Getting Ready for a Trip

Posted on by Julia

June 30, 2025

I had been in communication with my blog friend, Betty, from Chambers on the Road (chambersontheroad.com). She and her husband, Dan, were volunteering as camp host at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Since they were only five hours away, I had hoped we’d be able to get together and visit in person. We were able to set up a time to visit, June 24 and June 25. We would arrive on June 24 and leave June 26.

Betty asked if we were going to bring the RV. For that short of a trip, we decided we weren’t going to take the RV. Bruce said this question and our answer made him realize that we really were done with moving our large RV. After we had the dates set, I got us hotel reservations at the Tremont Lodge and Resort in Townsend, TN. They have a building for visitors with dogs.

On Saturday (June 21), Bruce and I spent a lot of time being lazy and talking about what we should take. I suggested we should take Nox’s crate, as it would make her feel more at home.

I did take a couple of gardening pictures. I took a picture of the sunset through the living room picture window.

Round Zucchini
Peppers in Pots

On Sunday (June 22), Bruce started mowing the yard. I did laundry and made a spicy pork vindaloo on the stove for supper. I used the hot peppers from our bucket garden.

We got a spectacular sunset and we sat outside watching it.

On June 23 (Monday), I went to PT in Muscle Shoals instead of Florence. The company closed down the office in Florence. My physical therapist was considering what he would do. He wasn’t going back to the office in Muscle Shoals. He worked his last week in the Muscle Shoals office. He introduced me to my new therapist. We invited him to lunch as a thank you and to wish him luck on his next job.

While I was in PT, Bruce went to the veterinary office and got Nox her medicine.

We stopped at Rick’s Farm Market and picked up peaches for Betty and Dan.

After we got home, I put the peaches in the fridge. Bruce finished mowing the yard. I checked the garden.

Round Zucchini
Another Type of Round Zucchini
Cucumber
Bee Bum
Bee Bum
Beans Reaching for the Sky
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Black-eyed Peas
Yellow Patty Pan Squash
Bolted Lettuce
Arugula Seed Pods
Beet
Yellow Squash
Fennel
Second Beet Planting
Yard Long Beans
Yard Long Beans
Daylily and Blackberries
Next Door Donkeys
Pine Tree 2
A Pile of Branches
Hydrangea
Hydrangea

We packed up the clothes we were going to take in one bag. We set aside a second smaller bag for our toiletries to pack in the morning.

Bruce got Nox’s medicine in her pill minder. I got one of reusable bags to carry all small Nox related items. Bruce put in a bag of dog food, treats, two Nox balls and her medicine.

On June 24 (Tuesday), we got up, showered and put our toiletries into the smaller bag. I headed to the garden and picked a sandwich bag of cherry tomatoes for a snack.

I put the peaches in a small cooler.

Bruce collapsed the dog crate and put it in the truck. He put Nox’s bed on her seat. He put in the suitcases in the truck and fastened Nox into her seatbelt. I put the cooler and water into the Cliff the Big Red Truck. We were ready to go!

Smoky Mountain National Park, here we come!

18 thoughts on “Getting Ready for a Trip”

  1. I didn’t realize my question was a “moment” for you all concerning your RV. I so appreciate you making the drive, all the preparations you went through to come, and even bringing that cutie Nox. The peaches were delicious! Your garden is looking fabulous!

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      2. We loved meeting you. We had a wonderful time with you. You and Dan are such great people to visit with. We also believe Nox is as cute as can be!

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    1. It was great to take a break from all the usually things and have a road trip. Even though the trip was short we had a wonderful time. Betty and Dan are lovely people. They volunteer in the winter at Big Cypress Nation Preserve in Ochopee, FL in the winter. They help out at the visitors center.

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    1. You can cut the top off and stuff them. After looking at the round zucchini, I think I made a mistake with the labels. I have a pumpkin and a melon of some sort, not round zucchini. All I can think, is what was I doing?

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  4. I thought that zucchini looked an awful lot like a pumpkin. Although….I grew something that got named “pumpkini”. It grew on a vine, but it was long, green and speckled like a zucchini. After a little while, it turned orange. (I cooked a green one like a zucchini, and it was awful.)

    Ooh, I hope Nomad Nox enjoys being on the road again! It sounds like you all have plans for a lovely couple of days. 😊

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Published by Julia