Tomorrow Is Another Day...

19685.0394 Feet

(ETA: I'm such a nerd, but I just can't let this stand--I accidentally converted 6 kilometers into feet for my post title instead of 10.  It should read 32808.399 feet.  Sigh.)

Last year, when I was working out my 30 Before 30 list, one of the items that I included was running a 10K.  The goal of my list was to push myself outside of my comfort zone, and since the longest I'd ever run was four miles, signing up for a 10K seemed like a reasonable enough challenge.

So, a couple of months ago, I decided to take the plunge and sign up for the Cooper River Bridge Run.  It's a pretty big deal in the local area, with the city shutting down the main bridge into Charleston and 30,000 to 40,000 of your closest friends tying on their running shoes and dashing down the highway into the city.  The biggest challenge of the run is that not only are you running a smidge over six miles, but one of those miles is at a 4% incline.  So, that's fun.

Of course, when I first decided that this was my year for the 10K, it had been about 7 or 8 months since the last time my running shoes and I had spent any quality time together.  My first run out, I was gasping and aching, and metaphorically kicking my overly enthusiastic 30B30 creating self in the butt after approximately 3 minutes.  I was not literally kicking myself in the butt, because I lacked the energy and will to raise my foot that high.

Now that I've got about eight weeks of "training" behind me, I'm feeling a little better about my chances of not dying halfway across the bridge, but still not quite where I wanted to be at this point.  I've run six miles twice in the past couple of weeks, and Colby and I went to run the bridge on the past two weekends, so I'm not feeling entirely unprepared, just undertrained.  I've gotten to the point where I can run for about 30 minutes straight, then alternate walking 2-3 minutes and running 10.  Past the one hour mark, I walk 2 and run 5.  And yes, it definitely takes me over an hour to run six miles.

Today, I am venturing out for a seven mile run.  It's my last long run before the race--next week I'll do a five mile run early in the week, then on Saturday, I'm off to the races.  Even though I've survived six miles twice, seven is just really psyching me out big time.  I've been putting this run off since last week, and am not thrilled about the fact that now I'll have to do it in 80 degree weather.  Yay!

So, please, take a minute and think of me today as I wend my way through the wilds of our neighborhood on burning, shaking legs.  My parched tongue and weakened limbs will be grateful for your well-wishes, and if I do not return from my hero's journey, please take heart in the knowledge that I always loved you best.

Culinary Adventures

This weekend comprised some of the best eating I've done all year.  It's been nearly 16 hours since I ate my last bite of food, and I am still full.

Saturday, we became the proud new owner of an adorable baby palmetto.  Some of our friends are clearing a few trees out of their backyard to open up their beautiful view to the marsh, so we were fortunate enough to inherit one of the homeless trees.  The tree had its fronds hurricane cut to help it survive the move, and now we're just watering it and hoping that the transplant sticks.  Our baby tree is on the left, and on the right are some trees from our front yard that hopefully it will eventually grow up to look like.

After spending some quality time with our baby tree, I went for a four mile run, got all gussied up and then we headed over to a friend's house for smoked port tacos and a delicious array of desserts!  My pal is fortunate enough to have a super sweet sister-in-law living with them for a few months while she creates her portfolio for her DESSERT CHEF school.  Oh, yeah.  She made us a "tasting menu" of desserts including a lemon and blueberry parfait, ice cream made of an incredible chocolate cake with coconut cream frosting and fondant, and finally a bacon ice cream.  And you know what?  I want more bacon ice cream!  We felt a little bit like we were the judging panel on Iron Chef, America!

Sunday, we had tickets for the Culinary Village at the Charleston Wine + Food Festival in Marion Square (Named as one of the top 5 wine and food festivals in the country by Forbes Traveler--way to go Charleston!).  The weather forecast was bleak, with thunderstorms expected and there was a torrential downpour around 9 in the morning.  However, when we started driving to the festival, the sun was trying to break through the clouds, and by the time we arrived, the sun had made its triumphant appearance and the skies were perfectly blue all afternoon.  We tried samplings of meals, desserts, sauces, and various wines from local restaurants, mail order bakeries, wineries from near and far, and all in all had a delicious afternoon.  My favorite wine of the day was Simi Cabernet, and when I went to write it in my wine notebook when I got home, I found that I had actually already named it as a favorite wine.  At least, I know I am consistent!

We got home around 5 in the evening, and Colby spent the rest of the night working on a Masters project while I worked my way through some magazines and watched the season premiere of Army Wives.  The weekend was incredible, but the fun won't stop there since tonight we're heading back downtown to see the Russian National Ballet perform Romeo and Juliet, and tomorrow is MARDI GRAS!!!  Laissez le bon temp roulez!!

Food, Fun and Flooring

Oh what a lovely weekend!  It's fitting that Monday dawned with a healthy dose of fog in the air to lend a grey cast to my feelings of mourning now that Colby is back to his long days at work and I... have a house to clean.

We kicked off the weekend with a Friday out on the town in downtown Charleston.  It has been over a year since the last time I went out to a bar--well, excluding my visits to NYC to visit my sister, because vacations don't count--just to "go out".  And before that, well, it had probably been another year.  We've just definitely left that part of our lives behind us, and we're both pretty okay with that.  But one of our college pals was in town for the week with his squadron, and by gosh and by golly, we were puttin' on our fancy shoes and venturing out into the night.  We started out with a delicious seafood dinner at Hank's Seafood, then headed over to the upstairs deck bar at Henry's on Market Street.

Initially, we felt young and spry with our energetic, going out selves, but as the night wore on, we felt as though we aged with each passing minute.  Evidently, the Charleston bar scene is a little... um... fancier (sluttier?) than the Baton Rouge college town bar scene I cut my teeth on.  The girls were all wearing barely there minis--cut up to here and down to there.  Their hair was teased.  They turned up their shrill giggles to 11, and they skulked among the fighter pilots with talons extended and breasts bared as much as public decency laws will allow.  By the time midnight rolled around, Colby and I were sending emergency eye signals to one another, silently plotting our escape.

Saturday greeted us with a beautiful blue sky and perfect spring temperatures (please, no one tell Charleston that it's still only February), and I managed to drag myself out of bed at a decent hour so that I could meet a friend at an adorable little restaurant/antique shop in historic Summerville, This Whole House.  It was a delicious lunch with great company, and I was glad to squeeze in as much time as possible with her since she'll be leaving me soon for greener Air Force pastures.

