Kathiey's World

Travel North Carolina Our Visit to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher in Kure Beach NC Erica and her babies Jane are 16 months old, Riley is 3 months old, and I took a two-day trip to the coast.  One place we decided to visit was the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Here is a description on their site... "Make connections with the natural world at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Feel the smooth skin of a gliding stingray. Spot eels and sharks swimming in the depths. Look an albino alligator in the eye. Wonder at baby sea turtles. Delight in a family of otters playing in a waterfall. See why visitors vote the Aquarium a top regional and national attraction each year".   The Otter enclosure is very nice.  Here is what they say about it...... "Meet a fascinating furry family of Asian small-clawed otters at home in a new, expansive habitat in the Aquarium's conservatory. These curious creatures explore their surroundings, swim in their pools, and delight

Erica, along with her two little ones under 2 (Riley is 3 months and Jane is 16 months), and I took off early for a two-day beach vacation.  We were headed to Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina.  We decided to stop off for lunch in Wilmington, NC.  We did a google search and found the Marina Grill.  Here is a quote from their website, Marina Grill is a new waterfront restaurant that was inspired by our lively Riverfront Marina & Downtown Wilmington location. We offer a wide variety of food, Sunday Brunch, affordable prices, NC beers, wine, seasonal cocktails, and a view that is second to none.   Marina Grill Wilmington NC Here is a link to their menu page Menus I decided to try the Lobster Roll Erica ordered the Fish Tacos Jane enjoyed her usual Mac and Cheese You have the choice to eat inside or outside. Lovely views of the harbor... Sweet Jane enjoying the view! What a nice place to stop for a meal.  The people were friendly and the food delicious and of course the view outside

There is nothing quite like a tomato sandwich in the summertime.  With an endless supply of ripe red tomatoes available, it was time for me to craft a yummy tomato sandwich. When I was a kid, my mom used to send me to school with a delicious tomato sandwich.  It consisted of white bread, plenty of Hellman's Mayo, cheese, beef bologna, and salt and pepper.  She would pack it my lunch box and send me off to school.  We did not have temp controlled lunch boxes in those days, and so my sandwich would sit in my hot lunch box.  For all those hours before lunch, the sandwich ingredients would slowly meld together to produce a perfect Soggy Tomato Sandwich.  Sooooo good! I decided to make my sandwich with white bread, tomatoes, Hellman's Mayo, turkey, onion, and cheese and of course salt and pepper.  I made my lovely sandwich and then cut it in half.  I decided to eat the fresh half for lunch and then have the other half for dinner, and by that time it would be soggy.  They we

 Whether you find yourself on a steady path or in a difficult life situation, you may new to be brave enough to try something new.  You may be afraid that you will not be adequately prepared for this new adventure, but that should not hold us back because it is ok to try something new, and sometimes, it is necessary. Trying something new in our lives may be an opportunity for growth. We may be forced to try something new due to our life situation or simply want to experience something new for fun or adventure. This "something new" could range from a job change to a travel adventure. Regardless of our situation, we have to be brave enough to be bad at something new to experience something new. In my opinion, this does not mean we will "be bad," but there is always a risk of imperfection in trying. There is no guarantee that what we venture to do will be an ultimate success. Sometimes, to be successful, you have to have some failure along the way, and that is ok.  &qu

What Would You Wear to a Luau? I remember as a middle school-aged kid visiting the Caribbean several times with my family. I loved the salt air and the beautiful turquoise water. One thing that always thrilled me was attending a Caribbean-themed party. I remember with delight the fire dancers, the steel bands, and the limbo dancers.  I have been to Hawaii once. I went with my father decades ago. My Mom was not feeling well enough to travel, and my dad invited me to come along. We visited Kauai, and it was a stunning island.  One night while in Hawaii, we went to an authentic Hawaiian Luau. I recall the Hulu dancers. The women were lovely in their traditional dance attire, and the men appeared strong and masculine as they danced across the grass. It was beautiful and inspiring. Along with the traditional dances we enjoyed traditional luau food. They had a pig roasting in the ground all day and a massive buffet. I can't even express to you how delicious the food was except for their

This blast from the past was written back in 2016.  Wow, where does the time go?  I checked to make sure it is still open, and it is. Happy day! Linville Falls Winery After our somewhat strenuous hike down to the lower falls of Linville Gorge, Erica and I decided to reward ourselves with a visit to a local Winery,  Linville Falls Winery  All the way up the Gorge Trail on this somewhat warm fall day, we kept encouraging ourselves with the promise of wine and relaxation.  And it was just as we imagined...wonderful:-) Here is a description from their website. "Family owned and operated, Linville Falls Winery is the culmination of a life-long passion for wine by owner, Jack Wiseman. Wiseman has dreamed of growing grapes and opening a winery for more than 25 years, and now he and his family are pioneering a new High Country wine in Linville, North Carolina. Nestled in the lower end of Avery County near the Blue Ridge Parkway is a state of the art tasting room on a 40 acre farm

 Quote of the Week I had my life goals set and did not see any reason that they would not be accomplished. I married, had two children, and had grandchildren on the way. I was looking forward to retirement and spending quality time with my family. I envisioned family dinners and family travel. I did not know this would all be upended by someone who claimed to love me.  Regardless of the promises to love and cherish, the marriage crumbled at the hands of my husband. Along with my crumbled marriage came my crushed dreams.  It was not my choice to "leave the life" I had planned. But to find the life that was "waiting for me," I had "to leave," the life I knew. That means picking up the shattered pieces of my life and taking a new path, thus finding new dreams and goals. If we continue to hold on to the life we lost in hopes of its returning, we can become stuck in an unpleasant hopeless future.  With this in mind, we need to start re-inventing our goals and d