Adventure ebbs and flows...it's different...unique to each experience. Lisa has been here since Saturday and we have relaxed and ventured forward, thither and yon looking for fun, adventure, places of wonder, places to wander and learn. Because we have been occupied with road trippin' and friendship, the chance to blog has been fleeting. We are now waiting on the arrival of my brother, thus for the next 24 hours...a whole lot of fun will be going on. He is probably less than an hour away, depending on I 40 past Knoxville.
Of course on Saturday I dropped off Roy and then hung around Charlotte till Lisa got in. It has been a very long time since I have been at the mall on a Saturday and I hope I won't have to return to the mall anytime soon...on a Saturday. Had a bowl of soup at the Nord...the sub par Nord and then went down to Belk with a stop at Anthropologie. Lots of fun stuff to see. A little before the flight arrived, I went to the Billy Graham Library, had a Diet Coke, did some shopping and then put the finishing touches on the Sunday School lesson. Lisa's flight arrived early and with the day being so beautiful, I put the top down on Mustang Sam to pick her up. We are no fools, we did not get on the freeway until we put the top back up. We stopped in Lincolnton to get a late lunch, early supper at Good Wood Pizza. Delicious as always and we sat out on their patio...which was delightful.
Sunday was church, Monday was Waynesville which includes Blue Rooster, Robin Blu and Hazelwood Soap Company. Tuesday we eased into the day and left around lunchtime to go to Johnson City. We had tickets to hear Liz Curtis Higgs and we were spending the night afterwards at a hotel. But first lunch, so we ate at Ole Guacamole and it was delicious as usual. Then we did a church drive by and then checked into the hotel. We had purchased VIP tickets to be able to do the meet and greet with Liz. That was a whole lot of fun and she is a hoot. So funny but teaches the Word of God in a way that you'll never quite forget. We looked at Mary, Martha and Lazarus...so familiar but she brought such new insight into the passages. Sadly, the evening went by quickly but we headed back to the hotel where we stayed up late talking about what we had heard and learned. Wednesday we headed over toward Grandfather Mountain with a detour to Roan Mountain scouting it out for future trips when the rhododendron is in bloom. The scenic drive was just that, scenic. We went through Cranberry NC and so now I know what the town of Cranberry holds. The likes of Cranberry couldn't hold us because we were on a mission...to get to Grandfather Mountain...to see if this was the day that Lisa would cross the bridge. While the temps were cool the sunshine abundantly provided warmth. After a quick stop at the main center we were up the mountain to join others in the pursuit of crossing a bridge but then not going too far. In my heart of hearts, I knew this would be the day for Lisa. And as is His custom, the Lord provided a trail blazer or should that be a bridge blazer for Lisa. We met Brad and Kristi from the Knoxville area. Kristi was having doubts herself and as it is there at the top of the mountain by the swinging bridge, people become fast friends, friends of faith or friends of fear. Kristi was about to leave when she got the oomph to cross and she took several steps out onto the bridge and came right back. A bunch of kids came up to the bridge and crossed without a hint of fear. Really, don't cross the bridge with kids on it, too crowded and they'll attempt to get that bridge to move a little more. The opportunity presented itself and Brad and Kristi began the journey and happily Lisa and I were arm in arm, hand in hand walking across the bridge. Being the loving and encouraging friend that I am, I tried to sing to calm Lisa's fear...first selection I'll Fly Away....okay not a good choice. We had listened to a Tommy Walker arrangement of Abide With Me and I thought that song might help, but she said in the nicest way, don't sing or say anything. Yes, on March 27th Lisa walked across the bridge. We took in a few moments of being on the other side and then began our trek back across with Lisa watching Kristi's ponytail bob up and down as she made a brisk pace. We went to the gift shop and got the tshirt for Lisa and I got her a pin to remember this moment. She had bought us pins at the Hazelwood Soap Company done by a local artist of a black hand and a white hand clasped together. The crossing pin went with that theme. What's not to love about being on a bridge a mile above the earth? Fears conquered, friends made and a tshirt. Sounds like a perfect day and it needed to be celebrated at The Italian Restaurant on the way home. Brenda came over once we got home and brought dessert to celebrate. We had all planned to go to breakfast on Thursday but with both Lisa and I having a bit of a snotty nose and cough we opted for an ease into the morning kind of day and waited for Doug to arrive.
So, that is where I will leave the story for now.
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