When I returned home, our taxes had magically been done, inserting a tidy sum of money back into our pocketbooks.  One of the very few benefits of Colby's job is that tax time is always a very happy one for our little family.  Sunday, we stayed pretty low key, just making a trip out to Lowe's because we cannot go a full month without giving them our money.  We also watched the Oscars and I was very happy about all of the Best Actor/Actress/Movie winners, and lusted very openly over Anne Hathaway's stage looks--more specifically the blue Armani Prive and the red Atelier Versace.  God.  Gorgeous.  

However, the best part of Sunday was when the man of the house entered into a verbal agreement that we need to replace the hideous, crud infested carpet downstairs.  I am pretty sure that was legally binding.  HUZZAH!!!!!  Small victories, people.  Small victories.

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Well, how was your Super Bowl XLV?  Mine was pretty great, mostly because it involved friends, excessive amounts of yummy food, soothing a precious baby to sleep, and playing with my favorite two-year-old.  Just don't ask me anything about the game.  I hear it sucked.  I did watch the half-time show, so I know that sucked.  I was rooting for the Tigers, personally, but evidently they didn't play.  Whole different conference or something.  Who knows.

I avoided writing a post last week, because oh, whiny I was!  If you are unlucky enough to follow me on Twitter, you were exposed to untold amounts of pessimism and negativity.  There were some frustrations that I was dealing with, but over all, upon review, it was a pretty great week.

Colby got home from his first work trip since the deployment ended in early November.  It was a tough adjustment after having him home for a record 2 1/2 months (we're fairly confident that's the longest stretch of time we've spent together since I moved to Washington in March of 2007) and then his return home was delayed by 4 days, but he made it back in one piece, and that's the important part.

I also got in touch with my inner Betty Homemaker, and learned the basics of how to operate my shiny new sewing machine.  I shocked myself by successfully sewing a rather lovely kitchen apron after my second lesson.  I wouldn't recommend inspecting the hemming too closely, but from a distance, it looks pretty darn good if I do say so myself!  (And I don't, because Colby was impressed too.)  I have more classes this week, and I must admit, I'm hooked,  It's not even close to the excrutiating experience of the yarn cross-stitch cat that I worked on from about 4 to 13 and never finished.

I rounded out the week with my first observation at my new volunteer job downtown.  I love, love, love me some history--so much so that I accidentally minored in it in college after taking so many history classes as electives--and I've always thought that being a tour guide would be pretty much the best job in the world.  So, when a friend handed me a clipping from the newspaper advertising a volunteer orientation at one of the beautiful antebellum museum homes on the Battery, I knew it was a match made in heaven.  I still have a few more observations to do, and a qualifying tour, then I'll be Charleston's newest tour guide!

This week, I am determined to be more positive and appreciative of the great things I've got going on in my life and stop focusing so much on the teensy little pits in the road.  And now I'm headed to youtube to look for the best commercials from last night so I can pretend I'm completely up to speed on current pop culture moments.

Oh, What A Beautiful Weekend!

Have I ever shared my theory about how much nicer the world would be if everyone just worked slightly longer days four times a week, and the weekend was three days?  I mean, I don't really care--there is very little difference between a week day and a weekend when you are a super hard-working stay-at-home-wife (This house doesn't clean itself!  I got an email about what a stay-at-home-mom's salary should be, so I estimate my take-home should be about 75% of that four trillion dollars or whatever).  IRREGARDLESS, it makes such a big difference to Colby's level of happiness and relaxation, and by extension, MY happiness and relaxation.  Anyway, this is my way of announcing that I will be running for President in 2012 on the platform of 3-day-weekends.  Voting is sexy!

So yes, we had a three-day weekend, and it was indeed splendid.  One of my very lovely, talented friends gave birth to her second equally lovely and talented child last week, and Colby and I were immediately pulled in by the tractor beam of adorableness.  We met the little princess when she was just one day old, and the tiniest, brand-newest baby I have ever held in my quivering arms.  I was terrified I was going to crush the little bundle of delicious baby, but still managed to fall totally in love.  We brought dinner over on the 4 day anniversary of the baby's birth, and it was amazing how much she had filled out in just those few days.  She was still as delicate as an expensive brazier, but riding the wave of confidence based on the success from our first day together, I was less afraid of crushing her and could focus all of my energy on not dropping her.

Sunday, we got together with our friends who moved here from Washington at the same time we did, and headed downtown to celebrate the fact that no one had to wake up early the next morning to go to work, whether that be in an office or in the kitchen washing dishes from the night before, BECAUSE THAT IS WORK TOO YOU KNOW.  So, we went to Amen Street, and enjoyed the 3 for $30 menu.  The shecrab soup was one of the best I've had, but sadly, I was not a fan of the shrimp and grits.  Things ended on a happy note with the chocolate terrine, a delicious mousse-like flourless chocolate cake with cream and blackberries.

Monday was a bit more low-key as the weather was gloomy, and we weren't inspired to actually get dressed.  Colby, the handyman, whipped together some sturdy wooden shelves in some dead space in our garage and WALAH, instant storage for all of our Christmas crap that was slowly taking over our entire second floor.

So, now it is Tuesday, which feels like Monday and the week will creep by slowly because everyone always expects a four-day week to be short, but they never are.  Unless the four days are Monday-Thursday.  This is my theory based on science.  And why I will specify in all of my Presidential race debates that the weekend will begin on Thursday evening and go through Sunday.  So, Mondays will still suck.  But that's as it should be.

Obligatory Holiday Round-Up

I kind of dropped off of the blogging radar there for a little while, yeah?  I've been constantly composing posts in my head over the past month and have written exactly... one of them.  So how will you ever know what exciting events I was up to over the holiday season?  How will you sleep at night not knowing EXACTLY how my Thanksgiving turned out or how many cookies I managed to eat over the Christmas weekend?

Obviously I can't leave you with these burning desires to know more about my holiday, but I can't bring myself to bore entertain you with a play-by-play of each holiday festivity.  So, that old lazy blogger stand-by comes into play: the photo post.

Thanksgiving

Cardinal rule of Southern cooking: If you can eat it, you can fry it.
If you think that's a lot of calories, you should have seen dessert.

Christmas

Three out of three individuals in this photo assisted in decorating the tree.  Some efforts were more appreciated than others.

Classing things up at the Charleston Jazz Orchestra's Holiday Swing.

The true meaning of Christmas?  Astronomically high electricity bills and s'mores.
(James Island Festival of Lights)

Thank you Charleston, for allowing me sweater dress temperatures on Christmas Eve, then jumping back into the 60s for the duration of winter.
(Dinner at Blossom)


My favorite part of Christmas is engaging in the annual rituals of pet torment.

