Monday, Oct.2,2000. After a very tiring weekend, lil dumplin and I went up into the mountains. At the edge of a mountain stream, we backed the little s10 up into a parkin place. Opened up the topper and drug out the ground tarp. Spread it out on the rocky unlevel ground and inflated the full sized air mattress with the electric pump. That task completed-out came the sleepin bags-zipped together and then the pillows. The temps were in the low 80's, sun shining and the mountain brook speakin to us as it flowed noisly on it's way down hill. We both laid down and was lookin straight up into those tall trees [tulip poplars] and kinda lookin for a bear. Guess what? Nope, we didn't see any bears but both of us went to sleep!!!! After nappin for better part of an hour I finally was roused by lil dumplin sayin something about how nice it was to be away from all those crowds in Gatlinburg. I wholeheartedly agreed. We spent the rest of the afternoon there, listening to the birds chirpin, brook flowin and an occasional vehicle passin slowly by "our place". I didn't start any fires this time. I did have one at this same spot back in May of this year. It kept the skeeters away then-now, the skeets were elsewhers I guess. We also ate tater chips, cold cuts [afterbirth and floor sweepins] while drinkin cheap soda's. Boy, it was a meal fit for an old -er- hillbilly! Onlest thang missin was the SPAM! Well anyhow, that took most of Monday. Friday, we spent at Metcalf bottoms from 11 am to 5 pm. Big fire, groceries, cheapie sodas and lots a other grub. Envious neighbors admiring our HUGE fire. It was chilly but we weren't. Captured from 3 to 5 hours of VHS of the music and preachin in the park. Saw the McKameys at poor, destitute dollywood on Sat. They are a Gospel group and will be performing up our way Oct 20th. Sumner Grade School is the location. If anybody has occasion to see'm I would highly recommend it--if you like Southern Gospel and don't mind the Pentecostal praise coming from them. Still tired but not hungry or cold.Still refreshed in the mind and am thankful for the ffellowship I had with my Lord. I'll make some announcements in the very near future-about where we're going in this life, both business and personal. Be good to each other--PLEASE! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), October 10, 2000

Answers

Glad to see you back, been ready for some yarns.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 10, 2000.

Life hasn't been the same without your musings. Glad you are back.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), October 10, 2000.

I am happy to see you back, Hoot. I was thinking of sending out a search party.

As for your announcement, hopefully it will be that you plan on traveling around and visiting us all. Wander up to the banana belt of NW Washington and impart some of your wisdom on some of us young, foolish ones!

-- Amy Richards (tiggerwife@aol.com), October 11, 2000.