corvettes and country music

what an odd day! first we overslept, just kept sleeping and sleeping this morning. then we drove around Nashville to find a restaurant for breakfast but just couldn't, so we hit the road. the plan today was to drive BACK to Bowling Green (about 60 miles) and visit the Corvette museum. I have to explain why: Richard's brother-in-law, Bill, has a 1981 Corvette in perfect condition that he doesn't want any more - he's kept it for years - and he wants to give it to Rylan. Yikes! we have to think about it - where to store it, how much it will be to insure when we take it out of storage. not to mention how fast it goes! but it was a serious offer and we have to think about it seriously. anyway, that's why the museum became of interest. but BETTER than the museum was the factory! turns out that Corvettes are assembled in Bowling Green and they give tours of the factory. It was fascinating, we walked right through the assembly line, watched steering wheels being put on, welding done on the frame, seats put in, the body placed onto the chassis. all kinds of things. it's just so cool.

however, all this took longer than we thought. we got back to Nashville in time to change our clothes, get an early dinner and then head to the Grand Ole Opry. I have to say that all three of us went into the Opry with trepidation. none of us like country music. i wouldn't say we came out loving country music, but we came out with a huge appreciation for their musical talent. And there were some incredibly great performances. Jewel (remember her? used to do pop music?) Now she's country and she's great to listen to. Plus she sang an old folk song that had yodeling in it - and that girl can yodel! it wasn't silly or weird, just quite incredible. We also especially liked a bluegrass group called Cherryholmes - a family of two teens, two in their twenties, and the two parents. Best of all was the Charlie Daniels Band. i thought they would be tacky and dumb. they were the best thing! lots of energy (Charlie must be in his 70s) and amazing guitar and fiddle-playing. plus he played a song i actually love: "the devil went down to georgia."

yes, so that was our day - from corvettes to country music, plus one bad meal (Wendy's) and one good one (a tapas bar).