I am in Tennessee this weekend…until Monday. I am just outside of the city of Franklin along the Natchez Trace Parkway. At the top of the hill is a trail system for hiking. The plan this morning…my plan…was to hike some of the trails. My plans have changed. This weekend is my goodbye weekend. I am saying goodbye. Goodbye to my old life…my old way of living.
Such a crazy life I have lived.
This morning, I told my friend I am moving out this week. I will be out of my little cabin in the woods by no later than Thursday.
He said…I have seen you move…I think you will be out by Tuesday. 🤣 We laughed. He is right. It is true. I told him…once I make a decision, I make it happen. I see no point in prolonging it.
Early this morning, I decided to move to Evansville, Indiana, and start a new life in the sales force. For years, I thought I would never be in sales. However, I met a man. His name is Jeff. I met him while living in Michigan and that man lit a fire in me about my future. He opened my eyes to possibilities for myself. Possibilities I had not ever considered before.
When talking with Vanessa this morning, I was telling her…I am going to be moving to Evansville this week. She asked…where are you going to live??? I said…I haven’t a clue…but I am moving. 😂 I am starting a new life. I am starting over, and I am building a life for myself. Super excited.
Moving Out
As soon as I made the decision this morning, I wanted to leave TN and get to IL to pack my stuff up. However, I started to hear the song Tennessee Whiskey…Chris Stapleton’s version. Of course…this song means the world to me. I think it is becoming my favorite song out of all songs. Father has sung this song to me on repeat for the last couple of years. It has become a beautiful love song to me. In fact, it is on repeat as I type. Father and I slow-danced together to it earlier this morning. I decided I could slow dance to this song the rest of my life…I love it that much.
A little back story…a piece of the puzzle.
When I reserved this accommodation, it was actually a different place. On my way to Tennessee, the hosts changed my location. Ok…no biggie. I get here to meet Wade my host…and I asked him…wow…ok…I am here all by myself, right? This is a bit of overkill here. See the pictures below to understand. Six bedrooms and each one has its own bathroom. Three decks…one screened in. The place is huge, and I need a partner to play ping pong with. 🤣 They should have told me they had a ping-pong table. SO glad it wasn’t air hockey…LOVE me some games of air hockey. I am going to own an air hockey table someday. Mitchell has been forced to play air hockey with me at the Kentucky Lake House on vacations there at our friend’s home. I get cutthroat at air hockey…watch your fingers. 😜
Tennessee Whiskey
Wade gave me a tour of the home. Afterward, he hung around for about an hour and we had a great chat. He was full of questions about me. Fascinated by my lifestyle. When I travel, I always ask the locals questions. They have the 411. Father usually speaks to me through them, so I pay careful attention to what they say.
Wade was telling me about this little town…Leipers Fork. He asked me if I had ever heard of Chris Stapleton. Immediately…I spit out…Tennessee Whiskey…my favorite song. We chatted about Chris for a few and then he said…Chris lives near this distillery in Leipers Fork. Ok…I remember it but ok…kind of dismiss it.
This morning as Father began to sing this song again…which led to the slow dancing. I realized…instead of hiking…I have to go to Leipers Fork today…to the distillery and buy some Tennessee Whiskey.
Do I drink whiskey? No. Haven’t in years. Have no plans on drinking the whiskey…but I want the bottle to remember this season of my life. I want to remember what this song represents to me. It is a picture of something dear to my heart.
Avo
Yesterday, I ate a late lunch at Avo. It is a restaurant our family discovered several years ago on the way home from a vacation. The food is unbelievable…and all vegan. It is a safe place for me to eat. They make amazing cheeses out of cashews and coconuts. Their kimchi rolls are amazing.
I had a couple sit down next to me and the husband had all kinds of questions for me. They were traveling and had never eaten there before. I educated them on the food. They had been strictly vegan for many years until he started having problems. His doctor recommended he add fish into his diet again and all his problems disappeared. It was funny because he had been craving different foods and couldn’t figure out why. I told him…your body was speaking to you. He agreed…it was. He learned to listen. It was a great conversation with this really communicative and gregarious guy.
One huge perk of traveling is the conversations I get to have with total strangers. Stimulating and enjoyable. Always.
Cheekwood Gardens
I spent some time walking through the botanical gardens at Cheekwood. Some pretty flowers, trees, and plants in their gardens. Lots of hiking trails to walk on as well. The pictures below are taken at Cheekwood. This is where the frog picture came from in the featured image. Isn’t the reflection of his eye SO COOL!!!!!!!!! I was pretty stoked about that. Just sayin. 😉
Ben Griffith
The artwork above is by a Nashville Native. I met him several years ago while Hannah and I popped in at the Nashville Farmer’s Market while hanging out in Nashville for the weekend. I have always been a huge supporter of the local farmer’s markets. The kids and I go to any that are nearby. It is a fun trip for us.
While there, Ben’s work caught my eye. Of course…I had to chat with him and get to know a bit about him. He had recently gotten into art…turning it into a full-time gig for himself. Since meeting him, I have purchased a number of his works. I really like the fact he stays within this same color wheel for all his designs.
A couple of years ago, Hannah found him online and started following him. She bought a few of his pieces which made me want to get back to Nashville and see him again.
It hit me yesterday that the Farmer’s Market was open. Ben MIGHT be there. I headed over to the market looking for him. When I saw him sitting in his chair…I yelled BEN…you ARE here! It just came out of me. I was so happy to see him. He smiled at me and said…yes, I AM here.
I had to get caught up with him. He is no longer on social media. He made me laugh…He told me…I said GOODBYE to Facebook and haven’t looked back. Oh, BABY!!! You are speaking my language. I told him…I am proud of you!!! So proud. Good riddance!
My New Wall
I bought six more of his pieces. I love them. For me…the art has to speak to me and it has to say something. Mean something deeply to me…or I am not going to buy it. Each of these pieces…and the ones I have on my wall at home…represent something significant to me in my life. They are near and dear to my heart and speak spiritual concepts that scream me.
I am super excited about my new move. I am going to get a home finally. Not sure what that home looks like right now…but it will be mine. These pieces of art…make me think of my grandpa saying to me about the clock he brought to me…you have a wall to hang it on now. I feel like I am going to have a wall to hang my favorite pieces of art.
I am saying goodbye to the old…and starting over with the new. A new life. Newness of life.
Ok…well…heading out to the distillery now to get my bottle of Tennessee Whiskey while listening to Chris Stapleton singing a song I will always remember with fondness. ❤️ 😍
Have a marvy day!