I left Aurora (see my last post) and headed south to Tennessee. Although I was staying in Murfreesboro, I would also be spending time in Nashville, and making at least one visit to Pleasant View, a small town midway between Nashville and Clarksville where I’m building a house.
In Murfreesboro, I had dinner with my son and future daughter-in-law, Isabelle, who I call Izzy. We met at Neighbors Bar & Grill, a new place in Murfreesboro. And like most new places that open in Murfreesboro, it was packed. There were no tables available, so we went across the street to Drake’s, another newer restaurant that used to be constantly packed until Firebird’s Steakhouse and Neighbor’s opened up nearby. The public is fickle, always looking for the next new, shiny object.
Unfortunately, Drake’s disappointed. Izzy and I both got the filet and grilled chicken combo. The 4.5 ounce filet was cooked perfectly (medium-rare), yet it was tough and tasteless. The grilled chicken was dry and overcooked, although it had a good taste. I got my meal with tater tots (like any 12-year-old child). The tots were very good, although not good enough to make up for the crappy steak and chicken.
Of course, the meal wasn’t the point of getting together with Louis and Izzy. Any time I come to town, it is good to see them and catch up on their busy lives. Louis is an exercise physiologist at a cardiac clinic, and he also takes on a few clients as a personal trainer. Izzy is a nurse who recently passed her boards (or certification) to become a nurse practitioner. They are both constantly on the go, busy with both their personal and professional lives.
One of the reasons I’m moving back to Tennessee is to be closer to Louis and Izzy, as well as my daughter, Shelby. Louis and Izzy will be getting married in 2026, and Shelby is currently in a serious relationship. I want to be close to them as their young lives move forward. Could grandkids be in the cards? Truthfully, I think I’ll love being a grandfather, but I’m in no rush. My main concern is that my kids develop successful personal and professional lives. If that includes having kids, all the better. But no pressure.
It was good catching up with Louis and Izzy. My next day was open, so I made my way to Cedars of Lebanon State Park in Lebanon, TN. It’s one of my favorite places to hike. Since I hadn’t been out hiking in a while, I decided to go on the two-mile loop Cedar Forest Trail. I’ve hiked this trail more than any other trail in the world. It used to be my go-to trail when I lived in Murfreesboro previously. But the trail looked different. Park personnel had created a new entrance to the trail, and trees and brush had been cleared away from the trailhead. As I hiked, I saw more changes. It appeared that a tornado had swept through the park, downing trees throughout the area, including felling a few across the trail. There were so many downed and uprooted trees, I lost count. Crews had removed some of the larger trees that were blocking the trail, but other smaller trees were left in place, making for a slightly more strenuous hike.
It took me a good half-a-mile to settle into the hike. It seems to take so long to get into hiking shape, but it can be lost so quickly. After not hiking for more than a month, my trail legs were gone, and my cardiovascular system had taken a hit. I huffed and puffed along the trail, climbing over rocks and trees. I cursed myself for not staying in better shape. I like to eat and sit, and I tend to be good at both activities. Exercising always seems to take a backseat. I’m counting on my son to whip me into shape once I get to Tennessee full-time.
Thankfully, both my legs and my cardio system settled into a rhythm after a half mile. My legs felt stronger and my breathing and heart rate slowed. I love to hike. I really need to make it more of a priority in my life.
After two miles, I made my way back to the car, drenched with sweat, but feeling better about myself. There are so many benefits to exercise. Getting out and walking through the woods is a great way to spend your time. It helps strengthen your cardiovascular system, builds stronger muscles, and it improves overall fitness. But maybe the most important benefit is what it does to you mentally. It gives your mind a chance to quiet and just focus on the task at hand, and it tends to make you feel better about yourself. So, why don’t we exercise more? I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, it’s because I’m lazy. I’ll also add that I’m often busy and I don’t prioritize exercise. But mostly, it’s because I’m lazy. Let’s see if I can change that as my homeless tour of the nation continues.
That night, Louis, Izzy, and I went to Tijuana Flats, a Tex-Mex franchise. It was Louis and Izzy’s first time to the restaurant. I had been there a couple of times before and really didn’t care for it. Even so, I agreed to give it another try. I’m glad I did. The food was much better than I remember it. That makes me happy because the restaurant was started by a fellow alum from University of Central Florida. Us Golden Knights have to stick together.
On Thursday, I met up with Shelby and her girlfriend Kara to move a couch and Clavinova (a kind of electronic piano made by Yamaha). She picked up a sectional sofa from a friend’s house without my help, but needed my assistance to move the Clavinova, which she was picking up from her mother’s house.
My ex-wife, Kim, and I have been separated for twelve years and divorced for nine after a marriage that lasted 28 years. We don’t see each other often, but when we do, we have learned to be generally civil to each other. Even so, it was odd being in her house, moving something that used to belong to both of us.
