Oh, Bowl NOT The Bowl...

I took the below picture after finishing my lunch at the Olde Towne Pancake House the other afternoon -

For a quick moment I didn't know what to do.  I had two plates and NO bowl!!  Surely they weren't suggesting what popped into my head?!?! The urge to bolt hit me but I had yet to pay my tab, so that option would have to wait. That's when the waitress appeared carrying two bowls of soup for the booth next to me and then the light dawned on marble head (me).

Sure seemed a bit inappropriate but I get it now, PHEW

Nuff Said!

Ye Olde Eats

I tried another small and somewhat obscure restaurant yesterday afternoon, a place call Olde Towne Pancake House

It looked more like someone's house than a restaurant, inviting and quaint. The early modern English language used on the sign drew me in with a quaint or medieval feel, which was perfect being this restaurant is located in Jonesborough, Tennessee's oldest town.

 All that plus it had a giant rooster status in the front yard, so why would I not go in, DUH?!

I was warmly greeted with a big WELCOME and a little banter about how cold it was outside as I was taken to a booth, no waiting!  The restaurant proudly was displaying that they had won the Johnson City’s Press Best Breakfast award for the third year in a row - 2023, 2024 & 2025, so it was clear I had made the right decision.

I went with the "Olde Timers Breakfast" menu option, even though it was lunch time, but substituted the bacon with the hash browns and a cup of Joe!

I've been hanker'n for biscuits and gravy since I arrive here in East Tennessee and yesterday was the day I finally satisfied that craving -

The food came out quickly, fresh off the grill and nice and hot!

It didn't take me long to wolfe it all down and show that I am a good boy and a proud member of the clean plate club -

I give this lovely little restaurant two thumbs up 👍👍!

Located just off of route 11e, it's in an ideal location, easy to get to plus it's on the drive to and from our Limestone homestead.

Another delicious restaurant I will most definitely be visiting again!

You Are NOT Gonna Believe This

Someone call Guinness immediately!

This is BIGGER than pictures of big foot or the yeti!

I have pictures, actual pictures and maybe even a video, of a cat walking on water!  Yup, you read that right, A CAT WALKING ON WATER!

See for yourself below - 

It's uncanny!

I will name this cat Jesus, for he too walked on water.

We're In The Trenches Now!

More progress was made at the ole homestead yesterday!

Things have dried out mostly and what hasn't dried is now frozen! This allowed our contractor to finally get back onsite and the made progress by digging the water line trench from the meter all the way and up to the house, some 600 feet!

You can see the back tread of the tractor sitting on the front right footer for the house - 

Looking from the house location down towards the frozen pond with driveway on the right -

Looking up towards the house location, next to the frozen pond -

Looking from next to the frozen pond back towards our access road -

From the water meter, up towards the frozen pond and house location -

I was a bit surprised to see how much dirt was dug and piled along the way but VERY pleased with the progress!  Now if we could just get Yurezz to schedule the house delivery, GRRR

Progress is progress!

Home Sweet Home!

We're well on our way!

Without splitting hairs here, technically we won't be in an old farmhouse. Nor will there be an old barn out back and not on 10 acres.

Rather it will be a new double-wide house, eventually a new barn or two of some sort and all sitting on our 15.86 acres!  Yes, there will be a big garden, several of them, oodles of flowers and in time a menagerie of critters running and grazing about!

The back roads, well I've already started to enjoy those rides.  Not in a truck, yet, but the sites, sounds and views are just as priceless with many more to come.

Welcome to East Tennessee!

Halt! Who Goes There

I spent some time cleaning and clearing up the brush along a portion of the barbed wire fencing where our original gate was hung.

It wasn't too bad.  The contractor, who's working on the driveway for us, did a nice job of clearing the heavy, thick brush out from this area.  However, it did need some attention to my OCD riddled brain, so off I went.

Before -

After -

In hindsight perhaps not needed, as this area will soon be dug up with trenches to bury the water and electric lines but it does look nicer.

