I like to make an annual pilgrimage to my grandparents’ house on the lake this time of year. It’s a thing I do, like a craving I can’t let lie. It comforts me. It does my heart good, even though my grandparents are long gone and the house belongs to strangers now.
Customarily, The Mister drives until we see Smokey the Bear and then I take over. The roads at the lake wind up and down and all around. I know the roads. I know the roads and I do not know their names.
This last Friday, I put the address into Google maps on my phone and off we went.
That was stupid. Do not do that. GPS does not know the way to grandmother’s house. I mean, it kinda does, because we got there, but how we got there, I don’t even know. I had a bad feeling when we were on 135 instead of 31 and later, when the GPS said we were 12 minutes from the house and I still hadn’t seen a single thing that looked familiar, I realized that I should have listened to that feeling and headed to 31. Then I realized we were at the lake, although where, I had no idea.
“We must be on the other side of the dam,” I reasoned. (We weren’t.)
The windy-dindy part was THE WHOLE WAY. We did not know the roads. We all cried out in blasphemy as we made hairpin turns and almost died halfa dozen times.
When we finally reached the house, only then did I know, the drive is half my joy. I must see the corn, the old Edwardian house, the leaning tree, Ed’s Trading Post, the bait n’ tackle shop, Smokey the Bear, The Church of the Lakes. It’s all part of the experience.
GPS has no sense of propriety.
Doesn’t look like much to other people, I know, but I still want it. Only about five-years-and-three-hundred-fifty-thousand-dollars-to-go…
Oh! And it needs to be for sale.
A girl can dream.
We’re a bit shy of Brown County’s fall foliage peak. Still gorgeous. Sun filtering through the trees, the warm, golden color of it all.
Crisp leaves underfoot, hell, even soggy leaves underfoot.
I LOVE the smell of leaf mold and burning leaves and there was plenty of that.
Pardon my repeats.
We went to Nashville, Indiana to walk around and gawk at things.
Open air dining a la barbecue. Lil slaw, lil chips, lil pickle. The experience was better than the pork. The pork was sorely lacking flavor. Do not recommend.
But there at the counter on the street, my husband wrapped his arms around me and proclaimed it was good to be out, which was akin to me enjoyin the sunshine on my face.
We were so happy, if a bit overexposed.
So we happily walked around and shopped the shops and saw all the people and Marian, we even saw one of them there Bicentennial bison (Bison-tennial? Oh never mind.)
…and communed with the squirrels and we were happily happy. Until we found the candy shop. Then we knew we could be happier.
Fudge has a way of transcending GPS woes and enhancing the euphoria of being in love.
The sunset was glorious, the perfect ending to a beautiful day.
On the way home, we saw most of the things we were supposed to see on the way there. I feel like the leaning tree and I understand one another. I believe it missed me. One day, I’ll do all the driving and stop and take pictures of all the things. The Mister hates that, but if I tell him it’s for you, maybe he’ll endure it. Such precious things should be documented for posterity.
joeyfullystated 
🙂 A truly beautiful house and setting and the entire day, by the sound of it. On the last trip our GPS wanted to kill us by leading us deep down towards a river and nobody told her that the road had been eaten away by time and corrosion. And 8 minutes before home I still didn’t recognise the surroundings either. A big chunk of the trust is gone.
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OMG Manja, that’s more than inconvenient or sad, that’s downright terrifying!!! I’ve had issues before, with Siri, but this was my first Google maps uh oh. I don’t know how to feel about it, except I should maybe check routes before we leave, whenever possible.
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You have to document your journey to grandmother’s house … it would be like writing a Standard Operating Procedure for an Owner’s Manual, except it would be because the GPS just doesn’t understand the *right* way. Your children and grandchildren will have to know the *right* way so they can take you every year when you can’t drive anymore 🙂
I encountered the same thing when I went home in August for a class reunion. The GPS simply didn’t know the *right* way. Technology is wonderful, but can be remarkably dense about the important stuff.
Sounds like the perfect outing, especially the part “we were happily happy. Until we found the candy shop. Then we knew we could be happier” 🙂
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Okay, that’s brilliant. Yes, my children need to know the right way so they can take me when I can no longer drive! Absolutely!
Thank you 🙂
It really was a marvelous day.
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Google maps are soulless; there is no way it could possibly understand the proper way to Grandma’s. Sounds like you had a marvelous day. Fudge is the perfect topper to any day.
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Yes, the fudge really did help 😛 Stupid Soulless Google!
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This was such a heartwarming post, Joey, the autumn colours, the lovely house, and the goreous photo of you and your Mister 🙂
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Thank you, Judy. ❤
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I thought the way was “over the river and through the woods,” your GPS doesn’t know that? Also, use of “Smokey the Bear” noted and approved. As for driving and stopping frequently to take pictures for us, please inform the Mister that this is a requirement.
Beautiful photos. I love the color and the light and the house.
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Over the creek and through the forest for me 🙂
Thank you! It’s Smokey the Bear! I don’t care what they say!
I will be sure to let The Mister know you need the photo journey. Thanks again.
