Asheville Finale

Fermin, Ricky and Lucy and I were in Asheville the whole month of June.

The Great Craggy Mountains in North Carolina

It was dreamy.  We thought we would soon be moving there.  I've been too sad and disappointed to finish up my series of blog posts about it lately because, well... Fermin got laid off from his job. So we're starting over at square one as far as moving there.  It can still happen, but as of now, we have no idea what's next.

And that sucks.

But I wanted to wrap this up and document these fond memories.  So here goes.

During two of the weekends we were there we had friends come to visit us.  Pretty amazing, really.  Our friends Kelly and Craig, and their daughter Abby came to visit one weekend, in the middle of the month.  They had airline issues and got in about a day late, and without luggage, but nothing could stop us from having a great time together!

Surrounded by our favorite people ❤️

In that short time together, we still had enough to eat some great meals, visit the Biltmore, dance and sing, laugh a ton, and even cry a little.

The majestic Biltmore Estate in Ashevile, NC

Kelly is one of my favorite people of all time, and she's always enthusiastically cheering us on about anything and everything.  She knew how exciting this possibility of moving to Asheville was, and she (along with Abby and Craig) came into town so we could all enjoy a great beginning together.

I LOVE this picture.  It captures the mood of the weekend perfectly.

Craig and I discovered our mutual love for Belinda Carlisle and did some impromptu karaoke in her honor.

Peace, Love, and Happiness

What a birthday!

Towards the very end of our time in Asheville, my friend Valerie drove down from the DC area with her sister, Debbie.  Valerie is another one of my all time favorite people.  Although we live far apart, I'm in better touch with her than most people in my life.  We text most days.  So we know the daily goings-on in each other's lives.  I was so excited when we started talking about me and Fermin going to Asheville.  Valerie said she and her sister had been wanting to make a road trip down to Asheville.  We decided this was the perfect time!  And it just worked out that they were coming right around my birthday.  The best gift I could have imagined!!

except THIS hat! THIS is the best bday gift I could imagine. and valerie MADE IT!!!

Valerie has a friend who lives in Asheville and we had already connected through her.  By the time Valerie came to town, Rebecca and I had already become fast friends.  So we all went out to dinner the night Valerie and Debbie got into town.  Valerie had made the reservations and told them we were celebrating a birthday.  It was so awesome to be surrounded by friends on my birthday.  I'll never forget that they were there for me, and that Valerie introduced me to all of them.  What a fun night! 

my happy birthday menu- from Posana in Asheville

Valerie, Me, Debbie, Rebecca, Bruce...and the squatter, Fermin

Valerie and Me ❤️

The next day Valerie, Debbie, Fermin and I went on a funny bus tour of the city.  We learned a little (like James Taylor was in a mental hospital there for a period, Zelda Fitzgerald died in a mental hospital there, and F. Scott lived there for a while... among  other interesting facts), and laughed a little. 

La Zoom bus tours are a great way to see the city of Asheville

We met up for drinks at the beautiful Grove Park Inn later that night with Bruce and Rebecca. What a beautiful spot- Maybe the most beautiful view of Asheville!

Debbie, Valerie, Me and Rebecca

We had it all in Asheville during our month there- daily hikes with our dogs, cool temperatures, beauty all around us, family and friends- old and new!  We've now hit a little bump in the road to getting there permanently, but although it may have slowed us down just a little, we'll get there eventually.  Seeing these pictures and remembering all that fun is great motivation to make it happen.

Thanks, Friends.  You certainly made it special for us. ❤️

My Family In NC

I had never even heard of Asheville, NC until my Aunt Pat and Uncle Bill moved to nearby Flat Rock 22 years ago.  I'm not exactly sure when I first visited them, but it was within a few years after they had moved there once my uncle retired. I went once with Fermin, and we went another time with my mom and dad.

And things beyond my aunt and uncle continued to bring me back to the Asheville area.  While I was there for retreats and songwriting camps, I would drop in and see them a day or two while I was in their neck of the woods. They're great hosts, and they would always show me the most beautiful places and we'd have such a great time together.  It's really because of them that I know about Asheville, and that I love it so much.

So it's odd that when we went to Asheville this time around, I didn't give them any advance notice.  We were late in planning our exact dates we would be there, and I didn't want them to feel obligated to "entertain" us, because I know how they are!  It's sounds stupid and even a little shitty to me now that I went about it this way.