A Brisk Walk Today!

Despite it being a frigid 24 degrees today, I bundled up, braved the elements and got in a 2.7 mile walk this afternoon at the university -

I was so preoccupied when I first arrived, getting myself bundled up from the wind, that I failed to noticed these four ladies next to the pathway. By the time I got my gloves off and pulled my phone from my back pocket and unlocked it they were turning and runing off -

Displaying their namesake "white-tailed" tails as they pranced off, across the road and up the steep embankment towards the railroad tracks they went -

With all the open spaces and farmland available in this area, these girls seem to enjoy the city life of JC.

(Not) White Out Conditions!

So, Ms. Emma's pre-k class was delayed this morning here in East Tennessee because of the snow.

Hmmmm 🤔 -

I best run to the market ASAP before it gets worse and pick up the essentials, e.g. milk, eggs and bread.  Can't be too sure how long this will last. Fingers crossed 🤞 we don't lose power!

Oh, the humanity!

😂😂😂😂

Get Up Sleepy Heads

Rise and shine Tennessee!

Yesterday mornings 7:25AM sunrise, captured and enjoyed from the front porch!

Our New Mail Receptacle II

Here's an update on our new mailbox install -

First and before installing the post yesterday I did my research to make sure I was installing it to the USPS standard and recommendation, and I did just that -

I returned today to install the mailbox itself on the post I installed yesterday. The mounting block was first to be placed and secured -

Then the mailbox itself -

All securely fastened with 2" deck screws!  This dude ain't going anywhere -

Perhaps, it's me but our new mailbox most definitely improves the curb appeal and dresses up the area.  

Honestly, I was a tad nervous about inadvertently bumping into or some how disrupting the other two mailboxes there while installing ours. Other than the silver box lying on the ground, I'm not sure what was keeping each standing. 

Also, seems I need to call and speak to the Post Master at the Opie Anthony road post office in Limestone.  Need to get her approval to start receiving mail without our house being built yet, UGH!  Hoping she will be understanding, fingers crossed 🤞.

I'm Hooked

In keeping up with "living on the edge", also a previous posting, I took a chance the other afternoon on some Tennessee sushi - avocado and salmon -

It was fresh and tasty; quite good actually.  Well, except for the wasabi, it was really too hot for me.

The good news is it all stayed down! No ill effects and most importantly, no dysentery!

One Mile At A Time II

Back on December 9, 2025 I submitted a post titled, One Mile At A Time and in it was a pic I took of my odometer showing I'd hit the 65000 mile mark.

Well, here's an update with a new pic now showing 66666 miles on the ole odometer -

The above picture was taken on January 7, 2026.  So, in less than one month I've driven 1000 miles!  Of course the drive to Tennessee itself added most of these miles but driving from JC to Limestone and back is racking the miles up too, as are my "driveabouts"!

Our New Mail Receptacle!

Yeah, this happened today! 50s and sunny is perfect weather for an outdoor project here in East Tennessee - Git er done!

A stop off at Lowe's for supplies -

Let the posthole digging begin -

Plumb, square, level - all triangulation in order -

Mixing the special elixir - 

I added a little bling to the post -

Covered the hole with dirt -

I will return tomorrow to mount the new mailbox making it official, and dressing things up a bit in that area, geesh.

Calling Dr. Howard! Dr. Fine! Dr. Howard!

Congratulations to my niece Alyssa!

A HUGE milestone yesterday in her journey to becoming a veterinarian!

The Ross University White Coat Ceremony was held yesterday, where she received and donned her white coat!

You can watch the ceremony by clicking the link here - January 12, 2026 RUSVM White Coat Ceremony

Quite the accomplishment! I'm one super proud uncle!

A "Driveabout"!

