Wednesday morning I loaded up and drove to Tennessee to see my bestie, Ginny, her awesome husband, Daniel, and my adorable furry niece, Watson, and nephew, Wellington.

I’ve written before about my Ginny but it has been awhile because we actually had to cancel our last plans to get together due to the horrible flu that came and stayed forever in our home during Christmas.

Here is my Ginny, on the left. I realized when I got home from the trip that we didn’t do a together picture this time as our angel wing picture plan was sidetracked (more on that later), so I kicked myself, and then tracked down this one from last year in front of our high school. Funnily, Facebook reminded me while I was there that it was actually one year ago to the day when we took this picture. 🙂

Anyway, Ginny is my bestie for almost 25 years now and I am so freaking blessed to have her in my life. We have been through EVERYTHING together and spending time with her makes my soul so so happy.

Her husband, Daniel, is also just awesome and so kind and funny. Visiting them is always wonderful – and I have promised Sara she can make the next trip as she was really bummed she didn’t get to go on this one. She LOVES to go to Ginny’s too.

Visiting their furry children is fabulous as well. Watson is just a super sweet, quiet little kitty. Wellington, on the other hand. . .

This is Wellington, y’all. Eating whole pieces of lettuce (he eats everything). And drinking out of water glasses. And leaping. And flying. And chasing ice cubes. And getting into anything and everything. . .

He is the funniest cat I have EVER seen. I lub him so freaking much (maybe even more since he is super naughty).

So, once I arrived, we visited for a while and Daniel made us the most yummy BLT’s (hence, Welly’s lettuce). Then we went and played trivia with Ginny and Daniel’s friends – which was SO much fun. They were so sweet and funny – and we won! Yay!

Afterwards, we went back to Ginny’s and got to talk and hang out for awhile before we crashed for the night.

On Thursday, we ventured into Nashville, intending to eat lunch in The Gulch neighborhood and then take pictures at the angel wings mural.

Of course, it was super rainy and traffic-y and parking was a challenge. But we made it.

 

We had lunch at Saint Anejo and mine was so good. As I told Ginny, I usually take a picture of my food when it arrives if I am blogging (and it was really pretty) but I was hungry on a spiritual level at that point so I forgot. Ginny got the quesadillas, though, and they were tiny. Like, kid’s menu tiny. My level of pred hunger would have made me want to go Hulk Smash if that had been my serving size, so it’s a good thing mine was much larger. 🙂

After lunch, we walked several blocks back to the car to go in search of angel wings. Once we found them, it was raining and there was a line. Of course, my ankles and feet had gone all puffy-huge too. All things considered, we decided that angel wing pictures would have to be done on a subsequent visit.

We did stop by the cutest little store, Two Old Hippies, and find this adorable VW Van:

Then we drove back to Ginny’s and it was time for me to come back home.

After two days of skipping my nap naps (which I will modify in my future travel plans – more on that in a bit) and walking around and driving, I was feeling super achy and literally hopped from one car to the other and started for the AL.

I stopped on the way in to get a $1 hamburger for my baby boy, Henry, who was upset that I was gone for so long (I missed him too) and then came home and saw my better half and kidlets and Super H for a bit. Then I fell out for about six hours.

Now I’m up, drinking all of the La Croix and stalling on the unpacking.

And Henry is still sticking close and making sure I don’t get any ideas:

After a few days of activity, of course, today will be a day of resting in bed. Such is the spoonie life.

But it was so worth it.

I am so grateful for a fabulous trip. Bestie time does my heart so much good.

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For my fellow spoonies, I always say we SHOULD take the trips and go to the shows and do the things whenever we can. Otherwise, we are just fighting through sick days – to have more sick days.

From this trip, I did learn a few things that I will do differently on future trips:

1. Since I ALWAYS nap at home, trying to make it two days without napping didn’t agree with my body. In the future, even when I travel, I’ll plan rest times in – so my body doesn’t hit the wall.
2. I will make sure I take my handicapped parking hanger with me. It would have made a huge difference, and sometimes I forget that, no, I really can’t hoof it very well these days.
3. I will take at least my cane with chair and maybe my walker, depending on how I’m doing. I won’t leave without an assistive device, even if it hurts my pride a bit.
4. I will take my travel bag instead of a purse, no matter what kind of trip or how long. It just makes things easier.

These are just some things to think about that might help my fellow spoonies as well.

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Now Henry and I are off to take another nap nap, keep our feet up today, do some school work, and rest.

Be well, everybody. Have a blessed Good Friday.

Grace and blessings.