While many Smoky Mountain Restaurants are marketed as being a ‘mom and pop,’ these are as authentic as you’ll get

As a writer, I sometimes become attached to the literal meaning of words or ideas. You spend your life mulling the minutia of second and third definitions – or fourth or fifth – and you can get a little lost inside your head.

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So, when someone asks about a mom-and-pop restaurant or shop, I get a little too caught up in the genealogy of the thing. Is it still a mom-and-pop if it’s owned and operated by a single dude? What if they are a young couple and they haven’t had kids yet? Can it still be a mom-and-pop operation?

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I make a point to appreciate all the little things in my life. I go out and smell the air after a good, hard rain. These small actions help remind me that there are so many great, glorious pieces of good in the world.

🦋Dolly Parton🦋

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