CTSTGTTW-YIRDTSMTGTTF

[Retired & Tired (Judy) 90]

We have been to Graceland and I do not care to go back. I agree that it is much, much smaller than I had expected it to be. The room with the pool table is actually almost ALL pool table. Not sure how all his sidekicks got around the table to play. In fact all of the rooms were very small. When I walked in I actually felt a sadness....it was not a happy place at all. When we visited his birth place in Tupelo, MS. I felt good in that little 3 room shotgun house. There was love there. That is the Elvis I want to remember. He could not handle the fame and fortune that came to him. I have always felt his life was filled with sadness.

Those of you who have visited Graceland.....did you notice the obvious absence of pictures of his wife and of Col. Parker?

Seems to me there was too much of his father there. And that man is part of the reason Elvis died at such a young age. He pushed him and pushed him to make more money (for himself) and did nothing to help him get off the pills.

O.K. I am off my Elvis soapbox now. lol

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

We have been to Graceland and I do not care to go back. I agree that it is much, much smaller than I had expected it to be. The room with the pool table is actually almost ALL pool table. Not sure how all his sidekicks got around the table to play. In fact all of the rooms were very small. When I walked in I actually felt a sadness....it was not a happy place at all. When we visited his birth place in Tupelo, MS. I felt good in that little 3 room shotgun house. There was love there. That is the Elvis I want to remember. He could not handle the fame and fortune that came to him. I have always felt his life was filled with sadness.

Those of you who have visited Graceland.....did you notice the obvious absence of pictures of his wife and of Col. Parker?

Seems to me there was too much of his father there. And that man is part of the reason Elvis died at such a young age. He pushed him and pushed him to make more money (for himself) and did nothing to help him get off the pills.

O.K. I am off my Elvis soapbox now. lol

Just a guess Judy, BUT Priscilla HAD been gone for a few years when he died, and from what I understand he had another girlfriend at the time of his death. So that's probably why no pictures of Priscilla. It was Priscilla herself that took over restoring his estate and restoring Graceland to turn it into a museum. His estate was practically broke at the time of his death. I'm guessing she kept it exactly as it was when he died. It was Priscilla who turned the finances around after his death so that Lisa Maria would have an inheritance.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

We have been to Graceland and I do not care to go back. I agree that it is much, much smaller than I had expected it to be. The room with the pool table is actually almost ALL pool table. Not sure how all his sidekicks got around the table to play. In fact all of the rooms were very small. When I walked in I actually felt a sadness....it was not a happy place at all. When we visited his birth place in Tupelo, MS. I felt good in that little 3 room shotgun house. There was love there. That is the Elvis I want to remember. He could not handle the fame and fortune that came to him. I have always felt his life was filled with sadness.

Those of you who have visited Graceland.....did you notice the obvious absence of pictures of his wife and of Col. Parker?

Seems to me there was too much of his father there. And that man is part of the reason Elvis died at such a young age. He pushed him and pushed him to make more money (for himself) and did nothing to help him get off the pills.

O.K. I am off my Elvis soapbox now. lol

Just a guess Judy, BUT Priscilla HAD been gone for a few years when he died, and from what I understand he had another girlfriend at the time of his death. So that's probably why no pictures of Priscilla. It was Priscilla herself that took over restoring his estate and restoring Graceland to turn it into a museum. His estate was practically broke at the time of his death. I'm guessing she kept it exactly as it was when he died. It was Priscilla who turned the finances around after his death so that Lisa Maria would have an inheritance.

We have not been to Tupelo but I would have to agree I got the feeling of sadness at Graceland. I have often wondered why people tend to overlook how unhappy he must have been in his last few years.

Priscilla must have been a very strong woman.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Greeneville, TN - Visiting The Andrew Johnson Homestead and Monument

They have the original tailor's shop that belonged to Andrew Johnson. It has been moved inside the Visitor's Center and Museum buildings.

The Andrew Johnson Homestead House which was defiled by the Confederate Soldiers. The Johnsons were evicted from this house during the Civil War and returned after Johnson's presidency. There are rooms in this house you can only reach by walking outside onto the back porch.

Andrew Johnson's desk -

The Dining Room-

The Kitchen - Did you know in the South, the servants/slaves were required to whistle while delivering food? Apparently, it is physically impossible to chew and whistle at the same time. Personally, I'd have been more worried about someone spitting in my food/drink (Celie from the Color Purple).

Monument Hill - The final resting place of most of the Johnson Family. Andrew requested that a copy of the Constitution be placed under his head and that he be wrapped in an American Flag.