Well, that and cookies.

A Southern Thanksgiving

Yesterday, all of my Washington based pals were in a tizzy over the snow and cold temperatures that hit the Pacific Northwest.  I was able to comfortably leave my house in boots, leggings and a short sleeve knit cotton dress.  South Carolina, you win, cher.

I'm so much happier not waking up 3 1/2 hours before school starts, seeing the ice paving the streets, checking the emergency bulletins to see if school is delayed or cancelled for the day, grumbling when it's not, making the treacherous drive to school, only to get a call as soon as I unlock the door that I can stay home because of the two hour delay, then getting angry calls from parents because they still have to go to work that morning.  I'm much more of a "eat Thanksgiving dinner, then spend a few hours in the hot tub or running around outside in my shorts" kind of girl.

We're excited about celebrating another Thanksgiving with friends where we'll fry up a turkey Southern style and each bring some of our favorite dishes.  I'll be whipping up some fancy mashed potatoes, a pumpkin-chocolate trifle, and the turkey rub and marinade injection.  There will also be dressing, green bean casserole, rolls, an assortment of mini desserts made by a real life pastry chef AND MORE!!!  My mouth is watering already...

My mashed potatoes got pretty rave reviews when I brought them to a Thanksgiving dinner last year, so I thought I'd share them with you.  Last go round I tried to cut back on the calories by using low fat options when I could, but I think this year I'm going to splurge and go full fat all the way--make Paula proud!!

Paula Deen's Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 45 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 (Yeah, if you're a family of GIANTS.  I'd say more like 12 generous servings.)

 Ingredients

- 2 heads garlic
- 6 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered
- Salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 C butter
- 12 oz sour cream
- 8 oz sharp white Cheddar, grated (I used yellow sharp cheddar)
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked bacon, julienned 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut tops off 2 garlic heads. Wrap in foil and roast for 30 minutes. Allow them to cool then remove the flesh from the garlic heads and set aside.

In a large stockpot, cook potatoes in enough salted water to cover for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.

Drain and return to stockpot. Beat until smooth; adding salt, to taste, pepper, butter, garlic and sour cream. Stir in cheese and bacon. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary.

The directions say to serve immediately, but since I always bring them to other people's houses, I reheat them and they turn out fine.  Just add a little milk to keep them from drying out.  I think this year I'm going to try adding the cheese and bacon after I reheat them at my friend's house.  I'm also going to add in some green onions or chives.

If the pumpkin-chocolate trifle turns out as tasty as I'm hoping, I'll share that recipe with you too!

What is your favorite Turkey Day recipe or dish?

Thankful Thursday

I'll be the first to admit that I was not entirely gracious and understanding when I initially got the news about Colby's return home being pushed back.  And it definitely bums me out when I think about the fact that because of a silly mistake, he isn't sitting next to me on the couch right now.  I spent Sunday and Monday in a pretty grumpy mood, wallowing in my anger and frustration, and thinking very unkind, very unladylike thoughts.

Then, it struck me.  I am the only one who can choose my attitude.  I can choose to sit back and let my annoyance overtake me, complain about my problems, have a miserable week, and rely on someone else to bring me happiness.  Or I can dust myself off, acknowledge my sadness, and also acknowledge how much GOOD there is in my life every single day, enjoying each day for what it brings me rather than being angry because of what it does not.

I think sometimes I spend so much time dwelling on the things that go wrong in life, that it's hard to see the good that is there all along.  And when I take a look around me, well, it's a little overwhelming just how much goodness I see.  In honor of Thanksgiving, every Thursday this month, I'm going to take a little time to think about the things that I'm thankful for and give them a shout out here on the old bloggeroo.
Autumn in the South!  For as long as I can remember, Fall below the Mason Dixon line has been my absolute favorite season.  It's cool enough to warrant boots and sweaters, but not so cold that you're bundling up like Eskimos and shivering uncontrollably.
Friends near and far.  I don't think it's possible to survive as a military wife without your own personal army of friends to keep you sane!  I know for sure I'd never have made it through this deployment without the amazing women I've connected with here in Charleston, or my friends scattered across the country.
Okay, so I can't do a cartwheel, but I am incredibly grateful for my good health.  I think that is the thing I take for granted most often--just assuming that I will always be healthy and not appreciating each breath I take.  I know too many people, old and far too young, who have faced dire life-threatening illnesses or injuries, and I should never assume that I'm somehow exempt from the dangers of life.  Every day truly is a miracle.
This guy.  Yeah, I may not need him to make me happy, but I sure am lucky to have found him, and he sure does make the happiness come easily.  (That's what she said.)

What are the things that you're most grateful for today?

A Lovely Summer Home

After my successes navigating public transportation in Manhattan, I hauled myself and my suitcases down five flights of stairs and proceeded confidently out onto the streets of New York.  I proceeded to stand on a variety of street corners for the next THIRTY MINUTES in the pouring down rain and whipping wind, attempting to hail a cab.  This endeavour was complicated by a) the weather,  b) the fact that rush hour was in full force so cars were crawling by at a turtle's pace, and c) cab drivers are assholes.  I eventually made it to Penn Station where I caught the train to Newark and realized that the AMAZING deal I'd gotten on a rental car was at a company located 15 minutes away from the airport.  So, I sucked it up, accepted the $25 cancellation fee and got an AWFUL deal at a different company located at Newark.

 
Only two or so hours behind schedule, I got in my car, and with once again misplaced confidence, set off for the six hour drive from Newark to Stowe, Vermont.  When four hours later, I had barely made it past Hartford, I had the sneaking suspicion it was going to take me a bit longer than expected to arrive at my destination.  After ten hours in the car, eternally grateful for the fact that I'd stopped at Barnes & Noble for a book on cd, I finally arrived at the house a group of us had booked for the wedding weekend.  Fortunately, I made it just in time to drop off my things, and hitch a ride over to the post-rehearsal dinner dinner!  My lovely college pal, Melissa, had chosen the charmingly quaint Stowe for her destination wedding, and oh, Vermont, if it didn't get 12 inches of snow in October, I would move there in a heartbeat.

The morning of the wedding, we went out to hit the tourist spots and managed to feed ourselves on a multitude of samples consisting of chocolate, cheese, ice cream, cider donuts, maple fudge and wine.  Does that not sound like heaven on earth??  On top of the culinary delights, the leaves were in fact as beautiful as everyone has ever sad they would be.  Unfortunately, this dolt forgot to charge her one camera battery, so I wasn't able to capture the most vibrant examples of the Fall colors.

