Nomad Life - Day 50

My day began early again (0615) but I missed seeing Michael because he'd apparently left for work much earlier than usual.  Camille relayed that I was welcome to visit his classroom between 1000 and 1200 and I decided to keep my commitment to volunteering while living the Nomad Life.  First, though, I ate some breakfast (cereal) and got ready for my day - I actually donned some black dress pants and my NH KofC shirt, in anticipation of visiting a Catholic School later in the morning.  Between 0645 and 0945, though, I teleworked (no meetings but plenty of document review).  Before I realized how quickly time had flown, it was time for me to depart for Corpus Christi Classical Academy (in downtown Shelbyville).  It only took me about 15 minutes to reach the school, park and arrive at the front entrance.  Michael saw me coming through his classroom window and escorted me inside the building.  His classroom was named "Saint Gabriel" and he had seven eager young people (5th and 6th Grade students) waiting patiently there for me.  They were all dressed in green uniforms of varying design and were reciting a poem about the Crusades that was written by Hilaire Belloc ("The Kings come riding back from the Crusade / The purple Kings and all their mounted men / They fill the street with clamorous cavalcade" / etc.).  After that part of the class was finished, though, the kids all wanted to know more about me and why I'd come for a visit.  Michael and I had made plans for these questions and I started talking about my life and my time hiking the Appalachian Trail.  Of course, each of the children had plenty of questions to ask me that didn't exactly have to do with my talk but they were very eager, respectful and interested.  As I was nearing the end of my talk, the Academy's Principal interrupted the class to ask all the children (50+) in the entire school to sing happy birthday for the (Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish) Priest.  That was an interesting experience too.  Returning to the classroom, I wrapped up my story and then Michael led the children through a review of material they'd been covering about Orders of Insects and the History of Medicine.  I was quite impressed by the knowledge on display and all the kids seemed very engaged in their unique, classically inspired curriculum.  Before the lunch time break, I got to see some of the insects that the students had brought to be displayed under Michael's powerful microscope - what a treat!  By noon, I wrapped up my volunteering day (two hours) and the kids all said goodbye (reluctantly, since they hoped I'd stay for recess and lunch).  Returning to the west on US-60, I remembered that I'd seen some inexpensive gas in Simpsonville and that the station was located very near a Culvers.  With a fuel tank fill-up and butter-burgers in mind, I headed over to KY-1848.  After getting the gas and cleaning a LOT of bugs off of my windshield and car-top carrier (1230), I got lunch at the Culvers (1230) - I was soooo lucky to have ordered my food right before a huge busload of people...  Once I was finished eating the delicious meal, I returned to Michael and Camille's home and resumed my telework day (1300).  I ended up with an impromptu work call but managed to complete my (shorter than normal) work day by 1700.  Since I'd made dinner plans with my Antarctica Cruise friend, Jennifer M., so changed my clothes for the third time in the day and had barely enough time to talk with Michael (he'd just arrived home from work as I was leaving) about the success of my visit to his classroom (he thanked me for "making the kids' day").  At 1715, I departed Shelbyville and drove (via US-60, KY-55 and I-64) to Frankfort.  I'd coordinated with Jennifer to meet at 1800 but she texted while I was enroute to inform me that she'd gotten held up at work (at her job in Lexington).  It didn't matter by that point because I was almost to my destination: Cattleman's Roadhouse.  When I arrived (1745), I found the parking lot almost completely full and a long queue outside the door.  Fortunately, I managed to get my name on the waiting list and the restaurant was using a text reservation service.  Since it was still light out (and the temps had dropped into the 70s), I decided to walk around near the restaurant while I waited for the 20-30 minutes the hosts had predicted.  While making a short lap of the parking lot, I spotted a Buffalo Wild Wings and wondered if there was still time for me to get a drink during their normal afternoon happy hour.  By the time I got to the bar, there were only three minutes remaining for the special but the bartender poured me a Goose Island Wild Herd (20 oz).  This was a new beer for my Untapped app and it turned out to be pretty good.  I took my time and was wrapping up the drink just as I received a text from the Cattleman's that my table was ready.  After being seated inside (1810), I heard from Jennifer that she was still a few minutes away.  When she finally arrived (1830), we started catching up on all the things that had happened in our lives since we'd last encountered each other onboard Viking Polaris (see FEB 2024).  We ordered old fashioned drinks that were made with Knob Creek Single Barrel (a new bourbon for me) and then I got the Country Fried Steak (mmmmm) and the house macaroni and cheese (also good).  Jennifer let me try some of her Dusty Trail Alfredo (with grilled chicken).  We continued our conversation until 1945 and Jennifer asked if we could adjourn to another venue to keep talking.  She was familiar with a few of the bars in Frankfort but hadn't tried the Howser Tavern - since I'd given that place a good review, she agreed to try it.  Jennifer drove us into the downtown (it only took about 10 minutes) and we found some street parking very close to St. Clair Street.  Unlike the nights I'd spent in Kentucky's Capital, the eating and drinking establishments were much busier and there were a lot of people walking along the streets.  However, we entered the Howser and found it almost empty!  It was only at that point that I thought of playing a sympathy card - when I'd tried to visit the hotel's speakeasy earlier in the week, I'd been told there wasn't enough staff.  With two or three bartenders visible, I used the password that I'd been given by the hotel (and explained the whole situation).  Minutes later, Jennifer and I were whisked inside the "back bar" and found a much larger crowd of revelers.  I ordered "The St. Clair" cocktail, which I'd been eyeing a few nights earlier and Jennifer got a martini made with Buffalo Trace Sazerac Rye.  Our conversation continued and we stayed engaged with the nice bartender lady (a different person from my earlier visits) and the other guests.  Before I knew it, my watch showed 2115 (much later than I'd planned to stay out for the night, due to the drive and being courteous for my friends).  Reluctantly, I suggested that I needed to get back to my car and head to Shelbyville - Jennifer was very nice about wrapping things up early.  After she got me back to the Cattleman's, we said goodbye and I made the 30ish minute drive back to Michael and Camille's.  My friends were asleep when I arrived (2215) so I skipped the walk I'd hoped to do - this ended up being the first time in years where I had two less than 10K days of walking in a row...  Instead, I packed up my bags (to make the morning go more quickly) and headed to bed as early as I could (2240).  Very glad that I got to do some volunteering and to try a few more drinks in Bourbon Country!