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Friday, May 18, 2007

Nashville now and then

My mom, my sister, and I journeyed up to Nashville last weekend for Mother's Day. It was my idea to take Mom to Centennial Park and ride these little paddle boats around the lake there. We did that one time when I was probably eleven or twelve, and I thought it would make for a nice surprise.

There was but one small problem. They don't have the paddle boats anymore. So instead we walked around the trail, which was peppered with duck droppings. Apparently, the ducks often make it a special point to get out of the water to defecate. Although now that I think about it, I guess it could have been from the pigeons. I'm not really qualified to differentiate between the two.

Mom and I did get a sno-cone. I got blue raspberry, mainly because I knew it would turn my teeth, lips, and tongue blue, which would slightly annoy my sister. Yes, I'm thirty-four. Mom got cherry (and you wonder where I get it from). She seemed to genuinely enjoy herself and be pleasantly surprised by the trip to the park, even though they didn't have the boats.

As we sat by the lake for a bit, I was hit with some sort of time-warpish realization, thinking how twenty years or so of my life had disappeared since the last time I was at this very place. Those are always fun moments. If I were on prescription medication, I would have popped a couple of pills right about then.

When we were driving around earlier looking for the park, I received a text message, from my sister in the backseat. It read, "Mom cannot drive." Mom used to drive dangerously fast. But not so much anymore. So when we left the park, I volunteered to drive the rest of the way.

We had dinner at Cock of the Walk, where we ate our fill of delicious fried catfish fillets and chicken tenders, hush puppies, cornbread, river fries, turnip greens, white beans, cole slaw, and onions. Washed down with some of the best sweet tea I've ever tasted. And I've sampled my fair share of sweet tea.

Nashville truly is one of my favorite cities. So many of the streets are familiar--Broadway, West End Avenue, Demonbreun, Thompson Lane. And of course, I always become nostalgiac thinking about or driving past the former location of Opryland. I've often thought of moving there. To Nashville, not Opryland. Although if that were possible...

It was a good day. My sister texting and calling me from the backseat. Mom freaking out each time I deftly and quickly maneuvered across four lanes of traffic. The times when just the three of us get to take a trip like that are rare anymore. I try and cherish them. It's always good to visit Nashville every now and then.

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Tomorrow, I'm running a 10K. I ran six miles Monday sort of as a simulation for the race. At least, according to the website, it's six miles. But I did it in about 48 minutes, which makes me think it's not quite that far.

I ran eight laps. The website says the track is three-quarters of a mile. But, I think it might actually be closer to two-thirds, because one time I took my pedo out there and that's what it registered. If that's the case, I still ran 5 1/3 miles.

I feel much more prepared than I did last year, when I had barely trained at all. I'm not sure where to set my goal for this year's race. I'd like to run a 55:00, which would be around a nine-minute mile and about five minutes faster than last year. Mainly I just want to finish without tearing, pulling, spraining, or breaking anything.

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, with a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swinging hot spot..."

23 comments:

  1. Your so sweet, all I did for mother's day was give my mom a handmade{by me} rather realistic life-size clay caterpillar.

    When I have the chance I make bug statues[which usually end up as gifts to people who I don't know to give] and take close-up bug photos, so I guess bug stuff is kind of a hobby.

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  2. I sent my mom a basket of plants, but did it early so she can enjoy them longer. She really liked them. And I mailed her a card along with her VERY late Easter card that I forgot about.

    I hope you do well on your 10K, make sure to warm up and stretch before you start and you should end up fine...unless someone runs you over or you fall in a pothole. I hope that doesn't happen.

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  3. t was a good day. My sister texting and calling me from the backseat. Mom freaking out each time I deftly and quickly maneuvered across four lanes of traffic. The times when just the three of us get to take a trip like that are rare anymore. I try and cherish them. It's always good to visit Nashville every now and then.

    Love that. Love the description of the day. Sounds wonderful.

    Sorry about the paddle boats. I'm truly sorry they're a thing of the past.

    We have a lot of pigeon poop here. FYI: It's white. People should know that for when they're in a city :)

    Really glad the restaurant gave a history of the name. Was wondering.

    Break a leg tomorrow--not literally. Excited for you

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  4. Washed down with some of the best sweet tea I've ever tasted. And I've sampled my fair share of sweet tea.

    Oh I am soo glaring at you from Wisconsin. And it's a serious glare too :-P

    *sigh* I miss sweet tea.

    I laughed so hard about your mom not being able to drive... and yet her freaking out over YOUR driving... hmmm, like mother, like son? O:-)

    Good luck tomorrow! I'm sure you'll do great, but an extra buena suerte never hurt anyone :)

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  5. I'm wondering if you didn't just drive right past me. I hope you at least waved ;) I'm not sure I've ever been to Centennial Park. My parents weren't big on Nashville, so we did the smaller, quieter parks closer to home :)
    Cock of the Walk is gooooood....and I wish Opryland was still there. They tore it down and built a mall, you know. I have heard recently that they're talking about building Opryland back. They're also talking about putting a Six Flags along the I-24 in Manchester. Yeah, right...I'll believe it when I see it.
    Goodness....a 10K? That would KILL me, you know? I'm not sure I could pull off ONE K! Good luck!