The wedding was positively beautiful, and though I started out not knowing a single other person there, by the end of my weekend I had met so many amazing people and had an incredible time both on and off the dance floor!  The morning after the wedding, I dragged my hungover butt out of bed at the crack of dawn and once more began the epic journey through New England.  Fortunately, it turned out that a huge reason the traffic was so miserable on my way up was that many roads had been closed and traffic diverted onto the interstate due to heavy rain and flooding.  So, my trip back down only took seven hours.  Only.

It was a long flipping day, starting out around 8 in the morning with my drive to Newark, a long wait at the airport, a connection in Charlotte, but I FINALLY made it back to Charleston at midnight.  And had a flat tire.

Fortunately a knight in shining armor, in the form of roadside assistance, showed up after my mini-breakdown, and I spent the entire next day trying to get my tire and oil changed.  Then I did a quick load of laundry, packed my bags one more time and hit the road the following day for the 13 hour drive home to Louisiana.  I made it in time for my momsie's birthday and her Pink Party celebrating five years since her breast cancer diagnosis and raising money for breast cancer research.  It was a wonderful week spent with family and friends, and I even managed to squeeze in some relaxation.  My sister drove back to Charleston with me, and we spent the next few days hitting the highpoints of the lowcountry from the vodka distillery to the haunted jail tour.

When she left on Saturday, I entered into a definite post-whirlwind slump.  After three weeks of near constant travel and entertainment, I wasn't entirely sure what to do myself.  And then I remembered my DVR queue.  And that's pretty much what I've been doing since.  Phew!  Now, onward!

Back In the Saddle Again

Well, Typepad just charged my credit card for the next year of blogging, so I figured I should probably actually use it.  I've been back home in Charleston since last Tuesday, but my sister was in town through Saturday and I took the weekend to regroup and recover from the post-whirlwind slump.

I left my camera at my parents' house like a big dummy, so the recap of the past few weeks will have to wait, but suffice it to say, all of my adventures were exactly as awesome and exactly as exhausting as I was expecting.  I feel so lucky to have such amazing friends and family, and even more lucky that I have the time and means to visit them and see so much of the country in such a small amount of time.

Saturday I spent glued to the sofa, working my way slowly through the epic DVR queue I managed to accumulate by going on vacation at the peak of the Fall/Summer television overlap.  Then yesterday, I put on my Sunday best and headed downtown to see the Charleston Ballet Theatre's production of Alice in Wonderland and found a new favorite restaurant.  I've been searching for delicious gnocchi in the US since our honeymoon in Italy, and I FINALLY found it at Muse, an old Charleston single house that's been converted into a restaurant and wine bar  My mouth is watering just thinking about it, and lucky for me, I have leftovers waiting for me in the refrigerator.

Looking forward, things are going to slow down for the next couple of weeks, but then, sometime during the first week of November COLBY IS COMING HOME!!!  We'll have two whole weeks where he won't have to go to work or even think about the Air Force, then, just two short weeks after that, we'll be zipping off for our international adventure in the Mediterranean!

I've been slooooowly working my way through my Google Reader and can't wait to hear what kinds of excitement y'all have been up to over the past few weeks.  Also, on the business end of things, if anyone would be interested in guest posting in December while I'm floating around in a giant boat that will hopefully feel exactly the same as a hotel on dry land, let me know.

Popping In Before I Pop Back Out

Remember back when I said it was going to get crazy hectic in a couple of weeks what with finishing up school, hosting visitors and heading out of town?  Well, is that any excuse for being an absolutely dreadful blogger lately?

Week before last was packed with Charleston Restaurant Week (which I'm still hoping to review at some point), the birthday celebrations for the two year old I'm still trying to figure out how to kidnap without hurting anyone's feelings or any legal repercussions, finishing two weeks worth of homework, keeping up with Insanity, and a few other random social outings.  I also had a misunderstanding with my hair dresser in which the dark hair I loved somehow ended up mousy brown.  Soooo... that's fun!

Then last week, one of my oldest friends came to Charleston for the first time, so I had a great time showing her around the area and enjoying the fact that we can go ages without seeing each other and then pick up exactly where we left off.  We've been friends since meeting at the bus stop when she was in 2nd grade and I was in 3rd grade, and we're really more like sisters at this point than anything else.

I was hoping to do a more thorough recap of her visit, but since I'm once again running low on blogging time, suffice it to say, I had an amazing time and hopefully she did too!  We visited the Irvin House vineyard and the Firefly vodka distillery for tastings (muscadine wine = BLECH!), the Charleston Tea Plantation, the Angel Oak, shopped, toured, and ghost hunted our way through downtown Charleston, and certainly did our part to stimulate the local economy!

My recovery day, after she left, was spent with a 3+ hour nap and an 8+ hour night of sleep.  I'm still trying to get my energy level back as I'm leaving tomorrow for a week in Vermont and New York City, followed up by a week at home in Louisiana, followed up by a few days back in Charleston with my sister.  I'm simultaneously completely excited and completely exhausted contemplating it all.

Hopefully you'll be able to find it in your heart to forgive my spotty posting and lack of commenting for the next couple of weeks, but soon school will be over, my visitors will have deserted me, and I will once more become Google Reader's bitch.  Till then!

I'm Losing It: Week 3

via

Starting Weight: 130.8

Current Weight: 127.6

Total Weight Lost: 3.2 lbs

Well, it was only a .6 pound loss this week, but considering how much food I've been eating, I'll take it! I was sure the scale was going to be moving in the other direction, so I'm pretty happy with this outcome.

It was Charleston Restaurant week, plus the 2nd birthday of one of my favorite little guys, so I ended up eating out all but one day of the week with plenty of dessert to boot.  I guess my body is just contrary like that.  Have a great week of eating well and exercising, don't lose a speck of weight.  Gorge myself on goodies and experience a (admittedly small) drop on the scale.

I don't expect the next week to be quite so successful.  One of my best friends is coming to Charleston for the week, and a big part of the Charleston experience is EATING, so I doubt I'll even be able to count as high as the calories are going to go each day.  But I'm entering the "recovery week" of Insanity, so I'm still going to try to work out before we start each day.

We'll see.

For now, I'll be reveling in the fact that I can fit in my size 26 Hudson jeans again.  Can we all just agree to ignore that little muffin top I'm rocking?

Workshops and Shopping and Aliens, OH MY!

... Took part in a writing workshop at the center for women, and despite the fact that I already knew about the topics they covered, it gave me the opportunity to connect with some local women writers and I'll also get to have conversations with a marketing expert and the author of five novels to get some tips and tricks about the industry.  It got me pretty inspired to start writing again if I can ever finish my dern master's classes and spend some writing time on something other than case studies and examinations of the difference between management and discipline.

