Let’s Talk About Camping

It’s that time of year again where I start getting excited about the beach and camping. We will head down to the coast sometime in March to Summer-ize our camper. We will hook it up, flush the lines and stock it with linens. We usually wait until after we move our clocks up an hour so we can enjoy more daylight in the afternoons.

Right now we have a 34 ft Puma Camper with a large slide, two bedrooms and full bath. We love it but we are thinking about selling it for something else. I want a front kitchen with stand alone table and chairs and he wants a back bathroom and two recliners instead of a single sofa like we have now. 

We plan to stay within 28 to 34 ft. depending on the layout. But all this will not happen until at least after this year. 

We keep our camper down at the beach because we love the campground we stay at and do not want the hassle of pulling it with down there and back several times a year. We are 200 miles away. 

BUT I WANT...a small camper to keep at home to use for a weekender at other campgrounds around here or the mountains a time or two. Then I start selfishly thinking about myself and what I like. I like small cozy places, so when I think of tiny campers, I start dreaming of one. I mean, if it’s pretty outside, we never say inside the camper anyway except to sleep. We set up chairs outside to enjoy our day. Nick would do a pop up camper but he is not interested in hearing my other ideas. Below are a few for example. But again they are just some of the fun dreams in my head. 

I love these little Scamps.

I have never been Tent Camping but if I did, I would want it to be like this.

(Source)

However, I do have a SUV so this would work perfect for me.
I would love to get all the cozy figured out.

(Souce)

And to be on the safe side incase of bad weather, is always a way to combine both the suv and tent.

(Source)

The.first thing people start thinking about when you mention camping in tents, cars or mini campers is “where do you use the bathroom?”. Well, I’m only thinking as far a just a night stay somewhere and I know how to squat in the woods, but in all seriousness, they do make porta potties.

(Source)

But if you really want to rough it...There are always the DIY way.

So see, I’m easy to please.

All my husband has to do is say “let’s go camping outdoors” and I could come up with some cheap ideas.

Don’t get me wrong though. I like luxury, but I’m also poor.

Oh wait.... I just thought of something...

I have one of these screen house tents in my attic right now. 

(Source) 

Maybe I can get Nick to do some back yard camping this summer.
Just maybe. 

Blueberry Grill

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I love cooking it and eating it. We never usually go out for breakfast anymore. I get up about about 30 minutes before Nick and I enjoy a cup of coffee and a lite breakfast. I remember the days we used to go to Bojangles or Hardees for biscuits and gravy. That was also 50lbs ago.

Down at the beach, there is a place near our stay called Blueberry Grill. It is located in a shopping area called Barefoot Landing. We see it often and I mentioned how I would love to try it one morning. So when morning came, Nick asked if I would like to have breakfast at Blueberry Grill. It will be something different from the ordinary. I threw on a sweater and jeans, pulled my hair back in a messy bun and brushed my teeth. I was ready in 15 minutes. You don’t have to ask me twice if I want a good breakfast. 

As we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by friendly staff. They asked “would you like to sit inside or on the patio?’. It was a crisp 50 degrees morning and the sun was shining bright, so we decided to sit on the patio. 

They had heaters blowing from up above that was perfect for keeping the chill off. It was so nice and we could hear the birds playing in the planters and would often run onto the patio waiting on someone to drop some crumbs.

We ordered a cup of coffee while we waited on our meal. 

We both decided on the short stack of French toast made in a rich batter that was infused with brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Then dusted with powdered sugar. I requested a side of blueberries to add to the top of mine. 

I prefer instant grits but Nick likes what he calls “real grits”. So when he seen they had real stone ground grits, he just had to order some. I admit they were delicious.  

I loved everything about this place. The atmosphere, wait staff, and the food. It was a little pricey though but was worth it. We will definitely go back again sometime once Summer comes around and we take another trip to the coast. 

Blueberry Grill

North Myrtle Beach, SC

Long Week at The Beach

We decided to take a long beach trip. I needed the getaway after losing my job. I did a lot of thinking and even put a plan in place. I will share that in another post.

