Road Trip

It is Spring Break. I can not take off much time from work. But I managed one day off. Nothing cures the blues like a road trip and shopping therapy. So, the boys and I headed to Nashville. Looking back, I really should have printed off a map. I have been known to get lost in much smaller towns. Once in Nashville, with the interstate splits and traffic...I got disoriented. Before total panic set in, I decided to get off the interstate and stop at a nice looking hotel. Surely they would have a map and could provide assistance. Nobel thought. No one was at the front desk (should have given up then). I located a map in the lobby and finally found a maid. She could parrot back to me "map" and "manager". Then a gentleman appeared. I think he was the manager. I showed him the map and where I wanted to go. I asked where on the map was this hotel. (really could have used a "You Are Here" marker). He nodded politely and pointed at the interstate and said: "map, go, yes, you go!". Apparently, he did not speak English and I only speak Southern English. Comically, I was only about three exits from my destination.

The Opry Mills Mall, formerly Opryland amusement park, is huge. It has about 300 shops. It is the only place I know of where you can drink fresh apple cider, wax your eyebrows, watch an IMAX, play Ms. PacMan, watch a banjo being made, pet a stingray, putt-putt in the dark and buy a boat all under one roof.

It is Tdawg's favorite mall. He loves the Nike outlet. They carry shoes to fit him: size 15 shoes! And they have a lot of sporting good stores and a Dave & Buster's. D&B is a Chuck E. Cheese for adults. We had a blast playing Ms. PacMan, Skeeball, Basketball Shoot-Out and Air Hockey. We also played Glow In the Dark Putt-Putt. I do not putt-putt well in broad daylight, therefore, I am down right dangerous in the dark! By the way, it does not help to yell "fore" in a dark building.

It was a great day and time flew much to fast. We were tired and our dogs were barking (southernism for my feet were hurting). I still had to navigate through the rush hour traffic. I got cut off by a big truck and missed my exit when a lady on her cellphone (grrr) tried to sideswipe me. Thankfully, we got home in one piece without any major problems. Tdawg drove part of the way going and coming back, just not on the interstate. It will not be long before he is driving on his own!