More vacation...

While visiting at our son's place, he and I were out walking in his neighborhood, and one of the male neighbors was walking his dog.  The dog took a real fancy to me, and was enthusiastically friendly.   As son talked,, the neighbor tried to get the dog more under control.  "Hey Rover (insert actual dog name here), the lady doesn't need so many kisses..."   Said twice more.  Our son was cool with it and said nothing to correct the neighbor about my gender.   I later told my son that it's an everyday occurrence for me.

He added that it's rare for him to be identified as female when approached from the front due to his facial hair.  But very common from the back, and he simply turns around, saying "pardon me?"  When folks see his beard and mustache, ample apologies flow forth.  "Growing a beard helps."  I thanked him, but said "I answer to anything, and don't plan to grow facial hair.  My father did, and it made him look 10 years older than his actual age."  "No problem - whatever floats your boat.  But be prepared - you may be seen as a woman."  My response was: "Whenever it happens, so be it."  And the subject drifted away...

This is as close as I have come to talking to anyone I know (family or otherwise) about that side of me.   He probably already has "TG" figured out...but I don't plan to take it further.  At least, not at this time.

While in Nashville, we stopped at the Lane Motor Museum, a collection of interesting equipment consisting of predominantly foreign cars.  One of the displays was the LARC-LX.   From the museum's website comes the following description of the vehicle...

An example of the U.S. military’s largest amphibious craft, the LARC-LX (lighter, amphibious, resupply, cargo) came in three sizes, ranging in size from 5 ton (LARC v) to the LX, capable of transporting 60 tons from ocean to inland, across heavy seas and up inclines as steep as 60 degrees. It remains the only amphibian in the current inventory able to enter and exit the shore through breaking surf. Outfitted with 4 Detroit Diesel engines, twin props, and four wheel drive with two or four wheel steering, the LARC-LX could go just about anywhere and carry whatever could fit in its cavernous cargo bay. The only real limitation was its immense size - length is over 62', width is 26', and height is almost 20'! The tires are 9' high. With a 75' turning radius, the LARC is surprisingly agile, and this particular example was driven here in January 2005 from the Port of Nashville. 

To give you a better idea of its immense size, I parked my antique car in front of it.  Above and the following illustrate to you its huge dimensions.

Before you ask, the weather in Nashville had cooled off and turned drizzly, necessitating a change to my fall wardrobe of stirrup pants, tights, flats and generic polo shirts (the few men's shirts I have left.)  A sweater was comfortable on cool mornings.   Simply not very feminine.  :-(  I'd have rather been wearing a skirt...LOL!

We went sightseeing in Lebanon, TN on our way to Nashville.   And found that until 1986 there was military prep school there.  From various sources, including Wikipedia:  originally founded in 1902 as Castle Heights School, it was initially a coed school.   It became a military prep school for boys (Castle Heights Military Academy) in 1918 as a result of World War I.

By 1928, the school was in financial trouble, and it was sold to MacFadden Foundation, which operated till 1974.  Cadet living conditions were strict - Macfadden required the m to eat salads every day, they were not to use condiments or pillows, they were required to participate in sports, and to drink so much milk that the school actually acquired a dairy.  Students' height and weight appeared on monthly report cards to the parents.  By 1954 enrollment had grown to almost 500 students, and the campus had grown to 150 acres, included a hospital, and operated a summer camp.

Despite a return to coeducation in 1970, declining enrollment eventually doomed the school, and it ceased operation in 1986.

Remaining buildings on the campus have been restored, and one now serves as the Lebanon City Hall, and Lebanon Museum and History Center.  Other small businesses inhabit other nearby building.  Previously undeveloped areas of campus have been subdivided, and now feature businesses such as banks and nursing homes.  Records and other school memorabilia are maintained by Cumberland University.   The Mitchell House (a beautiful mansion on the main road) served as headquarters of the holding company for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store froom 1998 to 2013.  It was then purchased by Sigma Pi fraternity and now serves as the fraternity's international headquarters.

Above is a picture of the castle-like edifice of the main campus building, which has been turned into the City of Lebanon's office building.  In the basement is a fabulous museum of documents, pictures and artifacts from the city's history.

More later...

Mandy