Charleston

Meet the newest addition of our family.  Charleston (sometimes called Charlie).  He kills me with his cuteness.  When we first got him he could easily fit into the palm of one hand.  Now we cup two hands and he nestles snugly.

I freaking love Fridays.  An Arcade Fire station is playing on Pandora, coffee is brewing, I spent the last hour on All-Africa.com reminding myself of the big world of which I am a part and forget nearly every day, and I get to hang out with Charlie and Clark today.

I think I'm going to be an artist today.  This luxury is free, so here's to it.

"Artists are people who are passionate enough to imagine things that do not yet exist." -Seona Reid, Glasgow School of Art

Cheers, friends.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I listened to a wonderful interview on NPR this morning.

The inventor of the Six-Word Memoirs project (a guy from Smith Magazine) was talking about a clever little idea that has now become a popular medium for pithy storytelling:  people of all ages, shapes, and sizes are asked to submit their life-stories in 6 words- yes- just 6 short words.  It is amazing what you can pack into a short sentence. 

He waited forty-seven years for me.

Raised by crazies.  Keeping up tradition.

Finally happily married, gone too soon.

"Girlfriend's Pregnant" husband said to wife.

Born under fascism. Thrived in democracy.

Each student equals one gray hair.

Laundry never done, children always dressed.

I like this clever idea.  On this Valentine's Day, I'll write my own little love memoir for Clark. If you write your own, do share.

Exuberance outshines reticence: love blossoms, marries.

Home Sick

It is a rainy Tuesday here in Charleston and I am home today - a surprise sick day.  After 3 naps and an extensive perusal of Facebook, I am now out of ideas.  Cabin fever is upon me.  

Read a book, you say?  No thanks, I retort indignantly.  This is the 21st century.  People living in the 21st century don't READ books anymore.

Clark and I went to Savannah last weekend.  It is a terribly romantic place and I had to rein in my compliments upon our return because there is an ongoing, quiet rivalry between Savannah and Charleston.  It is like a genteel version of the Philly/Brooklyn rivalry.  Both claim superiority for various reasons (don't ask me to go into it- when natives tried to explain the rivalry my eyes glazed over and I stopped listening).  Savannah's historic district is built around 24 small public squares, parks crawling with Live Oaks, Azaleas, Magnolias, and the occasional fountain.  The parks have commemorative statues and historical signs that orient you to the area.  I noticed that not one sign I read describes the Civil War as the "War Between the States."  Not so in Charleston.  Someone explained this to me awhile ago- South Carolina seceded from the U.S. before the Civil War began, so many South Carolinians believe the war has been improperly named.  

????

I haven't been blogging much lately.  Lots of reasons for this.  One reason?  Being a pastor is terribly public and sometimes putting yourself "out there" is exhausting.  Another reason?  I am constantly talking in my job.  Talking, talking, talking. Blah, blah, blah.  And when you are talking, you cannot listen.  And let's be honest.  I need to do some serious listening these days.  First, I know next to NOTHING about the complexity of Southern culture (although I'm FEELING it more and more as I read Walker Percy and Flannery O'Connor and listen to mountain-hippie music that is full of banjos and mandolins and sweet sorrow).  I need to listen these days because there is just so much I don't get.  I don't get why grown men wear pants with tiny creatures stitched into the fabric.  I don't get why sunglasses have to be worn with something called croakies.  Crockies?  I don't get why we don't talk about race or racial inequity or why we don't recycle or why EVERYONE in this state is a Republican. 

But I suppose all of this is typical cultural shock/adaptation.  And while there are a million new things I don't understand, there is so much to love.  I love the warmth, the welcome, the generosity, the small-town feel of this place.  I love drinking sweet tea, spinning a yarn, rocking on the porch.  I love the food, the palm trees, the shrimp boats, the fishing, the accent of the good ol' boys and the impeccable manners. I love that I have now received three sweet-grass baskets and monogrammed containers to store my china.

And I also love (there is a fine line between love and bewilderment) that the South is like one giant small town.  I was in a kitchen store in Savannah, looked across the room, and thought, "Why do I know that girl?"  I turned away immediately when I figured it out.  While standing in a hair-net and very little else, that woman spray-tanned me before my wedding.  Vanity o Vanity.  And with that, I bid Kitchens on the Square farewell.

Happy One Month!

I was in a staff meeting today and "poof" I remembered that it is my one-month anniversary!  30 days of marital bliss.  Hooray for love-sweet-love!

Someone at work this week asked how I was enjoying married life so far.  "It is wonderful, of course" I replied. Smirking, this person said, "I'm sure he gets up and makes you breakfast in bed."

I frowned, "No.  But he makes us cappuccinos every morning."

"Seriously?"  Two other women popped out of their offices with eyebrows raised.  "Clark makes you a cappuccino every morning?"

I knew they were impressed.  Clark is a good one.

