Chim chim charee

No, Abigail's prophecy did not come true; I did not turn 30 and die. I just got busy for a bit, then couldn't get to the computer, then just got lazy. It happens.

Oh, where to begin? Well, at least Abigail is watching "Mary Poppins" right now, which is a nice, conflict free, funny, long movie, so I've got time! Actually, I do want to get down there and watch some of the movie. It's still so funny, even as an adult! And lots of subtle lines that went way over my head as a kid. Did you know Mr. Banks references "noblesse oblige"?

So, quite a long time ago, I went on some trips. In early July, I went to Myrtle Beach, which was, you know, Myrtle Beach. But it was relaxing, and pleasantly overcast, so we got to spend a good bit of time on the beach itself. And putt-putt is always good.

After a quick trip home for laundry, it was off to High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, N.C., for Brad's bi-annual managers' meeting. Man, that was a sweet place. Three gourmet buffet-style meals a day, i.e. eat as much as you want, but be sure to save room for the smorgasbord of desserts. The grounds were beautiful, and our cabin was right next to a little lake, within earshot of the dam. There was no air conditioning, but the weather was absolutely perfect, and we got to sleep under a ceiling fan. Abigail and I met some nice moms and their kids, both from Brad's work and just other guests, and we were able to get out as a family on the weekend. We went to Whitewater Falls, though I did not let Abigail venture anywhere as near the edge as we used to get in college! We also went to the much smaller Silver Run Falls, which has a lovely little swimming hole beneath it where Abigail would have been happy to spend hours. She also thoroughly enjoyed gem mining, which was surprisingly worth the cost. It was such a nice getaway.




Then, after returning home for another laundry day, Brad took me on a surprise birthday weekend up to the Yadkin Valley in N.C. Bet you didn't know there was wine in them thar hills? We were only about an hour or so from home, but it's a totally different region. We stayed in a bed and breakfast in the little crossroads of Union Grove, in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains, which we were informed are the oldest in North America, but I'm not sure of that. Our hostess made wonderful, three-course breakfasts -- have you ever had broiled grapefruit? You should! -- which left us stuffed, needing only a light picnic from the nearby Amish store for a late lunch. Yes, there are Amish in N.C. wine country, and they make the most amazing bread. We got some rolls while they were still warm and just about died right there. We enjoyed that picnic at Laurel Gray Vineyards, Brad's favorite of any we've been to so far (we were near the vineyard we visited last year). It was all lovely -- except perhaps for the extremely loud gaggle of ex-sorority girls out for a stag weekend. But they eventually left, and all was relaxation again. It was a wonderful surprise. Three cheers for Brad!


The week after that was vacation bible school, for which I had somewhat foolishly agreed to be photographer. It was fairly fun watching the kids, and Abigail loved it, but man, by the end of the week we were all burned out. And this week, we've just been trying to keep busy. Summer has hit that point when everything is boring, no toys are exciting anymore, and don't even try to suggest crafts. Unfortunately, this is also the week from hell -- really, a nice furnace blast straight from the underworld. It was 104 yesterday, supposed to be the same or hotter today. Oooh, oooh, but we cool off Saturday with a chilly high of 97! At least I'm not in Columbia, which hit 107 with a heat index of 115. Truly the armpit of South Carolina.

And to cap off this disjointed post, a quick Abigail story. A couple of Sundays ago, the pastor asked all the children if they'd heard of the Lord's Prayer. Then he asked if anyone could say it. Guess who's precocious little angel piped right up? She stumbled slightly on the second line, and the pastor was obviously ready to say "good job" and move on, but oh no, Abigail was not to be deterred. She picked right back up with gusto and breezed through the rest of the prayer. The pastor had the other children and congregation join in, which only made Abigail get louder. With every line. She could have been on stage at Carnegie Hall. Everyone applauded when she finished. The pastor said, "I don't think I've ever heard applause for the Lord's Prayer, but I think it was merited this time." After church, at least a dozen people came up and congratulated me on what a bright daughter I had -- and wagered she'd be into drama one day.