But when I did reach out to my uncle to tell them we were in town, he was so welcoming!  We immediately made plans to get together.  He told me that a few of my cousins would be in town during the month, and even some of their kids!  He also told me my cousin Becky and her husband Jim live there full time now.  (I knew they had a lake house nearby, but last I had heard it was just a vacation home for them.)  My Uncle Bill went out of his way to include us on their family fun.

We met them for dinner one night soon after my uncle and I first spoke. We all met up at this great place called BarTaco.  We sat out on the patio and had drinks and tacos.  How nice that they all came out for us, and they all offered to help us in any way they could, and answer any questions we had.

My family in NC!

We drove out to Flat Rock, where my aunt and uncle live, another afternoon soon after that.  I LOVE
where they live.  It's a golf course neighborhood called Kenmure, and it's probably the prettiest neighborhood I've even seen.  I love it so much.  My Aunt Pat has a green thumb and her yard has always been shockingly gorgeous, sort of like her own little Dallas Arboretum.  I wish I had taken a picture of it.  The only one I got of us that night was when we out for tapas in downtown Hendersonville.  It was so much fun.  My uncle always has great stories to share, and he's the best  storyteller.  So there's never a dull moment.

the downtown Hendersonville scene

We got to visit my cousin's farm, and a few weeks later, their lake house!  Yep, they have both!!  Somehow, I didn't get pictures of the farm- I think sometimes when I'm having so much fun, taking a picture slips my mind.  I did, however, get a picture when we went out to eat at a nearby restaurant called The Blind Squirrel.  As with pretty much every meal we ate, we ate outside.  That's something we could never endure in Dallas during the afternoon in June.  We got to take Lucy and Ricky since it was outdoor seating and everyone is so welcoming of dogs around there.

at The Blind Squirrel

Another day, we went to their lakehouse on Lake James. I didn't have a bathing suit for this trip, but I will most definitely have it with me next time. Here's a view from the dock. 

Lake James, NC

And here were are right before a storm came in.  I had my first hard cider- it was so delicious!

Look at all this family I got to be around! My aunt and uncle, my cousin, and another cousin's kids- that are all grown up now.  SO FUN.

We also got to see my cousin Jim one afternoon,who Fermin and I just adore!  We got to meet his girlfriend and hear all about the heart transplant he received last year.  It was incredible story they told us about all they went through before getting that strong heart he now has beating inside of him.  I'm so grateful that heart went to Jim- He's so deserving and appreciative of life.

North Carolina was full of gifts for us.  Having family there turned out to be an unexpected one that was at the top of the list. 

The Beauty of Asheville

It's really beautiful everywhere you look when you're in Asheville.  And there are many small towns just outside of Asheville and they're ALL gorgeous.

It's one of the best places to enjoy the outdoors, for sure!  Although I know there are lots of hiking trails, I only found a handful this time around.   So we took some hikes, plus we walked around the lake near our house often, and I walked in a nearby town called Montreat a lot.  Montreat had nice paved sidewalks with lots of shady trees to keep things cool.

Here are just a few of the beautiful scenes from the outdoors in Asheville and it's surrounding towns.

Fermin and Lucy at the little lake by our house- Lake Tomahawk

Trees that go on forever

An overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway

The golf course in our neighborhood. There are lots of gorgeous golf courses all around Asheville.

Lake James- from my cousin's dock.  So peaceful out there!

Fermin and his best hiking buddy, Lucy, on a hike in Montreat.

This was the view from the deck of a brewery we stopped in- the town of Chimney Rock.

I could go on and on.  But I think you get the idea.  Green trees and mountains in view from just about anywhere.  I think the best view in all of Asheville was probably from the Grove Park Inn. Or maybe the Biltmore.  Both were majestic!

Looking out from the Biltmore Estate

Fermin and me, from the Grove Park Inn, looking out onto Asheville

It was comfortably warm in the day- in the upper 70s/lower 80s, and then cooled off in the evenings.  Perfect!  And this was June!!! I got so spoiled by the weather, and by those views.  Coming back to Dallas in July has been a sad adjustment.  But I keep telling myself we'll be back there soon...

Back Tracking to Asheville ❤️

First of all, there MUST be a better way to move pictures from my iPhone to my laptop, in iPhoto.  The way I did it seemed slow and stupid.  But I finally transferred all those photos (and videos!) I took while in North Carolina to my computer.  Ugh.  But now: Yay.

