Tennessee River

• The Tennessee River flowing south and southwest to its confluence (I read that somewhere) with the Ohio River at Paducah, Ky. and flows through 4 states; Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky.
• We went from Barkley Lake through the Barkley Canal to the Kentucky Lake and Tennessee River. It's really beautiful. Our first night we spent in Paris Landing (I always wanted to see Paris). We watched paratroopers drop from a huey helicopter, twin bladed, into the river. They were Screaming Eagles 101st Airborne. They were to be deployed in the next week or two to Iraq. They were all babies and all we can do is say a prayer for their safety.
• The next night we spent at Pebble Isle Marina in New Johnsonville, TN. It seems that the first Johnsonville, Old Johnsonville, is underwater, part of the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Lucky for us the Army Corps of Engineers grabbed their shovels and made the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. By connecting the Tennessee River in Mississippi and the Black Warrior River in Alabama, a direct water route from Tennessee River to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico at Mobile Bay was made. This means we can go from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast without having to go on the Mississippi.
• We saw Bald Eagles, I learned that bald means white not hairless. These bald eagles are blackish-brown on their back and breast with white heads, necks and tails their bill and feet are yellow. The female is bigger than the male and they weigh 10 to 14 lbs and can fly 35 miles an hour.
• This marina, Pebble Isle is one of our favorites. We were there for the end of the summer bash. They had a live band "Syndicate of Soul" about 10 pieces. We love to dance and had a wonderful time dancing, singing and drinking to real music. Our legs, feet, back and throats were sore the next day. What's gonna happen when we really get old?
• Next stop Clifton Marina still in Tennessee. In the guide it said 4 restaurants. The town was so desolate that there was only 1. It can be upsetting at times when you see so much poverty. Anyway at Ray's restaurant Mike had chicken and dumplings, white beans, mashed potatoes, creamed broccoli with cheese, corn bread and ice tea for $5.00. Good thing he doesn't mind a little starch for lunch.
• For 10 or so days Mike has been complaining about his ear. There was a walk in clinic in town and he decided to check it out. There was no doctor and he couldn't make a appointment for the next day. When he said he would go to the next town to the hospital, I knew he was getting concerned about the ear. We went to the emergency room and 5 hours later found out that he had done the right thing in taking the Amoxicillin. The doctor (a baby) said it would take time, it would heal, just leave it alone and don't get any water in it. I did not say a word about never getting the 5 hours back that I wasted sitting in the emergency room.