A weekend with Mom Phillip

Matt's mom Sue came for a visit from Illinois to see us this weekend! We had a great time! Friday evening was low key with dinner and a nail biting game of scrabble. I won because I can make words like "PRUDENT". Who am I kidding, that game is all luck.
Saturday was breakfast here:

This place is a Nashville tradition as the sign says. It's been around since the '60s I think. DELICIOUS. Of course known for their pancakes and homemade syrup (melt in your mouth). They also make some really mean omelettes and waffles. The most amazing part? It's totally calorie free! Hence the line looks like this:

Ok...ok...so the line is for the mere deliciousness that is this institution and I assure you...it is NOT calorie free. I felt like Buddha coming out of there. Time to walk it off!









We went on to The Hermitage. Home to our 7th American President, Andrew Jackson.

This plantation sits on around 1200 acres of land. No quick walk. We didn't walk it all but it felt like it after 3 hours. Gorgeous home and land however. Did you know Jackson was 6'1" and only had a size 7 foot!?? Whoa. A few more pictures...

The grave of Jackson and his wife Rachael who died around 15 years before he did. This is a beautiful garden next to the home. Generations of Jacksons are buried here, the most recent being his great great great granddaughter in the 70s.

Beautiful flowers in the garden.

Beautiful walkways in this garden. It is an English style garden, made for Rachael as a gift from Jackson. After Rachael died of heart failure, the General would daily go out to this garden and visit her grave until he could no longer make the journey.

A slave cabin behind the house.

This was the Jackson's first home here until the big one was built later. These two cabins used to be one house that was two stories. It was later broken up into two cabins for slaves to live in as Jackson saw it inappropriate for slaves to live in a two story home.






There is a lot more to see of course. Pictures are not allowed inside the house. Apparently flash is bad for original wallpaper. Fun haters. We headed home after this and I needed a nap. Refreshed after a snooze we went downtown for dinner here:

So tasty! Steak, pasta, and salad for 10 bucks! You know you're not in Chicago anymore with these prices. Very good service and meal. Again, needed a walk down Broadway to feel less like a stuck pig.









Upon arriving home, we watched a movie and Matt stayed up grieving a loss of his beloved Iowa Hawkeyes after mom and I retired. Here's to hoping they can pick it back up next week.
We went to church this morning here:

We have been visiting here semi regularly since we got to Nashville and really enjoy it. Check out their website.  We then drove down to Franklin for lunch here:

H.R.H Dumplings. Cute little lunch place that is only open daily from 11-2. Really delicious salads, soups, bread and of course chicken and dumplings.









A nice walk around Historic Downtown Franklin. Very cute shops and storefronts.

Why yes, I'd love to be able to afford to shop here. When are the sales??

The town square area with monument, very neat.












Side trip to Brentwood area for a look at homes we will never afford. Ah dreams. We even stopped at an open house to look around. Mere paupers in the castle. The lady knew immediately we were just having fun. She didn't offer a leaflet on the house. Shocking.
Back home and Matt and mom left for the airport around 4:30. I headed to Kohl's and got an area rug. I know, I epitomize excitement. Now we sit and watch football. Chiefs won, Bears won, and Dallas lost. Always a good day for the NFL. Now, if I can just keep these Cheez-It crumbs off the new rug....