I guess I'll tell of my travels in sequential order.  At least mostly. So, I'll start at the very beginning, and that was the packing!  Packing for a month might sound slightly challenging, but I had few things working to my advantage.  One, we knew we would have a washer and drying at the house we would be renting. Two, we did this last summer- packed pretty minimally for a month, and loved not having many choices on clothing once there.  And three, North Carolina is not at all a third world country. If I forgot something, or I decided I needed something that I didn't have, all I had to do was go to a store and buy it.

So this is all I packed.

Just as many books as shoes.  As long as I have a few comfy pair for walking, I'm good to go!

This is a pretty small suitcase, but I had plenty of room for a months worth of clothes.

Because the weather app told me the weather was in the 50s at night, and 70s in the day, and I get chilly easily, I only packed two short sleeved shirts and no shorts.  It ended up being a little warmer than I had expected as the month wore on, but with the washing machine, it all worked out fine.  There was one day, or maybe two, I wished I had a swimming suit, but if it had been that important to me to have one, I would have bought a cheap one at Target.  It wasn't essential.  But next time, I'm bringing one for sure.  It takes up no space-- What was I thinking!? I would have loved to have floated around at least one day in the French Broad River!

Traveling from Dallas to Asheville is about a 14 1/2 hour drive, so we broke it into two days.  Ricky loves car trips- He sees it as a time to take long naps in a mobile bed.  Lucy, on the other hand, is not a big fan.  She's gotten better over time, and at least, on this trip, she laid down most of the time.  Never slept or even closed her eyes, but she did lay down the majority of the time.  And that, my friends, is progess!

Bathroom stops, for us or for them, as well as meal stops, are complete chaos.  They get all whiney and pant-y and think having to wear a leash near highway traffic is lame.  It sucks completely.  So we don't stop as much as we should.  By the time we make it to our final destination of the day, it's a circus.  But once they settle in the hotel room, they're happy.

Traveling is exhausting!

The hotel we stayed at when we passed through Memphis was our nicest pet hotel yet.  It was a La Quinta, as usual, but this one was new so it didn't smell doggy and it looked and felt very clean.  (That is, probably until we left!)

The next day, we drove the rest of the way and made it to our house in Black Mountain, which is about 20 minutes outside of Asheville.

Oh My Gee! We're finally here!

Again, monkey business ensued when we first got out of the car, but once we got inside, things calmed down quickly and we all felt right at home. Especially these two...

See? Sometimes we act normal. 

The house we rented was on a quiet street.  And just beautiful!

Our street, for the month of June.

Well, quiet in the city-sense of the word at least.  There wasn't traffic or street noise. But there were lots of chickens and roosters, and outside dogs that barked all through the night!  Believe it or not, the house we stayed in didn't have A/C, so we slept with the windows opened.  The first few nights, the dogs (not ours, OF COURSE, but the barkers outside) drove me crazy.  But somehow, we got used to it.  I loved the sound of the chickens and roosters cock-a-doodle-doing, and now that I'm back in Dallas, I sure am missing that little choir we heard on a daily and nightly basis.

The Choir of Black Mountain~ Gladys Night and the Chicks

That's the "getting there" portion of the North Carolina recap.  I'll get into what we did and saw in my next post.

I'll Be Going To Carolina...

Because I was having so much fun in Asheville and all the days were perfect for being outside I didn't write as many blog posts as I had figured I would.  But I did write a few! :) But the good news for me is, it's still fresh on my mind.  And I've got lots of pictures on my phone. And lots of stories to share.

Before the memories fade off into the sunset, I want to spend my next few posts writing about some of the things I want to remember about that trip- because, it seems it's the beginning of a new chapter in my life.  And it seems important.

It's grossly hot here in Dallas, as it always is in July.  And August. And September.  I no longer want to be outside all that much like I did during June, while we stayed just outside of Asheville, for the entire month.  Now is a great time to sift through these memories and write them down here. This way, I'll be "Going to Carolina in My Mind" all over again.

Catawba Falls

This morning, Lucy and I headed off for a hike to Catawba Falls.  It's a waterfall in the Pisgah National Forest, and Lucy and I both love waterfalls!

It was about a 25 minute drive from where we are staying.  And like all the drives we take, every day here in North Carolina, it was beautiful.  Trees, trees, and more trees.

