved waffles–that was new to me.

That is all and it is late. Good night.