Adventures

In one week, The Gentleman and I will no longer live in NC, and I’ve spent quite a bit of time grousing about it on this here blog. Truth is I will really, really miss my home state and all the people in it. You North Carolinians out there know what I mean – we call an incredible place home and I *think* we might be more proud of where we live than most Americans.

With our move in mind, we did manage to squeeze a few fun adventures in to the last few months and I’ve got a couple more planned for this last week. Here’s what we’ve been up to.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I met up with some beautiful friends at an incredible hotel just outside of Raleigh for some spa time and good eats. We spent our first night in Chapel Hill, home of my alma mater The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I spent about 7 years here doing my undergrad and grad work and this amazing town holds many great memories for me.

(The gals, pool at The Umstead, NC Barbecue and collards, Franklin Street!, Elaine’s)

The Sunday of Memorial Weekend was the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race in Charlotte, NC. Now listen, I know many of you are going to scoff at NASCAR, but before you click away let me just say this: unless you’ve ever actually been to a race, you just don’t know what you’re talking about. NASCAR races are the ultimate tailgates. We had so much fun and the folks at Charlotte Motor Speedway put on a truly touching and inspiring Memorial Day show to start things off.

1) While I don’t drink Coors Light, I did hold the Gentleman’s beer for this picture…and it looks right. 2) Hubs with his favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (NC represent!). 3) Oh Hi, Tim McGraw! 4) Pregame festivities. 5) Golden Knight jumping in to the racetrack. AIRBORNE! 6) B-52 flyover. Y’all that plane is ENORMOUS. 7) 21 gun salute using Howitzers. This. Was. Loud. 8 ) Junior in for a pit stop! 9) Race winner, Kasey Kahne, doing his burnout.

We rounded out our adventures with trips to see our parents – mine in the gorgeous NC mountains and the Gentleman’s at the gorgeous Charleston, SC coast. How lucky are we?

1) View of the Blue Ridges from Mom and Dad’s porch. 2) This cow is not sure about me. 3) Wilson Creek, NC. 4) Mountain Laurel blooming along the Blue Ridge Parkway. 5) Some local folks fishing off Charleston Harbor. 6) Morris Island. 7&8) There was a Civil War reenactment going on down the road and when The Gentleman told the “soldiers” he’s in artillery, they let him fire the old school Howitzer. BOOM!