we will, soon!

Just got back from a Smokey Mt. drive....over 6 hrs + shopping.

Nancy

Woooooooooooo hooooooooooooooo!

Sounds like a blast! Have an extra cocktial for me!

Alexa

Y'all had to take pictures. Otherwise, how're you going to know what you did?

;-)

Sally

We will shortly see if anyone can download pictures. We are having a hard time finding the correct usb port or card thingy ot whatever that thing is.

Cathy, just think of your secretary

(Blazing Saddles joke)

I knew they'd need you or me Jessy. ;-)

Damn. Where's a transporter when you need one?

How many times do I have to come back to see pictures? Come on.... give it up! We want pictures, we want pictures, we want pictures! ;-)

Cathy, if you need an album to upload your pictures too, just email me and I'll do it for you or give you access to Smugmug to upload them yourself.

Looking forward to more updates.

Ann

It is Peppi here on Cathy's machine.

No photos this morning from me, but a quick report. It is just after 5 am Tuesday morning and the gang is still snoozing....lazybugs!

We spent yesterday doing one of my favorite things. We had a leisurely breakfast, then took a short drive into the Smokey Mts. National Park to Cades Cove. Cades is an 11 mle scenic driving tour on a closed loop. You could stop at various points and visit settlers cabins and churches dating form 1820, while enjoying the phenomenal scenery. The cemeteries were full of one day old babies. Since Cades is in the national park, there are no commercial businesses, which I found wonderful. We had hoped to spot a black bear but no luck. Plenty of deer, wild turkeys and other critters (stew anyone?). The fall colors are to die for even though this is a drought area, and we pulled over at the side of the mts. road to play in a stream.

On the way back, Nancy, Sherry, Linda and I stopped for a late lunch at "The Best" restaurant. Wonderful Italian food in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg. Being stuffed, we walked a bit and window shopped in the T-shirt stores. Very commercial, and Linda hit it on the head that this was like being on the Midway at a carnival.

We had dinner in our shack last night, fillets, lobster, borelaise potatoes, 'shroom and apple pie. I will let someone else fill you in on that feast. Suffice it to say, we were content by 10 pm.

Off to th Biltmore Estate today,so more later.

Peppi

Looks like we've being pigeonholed by the pigeon people.

Sol

Maybe we ought rename this place 'Castle Anthrax'

(Monty Python 'Holy Grail' joke)

It's Tuesday night!!!! When did they go? Are their better halves and significant others aware that they are holing up in this Dolly Parton Villa? Did they plan on staying this long? Should we be worried?
I thought this was a weekend jaunt??!! It's now well into next week!
Hell----oooo--- Out there......Anybody home?????
NO? I thought not!!

Linda, they still have a few more days to party. I think they were scheduled to be gone from the 3rd to the 9th.

So the Biltmore Estate. Is that the one in Ashville?

Ann

I won't believe it 'til I see those drunk pictures!

Beverly

No pictures! "Bring out the Holy hand grenade." Another Monty Python reference. That was for Jessy!

Hi, this is Nancy on Cathy's computer. We had a long day today, out for breakfast then a 2 hr drive to the Biltmore Estate in Ashville NC. It was beautiful...did the tour of the largest private home in the US, had a wonderful late lunch, shopped for gifts, then on to the winery there. We just got back around 9pm tonight.
Yesterday, we spent most of the day up in the mountains and shopping in Gatlinburg. It was early to bed, knowing today was busy...
Here come some pic's....finally.

Linda (doucanoe) and David (lakeguy) on the deck of our cabin

Karen fixing dinner on Sunday night and a bowl of Karen's wonderful gumbo...

Cathy, David and Sherry (L to R)

They wanted me to post that this was the cabin we rented...

Smokey Mt scenery...

Tomorrow... hot tub, outlet mall, gallery's, Harvest dinner... and who knows what else.

Nancy

... and who knows what else...

Maybe birthday cake?

Happy Birthday Cathy!

Great to see you! The cabin looks quite lovely and it sure sounds like you are having a wonderful time, I'm glad for all y'all :)

What a beautiful place. How lucky you all are!

Sally

Cabin?????

That looks like a GRAND LODGE!!!!

Someone did a great job of finding a place to stay... Have more fun and fill us in on all the details when you get back...

Rita

Sounds like you are all having a great time!
Thanks for the pics and I'll be raising a toast to everyone later today!

Cindy

Gorgeous setting for your PJ Party!! I know you are all having a great time. Spend lots of money, laugh and eat well!

