Some weeks are not built around big travel days, national parks, or complicated plans. Some weeks are made up of the everyday moments that turn out to be the best parts of life on the road: sharing a meal, visiting family, picking up mail, finding old memories tucked away in a building, walking through a small-town festival, and ending an evening with ice cream.
One thing we appreciate about this lifestyle is the ability to spend extended time near family while still having our own home with us. We can visit, help with projects, meet for meals, and enjoy familiar places without feeling like we are squeezing everything into a short vacation.
This was one of those weeks.
We spent much of the week around Northeast Tennessee, enjoying familiar places, favorite food stops, and time with people we love. It was not a flashy week, but it was full. Full of conversation, full of good meals, full of family, and full of reminders that simple days can make some of the best memories.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, started with cousin lunch at NHC in Johnson City. Several were out of town this time, so the group was smaller than usual, but the visit was still a good one.
There was pizza, dessert, and plenty of conversation around the table. The food was good, but as usual, the conversation was even better. These cousin lunches are one of those things that seem simple from the outside, but they mean more the longer they continue.
It is always good to catch up, hear what everyone has been doing, and spend a little time together. Life gets busy. People travel. Schedules get full. So when there is a chance to sit down together, share a meal, and laugh a little, it is worth making time for.
Wednesday, May13, 2026: We spent the day in Telford visiting with Brian, Beth’s brother, and Penny, Brian’s wife.
It was one of those easy visiting days that did not need much of a plan. We picked up some packages and mail, spent time catching up, and watched the birds in the driveway eating the food that Brian provides. There is something peaceful about just sitting for a while and watching birds come and go. No schedule. No rushing. Just a quiet day with family and the dogs (Shadow and Buddy) who like to fetch, continuously.
Penny made steaks and baked potatoes, and they were very good. That made the day even better. A home-cooked meal, especially when you have been traveling or living on the road, always feels like a treat.
And of course, there was a Troyer’s visit for lattes. Frozen Vanilla or White Chocolate, light milk, caramel drizzle, and no whipped cream for the four of us. Some stops become part of the routine, and Troyer’s is one of those places that seems to fit right into each of our Tennessee visits.
It was not a day packed with activities, but it was a good day. Sometimes just hanging out is exactly what you need.
Thursday. May 14, 2026: The day brought lunch at 11E Diner.
Beth chose the fried bologna, and Kevin went with the meatloaf. That pretty much says “classic diner lunch” right there.
There are some meals that do not need to be fancy. A good diner meal has its own kind of comfort. Fried bologna, meatloaf, sides, and a familiar atmosphere can be just as satisfying as any big destination restaurant. The diner is quickly becoming a go-to place for great food, locally.
The meal also gave us another chance to slow down and enjoy a little time out together in the middle of the week. One of the nice things about being in an area we know well is having those familiar places we can drop into without much planning.
Saturday, May 16, 2026: After Friday’s workday, we spent Saturday back at the old building, continuing the cleanout project. This time, we were working on the top floor.
Cleaning out this old building is not exactly easy work. There is years of dust, lifting, sorting, deciding what to keep, what to toss, and what needs a second look. But it can also turn into a treasure hunt.
And this day definitely had some treasures.
We found glassware, tools, and several of Beth’s old trophies from dance and sports when she was younger. Those kinds of finds can stop you in your tracks. One minute you are cleaning, and the next you are holding a piece of family history.
A trophy is not just a trophy when it has been packed away for years. It brings back practices, competitions, games, performances, coaches, teammates, and a younger version of yourself you may not have thought about in a while. While there were very few items that we kept, it was fun going back in time. Most everything in this old building sat exposed to all weather for years. The building eventually will be taken down, but we had to see what we might find.
My favorite may have been finding Beth’s old trophies. Food and festivals are always fun, but finding something that brings back memories adds a different kind of meaning to the week.
It was a productive day, but also one of those days that reminded us how much history can be in a place. Cleaning out a building is physical work, but it can be emotional, too. Every box, including the building itself, has the potential to hold a memory.
