Time is a luxury

Since my daughter started going to sleep-away camp in North Carolina, our summer vacations have revolved around picking her up. This year was no different. We drove out to Lost River State Park in West Virginia on Monday to settle in to the cabin. Tuesday morning we left and drove down to North Carolina to pick the Drama Queen up at camp at 8 am the next morning before driving 6 plus hours back to camp. Was it a lot of driving? You bet! Was it tiring? Not as much as you’d think because we had the luxury of time. Even though it sounds like we did a lot during the vacation, it was all done at a leisurely pace and that makes all the difference.

We had a relaxing weekend before we even left home. During that weekend we shopped a little (I got a leather coat! I’ve always wanted one. I love a good sale) and packed a lot. We swam and I finished the purple squishy socks. It was so carefree and felt like a vacation before the vacation.
The drive to West Virginia was fine and I’ll tell you all about the cabin and the park in a future post. Before I really got into WV we did a brief stop in Asheville (on our way to pick up DQ) and I played some more. We had lunch at a cool place called Tupelo Honey (Yum!) before strolling around the city. I stopped at Earth Guild again and I bought a few yarny treats and exchanged the Cotton Fine that I bought the last time I was there for some Cotton Fleece. I’m not sure what I was thinking the first time around. We also saw these bronze kitties across the street from a climbing gym where Stinkerbelle tested the rock walls for a while.

We continued walking and found the Grove Street Arcade, which I missed last time. It’s a really beautiful building full of lovely stores. Don’t you love the ram’s heads? This time it was open and we went in and found Asheville NC Home Crafts.

Naturally, I did my bit for the local economy and bought a little yarn. If I remember correctly - this is locally grown and dyed but commercially spun. There was some gorgeous handspun too but it was a bit out of the budget.

We spent the whole afternoon in Asheville but, eventually we had to leave and we promised to return. We may even make it the focus of all of next year’s vacation. It’s rough because there are so many places to visit and not nearly enough vacation time.

If there was one thing aside from the lack of structure that made this vacation great – it was the people we met. We met fabulous people everywhere we went but, above all others, one stands out and deserves a separate mention. Judy in Johnson City, TN.

On Wednesday morning we picked DQ up from camp. I was so happy to see her! We packed the car with all of her stuff (after a pit stop at the Laundromat the wash the nasty, dirty, clothes) and set off for the drive back to WV. My kids don’t generally get car sick but, after a while in the car, as we passed through Johnson City, TN – DQ felt ill. Hubbo pulled into the nearest parking lot and DQ hopped out of the car and threw up. I think it was a bad combination of the heat, pent up excitement, and accumulated lack of sleep.

As I sat at the edge of the parking lot comforting her, I looked up and saw a woman approaching from the restaurant. It was Judy. She was on her break when we stopped and she wanted to help us. She brought out ice and cold towels. Then she returned to the restaurant and got sugar packets to get DQ’s sugar up. She insisted that we go inside and showered us with anything she could think of that might help. Towels, a plastic bag (just in case), big cups of ice, plastic gloves (to fill with ice for an ice pack)… you name it and she brought it over to us. She spent most of her break trying to help DQ feel better.

Before long DQ regained her color and we were able to hit the road again. I will never forget how kind Judy was. It shouldn’t be so surprising when someone lends a helping hand and yet – it is. It is always amazing and wonderful to know that there are people out there who are so kind and willing to help a stranger in need.

Maybe it’s those feelings of gratitude, or maybe it’s the fact that I had not one, but 2 willing assistants – whatever the reason – 2 names were pulled from the watering can last night. Margene and Knitting Granny were the names they chose. If you send your snail mail to me at hillary[dot]c[at]earthlink[dot]net then I’ll send you each a little surprise. I’d post a picture but then it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore. Right?