We spent twelve days away this time. We would have stayed longer but we have a doctor appointment and a wedding to attend this week. I think this was one of the best trips we have had. It was nice not having to log into work or worry about making up the work load when I get home.

The weather was nice with temperatures hovering in the 70’s. We spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach, long walks and dipping our toes in the ocean. I even got my tan back. However, some days were rather chilly and windy, but we still enjoyed the outdoors all the same.

I tried to read a book. I’m a slow reader and can’t have any distractions. I made it to chapter four. I just couldn’t do it. I felt like I was missing too much around me when I had my nose in a book. People were letting their dogs play on the beach and we watched the fishermen fish from the surf all day. I have decided that if I ever move to the beach, I’m gonna take up that sport. 

I got to pet a crab. They will usually run, but this one wanted a back rub. Enjoy the video.

We also watched the shrimp boat at work all day. I love when they pull in the nets and all the birds start flocking the docks. You will often see dolphins putting on a show as they follow behind. 

There was a yard sale at the campground on Saturday morning. It was one of the coldest days, So we got up early, bundled up and headed out for an early walk up to the event. I didn’t buy anything because I didn’t see anything I couldn’t live without. However, I did return with a warm coffee. 

We had a few nice dinners and I finally got my hands on some steamed oysters one night at a little oyster bar near the campground. We met up with my brother in law and niece. Later we headed down to the pier for social time with some of the locals. We were in by 10pm. 

This will probably be our last beach trip for the year. We now have the camper winterized and ready to be stored away for the Winter. We will bring it back out in the Spring. Now it’s time to start preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas with family. 

Halloween at the Campground

We are spending some time at the beach. The weather has been nice. The sun has been shining bright each day with temperatures ranging from 75 to 85 degrees. I have done a lot of walking along with lots of relaxing. The crowd at the beach this time of year is at a minimum and that makes it nice when we go out.

The campground was pretty full this past weekend. People flocked in with their RVs and campers to enjoy the Halloween festivities here. On Friday night, the campground hosted a pet costume contest along with food and drinks by the new Tiki bar. We walked up to see the pet costumes and met a couple new friends. The funnel cake stand was a hit as well. 

Saturday was also a big night at the clubs around the area with costume contest and drink specials. We are not big fans of the club life so we opt to stay in the campground for the night. There was a kids costume contest, trick or treating, special music, and judging of the best decorated camp site. 

We did not decorate our campsite other than a little pumpkin on my picnic table. 

We walked around viewing all the campers decked out for Halloween and tricks for the kids. I’m gonna end the post with a few photos of some of my favorites from Halloween at the campground. Enjoy.

Hope everyone has a safe an happy Halloween!

First Week

Well I made it through my first week of being unemployed (post). I got up each morning as usual. My body is so used to getting up at 7am that I do not need an alarm clock. I decided not to try to sleep in. To me, sleeping is a waste of day. I like to get the day started early.

It was an emotional week for me as I would go back and forth from feeling free to feeling helpless. I didn’t know what to do with myself. One thing I decided was to stay busy. I started working on some things around the house that normally I would not have time to do. 

At the beginning of each day I would make a “to do” list.

The first day, it did not work too well as I only completed 2 out of 5 things on my list. I did better as the week went on.

Here are a few things I did and learned throughout the week. 

I found the bottom of my laundry basket.

I cleaned my craft closet. ( yes, I have a craft closet, not a craft room)

I cleaned out my clothes closet and took 2 bags of clothes and shoes to the Good Will.

I tried really hard not to eat everything in the house. 

Dishes really do not do themselves. (My husband does them before I can get to it).

I was able to enjoy some girl talk with neighbors. (Do they not do Tupperware parties anymore?)

I wore yoga pants and tshirts all day.

I realized I didn’t need a bra after all.

My face detoxed by not wearing makeup all week.

Something else I did was visited the local college to check on taking some classes. WOW there is no way I can afford college. I do not qualify for any assistance because they go by your last years income. And if I could afford to go, how could I work and go to school at the same time? 

SO, I decided to register for some CNA classes that will start in January. I have always wanted to be a nurse. They are quick and affordable. I could be done with both CNA1 and CNA2 in 36 weeks. 