... Spent a lovely afternoon walking around downtown on my own, and then met some friends for lunch at a new favorite restaurant, Gaulart-Maliclet--or as it is better known round these parts--Fast & French.  And it was fast, French, and delicious!  I stayed virtuous with a fruit and goat cheese plate, then went completely off the rails with the most decadent chocolate croissant I have ever stuffed in my face.  Heavenly.

 

... Stimulated the economy with a little credit card use on King Street.  Fall has been in the air lately, and I know I'm fully back to my old self, as I am no longer dreading the Fall season, but looking forward to it with great anticipation of pulling out my sweaters and boots.  In honor of the crisp breeze that has been blowing here in the mornings, I shelled out the dough for these gorgeous over the knee boots.  I really was going to hold off, but then the shop girls offered me 15% off the listed price, and honestly, how could I say no to that?  I don't care how hot it still is next month, come October 1st, all bets are off and the Fall clothes are coming out of the closet!

... Worked my way through season 2 of The X-Files.  I've talked before about my obsession with The X-Files, so imagine my surprise when I found that there were multiple episodes season 2 that I'd never seen.  It was also funny seeing some future famous faces doing guest spots--including Terry O'Quinn (John Locke, Lost) and Tony Shalhoub (Monk).  I'm so happy that the show has really held up over time, and with the exception of a couple cheesy special effects and Scully's HORRIBLE 90s power suits, it's just as good now as it ever was.  I can't wait to start on season 3!

The Donut of Misery

Congratulations!  You're over the hump!

I haven't been posting much about Colby's deployment because... well... it's just easier to not think about it.  Between my trip to Japan, my mom's visit, never-ending classes, and spending time with pals in the local area, the first half of the deployment has gone by pretty quickly.

Yes, that's right, we are officially well into the second half of the deployment!  And really, I thought I was handling it with aplomb.

But part of me wonders if the deployment isn't what's taking a toll on my energy levels.  If there's a subconscious stress there that I didn't even realize I was feeling with Colby gone.  If that is the case, it does make sense that the exhaustion would have peaked over the past couple of weeks as we're in that dreaded mid-deployment hump.  Those few weeks in which half the deployment is behind you, but the second half still stretches out before you in an endless parade of lonely days.

It bugs me when people complain constantly about deployments.  We knew what we were signing up for when we attached ourselves to these military men, and unless anyone was told a bald-faced lie, we knew there would be plenty of nights alone.  There's also a tendency for military spouses to pull out their rulers and start measuring and comparing--there's always someone who has it so much worse and wants everyone to know.  And you can't help but feel envious of those who have shorter deployments to get through.  Honestly, it's just a minefield of a conversation, and I try to avoid it as much as possible.

But I think every now and then you just have to get it out, and I'm taking that opportunity now:  This deployment suuuuucks.  I'm so tired of Google chat and Skype crapping out on us and having to fill out customs forms and having questions that can't be immediately answered and cooking dinners for one and making plans for one.  So there.

The good news is that the deployment IS more than halfway done, and the next month or so is incredibly busy.

Next week is packed with fun activities with friends, the following week my San Francisco bestie is coming for a visit, then I'm visiting my sister in NYC for a few days and heading to Vermont for a wedding.  I'll have one day in Charleston to recharge before driving to Louisiana for a week and then my sister is driving back home with me to spend some time in the Holy City.

By the time she leaves, just a few measly weeks will stand between me and Colby's return.  So, the exhausted part of me is pretty overwhelmed by all of this upcoming activity, but the lonely part of me is looking forward to the craziness and the fact that when it's over, it really will be almost over.

And then my vote is for two weeks of re-constitutional leave spent sitting on the sofa, watching tv, eating Dominoes Pizza. It will be so nice to be boring WITH someone else again.

Self-Imposed Exile

Things have been good lately, but so busy!  My mom has been in town for the past week and extended her trip by a few days so that we can have more lowcountry fun today and tomorrow.  I've had a great time showing her around Charleston, and we have definitely done our part to stimulate the economy as we eat, shop and tour our way through the area.

I've also started what is GOD WILLING my last masters class.  Of course, I've thought this two times previously, but I'm optimistic that this time I really do only have seven weeks of school left.  Long story here, and I will definitely be posting a very public and honest review of my school next week.  I can't do much to fix the mess of the last few months, but I can at least warn other students.  So, more to come on that, and now I'm just trying to be positive about this class and give it my best effort.

I'm still doing Insanity most mornings, though having company I've missed a couple of days.  But I'm still liking it, and I'm getting pretty close to the end of the first phase before I'll enter a "recovery week", and then jump into the last four weeks that ramp things up to a whole other level.  Yikes!

I've also been so bloody exhausted lately.  My mom and I are generally home from our daily adventures around 5 or 6, and I feel so beaten down.  It's all I can do to keep my eyes open until bed time.  I'm eating a fairly healthy diet with lots of veggies and proteins, I'm exercising regularly and getting about eight hours of sleep a night, so I'm really starting to wonder if something is wrong with me.  I have a family history of thyroid disorders, so I think in the next couple of weeks I'm going to see if I can have some tests run.

So, anyway, I haven't done much to keep up with blogging, and even my email and Facebook have been fairly neglected.  But hopefully next week, I'll be back in the saddle again and this weekend I'll be visiting some blogs to say hi.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #8

It's 9:30 in the morning, and I'm already wiped out.  Whoo!  Yesterday's relaxing day turned into a morning spent bonding with the DirecTV guy as he installed our satellite dish (SUCK IT, COMCAST!!) and then an afternoon running errands in the 110 degree heat index.  Then I had the worst time sleeping.  I don't think I slept more than an hour at a time all night.  Ugh.

But I woke up this morning, put on my big girl britches, and went out to replace the embarrassingly dead flowers around the bottom of the tree in our front yard.  Holy shit, it is hot outside.  So, after an hour digging, planting and collecting debris off the lawn, I'm already about to die.  Fortunately, today's blog is an easy one--Wife of a Sailor's MilSpouse Fill-In!

What is ONE thing you’d like civilians to understand about being a military family?
Well, I should preface this by saying that every family is different, including military families.  I guess for me in particular, I just want you to know that we're really not that abnormal!  I swear!  As I've talked about before, I tend to get a lot of "wow, I don't know how you do it" type comments, and I just think it's a product of people trying to reach out and be kind, but honestly, there's nothing particularly special about us.  It's just our life.  We still have the same conversations, do dishes, cook dinner, argue over stupid things.  We're just like you--we just spend more time apart.

