So yesterday Joi and I left Pigeon Forge and drove to Knoxville, where we stopped in a few bookstores -- Carpe Librum, Barnes & Noble, and Borders -- so I could sign me some books and say hello, and we met my third cousin Nathan and his wife Claire for lunch. Nathan is my mama's cousin Kathy's son and I didn't know about him until a few days ago, but he and Claire were completely lovely and adorable, a young artist/photography/film-making couple who are, among other things, making a low-budget zombie movie set in Knoxville. I MEAN REALLY. After, Joi and I glamorously headed to Nashville. It's a gorgeous, purple-flower-lined drive until you hit Nashville and suddenly 50000 freeways pop up and start twisting about and semis try to run you down and for a second I thought we were in Los Angeles but after losing our way once -- and I don't mean in the spiritual sense except, possibly, in Joi's case -- we got back on the right road and ended up outside the city in a lovely wooden house on the top of a hill, where River and her husband Owen and their wondrous dog (and my new best friend) Titan live. River and Owen could not be more gracious and we spent the evening in front of a roaring real fire drinking red wine. This morning we had coffee on the porch overlooking the woods and cavorted with Titan, and then River returned at lunch time and took Joi and me downtown and now we here we all are, sitting in a glorious cafe. And soon we will be somewheres else.

















THE END.