BUT....I changed my mind the next day. This is a low paying job for the work that it would involve. Not physically, but mentally. I heard too many stories on how CNAs are treated and the crazy hours they have to work. It did not take much for me to decide against it. However, I have thought about renewing my phlebotomy license. 

I’m back to square one but I did apply to 27 jobs online. Maybe I should take some Spanish classes because it seems like everyone hiring wants someone that is bilingual. 

This week we will head to the beach for a while so I can do some thinking. I need to sit back and relax for a week and get my thoughts together. They have just been all over the place. I have moments I feel like I’m gonna explode. 

It will be nice to actually enjoy the beach without worrying about catching up a work load when I get back. 

I’m pretty excited about that. 

Quick Sand

I remember a time when quick sand was my biggest fear. Ok, maybe I watched too much Gilligans Island. But the concern was there. The older folks would tell me that I had nothing to worry about because we do not have that in our part of the world. The fear was gone.

Of all the times I have played and walked miles on the beach, I have never worried about sinking sand.

UNTIL.....
this past weekend at the beach! Yes! I almost got swallowed up by quick sand! Ok, Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but boy, don't you tell me there is no such thing around here. I'm a survivor!
(Nick is still laughing).

We went out for our daily walk on the beach. I was walking a normal pace and scavenging out some shells and sea life. The tide going out left a tide pool that was about two feet deep. I crossed through the tide pool to get between it and the surf. As I was walking along, my feet would occasionally sink to my ankles in the soft wet sand.

Then it happened.
I took a step and all of a sudden I was almost up to my knees in sand. Nick was laughing at me from the other side of the tide pool as I struggled to walk. I took another step and suddenly sunk knee deep. I laughed at first, but then fear set in and I panicked. I yelled for Nick to help me but he thought I was kidding. I was struggling to get my feet out of the sand but every time I moved I could feel myself sinking further down. It was no longer funny and I was in tears. I thought my life was going to end with me getting sucked up by the beach.

I finally shifted my weight to the side and manged to get my legs out just as Nick was making his way across the pool of water to help. He then led me to more solid sand and we continued our walk.
It was so scary.

Our trip was almost perfect. The weather was nice and warm and in the 80's. It was not windy but had a perfect breeze.We had dinner with Nicks brother one evening as we watched the boats coast down the inlet. One morning I seen a friend of mine from home and we walked a couple miles along the highway. Me and Nick also had a nice little date night. We traveled up to Little River to eat at a fish camp on the waterway. It was a pleasant evening. We had a wonderful time.
and I lived to tell about it.


*Studies have found it is impossible to be completely submerged in quicksand because humans are less dense than quicksand and a person would only sink to their chest before they begin to float. But what can make quicksand deadly is its ability to trap and hold unsuspecting victims. (source)

Vacay Wrap Up

Just wanted to wrap up my beach trip with some show and tell photos. As I said in a previous post. It was one of the best weeks we have had in a long time. I didn’t have any issues with my inner ear problem, no camper problems, there was no rain, and a lot of family and friends came together for a day of fun. But all and all we enjoy our time together. Just the two of us. It was no paradise island, cabana boys (but my husband made a pretty good personal one). We did not stay in no fancy hotel or have room service. We walked mostly barefoot in the sand and the temperatures were in the 90’s during the day and 70's and 80’s at night. We enjoyed our hammocks I purchased before we went. They were new and only 6.00 each from Curt's Outlet store in the mall.

While on our morning walk around the campground, there was a gentleman selling some garden produce. He had the best tomatoes we have had this year. They were perfect. Every day we would eat a tomato sandwich with chips on the beach. I never got tired of them. We also purchased a cantaloupe the was very good. And of course, I had to use the shell for a breakfast bowl one morning. 

A couple nights we stayed in and ate a simple such as this salad and grilled baked potato. We didn’t even miss the meat!

We visited our favorite hamburger place one night called Hamburger Joe's and made a trip to McAllister's Deli one evening. But the place we loved the best was Taco Mundo. We always get Mexican food at least once a week no matter if we are home or on vacation. We absolutely love Mexican food. Taco Mundo sits on the water way in Barefoot Landing. 

