In the wee hours of the morn (10:20 AM) on July 6, Pete, Belby, and I lit out for Knoxville, TN, the first stop on our Summer Road Trip of Southerly Wonders. (I just made up that name for the trip because when I typed “first stop on our road trip” it looked kind of boring.)

So, KNOXVILLE:

We spent one night in Knoxville at Millie and JP’s. In addition to visiting with them, we also got to see our friends Kellye and BT and to FINALLY meet their baby girl. HOW CUTE IS SHE??

I don’t have any photos of Brian because he was the photographer. Sorry, BT!

After one night in Knoxville we drove onward to the second stop on the Summer Road Trip of Southerly Wonders:

HUNTSVILLE, AL

In Huntsville we had the privilege of visiting more great friends who not only fed us, housed us, and allowed us to play with their funtastic 2.5 year old, they also ensured that we did not miss a single MINUTE of So You Think You Can Dance. WHEW. (There is exactly one photo of this second stop, and in the photo my eyes are 100% closed. So I will not be posting it.)

In tomorrow’s dispatch: A dog rolls in the dirt in BIRMINGHAM, AL.

Meanwhile, recent events: Visits from the de Castriques, the Thomsons, and Scott and Mark. AND: Happy birthdays to my grandmother (the 13th), dad (the 19th) and sister in law (the 25th).

Sorry for the lack of fresh posts!

In specific, to potential-readers-by-proxy: Dad, Jay, Kurt, Uncle Bill and Hank. And special thoughts for those currently in service: Bernie and Devon.

(Despite this head shot, my dad’s service was not as a superspy. He was in the Army.)

2. You are out to eat, what kind of dressing does she get on her salad? A light vinaigrette

3. What’s one food she doesn’t like? She doesn’t eat animals with hooves. But in terms of not liking, green peppers

4. You go out to a bar, what does she order? A margarita

5. Where did she go to high school? Myers Park

6. What size shoe does she wear? Seven?

7. If she were to collect anything, what would it be? Half-eaten candy or “energy” bars

8. What is her favorite sandwich? The ice cream kind

9. What would she eat every day if she could? See #8

10. What is her favorite cereal? Anything grainy / complex.

11. What would she never wear? A Pop ‘N’ Fresh outfit. Oh, wait…

12. What is her favorite sports team? Anything feline and undomesticated: Dillon / Charlotte panthers, Davidson Wildcats

13. Who will she vote for? That one

14. Who is her best friend? Jr.

15. What is something you do that she wishes you wouldn’t do? Nag

16. How many states has she lived in? Three plus D.C.

17. What is her heritage? Latvian/Bostonian plus North Carolinian

18. You bake her a cake for her birthday, what kind of cake is it? Four-layer chocolate butter cake with butter-cream frosting
19. Did she play sports in High School? Yes

20. What could she spend hours doing? Scouring the ‘net so you don’t have to

Despite a Bolt Bus driver mentioning the possibility a couple months ago, original research by a TFH reader resulted in this response from a company rep:

“We have no immediate plans to expand service to Raleigh, NC.”

So we’ll have to hang in there for a long-range “luxury” bus solution between the Carolinas and D.C. / New York. (Megabus doesn’t cover that ground either, though they appear to have routes out of Memphis in the direction of Chicago.)

Plain old Greyhound, however, does ply routes in to / out of the Carolinas.

They have trouble staying in line

Now they’ve got it!

Goodbye, ducklings!

My mother writes:

Today we spent the day driving around to old homesites of family members
and churches where J.P.´s grandparents were christened and where family members
are buried. It was very interesting. Sorry this is so long. I know you don’t
approve of long e-mails!

(Her e-mail was a lot longer than this excerpt, but regardless, I really don’t have a problem with long e-mails. I just don’t write them.)

UPDATE (6/30): They’re back: safe, sound and a day late.