blue artichoke

I bypassed hours waiting in line at the DMV and went to the County Clerk's office to get a replacement copy of my car registration. I didn't have to wait in a line and I had a copy in my hand in fewer than five minutes. Easy.

Next, I went for a drive in the mountains with my brother. We stopped off at our family cabin to walk around the property. All was in order; recent forest fires stopped short of the property line. Lucky.

We continued our day in the mountains hiking a trail at Abrams Falls. We chose the Goldmine Creek trail, examined various animal droppings along the way and discussed mixed martial arts for about three hours, or seven miles. I was one of those unprepared hikers you hear stories about after they disappear. I wore 12-year-old tennis shoes, khaki pants and a brown shirt, carried a half-full bottle of water and a granola bar, but no cell phone or identification. I, however, did not fall off the side of the mountain, only to lie there, camouflaged and unidentified. Also, my car was not stolen. That sounds like a pretty good day to me.

But wait! There's more. After resting my aching hips and feet, my mom, brother and I went to eat at my favorite restaurant, Subs 'N Such. Sometimes I tweak parts of my sandwich, changing up my bread, cheese or toppings, but I went for the classic configuration. It was awesome. Even the hair in the sandwich couldn't ruin it.

After dinner, I hit the road for Nashville, taking the opportunity to listen to some great new music. I stopped for an overnight visit with my in-laws, whose company I always enjoy, and got to see my nephew to boot. He showed me YouTube clips of his favorite Elvis songs. He's five.

I fell asleep in one of the most comfortable beds I've ever encountered, weary from the road, bone-tired from the hike and with a belly full of my favorite sandwich. I slept like a champ.

If this is a case of the Mondays, bring it on.

Getting to Know All About You: What's the best thing you did last weekend?