Pretty Bride: Was today your favorite part of this trip?
Me: Yes. Well, maybe. I liked the night at Hank‘s when we sat at the “community table” with the destination wedding party a good bit. Or maybe the hours we spent at Folly Beach, when all the youngsters were running around enjoying the ocean. Or the carriage ride through town! I liked that best.
I reckon not being able to figure out the most enjoyed part of a 4-day trip means the second attempt at combining a work trip with a family vacation is the charm. Why?
1.) The weather was perfect. 70s instead of 100 like our trip to Sandestin in August.
2.) The hotel was great. It was way more expensive than the condo in Florida but had a faster elevator and better air conditioning. And a thick locking door between the two adjoining rooms.
3.) I didn’t stay out til sunrise every night drinking. Most nights, I was in by midnight!
4.) Charleston is a better city than Sandestin. Hell, South Carolina is a better state than Florida.
5.) The “big nasty” at the Hominy Grill kills the Donut Hole. Look at this stack of Heaven.
6.) Owen the Ranger is much better than Owen the sunburned Lobster.
7.) An entire meal using no utensils while eating on a piece of plywood is so much better than being fancy.
8.) You can’t beat having a local resident serve as tour guide. She probably thought I’d forget her offer after we sat together for 20 hours of round-trip flying to Hawaii a few months ago, but I didn’t.
Other highlights:
1.) Watching Owen unapologetically crawl into the lap of the girl sitting down the row from us on our harbor cruise. Pimp.
2.) Seeing traffic on I-26, hitting “detour” on my Garmin, and then following a dirt road for several miles in rural South Carolina while fully expecting to never see pavement again.
3.) For the first time in 20 years of legal driving, I ran out of gas. On I-20 West, 80 miles from Atlanta. At 9pm. After an entire day on our feet at Middleton Place. Thank you, local Greene County sheriff, for carrying me to two gas stations in search of a can for sale to fill with two gallons of gas, and then for leading us another five miles up the road to make sure we made it to the nearest filling station to finish the job.
And to Pretty Bride: next time when we pull over for dinner, and I say, “Remind me to get gas before we get back on the interstate” and you say, “I’m sure you’ll remember,” know that I really need to be reminded.
I loved Charleston when I went there on a solo trip. I also ate at Hominy Grill but could not eat the boiled peanuts. Just couldn’t do it. Oh, and look at your pictures closely because I caught a ghost in one of mine. Boo.
@thenextmartha, We’re talking about retiring there–loved it! But we do that everywhere we travel.
I’ve never been to Charleston… you make me want to go, but only if I can bring that little delicious Owen. Glad you had a nice time and found your way to pavement.
@Chris, You should go…maybe the little boy will show up. He’d love that.
Oh how I LOVE Chaaahhhllston, as the locals call it. I’m just real glad you didn’t run out of gas on the dirt road detour.
@Elly Lou, Me too. Bigtime.
Owen is ridiculously cute!
Your family vacation/ business trip sounds heavenly. I need one.
@sybil, He gets ALL the ladies.
Yes, sir.
Goodness me, what IS that big nasty? It looks amazing. I tried to find it on their menu but nothing had that name.
That dirt road photo immediately made me think, “Squeal like a pig boy!” and banjo music.
@SciFi Dad, Therein lay my terror the whole drive, too. It’s a chicken breast between two biscuits with sausage gravy all over it. It’s delicious.
HA! I, too, took a picture the first time I had the big nasty at the Hominy Grill. I love that I’m not the only one who felt it was picture worthy.
I subsequently found something that beat it – the Eggs Poulet at Parish on Highland Ave in Inman Park:
“buttermilk biscuit, Creole fried chicken breast, poached eggs, andouille sawmill gravy, pontalba hash browns”
@Ben K, Clearly I must go to Parish, then!
Running out of gas like that could have helped you become a star in the next “Deliverance.” 😉
@jack, Is this supposed to help me feel better? ‘Cause it doesn’t.
Jealous! Whenever I unapologetically crawl into the lap of the girl sitting down the row from me on a harbor cruise, I end up with a kick in the testicles! And possibly jail-time, depending on her apparel.
@dave2, Me too! We must be picking the wrong women.
I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic…what am I saying, you’re ALWAYS sarcastic. At least Owen picked a pretty girl!
@jade, I try to include healthy doses of sarcastic and not sarcastic.
Sausage Gravy and biscuits is my favorite part of any vacation.
@william, It’s what dreams are made of.
We almost ran out of gas in the middle of the high desert in Utah a few months ago because I forgot to get gas when we stopped for food. It’s a terrible feeling.
I’m surprised you haven’t rilled up the Florida crowd with your slam on their state. 🙂 At least I don’t see any comments to that effect yet. The only thing I know about South Carolina is Parris Island. Unfortunately, that wasn’t much fun.
@Keith, At least you get to say “almost.” And I’m certain Parris Island is not fun.
“Hell, South Carolina is a better state than Florida.” is an understatement. We keep trying to figure out how to move there but husband doesn’t want to re-take the bar. Glad you guys had a good vacation.
@Gin, And it’s a 3-day bar at that! Hope y’all enjoyed HH. We’re thinking maybe we’ll retire there, so that we can hop on C-17s regularly to Europe (like we did in ’08) after I get my 20 years w/ the Reserves!
I’m still flabbergasted that you haven’t been driving long enough to pay attention to the little needle going towards “E”.
@avitable, I’m still flabbergasted that you’re such a dick.
I’d think you would be aware of that by now!