We love eating on the patio and enjoying the view. I had the Black Bean Nachos and Nick had a crab taco and a shrimp taco. The nachos plate was huge so he helped me out on that. Just look at that pile! Best ever!

After dinner we walked our meal off in the shopping area of Barefoot Landing. We had a lot of laughs visiting some of the novelty shops. I thought this bubble bath was a hoot (or toot). Luckily I didn’t make my own bubble bath after eating all those black bean nachos!

Here I am barely dressed (sorry). I was sporting this free tank top gifted to me in a give-away by Low Tide Ocean Products. I had a lot of fun wearing this over my bikini or with shorts. 

Ignore the cellulite and baby faces on my knees and focus on how cute this shirt is! But it’s not the shirt that is so great about this company.

Low Tides Ocean Products makes beach chairs from plastic collected from the beaches of Haiti and the Yucatan Peninsula. Wow, talk about trash to treasure! They are the most adorable beach chairs that are stylish durable and people can feel good knowing that when they purchase one of these chairs, they helped clean the ocean.

Shop Low Tide Ocean Products

Read their story HERE

I was not asked or compensated to write about or review this product 

(or restaurants mentioned in this post).

I am not affiliated with Low Tides Ocean Products. 

I just love what they are doing and how darn cute their chairs are. 

Somewhere on the beach

"Somewhere on the beach" was my slogan last week while on vacation.

I think this was one of the best weeks we had at the beach in a long time. When we first arrived, we met up with some friends on the sand. It was suppose to be a couple we met last year and could hardly wait to see them again this year. Sadly there was only one. He and his wife split up, but we got to sit with him for a while and had some good laughs with him and his best friend. I really wanted to see my other new friend though. Maybe I will run into her some other time.

Nick has a brother that lives on a campground a mile from our campsite and we always take a walk down to see him when we are there. Nick has another brother that brought his family of five plus two friends down the same week. They were staying at a hotel between the two campgrounds. We all met up to play with the kids on the beach and had fun in the sun. Later that evening me and Nick walked up to the tikki bar to hear some music and relax under the sunset.

Toward the end of the week my daughter and her boyfriend came down to spend the day on the beach with us. They were staying near Wilmington and I was so excited to see them. After spending some time on the beach, we all cleaned up and met the rest of the family for dinner.

The arrows point out the brothers. They are all handsome but I think I ended up with the best looking one (yellow shirt). Dontcha think?

We tried a new spot about thirty minutes away in Little River called Crab Catchers. It was a small but mighty place that sits on the waterfront. I ate two pounds of crab legs. I hate I failed to get a photo but there was so much going on that I forgot. Me and Nick liked this place so much that we plan to go back again sometime.

It was a great week. It was nice getting to spend a day or so with family and friends. We never are all together like this except at Christmas. I’m thnking his parents were probably smiling down from heaven.

Beach Rules

Growing up, the only rules on the beach I remember were, no thong bikinis, and no glass bottles. 

Things have surely changed. I see a lot of glass bottles. I also see a lot of thong bikinis. Girls (and some guys) do not leave much to the imagination now days. Some girls look to be as young as twelve showing everything God gave them with no shame or modesty. Where are their parents anyway? 

Through the years there have been new rules for our beach here in South Carolina. 

No Pets can be on the beach between during the summer months except before 8 am and after 5 pm. I think this a good rule. No one wants to have to listen to dogs barking or dodging dog poop all day. This also protects children from getting bit by someones dog that “never bites”.

No drinking allowed on the beach. This is the most unbroken rule and never enforced unless someone gets out of hand. 

No bikes are allowed between 8 am and 5 pm. 

No tents or canopies are allowed.

This is what the beach looks like at 7:30 am,

Umbrellas can not be open until 8:00 am. All umbrellas have to be placed behind the lifeguard stand. Everyone gets up early and rushes out to reserve a spot on the beach as it gets crowded quick. The first blue umbrella with the striped chairs you see are ours. Nick makes sure he is in line with the others. This is also the high tide line. The day begins.

