Happy Choice Day!

Dear Friends,

As the catchphrase goes, we live by choice, not by chance! And, I say, sometimes, we live by our second choices!
Spending Valentine's Day, in Cobourg, alone? Check! 
Returning to Toronto on Family Day, yet to another empty nest? Check! 
By chance? No! By choice? Perhaps, second choice though!

It's very unfortunate that this year, these two sore, celebratory thumbs happen to stand side by side! 

According to Shannon L. Alder, our perspective on life comes from the cage we were held captive in. Mine must've been disappointment, since my thickest silver lining, on this cold, snowy long-weekend is, lack thereof!  

My second choice!

Nashville - Day One

Dear Friends,
My travel compagnon and I have known each other for over twenty years. We have laughed together, cried together, moaned and groaned together, partied together, and of course, like all good friends, we have thrown up in each other's presence. But, we had never travelled together before!
Once we got our personal speeds synchronized (as a general rule my motor runs at 300 mph),
Eat, Drink, Music, Shop, we did! And then, we pushed the repeat button! Who would've thought we were so compatible!

Nashville - Day Two

Dear Friends,

Today, was the holly day of detox!

12 hours went something like this:

Wake up call - 7am! 

Water, fruits, more water, more fruits!

Walk, swim, walk some more!

Ahhhhh - SPA, steamroom, massage, green tea, orange blossom and lavender aromatherapy

Then, in the evening, I took my hungry soul back to the "District" to feed it Blues, Blues and some more Blues! Needless to say, there was some alcohol involved. 

The poor body can use another day at the spa, but at $$$ prices, it better learn to tag along without complaining!

By the way, no sign of my cowboy yet! Just a beer and a few dances! 

Nashville Day Three

Dear Friends,
Today, we decided to give Nashville's history its  due and go sightseeing. Since two of my travel companion's childhood friends had joined us from other parts of the States, we were able to arrange for a private tour. Four post-menopausal women, one hard-of-hearing taxi driver, do I need to say more!! I left the group at noon, to go on a tour of ABC's hit show, Nashville. 

The ladies and I parted on an awkward note. Today's insight? I actually have two! One, no more guided tours for me, since all the names, dates and facts went in one ear, came out the other! Two, you are friends, they are freinds doesn't mean that we are all friends. We all have a few things in common with the bestie, but nothing with each other.
As the sign in my new favourite joint reads, In Blues We Trust! So, back to Printers Alley we went!

Nashville - Day Four

 Dear Friends,

Today was the Bestie's day, so we honoured her wishes to look and feel our best for Roger Waters' opera, which meant no country-style breakfast with freshly baked biscuits, at Loveless Cafe, a good forty-five-minute drive from our hotel.
The ladies went to the SPA at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, and I hit the mall!
A pair of cowboy boots for moi? Check!
Cowgirl t-shirts for my granddaughters? Check!
A totally unnecessary skirt, top and scarf? Check!
I toasted my victory with a low-cal lunch and a glass of bubbly. More than one "therapy" a day makes me feel very guilty!
The evening was as special as my friend had hoped for. The venue (Schermerhorn Symphony Centre), the composer (Roger Waters), and the production (There Is Hope) complemented each other par excellence!
As I listened to the powerful arias, calling for Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, I felt so lucky to be alive, free, and loved.

Nashville - Day Six

Dear Friends,
Caught between the rain and Super Bowl, Nashville changed colours, so did we. Leaving the bandless bars to football lovers, we explored a very quaint strip on 12th Avenue South. We were more stubborn than the rain, the empty streets and the scarce cabs. We lunched at Flipside diner, shopped at Katy K's Ranch Dressing, and got directions to the Patterson House - my first speakeasy experience! 

Our last evening in Nashville was beautifully mild, just like the weather.

   

Clarity, Clarity, Clarity

Dear Friends,

I don't like my writing instructor! I'm only staying on because he said he was a ruthless critic. I'm hoping to learn a lot from him. Why do I dislike him then? Well, he spent a good portion of our precious class-time bragging about his accomplishments as a writer and an investigative journalist.

"Dude," I wanted to scream, "enough about you! Teach me how to become like you!"

All I got from his "hashish ranting,"as he put it himself, was clarity; short words, short sentences.

Now, how's this for a short, clear piece of writing! 

Guts List

Dear Friends,

Bucket list is really procrastinators' glorified to-do list. As my year (the year of the wood horse) came to an end, I drew up another list. I'm sure the "I wish I had the guts to ..." list is the one Mark Twain didn't want us to regret, twenty years from now! 

It feels so good to have a Tiger Lily tattooed on my forearm!

 Next item on the Guts list? Table dancing! 

Home, Sweet Home!

Dear Friends,
You do the math!
Nashville - bars, restaurants, shops, spa!
Toronto - cooking, cleaning, laundry!
My city welcomed me back with an icy smile! My poor mirror didn't recognize me! I don't blame her, more than a few pounds heavier, new facial lines, and those damn dark circles under my eyes! Well, I suppose that's what partying in Nashville looks like, at sixty! I'm sure once Body reacquaints herself with -17 degrees, Mind will look forward to attending Russian and writing classes. Vanity will have to wait a bit to show off her new purchases. As for my bank account, let's just say I'll be back at work, in no time!
Thank Y'all for coming to Nashville with me!