Getaway to Mountain Lake

We married in 2006 on the first of April. It was not a holiday, there was no convenient spring break going on, nothing to make the day particularly convenient either for a wedding or for an anniversary celebration.

But the date was ours. And so it is still. This means, though, that our anniversary celebrations, especially since having children, can be tricky to arrange. People willing to take our kids on for an overnight are a small, very special group. Fortunately, this year, help came to us. The Grunert Grandparents were so generous as to include an overnight at our apartment in their own anniversary/spring break travels this past weekend, so Jon and I could nip away and enjoy some precious, precious time alone and away.

 Another nice thing about our wedding date is we can often celebrate it in March and get "off peak season" rates with few crowds at our destinations.

That's not to say leaving these guys was completely easy to do.

More in our handholding at the library season. This one includes Spot as intermediary.

 Miles has started swim lessons as of this Saturday, by the way! A class that had been full opened up. I'll be sure to get some pics of him as soon as I can, as he's having a BALL in his "minnows" class at the rec center.

After swim class, we made a trip to the library and nearby little garden.

There are crocuses! Snowdrops! Spring is underway whether the snow we expect tomorrow likes it or not!

"You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming." -Pablo Neruda

There's some new construction downtown. When your town is as small as ours is, every new building changes its overall appearance. We can't wait to see these handsome buildings completed!

 I explained to this little girl very solemnly that Mum and Papa would be going away for one night to the mountains. She listened seriously and asked only that we "remember to pet the mountains."

We did our best.

Jon was surprising me, so I didn't know where we'd be landing. It turned out to be the famous "Mountain Lake" Lodge, where Dirty Dancing was filmed.

Can you see the Lake?

 I couldn't either, at first. It's apparently been noticeably receding for a couple of decades, part of a centuries-long natural cycle of waxing and waning.

 Jon liked this natural bench a lot.

 There's the lake:

 Or what's left of it. One of VERY few natural lakes in Virginia. It did strike me as sad, as I am from a land of abundant lakes, that this is what they have left of this one.

The Lodge. 

Oh look, Jon, I had already lost my earring at this point.

We didn't care. 

Sunshine made the wasteland beautiful

I have a thing for totem poles, even those whose native American legitimacy is ... questionable. 

For Dirty Dancing fans, here is a corner where nobody puts Baby. 

 Here we are fresh from a HUGE gourmet dinner:

 After dinner, we ambled out to the fire pit to enjoy the sunset and the bird noises.

 Chilly, but gorgeous. The mourning doves made a whole atmosphere.

Good night!

....And Good Morning! Look at my breakfast. Look at it. 

 This was our table.

 The dining room is a gorgeous, spacious stone room that played classic jazz and swing endlessly. We sat by the window at dinner and breakfast and watched the birds at the feeder, spotting jays, juncos, chickadees, doves and blue tits.

During breakfast, we strained our eyes to make out the first flakes of a surprise snow.

 It was short, lovely, and infinitely preferable to the cold rain we'd expected. If it's not going to be warm, it might as well snow, is my motto.

 In the morning, we took an explore:

We poked our noses in this Dirty Dancing memorial cabin. Because, why not. 

 Next, we satisfied my curiosity about a building labeled, "Mary's Barn."

It turned out to be a dance floor with a jukebox on the lower level...

...And a game room on the upper level!

We had a great old time playing pool, air hockey, ping pong, and fuseball for well over an hour while the snow fell. 

 For a one-night getaway, we could hardly have asked for a more beautiful, peaceful, and cozy time together. We feel so grateful.

On the way back: we descended about 2000 feet to Blacksburg's elevation of about 2000 feet above sea level.

 The landscape thrills even in early Spring.

 Upon reaching Blacksburg, we decided upon an old favorite for lunch.

 Gillie's wasn't nearly as crowded as it usually is on a Sunday! We didn't even have to wait to sit at the bar...

 When we got in at about 1 we were greeted enthusiastically by this guy:

 Even after one night away, I missed them. A night's uninterrupted sleep gave me a badly-needed recharge for an afternoon of play and exercise.

So far, I'm doing it. Thanks to support and unexpected blessings, my 2014 word, ALIVE, is a true motto for my days. I'm so very grateful.