Food.  Music.  Large Men Throwing Stuff.

We're back from the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, apparently the biggest such event in the US.  First things first:  Dave's parents were amazingly generous and kind to us a) when we got lost on a 1.5 hour trip that turned into nearly 4 hours, b) when the hotel/townhouse we were staying at was nearly 20+ minutes AWAY from the games, c) we got lost finding ANYTHING to eat for dinner the first night and ended up at some scary strip mall fried chinese buffet, and d) when the one thing out of our control went wrong--the RAIN all day Friday at the games!! 

OK!  All in all a good trip, especially upon finding decent places to eat, good weather on Saturday and taking the "short cut" back cutting the drive in half. This was my first Highland Games.  I've never seen so many men in skirts.  Lots of big men tossing hay and lumber and small girls dancing over swords.  They are big into collies at the games (border collies, but still). 

Dave and I are thinking a Mountain house is a good option.  We have no $$ now, but I think we'll start looking in a couple of years.  It was so much cooler up there, and it's the prettiest part of NC that we've seen thus far.

News at home:  We missed two tornados Saturday night.  We're not sorry we weren't here. 

8:38:17 AM