I went on a "walkabout" yesterday.  Well, I guess technically it wasn't a true walkabout since I drove and because I'm not royalty (in the true sense) or a political figure (thank god). I didn't greet people (eww keep your distance) and I certainly didn't want to be seen by anyone (piss off).  So, lets go with, I went on a driveabout.

I set my GPS sights to Davy Crockett's birthplace state park, which is only about 3 miles from the Frye homestead. The park sits up against the Nolichucky river and is unfortunately still closed for safety reasons due to extensive damage from hurricane Helene in 2024 -

I also found Lover's Lane, see below - 

However, scenes from the movie Deliverance struck me so I kept driving -

Came across this unique house for sale with a lovely view, sitting on 1.73 acres in Chuckey - MLS#9986005 -

Memba, from an earlier post I made while driving from Massachusetts to Tennessee, where I said that I hadn't seen any cows along the drive until I hit Virginia?!  Well, the cows of Tennessee have made up for that. You'd be hard pressed to swing a dead cat (of which I've passed many on the roadway, alas) and not hit a cow.

Seems the breed of choice is the Black Angus but or course there are many others too.  Here are a few of the cow photos I stopped to take yesterday -

Driving the windy and curvy backroads of this area is SO much fun and relaxing. The open land, the old farms and barns, cattle, horses and more is something special for sure!

Scrumdiddlyumptious!

Since I was unable to do much on our homestead, I ran some errands then made my way to downtown Johnson City with the intention of stopping in at the Shamrock Beverage & Tobacco shop.

I now recall going to the drive thru many years ago, as a kid, with my Uncle Joe, where he would always order a peanut butter milkshake.  My cousins highly recommend it too, and honestly if a business lasts 80+ years it must be good!

A tiny place inside with the sweet smells of tobacco that hits you as soon as you step inside. I made my way over to the ice cream coolers to see what flavors were available. They also have a tempting food menu with plenty of options to chose from, and which I will be testing and tasting quite often -

I treated myself to a scrumdiddlyumptious mocha chip milkshake -

And I enjoyed that bad boy, guilt free, to the very last drop!

Oh Mister Water Meter!

Seems all the rain that fell here Friday and Saturday didn't dissuade the Greenville water company from showing up first thing this morning to install our new water meter!

I was told back on 12-22-2025 when I applied that they, the Greenville water company, was about 10-weeks scheduling wise for new meter installs! VERY pleased that was not the case and that this piece has been completed -

The rain has turned the dirt into mud. The tractor the water company used to install the meter left muddy tire tracks down Pritchard as they drove off.  They also made a mess of the entry way onto our property -

I was going to walk the approximate 900 feet up to where the house will be, and started the trek, however, I sank into the mud with each step!  It was super sticky too and clung to my boots, so I abandoned the walk and will try again once things dry out.  However, I worry these conditions will most definitely cause further delays - 

Progress is progress and I am very please with what we have accomplished to date!

More to come, stay tuned...

The Southern Coffle

Today's modern day "chain gang" perhaps.

I've noticed these Sheriff buses, with flashing blue lights, along route 11e the last few times I've driven to our farm.  Big bright signage, reading "roadside cleanup ahead", were placed in the breakdown lanes well before coming upon these crews -

The crew looks to be grouped in pairs, with several pairs on each side of the east bound side AND the west bound side -

Chain gangs originated in the south after the Civil war and was a form of penal (hehehe, I said "penal") labor.  Back in those days the prisoners' were chained together and forced into doing labor like road work or farming.

Due to controversies like historical ties to racial injustice, public humiliation, and potential for abuse this practice has been largely abolished today.  At least from a 'forced' perspective.  My assumption is the crews I saw were a part of some volunteer program that's offered - to the well behaved, non-violent prisoners'.  Honestly, I would jump at the change to get outside of the prison to do such chores.

I would NOT be opposed to see these programs reinstituted.  Why not have these criminals earn their keep for needing to be fed and housed and cared for, while helping towns and cities with chores and tasks, liking picking up unsightly roadside trash!

Kudos Tennessee!