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I’m home. Dear, dear sweet home.
The trip went well, but it wasn’t the same as last year. I don’t know whether it was the fact we’ve been to the Smokies four times in a row and needed fresh never-before-seen scenery or what, but it was like, let’s do it and get back home.
If I can remember, this is the first year I’ve juggled my regular job and my touring company job AND went on vacation. I think it made a difference. All I could think about was, are the tours running right, on time and are people hating me for leaving?
I had to take a break, though. And, you know what, I know know that despite the fact it was the same old, same old, I did come back refreshed and ready to dig in, so I guess that’s what vacations are all about.
Next year, though, it’s the California trip for sure. My daughter is talking about going to NY for a few days and we still might do that, but the trip to California has been planned for years so we might as well go ahead and do it.
I wonder, though, why it is I can never commit to going? Maybe it’s like Christmas – after the presents are opened, it’s like, it’s over.
Speaking of Christmas, my daughter and I went looking for Christmas trees today! I think it’s a Spruce I want, but if it 
takes me all season, I’m going to get that Spruce. I love the short needles. We saw some real Spruce trees in the Smokies (think that’s what they were) and omg I wanted to dig one up and bring it home.
And, omg, while we were walking around Cade’s Cove, I found a branch that had fallen off a tree and there was some kind of fern growing all over it. I threw that baby in the back seat of the van! The only way to describe it is that it looked like that air fern you see in stores. Could that be it?
I did have fun, though, looking back. The only thing I didn’t like about the cabin was that it had four floors and I got so out 
of breath climbing them. The bottom room had the media room (that was REAL nice) and the washer and dryer. The floor above that had two bedrooms and the pool table and the floor above that was the main area with the living room (with fireplace which we used even though it was hotter than all get out there), dining area where we hosted the birthday party for my daughter, the kitchen which had an island to die for, a bedroom and another bathroom. Oh, the two bedroom floor had a bathroom, too. And, the floor above that had a bedroom with a jacuzzi and in an area off that, a pool table. What I didn’t like about the pool table was that you couldn’t play without hitting the walls. Major bummer.
Most of the time I was climbing stairs. Up and down, up and down. No one told me vacations were supposed to be this strenous!
Got some good footage, though. Haven’t watched it yet because I can’t figure out how to play the darn thing in the TV, but I was really glad I bought the camcorder before I left.
Like I said, it’ll be a different destination next time, but I still love the Smokies, no matter how many times I go. Only, next time, it won’t have 4 freaking floors!