What is your favorite mistake?
Haha, getting super drunk at a college party in 2002 and making out with Colby all night in front of all our friends.  Super embarrassing at the time, especially as we spent the next few weeks awkwardly avoiding eye contact, but I think it worked out pretty well in the end!

What indulgence could you give up for a year?
Hm, this is a tough one...  I guess I would say professional hair coloring.  I already do my brown out of a box, but I still like to get highlights put in every couple of months.  I could live without that.

If you could be a winged animal, what would you be?
I would be a butterfly.  They have a great sense of style, sit around in the sun a lot, and drink nectar.  Sounds good to me!

What is one question you’d like to see asked in a future MFF?
I'd like to know people's favorite assignments and why!  The Air Force has already told us to start putting together our dream sheet for our next assignment, and I want to know what people really think about the places they've lived.  Maybe we could get some insight into where we should go next!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #7

1) What is something you wished you’d learned to do earlier in life?
I wish that I had learned to sew a long time ago.  It's something I still haven't learned to do, and I have all of these fantasies about seeing a fabulous outfit in Vogue and being to whip it up on my sewing machine in an hour for, like, 50 cents.  My mom tried to teach me to cross-stitch when I was about 5 and I worked on some damn yarn cat on a net sampler for the next seven years without ever finishing it, so I think I'd like to stick with sewing for the sake of fashion.

2) What is your biggest pet peeve with the military?
A lot of people will say that they dislike the instability and the inability to plan anything because of unexpected deployments, classes that suddenly pop up, canceled leave, and yes, that bugs me too, but it's not my biggest pet peeve.  My biggest gripe is the rating system.  You see, there are these things called EPRs and OPRs (Enlisted or Officer Performance Reports).  These are done yearly and are the main source of information when it comes to promotions--especially officers.  However, it's gotten to the point where they are so overinflated that everyone looks as though they are Superman, and if you can't somehow turn making photocopies into a Herculean task, you're probably not going to make it past Major.  They're completely awful, and for years the military has talked about overhauling the system, but that would be a huge pain in the ass and just hasn't happened yet.  Sorry, that got... long-winded...

3) What tourist attraction near you have you never seen?
We've been in Charleston for a little over 7 months, and while there are tons of attractions Colby hasn't seen yet, I've done a pretty good job of seeing most of the big sights.  Of course, there's always more to see and I'm desperate to get up to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.

4) What are you avoiding doing right now?
I started Insanity on Monday, and it's not nearly as awful as I'd expected, but I'm always going to avoid doing exercise.  That's just the way it is.

5) Wine, beer or liquor?
Wine--red wine to be more specific!  Liquor has its place from time to time--particularly in a fancy martini, a pina colada or a cranberry and vodka, but NEVER beer.  Blech.  If I have to drink something beer-like, I enjoy a delicious raspberry lambic, but wine still comes first.

An Unexpected Weekend

I had plans to leave town on Wednesday, so when my Washington plans fell through due to one canceled Space A flight after another, I was faced with a pretty quiet weekend.  I did manage to have a rather lovely few days at home though!  To recap...

via longhorndave

Friday night, I met some friends at a newish restaurant in town, Bistro 536, for a four course dinner with wine pairings.  I was a little apprehensive as it was a white wine flight, and I am a staunch red wine drinker, but I was actually very impressed with all of the chardonnays served.  We went on a "trip around the world" trying chardonnays from Italy, New Zealand, Chile and finally a sparkling chardonnay from California.  I was thrilled that none of them were sweet, and I'd even go so far as to say I enjoyed the one from New Zealand immensely.  Shame I drank four glasses of wine and promptly forgot its name.

Saturday, I did a little prep work in the yard seeing as a lawn service representative is coming to give me a quote for... lawn service.  I recognize that this is about as ridiculous as cleaning before the maid comes over, but seriously, our yard is embarrassing right now.  That night I stayed in with some tortellini, Cupcake cabernet sauvignon, and my very favorite new guilty pleasure, Pretty Little Liars.  Oh my God, this show is full of everything that is perfect in pop culture--beautiful people, murder mysteries, and epic teenage drama.  I highly recommend it if you're in the market for some brain rot.

 

Sunday, I finally unwrapped the Insanity DVD workout that I got off Craigslist last week, read through the included instructions and... put it away.  Okay, in my defense, the fancy little wall calendar I'm supposed to used to "track my progress" has the workouts starting on Monday, but I've got to be honest, I am terrified!  I've read all the reviews and have been thinking about this program for a long time, and there's a part of me that's excited, but every single person I've told about this workout plan o'mine, has reacted with fear and horror.  Even the P90Xers look at me with sympathy in their eyes, though it's always followed up with a "but I've heard it really works...".  So, um, yeah, I'm starting this sucker today, and holy crackers, I am scared.  Does anyone out there have anything more motivating to add aside from a cheerful, "Hope you don't drop dead!"

The Holy City

This past weekend was the last one that Colby and I will spend together before I leave for Japan and he deploys, so we decided to make the absolute most of it.  We put all of our projects on the back burner and got out of the house to spend some quality time with each other and our city.

 Friday we headed to Middleton Place, the remains of an old rice plantation built in the mid-1700s.  Unfortunately, between the devastation of the Civil War and the massive 1886 earthquake, the main house is no longer standing, but the original owners of the plantation built two impressive flankers to the main building--one to house gentlemen guests and one for their library and music conservatory.  While the gentlemen's quarters were also destroyed in the earthquake, the old library still stands and was converted by the family in the late 1800s into their primary dwelling. Henry Middleton also began cultivating the land as a beautiful formal garden in 1741, and it is now America's oldest landscaped garden.

Saturday we got up early and headed into the city for our Charleston staycation.  At 9:30 we met up with Ed Grimball's walking tour and the next 3 hours were spent exploring the city and learning all sorts of fun new facts.  If anyone is planning a visit to Charleston, I highly recommend Ed's tour.  He's a native Charlestonian with a seemingly limitless supply of knowledge about his hometown, and his delivery is perfectly enthralling.

After the tour, I officially jumped off of the diet wagon with lunch at Joseph's.  The Perfect Grilled Cheese and beignets were certainly not low in calories, but oh, they were delicious!  Our post-lunch entertainment was a tour of the magnificent 24,000 square foot Calhoun Mansion.  According to Charleston lore, its original owner was the model that Margaret Mitchell used to create Rhett Butler, and its current owner is an antiques collector with enough prized possessions to fill the Smithsonian.

