Monday, October 26, 2009

My Girlfriend Gayle

I guess you could call this a “Scarborough Fair” kind of day, in that I cooked with parsley and cleaned and froze sage, rosemary and thyme. The parsley went into a vegetable lasagna that also contained homemade pesto sauce, home-grown carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and Jack’s green onions. We served this with a Richard’s salad creations and fresh turnip greens from Mamie’s. Too bad Gayle, my soul-sister who arrived today, didn’t have room for dessert; we had a choice of cherries jubilee or carrot cake.

We’ve been anticipating this visit for a couple of months. She and I have known each other since our over thirty-five-year-old children were in diapers. The last time we were together was at a retreat, making her truly my soul-sister.

I wasn’t sure she’d make it all the way here, as she was already hyperventilating over the curves in the road while still on the interstate two hours away. When she walked in, she said that this was one of the prettiest drives she’s ever taken. I guess she may come back now that she’s survived the drive and found us the first time.

I don’t think anyone has arrived here without exclaiming over the impossibility of “happening upon” our house. They all have one question, “How did you find it?” I tell them the truth; it all started when our granddaughter had to poop.

After Hurricane Katrina swallowed our retirement home on Lake Pontchartrain, I never wanted another house. I wanted a small piece of property on the water near Scott on the Mississippi coast and another piece of land in the mountains of North Georgia, near Rachel’s family. My plan was to live in our RV and travel the country forever. Richard wanted roots and a home. He was also afraid if all the grandkids came to visit at one time that I’d have him sleeping under the RV or on the roof while I tucked the kids into the RV beds.

When I despaired over finding anything in North Georgia to suit us and our budget, Rachel took over, suggesting that we look near Indian Boundary off the Cherohala Skyway in Southeast Tennessee. Her family loved camping in the area, and she felt that this may be a more affordable option than those we had found in Georgia. Rachel and her family offered to guide me there. We were in two vehicles, and I was an hour behind them.

As Rachel’s family passed through Coker Creek on the way to the Cherohala, one of the girls needed a potty break. There are very few businesses in Coker Creek, so they stopped at the first place that appeared to be open. While my granddaughter used the facilities, Rachel got to chatting with the artists who owned the shop. They had just received a flyer from a man with a home for sale two miles from where Rachel stood. By the time I met them, Rachel was absolutely sure that she had found our place, and the rest, as they say is history...