Wednesday, May 28, 2014

BEAUTIFUL ASHEVILLE AND SUPER FRIENDS!

Well, here we are again.   I think I've posted more on vacation than I do when I'm just hanging out at home!  I wanted to share one more picture of our evening with Mary from A Breath Of Fresh Air that was taken at the restaurant we dined at on Saturday.  I thought you might want to see her husband of 49 years, Bob, as well as The Husband.  Did I mention that our guys get along marvelously?   So funny. We blogging ladies always seem to hit it off, but most of my meeting up with bloggers have taken place when traveling  and we always seems to include those hubbies!!


















Penny and Penny came over this morning to pick me up for our lunch and shopping trip.  I was so excited for them to see our place.  In our previous trips here we've managed to do a lot together and I just love both of them to pieces.  We have so much fun together...I have true blue friends in Asheville and I met them through blogging!



We had lunch at a really neat place that was very elegant and had wonderful moderately priced sandwiches and salads for lunch.  Then we shopped more.  And all of this took place in "the village" just a few minutes from our place.  In fact, The Husband has walked there.  

And tomorrow that guy is going fly fishing, something he has been waiting for for the past two years.  Again, with a guide that he has come to know very well.  He is beyond excited.  Me, I want to go to our pool so bad.  Yes, I'm not feeling good about putting on a bathing suit but sometimes you just have to get the "I don't give a crap" attitude and do it.  I had a terrible winter with eczema that left scars on my legs.  Only the sun will clear that up, but I'm careful and use a low SPF.    Then I was thinking of driving into the "village" for lunch in a quiet place with my laptop to blog...or maybe into the downtown area.  I bought Emily and Abby each a pair of Tom's sandals.  If you aren't familiar with them, for every pair of shoes sold, they donate a pair to children in impoverished countries. But these two devils of mine insisted I send pictures and Emily is not happy with hers so I want to exchange them.  And oh...my worries.  The packing situation.  I have found some linens I fell in love with, the chimes of course, some books...

 

Can I say I'm homesick??  Milo and Layla are alone from 6:00 a.m. til 4:00 when Abby gets home from work.  Sometimes Jeff or Emily stop in when they can during the day.  Abby is doing a great job taking them for walks and snuggling with them but their routine has been upset big time. Sometimes I wake up at night in all of the different places and beds and I feel for Layla who sleeps against my tummy, and Milo at my feet.  And then I get a lump in my throat.  Silly me.   And my routine.  Oh, I don't mean to complain.  Two weeks is just a long time for me.  And I am so anxious to start gardening!  All in good time, Jane.  I just keep telling myself that.  I can be such a baby!!

Okay...onward and upward.  We will be home Friday evening.  Business as usual.  I thank you for following along on our adventure.  And shhhhh...I am going to print out pictures at Walgreens of all of our great moments, especially the historical stuff The Husband had on his bucket list.  I'll try my best amateurish job at making a scrapbook for him for Father's Day.  I thought that would be nice.  

See all of you soon (hopefully from Sweet Home Chicago :)

XO,
Jane

43 comments:

20 North Ora said...

Jane - Sounds like you are having a fabulous time. So nice to have blogging friends you can meet up with.

Travel safe.

Judy

Low Tide High Style said...

So glad you are having a good time, and I'm sure your pups miss you as much as you miss them!

xo Kat

Terra said...

Jane, you are having so much fun, staying in nice places and seeing friends, including the Pennys.

Stacey said...

It all sounds so wonderful and fun! I'm just jealous that you have spent time with blogging friends. The food and shopping looks wonderful. The B&B looks pretty great too - I could enjoy time on that porch. It's ok to be homesick...I'd be missing my dog too. :)

Anita Diaz said...

Oh, I am so sad I missed your visit!! Looks like you had a great time:-)

Sarah said...

Jane, this trip just keeps going with great adventures. Glad you are having a grand time and getting to spend time with special friends.

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful trip, I'm so glad you are giving us all the details, its an amazing adventure, your condo is beautiful, such great photos, you are such a beauty, a very handsome couple, I love your hair,

Susie said...

Blondie girl, I think of you on your wonderful vacation....I keep thinking ,"I bet Blondie would have loved it even more if it had been during Feb or March. " You are having fun at least. Maybe you can find a little treat to take home to your garden but a concrete rabbit..yikes. Won't fit in the overhead. LOL. I enjoy your blog so much. Put your suit on, you are a pretty girl, go to the pool.xoxo,Susie

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello Jane,

Well, you certainly will have great memories from this holiday. So many interesting places, so many delicious meals and, most importantly, such wonderful friends on the way. Yes, this is the stuff of which dreams are made.

