I brought my inner child along

Well, I'm away from home for five days and already it's wonderful. The hotel has an indoor swimming pool and hot tub, an exercise room, free snacks all day and night and free breakfast. It also has a laundry, a wonderful desk clerk, free bottled water since the water is very hard in these mountains. And, it's wonderfully cooler than beside the creek.

I stopped on the way and visited for an hour with my best friend where we used to live - how great - 5 minutes and we've covered the basics and gotten down tot he nitty gritty of our lives...though it's pretty mundane stuff except for some of those we love having problems. We don't have any problems of our own, you understand (LOL).

Now. I've had dinner at a great restaurant in a tiny town about 45 miles from Asheville and I met three couples who had driven from Asheville just to eat there - BBQ ribs night - and I couldn't even finish a half rack. They were the best ribs I've ever eaten (except for Corky's in Memphis) cooked without sauce and smoked to perfection. They provided a good sweet sauce, but I may have used a half teaspoon of it. Hushpuppies were good and the cocktail sauce that I like with them was tangy but not sinus-clearing. Green beans were cooked just as I like them and the cole slaw was good. The chocolate cake was good but a bit dry.

Then I went to Wal-Mart and bought a pair of supplex shorts and a sports bra, came back and went to the pool. Never mind the rolls of fat hanging out between the two. I mean, whoever here will ever see me again -and do I care anyway - no. The pool was pleasantly cool, but the hot tub was great - not too hot, and the jets placed just right to massage my weary back and legs.

Of course, I couldn't get enough conditioner on my hair to make it feel normal since the water is so hard, but, guess what, the soap came right off. We have such soft water at home that you never feel as if you've gotten all the soap off of you or anything else you've washed.

I just feel as if I'm experiencing camp for the inner child - even if no other children are obviously present. For, mind you, I have not been in a swimming pool since ... ummmm....1979 maybe. Well, I guess I have been in the pool at the condo on the beach - but only briefly because it's cold as ice - shaded beautifully for a hot summer day, but not when I'm there. So, I gave swimming a valiant try - I probably wouldn't drown, but I'm very out of practice. Understatement of the year. At least the kids in the pool didn't laugh at me to my face - and that shows they have manners.

Now, I'm settled in the room, on a chaise lounge with a lap board and the laptop going strong. And, I'm soon to be ensconced in that big fluffy king size bed with lots of pillows.

'Night y'all.