Vacay at Kiawah

If you were to compare my stress levels to the US terrorist alarm color code, last week I would have told you I was headed towards a solid Cardinal red. I was clinching my jaw, pursing my lips, my hips hurt, and the furrow in my brow was becoming a permanent fixture. All things so very un-Southern. If I kept up like that I was going to have to move....North (gasp)

Intro a call from my oldest and dearest. We have been BFF's since middle school and there is a big 'ole pile of stories to tell about this one. She is the Goose to my Maverick,  but the point is she called. It just so happens that her parents have a wonderful time share at Kiawah Beach, SC that they are letting her use for a girls weekend. Would I like to come? OH YEAH!!

A full week. Now, just because I already live near the beach do not roll those eyes at me. We are talking a full on week at a family owned 8 bedroom house right on the beach. It had everything ready for a vacation, we are talking all the towels and sheets and every other amenity just waiting for us to show up. And just to add that truly Southern touch, the caretakers greeted us at the door. I felt just as home as I could possibly.

Walks on the beach, bike rides through the spanish moss and live oak trees, hula hooping in the back yard, sitting on the deck drinking cocktails and reading a mindless work of fiction all successfully reduced my stress level to a nice cream color.

Let's hope this feeling lasts through the summer. Stress is so Un-Southern.

Our first cocktail concoction to start the week off just right:

Make a strong batch of chai tea
Put some ice in a sweet tea pitcher
put lots of rum in the pitcher (Goose put so much in ~~whoa, WHEN!)
Allow the tea to steep and cool before filling up the rest of the pitcher with chai
top off with some sweetened condensed milk, sweeten to taste
YUM!

Don't forget the view! Perfect weather for Kiawah Spring Break 2011.