3 weekends, part 2

I am so lucky to have the friends that I do. Not just because they are kind enough to host me and show me around to places i've never been and not just because they rent a beach house and invite me to come along. That is quite more than I deserve surely but I also have the added bonus of having such dear friends that when we are sitting in said house or said beach that we are talking and laughing just as if time and miles didn't exist. I have had to sort out a lot of crappy friends and acquaintances over the years, definitly spent more time on more people than made any common sense and don't keep up with others that I wish we could but as my thirties creep on it comes more and more into focus what personal relationships really are and know who I can really count on and know that I can do right by them and that they can count on me too. Now with that being said...
On my second weekend away I traveled to the great state of North Carolina to swat 2 mosquitos, as it were. One friend lives in Charlotte with her husband.

They have a lovely home in the suburb with their 3 dogs and cat and have the coolest in-home bar you could ever imagine. Being with them and talking and catching up, only for a few days was a great recharge and a reminder of all that I said above in paragraph one.
After too short of two days, we rented a car and drove the tree lined freeway to Durham where another of our friend's lives in her adorable town home by Duke University. After a charming tour of the city and a night on her couch, we drove across the (same?) tree lined highway to the beach where she had rented a gorgeous beach house for her birthday week. Even though hurricanes and fall were looming, the quiet and therapeutic time with the sea air and sea foam further recharge the rusty batteries. Not to mention the day trip to Bald Head island where I drove a golf cart for the first time and some homemade facials (g-cials). I have been blessed with traveling to africa but trips to a new place with your girlfriends can't be beat!