But, it is always good to look forward to being back at home. That is clearly where your heart lies. Lovely!

Rita C at Panoply said...

What a great thing to be able to meet up with your blogger friends while away - that makes it so much more fun because you KNOW they 'get' you! Enjoy your last couple of days, including the journey home. Trust me, once you're out in the heat of the garden a few days, you'll wonder why you were so anxious to get to it!
Rita

Poppy said...

Hi Jane,

You are having such a wonderful adventure, visiting amazing garden centres, enjoying new restaurants, and even staying in and whipping up your own culinary creations, all sound lovely. Meeting up with great blogging buddies always makes the difference, doesn't it? So glad you could share some of these happenings with us.

Have a lovely Thursday!

Poppy

Primitive Stars said...

Morning Jane, how great to meet up with blogging buddies, love that. Enjoy the holiday but know you are, Blessings Francine.

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Jane,
So glad that you are having a good time. I have been reading your posts and being envious of all the places you have been.
I'm so happy that you've bonded with so many blogger buds.

hugs
Sissie

Maria Elena said...

Jane, I love reading about your trip. Looks like you are having a wonderful time. Enjoy!

Mary said...

Thanks dear for the lovely time we had together - we enjoyed our much too brief time with you both and look forward to future get togethers.

ScreenDoor, my favorite shopping venue in Asheville, never fails to disappoint - and of course treasure hunting with the Pennys makes it even more fun - love those gals!!

Hope you get your restful day at the pool and A enjoys fishing. Tell him Bob's mowing today - that will keep him busy for a while.

As for moi - I'm making soup, a blackberry and apple crumble, doing a trial packing run, and hope to get out and water the garden…….never a dull moment!

Safe journey home tomorrow - keep in touch, and remember we want you back again soon, lots more of NC to visit!

Love to you both -
Always, Mary xoxoxoxoxo

Penny said...

Jane, Yesterday was so much fun! It is always great to see you and the Hubs. So glad that you have a place in Asheville so that we can spend time together. We had lots of laughs yesterday. I still think you should buy a seat on the plane for that cement rabbit that you wanted. Penny and I enjoyed listening to you wandering around The Screen Door with the wind chimes. Fun, food and shopping. Who could ask for more? Safe trip home. Hugs, Penny

Traci said...

It looks like y'all are having a fabulous trip!!

Kathleen Grace said...

It looks like you are having a great time. Your condo is amazing! What a pretty place to stay:>)

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

Oh Jane, I am so glad that you are enjoying your vacation. I loved Ashville and the Vanderbuilts home is out of this world. The gardens are beyond belief. So glad that you got to spend time with your blogging friends and the the husbands got along so nicely.
I know how you feel about your dogs, I am the same way with mine. I worry when I am away that the sitters will not do what I do. LOL Of course they are rotten, but I sure love them.
Mary

farmhouse-story said...

gorgeous kitchen! and how nice to have everything you need there. great friend pics and of you, jane:) enjoy your time there but, your allowed to miss home and the pups. love the scrapbook idea, too:)

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

A scrapbook sounds like a lovely gift for your husband, Jane. Two weeks is a long time to be away from home for me, too. I think my limit is about 5 days. By then, I think you've worn out your welcome with whoever you are staying with, too. : )

It sounds like you are having a good time just meeting up with blog friends! I would have cried not to bring home a great bunny statue. You'll have to look for one close to home now.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Scrap booking is such a fun thing and your hubby would love it I bet! ...:)JP

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Hi Jane,
We did have fun yesterday, didn't we? It is always a good time when we have a chance to get together. I was back at the Screen Door today with my other friend I had plans with and that rabbit was still there :-).
Hugs,
Penny

Melanie said...

It sounds like you are having so much fun and how cool to meet up with blogging friends! It's too bad you can't add any touches at all to your condo; I love to "play house" too so I know how you feel. Maybe next time you could bring some spices (even if it were just small containers of a salt blend and pepper) to cook with? Although, that's just one more thing to pack! You're not a big baby for being homesick. I get homesick even when we're just on a weekend away, lol! There is nothing like home sweet home. I miss my kitties when we're gone too, so I know how you feel with missing your pups. Enjoy your last days in Asheville and have a safe trip home. xoxo

Beth said...

I've enjoyed reading about your adventures in the south, Jane! Love your condo! Hope you get to spend lots of time there in the future. Sounds like you had some good food while you were gone, too. Oh, vacations are just the very best!!!
hugs, Beth

Anonymous said...