By this point in the day, we were getting more than a little worn down, so we hauled ourselves back to the car and headed to our home away from home, the John Rutledge House Inn.  John Rutledge was one of the original signers of the Constitution, and he built his beautiful home on Broad Street in 1763.  We checked into our room in the Ashley Carriage House, then after a short rest, went to the ballroom for the complimentary tea.  And they didn't do it halfway--tea consisted of beverages and a smorgasboard of desserts.  They served a chocolate and strawberry cake, cucumber sandwiches, orange almond cookies, and mini blueberry bundt cakes.  Delicious!  And certainly figure friendly...

Given that it was already after five when we gorged ourselves on tea, and we had dinner reservations at 8, we decided to go for a stroll around the neighborhood.  We found a number of homes that we wouldn't mind moving into should we suddenly have a windfall of disposable income, as well as the crumbling old city jail that appears to be in the beginning stages of a renovation.

After our walk, we donned our finery and headed back out into the evening for dinner at Circa 1886.  Unfortunately, we weren't too impressed with our entrees, though the service and atmosphere were impeccable and the chocolate souffle was to die for.  After our day of walking and eating, we were utterly exhausted by 10 pm, and fell into bed the minute we walked back into our room.

The next morning we were awoken at 9 o'clock for our scheduled breakfast delivery and once more, found ourselves faced with a mountain of food.  We took our time working through the pastries, cereals, fruit and more, then sadly packed our things and bid a fond adieu to our lovely room before heading back across the bridge to our own home.

It was such a lovely weekend, and I'm so glad we took the time to immerse ourselves in the city.  I hope it's something we do again many more times before we leave, and I know it's a weekend we'll both treasure in the months to come when there is so much distance between us.

Sail Away, Sail Away, Sail Away

Well, I'm leaving for Japan in one week (I'm actually leaving on Friday, but since I have to be in the car on the way to the airport at about 3:30 am, I'm just not counting that day), and as if I don't have enough to take care of in the next week, yesterday we woke up to a $900+ charge on our credit card for our automatically paid water bill.

Yes, you read that right.  NINE-EFFING-HUNDRED DOLLARS.  For WATER.

Colby immediately went to work trying to figure out what is wrong, calling the water company, making calculations, and generally stomping around the house with a look of stormy consternation upon his face.  I just tried to stay out of the way and resist the urge to go to the bathroom.  We're currently working under the assumption that the meter is broken.  According to our toilet, it uses 1.6 gallons when it flushes and according the meter, it is using approximately 16.  You'll notice  a very importance difference in decimal places in those two numbers.

Granted, we've been using a lot of water lately as we've put in new grass seed and a new garden and we've been trying to keep them thriving in our recent near drought conditions.  But we have definitely not used $900 worth of water.  So.  That's been fun!  I'm thinking of just building an ark and floating away from all of our cares and worries on all of this water we're supposedly using.

I'm also stressing a bit because my next (and last) class begins on the 24th, the day before I leave for Japan, and I know I'm not going to have time to finish all of my work for the first week before my flight and I'm not going to have any homework time during my trip.  Last summer, there was a week long break in the summer, and I thought it fell between these two classes, so that's why I thought the trip would work out perfectly time-wise.  But apparently, Grand Canyon has gotten rid of their summer breaks.  Argh!  So, I'm going to email my professor as soon as possible and request an extension on my first week's assignments.

I'm still searching for the perfect day bag for Japan.  I got the Sherpani Flora Minor in the mail the other day, and while it's an awesome day bag, I'm concerned about also using it as my sole carry-on.  My goal is to carry only one day bag and a 24" expandable suitcase to make train-hopping easier, and I'm bringing this small hideaway tote in case I absolutely cannot cram anymore souvenirs into my bags.  I ordered a different day bag that is a little larger than the Sherpani to do a test run--now I just hope it gets here in time!  I really want the Sherpani to work because it is so much cuter, but I feel like the Rick Steves is going to be a better size.

(L) Rick Steves Avanti Flight Bag, (R) Sherpani Flora Minor

On top of that, I have homework to finish for the last week of my math class, I haven't even started packing or organizing for Japan, and we have two pages of house projects to finish before Colby leaves.  But on the positive side of things, our bedroom, master bath and upstairs hall is finally painted after three days of workmen tromping through our house and it looks AMAZING!  And we're leaving behind all of our cares and worries on Saturday for a romantic weekend in downtown Charleston.  We can only do what we can do, and everything else has a way of working itself out.  This weekend I just want to focus on enjoying the time I have left with my husband and eating dessert.  Priorities, people.  Priorities!!

The Accidental Vigilante

First a note on my weekly weight loss check-ins.  Last week I had a number of, ummmm, how shall I say this delicately... digestive issues.  As in, I was eating food, and then the food never really... came out.  Soooo, I spent the weekend with a gentle laxative, a severe case of the bloats, and an aversion to going anywhere near a scale or a tape measure.  I'll be doing my next check-in this Friday, and then my final weigh-in will be the following Thursday, also known as THE DAY BEFORE I LEAVE FOR JAPAN!!!!

I will say, I've seen some very positive changes in my body, regardless of what my weight turns out to be.  My arms are much more defined, I can actually see some toning in my legs, and while I wouldn't say I have a six-pack yet, I am hovering around the two-pack area, and have those two little lines of defined muscle running down my obliques.  Also, last week, I easily fit into a pair of shorts that have always been skin tight.  So, I'm a happy camper!

Aaaaanyway, this past weekend we went out for an amazing dinner at The Library restaurant, in downtown Charleston.  We got an incredible table, on an elevated platform right next to a window overlooking the street.  As I was enjoying my calamari and beets, bacon and goat cheese salad, I started giggling at a guy across the street making an attempt to ride a bicycle.  He couldn't keep upright and had to keep putting his feet on the ground trying to stabilize, then he crashed to the ground.

At this point, Colby started wondering what I was guffawing at, so he turned around to look just after the hapless bicyclist struggled back to his feet, pushed off again and rammed into the side of a parked vehicle.  That's when I stopped laughing and we realized that this man wasn't exactly in a sober state of mind.  He once again tottered forward a few feet, then crashed to the ground once more, this time he lay prostrate for about 30 seconds next to his bike.

Eventually, he got back up and hauled his bicycle to the sidewalk where he leaned it on its kickstand and then stumbled back toward the bar from whence he'd come.  It was then that I looked back at the parked car and noticed that the backseat passenger's door was completely bashed in where he had run into it.  The guy was still standing in front of the bar, wobbling dangerously on his feet.