I love that I don't have to deal with traffic here like we do in Dallas.  For now, we just have the Jeep here, which is Fermin's car, not mine.  I'm sort of a granny driver anyway, and in an unfamiliar car- even more so.  But no one's honking at me, or flipping me off for going slow, like they probably would in Dallas.  The soundtrack for most of this trip has been James Taylor... It started because of his song, "In My Mind I'm Going to Carolina", and it just went on from there.  He sings about Carolina quite a bit! Anyway, we definitely take it easy on the road-- there's no need for rushing around here.

We arrived safely and were on our way to see the Falls!

Lucy can't wait!

When we first got out of the car, we saw a few people in the parking lot. Lucy barked and acted a little sassy.  But soon after, she pulled over to some grass for a potty break.  I'm pretty sure that explained her slightly bitchy attitude she had when she first arrived.  She was trying to let everyone know, "Please, get out of my way!  Don't talk to me!  I gotta poo!"  We've all been there.  It's understandable.

Once that was out of the way, we had a nice little hike. 

My Little Wigglebutt

And after a mile or two, we came to the top where you could see the waterfall... It was much better in real life, as most all things are, but here's a little snap of it.

quite a few people had the same idea as Lucy and I today... because who doesn't love a waterfall?

At the end of our hike, we were rewarded by getting to meet Ivy, a little Ricky Ricardo look alike.  She was 13 weeks old.  Lucy immediately took to her, perhaps thinking she was Little Ricky!

Little Ivy

Great fun today with my happy girl!

A happy hike, means a happy life!

No More Wasted Days

I've lived in Dallas forever.  And that's a mighty long time. 

So now, there's talk that we may be moving- to one of the dreamiest spots I could imagine- the Asheville area of North Carolina.  My husband and I decided that it made sense to come visit here for the month, get familiar with the area, see how it works for him travel-wise, etc

We split our drive into two days- because the drive was long.  Even longer than the GPS estimated.  Due to traffic, construction, frequent bathroom breaks (damn you, small bladder!), and meals... it was two full days of driving.

We got in late Thursday, and then settled in over the weekend... and now, here we are, nearly a week after leaving Dallas.  It's gorgeous, and I love everything I've seen so far.

this is the street, right in front of the house we're staying in

 But...

I had this epiphany today while walking Ricky at this little lake very near the house we are staying in.  Stick with me here, I'll get to it, but let me do it in a slightly rambling way...

this is Ricky, during my epiphany at the lake!

Fermin is working each day.  Just like he normally would if we were in Dallas.  He works from home when he isn't traveling.  So far, he hasn't wanted or had time for morning hikes before work.  But for instance, today he said we could all go hike after lunch.  I waited around and he came downstairs around 1pm to eat lunch.  I asked him when we were going out for our hike and he said his day got way too busy.

Which is why I then got in the car and drove to the lake just 5 minutes from here. Not exactly a hike, but nice and easy to get to. 

While I was at the lake area, I saw a bulletin board that posted local events going on this week.  A beginners class to woodworking for only $5, line dancing one night, etc.  Not that those things necessarily appealed to me, but seeing that did make me wonder what the f am I doing here?  We came out here to explore, get familiar, answer the questions we have about NC.  Although Fermin has work to do, my only job while here is to immerse myself in the area and get familiar with it. 

But I've been waiting until Fermin can do it with me.

I drove his car to an area about half and hour away yesterday and it felt like a big adventure on my own.  But all it was was checking out one of the many towns I'm curious about, and doing drive-bys on a handful of homes I saw on Realtor.com in that area.  It doesn't sound like a big deal but I have been being such a weenie on adventure lately, I'm just very rusty.

That all ends NOW.

For the rest of our time in North Carolina, it's total immersion for me.  Every day, I'm doing something that is at least slightly out of my comfort zone.  If there's something I'm curious about, I'm going to go check it out.  If there's a house I want to see, or an area I want to learn about, I'm not only going to drive there, I'm actually going to talk to people there!  I'm going to get some realtors to meet me and actually show me the INSIDES of some of these houses!  I'm not going to just go on the nearby easy walks each day: I'm taking hikes in new places!

Because that's why I'm here.  It's not Fermin's job to hold my hand through all of this.  He has his job (and I'm so thankful that he brings home the bacon!) but I should take this exploration of North Carolina on as MY job.  When he can join me on it, I know he will.

I have been ridiculous so far.  But I figured it all out today. No more wasted days.  Not one.