Getaways and goodbyes....
So, how's the weather here? I was stalking myself on the internet and came across this old account. Odd looking yourself up on the inter-webs, I didn't now how much was out there about me. But anyway, it's good to be back. I think I just forgot about this place, but I always enjoyed it, so let's see how long I can keep this up, eh? I don't know how many of my friends are still here, but if you read this give me a thumbs up or something so I know you're here:
I guess I could actually do some journaling while I'm here, right?
Recently, as in last weekend, Brian and I went on a little adventure. We like to do that sometimes, go somewhere close and see what it's like, try the local food and walk around. We had been thinking we would go to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge or something mountainy but a couple of months ago my brother Tony called me right after touring a place and told us we just had to go. It peaked my interest and I booked a room, we asked for the time off and went down.
We left out for Florance Alabama Friday morning. A bit down 65S and we stopped in Cookville for Cracker Barrel's breakfast. From there is was 4 lane HWY all the way down to the hotel. It was nice, Florence is land locked by about 70 miles, and beside going to the beach that's the most inland from interstates I've been in a while. It made us feel even more secluded and that was nice. I really needed to get away, I mean really. I have a stressful job and it felt great to get away to another state and un-tether for 24 hours or so.
I booked at a Residence Inn which I have never stayed at before, and the room was amazing! It was huge and welcoming and the bed was so soft. We knocked out for a quick nap and headed to FAME Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals. It was great, I got the Rock and Roll heebie jeebie's a couple of times. It was the first place the Allman Brothers recorded, for one, but there is a lot of rich history there, it's just insane! We got some snacks at Walgreen's across the street and decided to listen to the advice of the hotel staff and the tour guide and head to downtown Florence for dinner. We ate amazing Mexican food at Rosie's, but it was a hard choice. Everything looked great. But it was rainy and kinda cool for the time of year so we just went were we could park close and I'm glad we did. We had a bit of a snaffoo with our housesitter, she locked herself out of the house with the dog and another friend had to come let her back in with her key. It all worked out and after dinner we headed back to the room, excited for the next days adventure, but glad to be in the room. Slept well, that soft bed was good for and nap but a bit to soft for a long nights sleep. And we forgot the Dohm, our little white noise maker, so we were able to hear some stuff from the hall, but it wasn't a big deal. The last time we were in a hotel we had jack with us and got NO sleep. We did not make that mistake again.
Saturday we got breakfast at the hotel, and it was GREAT! I'd go back just to stay at that hotel, everything was perfect. We took showers, packed up and headed to the Donut Shop in Muscle Shoals but they were sold out and closed so we headed over to 3614 Jackson Highway, better known as historical Sound Studios in Muscle Shoals. Lucky we did get there early, because Brian was able to meet one of The Swampers ("Muscle Shoals has got The Swapers".... of Sweet Home Alabama fame) and that kind of prepared him for what was coming in that studio. I mean, just as an example, The Rolling Stones wrote and recorded "Wild Horses" there. Talk about getting a certain feeling about a place. It was epic! Loved every minute.
After, we ate lunch at a BBQ joint downtown Florence again and headed home feeling a bit more refreshed, and wanting to get to Jack. He was happy to see us, but was pretty much un-phased. Tabitha did a great job! We were just happy to get out of town for a bit and not worry that he was getting traumatized by 7 huge dogs!! That was tough to get through last year in Gulf Shores.
On a larger life type perspective, the pattern with my close friends has not changed. I had 3 girlfriends, I now call them the bratz because they were young and in the end showed me what a generation gap really feels like. I'd never behave the way they did with me in any form or fashion. Anyway, true to form for me, they dropped me like a hot potato. I was pretty busted up at the time but I'm alright not. I'm not for everyone and that's just something I'm going to have to deal with .
L has also dropped me. When she never ended up leaving E over and over again, and for the last time told me she was going to tough it out, I just told her that her choices are fine for her, but because of it I would have to make some choices of my own. He was to toxic for my life and I told her I would no longer be engaging with him. I'd like to see my niece and nephew, but other than that, she could come over and we could go out but I would not be coming to her home unless there was no chance of running into him and I would not go to places where he would certainly be. After I put my foot down about him and meant it, things have never been the same for us. She outed my husband on Facebook for his beliefs, she called me stupid in a really passive/aggressive way (shocking, I know) and just stopped really calling or showing interest. She got her pride caught up in that thing and pulled me into her shit with him. I'm sure she saw it as some kind of abandonment when I just had to preserve myself. Just because she didn't have the fortitude to do it for herself is no reason to push me away. But she did. And that's ok. She did eventually leave him and immediately leach onto another man, as one does when they are incapable of being alone with themselves for 2 seconds. He is the total opposite of E in just about every way except he's also a train wreck. But it's very much not my business and I have little to no interest. She came back around for a bit but now that Izzy's in college and we've got nothing in common she's unfriended me on FB and disappeared. Bye girl, bye.
I'll tuck in at this point, though there is plenty more to say.