More getaway (what can we say, it's picturesque!)

Scenes from walking around all afternoon in Charleston, and down to the water's edge of the Battery and White Point Gardens, and then back up - stopping finally for dinner of pad see ew and sushi (because we can't get Thai food or Japanese food in Sylva!).

Four Corners of Meeting (representing city law, state law, federal law and religion)

Yes, I can't button my coat all the way down anymore!

cannons and flagpoles line the park, harking back to when Charleston was under siege during the Civil War

Oh, to smell the salty air and see the water!!

this cemetary at Circular Congregation Church is the oldest in the city, with graves dating back to early 1700s!

Getaway to Charleston (yes, we did!)

Yes, we really did get away - just the two of us - to Charleston, SC for three days! Thanks to Mom H for staying with the boys for 3 nights, and to Dad & Mom G and some other friends who helped with the expenses. We were able to stay at an AirBNB rental right downtown, and just walk or ride the free city bus to get around. Perfect location! And did I mention it has been 6+ years since we had gone off by ourselves overnight, and the first time to leave the boys?? Also, it was my first time to see Charleston. Much of the time was pretty low-key, as we simply enjoyed wandering the streets and seeing what we could in a short time without running around like crazy trying to do it all. (And enjoying not having to keep up a mealtime and naptime routine as usual.)

Jim took off Thursday and Friday, so we got to town midday. We walked around that afternoon and ate dinner out. It was pretty chilly & windy on Thursday and Friday.

front of the house - we stayed on the 2nd floor in a full apartment

along King St.

This house is a typical example of an historic "single house" with a side piazza/porch (fronted by a door) with entrance to the house along the side. Many of these homes are now split into 2 or 3 units.

along Cannon St

The next morning we got up and hoofed it over to a cafe for breakfast. SO awesome because it was 100% vegan! Wish we could have gone back for lunch. More so, wish we had a place like this closer to Sylva!

Despite my expression from the uncomfortable chair, I was quite pleased about the breakfast.

We stopped at the visitor center in the old railroad station, where they also have this small (restored) steam train from Charleston's early days of railroad, circa 1830. I loved the quote on the wall describing the train's first journey: "The one hundred and forty-one persons flew on the wings of wind at the speed of fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour, annihilating time and space…leaving all the world behind." Had to take a pic to show the boys.

The one historic house that we toured was this one (below), the Aiken-Rhett house, c. 1820. It was a family home for almost 150 years, and today serves as a "conservation museum" which displays the nearly-empty house as it was left in the 1970s. (Rather that "restoring" it to period grandeur.) Portions were quite dilapidated inside and there are remnants from each of the eras of the families and the changes they made, though no indoor plumbing or indoor cooking, as far as we saw.

Phew. Let's stop and rest our legs on the way home. How about a snack next to this neighborhood fountain?

Back to our rental, and a few hours of reading in the sun on the piazza.

We discovered that our house was a half block away from Emanuel AME Church, where a tragic shooting took place last summer. We could hear the chimes of the bell tower throughout the day.

birthday!

I had a really nice Feb 8th birthday this year, mainly because Mom arrived midday for a visit! It was fun to be looking forward to that all week - and she arrived with a car load of goodies and supplies. Jim made me a birthday meal earlier on the weekend but saved the dessert and presents for the day (on Wednesday). I only wish that Dad had been here too to celebrate his 70th, but by the sounds of it, he rung in the new year with great enthusiasm (and not on his own), to the tune of a multiple birthday celebrations, a bike ride, birthday poems sent by us kids, and chocolate custard for dessert. 

A rousing "happy birthday" and scattered presents!

Jim made an amazing chocolate mousse!! The best part was that it wasn't made with eggs - it was made with 'aquafaba', the brine from canned chickpeas that mimics egg whites in baked goods and when whipped. Really tasty and very rich. We are excited to try out aquafaba as an egg substitute in other recipes, too.

With a little help from Dad

T, T, T, TIMO!

Absolutely Loving their bikes

I am happy to share that our lives have changed dramatically for the better - now that Mattias is riding a balance bike!! It started about two weeks ago (shortly after seeing photos of cousin Abram on his new balance bike) when he asked to get it out, and suddenly was able to sit and control the handlebars. Previously we had gotten the bike out and he would take a few steps with it, and then get frustrated or disinterested. But this time, within a day or two he had got the hang of it, and now he is totally in love with his bike. He has gotten very fast and agile, too. He loves going over bumps and racing with Timo up and down the driveway.

Every day he asks to ride it, and together he and Timo race and 'encourage' each other. The only challenge is getting them to come inside for supper when it is starting to get dark! I foresee a wonderful spring and summer ahead of us!!

this was on the 2nd day that he tried it

going in a loop around the house

Less than a week after he had learned, I took the boys to campus (and we even ran into Jim!). It's the perfect place to ride and practice because of all the safe, open areas and sidewalks. Plus, a bonus: students often smile and say, "So cute!" when they see them (and I get a tea from Starbucks in the dining hall, the only location around for 20 miles).

boys on their bikes, with Jim watching, in front of the student union

Yes - more pics! Here are scenes from their 'race track'. It starts at the door in the garage and goes down the driveway, downhill; all the while they scream and make faces and try to crash in the leaves at the end for extra fun.

Timo is off! (See Mattias waiting his turn?)

Mattias is off! With a happy yell.

When the sun is shining, the hill/driveway is a lovely place to play.

Our independent explorer

Nothing stops them - even when there was snow earlier in the day and the boys are in snow pants, and I am stomping up and down the driveway to keep warm!