We changed our recycling company in April. Not only do they recycle everything. They are also a lot cheaper than our previous garbage collector. Should have made the decicion to shift sooner.

On our way to Gatlinburg, we ran into snow. On our way back home, we were caught in thunderstorm. These weather conditions, while slowed us down, added a lot of flavor to our trip. It took our breath away, for instance, to see a rainbow appear in the sky when the thunderstorm died down. It’s equally breath-taking to see the top of the mountains shrouded in fog as our car wove its way on mountain roads.

During our trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, we stayed at the Red Roof Inn in Gatlinburg, TN. This is the first time we ever stayed at a RRI. My general impression is their service is OK, but their supplies are poor. Their towels, for example, are not very clean, and they only provide a bare minimum of toiletry items for you (shampoo and soap). No hair dryer or ironing board (there is, however, a mini-fridge and a microwave in the room). Not sure if all RRI hotels are like this.

We went to the Parrot Mountain and Gardens at Pigeon Forge today. The kids had never been so up close with parrots and their various exotic cousins before. They got a big kick out of feeding and petting the birds.

The parrots we saw today don’t talk much, but are very smart otherwise. They can crack open sunflower seeds, which are a staple for them. They can also eat with their claws holding up the food.

“I love TV, but I hate the commercials.”YY said to me one day,”I wish there were a button you could push to turn off all the commercials on TV.”

Don’t you sometimes love the way kids put things?