On another note, now that we are not wedding planning, we hardly know what to do with all our time. We've been listening to the Harry Potter books on CD.  I usually busy myself with something in the evening and Clark cooks. Periodically I look up to ask him if he feels like Clark-er-ella.  So far he does not.  But we have seriously got to find some hobbies.  Hobbies and friends.  That is next on the agenda.  Hobbies, friends, and serving somewhere besides church.  As a family of Presbyterian Ministers (100% clergy rate), we are becoming dangerously close to the church equivalent of cat-ladies.  Sometimes people can have too many cats.  Sometimes people can do too much church.

Ha.

Wishing you a lovely Advent, delicious time with family and friends, and space to breathe this holiday season. xoxo

Top Ten Must-Do's in Charleston

If you are vacationing here in what they call the "Low Country" (and we are talking LOW people.  Some of the area is actually BELOW sea level), we recommend the following:

      1) Kayak with Nature Adventures Outfitters (where Clark works), see dolphins up close, and if you are lucky paddle with a manatee!

·         2) Run or walk to the top of the Ravenel Bridge (park at the gas station at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge on Coleman Blvd.)

·         3) Boone Hall Plantation—learn about plantation life right here in Mt. Pleasant (down Hwy 17N to Long Point Road)

·         4) Historic Tour by horse drawn carriages: Go to the Market Area downtown (Market and Meeting St.) and reserve a tour with a local company

·         5) Walk the boardwalk at Mount Pleasant’s ShemCreek Park

·         6) Go out to Fort Sumter (where the first shots of the Civil war were fired), enjoy a harbor boat ride, & be prepared for a 5-6 hour tour

·         7) Visit the USS Yorktown & Naval Museums (on the Mt. Pleasant side of the Ravenel Bridge); Includes the Medal of Honor Museum

           8) Have kids?  Fascinated by the outdoors?  Visit the fantastic Birds of Prey Center where you will see bald eagles, owls, falcons, and other creatures (make sure to stay for a flight demonstration)

·         9) Stroll on the beach (either Isle of Palms or Sullivan’s Island)

·        10) Visit the SC Aquarium downtown

Let the wedding festivities commence!

Enjoy the delights of Charleston and the surrounding area while you are in town for the wedding!

Below are a few recommendations (links included):

Eating in downtown Charleston

·     Husk  76 Queen Street, Charleston. 843.577.2500 Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30; Sunday Brunch: 10-2:30; Supper: 5:30-10.  Wonderful “farm to table” cuisine. Husk was named “Best New Restaurant in America” Sept 2011 Bon Appétit magazine. Dinner reservations are about a 3 week wait-list), but lunch & Sunday brunch could be available. Local secret: try going to the bar—order a drink and ask your waiter to get you a table—it usually works!

·     Fig 232 Meeting Street (5:30pm-11:00pm), 843.805.5900 This is our MOST FAVORITE restaurant downtown.  Splurge! If you are not vegetarian, eat the lamb bolognese and if you drink alcohol, get the fabulous bartender to create something for you. This place does not disappoint!

·     Taco Boy the BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN TOWN, fabulous atmosphere, festive drinks, and unique tacos at a very reasonable price. 217 Huger Street, (11am-2am) 843.789.3333

Eating in Mt. Pleasant

Village Bakery 125 Pitt Street (Mon-Sat 7am-5pm) 843.216.6771.  This cozy cafe offers a variety of muffins, sandwiches, salads, soups and DESSERTS!

Old Village Post House 101 Pitt Street, Dinner at 5:30, Sunday brunch 10-2, 843.388.8935.  Light supper menu is available in the bar (happy hour is very reasonable)

Pitt Street Pharmacy 111 Pitt Street (Mon-Sat 9am-6pm) 843.884.4220.  Enjoy lunch or snack at an old fashioned soda fountain!  Milk shakes, malts, pressed sandwiches

·     BoulevardDiner  409 W. Coleman Blvd., (7am -9:30pm)  843.216.2611. Good breakfasts, juicy burgers, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, create your own veggie plate, mac and cheese , Southern fried grouper sandwich.  The food is delicious!

·     Sesame provides the best burgers in town (grass-fed, organic beef, chicken, or black bean) 675 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., 843.884.5553. Inexpensive, delicious home-made condiments, and fabulous sides to go with!  Bring your appetite!

Definition of "The South" courtesy of my friend Liston Guerry

The place where...

1)  Tea is sweet and accents are sweeter
2)  Summer starts in April
3)  Macaroni and Cheese is a vegetable
4)  Front porches are wide and words are long
5)  Pecan Pie is a staple
6)  Y'all is the only proper noun
7)  Chicken is fried and biscuits come with gravy
8)  Everything is darlin'
9)  Someone's heart is always being blessed

10 more days til the wedding!  Can't wait for y'all to get here!