Awesome way to welcome 2006

We had a wonderful weekend at the coast.

We left Saturday morning & arrived in Charleston mid afternoon. We checked into the hotel and then headed downtown to the river front areas to walk around. We browsed thru the market, did some window shopping, and strolled along the harbor at the Battery. Then, we headed back to the hotel where I indulged in a relaxing bubble bath before we dressed up to head back downtown. Oddly, we parked in the exact same spot we did that afternoon. We had dinner at the world famous Hyman's Seafood restaurant. Let me first say that I am not a huge seafood fan, so my husband was very disappointed that I ordered Chicken Fettechine. But, I just don't see the point in paying for something I may not like. At any rate, he had the "She" Crab Soup and a combo platter, which were both delicious. It was Lowcountry cooking at its finest.

The main square in Charleston was all decorated with Christmas lights, trees, and decorations. It was simply beautiful. We brought in the new year listening to live music, snacking on great food, and walking around sparkling white lights. It was almost like a fairy tale.

We woke up Sunday morning and decided to head to Myrtle Beach, about 90 minutes north. When we left the hotel at 10AM it was already nearly 70 degrees. It was simply a splendid day to bring in the New Year. The drive to Myrtle was nice and relaxed. When we arrived, we first went for a walk along the beach. It was so pretty out! There were even people sunbathing.

Then, we went to Broadway at the Beach....a collection of shops and restaurants around a lake. We spent a couple of hours there, browsing and taking our time. We stopped for lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, then walked some more. We didn't buy anything--just enjoyed strolling along in the warm weather.

We then went for another walk on the beach...just couldn't seem to get enough of it. We had dinner at our favorite ribs joint, Sticky Fingers, which was SOOO good. Then we found a little beachfront cafe where we hung out watching football for a few hours. It was a really neat little place, just perfect to sit and enjoy each other's company.

Finally, we went for one final walk on the beach before returning to the hotel. We didn't see another person the whole 45 minutes we were out there. At this point, it had gotten a little chilly, but it was so peaceful to walk along in the moonlight together.

It was simply a splendid weekend. All married couples need to take time out for trips like this. Were our problems all gone when we got back home? Nope, not even close. But, in the 2 days we were away, we were able to reconnect and reinforce the love between us. The problems are still there, but we are refreshed and able to tackle them in a new light....and most importantly TOGETHER.