Wednesday, July 30, 2014

... you can call all you want but there's no one home and you're not gonna reach my telephone ...

The word 'vacation' means many different things, depending on your place and life and personality. I love adventures and traveling and dancing and experiencing new things and thus can occasionally come back from a weekend of vacation more physically exhausted than when I left. Usually, I am more emotionally and experientially fulfilled. But dog-tired.

Vacation does NOT mean the same thing to McLain. Vacation is more of a book-and-wine-filled idyll in some hidden place for him. With limited human interaction and next to no technology.

And this past weekend, I was able to get a little bit of that. To my great surprise, I actually LIKED it.

McLain and I loaded up everything we'd need to eat (and drink) for the long weekend and drove to Bryson City, NC. The quaint little town is surrounded by beautiful mountain views. To get there, We drove through Cashiers, NC - which looks like a place with people with lots of money and no need for outside society move. Their consignment furniture was for sale -used- at a price higher than the stores I'd go into would sell one new. But it was a darling little town.

By the time we'd arrived at Bryson City, we were thirsty and hungry and needed to stroll. For thirst, we stopped in at Nantahala Brewing Company. We sampled several of their house-made brews, particular favorites being the Hellbender, Dirty Girl Blonde, Trail Magic #1, and Devil's Courthouse. Because the brewery does not offer food on site, we walked next door and got pizza at Anthony's Pizza. It was crowded and service was on the slow side - but the pizza was GREAT. Downtown Bryson City is adorable, and it would have liked to linger longer and visit Humanite, but McLain was pushing to get back on the road.

He was wise.

The last bit of road to the cabin was skinny, curvy, dark and murdery. GPS was giving up on us, and we were using a map that didn't have our exact location on it. I was driving like an old woman and wondering why I didn't have brighter brights. It was decidedly unpleasant, and if we had stayed much later I wouldn't have been able to manage it. After only one wrong turn we arrived at Bear Kottage.

Once I shook off the nerves from the ride there, I was charmed. We moved in the food and our things and didn't leave the cabin until checkout on Monday. Except to get Splenda and salad dressing the next day, for a total of about a 30 minute adventure.

We got NO signal. I couldn't call out on my phone. We actually just turned off our phones, hence the lack of photos.

We sat in the hot tub, read by the creek, watched obscure American anime and finished Farscape. I slept late and long. Crop share veggies were turned into tomato soup and cheesy potato bake. McLain made pancakes and lamb roast. I made drinks and coffee. We debated the news and caught up and soaked in the beautiful sunshine.

And it was good.

And without me knowing it, things at work resolved. A tenant moved out. Test results came back. It was all waiting for me on Monday, and I did not lose a thing in the interim.

Except Dane cuddles.

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