Monument Hill is located in one of few active burial National Park Service cemeteries: The Andrew Johnson National Cemetary.

For Bob, to remind him just how beautiful Tennessee is.

Andrew Johnson's wife contracted Consumption, now known as Tuberculosis. She spread the disease rampantly through the family. Only the grandchildren and the daughters (who stepped in to help their father or remarried quickly after the war) seem to have survived well into adulthood.

Andrew Johnson held almost every political office you can be elected to.

Andrew Johnson was very pro Union.

[caveat lector 181]

.... Just have to see how we do with the heartbreak of losing one and I know it's not gonna be easier just by last week.

This scares the heck out of me. It's my first time with a a dog and I've grown attached. Even though our schnoodle is only 4, every once in awhile I get a cold chill thinking about it. Rest assured that all measures, no matter how financially debilitating, will be exhausted to help him live a long healthy life.

Your pics are great and fun to follow. When you're all done, you are going to have a wonderful pictorial chronology of a great adventure. Keep up the great work.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Nicki-

I love the Andrew Johnson homestead photos. I didn't even know that this place existed. I love the tidbit that he wanted to be buried with a copy of the Constitution under his head.

My daughters are taking AP US HIstory this year. I'll bet that your kids have learned more history than can be taught in any classroom. That is awesome!

TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Loved the history lesson, Nicki. I know more about Andrew Johnson now then I knew before!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Wow TN looks like a beautiful state. I really need to plan a trip there someday. :rofl2:

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Yep, I learned about Andrew Johnson too. Thanks!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

This scares the heck out of me. It's my first time with a a dog and I've grown attached. Even though our schnoodle is only 4, every once in awhile I get a cold chill thinking about it. Rest assured that all measures, no matter how financially debilitating, will be exhausted to help him live a long healthy life.

Your pics are great and fun to follow. When you're all done, you are going to have a wonderful pictorial chronology of a great adventure. Keep up the great work.

We are past the cold chill phase and into the love and enjoy them as much and as often as you can as both our dogs are considered middle aged for their breed.

When we are done I plan (emphasis on plan) to make one of those nifty iPhoto books for everyone to keep. Thanks for following along... more insanity to follow.

Nicki-

I love the Andrew Johnson homestead photos. I didn't even know that this place existed. I love the tidbit that he wanted to be buried with a copy of the Constitution under his head.

My daughters are taking AP US HIstory this year. I'll bet that your kids have learned more history than can be taught in any classroom. That is awesome!

TCD

Loved the history lesson, Nicki. I know more about Andrew Johnson now then I knew before!

Yep, I learned about Andrew Johnson too. Thanks!

It's all about the Ranger led Tours. The ranger who was working the desk was really into his subject material. The Ranger who was leading the tour of the house gave me the tidbit about the slaves/servants having to whistle. It's those things that help me remember the history of the visit.

Wow TN looks like a beautiful state. I really need to plan a trip there someday. :rofl2:

You really should Dave! TN really has a lot to offer in the view dept. This one is my favorite so far:

I particularly like the spot that looks like broken glass - :rofl3:

I hear if you hang around long enough you might get to see a Red Terror taking on an Otter and an Android! :rofl2:

[Live4FW 30]

On a funnier note:

Anyone have any idea how much effort it takes to shoot liquid meds into a Dane. It takes one o us to hold his head and the other to pry his teeth apart to squirt the meds in.

We have friends with a Dane. I am just cracking up envisioning this in a Airstream. Glad he is doing better.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

We have friends with a Dane. I am just cracking up envisioning this in a Airstream. Glad he is doing better.

Yes, it is quite entertaining and just about what you can imagine.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Non-Pictorial Update -

We are headed out of Tennessee soon (Bob and Dave... we will be back. Threat or promise? You decide) tomorry or Saturday. We are taking the Stream aka Minerva in for some new legs(axles) in Baltimore. On Monday, the plan is to meet our reservations at a Jellystone in South East PA. We won't be there for a weekend though. Then we are headed up to the Greater Boston area. Any fiends in the Greater Boston Area?

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Non-Pictorial Update -

We are headed out of Tennessee soon (Bob and Dave... we will be back. Threat or promise? You decide) tomorry or Saturday. We are taking the Stream aka Minerva in for some new legs(axles) in Baltimore. On Monday, the plan is to meet our reservations at a Jellystone in South East PA. We won't be there for a weekend though. Then we are headed up to the Greater Boston area. Any fiends in the Greater Boston Area?

