Beginning Tomorrow...

We went back out to the U.S. National Whitewater Park today and hiked the main trail. We cleared the trail just in time for a bike race to begin and then had dinner at the restaurant on site--eating out on the terrace to the views of a setting sun and whitewater rafting.

On a different note, beginning tomorrow, Shannon and I part ways for a week. She is going to Georgia to spend time with her family. Left behind, I will remain the faithful consultant, and in my free time will try to finish reading two books, work on a marketing project, watch a horror movie or two, and reach a writing deadline.

We've spent some time this past week planning out our summer travels. My project here ends in late June, after which we are going to devote a good month or so to vacation in several states. From a small coastal village in North Carolina to the music capital of Austin, Texas, we look forward to seeing more of America the beautiful!

Eventful week

It's been a crazy week. After our foray into our whitewater mecca, we went back the very next day to do some trail running. Great idea, and it was fun while it lasted, until I turned my ankle on a root on the trail. Sean was my hero again, being ever the supportive husband and friend, and I made it out fine. We even stayed a little later at the center by having dinner at the restaurant on site. Very good, but my ankle was definitely stiff by the time we left. The next morning I woke up with it swollen and very weak, so I hobbled around with an ankle brace for the next several days.

On Thursday, North Carolina and Italy met. My friend, Jill, is back in the states for a couple of weeks to see family before her big event. She was in Greensboro with her Mom, so I drove up to see her for the day. We had such a great time - we shopped for baby stuff for her bambino and new trail runners for me. Both successful ventures!

That brings us to yesterday - I was sitting just as I am now at my laptop and all of a sudden, I get this excruciating pain in my upper back, near my shoulder blade. It was debilitating pain, so much so that I had to get my ever faithful hero to help me to our bedroom to lie down (lay down?, no I think it's lie) for a while until the pain finally started to dull to an achey soreness a few hours later. Today, the soreness is akin to having had my back run a marathon yesterday. I have no idea what that was (maybe one of you do), but I never want to feel that again. I'd rather sprain an ankle any day of the week.

So, that's been my week. Eventful to be sure.

A new favorite thing....

We were so excited to discover a new place today only 6 miles from our home. We went to the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte - the only one in the entire country. There you can find the largest man-made whitewater river for rafting and kayaking, as well as mountain biking & hiking trails (which we explored today), a challenge course, climbing walls, and a restaurant. Very cool place. Sean & I were able to take a pretty rigorous 3 mile hike along a river, beside tons of honeysuckle, and up and down a hilly terrain, so we found our new favorite place to be in Charlotte. We plan to go as much as possible while we're here! More pics here.

Wednesday night blues

We went to church on Wednesday night for a fellowship dinner and a promise of it being "Blue Night." No offense to churches everywhere, but I wasn't expecting much. After a picnic-style supper of hamburgers, hot-dogs, baked beans, and watermelon, we relaxed in our hard plastic lunchroom-style chairs for an evening of surprisingly good jazz and blues. The music was performed by one of the better known bands in Charlotte called Robin Rogers and her Hot Band (no points for originality). Robin has a very mellow, smooth, and kinda raspy voice that made me wish that the concert had been held outside on the grass, not in the fellowship hall. It would've made for a great summer concert. Her band was really good too; one guy sounded a whole lot like Louis Armstrong. And when they started singing "At Last", we couldn't help but like them.

So, if you're ever in Charlotte on a Tuesday night, you can go here and listen to some good blues.

Springy

It was a welcome relief to have a beautiful day shine down on us for Mother's Day today. We got to spend it by going to church with Sean's parents and brother, relaxing in the backyard this afternoon (while avoiding the Mother's Day crowds at the local eateries), throwing the baseball around while Caleb (the parents' faithful golden retriever) tried to intercept, and entering the madhouse that is called Cracker Barrel for dinner. We just relaxed and watched some HGTV this evening, and now we are all retiring one by one as we anticipate another day together tomorrow. I've missed spending the holiday with my beautiful Mother and family, but I am thankful for such wonderful in-laws.

More Visitors

Yesterday my parents came down from Virginia with their golden retriever, Caleb, and my brother flew over from Houston. With it being Mother's Day weekend, and the month my brother and father celebrate their birthdays, we thought this weekend was an appropriate opportunity for a rendezvous.

The weather was beautiful today and we just finished grilling out. We may take my Mom to the Botanical Gardens tomorrow as part of her Mother's Day Gift.

Happy Mother's day to all the Mothers!

Nice visit; New wheels

Blake & Laura came with their little Samuel for a visit this weekend. We enjoyed their company, but we were irritated that it rained all weekend. They didn't get to see the beautiful Charlotte days, but I think they enjoyed themselves anyway.

We have just gotten our latest donation from a couple in the church - we've been loaned two nice bikes to use for our time here. I can't wait to get those on a trail! And a promise to those worried - there are no toe guards to be found!

Visitors In Route

Friends from Virginia are coming for a visit this weekend. They should be here any minute . The weather forecast tells of constant rain until Sunday--meaning a great deal of indoor conversing is on the agenda.