Ain't it good to know you've got a friend(s)

It's no secret that three of my favorite people on Earth are my three best friends from Carolina. Every year we get together at Christmas and every year it's wonderful. And, of course, every year I blog about it.

This year we gathered at Ocean Isle Beach to use Jan's parents' beach house that they have shares in.  It's a gorgeous house on the water.

We started with our traditional Mexican dinner with margaritas. The frozen ones were a bit too electric green in color, the guacamole wasn't fresh, but the food and company were great, as to be expected. Though the food may have been a little too great as I felt rather full and sick most of the rest of the night.

Once back at the house we did the usual eating, chatting, drinking, present opening, laughing, laughing, and laughing that we always do. We affixed mustaches to our drinks, gave the newly-engaged Brandie a few gifts, cozied up in front of the fire, and watched and sang along to "Bridesmaids."

Now, traditionally, I'm the lightweight of the group. I have the lowest tolerance for alcohol and always end up to be the first tipsy one. But because I didn't feel that well from the food, I was sober all night, and thus got to enjoy even more of the fun and festivities. The next part of which included...wrestling. First of the arm variety, and then the leg.

See, in college, we all arm wrestled once and Brandie absolutely demolished us. I mean, we barely put up a fight. I have absolutely zero upper-body strength so I knew I couldn't beat her, but I did hope to at least put up a fight. Nope. J and K did slightly better, but Brandie was still the victor. Repeatedly.

Then we moved on to leg wrestling. I thought for sure, given the length of my legs, I'd easily dominate. Nope again. I'm just weak all around. But it was fun and we laughed until we hurt.

Eventually we went to bed and then leisurely got up the next morning. We had breakfast and then went to the beach to see the ocean and take a few pictures. After a good lunch, some more chatting and laughing, we all went our separate ways.

It wasn't enough time, but it will do for a bit. Especially since we're guaranteed more than one gathering this year as B's wedding and wedding prep pretty much demand it.

"The South is the only place in the world where nothing has to be explained to me." (Woodrow Wilson)

I returned Sunday from my mini-vacation to the beach, home, and Chapel Hill. While it was a good trip it was also a bit of a wash-out as it rained practically the entire time I was there.

I arrived Wednesday afternoon, having left DC by train to Baltimore, took a plane to Charlotte, and then another plane to Wilmington. (By the time the trip was done, I went through five airports in five days in three states.)

As soon as I reached North Carolina airspace it began to rain. Which it would continue to do the three days I was at the beach, stopping Saturday at home, before picking up again Sunday in Chapel Hill. I was able to lay out for a grand total of two hours on Thursday, and even then it was overcast. It was perfectly lovely Saturday before we left though, of course.

It didn't go as planned -- no tan, no Battleship, no wild horses, but what are you going to do? I prefer things planned and scheduled to the minute and for the weather and any other forces to follow and bend to my will. It rarely happens. So instead I spent lots of time with the family, watched the first season of The Big Bang Theory, ran on the beach, commissioned the brother and nieces to make me lanyard keychains, got a pedicure with the ladies, hung out in a shark's mouth, found my second ever piece of sea glass, and finished two books.

I was also stalked by a seaman. He was in my room the first night and I have this thing about being stared at so I put him in the hall. This confounded my family of course as he had not been there previously. (Except for my mom who knows me and my neuroses too well.) For the rest of the trip he was surreptitiously placed in someone's bed, suitcase, or in this case, watching me from the blinds.

And that was the beach. On the way home we stopped at Wilber's for the greatest eastern North Carolina barbecue. And we didn't get charged for one of the side items because I was wearing a UNC shirt. Needless to say, that doesn't happen in DC.

Day 361: By the beautiful sea

Since 2006*, a momentous event has occurred once a year somewhere in North Carolina. A momentous event that comes at the end of a year of hundreds of emails, countless Gchat conversations, many Facebook wall and photo comments, and a few drunk dials and/or texts. A day where I and three of my most favorite people get to all hang out, together. This year on Ocean Isle beach, my first trip to the beach with them.

From seeing each other about every other day in college, to once a year now, sometimes I really really hate growing up. But at least I have people in my life that make it worth it.

*It doesn't seem that long ago, but it is.