Michelle

I'm so jealous -

I have to admit - gullible me, believed that your cabin was that beautiful little one...I kept trying to figure out how that big deck w/ hot tub was concealed in the lower pic...

sigh.

Can't wait to hear more!

Stacy

What fun for all of you.

I don't think that's the cabin you all are in way to small LOL

Enjoy your time together.

Linda

I posted this on the Birthday thread but wanted to post it here as well...

You all won't believe the surprise birthday party my fellow pigeons gave me tonight! How wonderful to have this experience since I haven't had a birthday party since I was 16. I was given gifts, hugs, music, cake, and best of all, the company of some pretty darn wonderful friends...Peppi, Karen, Sherry, David, Linda, Nancy, and May. Yea Me!

All of your wished have added to this very nice day.

*I told Jessy some time ago not to post my birthday on the forum because I don't do Bdays for myself. Turns out that this has been in the works for several weeks because Karen knew when my bday was.

For tonight's entertainment we watched Lars' movie "Attention Span"! How funny...I mean artsy.

We agreed that you know a movie star.

I am so very lucky. A wonderful cabin, more like a house, some vey special and wonderful freinds and Cathy for a swap partner. No pressure there but only because I had so many favorites to share with Cathy.

I am still amazed, 3 years after my first get together, how strangers can become such fast freinds. We all feel so comfortable together. Some are in bed already and Nancy, David and I are just sitting around playing on computers, watching TV, finishing the wine after a great dinner with a fire going. Like old friends, with contented silences.

What more can you want?

Just Kidding!!! I hope your all having a good time. I'm so very jealous. Have a glass of wine for me.Enjoy yourselfs. Diana55

Happy birthday, Mustangs. Gotta say, your first post was one of the funniest ever. And said it all. Glad you're all having a blast. Sounds like a wonderful time. We need more pictures. Get on that if you're sober enough in the morning!

H E L L 0 0 0 0! Where are you??? The last post from a Pigeon person was on Wednesday.

Lee

what a get-together you guys are having--it sounds (and looks) fabulous! but i'm with lee--what else has been happening? you don't suppose they are all still lounging in the hot tub or laying drunk in a gutter, do you? nah--they had too many places to go and things to do! but it sure looks like a great trip so far...

I trust that my fellow Pigeons got home safely. I have been trying to gather the fortitude to unpack. I owe DH big time as he has had some questionable meals this week; he said he would never eat a boiled egg again. It was so funny -- when we were at the Alamo Steak House when DH called me on the cell (I took the call since we were in a private room). While I was talking to him May said "does anyone want a stuffed mushroom?". He yelled through the phone "I do!". Poor baby.

We had a glorious time as you all must have gathered. I'm sure that once everyone gets settled back home, we will post pictures of the trip. There were many photo ops.

*AnnT, thank you for your kind offer to let us download. We did download using the new Photobucket option. Just didn't have time to post the pictures.

Well, yesterday was a long day. Got in the car at 8am, got out of the car at 8pm! LOL

It was a lovely drive, tho, and Peppi, Nancy, Sherry and I had a good time making our way back home. Dropped Nancy and Sherry in Indy, and got safely to Chicago.

I have some great pictures, but will have to wait to download them when I get home. I am spending a couple of days in Chicago with my daughter. I fly home on Monday evening. Will post photos then.

Yes, in all, the week was a great time. Got to see a few old CF friends, and meet a few others. Great meals, lots of fun surprises, breathtaking scenery....what more could you ask for on vacation!

It was a blast!

Linda

San, it was more like drunk in the hot tub. If we had found the gutter it would have been down hill, literally!

We had a nice easy ride back home. Nancy and Linda did a good bit of the driving, while the others could nap on the way home. We all needed some sleep.

I will try to load my photos to Photobucket today and will post a link when successful.

Linda, I left a message on Erins's phone that I do not have your pottery but I do have your sunglasses. Let me know if you want to pick them up on the way to the airport or if I should ship them.

Peppi

well then peppi--i'm very glad you had that hot tub enclosure to keep all you guys fenced in :) and i'll look forward to the pics. clearly, it was a wonderful trip for all of you!

Whew...what a trip! Sherry and I got to her house about 9pm Fri night then I hit the road about 8:30 am for my final 4 1/2 hrs home, but I had a few stopped to make in Grand Rapids... Penzey's and Russo's, TJ Maxx and a couple of other favorites. Pulled into the garage about 5:30 last night. I've unpacked all the goodies but haven't even opened my suitcase yet.

