NC Week 2

I've been on vacation the last 4 or 5 weeks.  I admit I'm just about ready to sleep in my own bed, get ready in my own bathroom and stop living out of a suitcase.  I needed this vacation and these past several weeks to spend time with the wonderful friends that I have made along the years.  Monday Nick and I went to Charleston.  Half way down there it started to rain and it poured until noon the next day.  When we got to Charleston we had lunch/dinner at Low Country Bistro where we had my least favorite jambalaya ever.  We walked through the market, which was rather boring given there were many merchants out on this chilly, rainy afternoon.  We went to our lovely Hampton Inn and checked into our suite, where we listened to the rain and had a Bachelor Marathon.  I had missed 3 previous episodes and we of course had to watch the current one.  What else are you going to do on a rainy evening in a hotel room that watch 6 hours of the Bachelor.  We did take a break by going to our neighborhood Costco for a chocolate/almond covered ice cream bar.
Tuesday morning I spent the morning on the phone finalizing my next job or rather picking my assignment.  I'm excited about my new job as a locums.  I'll be going to Phoenix, working in an urgent care in mid March until May 31.  I'm excited for something new and some place warm!  That afternoon it finally stopped raining we did some touring of Charleston and window shopping.

We of course had to have lunch at my favorite restaurant in Charleston, Fleets Landing where I splurged on my calories by having shrimp and grits, but I only ate half...I walked some of those calories off by then going to the outlets where I bought a few shirts at Talbots and 2 of my favorite spring/summer cardigans at Gap.  After shopping we went back to uptown Charleston where we had dessert for dinner.  How many times do we say we are going to have dessert for a meal and never do?  Well, we did just that!  We had parked by a bakery earlier in the day and of course had to go back to taste their lemon cheesecake.  It was amazingly delicious! Anything lemon is delicious to my taste buds!
Wednesday we went to the beach and walked on the pier.  It was a bit chilly and windy, but not bad.  It actually was rather pretty on the pier.  To end our Charleston excursion we went uptown, walked around and took pictures before heading back to Charlotte.

We stopped at Panera were I had a bowl of my favorite vegetable pesto soup.  We visited with Cassie and Mike and then met Carly at Wasabi Cafe for the best sushi ever; the tiger roll and pimp daddy roll!
Thursday I met my sister friends at the church for lunch bunch.  They sure know how to do lunch bunch out here; like a 2 hour lunch bunch!  I then went to the ER and visited with some of my most favorite nurses; gosh I miss them.  I was however reassured by the rack of charts waiting to be seen that my time in that ER is done.  The rest of the afternoon and evening I spent with Karen.  She made her famous chicken pesto sandwiches for dinner and we chatted for hours.  It was so fun to catch up.  Friday morning Jennifer and Cassie came over and we all car pooled down to what I've been waiting for all week; AMELIES, where we met Lauren and her mother-in-law.  There is no way for me to even begin to describe the joy that Amelies brings me, the Paris-like atmosphere, the french pastries, the turkey bacon sandwich on a baguette, tomato crab bisque and the sense of relaxation and friendships that exist between the people who frequent this place of enjoyment!

Karen and I with our chocolate desserts.

Cassie, Karen, Jennifer, Me and baby Senna

Friday afternoon and late into the evening I visited with my friend Katie.  I think she is just fabulous, she moved into my neighborhood the summer before I moved, but we became such great friends in such a short time.  I could chat with her for hours.  In the evening Cassie, Mike, her kids and Nick came over to Katies to have dinner and play games.  Such fun.   I stayed at Karens again and had a lovely visit with her before bed.

Sure love these kids!

Yesterday Katie, Cassie, Lauren and I headed to south Charlotte for a Tri-Stake womens conference.  Oh, yea and it was snowing like mad on our way down there.  Crazy, it's suppose to be Spring people. It was so fun to so many sisters that I have know from different aspects of my life in Charlotte.

Lois, Me, Lauren, Katie

Nick made dinner and we had a Cookout shake and a movie to end the evening.  There is something about a Cookout shake that my taste buds love!
Today we went to the Reedy Creek ward again.  Oh, how I love the people in that ward.  I feel so much at home in that ward.  It has been a fun 2 weeks, but I'm just about ready for my normal exercise routine and spinach shakes on a daily basis and of course to see my darling nieces and nephews!