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  6. Hmm I forgot to wish you a nice good run...So have a good nice run:)

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  7. I'm saddened by the fact that Opryland isn't there anymore. I used to go there all the time on the weekends when I lived in Huntsville.

    Sounds like you had a good day with your mom and sister. I sent my mom money. She always enjoys that.

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  8. GirlFPS: Well, that's an interesting and unique gift. Thanks for the good wishes :)

    Renee: Aww, that's very sweet. I just received a birthday card from my sister in the mail about a week ago. lol But she gave me my present on time, so that's the important part :)

    I guess I could always just stop and say:

    "I choose not to run!"

    Pia: Haha. I was thinking you might know more about the pigeon stuff than would I.

    Thanks.

    TC: I would not have mentioned the tea had it not been stunning. Because you can get sweet tea anywhere around here. But it was amazing. I don't think you could drink it standing up. You would've had to sit down :)

    Thanks for the good luck wishes :)

    Jennifer: Centennial Park is right next to the Parthenon. I'm glad to know someone else knows and understands the goodness that is Cock of the Walk :)

    Yeah, I heard they were trying to buy some more land for another theme park. I'm like you. Won't believe it until I'm standing in line for a ride.

    Thanks for the good luck wishes.

    Xinher: Opryland rocked! I loved it. As attested to by the number of posts and mentions it has received on my blog :)

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  9. Am I the only one who is KIND of disturbed you were up that early the day of your race answerig comments on your post?

    *er*

    Guess I just haven't been blogging long enough, huh? O:-)

    Because you can get sweet tea anywhere around here.

    I discovered something important today, Bone: there is at least a little bit of evil in you :-P

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  10. It's now my personal goal in life to eat at a restaraunt with the word "Cock" in it.

    You guys have such fun street names out there. Ours are boring. Marconi. Greenback. Auburn Blvd (the avenue of hookers). And Elverta. Quite different.

    I hope you have great success during your 10k. Sounds like you're most certainly prepared!

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  11. TC--thought you of all people would see the little nib of evil in Bone :)

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  12. Nice memories--that vittles place sounds good, catfish and hushpuppies and turnip greens at the same spot!

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  13. Love Nashville! The Gaylord Opryland is one of my favorite places. Pre-kids we lived in Cherokee, just off the Natchez Trace. It was great to take off to Nashville some Saturdays for dinner and enjoy the scenery. The dinner cruise deals were great too.

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  14. Actonbell: Thank you. The weather was just about perfect.

    Oh, cool. I've been to Memphis several times. Nashville is nice. I should have taken a bit more time to describe it.

    TC: Well, you know how it is. The blog comes first :) And it was actually 7:07. Blogger evidently never sprung forward.

    Blondie: Those aren't boring. Except for Auburn. That's a bad word around these parts.

    Pia: LOL The little nib of evil, huh? Well, see, some would say it's right there in the name.

    But really, I have no idea what you girls are talking about O:-) But as long as you're entertaining yourselves, you may continue.

    Sage: I think I've only been there three or four times ever, but it is very good.

    Kontan: Oh, Cherokee, cool! I did a drive up the Natchez Trace last year.

    I think they still have the showboat dinner cruises, even though Opryland is gone :(

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  15. The blog comes first

    8-)

    Only in Boneland.

    And gee, it being 7:07 the morning of your race makes it sooo much better. Uff da!

    :-P

    Pia: I really did already know about the little nib of evil, but I was trying to be like Bone and pretend that I have selective memory and thus learned it all over again :-D I thought it might make him feel a little better... O:)

    (Really Bone, like you need to tell us to feel free to continue to amuse ourselves: you're saying that because you know we're going to even if you don't want us to. :-P)

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  16. (Really Bone, like you need to tell us to feel free to continue to amuse ourselves: you're saying that because you know we're going to even if you don't want us to. :-P)

    Oh but does it amuse Bone?

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  17. Well, be honest Pia... does it matter if it amuses him? ;-)

    [I'm of course kidding, Bone... kind of... mostly O:)]

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  18. I used to live in Nashville. It was a great city.

    Hope you survived the 10K and you're able to move today. ;)

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  19. yeap Nashville is the best place to be...

    ;)

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  20. TC: I don't pretend I have selective memory. I have selective memory.

    Hey, wait a second...

    Pia: Yes, Bone is amused.

    Carmen: Really? I didn't know you lived in Nashville! Cool.

    Shayna: I can't argue with that :)

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  21. Don't make me pull out the selective memory arguments against you again... because I will.

    *glares*

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  22. Bone this was beautiful to read, it felt like a perfect moment in time. I did laugh, I wrote recently about snow cones on the beach as a child in FL, cherry, of course.

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  23. TC: You know, glaring loses some of it's effect when it's your fifth comment on this post :-P

    Marcia: Thank you. It's kinda nice that there are things like snow cones, which are pretty much exactly the same as they were when I was a kid.

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