content~Friday~ I dragged my butt out of bed at 6:00AM, stumbled to the kitchen, poured myself a cup of ambition, and only then realized that I was not Dolly Parton.
By 9:00, I had several of my work tasks done, as well as a load of laundry. The joys of working at home.
I met Anna, Sarah, Kim, and Brad for klatsch at Mission Joe's for lunch, and on the way to Mission Valley, a guy was riding his bike on the sidewalk pulling a little covered wagon behind him. I thought, "Awww. A stay-at-home dad taking his kid for a ride." But then, the cutest little white, furry dog poked its head up and looked all around. Adorable.
I went back and forth about getting a haircut, since my Great Clips is right up the stairs from Mission Joe's, but in the end I did not have my $7.99 coupon with me, so I decided not to. Girl didn't need a haircut bad enough to pay 50% more for one.
My goal was to leave Raleigh for Myrtle Beach by 3:00, and I was successful. The traffic getting on I-40 East out of Raleigh was bad, but fortunately it cleared out in just a few miles.
After being on I-95 South for a while, I stopped for a late, but light, lunch at Taco Bell, where I posted this Facebook status, which engaged a couple of folks as you can see:
As I neared Myrtle Beach, I somehow got on 701N instead of 701S. I stopped at a gas station and asked a couple—standing outside their car while the man filled it up—if they were from around there, and I was pleased that they were and that the man let the lady give me directions without interrupting her with "better" ones, even though she paused to think, and corrected herself, a couple of times.
I got the warmest reception from my cousins—my cousin's wife, Pam, and their daughter, Tara, to be more specific—and we spent a wonderful evening around the table enjoying a spectacular spread that Pam just "threw together" for us: veggies and dip, two different kinds of stuffed mushrooms, chips, crackers, cheese, and chicken! Oh yeah, and cheesecake!
Fine food, choice bourbon, and exceptional company. We talked until 1:30 in the morning. I love my cousins. It was the kind of time spent that makes you wish that so many years hadn't passed of not being in each other's lives.