We have had a very relaxing stay at the mountain house.  Cindy and the girls returned to school in Ohio, so it has just been me, Frank, and my parents this week.

I am working from the road, so have set up an office in the basement, and we are all reading, working (me), fishing (Frank), and visiting.  We did a huge shopping trip our first day so mainly are cooking dinner at the house each night.  The view is incredible so most fun to just sit on the big porch, have a glass of wine, and talk.

There is even a media room so we watched basketball and Dancing With the Stars (my parent’s favorite) on a giant TV.  A perfect low-key week.

We did take a day off to sightsee.  Daddy took us on a side trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway – he knows these roads inside out from many prior trips.  We drove up, up, up and took in wonderful panoramic views.  We stopped at the Moses Cone House, which is a former mansion donated by the owner to the National Park Service and now houses a collection of shops of local artisans.

Then we continued to Blowing Rock, where we walked around and had lunch at spot overlooking a canyon that claims it used to be a speakeasy back in the day and when they were raided, patrons ran to the side of the building, slid down a pole and rolled down the ridge.

We have had a great week together.  But our trip is not over.  It is now time to take Frank on a tour of some of my favorite spots in South Carolina and introduce him around.  First stop – Columbia, home of my alma mater – the University of South Carolina.