Will find the camera and work on pic's ASAP.....I know I can find a couple of hot tub pic's that are suitable for posting, if I look hard...

It was a great trip and I really enjoyed all of it, what a great group! We enjoyed good food and had plenty of laughs. The Smokies are awesome and so was the Biltmore trip.

But now it's time for a nap....

Nancy

I am so glad to hear that you all made it home safe and sound, don't want anything happening to my fellow Pigeons.

I have been napping too, it's been a tough recovery.

Cathy

Wheeeeeee!!! What a wonderful trip! I got home around 130 pm on Friday. Unfortunately, I was without internet until about an hour ago. I spent over two hours on the phone working on getting it back up, ick! So that's why I'm just now posting.

I have loads of photos which I will upload asap. I'm still recovering from the trip!

Here are three pictures which tell a small part of the story. Good friends, good food, good fun. And a good time was had by all.

1. The whole gang. We had a wonderful late lunch at the Biltmore. Left side of the table, front to back, May, LInda, Karen, Nancy. Right side of the table, front to back, Sherry, Cathy, David, Peppi

{{!gwi}}

2. One of the zillions of gorgeous trees we saw. This one was on our way out of Cade's Cove. Incredible.

{{!gwi}}

3. Who drank all that wine??? (hint, some bottles got thrown away, this isn't all of it!)

{{!gwi}}

These pictures are well worth the wait, I love the booze picture! Thanks May! I have been enjoying all of your posts and your exploits and its great to hear from you guys again! I'm glad you all could be together.

I have to add a note here that the dead wine bottles DON'T include what was consumed at restaurants or wine tastings.

So it looks like three bottles of wine per person, plus a couple bottles of whiskey? Not to mention the everything you drank away from home? I'm surprised you guys aren't under that table instead of at it. Whew.

Looks like a great time.

Wow!! Looks like a great time!!!! I love that pic of the bottles consumed - I'm sure all of you had many memorable moments. Thanks for sharing your week with us - I only wish I could have come along, too!
Barb

Tell me we didn't have fun! I love this picture! May and I were on the sky view seat in front of Cathy and David.

{{!gwi}}

This picture is from the top of the sky view.

{{!gwi}}

We really did enjoy our lovely cabin...
{{!gwi}}

NOT! This is really our cabin.

Pych!!! OK, this is really really our cabin.
{{!gwi}}

Hee hee, All these pictures are of 'cabins' in the mountains of PF/Gatlinburg. But not of our cabin....believe it or not, I don't have a picture of our cabin!

More pictures later.

Gee, if I had known there would be rides I woulda gone!

I had a F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S time.....and MORE!!

Just a short note to say hi and a few pics I've mananged to load over the weekend. It was great to see some old friends again and meet some new ones. I'll will add that the wine per person was a little more than three bottles..two didn't drink at all and I don't do wine all that much...LOL!

Now for the pics.....

RR has been holding out on us....seems she has a business up in the mountains....right next door to the Lazy Daze Laundry and LP Gas place.....

{{!gwi}}

Nancy making that vodka pie crust for the great Apple Pies she made for us.....YUM!

{{!gwi}}

Birthday girl....complete with a crown...not the drink..lol!

{{!gwi}}

Harvest/Birthday dinner....I cut Nancy out of the photo..sorry about that pal.

{{!gwi}}

Karen, May, and Cathy in front of the Biltmore and one of the many wine cellars we saw. Couldn't take pics inside the mansion.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Dinner out for our last night there....Rueben was a great and VERY entertaining waiter. I think the rest of the group would agree that we had outstanding service no matter where we went out to eat.

{{!gwi}}

May and Karen with a cowboy (not naked).... this is the only postable photo...things got crazy after this pic....I'll leave it at that...LOL!

{{!gwi}}

I had a great time and will never forget it...if you get the chance to meet up with a member or group from the forum do it......still packing here!

Oh, almost forgot to mention that I found a very cool painting by a local artist for my new place....yes all y'all I called and bought it today!!

David

I'm envious --- it looks like such a blast! But, shouldn't all Pigeons wear Crocs? I didn't see any red on any feet in those pictures.

Oh yes, You missed Cathy in her red crocs in one of the earlier photos!
Well, it looks like I missed a heckuva great time, boo hoo! But what I really want to know is...are you all pickled now or just well preserved!! LOL LOL!

Oops, they're not on this thread, the photo of Cathy is on the Exchange side, in the thread showing Cathy's swap from Peppi.