Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina - We lived!

Oh my goodness - Andy found this brochure in the lobby of our hotel and we headed up to Grandfather Moutain, several hours north of Marion, NC. It took quite a while, on curvy, North Carolina roads, but we got there. And then we drove and drove, practically at a 90 degree angle, up this mountain. I was actually doing OK with my height issues UNTIL I realized - hey, how were we going to get down? Could they call in a helicopter and take me down? lol It was BAD - so high up. Andy says we were 1 mile up, but I don't wanna be 10 feet up! lol (Officially 5946 feet in elevation.)

It doesn't help that I don't feel 1/2 of my feet, because those balance issues are not fun when the wind is severely blowing everyone over, even the ones who are FINE with their balance. And also lucky me, I couldn't make it up the stairs to the crazy Swinging Bridge Andy ventured up to experience. Here are some photos (that I took safely inside the car so I wouldn't blow off the side of the mountain! lol)

~~~Just a note - you can click on most pictures I post and they will get BIGGER, usually lots bigger.

That's Andy up there - I took a distance shot so you can see the bridge.

Here's the crazy guy again.

Here are the steps I was THRILLED to not be able to ascend. They are building a new gift center with an elevator so this can be handicap accessible in the future (ACK!), so I'll have to find some other excuse if he ever wants to go back! lol I have NO plans to get on the Swinging Bridge! (And yes, that person you see up there has gray hair and is probably 35 years older than me and I DON'T CARE! lmbo)

Here is the photo I took while Andy held on to me so I wouldn't blow down the side of the mountain. YIKES! Those roads way down there are where normal people are supposed to be! Overall, I got major brownie points for doing something "nature-related", so it's all good. I really wanted to go take the Ghost Trolley in Asheville, NC, but they only offer it on Saturday nights and we won't be here. Andy going on that would be an even-steven for me being scared out of my mind on the top of a mountain. A night-time ghost trolley ride would not be HIS idea of the best outing! But it sounds really cool! (Mom and I went on a Hollywood, CA Ghost Tour once when I was very pregnant with Ryan and it was really neat.)


OK, OK, here's my admission that I've gone blonde again. I've just gotten SO gray and my color was looking good for maybe 2 weeks and then I would have major grey roots. So I went blonde again, but this time I am a deeper, richer, more golden blonde. (Last time, I seemed to be lighter and more washed out - 7, 8 years ago!) This photo was taken at the restaurant we ate at after leaving the mountain. We took the Blue Ridge Parkway (which Andy, the history buff, told me was a WPA project during the depression era.....). It was winding but not scary, thank goodness. This restaurant is really obviously out of the way, on the side of a mountain and attached to a tacky hotel, but the food was excellent!

And something else - do you see that I have on a LONG-sleeved shirt and Andy has on a short-sleeved shirt? What is with that??? I have been freezing for months, really. Hands, feet, arms, almost all over. Just cold all the time. I'm thinking it is from the spinal cord stimulator - with it's buzzing, it is like having the cold chills, goose bumps on your skin? I have no idea really. Could be the nerve damage which then leads to muscle atrophy which then leads to less blood in the extremities? Whatever it is, Andy is enjoying it for a change. I, as you ALL know, usually love it COLD, the colder the better. Now I live in velour sweat pants, long socks and slippers 100% of the time at home. All the time. Even when it is 75 outside. If I take the slippers and socks off, my toes nearly freeze. Every time I touch Andy, he is so warm...........I just cuddle up against him all the time. (He likes that too! lol). I sit in the car with the heated seats on and my side of the air is sometimes warmer than his side (used to not be able to live without dual heat and air, so I could set my side to 61 and he could set his to 78).

Anyhoo, I have an interesting story to tell. 2 nights ago, we ate at this same restaurant with a business associate of Andy's and his wife. We had a great time, BUT, as we were leaving the restaurant, this entire table starting staring at me like I had something really wrong with me. I was wondering if something horrible was wrong, like something hanging out of my nose or something? Food down my shirt? lol Andy also thought "What the heck?" It was very obvious.

So we get outside, and this well-dressed lady (not some obvious crazy person) runs out and grabs me. She says "Honey, I just had to run out here and tell you that you look just like a young Cybill Shepherd. Has anyone ever told you that?" We laughed and said "No, no one has." And she went on, "Well, we used to live in Memphis (where Cybill is from) and she was all the rage. And hon, you look JUST like a young Cybill!! We (the table of friends) just couldn't believe it. And I just HAD to run out and tell you!!" So that explained all the staring! lol With us living near Memphis, that is a cool coincidence.


Another photo of Andy at the restaurant, called the.........................wait for it...

..............................Mountain View Restaurant!

Have a great day!

Cheri