Pretty Sure I'm Losin' It

It's been a while since a post... but I was in Charleston all week-end, which was great, and I have been going 100 miles an hour since I got back. Starting with Charleston- it was wonderful, as always. Friday we got there around 3:15, checked in to the hotel and went out to find something to do. None of us had ever taken a carriage ride and the guy selling the tickets explained that there was a discount after 5 pm ( note- should have been our first clue)- it was 5:15. We decided "Sure, why not?" and bought the tickets. We got on the carriage and there were only 3 other people (older people from up North) on the carriage with us. In fact, there was a whole row of seats empty (Note- second clue). But, we got on there, happy and oblivious and started on our way. The tour guide was nice and seemed cheerful. However, as we trotted along, I noticed that the animals pulling the carriage were not horses, but in fact, were donkeys. Didn't think much of it at the time. But early on in the tour, it became very obvious why they discount tours after 5 pm. Apparantly, donkeys don't like to be out late, so when the sun starts to go down, they are ready to high-tail it back to their barn. They allowed the tour guide to stop for about, oh, a millisecond at each place he tried to talk about and then they would shoot forward into a full-fledged sprint (in front of cars or people or whatever.) I was in fear for my life and my limbs as they hung out a few times when I am pretty sure we got onto 2 wheels in a turn. And some guy just about lost his side mirror on his car- I still don't know how we didn't take it right off. My favorite part is when we got onto a rather deserted street and the tour guide said- "I'm just going to let them run right now, since there is no-one on the street and they are wanting to go fast." Richard Petty didn't have nothin' on these donkeys. Our tour was over in about 15 minutes and we didn't learn a thing- except not to take a tour when they offer a discount, and not to allow donkeys to pull you. Anyway- after that harrowing experience, we went to A.W. Shucks (yum) and I had a filet with crabmeat and shrimp on it. It was very good. Then we went on our ghost tour- which was awesome. They took us into the cemetary of the Circular Church at night, which I expected to be creepy- but was really quite peaceful. I heard a lot of stories that I had not heard before and the tour guide was the best I have seen. So sad, though- to see all of the children that died back then from all of the diseases that are so easily prevented now. So many children buried there. Anyway- we went to bed and on Sat. we went to Starbucks for breakfast and roamed around the battery and Waterfront Park. We looked at the cool houses and the architecture. We also toured the Calhoun Mansion- a 24,000 square foot home built right after the Civil War. It was absolutely beautiful. Makes the house I want to build look like a trailor. We ate lunch at Bubba Gumps, went through the Market where C got a gorgeous picture for her house. I got Benny Wafers and some marionettes for the girls. We visited Market Street Sweets on more than one occassion (M was addicted to the pralines, as was I , and C loved their bear claw turtles.) Sat. night we went to T-Bonz to eat because we knew they would have the football games on- which were such good games that we stayed about 2 and a half hours watching them there. Ordered dessert from the neighboring restaurant, Kaminsky's. (Always divine.)Then we went to get last minute sweets to take home and went back to the hotel. Sun morning, we went to Sweetwater Cafe for breakfast- good, even though every one of our orders was wrong- we ate it anyway and it was yummy. We went to the bookstore to grab a few last minute items we had wanted and headed home. C's driving seemed much less scary on the way back- probably because of the donkey experience. Ever since then it has been crazy at my house. I have had my 12-month old neice for 2 days now. She won't let me put her down for anything. I even have to go potty with her on my lap. Brian let the girls make messes all over the house while I was in Charleston- still have to clean all that up. And Annelise is having outpatient surgery on Friday- so I am trying to get stuff done before then. I could scream. At least I had Charleston for a few days.......