Tuesday, June 25, 2013

From the Land of Ma'am: Checking out Raleigh

I figured I better even out the sadness of the string of heavier posts with a positive post!  Last weekend I drove to Raleigh to spend the weekend with John, his wife, and their 2 daughters.  I have been reading John's blog for years and we briefly met in person a couple of years ago when he was passing through Charlotte on a weekend that I happened to be there for work.  So we had met in person before, but hadn't spent a considerable amount of time together before so I was glad we both had a free weekend in June so I could come visit!

John and his wife were wonderful hosts and made me feel right at home.  They were also really understanding about my boot as that sort of limited how much I was able to be on my feet.  Unfortunately I don't have many pictures from the weekend, but John did snap this shot of us when we were at the Rose Garden on Saturday.


Here were some of the highlights from my weekend in Raleigh...

- Kid time.  John and his wife have 2 girls that are ages 6 and 8 and they were so much fun to hang around with.  They were both so sweet and fun to be around.  I really miss spending time around my nephews and niece so it was nice to get my kid fix this weekend.  One of the cutest moments was when his youngest daughter found out I had never been to Disney World and said I could come along next time they go.  That may have melted my heart just a little bit!

- Rose Gardens.  We went to the Rose Gardens on Saturday afternoon, which is apparently a hidden treasure that not many people know about.  They had so many different varieties of roses, it was really fun to walk around and see all the different flowers.  I also got to see my first Magnolia tree.  My mom had asked if I had seen any yet but I didn't know what they looked like, so John and Kelley pointed them out for me.

- Coffee chats.  The weather was rainy on Saturday so us adults went to a local coffee shop in the afternoon for a caffeine fix.  We ended up sitting there for hours talking about anything from relationships to how the discipline of marathon training applies to other aspects of life to career stuff.

- Night on the town.  On Saturday night, we hit up downtown Raleigh for delicious burgers at a local place, followed by drinks at an Irish bar.  It was fun to check out downtown Raleigh - I'd like to go back when I am more mobile as there were a lot of cute shops and restaurants, and their science museum looked really cool.

It was a wonderful weekend and just what I needed.  I am starting to make more friends in Charlotte, but I am still a little bit lonely so it was nice to be surrounded by people for a weekend.  I am hoping to return some time this fall, hopefully for a race if I am back to running by then!

17 comments:

Kelly (She Wears a Red Sox Cap) said...

Glad you had a fun trip! Ages 6 and 8 are good ages so I bet those kids were a lot of fun :) I can't wait until you come visit me!!! I need to start a countdown!

abbi said...

What a great little getaway. The comment about Disney World was great! :)

Marlys said...

I was waiting for a post on your trip to Raleigh, so really enjoyed the recap! Sounds like a perfectly delightful time! It's just what the doctor ordered!

Jeanie said...

So glad you got out of town and were able to spend time with a family. What a cute age for kids -- and the garden sounds lovely. Isn't it nice connecting with blog families? You have a pretty good idea you'll like the blogger -- you just HOPE you'll like the rest of the package! Glad you did!

Nora said...

That Disney World comment is pretty adorable.

The Rose Garden sounds beautiful and reminded me of something from Alice in Wonderland for some reason.

Glad you had a great weekend!

Abby said...

Sounds like a perfect weekend - just what you needed right now! That is too sweet about his daughter's invite to Disney World!

I would love the Rose Gardens! That sounds amazing. Still need to check out the Botanical Gardens -- it's just so darn hot here, you really have to plan your days wisely.

Raleigh sounds like a neat town! Oh, how I yearn for a rainy day......

Caroline said...

Aw so fun! I love hanging out with the kids, I don't get the opportunity too often. 6 to 8 sounds like the perfect age. And the Rose Gardens sound beautiful!

Alli said...

I'm glad you had a great weekend, you've definitely earned it!

Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks said...

I am almost positive I went to a wedding in those exact rose gardens. They were gorgeous and not something I'd expect to see in Raleigh. So glad you were able to spend some time with good people over the weekend.

Elizabeth said...

Awesome! It does sound like it was just what you needed and I always think it's so great to get out and about to see new places. There are SO many fun trips you can take while you are there in NC, so hopefully you'll be able to get out and about. Maybe while in the boot, you can start the planning phases? :) Hope you are able to start connecting with more people too. I've been thinking about all that as I contemplate relocating also and trying to remind myself that it always takes me at least a year to feel integrated and situated. Be patient with yourself--I know it's frustrating and challenging, but you've got lots to offer others..and yourself! :) Much love to you gal!

Jolene - EverydayFoodie said...

Sounds like a great time - especially the night on the town!

Becky said...

I love that you call these posts "from the land of ma'am!" Also that rose garden sounds amazing!!

Unknown said...

Aren't rose gardens a thing of wonder? I love that about the southern part of the country. We seek them out whenever we can!

Amber said...

Aw I'm so glad you had such a great time! It was probably really nice to spend time around people and friends. John and Kelley seem so cool - I would love to meet them one day!

Stephany said...

That sounds like a great trip and exactly what you needed after a rough few months. Glad you had fun!

Carolina John said...

The evil genius has asked several times when you are coming back.

I still want to get you hooked up with some of my other friends around Charlotte as well. There's a lot of my college fraternity brothers there, some runners, some crossfitters, some weight watchers, all really nice people.

Kyria @ Travel Spot said...

I am so glad you had a great weekend with CJ and some much needed runner/friend/kindred spirit time! He and his family seem like great people and I am sure that you guys all had a blast!