Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things. ~Author Unknown

I spent last weekend with my dear friend, Nickie, at her cottage in north/eastern Michigan.  Heading to Caseville has become somewhat of a traditional girls getaway, and I look forward to our husband and kid free retreat.  Last week could not fly by fast enough, and come Friday, our day of departure, I simply was giddy with anticipation. After work I hurried home and packed all the necessities, of course the main "necessity" was WINE...because when Nickie and I get together, we talk...and drink...a lot.  We are both huge wine lovers, and the thought of late night gab sessions complete with vino, movies, magazines, and of course laughter, well bottles of red and white just complete the perfect scenario.

The three of us at Nickie's 50th birthday.

Heading to Caseville, we were a little sad due to the fact one of our longtime and very good friends had for the second time in a row, backed out of our time away.  Lets face it, ALL women are busy, and especially so if said woman is a wife, mother, and holds down a job either inside or out of the home.  Nickie is a probation officer, and I'm a full time substitute teacher.  Our friend, whom shall remain nameless, also works full time outside of her home, and is a fantastic mom, and has recently been dealing with a health crisis of a family member who thank God is doing well. Yet she declined joining us because her kids had things going on over the weekend.  So did mine.  So did Nickie's. Why is it we feel guilty leaving our families for a few measly days?  Why is it that...oh yes...this is my inner dilemma; I DO NOT feel guilty.  At all. In fact, When Nickie pulled into my driveway Friday afternoon, I kissed Tom and Hampton goodbye and no exaggeration, literally sprinted into her SUV with eager abandon.  I mean, it's not that I don't love my family, because I do-with all of my heart and soul.  They also irritate the shit out of me (at times) and I know with also all of my heart, that getting away from them for a few sacred days makes me beyond a shadow of a doubt, a better wife and mother.

First sight I see on Saturday morning...

Two and a half hours later, we were seated in a booth at the little bar a few miles south of Nickie's cottage where we always stop for dinner.  Drinking wine and margaritas, we continued conversation which hadn't stopped since we left Clarkston-I mean, there's always so much to catch up on, and I really hadn't spent quality time with Nickie since our last getaway in August. After dinner (and drinks) we headed to the cottage, where the furnace pilot light was off, but nothing a phone call to hubby and a youtube tutorial couldn't quickly fix, and soon we were uncorking a bottle of wine (duh...), getting into our jammies, and more gabbing ensued. I don't think we nodded off until 4 a.m., but around 9 a.m., we were both up and drinking coffee (...okay, mixed with RumChata-a gift from my friend Trish; I mean have you ever tasted RumChata? Well if not, you really should, it's liquid heaven), reading, Pinteresting, I think (okay I know) comparing wrinkles, beauty regimes, and our boobs (mine are bigger, hers are perkier. WAY perkier. But I'm the only one who actually showed her actual boobs...).  Soon we were dressed and shopping the entire afternoon-shopping in resale shops, and adorable little boutiques, and a quick stop for some groceries where I kind of shocked the poor cashier with my unfiltered vocabulary...see she was an employee at a restaurant north of Caseville for decades, and truly considered herself family...but when the owner closed down and demolished the waterfront property, and built a mansion (and I mean a MANSION), she was given a mediocre grade wristwatch-and that's it.  I told her what I thought of this and she gasped, but said she thought the exact same thing.  Anyway...Nickie and I wound up at this unique and fabulous restaurant, which is also tradition, and ordered a fantastic dinner and, you guessed it, more wine (again..duh...).  And our dessert?  Ice cream Hummers.  Dee-lish.  And fattening. But we made up for it on Sunday afternoon by walking miles on the beach, talking non stop of course.

Walking on the shores of Lake Huron

When it was time to head back to Clarkston, after a homemade and if I do say so myself AWESOME lunch (okay, yes, we had a glass of wine too!), we packed the car and were on the road, neither of us wanting to go home.  Is this bad? I don't think so.  Honestly? I think we can lose ourselves, that women become so indebted to our families that we truly forget who we are; I thank God for my fantastic husband, who really makes it possible for me to get away for these quick weekends.  And I love my three kids so much I would literally die for either of them, I really would.  But I also love my true friends so much, and know genuine friends are a gift from God, and like any relationship, friendships need to be cultivated.  I can count on one hand my closest and dearest friends-add one who is so close she's my "sister";  You know who you are.  If you're one of my friends, and are doing me the honor of reading this blog, please know I am so thankful for you. Each and every one of you. And thanks Nickie, for a wonderful, and much needed time away, for making me feel so welcome and comfortable in your adorable home away from home-I count the days until our next toast to Caseville!