The Wrap Up of a Pilgrimage

While I was off relaxing and having fun at the Biltmore Roy was at home taking care of several different projects.  He decided that when we had our floors put in the bedroom and closet that I shouldn't be anywhere around for that.  I had pretty well organized everything for the closet but Roy moved everything.  He also had new deadbolts put in and on our front gate.  Buddy went to camp for several nights while all this was going on.  We didn't think she would be thrilled staying in the casita bedroom and of course what we call camp for her, she would probably call prison but it would be too hard trying to keep her away from the casita door and trying to get outside.  I love that he even tried to keep up with bird feeding and bird bath cleaning to keep the birds around.  I was happy to come home to flowerbeds that had been watered and a back flowerbed that he had pulled weeds.  Roy said he missed me so much that he was just trying to stay busy.  Ah....I should go away so he can miss me again and get the rest of the honey do's taken care of. 

What I so enjoy about the Biltmore is the beauty.  Of course it is not a bad thing when calling anywhere in the Inn that the other party answers the phone, "how can we help the Monarch party today?  Dena and I were content many a day just to sit on the veranda or in the lobby or in the Adirondack chairs to read.  We went to Blowing Rock and Linville Falls on Tuesday.   We ate lunch at the Village Cafe, a beautiful spot to have soup and salad.  We shopped and found some really cute stores.  Defiantly a return trip is needed. 

 On the way back we took a side trip downtown to find Malaprop's Bookstore.  For years I have heard so much about it and it is one of the best independent bookstores in the US.  Dena is not only good at spotting Cracker Barrel signs and then the winding route to finally get to it, but she spotted a prime parking place right by the bookstore.  Let's just say downtown Asheville is not dead at night.  In fact they have "borrowed" a slogan from Austin, Keep Asheville Weird.  Almost every Southern bookstore has a section for regional authors and that's the spot I track to upon arrival.  Dena was on her own search of books but she was finished way before I was.  But with my purchases I scored free coffee or tea in their cafe and the chance to pick two advanced copy books.  We had quite the adventure in trying to find our way back to the Biltmore.  We didn't lose hope or even get aggravated, we knew that Asheville is only so big compared to Houston.  We both came to the conclusion that Houston is a piece of cake to get around.  We even returned downtown on Thursday to find Asheville's Mast General Store.  During the day, downtown Asheville looks like every other normal business attired downtown.  Again, Dena saw a parking spot and again I didn't have to parallel park.  PTL!  When we came back to Biltmore we drove around the reflection pond and by the gardens...and again eagle eye Dena found a parking spot, up close to the garden area.  Neither one of us had ever been to the garden shop.  We were delighted to find several things that needed to come home with us and even better Dena found the gardener's hand cream that her mom loves and can be difficult to find.  We came back to the Inn, read and then got the last table without a wait on the veranda for our last supper on the estate.  Nothing like eating and rocking and taking in such a beautiful view. 

Another significant event of the week, Dena got hooked on Duck Dynasty.  Not only did I influence my core group in CBS, I finally got Dena to watch and now she is a fan.  On Wednesday night we watched the marathon, only I fell asleep.  She said she stayed up till midnight watching.  Now if we can snag Peggy.  Only thing with Peggy she never stops in the summer unless it is to sleep.  Will have to try for the fall.

When I arrive at the Inn on a trip and see people loading up their car to return home, I always feel sorry for them but happy for me...but I know that the day will come, which was Friday, where the scrumptious looking valet parkers load up my car, give you a bottle of water and I think they should give you a box of tissues for the tears you shed while driving the de-approach road out of the grounds.  Since Dena and I were trying to leave at a halfway decent time, we were there when the dining room opened for breakfast but we didn't want the hostesses to think we were old people who had been up since 3:00 waiting for breakfast.  We said goodbye to our friend Edward.  He is now a captain in the prep area, hand picked by the chef because of his work ethic and attention to detail.  He was a bus boy when we met him last May.  He is a brother in Christ. 

We made it all the way to Amite, LA on Friday.  That made Saturday an easy day of driving and after dropping off Dena, I got home around 2:00.  Next year, we will both be coming out to Rancho De Five on the return trip. 

I have so many good books right now to read but I think I will finish up the Gail Godwin book I began on the trip.  The book, Flora, takes place in Asheville.  It's the story of a girl who could not find her way out of downtown Asheville.  No, not really.