I decided the only thing to do was tell our waiter what had happened so that if the owners of the vehicle asked questions about what had happened to their car, there would at least be some explanation, and the guy might still be in the bar.  He told the manager of the hotel where the restaurant is located, and I went about enjoying my scallops and herbed risotto.

About 30 minutes passed, when Colby looked up a spotted a cop headed toward the guy who was now seated on the front stoop of the bar, looking a bit worse for the wear.  He stood up to talk to her, gestured to his now bleeding knee, then suddenly she was pulling out the handcuffs, reaching around to pull his hands behind his back and marching him towards the car.

I felt absolutely awful.  I really hadn't intended to get the guy arrested, I just knew that if my car was bashed in when I left a lovely stroll along the Charleston waterfront, I'd want to know who did it.  After we finished eating, the cops were still out front talking to the couple who owned the car.  We gave them my information in case they needed a statement from me to get their car taken care of, and that was the end of my evening of watching out for the innocent people of Charleston.

Although I feel badly that the guy was arrested, I'm glad that the owners of the vehicle should be able to get the damage fixed and hopefully that will be the last time Drunky McGee decides that a bicycle is a viable alternative to driving when smashed beyond all oblivion.  Someone get me some Spandex and a theme song--I've got a whole world out there waiting for me to save it!

Countdowns!

As depressed as I am about the fact that when I leave for Japan I'll be saying goodbye to Colby for over four months, I'm trying to look on the bright side of these next few months.  I've made a lot of fun plans in an attempt to  keep myself entertained, and if nothing else, at least there will be less laundry to do!  Here are just a few of the things keeping my spirits up as our days together are dwindling.

1 day until... We get our master bedroom and bathroom painted!  I can't wait, it's going to be so beautiful.  I may never leave my bedroom again!

8 days until... We spend the day in Charleston, have dinner at a fancy restaurant, and stay the night in a charming, historic inn.  I'm looking forward to walking our city after dark and getting to feel like I really live there.

14 days until... I leave for 10 days in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara.  We've firmed up our itinerary, all of our prior bookings have been made, and we're totally ready to be completely Lost in Translation!

~6 weeks until... A long weekend with my long lost besties in Washington.  This one is a little harder to nail down exactly as I'm contemplating taking a Space A flight with the Air Force.  For the first time.  By myself.  Eep!

10 weeks until... I am FINALLY at LAST after more than two years of work DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!  For real this time.  After this, if I so much as hint at the fact that I want to further my education, please slap me.  But please remember to refer to me as "Master" while doing so.

3 months until... My theatrical sister and San Francisco-based frister (friend AND sister!) are planning a simultaneous trip to Charleston where we'll be uniting the West coast, Northeast, and the deep South.  I really, really hope it all works out according to plan!

3 months & 3 weeks until... I head to a quaint Vermont town for my dear friend's wedding.  She has had a trial of a year, and I can't wait for her to have a magical wedding weekend and to be there to watch it all unfold.  Plus, Vermont!  Maple syrup!  Or something...

4 months until... I head home for a week or so to spend time with family and attend my mother's annual Pretty in Pink party, benefiting breast cancer research.  I may be off on my calculations, but I believe that this year we will be celebrating 5 years since her victory over cancer, and I can't wait to be there and support her cause in person!

5 months until... Colby is back home and this whole deployment nonsense is behind us for another couple of years!!

The Arts: Culinary and Otherwise

As terrible as this past weekend was for my diet, it was absolutely amazing for my palate.  One of my only regrets about moving down here, was leaving behind the wide variety of restaurants the the Seattle area had to offer.  Let me tell you, I need not have worried.  I have found more favorite restaurants in the six months since we moved here than I found in the entire time we were in Washington.  I'm still on the lookout for a great hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint and some Greek, but I have a couple of contenders on my list that I'm hoping to check out in the next few weeks.

But as far as just downright delicious food, Charleston has that in SPADES, and we hit three of the creme-de-la-creme this weekend.

Red's Ice House has a couple of locations, but the one we went to is located on Shem Creek, a fun collection of restaurants and bars with a casual, island feel overlooking the water.  We've also been to and loved Vickery's, but Red's had such a cool, laid back atmosphere and the food was downright delicious.  I started with a fishbowl of a pina colada, then had some of Laura's Sexy Salsa, and finished the evening with shrimp tacos.  Yum!  As the perfect ending to a lowcountry evening, we stood out on the deck for a while, watching a pod of dolphins frolicking in the creek.

The Mustard Seed, located in Mt Pleasant, has become a staple in my entertainment routine when guests come in town.  I have never had a single, solitary piece of food that I did not enjoy with the whole of my being and to the best of my knowledge, neither has anyone who has come with me.  My go to entree is the pecan encrusted goat cheese cakes on mixed greens with a raspberry vinaigrette (I generally request the balsamic instead) and there is the perfect amount of goat cheese to go with each delicious bite of salad.  This weekend Colby got the pad thai and our guest got some sort of intriguing concoction including beef tips, and we were all in hog heaven.  I haven't tried any of their baked goods yet, but believe me, as soon as this diet ends, that's at the top of my list!

Oh 17 North, how I love you with all of my being!  We've driven past this place a number of times, and it's pretty unassuming from the exterior.  However, once you're seated out on the lovely patio surrounded by their vegetable and herb garden, you completely forget the busy highway nearby.  And the food... oh, the FOOD!  To begin with, the cheese and herb biscuits we started with were heavenly.  Then came the delicious salad with spinach, blue cheese, bacon, apples and strawberries.  And then, the melt in your mouth flank steak with the most decadent pomme frites.  My stomach is grumbling just thinking of it.  Best of all, we learned that if you go early, there's a special from 4-6 where you get an appetizer, entree and dessert for twenty dollars.  Sign!  Me!  Up!!

Aside from stuffing our faces at any available moment, we also took in a couple of Piccolo Spoleto events.  On Thursday night we went to see {title of show} at an adorable local theater.  The house was filled with tables and chairs, much like a dinner theater, and there was a bar in the back where you could buy drinks throughout the show.  Perfection, my friends!  The show was pretty funny too and really well performed, for a local theater.  On Saturday we went down to a sandcastle competition at the Isle of Palms and the Charleston Farmers Market in Marion Square.  I was also thrilled to discover that Broadway shows do in fact tour through the local area, which was another experience I thought we'd left behind when we moved here.  Legally Blonde and Spamalot, here I come!

Have I mentioned lately how absolutely in love with Charleston I am?