Hi Janie! Oh, what fun! I saw that same snap with you and the Pennys! I know you had a great time! Lovely snaps.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Elaine said...

How cool to meet up with other bloggers. I've only done it once but it was a great time.

I always think about my animals when I am on vacation. I have a good catsitter but I still worry.

That B&B looks and sounds lovely.

And so does that pear tart, the French just do it right.

Linda said...

What a fun time you are having!! Love every pic and every word!

Doreen@foxdenrd said...

I love that you've met, as you say, 'true blue friends' from blogging! You're having some wonderful times and adventures, and I'm so glad that you're sharing it with us Jane!

Debbie said...

I so enjoyed reading your "journal" today, Jane. what a wonderful trip you are on. How lucky you are!!
Meeting blogging friends would be icing on the cake.
I'm so glad you have included photo's of you, and not just scenery. It's nice to see your smiling face...enjoying the time spent with your hubby, and friends.
Have fun on your travels homeward.
Smooches.
Debbie
xo

Unknown said...

Oh it sounds like a dream vacation Jane !!!
And what a wonderful idea for a Father's day gift ( I'm guessing, like JOhn, your husband does NOT read your blog LMHO )
Happy weekend
XOXOXO

Vel Criste said...

So much fun, especially when you meet with friends Jane!I am like you too when shopping out of town, I love and hate it both at the same time because of the stuff I can't take home! Anyhow, have to try B &B next time we go on a trip, really sounds more interesting to stay in one of those places and more personal too. Take care on your trip back!

Art and Sand said...

Food . . . beautiful B & Bs . . . blogging friends . . . sounds wonderful!

Junkchiccottage said...

How great that you are having such fun. Enjoy and safe travels home.
Kris

Unknown said...

Jane, it looks like you have had a beautiful time in North Carolina. I love your new condo, Asheville looks so lovely. How wonderful that not only can you vacation there, but hook up with blogging friends.

I just got back from Massachusetts to Winston Salem. I plan on visiting Asheville soon. I am hoping to meet Penny.

Well have a beautiful weekend.
Karen

Susan Shull said...

Sounds like a ball, but I would be homesick by now too,

Celestina Marie said...

Hi Jane, what a wonderful time with dear friends. I saw over at Penny's, Comfort of Home that you girls got together. Isn't it fun to meet up with blog friends. I have done this too and the friendships are like family. You received lovely gifts. Love your place too. It looks like such a wonderful kitchen. NC is such a gorgeous part of the country. I have a lifelong friend who lives in Cary.
Great pics and also of your girls.

Have fun!!
Hugs!

RURAL said...

Jane, what a beautiful place to stay, and wow what fun.

I recognize Penny, from Comforts of home, blogging is such a small world.

Heather Cameron, the woman who wrote that amazing cookbook was a customer of ours at the garden center where I worked. She used to work as a stylist for magazines, and would feature items that we sold. She lived only minutes from me in White Rock, and I used to visit her farm all the time. Love her book and she makes the best strawberry jam on earth.

So sorry I've been neglecting everyone in blog land, my Dad's not well, and it's a busy time.

Jen

Kelly said...

It was so much fun to get to follow you on vacation! Looks like you had wonderful accomodations. I bet shopping and eating out with the two "Penny's" was a lot of fun. I have not yet met Penny from Comforts of Home, but I do follow her blog. Funny you mentioned having exzema on your legs that left scars. Me too! I suffer from that in different areas. This is the first time I've had spots on my legs that show up after it's cleared up. I hate it!!! I'm having to use concealer on the spots now that I'm wearing shorts. It doesn't help that I'm very fair skinned either though.

Bluebird49 said...

I've enjoyed you telling us about your "tours" in different places. It must be wonderful to be able to do this. So in addition to your Chicago home, you have the summer house, and NOW, a condo in Asheville. Girl--you folks are doing so well! I don't quite understand why you can't add any of your own things to a condo you own. Is it because when you aren't there, other people stay there? That would make sense. Penny and Penny look so nice, and so did all the other people and places you described so well. Enjoy your life, Jane--we never know from one day to the next what changes we'll be faced with! Blessings!

chateau chic said...

Sounds like you've had a wonderful adventure! It's great to form live friendships with other bloggers.
Mary Alice

Linda said...

You certainly have had a wonderful trip...
Very envious!
But....I am dying to see pics of your cottage and gardens...
Cheers!
Linda :o)

deb @ frugal little bungalow said...

Boy did I ever read this at the wrong time...before dinner here and now I am craving every food that you mentioned and showed, lol!