My time in North Carolina...

So I just got back from spending July 4th weekend in North Carolina. I saw my friend Julie who lives in London, but comes back to the states to celebrate July 4th. (Needless to say they dont' celebrate it there!!) It was so nice to be at the beach and feel the sand beneath my feet and hear the waves crashing. The funniest part though, would have to be the life guards, who were in their early twenties, begging for money so they could go to cocoa beach for some lifeguard contest. Umm..I'm unemployed and I would like to go to cocoa beach, so we so graciously denied their offer of having us support them. :-)

I can't believe how everything is so cheap in NC. We stayed near Wilmington--actually in a place called Pleasure Island. And I pleasure it was as the people are really friendly, in fact they are the kind of peopel that will give you the shirt off their back and make you a nice meal and only charge you $2 (and that's for 3 eggs, a biscuit, sausage and a cup of coffee). It's so funny how, coming from a city, you're first impressions of those kind of people is that they are rednecks (or stereotypical redneck sorts) or just not classy at all. And yet, as we met a waitress/cook at a small little diner in Pleasure Island, I understood the simplictiy of the beach and how life isnt' so much about what you have as it is about who you are. I dont' mean to sound cheesy, but it's true. The waitress/cook we met takes care of Julies parent's dog and house when they are away and they trust her. They just do. It's how people are. (Ok...sorry, now I'm getting really philosophical). I mean I dont' think I could live the life of being a waitress and drinking everynight and just hanging out at the beach..as fun as that sounds. I am the kind of person who is motivated and wants certain things..but it's nice to meet the simple people who just live to live and not really worry as much about material things. It makes you appreciate life and humanity as a whole.


So..on that note...hehe...besdies the beach, it was nice to be around Kristen and Julie and just relax away from DC for the short time were were there....
I do want to mention the momentous stop for lunch on the drive back to DC though.... Now, I'm sure everyone has been or heard of Arby's but to Kristen and Julie..the mother of all Arby's lies in Richmond, VA. So we HAD to stop! And let me tell you, it is definitly the God of all Arby's. You walk in and you face a few different stations (salad station, taco station, regular arby's fair station) and you choose what you want. Sort of an upscale dining hall meets fast food mixed into a western themed establishment. It was actually amazing. I had a taco salad and was quite pleased with my selection. I think the meal was overshadowed by Kristen's expressions though, as I have never seen her smile so much then when we sat at Rancho del Arby's (the copywrited name that Julie and Kristen had nicknamed this fantastic arby's while they attended the University of Richmond). I can now die a happy girl from seeing Rancho del Arby's and I recommend if you are in Richmond, you go and visit also..