Well, spring began last weekend and it didn’t snow here for the second winter in a row. While I’m disappointed, I know that the coming of springs means renewal and fresh starts. Something to look forward to! Our daffodils are blooming, my allergies are misery level 100, and soon I’ll forget the snow I was so hopeful for. Here’s a recap of winter:
a memorable end to 2020
2020 will live in infamy as the year when so many things went wrong in the world. Brandon and I emerged relatively unscathed until the last week, which included an emergency fix for a water leak in our living room ceiling. We had no water or power on Christmas morning (A tree on our property fell on Christmas Eve and knocked out power to our whole street. Merry Christmas, neighbors!). It was really only a slight inconvenience, but the stress of the situation and the unexpected expense put me in a sour mood that lasted through the end of the year. I entered the new year feeling frustrated and melancholy enough to cause Brandon some concern. I write lots of positive posts on this blog about travel and fun things, but there’s no point in pretending to always be happy when you’re not, right? I’m doing much better now.
Good things that happened
To that end, there were plenty of good things that happened this winter! Most notably, Brandon started a new job in February. We have a tradition of treating one another to a nice dinner when one of us gets a new job. Brandon’s selection, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, was the perfect choice to celebrate.
In January, we hosted a luau birthday party for my step-daughter, Emma. It was a fun way to combat the winter blues, and we had a blast playing The Game of THINGS with the whole family.
what i read
In January, I read “Make Life Beautiful” — the story of Shea and Syd McGee’s journey to building Studio McGee. It was an easy read, and full of great inspiration for entrepreneurs or folks like me who dream of one day owning a business. I have read two more books since January 1, bringing my 2021 count to three so far. That’s progress!
things i ate
At my mom’s suggestion, I decided to try a new recipe for Christmas Eve dinner (before the power went out, thankfully). This chicken cordon bleu was perfect in every way. I made a goal to cook/bake one new recipe each month this year… which I have not done so far. I did start the endeavor with lasagna, but the recipe I used was overcomplicated for the mediocre results. Perhaps I’ll get back to this challenge soon.
Last weekend, my friend Jennifer and I baked four pies in honor of Pi Day (March 14). This chocolate bourbon pecan pie was my favorite. And on St. Patrick’s Day I tested out a reuben dip recipe that we loved too much.
where we traveled
I surprised Brandon with a quick trip to Charleston, South Carolina, for his birthday at the beginning of February. I found a killer weeknight rate at Andrew Pinckney Inn, where we stayed on our first anniversary many years ago. It was fun to return there, since we typically choose no-frills accommodations when we’re in town.
We enjoyed meals at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, Saltwater Cowboys, Amen Street (Brandon’s birthday dinner), and Rodney Scott’s BBQ — where the barbecue was great, but the wings were the very best we’ve ever eaten.
We spent most of our time walking around the historic district, enjoying the sunshine, and made our way over to Mt. Pleasant to drive through my favorite Old Village neighborhood. Brandon has developed an interest in candle-making, so we also stopped in at Candlefish to visit their impressive scent library and pick out some candles to bring home.
on the horizon
I’m counting down the days until May, because Brandon and I have a very exciting trip planned! We’ll soon be road tripping through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. I’ve never been to the Southwest, and am really looking forward to a new adventure. We are very close to finishing 50 in 5, and this is the first of our three remaining trips to meet our goal.