The word “surreal” is often overused, but I think it applies in this situation. Standing in Kim’s living room moving something that we bought and owned together felt surreal. I remember the discussions we had about buying it, the time we spent in the stores looking at options, the sound of the Clavinova as each of us played it. I don’t want to imply too much emotion about the experience. It wasn’t emotional. It was just strange. Even hours after leaving Kim’s house and delivering the Clavinova to Shelby’s, I still had this voice in the back of my head saying, “That was weird.”
When we were done at Shelby’s, she and I headed to Bartaco in East Nashville. We parked several blocks away from the restaurant only to find that Bartaco has their own parking lot. Oh well, the walk did us both good.
I ordered two tacos; one pork belly and one crispy shrimp. We munched on chips and salsa while we waited. It was the middle of the afternoon, so the restaurant was pretty empty. Nashville is full of restaurants like Bartaco; hipster joints that serve delicious, gourmet-style food, locally-brewed beer, and craft cocktails. I’m not a hipster, but I enjoy the bar and restaurant scene in the city. I hope to take greater advantage of it when I move nearby later this year.
The tacos at Bartaco were the smallest I’ve ever seen. When I saw them, I involuntarily thought about the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The crispy shrimp taco was pretty good, but I was disappointed in the pork belly. There wasn’t much to the taco to begin with, and the pork belly was dry and overcooked. Shelby suggested we get some fried plantains. I’m glad she did. I didn’t expect it, but the fried plantains at Bartaco are the best I’ve ever had. And that’s saying a lot considering the amount of time I have lived in Florida, the fried plantain capital of America.
We went back to Shelby’s so she could shower, and I could move my laundry from the washer to the dryer (I was doing my laundry while I had the opportunity). Afterwards, we went to the Red Door Saloon in East Nashville for a couple of drinks. Shelby thinks it’s hilarious that I like the Red Door so much. I’m not sure why I do, but I’ve been there a few times and whenever I’m in town, I want to go back. Maybe it’s because the Red Door is a Chicago bar, with sports paraphernalia on the walls for all of the Chicago sports teams. There’s even a sign in the bar directing patrons to visit the Country Club Bar in Wrigleyville the next time they are in Chicago. I like that.
I enjoyed sitting at the bar with Shelby, talking about our lives. I think Shelby and I usually communicate pretty well. I know it can be hard talking to your kids, especially as they get older, develop their own opinions, and build their own lives. But as we sat at the bar, Shelby and I opened up to each other, telling stories and sharing our feelings about a number of different issues. I’m sure the beer helped the conversation flow. Regardless, it was a wonderful time.
Shelby works as a sound engineer for country musician Jon Pardi. Her job keeps her on the road at least 50% of the time, so she is often unavailable to meet with me so we can waste time together, like we were doing at the Red Door. After a few drinks, it was time to leave. Shelby had other plans, and I needed to pick up my laundry. Moving furniture, eating mini-tacos, and drinking beer may not sound like the best day, but for me, it was fantastic.
In addition to seeing my kids, the purpose of my trip to Tennessee was to meet with the company building my home. Unfortunately, they’ve fallen behind (surprise, surprise) and were not ready to meet. So, on Friday, I drove out to Pleasant View to take a look at the house. When I got there, I saw that all four exterior walls were up, and workers were cutting holes in the walls for windows. In a few days, they’ll be ready to put the roof on.
I haven’t lived in a subdivision for a while. My home in Wisconsin sat back in the woods on 26 acres. Seeing the shell of my new house sitting on a postage stamp-sized lot was a bit of a shock. I mean, I wasn’t surprised about the size of the lot. I saw it before I bought the house. But seeing how much of it is taken up by the house and how relatively small the backyard is was a bit shocking. This is going to be quite the change.
On Sunday, I met Louis and Izzy for brunch at a little place near their apartment called Eggs Up Grill. I had not heard of it before, but it is apparently a franchise with locations across the southeast. We started with Eggs Up’s freshly made mini-donuts, split in half and filled with sweet custard and strawberries. They were finished off with a little powdered sugar. OMG! They were decadent and delicious. As I ate, I wanted to cry and sing and speak in tongues. They were that good.
For my entrée, I had a Crab Cake and avocado scrambler, which consisted of two crab cakes, chopped avocado, scrambled eggs, and chopped tomatoes with a hollandaise sauce. Delicious! I will definitely visit Eggs Up again, although I should probably start an exercise program and lose some weight first.
Leaving Tennessee this time was not as bittersweet as it usually is because this time, I know I’m coming back to stay. Until then, my journey continues. Next time, I’ll be in the northeast enjoying seafood on Narragansett Bay, pizza in what one person called the pizza capital of America, and I’ll visit a couple of our national parks.