By noon, this is what the beach looks like. It’s has been crazy crowded this week.

No matter where you set up, there is always that one family that will put there chairs right slap dab on top of ya and either using fowl language or smoking. Never fails. We just bite out tongue and wait for them to go back in. 

All and all, its has been nice here so far. It’s bright and sunny each day and the water feels great. We ran into some friends and made new ones. 

I love playing in the waves and wish I had a surf board. Ha. I haven’t heard of any jelly fish stings or shark bites so far and hope it stays that way.

Beach With a Chance of Rain

We enjoyed another long weekend at the beach. The forecast called for rain and storms everyday.
When we arrived on our campsite it was cloudy skies and misty rain.

I started as usual of hanging the close line, putting out the mats and chairs while Nick levels out the camper. Then I get the thumbs up to let out the slide.

Oops, the slide did not come out. We just looked at each other and rolled our eyes. If you have a camper, you know there is always a chance of something going wrong. Nick pulls out the tool bag and crawls underneath to investigate.

He took the slide motor off for a closer look. It seemed to be ok, so he put the motor back in place and the slide finally came out. We think the motor could be weak or just some debris was keeping it from turning. We have a new motor on hand just in case. I love that he thinks ahead like that and is always ready for the unexpected.

We did have rain every day but only in the afternoons. Each morning we woke up to sunshine and blue skies. Nick would go ahead of me on his walks then I would meet up with him after I tidyed up.

Then.....I always make a run for the ocean.

I found some really cool shells. I put them back after I snapped a photo. A couple of them still had hermit crabs inside so I let them live.

I'm really excited to have found a piece of drift wood along the coast. Driftwood is a rare find on these beaches. 

This is pretty much the view each afternoon. It was almost perfect. We did not let the clouds dampen our beach vibes. I love the cool storm breezes. We would sit and watch the black skies move in as long as we could. 

"Life is always better at the beach".

The pineapple bag pictured can be purchased at RiceLovebags. 

Click the link and get 20% off any items. 

Or use my coupon code: LILIDI_MEO at check out. 

Every purchase made helps feed a family. 

Beach Time

We took us a nice little beach trip this past weekend.

It's always nice to get away. We celebrated more of my birthday while we were down there. 

My daughter, husband and brother in law took me out to a nice dinner at LuLu's on Friday night. I failed to get any pictures of my plate as there was just too much going on. I know I know, as a blogger I should be required to take photos of my food. I just sometimes prefer to never bring my phone out at the table and this was one of those times. I enjoyed a fried oyster po-boy with fish soup. It was pretty good. It was not worth the price but the atmosphere is almost worth it. This was our 2nd time eating at LuLu's. Our first visit was back in October. You can read about it HERE.
Unless we are invited again, this will probably be our last time.

We never saw rain and were able to soak up lots of sun on the beach. It was in the 90's at times but there was always a cool breeze. We didn't even need to put up the beach umbrella for shade. It was gorgeous!

We normally get up and leave out in the mornings to head home but this time we stayed until after lunch. We spent the morning walking the beach and eating ice cream.

Later while Nick cleaned up some things around the camper me and my daughter sat around the pool until time to eat. We rarely visit the pool. I mean, why go to the beach if your gonna go to the pool? But we did.

Nick met back up with us and we sat around the campground lake to eat. Me and my daughter took a few photos then headed back to the camper to pack up and leave. It is a 4 hour trip and we made it home before dark. 

Our next trip will be in June. My little niece will be graduating and we want to be there to capture this special time with her.

Shop high-waist bathing suit at Walmart.com

Time and True

May Celebrations

I started the Month off with a happy Anniversary and would like to thank everyone for your happy wishes. It was a great day. My husband showered me with kisses and hugs. We exchanged cards and he surprised me with an iPencil and a new iPad case with a keyboard.

I was overwhelmed. We will celebrate some more this weekend with a nice dinner somewhere.

May is also my birthday month. I am excited to say that on the 16th I will be turning 50! Wow. Bring on the wrinkle creams and potty handles!

I have my birthday outfit ready!

