10-28-06 @ 11:24 pm EDT

Typing this up on my brother's computer this time.

Last night we went to the Riverside Catfish House. It's about a 45-minute drive, but the scenery on the way there made the drive worth it. Unfortunately it was rainy and we were driving pretty fast along winding roads (it seems it would be dangerous to try walking around here, everybody drives like a maniac), so no pictures could be taken. The roads are really windy and go up and down; plus there was a sheer rock wall on the side for much of the way. The stone is terraced, almost like it's artificially made; I wonder if glaciers formed the formations in this area? :/ I have no clue. I mentioned how I'm not used to the land rising up on all sides and towering over someone, because it's pretty flat where I'm from; Shannon came back with how, when she was in Michigan, she was amazed at how the sky seemed to go on forever. It's not as noticeable where I live, since it's surrounded by trees, but I guess I get her point. I mentioned today how this place makes me think of Mackinac Island, only a lot steeper and bigger.

The catfish place was right on a river, and they had a sort of walkway around it so you could look out over the water; there was a great forested mountain standing behind it. The restaurant seemed pretty small on the outside, but it went back far, and inside it was huge; we were seated in the back area near the river, and it was big like a cafeteria. The windows overlooked the river and the mountain. I had the catfish/shrimp combo plate with a baked potato and rolls. This is the first time I've ever had catfish and I've always been curious about what it tastes like. It was okay, though I still prefer perch. The shrimp was really good, as was the baked potato, though the latter was difficult to eat (I don't think I've ever had a baked potato, either). Even the iced tea was good; most places serve that drek from the machines and it never tastes right. This tasted like fresh brewed. A nice dinner all in all.

Today we went first to Target (I got Kitty a couple of toys, I hope he likes them), then to Signal Mountain. We drove again up windy roads--I would have really loved to take pictures just of the drive there, it was gorgeous, the kudzu forms landscapes of its own--and there were even more of those terraced rock faces. Some were trickling with water and I asked if they had springs here like on the island; Eric said it was just runoff from the heavy rains we just had. He said that in the winter it gets really gorgeous, when the runoff freezes--he said it looks like you're driving through a landscape of crystal. (Then the big icicles fall down in the road and obstruct traffic.) We passed a sign for a cosmetic surgeon named--get this--DR. PANCAKE. !! And I thought the person named Butts who is running for judge in Cheboygan was bad. O_o Anyway. Up and up and up we went...lots and lots of kudzu (Eric: "Take some back to Michigan with you! 'Yeah, this'll cover up all that dirt! And everything else. Cars. Small children. Farm animals...'"), rock faces, pretty houses and forest. I thought I saw some ravines or creek areas as we sped by. A lot of photo opportunities I would have loved to have. We finally reached this parking area up atop the mountain, where there is a small paved trail down to an overlook--I believe we went here the last time, in 2000, as the view was familiar--and you can see two mountains to the left, and a river below; there was a riverboat or some such moving along slowly far below. It was hazy and the sun was shining from the wrong direction but the photos seem to have turned out moderately well. Then there was another trail off to the side which leads all the way down to the river; I didn't take that last time. Eric and I went down only about 1/4 mile as it was before it got so steep that I gave up and headed back up. Get this--it's much easier for me to go UP than it is for me to go DOWN. Going up is more STRENUOUS, it's true, BUT...going DOWN, you're seeing exactly where it is that you can fall--and you can't crawl down headfirst! At least when you're going up, you don't see all that horror below you, and you can crawl up, your body close to the rock. When I'm heading downward I always fear that I'm going to topple. I was wearing my flat shoes, which don't really have grips, and much of this "path" down was composed of smoothed terraces of stone and wooden ramps (slippery themselves)! Only a little part of it was wooden steps (with a shaky railing, no less!!). I did make it over a few obstacles that surprised me, usually I wouldn't bother. Eric offered to help me down a few but I'm just as terrified of being carried over high places as I am of traversing them on my own. Hell no will I trust anybody to carry me!! I had to step aside on this tall step as a group of other tourists marched past. -_-;

Well, anyway, I got some nice shots of the rock faces (though of course photos don't do all the scenery justice), and of the river and the mountains beyond it, and then of Rayne and Shannon playing around in the leaves.

CRIPES!! Eric keeps his memory stick right here next to the monitor and speakers!! And his CDs too! You NEVER keep that sort of thing next to electronic appliances!! >_<;;;

This memory stick looks like it's damaged. o_o

Anyway...we then stopped by Krystal for some of their little burgers (I got the chicken ones--they're small but really good), and went home. We had intended today to go to that art park and the Walnut Street Bridge like we did the last time, but time ran short. Shannon asked if I still wanted to go to Rock City, which I do, though I'm worried that the price upsets her. She and Eric are on a budget, after all. :( If it were possible, I'd just have them wait while Ma and I go through. Or at least, have just Eric and I go through since I feel Shannon doesn't care to walk around much, similar to Ma. Eric's in better shape, and even though I'm not in good shape whatsoever, I do love walking. (I get short of breath fast, but I seem to recover fast as well.)

What else did I have? I'm sure I had many other details, but I guess it's best to keep this moderately short since it's late and I should be getting to bed in a couple of hours, and I'd still like to do some reading or something. I haven't had the chance to do any drawing yet :/ because Rayne is often around and I really don't want to draw when she's around, because she'll be curious, and I don't like drawing when ANYONE is around. It's just embarrassing, like someone watching over your shoulder as you write.

Oh. I used Shannon's computer, which is wonky but has drives for camera cards/chips, to upload the 94 photos I've taken so far. I uploaded in perhaps a half hour or so what on our computer at home would take probably a few weeks. That includes editing the photos to turn them right-side up; I haven't captioned them, I'll save that for home. I wish we could afford a high-speed connection. *sigh*

At least twice so far I've seen P. online at WDC. The person who claimed that he was my "friend," even long after he'd stopped writing to me for no reason whatsoever, and even promised to return. You're an asshole, P. Not too worried about upsetting you to say that now, since it's the truth and it's obvious you never cared about how I might feel.

Just too bad that I actually believed him for over four years.