Tag: Concrete Mixer at Culver’s

Visitors to Blue Ridge Parkway

Visitors Magda and Basia had only one day to see the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it did not begin well. Lise and I heard thunder before our alarms went off. We all ate breakfast together and set off in rain. Despite the drizzle, we got out at my favorite place, Sunburst Falls.

We continued driving on the Parkway, stopping occasionally. Lise has a knack for being at the right place at the right time. We looked at the lovely view from the Pisgah Inn and went inside. We knew we couldn’t eat in the dining room, because we didn’t have a reservation. Lise went to the desk, anyway, and asked if there would be a possibility we could get a table. It was 20 minutes before the kitchen would close. The woman said she’d check. Within five minutes, she called out to us and said we could be seated!! I was shocked. The waiter said we had to get our order in before 2:30, and we did that easily. We loved the food and the scenery.

We continued driving on the Parkway until we got to Asheville. Magda has been to Culver’s before, and she knew it was part of our airport routine. Since she and Basia had a rental car, they would not have gone to the airport. We went there for dessert, having soft frozen custard with a couple of toppings.

A warning light about the car tires came on, and it was already after 5 pm on Saturday. The garage nearest my house looked closed, but Lise went in, anyway. I felt a great relief when a man opened the door and came out to look. After taking off the left front tire, he told Lise it looked like it could explode at any time. He checked and didn’t have any tire in stock that would fit the car. Looking at the spare, he said we were lucky it was there and usable. He put the rear tire in the front and mounted the spare at the rear. He said we had been only moments from a blowout!! And to think we had been on mountain roads for hours and on the interstate highway the last 40 miles! God was protecting us from a real disaster. Our instructions were to drive less than 50 miles per hour for 50 minutes, and then let the tire cool completely.

Lise got busy once we were home. It would have been a big hindrance to drive that car to Asheville for my appointment at 8:15 Monday. She checked about renting a car. The only rental place had already closed until Monday morning. Too late! She contacted grandson David and asked if we could swap cars for two days. Thankfully, he agreed. He will be going to work and not driving a great distance. I will still be concerned about his safety, but I need to keep that appointment for surgery on my face.

Lise!!

Daughter Lise is staying for three weeks, and we began the visit with our customary meal at Culver’s. This restaurant, known for frozen custard, is near the airport. We all adore their Concrete Mixer – frozen custard mixed with two additions of your choice. You can add fruit, bits of chocolate, various candies, Brownie bites, or syrups.

Lise made an emergency visit to a shoe store, looking for pull-on sneakers. She is going to have a hip replaced, and because of the damaged joint, she cannot tie her left shoe. What luck! She found shoes she loves on the last day the store was open. The next day they were closed for several weeks for remodeling.

Here is a different view of Jonathan Creek. I am not able to walk to the creek right now, but we ate at a barbecue place upstream from my usual destination. I hope you can see the creek from Lise’s shoulder to David’s chin.

We began moving furniture back on the front porch after 2/3 of it was painted. When the sun goes down, it is usually quite pleasant to sit there.

Logan suggested a fast-paced game of Rat Race. As an observer, I realized the game was really heating up when both Lise and Logan stood up to play. I doubt they realized the camera was aimed at them. Even if they did, they are used to it.