May will be filled with all kinds of fun and events throughout. Not only will I be having a birthday, but I have a sister, a brother, and my dad that will be celebrating birthdays too. This means lots of cake cakes. Mom will make each one of us our own birthday dessert of our choice and we all share. I can already feel the pounds adding on as I type.

This weekend we will be making a trip to Charlotte to celebrate my daughters boyfriends Birthday and also Cinco De Mayo. We plan to try a new Mexican restaurant in town.

Speaking of Charlotte. If you have not heard already, there was a student shooting at UNCC this week that left the whole town in a somber state of mind. It hits close to home. This is where my daughter graduated college. It feels a little different when it's your area that is affected with such tragedy. Please keep all the students, faculty and families in your prayers.

I see a beach trip happening this month too! Can't hardly wait to have some fun in the sun and more birthday celebrations!

LandMarks

It is known that when a man travels he remembers roads. When a woman travels, she remembers landmarks. Ask a man for directions and he will say, “Turn on hwy 74 then take a right on 485”. A woman will say, drive about 3 miles, go under an old brick bridge then turn right at the okie dokie hotel”.

This is true for me.

I could get back home from anywhere by just remembering things I seen along the way. 

Every time we go to the beach there are always little reminders that tell me where I am and where we will be turning next. 

Here are just a few things I notice we pass that have not changed in years. Excuse the photo quality as I took them through the car window going down the road.

The oldest landmark we pass is this unfinished boat.

I call it the SS Minnow. You know, Gilligans Island boat. Looks just like it to me. This boat has actually been sitting here since I was young. I have even emailed the company that sits behind it, trying to find out information on this boat. I think it has a story and I’d love to find it out. I never get a response. 

When we pass cotton plants, corn fields and red barns, I know what city we are going through.

Here is an old SunFlower moving tailer. It has sat in a field beside the railroad track for years. The field will be tilled and crop will be planted. They  just work around the trailer

 I think it would make a great photo prop. My guess would be this tailer is from the 70s.

I know we are not far from our desitination when we pass this old junk pile with a couple of silos sitting beside it. I didnt catch a photo of the silos but I did get a shot of the sign that sits out front. Sometimes it will say “free puppies” on one side, but the other side always says, “dressed hogs”. 

Everytime we pass this, Nick will snicker. Then we both start laughing. Why? Well, because after passing it one day, I asked Nick what dressed hogs were. Without flinching, he responded “ It’s pigs running around in little tuxedos’. After a long pause of thought, I laughed. But I did have to think about it a minute. So, yea, we still giggle everytime we pass the “dressed hog” sign. 

We had a great weekend at the beach. I can’t wait til we go again in May. We will be taking our daughter with us. We always have fun on the beach and I’m looking forward to it as I count down the days. 

Crochet Halters

Today your getting another crochet post. In case your wondering what I have been working on lately,....Com on, I know you have...

Well, I wanted to make some socks....and I did but, Oh my gawsh! While they are cute, they are not something I enjoy walking around on hardwood floors in. Talk about rough on the feet. I felt like I was turning my heels into waffles.

Needless to say, my crochet socks were a fail. Knitted socks are way more comfortable so if anyone would like to make me a homemade pair I would love you forever.....I'm serious.....I'll send you my mailing info, just ask.

So, I decided to crochet these cute little Simple Summer halter tops.

No, silly, not for me.
At 49 (almost 50) years old, I do not think I can rock a halter top.....Ok maybe I'll try this summer who knows. But for now, I just hope to sell them in my Etsy shop so I can have some beach money.

They are simple to make (says the fiber artist). I found a basic pattern and added a few of my own special touches. I also played around with a different stitch..

I made a granny square halter a while back. It still sits in my shop waiting for an owner. Again, I can't pull the look off, but some cute little beach babe or boho chic could.

I think they all turned out adorable and were fun to make. I would pair them with a pair of shorts or boyfriend jeans.

Handmade halters and more at LiLiDi on Etsy. 

Distressed shorts- Rue21.

Earrings- Sashka Co.

 Fedora- Ebay

Free Pattern to the Original Simple Summer Halter can be found at

heycarrie.com