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Here it is. My official souvenir mug from Pawleys Island.






It's not hand painted like the one I brought from Italy. It's not as sophisticated or beautiful either.

But it didn't cost thirty dollars. It cost one dollar at the dollar store. It's a humble mug. I feel thrifty when I drink from it. There are lemons on it and pears, continuing the tart fruit theme of the Italian mug.

I'm excited to have a new tradition.

Then again I don't get out much.

Here is the Italian one in case you forgot what it looks like.





It's a slow week, dear reader.
We had a family birthday today and fun was had by all.





Flagrant consumption of chocolate cake was observed and duly noted.







Some parties did not get to share the cake, but those who had extra frosting today should stand warned that their share might be smaller in the years to come.





Entertainment was cutting edge. Modern interpretive dance from up and coming performers.







The divas of the past must make way for those of the future.








Stand up for what you believe in.

Go for all the cliches.








Remember the good times.



A bientot, dear reader.
love,
becky

Pawleys Island is just below Myrtle Beach, so lots of golfers are everywhere. You see groups of them, many in shorts, some with big stomachs, breakfasting here and there and enjoying grits! (I didn't get a picture of them, dear reader, but I did chat with a few--golfers, not grits!)
You see lovely silvery beaches.

It feels so good to take your jacket off after a long winter in New England.

My dear friend Dana lives there and loves it.

Here she is pointing out a spelling error in a sign, which I failed to get in the shot We are always pointing out something.

Also just noticing signs.



Here is one we liked at a beauty shop.



But I digress.






Spring is further along down there. I went for a walk with my camera and drank in the sights.








Of which there were many.







This Spanish moss hangs over all the trees in some places. It's eerie and gothic. It makes me think of William Faulkner and "A Rose for Emily."

Or my main girl Scarlett O'Hara. "I'll never be hungry again!" Believe me, there was little chance of that on this trip.





Palm trees abound. Tourists like to see those. Nothing says "tropical" like they do, even if it is a little chilly.






Yikes! This what you call a walk hastener.

A walk speeder-upper.

I kept thinking of Steve Irwin--"she's a real beauty!"



The IntraCoastal waterway goes through Pawleys Island, so you can stroll over and see that.

Boats and more boats. But let's get to the big stuff.





That's right. Stein Mart. The real thing. I've been waiting four years to go back. I never get to go to the one in Arkansas because I never have the time.
It was heaven.



I came within a hair of buying this raincoat, dear reader. A hair!
But I was strong!
I bought shoes instead.





We saw the Jeff Bridges movie. For a while, we were the only ones in the theatre. Where was everybody at 11:40 in the morning? Yeesh.

The movie was good. I wanted to see a sexy guy kiss a girl and I got what I paid for.



Free oysters on St. Patrick's Day? Yup, you heard that right.
As many as you wanted. This was at the Hot Fish Club and I think it was in Murrell's Inlet.






The bartender is very cute and was rooting for West Virginia in the tournament.








Meanwhile, Dana had never been to Sonic and had never tasted a cherry limeade.

That situation is rectified.





I know what this might look like. But this is Dana using a straw to suck the air out of a package she is mailing to her daughter.
That girl knows her household tricks.


There were other sights, dear reader, but these are the ones I can show you.

To Dana, Chuck, and Bogie--thank you! I had a blast and completely forgot everything else about my life. [that's good because as I was enjoying myself down there, a foot of water was rising in my basement]
I wish I was still there. Sigh.
A bientot
love,becky

The big vacay in the fall semester is Thanksgiving. It is rushed and unsatisfying, spent mostly in airplanes or McDonald's lines inside of airports. It is over almost before it begins.

Spring break seems much more leisurely, since it starts the week before. So many schedules no longer include Friday (like mine), that as soon as you finish your last Thursday class, you are on spring break. Some students do not bother to attend that last class before break, so I guess it is even more leisurely for them.

Now of course not everyone goes somewhere. Some people have other jobs. They work at Friendly's or the 99 or Dunkin' Donuts and have to show up whether they're on vacay or not. Hats off to them. That's not me, though. I am leaving town.

I am getting all my school work done beforehand so I can really enjoy myself. I've got my camera packed and my book of crosswords.

I have stopped the mail and asked someone to roll my trash toter. I have done the dishes and cleaned the sink.


I even changed the sheets on my bed. Who wants to come home to a disheveled bed? I put away almost the last of the Christmas decs, except for the tree of course, which is still in the window. It is embarrassed and has started begging me to move it.
I told it to eat shit and die, which I know seems cruel, but I have to get a willing assistant in here to move the beast.



Recently, when Maeve was here, she kept asking me things like, "what's that?" and "what are those?"
The answer to every question was, "A bunch of junk."
I am heading for a Really Big Purge of this joint.
But not yet. Not this week. Where do you think I'm going, dear reader?

I ain't tellin'. My lips are sealed. Mum's the word. Tune in next week to find out and hope I haven't bought another jacket.

"My parents were very strict and never gave an inch about doing my choirs."

A bientot
love,
becky