We almost didn’t go.
After planning on our trip to Washington D.C. for months – a special little getaway for the two of us – all it took was once look at the weather report and Kirk was second guessing our plans. He had traveled extensively these last few months for work, so the idea of a ‘getaway’ held somewhat less appeal for him than for, say, a socially starved, dungeon-dwelling, deadline-fighting writer who hadn’t left the house for more than four days in as many weeks. You know – just for example.
With the weather channel promising glorious near-summer weather and the cost of gas over $4 a gallon for our premium-demanding car, the trip seemed less and less like a good idea the closer it got. The thing is, whenever the weather gets nice, it becomes harder and harder to shoe-horn us out of our own backyard. It’s wonderful—a dream come true, really—to live on a lake, but in the six years we have been here, I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve ‘gone away’ with just the two of us.
We’ve made all kinds of plans to go to the beach, or Wilmington, or Asheville – even places like the Gulf of Mexico and Vegas. But inevitably, we can’t justify the cost when we have the lake in our backyard, and we always end up staying home. Errands beckon, groceries need procuring, and before we know it, the weekend gets away from us. Again and again these days pass, and soon, we are without any special experiences or memories to mark the rapid march of time.
Well darn it, I wanted to do something special with my hubby. So, to my delight, Kirk agreed to follow through and Friday found us packing up the car and waving goodbye to the pooches. Our adventure had begun!
It was such a small thing, wandering the streets of an unfamiliar city, pointing out trinkets in store windows and yummy-looking restaurants, taking in the monuments and landmarks that pepper the city, and exchanging glances at the odd things people-watching readily revealed. No grand plans, just a couple strolling arm-in-arm, taking in the sites. We paused at storefronts, wandered the crowded halls of museums, and sat across from each other at tiny tables tucked in intimate restaurants. At night was paused to take in the twinkling lights and fresh air, listening to the hum of the city around us. Throughout the weekend we marveled at ancient artifacts, braved the unfamiliar world or mass transit, and wound our way through the cherry blossom forests, all the while showered with a million fluttering, blushing petals.
For the first time in months, the camera made an appearance, clicking softly with each captured moment. Posing before royal jewels, and flaming sunsets, and soaring tributes, we paused to record the silky threads of experiences memories are woven from.
There were far more people around us than we knew what to do with, and it did end up raining on Saturday, but the moments shared in each others company, with no work, or writing, or dogs, or TV between us, made the whole trip worthwhile a thousand times over.
We had thought the trip frivolous and unnecessary, but in fact it was the most meaningful thing we had done in ages. Yes, it took a bit of a bite out of the bank account, but you know what? Being reminded of how much I adore simply being with my husband was absolutely priceless. :)
Tell me about your favorite get-away! How often do you manage to sneak away? Where do you want to go next?
In honor of our decadent eating experience this weekend, here is the link for the insanely delicious brownies we indulged in at Dean and Deluca. Tell me this doesn’t make your mouth water! Click Here
