Vacation

 It had been 4 years since I had an actual vacation.  You know the type where you plan, buy, pack and drive/fly and stay someplace other than your house. .  This one ended up being a mixer of sorts.    

After working at my current job for 2 years I finally had two week’s vacation and wanted to do something.  It had to be very inexpensive too. My BFF mentioned she was heading to St. Louis for NAWIC’s National Convention I sent her an email saying I had a wild ass idea – what if I come?  We discussed it and it wasn’t a good fit.  Then she mentioned she had been thinking about signing up for the AIA GA Design in Athens Georgia in October.  If I could figure out how to support her products with a-fab’s then I could participate at the show.  That was plausible.  What would we do from there?  Could we take a couple of days to run over to my dad’s just over the South Carolina line?  Thankfully my BFF and I are well versed in our respective family dynamics so that would be ok.  What then?  October, North Georgia well my BFF loves to hike and I could hang in a cabin and get my creativity on.  Hmm a plan of sorts started to swirl.

 

My BFF has hiked several times in the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains so she started researching.  There had to be a compromise because she and I have very different ideas of what vacation means.  I need a roof over my head, walls, floor, electricity and a real bathroom.  She doesn’t need any of that.  After a lot of research she emailed me two different locations to choose from.  One was Fontana Village and the other Amicalola State Park. Fontana was a few hours further north and would add time to our return drive. Amicalola had a lodge, rental cottages and camp sites.  Well camp sites were automatically out but I liked the cottage idea.  Further discussion and we both agreed on Amicalola, now to decide whether we stay at the lodge or in a cottage.  BFF checked and only one cottage was available for the dates we wanted in October and this was June!  We had to make a fast decision and boom it was booked. 

For you Bob Borson!

Like with all fun events it seem to take forever to get here and then it is moving by fast.  We had a great time at the show and my dad’s was actually ok too.  Now here I sit in a cottage with the sun streaming through the windows listening to music while my BFF hikes today. I wrote this morning, practiced some yoga and meditation, walked around taking a lot of pictures, read outside, answered a few emails but only a few because reception is spotty, napped and am writing again. 

This isn’t my element so I am trying to relax with all the different noises going on. It is a busy place with lots of people even for a Monday. I am hoping I do better tonight about relaxing to actually sleep. 

But that is a minor inconvenience in the total picture.  My BFF is getting to do something she loves and so am I.  Isn’t that what vacation is all about?