Foxy!

Yesterday, I went to a new client site. One guy's office that I entered was filled to the brim. Boxes on the floor with parts, cords, papers. Racks and racks of WIP that were rolled in from the production floor. It was difficult to make a path through the wreckage just to sit at his desk.

Me: Wow, I really like what you've done with this place.

Him: Well, if I knew what a fox you were, I would have picked up a bit.

Two thoughts: 1) I love you. Really. What a nice compliment from a total stranger (albeit strangely unprofessional). It really pays to have clients out in the boondocks where I still pass as foxy. 2) A fox? Who the heck says that?! OMG. I just met with Garth!

Sign Sign Everywhere a Sign

On our trip, we encountered two signs that I wish I had snapped pictures of  (yeah, another pesky dangling preposition):

(1) "Back by popular demand: fried bologna biscuits" (Shining brightly in front of a vile Hardees somewhere near a real-life, Deliverance-like, hellhole in VA)

(2) "Antique tables made daily" (another VA gem)

The good news? I found the latter online. And, in an odd twist of fate, I think we actually own one.

Summer Vacation: Stop #5

Our final stop on Summer Vacation 2011 was spent at a beautiful resort in the mountains of PA: the Bedford Springs Hotel. It turned out to be a great place to explore. I started immediately upon check-in by heading to the tavern with Grannie and Son #2 in tow. We also found the game room with giant puzzles, chess boards, books, etc. Every room was so well appointed.

And there were little surprises hidden throughout. Nooks and crannies to escape and read a book. It had the requisite gift and pro shops but also a candy store as well as this sweet (!)  ice cream and cupcake shop.

Pretty sure I could live here--especially if we could have hot chocolate for breakfast every morning!

We had the luxuriously warm, spring-fed, indoor pool to ourselves. That's me impersonating a jumbo shrimp.

Thanks to Hurricane Irene, we had the dark, overcast, outdoor pool to ourselves, as well.

 

Time to leave the pools, go back to the room to change and start driving home.

The only wave of "can we go now?" boredom struck as we waited for the car. Hey, that's what the large ottomans in the lobby are for, right?

Goodbye summer. Goodbye vacation.

Summer Vacation: Stop #4

Stop #4 was not originally in our plan. It wasn't until we spent over two hours stuck in traffic on I-95 heading out of DC earlier in the week that my VA-based brother suggested we take an alternate route home and stop at their place in Charlottesville, VA. A little off-track but likely to be roughly the same length of time. Sounded good to us!

Although we didn't stay overnight, we had a wonderful afternoon visiting them, touring Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and having a bite to eat. Thanks to my bro for taking the time off for us and to both him and my sister-in-law for running around gathering necessities for our stay (e.g., air mattresses, chocolate and pop-tarts) only to realize we were motoring on.

Grannie and Aunt Sue (a.k.a. Jackie O) in front of the flowers that were stunningly gorgeous but said flowers look more like weeds on this pic from my iPhone.  (But Grannie and Sue still look lovely!)

 

Little man sitting outside the west front of the home wearing his new, 70s-inspired, Save the Endangered Sea Turtles t-shirt from Grannie.

A perfect break from our long drive home!

Summer Vacation: Stop #3 continues . . .

Our week-long stay at Ocean Isle Beach, NC was so awesome. Church on the beach. Swimming in the waaaaaarm ocean. Swimming in the pool. Renting bicycles. Relaxing. Learning about sea turtles and their nesting patterns. No pressure. No laptop. Just the chance to hang with my NC brother and his adorable family for the first time in a couple of years.

My sister-in-law found a great little condo right on the beach. Here is our backyard.

Here are some men fishing on the sound (on the other side of our condo) taken from where Grannie and I were sitting on a bench and meditating (or chatting, you decide).

So peaceful. Actually, the entire island was fairly deserted. Probably because schools in the South start earlier than those of their northern kinfolk. Possibly because of the impending hurricane. Either way, it was great.

My kids got a chance to spend time with their youngest cousin. So blinkin' cute. They also got a chance to hear his sweet lil' Southern accent and learn some new phrases of their own. "Don't you backjaw me boy."

The best part for me, other than being all snugly with the family, is always the beach.

Goodbye Ocean Isle Beach. You were very good to us.

Summer Vacation: Stop #3

Next stop: The beach. La playa. Just like heaven.

But, for today, heaven (and blogging) can wait.

Summer Vacation: Stop #2

Our second stop: Our nation's capital where we stayed at the Dupont Circle Hotel. I felt so Sydney Ellen Wade-ish! (Looove her.)

After we checked in, we relaxed, ate lunch in the groovy bar, watched the crowds walk by and, just as we were headed out to explore the city, Son #1 fell ill. Different son. Same illness? So the kids and Grannie hung for the afternoon as I walked over to my girlfriend/BFF Kim's yoga studio to meet her and her darling daughter. Later that night, my fabulous girlfriend Kristy came in from Northern VA and, due to the torrential rain, we had an overpriced, bland, nondescript dinner (followed by watery, bland martinis) just across the street at Kramerbooks and Afterwords Cafe as the lightening lit up the skies over the atrium in which we were dining. Scary and yet very cool.

The next day, we did many of the requisite kid-friendly things in town: walked from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial stopping at the WWII Memorial and Washington Monument along the way. (Long walk! Oppressive heat!) We ended our day of sightseeing at Son #1's favorite stop: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, of course.

Madeline showing a strong proclivity toward her hippie parents' liberal bias.

Afternoon tea for some; dinner for others.

Cupcakes and chocolate croissants for breakfast at the Firehook bakery! Yum! All's fair game when traveling with Grannie. No need to use your hands. 

Riding on the metro . . .

Is that a monument in the distance or are you just glad to see us?

I have better pics of everyone under their favorite states at the WWII Memorial; however, this photo is my fave because it captures Son #1 clearly complaining about something that I'm, as usual, doing to annoy him!

Next stop: the beach. Amen. Amen.