hqueen's collection of Far From the Usual stuff.

frustratedearthmother

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Sounds like it's all falling into place for the trip - despite a momentary panic, lol. Hope you have a great time and can't wait to hear all about it when you get back!
 

hqueen13

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Thanks yall!
If it would quit raining is you-know-what off it would be a lot nicer! We did have a break for about half the morning, but we're in it again. Yay east coast spring rains.
 

hqueen13

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Thanks, FEM! Everything went really well!
We drove out of it at lunch, which was a relief. It was all blue sky and puffy clouds with a bit of a breeze.
We stopped for a pit stop at a winery. Ok, the pit stop wasn't really the reason for the stop. Bought wayyyyy too much wine (but it is sooooo good!!)
Finally got down there about 6, and then we headed to dinner with some other family. I had AMAZING shrimp and grits. I swear, they brought me a mixing bowl instead of a platter. It HAD to have been a pound of grits. It was sooooo good. I was only able to eat about 1/3, I took the rest home and then at it for breakfast the next day!
We were staying at a golf club place, it was so big it had 2 golf courses. Crazy! It was over a mile from the entrance back to the complex where we were staying. Which happened to be condos that are rented out, so there were photos of the people who owned it and stuff. It was super nice and very comfortable. We picked up groceries for breakfast so we didn't have to go out, and that helped.
Saturday we went down to an old haunt of ours called Calabash, a TINY town that has nothing but seafood restaurants and one giant beach gift shop (Christmas shop included). We were a bit later getting back, and so we had to hustle to get ready for the wedding. The shuttles were a little behind, too, and the driver was hauling butt to get over to the beach. It was lovely to be on the beach in fancy clothes and barefoot! It was cooler and breezier than would have been comfortable, but the wedding itself was all of 10 minutes, so it wasn't bad. The reception was lovely, and we had a great time. Food was good, buffet style with REALLY nice stations, I didn't even get to all of them!!
Sunday we got up and had a lazy breakfast again, and then everybody rolled out. We headed to the beach to walk for a while, and it was GORGEOUS. I MISS NC beaches so bad! They are so luxurious and relaxing. The water was down right balmy, though too cool for me to swim still. We then headed to Calabash for lunch again and spent time in the shop, and found gifts for a few people and some fun things for us (spent way too much again!).
We finally started heading north, and stopped at a few more beaches, visited a lighthouse, and then took a car ferry ride further north. It was a lot of fun, and we've already started talking about getting back down there again. We ended up in New Bern, which is a fun little town, and explored quite a bit there on Monday morning. We spent way too long (and more money!) there, and then finally got all the way home at 9:30 that night. We didn't want to be that late, but oh well. It was a rude awakening to get out of the car in my sandals to 40 degrees. :somad And of course, the last leg of the drive is THE. MOST. BORING. DRIVE. EVER. At least the Virginia section is, once you get to MD there is stuff again so it's not as bad.
Tuesday and Wed were crazy trying to get back into the swing of things. Several people needed things from me quickly which was annoying, but I guess that's life.
I'm already trying to figure out how to make this happen again so we can spend more time enjoying the beaches and less time as frantic. That does require more money, but it's only money... can't take it into the next life, right?
 

frustratedearthmother

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Wow - sounds like ya'll had a great time. I'm hoping DH and I can take at least a short road-trip this summer. :fl
 

hqueen13

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Aw, yeah, road trips are so much fun! (Unless they are down boring sections of road with nothing to see or stop and do...)
Yes, it was an awesome time, FEM. I wore sandals or was barefoot, and ate a TON of seafood and grits and shrimp! That's about as close to paradise on a beach trip as it gets! Well, laying out on the beach would have been a bit better, but still...
 

frustratedearthmother

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I do love me some shrimp and grits! Actually, the best I ever had were barbequed shrimp and grits. Oh my... makes me drool just thinking about 'em! :drool
 

NH Homesteader

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Shrimp and grits? Never heard of such a combination. Sounds intriguing... (I've never actually eaten grits...)
 

frustratedearthmother

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Oh girl - you haven't lived! The grits could be called a 'southern' thing...but they're tasty no matter what part of the country you eat 'em in!
 
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