Sunday, May 17, 2026: We visited Greeneville, Tennessee, and lunch was at The Farmer’s Daughter.
That is one of our favorites and for good reason. The meal is served family style, which already makes it feel like a gathering. Food comes to the table, everyone shares, and it feels more like Sunday dinner than eating out. We chose salisbury steak and country ham for a our meats. Of course, those come with green beans, pinto beans, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese, gravy, cooked cabbage, macaroni and cheese, apple salad, and one of Beth’s favorites, cornbread salad. Don’t forget the bread. There was more in that basket, but Kevin likes his breads. Fresh cornbread and hot rolls. Mmmmm.
There is something about family-style dining that fits well with a Sunday afternoon. It encourages you to slow down, pass the food, talk across the table, and maybe eat a little more than you planned. The Farmer’s Daughter has become one of those places we look forward to when we are in the area. It is not just about the food, although the food is definitely a big part of it. It is also the experience. A good meal, a comfortable setting, and that feeling of being well-fed before heading out for the rest of the day.
After lunch, we stopped by the Iris Festival in downtown Greeneville. They did a great job laying out the festival. There were plenty of vendors, crafts, services, and things to see as we walked through town. It had that good small-town festival feel, with people browsing booths, music playing, and the downtown area full of activity.
We heard entertainment from a couple of stages as we walked around. One was a brass band down by the creek that was running along the street. Live music always adds something special to a festival, even when you are just passing by or stopping for a few minutes to listen.
The vendor mix gave us plenty to look at. Festivals like this are fun because you never know what you are going to find. Handmade crafts, local businesses, food vendors, community groups, and unique little items all make the walk more interesting.
We did not make any purchases but were constantly thinking about how we may use items in the future. RV life is meant to be simple and that is the way we are, for now.
Downtown Greeneville made a nice setting for it, too. The festival felt organized, easy to walk through, and enjoyable without feeling overwhelming. It was a good way to spend part of a Sunday afternoon after a big lunch.
Monday, May 18, 2026: We went to Elizabethton to meet Angie and some of her grands for ice cream.
Since we needed dinner first, we chose The Black Olive. Kevin has found the chicken primavera is close to an old dish they used to serve at Piccadeli in Boone, NC, back when he worked there. Beth enjoyed another version of bowtie pasta. The meal and the service were great, as usual. Of course, more bread. Their garlic knots are the best!
Adam was our server for this meal. Excellent! Having been in the restaurant business before, there are little things that many waitstaff do today that drive us nuts. For example, if we don’t have our food yet, and our drink is empty, you do not have to ask if we want more. Adam was very attentive and made the meal enjoyable, effortless on his part. This made a good stop before dessert and gave us time to enjoy a meal before heading downtown.
After dinner, we met Angie at Sweet Treatz in downtown Elizabethton for Hershey’s Ice Cream. Our choices were Cappuccino Crunch for Kevin and Ultimate Peanut Butter Brownie for Beth. Both were very good. Those are the kinds of flavors that make choosing difficult, but it is hard to go wrong with coffee and peanut butter brownie involved.
Meeting Angie for ice cream was a simple plan, but it was a good one. Downtown Elizabethton has a nice feel in the evening, and ice cream is never a bad idea. It was a sweet ending to a week full of visits, meals, memories, and small adventures around Northeast Tennessee.
Looking back, this was not a week of big attractions or long drives. It was a week of cousin lunch, family visits, diner meals, cleaning projects, Sunday lunch, a downtown festival, and ice cream. And that is exactly what made it good.
Full-time RV life is not always about the next big destination. Sometimes it is about being close enough to family to share a meal. Sometimes it is about returning to familiar places. Sometimes it is about picking up mail, watching birds in a driveway, or finding old trophies in a building that hold pieces of the past. Those ordinary moments are part of the adventure, too.
This week reminded us that adventure does not always have to be far away. Sometimes it is right there in Johnson City, Telford, Greeneville, Elizabethton, and all the little stops in between.