For the Record :

Vacations suck....

No not the vacations themselves, but more because when you come back, unless you have one of those jobs which is FUN to you and that you look forward to every morning (Of which I dont have) then you realize you were in paraside of one sort or another and you have to come back to real life.

But generally I find myself just finally relaxing and destressing by the time I need to go. (note to self - take 2 weeks Vacay from now on). Then you come back to the daily grind - i.e. the zombie factory. Uplifting isnt it??

Well seriously, I did have a great time while I was at the beach..... just coming back.... sucks....

The Sands of Time...........

It all goes by to fast. I spent a week on Carolla, NC (in the Outer Banks) and enjoyed every single bit of it (almost). Great people - good times - sleeping & waking to the sounds of the ocean. It's really hard to describe the week in the short space here , but I have definite highlights:

• As mentioned - an requires rementioning as #1: going to sleep & waking to the sounds of the ocean
• Poker Night!
• Delicious home made Crab cakes
• HOT TUBS!!
• Being able to see Stars again! - lots of them!
• Tennis! - such fun; first time since I was like 11 or 12 yrs old
• Fishing! I finally caught FISH!! and 2 of them (Bluefins) on my first cast!
• Puzzles - Puzzles - Puzzles - and a Puzzle Off contest!
• Rooftop Sunset watchers
• Water Ballons!! FIRE AWAY!!!
• Pirates! (specifically International talk like a Pirate Day - and the associated Fireworks)
  
• Paella!! My grandma would be proud.

A new chapter in Life

So today starts the new chapter of my life in DC. Where it takes me I don't know yet, but as I start searching for something that finally fits in my life, at least I start it off with a bang.

How about an awesome camping trip to the mountains; along with some of my closest friends (albeit missing a few good peeps). The abridged version for now (since I do have to job search to continue) : 12 of us went to beautiful Morris Cabin in the Shenandoah Mountains. We spent a good night around a roaring fire well into the night enjoying cigars (thanks to Jeff), drink, companionship and Icelandic Black Death. Although it didn't kill us, it might have made us do funny things.

The next morning we headed out on an adventurous hike. It all seemed simple enough with a nicely marked set of blue blazes going down hill, until we stumbled upon a shack at the end of the trail. It's too bad the rest of the group didn't take time to take a short trip up a small beautiful waterfall. Unfortunately I say as they all missed the tranquility of the scene, plus they all left without me!

What a bunch of YAHOOS !! Well luckily good ol' Alexandra and Eric came back down to find my dead carcass on the forest floor, otherwise I would have REALLY missed out on the true adventure. So back up we go along a different trail until we hit a dead end.....

Luckily Jeff decides that he knows the way up (so he says... we don't even have a compass)...and straight up the side of the mountain we go! Thus starts the 3 hour tour, and we all know how Gilligan's Island went... (incidentally we were 7 - the same number as on Gilligan's Island). Thus encouraged, off we go making our own trail straight up 1000 feet up the mountain! Although it was extremely steep and taxing, (how did we get passed those steep rocks, barbed wire, and all those BRAMBLES!!!) we were rewarded by the best view of the Shenandoah Valley I have EVER seen. No picture can do it justice.

We were lucky that we then found a blaze (and the trail) and came out within 1/2 mile of the cabin. That was lucky, quite a few of us came back to the overlook after a well deserved lunch and to relax for the afternoon. Dinner was a wonderful evening with friends especially since I discovered a new type of Brownie Sm'ores - YUMMY!

It all seemed to short by the time we woke up on Sunday morning to pancakes, eggs, coffee, etc.
On the ride home AB was decent enough to point out the WAWA - very cool as I had never been to one before!

So this weekend was just what the doctor ordered for this new phase in my life. (Plus thanks to Carmel for supplementing a few pics for this trip!)

click here for more pics