Nashville, Tennessee: I guess we are old, as a lousy two-hour time change, no dinner and sleeping in new surroundings didn't make us very chipper this morning. But we rallied and met our friends - Kathy, Woody, Mary & Steve - in the hotel lobby so we could walk to the Farmer's Market where we would later board a tour bus.

As many of you know, DT and I were in Nashville for five days last year visiting our friends, Clay & Lara. Things have changed, due to the terrible flood this May, but it is amazing how Nashville has bounced-back from the devastation.
I am going to apologize right up front with you all (or ya'll). I only brought my teeny deck-o-card-sized little camera on this trip, so please do not expect great photography. A girl only has so much room in her suitcase. Don't make me have to choose between black pants and camera equipment.
Black pants will always win.
We spent a little time touring around the Farmers Market. Though it was nearly a ghost town when we here in May 2009, today there must have been 30 stalls selling fresh produce. Oddly enough, they were all selling exactly the same produce.


Now you know.
Enough looking at vegetables! Time for our tour. Kathy had made arrangements for us to get on a fluorescent pink bus and be driven around Nashville by two crazy sisters.



Oh, if I just wasn't a lady what wouldn't I tell that varmint ya'll about the tour???
Next we walked up to the Capitol Building for a self-guided tour! You know DT and I just love to visit State Capitol Buildings. Yes, we have been here before, but this is the first time we have been inside the Tennessee State House!


The State House, designed by William Strickland, sits on a hill in downtown Nashville. It has no dome.


We were hungry, so headed into the touristy area of Nashville.


We walked along the Cumberland riverfront, which was nine feet over flood stage in May, back to our hotel.



Our friend, author Clay Travis, has a three hour sports-radio talk show in Nashville. Clay is a huge Tennessee fan. We met Clay (years ago) through George Washington University basketball. (Clay attended GW as an undergrad and has a law degree from Vanderbilt.) Clay and his wife, Lara, have a three year old and are three days overdue with their second child.
The impending birth is putting the brakes on our two-year-long plan of attending the Oregon v Tennessee game together! Dave and I went to Lara & Clay's home to see their son, and then all eight of us met for dinner at the Germantown Cafe. After dinner, we posed for photos in the middle of the street to capture the Capitol Building as our backdrop.


Speaking of blessed... have you ever seen more attractive Duck fans with the Tennessee State House in the background?
I would like to wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year! 5771 already - where does the time go?
Until my next update, I remain, your Nashville correspondent.