Mark and Jen arrived in Murphy ten minutes before our two o'clock Chop House Thanksgiving reservations. They left Missouri Wednesday afternoon after work, caught some zzzz's in Marion, IL, and forgot about the hour time change here. For the past five years we did the Brothers Thanksgiving buffet because, even though the vegetables are out of a can, the price was right at $21.99 a person. Senior discount another 10%. Everything else was real food, oven roasted turkey, a good variety of buffet choices, and restaurant baked desserts. This year the priced jumped up to $29.99. Chop House Thanksgiving dinner seemed more reasonable at $25.99. It's not a buffet but portions are so ample, your leftovers make another meal at home. AND it's all delicious real food. Since Mark and Jen have become engaged, they are more settled and content, kind of like "old married" people. Next year when they come for Thanksgiving, we've decided to let the Chop House chefs cook for us and we'll opt for their full Thanksgiving take-out which feeds four people for $75. No dirty kitchen clean-up and we'll eat in the relaxed comfort of our cabin.
As the sun went down behind the mountain that evening, Mark and Cliff stoked up the fire pit. Mark surrounded the pit with the cushioned porch chairs, much warmer and comfier that the plastic Adirondacks. We brought out quilts and blankets, cheese, crackers, and wine and stayed under the stars under the night chill got to us. Jen says sleeping here is the best sleep ever. She loves the starry night sky and the hush of the forest.
Friday they hiked the Ocoee River trails while Cliff and I walked the river walk in town. I'm surprised any of us could even walk after our previous day's eating. We met for lunch at the Chop House again for their soup and salad. Cliff ordered Fish and chips, the daily special. As he was finishing his lunch, his pager went off for a brush fire and he left. He barely made it to the door when Mark and Jen scoffed up his two hush puppies and the last two fries on his plate.
We lucked out with mild nights and very pleasant days in the high sixties. There are no pictures because we all look the same as last year and none of us like being in pictures.
As the sun went down behind the mountain that evening, Mark and Cliff stoked up the fire pit. Mark surrounded the pit with the cushioned porch chairs, much warmer and comfier that the plastic Adirondacks. We brought out quilts and blankets, cheese, crackers, and wine and stayed under the stars under the night chill got to us. Jen says sleeping here is the best sleep ever. She loves the starry night sky and the hush of the forest.
Friday they hiked the Ocoee River trails while Cliff and I walked the river walk in town. I'm surprised any of us could even walk after our previous day's eating. We met for lunch at the Chop House again for their soup and salad. Cliff ordered Fish and chips, the daily special. As he was finishing his lunch, his pager went off for a brush fire and he left. He barely made it to the door when Mark and Jen scoffed up his two hush puppies and the last two fries on his plate.
We lucked out with mild nights and very pleasant days in the high sixties. There are no pictures because we all look the same as last year and none of us like being in pictures.
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