STOP! I have to see that barn!!!

STOP!!! I HAVE TO SEE THAT BARN!!!

Isnt it beautiful! Kind of a new trend among quilters who live on farms. I have seen pictures of them in my quilters magazines but this was the first one I had ever seen in person. I really love it. I wish I had a barn so I could paint one. I thought about painting one on the side of my house. Needs painting anyway. Somehow it just isnt the same. This wonderful old barn resides in the beautiful hills of North Carolina. I saw one other one too, but its pretty impossible in some places to turn around on those roads. And yes, this really was exciting for me...as sisters roll their eyes.

Gia calls me last month. "Will you go somewhere with me?" Sure. "Over night, for a few nights?" Well, "It wont cost you anything." Sure, if Im off work. "You are." "Ok, call you later."

So that was a fun conversation. Later came. "Ok, so I want to take you and Gina to Zacks cabin in the mountains in North Carolina." Cool, sounds like fun, when we going? "Jan 29 and come home Feb 2." Ok, Im in.

And then of course its time for me to get sick. After all its been 2 years since my last bad in the bed wanna die pleeeeese kill me now sickness. And I am in bed from Jan 11 to the 20th. Doing exactly what the doctors told me to do. Stay in bed, drink lots of fluids take your antibiotics. Done. Got sicker every single day. How is this happening? I am suppose to get a little BETTER every day, not worse. So as the new president is being sworn in on tv, I decide that I cant breath. I went in to one of my coughing fits and ended up on the kitchen floor wondering if this was it for me. No air going in is not a good thing is what Im thinking. So I lay here on the floor waiting to pass out and either die or start breathing and be ok. I usually like it when I have only 2 things to choose from, makes it easier most of the time. But I was just not real sure about those 2 options at the time. I guess cause I wasnt going to know the choice my body made till I either hear the harps or the sirens. Hmmmm...maybe I should calm down and make myself breath, that would be a better option. And by golly it finally worked.

I guessed Mr Obama can become President Obama without me watching on tv, and he seems like a nice sort a guy so Im thinking that he wouldnt mind if I go see a doctor now and maybe watch all this later on the news. Luckily Lara was working in the clinic. Sometimes I do get lucky, and I was glad this was one of those times. I didnt even get through signing in at the window and she said, "Im admitting you." I attempted the argument just to make it look good, knowing all along that was really the only option. Kitchen floor vs. hospital bed. Well, ok.

5 days later, awol time. I have had just about all of that tiny 5x5 room I could take. Of course they took good care of me. They all know me, and want me to get well so I can cook for them. Even though the kitchen did try to secretly kill me by serving me every single thing that I put on my allergy list! Just wait till I cook for them one day!

I get home just in time to lay on the couch all day long on my 50th birthday. It would have been a great day if I didnt feel like crap and hurt all over. I had spent 2 weeks in a bed propped up like a drunk against a tree and my ass just throbbed! And not in a good way. So bad that I could even sit on the couch, I had to lay on my side on the couch, and my sides hurt too, and my back, and my front and my top and my bottom. Just a crappy few days there. To go along with the crappy past few weeks.

Mom did make a wonderful scrumptious supper on Tuesday night for mine and Seths birthday. We all ate like it was for sure our last meal.

Thursday came and Gina and I drove to pick up Gia and head to the airport. Gia made sure there would be the golf cart people there to pick us up because I certainly wasnt up to walking farther than the nearest chair. I kind of think they were glad I had been sick. Seems they really liked getting to ride everywhere. Maybe they will take along the old sister with a cane for more trips.

The flight up was perfect. Smooth as could be for the tiniest plane on earth! Good thing Gina had lost 8 pounds, if she hadnt, one of us would have been sitting on the floor. Cause these 2 asses just barely fit in those two seats. Seats that were made for elementary children. And definitely legless people, and shoulderless people. Basically if you had just a skinny body and no limbs, you would fit just fine. Gia had a wonderful seat mate. Cute little old lady that instantly fell asleep and looked like a bobble head on a dirt road. The bathroom was fun too. The door is so small you have to squeeze in sideways, as far as you can, duck to miss the door way. Suck in your gut so you can close the door. Get your pants down without bending your arms. Squat on the tiny hole. Pee, and attempt a wipe. Stand, but not up straight, or you bang your head on the ceiling. Its only shoulder tall to me in there. Get your pants back up again without bending your arms. Wash your hands in 3 tablespoons of water and a drop of soap, dry them on your pants. Check your hair in the circus mirror. And squeeze sideways out the door. You kind of look like a contortionist exiting a shoebox. I think I had more room in my carry on.

We make it to the rental car. Drive to the exit gate where Gia asks the gate attendant, "Did you hear that?" Yup, go get another car. Good, cause this one stinks! And someone shook up a bottle of big red and spewed it all over the back seat, doors and ceiling. Felt like a walmart cart, sticky everywhere. New car and we are on the road!

Well we went about 2 blocks anyway. Girls have gotta eat dont they? And they especially have to eat when they see Cracker Barrel. And they have to buy stuff too. Like the cutest little colored glass water glasses with roosters on them! My girls are so good to me.

And back on the road we finally made it to Gregs parents house. Gorgeous place. Wonderful warm and welcoming people.

Get a load of Harry flipping our breakfast eggs! What a hoot! They took the greatest care of us while we were there. Just like family!

After spending the night, we ventured out to the mountains. Beautiful drive. So totally opposite of Texas. We stopped for a load of groceries. And I do mean a load! That car was packed! The road was tiny and sweet and cozy.
And the cabin...PERFECT!

Well good thing we didnt try this trip at night! Even Ginas gps was confused and probably scared to death of being lost forever and eaten by bears or old mountain men.

At the cabin and unloaded, I head for the couch and the fireplace. Which would be my daily agenda for the next 5 days.

The girls had other plans. They hiked a bit. Chopped wood for the fireplace.

Cooked. Played beautyshop. Put away several quarts of moonshine and a couple cases of beer. All to my one bottle of wine. But I had drugs on my side. Moonshine, beer, haircolor...hmmmm, does THAT sound like something YOU would try only weeks before your big fat greek wedding? I think NOT! But never, and I mean NEVER put anything past these two! And never ever get drunker than they are. There are no guarantees of the outcome of that situation! So this is Gina with her first attempt to foil color Skunks...I mean Gias hair. It was really something to watch! Like Lucy and Ethel.

And of course she talked to the lovey dovey smoochy hoochy sweety peety honey bunny boyfriend! Like every hour or so. They would have talked more often, but in between they had email. Jeez, just marry the poor schmuck already and get it over with!

And THAT was our first big sisters adventure. It was a total blast, and we still love each other! No really, we do! Gias about to be 40 and Gina 45. I just turned 50. Gia was whining about why did it take us this long to take a trip together. Gina said cause we like you now. I said, If you had offered to pay 10 years ago, we would have gone then!

So they take me to the airport on Monday cause I have to work the next day. They decided they deserved to stay a few more days. At work on Tuesday, I get an email from Gia. A sweet little website she has set up for our vacation. Along with pics of a snowman, and them sledding down the back hill on several inches of beautiful white snow. Not a drop while I was there. Bitches!