Vacation Wilderness: Day One

So we have been planning a getaway back to Crabtree Falls for a long time. Somehow we just never get ourselves together to make it happen. A while back we made the decision that we were going to lay out a well organized plan and reserve our cabin in the trees beside the flowing river far in advance. We looked at our schedules (a digital matrix of colors, circle and arrows of to-dos and appointments strewn across the calendar) and found one small opening.....this weekend.

Well it wasn't until about two weeks ago that I found out why this particular weekend was SO OPEN......Easter weekend. Oops! Oh well, we will commune with our Lord in peace and quiet.

Of course the first thing will be to get out of town. My wife knows how hard that will be. I resist relaxation! Crabtree Falls is also very secluded.....no phone reception....no Wi-Fi.....I twitch a bit thinking about being disconnected from the world. So a four day week......if I can pry myself away from the office on Friday. Well I do need to sign a few checks......a new client called yesterday about a retail store in Towncenter.....I do need to check on the floor plan layout for the new restaurant so we can send it to the client for review....and the contractor for early budget pricing.

Yes, my wife knows me quite well......we will be lucky to get out of town by noon.

As predicted by my wife, a quick meeting at the office for a new client, signing some checks, looking over a floor plan......yep longer than I figured.....as always. We got out of town 5 minutes until 1:00. So much for the entire day off. She had everything packed, I loaded everything up.....I think we have the entire house stuck in the car! Oh well, just get it in there and get on the road.

Leaving Hampton Roads has it's hurdles. First hurdle: Need food, drive thru Wendy's. ACCOMPLISHED. Need cash, drive thru bank. ACCOMPLISHED. Unexpected, Some how we bumped the gear differential button and could it turned off. After fifteen minutes of tinkering and reading the manual we got it turned off. ACCOMPLISHED...FINALLY

Now on the road. Second hurdle: Tunnel accident, backed up 8 and a half miles. Accident after tunnel, backed up 5 miles. Accident at Williamsburg, other side of the highway but everyone on our sides wants to slow down and watch. It took three hours to go twenty five miles. Yeah stupid traffic. ACCOMPLISHED ....FINALLY.

Easy drive afterwards and we both try to take a deep breath and exhale with the full intentions of complete and total relaxation.....away from everything. Crabtree Falls has no phone service or WI-FI connections.....or at least the last time they didn't. Hope things haven't changed....even if I will go thru internet withdraws.

A few last minute phone calls and to send emails before we are cut off......and then it happened......20 minutes from the camp grounds.......the phone said, "NO SERVICE". Not just weak connection or no bars......NO SERVICE. It felt like we were entering the lost forbidden jungle or cuckoo mandoo.....or somewhere like that. 

VACATION .... FINALLY!

Checked in got the cabin, later than planned but that is okay. Unloaded the car. Unpacked all the food and gear. Made the bed......yes a bed! I know it's cheating a little bit. Everything is in order and ready to unwind......no TV......nothing!

We decide to skip the campfire tonight as we are already tired. It is also a bit chilly still in the evenings up here so a quick dinner of simple sausage dogs and potatoes salad on the electric grill......yes electric grill! I know it's cheating a little bit.

The sun goes down so we head inside the cabin and sit in bed chatting for a bit. When it's dark out here it is really dark. The cabin has an inside screen door and an outside solid door. We had closed them both. At one point my wife got up to look outside to see if the switch on the wall turned on the porch light. She was looking through the screen door.....into the closed outside door.....saying, "it is really dark outside. I don't think that switch turns on the outside porch light." SERIOUSLY! You're looking into the closed door! We had a great laugh and she played it off as she was just tired. I know better. She is always that silly!

We all climb in bed.....yes Mavrick does too. Like always, even though we brought his bed. We are done......turn off the lights......climb under the covers.....turn on the electric heat.......yes electric heat! I know, it's cheating a little bit.

Good night my friends.

In the morning we will see what the day affords. And can I sleep in?