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Volunteering in the Volunteer State
Monday, October 24, 2011 at 01:44PM 
TG and I were honorary Vols this past weekend.
No, I do not refer to football. Long ago I said no to football and yes to black lace.
Although as I recall, the UT Vols were playing on the 52-inch plasma in Andrew's bachelor pad on Saturday night.
TG and Andrew were glued in horror to the humiliation that unfolded for the Vols in Tuscaloosa.
Meanwhile Audrey and I went in the other room, piled up on Andrew's spacious and comfortable bed, and watched a movie on my laptop.
We would have loved to watch our movie on the 52-inch plasma in HD with surround sound, but we were selfless! Selfless, I tell you.
After all, TG had volunteered two days of his time to paint Audrey's apartment. She wasn't going to be part of denying him a relaxing football game. And neither was I.
Her apartment looks great. She had us over for a splendid repast of homemade spaghetti after church on Sunday. And then we had to come home.
My volunteerism while in East Tennessee mostly involved doing the same things I do in the midlands of South Carolina: planning meals, shopping for victuals, cooking, washing dishes, and doing laundry.
Plus I took nearly one thousand pictures.
We arrived on Thursday evening right around suppertime. It was too late to cook so supper was pizza. Those ready-to-bake deli creations from Wal-Mart are the best deal around.
We got two great big ones and browned them to dizzying deliciousness in Andrew's oven.
First we stood around outside for a few minutes and visited. TG and Andrew weren't as pensive as they look. Andrew had had a busy day and we'd been driving all afternoon.
They were pausing to take in the beautiful view of sunset in the foothills of the Blue Ridge.
The next day I took Javier and Rambo outside to enjoy the perfect weather.
Ramby enjoys sitting in the sun, surveying the acreage of the campgrounds.
Audrey arrived shortly to fetch me and we went shopping. At Marshall's I found a Nine West purse in metallic pewter, very cool, on clearance. The handles are clinky-clanky. Marvelously Marley-esque.
That night, Andrew grilled hamburgers on -- what else? -- a Weber grill. For sides we had baked macaroni and cheese, Mission tortilla strips with black bean and white corn salsa, and fresh, warm chocolate chip cookies.
Then we watched Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Captain Jack Sparrow is adorable on a 52-inch plasma in High Def with surround sound, just so you know.
For two whole hours we giggled, except during the scary mermaid part.
On Saturday morning I made chili and put it in the crock pot to simmer until suppertime. At serving time we embellish ours with Frito Scoops, grated sharp cheddar, sour cream, and banana pepper rings.
If you don't eat yours that way, I feel sorry for you.
While I waited for Audrey to pick me up (she'd promised to take me graving) I had a photo shoot with the irrepressible Rambo.
He'd found himself a stick and was being cuter than even he knew. And that's saying something.
Then it was time to go to Knoxville's Old Gray Cemetery.
I went to the National Cemetery too, right next door to Old Gray, but I'm saving those pictures for another day.
I always notice dates on tombstones but lately I've been looking at them in a different way. Someday soon I'll tell you why.
Broken tombstones always catch at my heart and this one was particularly beautiful.
Elizabeth Ann died four years to the day before my mother was born.
"I know that my Redeemer liveth."
Amen, sister. Me too.
After two or three hours of intense graving I still wasn't ready to leave, but we had to go home and eat that chili.
The sun was setting the trees on fire when we arrived back at Andrew's bucolic crib.
That was the night Audrey and I watched The Tree of Life. If you haven't seen it, you should. It's sad but beautiful, a little strange but haunting, a film that will stay with you.
The way of nature versus the way of grace. Unless you love, your life will flash by.
Much better than a football game, the Vols getting shellacked by a Crimson Tide, thousands of folks in houndstooth hats yelling their fool heads off the whole time.
That is all.
Reader Comments (8)
What a nice weekend! I love the pictures - especially the one of those 2 good looking guys admiring the beautiful sky!
PS - We use a Weber grill too - of course!
Wonderful weekend, I see the sky was as beautiful there as it was here where we live in Tennessee. The sunset was magnificent, the clouds were a bright pink as the sun started to go down. Then they turned a rich gold, blessing the last minutes of the day.
Your food sounds great, as always.
Oh my...you just made the "tart" CRY!!!!!Hahaaa
I'll have to see the movie!
I'm one of those emotional types...If it's wonderful...I cry... Can you imagine Heaven? How fantastic THAT trip's 'gonna be!
Love...there IS nothing else....
(((HUG)))
Your men are so gorgeous. What a wonderful weekend.
That's the second time today that i've seen the movie mentioned. Guess I'll have to see it.
And that Rambo almost makes me want a dog.
Almost.
Aaawww, what a wonderful weekend! You fared much better than the fellows by NOT watching the embarrassing football game. The photo of Rambo looking UP is just priceless. Such a funny fellow...
And graveyard pics too! Oh, you know how to keep us spellbound with your photo essays...
I'll get it but I SURE do wish Sean Penn wasn't in it...YUCCCKKK!!!
hughugs
@Mari ... IS there any other kind of grill worth using? LOLOL
@Debbie ... the sunsets against those mountains are really something. I wish you could have watched it with me and eaten supper with us!
@Donna ... yay! It's a good movie. Different. And don't worry ... SP isn't in it much. I don't even think he has a speaking line. Very minimal part. And I read that he himself HATED the movie, so that makes me like it all the more.
@irene ... thanks luvvy. You and I have some pretty fine menfolk.
@Hobbit ... I'd be very interested to know if you enjoy TToL. It's not for everybody. And Rambo? Girl, you couldn't ask for a better dog. Andrew really lucked into that little guy. I love my Ramby so much.
@Donna ... Girl, a compliment from you on my photography means more than one coming from the average bear. Thanks luv.