Some Fridays, it takes a bit of thought to come up with five favorites for the week for Friday’s Fave Five with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story. But other weeks, like this one for us, it’s hard to narrow the favorites down to five. Here’s my best attempt:
1. Christmas, of course: the music, decorations, lights, food, cards and letters from friends and loved ones, time with family, and most of all, the reminder that God loved us enough to send Him to redeem us.
2. Family outings. Last Saturday, we visited Sweetwater Valley Farm, took a tour of the facility, saw the robotic cow milkers in progress, heard a lot of interesting facts about the science and psychology of managing a dairy farm, and ate great food at their cafe, made with cheeses produced there. Beforehand, Jim said, “I can’t believe we’re paying to see a dairy farm” since he grew up surrounded by them. But at the end, he thought it was a great place to visit. Our tour guide was quite amusing.
Then Wednesday we went to James White’s Fort, which was where Knoxville got its start. One neat feature of their tour is QR codes on the doorposts of each building that you can scan and hear more about the building, the things inside it, and the activities that would have taken place in it.
We got done there pretty early in the afternoon, so went over to the Knoxville Museum of Art. I love that it’s free and not terribly large. If it had cost a lot to get in, you’d feel you had to wait til you had several hours. This way, we can wander in for a bit when we’re downtown.
After that, we ate at Smash City, which was amazing.
3. A sweet gesture. While at the cheese shop of the dairy farm, I saw someone at the checkout of the gift shop with a cute pink mug. I asked where she found it in the store, but she said she only saw the one. I looked around there as well as the shop connected with the cafe, and saw blue cups, but no pink ones. I lamented that to the family. A little while later, Jim wandered off to check at both shops, then saw one on a display behind the counter. He asked if he could buy that one, and they said yes.
4. A new computer! I had become increasingly frustrated with my computer running slow and having trouble doing what it was supposed to. One problem was that I was running on Windows 7 in a Windows 11 world. 🙂 Another was old drivers. I had determined that while Jeremy was here, I wanted Jim to confer with him about what would be best to do. But on Christmas morning, I was surprised to find that they had gotten a new one! Jim said he was afraid it would be viewed like a vacuum cleaner or iron–necessary but not a very exciting gift. I assured him I was excited!
Then Jeremy got everything set up for me, transferred all my files over (which took a couple of days because it ran so slowly), and deleted a bunch of extraneous stuff.
I am extremely well-pleased! I feel like I’ve gone from a donkey race to the Indy 500.
5 Clever Clasps. I have trouble fastening a few of my necklaces, even with turning them around and looking in the mirror. I knew I had some of these magnetic clasps, but couldn’t find them (after having moved them from the “wrong” place, where I used to see them all the time, to a location I couldn’t remember). I found them this week while looking for something else. They work so well!
I hope you have a great weekend and Happy 2024!
Stray Thoughts 
Congratulations and welcome to the 21st century (and Windows 11!) You will enjoy it and it’s not too awfully different from the “7”. Very user friendly.
I’d enjoy your day trips as well. I’ve thought of the Knoxville Museum of Art. Glad it’s free. The dairy farm would be very educational for Timothy (if he was with you). We used to love day trips like that when I was homeschooling my youngest son. We’d go to St. Augustine for the day, and he’d write a report on it.
I couldn’t get by without those magnetic clasps for necklaces! They make things so easy.
Happy New Year!
You did have a good week! I feel similarly about “free” places to visit — it’s nice not to feel obligated every time to get one’s money’s worth 🙂 YAY on a new computer! You will love it, I know. And what a sweet anecdote about Jim searching out the mug for you. Enjoy!!
The Windows 7 thing cracked me up. I choose not to use windows. AT ALL!! yuck. It’s from being married to a soft ware developer who says Windows (as a company and a program) is just awful. We own Apple laptops (Macbook Pro for me, can’t remember his or the girls). But I’m glad you at least got the updated version AND the new computer!! That’s a nice gift!!
It sounds like you had some lovely tours at the places you visited. We love art museums and i’m hoping to poke around in the one here in Boston while we’re here for First Night events. I’ve only been there once and we were kind of rushed.
I’ve never heard of Smash City but there’s a SmashBurger here in Boston that i hear is excellent. I don’t do beef so probably won’t go there unless they have chicken options 🙂
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Congratulations on moving up to a newer version on your computer! Things do move a whole lot faster. A similar thing happened with our grandson–uncle and bapa helped him with it all (a guy bonding time)–I plan to write about it later this week.
Your days out sound like fun. I’m trying to visualize robot milking machines…
Happy New Year to you and yours!
A new computer is a great gift!!!!! Your family outings sound like fun! Have a Happy New Year!!!
Barbara, congrats on your new computer! I hear exactly what you’re saying. When my son-in-law set mind up a year ago it was such a huge relief to come into the next century. A blessing for non-stressful writing. What a wonderful way to welcome in the new year! Enjoy.
I rejoice with you over a Christmas surprise of a new computer! I truly “get it” because when we need something like that we wait for when our son is here from Maine so that he can help us with our choice and then set everything up. It’s such a blessing! I’m so happy for you and loved how you compared it as going from a donkey race to the Indy 500! 🙂 Such a clever way of putting it, but at the same time I totally get it.
It sounds as if you had a lovely Christmas season and I’m so glad. I know that having Jeremy home to celebrate with the family makes it special for you, too.
Oh…and one more thing…I actually grew up on a dairy farm. It’s been ages since I’ve been at a working dairy farm, but I’m sure they are much more up to date than what our humble beginnings were. I remember when we got our electric milkers and big milk tank (as opposed to using the milk cans) that it was so much the “modern” thing at that time that one of the Morgantown papers actually did an article on it with pictures of my dad and grandfather in the milking parlor. I was so sad when they put the big milk tank in because it meant that my dad didn’t have to take the milk cans into Morgantown to one of the local dairy plants. I lived to be able to ride with him to deliver the milk…it was my daily goal when I was four and five. The man at the dairy plant would always ask my dad if I had been good and Daddy would say yes…and my reward was an ice cream cone of the flavor the man at the dairy plant had the most of that day. 🙂
Hello Barbara! So glad you had a nice Christmas. The family outings sound great. It’s always nice to do things like that over the holidays. I have one of those magnetic clasps on my favorite necklace and I love how quick and easy it is to get my necklace on. I hope you and yours have a wonderful New Year! See you again soon!
Sounds like you had a good week with the outings and I would be thrilled to get a new laptop for a present. Anything that makes life easier is a win for me so your magnetic clasps are definitely a winner. Happy New Year!
I’m so happy that you got your pink mug:)
I laughed at Jim’s comment about the dairy farm! It sounds like a wonderful day.
It feels so good to have a spanking new computer, doesn’t it? And the gift of someone getting you all set up.
Happy New Year, Barbara.
I had a good laugh at Jim’s comment to the dairy farm tour. But it sounds like a good time was had by all anyway. LOL. How nice he made that effort to find your pink mug at the Fort. Yay for a new computer. Mine runs windows 10 right now and is wanting me to update to 11 but I’ve been avoiding it. I get so stressed out learning new technology.
No reason to stick to five when you have infinite number of bonus faves!
I smiled at Jim’s comment about dairy farms. What a thoughtful gift of a new computer and cleanup/transfer service as well. Those are true gifts indeed. Welcome to the Indy 500!
Thank you for all the suggestions! We live in Johnson City, but both of our daughters (and our grandchildren) live in Knox County, so we are always looking for new things to do when we visit!