December 24, 2014,
After driving a harrowing 10 hours in lousy weather I’m almost at my destination: Centerville, Tennessee. I’m visiting my friend Cate who moved here from Massachusetts to be closer to her brother. Centerville is a sleepy town about an hour south of Nashville. She lives in a small house on a quiet street within walking distance to the center of town.
As I pull into the driveway she and her dog Tucker are waiting for me. Part of my journey is seeing friends and family in their surroundings. She looks happy, she’s finally Home. I don’t mind being alone but not on the Holidays. I’m not sure if it’s Societies rules that one must be with others, but Christmas is a time to be with loved ones. Christmas Eve we decorate the tree and sing Christmas Carols and catch up. It’s good to see her again.
For the next week we just chill and take in the local sites. We drive around the small country towns. Our original plans were to go to New Orléans for New Years but we decided to stay local and head to Nashville. New Years Eve day we drive to the Belle Meade Plantation and tour the house and grounds. What a beautiful place filled with history. At the end of the tour we end up at the winery/gift shop. I couldn’t resist buying this wall hanger:
Our accommodations for the evening in Nashville are The Timothy Demonbreun House, a bed & breakfast about a mile outside of downtown Nashville. Built in 1902 the stately hip roof Victorian colonial was purchased in 1995 by Richard Demonbreun who lovingly restored it. There are 4 guest rooms and we stay in the Merlot guest room with nice furnishings which include a high queen size 4 poster bed, refrigerator, gas fireplace and a full private bath.
At 7pm we take a taxi to downtown, well almost. The streets are crowded with people making their way to the festivities. We end up having to walk the last couple 100 yards but that’s okay, it’s not too cold-mid 40’s. We dress in layers knowing we’ll be out in the cold night air. We walk around the square, people are everywhere. Cate wants to take me to the famous Wild Horse Saloon. There’s a 45 minute wait to get in, but that’s what happens on New Year’s Eve.
Wildhorse Saloon
The place is huge with 3 levels. We play shuffle board while waiting to be seated. I’m a rib girl so while in Tennessee I must have ribs-Yum. We hang out, listening to music and people watching until 11 then we slowly make our way to the square where the Music Note will drop.
I’ve never seen so many people. I understand what it feels like to be a sardine in a can. Oye! Literally, we slid our way between people. Lady Antebellum was playing on stage. I love them. We ended up about 100 yards from the stage with a makeshift wire fence behind us. Cate had a little panic attack due to the enormous amount of people, but she didn’t freak out, thank goodness for that.
Instead of a ball coming down on New Year’s Eve, Nashville has a Music Note which represents the heart and soul of Nashville’s music scene. Just watching it come down and people shouting the countdown is surreal.
As the music note countdown to the New Year-2015
After it drops, everyone is cheering and hugging. We stay a little bit longer, but 1000’s of people are leaving in droves. Now the race is on to get a taxi, It’s a mad, mad world. We end walking back to the B&B in heels because there are no taxi’s to be had: Da Feet are in Da Feat, but we made it back in one piece.
On New Year’s Day we drove back to Cate’s house via the Natchez Trace Parkway which is a 444 mile scenic byway from Nashville Tennessee to Natchez Mississippi. As we were driving around the corner I tapped on my brakes as I saw a cop car ahead. I realize as we come closer it’s the cop car from Mayberry and next to it The General Lee from the Dukes of Hazards. Of course I had to stop and take pictures. How fun is that?
It’s nice to chill for a bit with a friend before I continue on my journey. On the 4th of January I say goodbye and head for Phoenix to see my friend Sue whom I met on the Bahamas Sailboat Adventure.
Life is Good!
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