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I get this completely. There are landmarks that become part of us. I know a few trees here and there, and missing them would change the whole outcome. Looks like it turned out pretty good though.
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I’m glad you can relate. It was a great day 🙂
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That’s the trouble with technology: no soul. By astonishing coincidence I’ve just this minute posted a rant about GPS
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I loves me a good short road trip. It doesn’t even have to be an over-nighter; just a good long day. I’m glad you guys had fun.
If I had a nickel for every time the I let the GPS takes us a different way than the one I knew would be quicker AND more scenic…well, I’d have a few bucks ’cause I’m a slow learner 🙂
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Haha! You know, the thing is, I don’t write about all the times it works like a charm, but when it fails, I feel sooooo betrayed! lol
I love a road trip, too 🙂
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Magnificent photos! The one of the tree looks like a Maxfield Parrish painting! I have a theory about GPS: I think it’s programmed by zombies. I mean, how many times has the GPS taken you through dangerous, deserted ways, and said, “You have reached your destination,” in the middle of a cemetery or a cornfield or a blasted heath or something? How many times has it said, “Turn right,” when turning right would take you over a cliff? Let’s be careful out there! And I love your bison!
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You know, I hadn’t considered zombies? But you’re right to question the evil behind the curtain, because sometimes it feels downright dastardly!
I’m glad you enjoyed the bison. Now that you’ve said how ubiquitous they are, I’ve begun to notice them more and more!
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Sounds like a delightful day filled with beauty and charm. Loved your pics! 🙂
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Thanks, it really was great. I hope the weather agrees with the schedule and we can get more fall outings in 🙂
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Beautiful photos. I love the light and the house looks like its in a perfect setting. Sounds like a great day minus the GPS woes. But it always makes for a great story later 🙂 My mother-in-law still laughs about our GPS set for her church address taking us to a old broken down tobacco barn in the middle of nowhere.
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Oh that’d make me laugh too! Thanks, Amy 🙂
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This was such a great trip, Joey. The GPS kills us every time, but I just use it as an excuse for a longer road trip. Gosh, I love just getting in the car and going….anywhere!
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Oh aren’t you clever? I kinda do, too. Love a road trip. But I do prefer rural sights and cooler weather 🙂
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Good fudge is so good for the soul :p I agree though, that part of what makes those experiences so special is the process of getting there and seeing those landmarks that you associate with so many old and beautiful memories. I’m lucky enough that my grandparents are still alive, but whenever I drive up to visit them, I feel a real sense of calm and happiness settle over me as I pass familiar landmarks 🙂
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Oh that’s so nice, both that you can relate on a personal level, and that you still have your grandparents. 🙂
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Nice bison, proudly displaying a ‘Canadian’ maple leaf. 🙂
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My husband pointed that out, too. He’s got leaves all over him, like he was painted for fall, but the red maple one IS front and center!
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Ain’t it the truth? In life, it’s all about the journey. Tell your hubby thanks for all his patience. Much appreciated.
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Thank you, will do!
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We’ve never had a GPS so it would seem strange for a machine to tell us where to go…haha… sometimes we’ll google a map to print out, or use an old fashioned paper map. Mostly we don’t go anywhere though, or we know the way by landmarks. … Love your photos!! Sounds like it was a wonderful day for you two! 😉
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I wish I’d had GPS for all the trips I made as a mom with toddlers while my husband was deployed. It’s hard to travel with people who can’t read maps and help you navigate!
it really was a great day 🙂
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I was never much for driving out of my familiar in town places. The most I ever did, I think, was around 30 miles, by myself and the kids. Felt like I was holding my breath for the whole 30 miles. Oh, something else, back then there were no seat belt laws, and really I don’t think our car came with them anyway. The kids just did acrobatics and fussed with each other all in the back of our station wagon! How did we ever survive that, I don’t know. 🙂
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Oh I believe you. Stuck safe is a lot quieter 😉
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It sounds wonderful. I want to go with you sometime!
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I bet you’d make good company 🙂
One day, I hope you can take the photo journey!
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Love the pictures, looks like an amazing time (GPS issues aside)!
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Such fond memories, and GPS does not always know the way. 🙂 I hope you got some fudge to go just in case you got on the wrong road. One has to be prepared at all times. The photo of you two is wonderful, and you don’t look old enough to even have children. Keep doing whatever you’re doing because it’s working. 🙂
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Haha, thank you! A woman told me that on Thursday. The girls and I went through a cafe line and Sassy said, “My mom’s paying,” and then Moo said, “Me too,” so when I got up there, I said, “I am Mom. I am paying.” That lady said, “You’ve got to be kidding. You don’t look old enough to be their mother.” I tried to tip her, you know, so she could buy new glasses, but it was not permitted. 😉
I still have half a block of my maple walnut fudge 🙂
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Haven’t done the “little” Nashville thing in a while. Did they ever rebuild the mini opry house that burned down years ago?
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If you mean the Nashville Playhouse, then yes. If you mean somethin else, I don’t know. I was gone a long time you know.
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That’s what I meant lol
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🙂
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