Friday Cheers

Wine tastes better when you're overlooking the ocean.  Fact.

“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.”

― Ernest Hemingway   

 
“[I]t is the wine that leads me on,

the wild wine

that sets the wisest man to sing

at the top of his lungs,

laugh like a fool – it drives the

man to dancing... it even

tempts him to blurt out stories

better never told.”

― Homer, The Odyssey

Getaway

The winter BLAHS got the best of me last week, so I decided to take a spur of the moment trip to meet a friend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Sunshine, sand, sea, seafood, and '70's tunes.

Spectacular!

The weather was cool and breezy, but warm enough for jeans and flip flops. 

It seems that I never remember just how wonderful the sand feels under my feet

until I'm walking in it once again. 

Pity those times are so infrequent.

The sound of the ocean and the feel of the sand seem to sooth the soul. 

Well, mine anyway.

     There wasn't much competition from other

        shell-seekers,          

so I was able to bring home some beauties.

Shells and memories 

make the best souvenirs.

As with all good things, the weekend getaway ended much too quickly.
Or, perhaps, right on time...

  

The Pond

This beautiful pond is tucked away in a remote area near the Court House in King & Queen County. 

It's the perfect place to spend a cloudy, carefree Saturday afternoon. 

Fishing, listening to music, whatever your pleasure!

Can you see the dam in the background of the photo below? 

It's not unusual for a deer or a turkey to make an appearance there. 

Ducks in pairs and pesky beavers have also been spotted on occasion!

When Hurricane Irene blew through the area last fall, the water on the pond was angry and fierce. 

Most days, however, it's calm and inviting.

Where do you go to relax?

Epiphany

I had an epiphany this evening. I've become "THAT" person...you know, the one you pray your whole life that you never become:/

What happened to me? I used to be the career woman/mom who worked hard all day and rushed home to prepare a nutritious meal for her family to share. There was conversation, there was laughter, there was Snow White's phone alerting her to a new text message every thirty seconds. Most nights, I went to bed with a sense of having accomplished something in my professional AND personal lives.

Now? I work four ten hour days. (Hey! I'm STILL a career woman!) I come home, light candles, turn on the radio and stalk people on Facebook try to decide what I want to eat for supper. (This week, my dinners du jour have been Cheez-Its, and/or Crunch & Munch. Each paired well with a nice Cabernet. Or, a cheap Merlot.) I then fall into bed, exhausted and wondering if I need a pet to keep me company. I'm six cats and a muumuu away from becoming the Crazy Cat Lady!!!

How, you may or may not ask, do I fill the hours on my day off? Well, let's see, I go to the dump, do laundry, burn trash, clean, and, on a good week, I go to Wally World to stock up on wine. And Crunch & Munch. It really IS all about the simple things in life. Or, perhaps, I've just become SIMPLE!!

My GOSH it's great to be blogging again! I've missed you all terribly, and I'm sending out an S.O.S. for you to come to BFE to visit BHE. VERY soon...

Side Note to My Uncle R: It really is safe for you to come and visit next month. I promise! Do you like Crunch & Munch?

State Fair

The State Fair rolled into town a couple of weeks ago, and I was fortunate enough to have been able to go and enjoy all of it's fried food-smelly animal-barking carnie goodness!! The little guy you see above was my prize for winning the squirt gun game, which I ROCKED;) Sadly, the Whack-a-Mole game was nowhere to be found...

Named "Green Monkey", because I'm original like that, he has given me more than a few smiles since I brought him home. As you can see, I've already trained him to bring me flowers. Of course, they came off of the rosebush in my yard and I had to clip them, but it's the thought that counts. Right? Don't judge.

I didn't go to the Fair last year because I was in a huge pity pile after Snow White left for college, and it wouldn't be the same without her, and it was too depressing, and wahh, wahh, wahh. Well, this year I decided to send her photos while I was there. Pig races, tractors, farm animals, OH, MY! To my delight, she and I carried on quite a conversation via text as I visited many of our fair faves:) Still wasn't the same as having her home, but that chapter is closed, and we are beginning to create new traditions. With the holidays tapping at the door, it's time to embrace our new reality, and look for ways to just make things work!!

The sun is shining here this morning, and the temps are predicted to reach into the eighties. I have a busy day ahead, and plan to enjoy every moment of it! Happy Monday, my friends! ((hugs))