I am up here in NE. right outside of Hartford but if your in New England you pretty much in the Greater Boston Area.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Non-Pictorial Update -

We are headed out of Tennessee soon (Bob and Dave... we will be back. Threat or promise? You decide) tomorry or Saturday. We are taking the Stream aka Minerva in for some new legs(axles) in Baltimore. On Monday, the plan is to meet our reservations at a Jellystone in South East PA. We won't be there for a weekend though. Then we are headed up to the Greater Boston area. Any fiends in the Greater Boston Area?

Are you going to the Jellystone @ Quarryville Pa.? If you are in the Lancaster area a better choice would Old Mill Stream better rates and very nice folks running the place.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I am up here in NE. right outside of Hartford but if your in New England you pretty much in the Greater Boston Area.

I googled mapped it and I see your point. After being in the vast western states, it's a little hard to wrap your head around the short distances but long drives of the NE (at least in Jersey).

Are you going to the Jellystone @ Quarryville Pa.? If you are in the Lancaster area a better choice would Old Mill Stream better rates and very nice folks running the place.

You see I was gonna put up a post asking about campsites but I got distracted. We have already made our reservations with credit card. :banghead:

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Are you going to the Jellystone @ Quarryville Pa.? If you are in the Lancaster area a better choice would Old Mill Stream better rates and very nice folks running the place.

We have been to Dutch Wunderland. We took my son there for his 5th birthday.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Where are you headed after Lancaster, maybe we can help you with campgrounds we camp alot in the Northeast area. The Yogi got real expensive when they added all the fun stuff for the kids, we do not need all that anymore so we head somewhere else, you are about an hour from where we live in Delaware.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Where are you headed after Lancaster, maybe we can help you with campgrounds we camp alot in the Northeast area. The Yogi got real expensive when they added all the fun stuff for the kids, we do not need all that anymore so we head somewhere else, you are about an hour from where we live in Delaware.

Boston and that was an easy campground to find. We are currently looking for a campground near the Piscataway, NJ area to visit friends but not having much luck.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Boston and that was an easy campground to find. We are currently looking for a campground near the Piscataway, NJ area to visit friends but not having much luck.

That's going to a tough one not many places around there, you might have to go towards Jackson near Great Adventure, the best lookibg one looks like Butterfly Camping Resort. There are a couple of Fiends from the NJ area hopefully they will chime in.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

That's going to a tough one not many places around there, you might have to go towards Jackson near Great Adventure, the best lookibg one looks like Butterfly Camping Resort. There are a couple of Fiends from the NJ area hopefully they will chime in.

will look into the butterfly.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Driving again. We just saw someone who had a canon for yard decoration. It was pointed at the church of Christ next door.....

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

Non-Pictorial Update -

We are headed out of Tennessee soon (Bob and Dave... we will be back. Threat or promise? You decide) tomorry or Saturday. We are taking the Stream aka Minerva in for some new legs(axles) in Baltimore. On Monday, the plan is to meet our reservations at a Jellystone in South East PA. We won't be there for a weekend though. Then we are headed up to the Greater Boston area. Any fiends in the Greater Boston Area?

Wave to my family when you are in Baltimore. Hey if you need some ideas of places to see the sites I hear you should ask Pam. :rofl3:

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

11 miles from Buena vista ..... Virginia. Durn it!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Update - Goodbye Tennessee, Hello Maryland

After leaving Tennessee, accidentally ended up driving all the way to Staunton, VA. Once again we stayed at the Cracker Barrel. I do love me some Cracker Barrel for overnight stops... except this one was by the train tracks. Nicki did not sleep too well but Shawn did.

I forgot to put the camera in the truck for the first day... so no pictures.

We decided to go into the Shenandoah National Park and do the last section of the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park -

Minerva in her natural habitat... sort of.

'

Something else in it's natural habitat. "She's just a baby Rooster!"-

I have this thing about taking pictures of roads. It's not easy to get a good one.

The Shenandoah Valley-

We tried to get into a Patapsco State park but it was full so we hightailed it to a commercial rv park.

This was blocking us from our final destination of the day-

I was so tired that I couldn't remember what order to unhitch the trailer in :banghead: ... but at least I remembered the wheel chocks :jumpforjoy . Yes, for the record, I have forgotten the chocks once.... and I was very lucky.

A prize (an unauthorized hug from Lou :rofl3: ) for anyone who can guess what I didn't get a picture of.......

Edited to add some content... tired does not equal a good TR post.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Nicki aka Rebelstand