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Monday, November 29, 2010

Day 7, Is it over yet???

After another bad night's sleep, we woke-up Thursday morning and took Samuel to the walk-in clinic.  Ear infections in both ears as well as swimmer's ear in one. 
He is just miserable.  
A quiet day today just hanging out in the hotel room. 
That was the plan.  
However.......
The hotel room was not the most comforting place for our little boy with autism.
The air conditioner may as well have sounded like this
The whole corridor and rooms had a funky trying to mask that you could once smoke in these rooms smell.
  So, we decided to go for a drive to Gatlinburg, grab some lunch and then come back to the hotel.  We all enjoyed strolling down the main street looking at the different shops.  There was a historic cabin with a very nice lady guide.  She let Samuel make bubbles with a bubble wand and didn't get bent out of shape when he tried to sit on the hundred-year-old (or there-abouts) rocking chair.
If you want a blast from the past, or are a "Dukes of Hazzard" fan,
Cooter's Place is a must see.
Subway for lunch and then time to head back.
But, the best laid plans..........
A car had crashed into a store and the whole area around our car was blocked off.
Soooo, we decided to check out
It was actually a very cool aquarium.  I wish that Sam had been feeling better because he would have had a blast.  But, as it was, we had to rush through and hope that we could get to our car.
We made our way back to the hotel.
Jessica and I went and did some souvenir shopping.  We stopped at a  
huge 
 Christmas shop called The Christmas Place and had fun wandering around there.
Went back to the hotel and then Jim and Jessica went souvenir shopping!

I forgot to mention that on Day 6 we rode the trolley around for a bit.  It was very quick taking us to the Old Mill, but on the way back we got to see a bit more of Pigeon Forge than we really wanted to!

That evening Jessica was kind enough to watch Sam for us so Jim and I could go out together to a restaurant.

That night Samuel woke-up at 1am.  Jim and I looked at each other and made the decision to end the misery and drive back to Tampa, then and there.  The only disappointing thing about that decision is that we wouldn't get to see Joshua and Courtney.  Sam and I were going to stay with them on Friday until our flight out of Asheville.
A little excitement on the drive.  A tree had fallen across the road.  But, otherwise it was just a long drive.
Home had never looked so good.

the END
We got to see some beautiful scenery and see some fun touristy places.  We got to attend Joshua and Courtney's wedding reception in North Carolina and spend  a little bit of time with them.  We got to spend time together as a family and white water raft down a river.
But, it was the longest 7 days of my life.
Sally-Ann
P.S.  Next year we are staying put in Florida.........on a quiet beach somewhere. 

2 comments:

Jim Purdy said...

Captiva Island, reservations already made for the Mermaid House.

Sally-Ann said...

Sounds good to me!!! Be there or be square