Friends, Seafood, and a Personal Tour

Two weeks in the boondocks rested our bodies and souls, so we packed up and headed to our next stop - Carolina Beach near Wilmington, NC.

We chose this stop because dear friends live there, and when they heard we were headed their way, insisted we visit them. And we were thrilled! Years ago, when we first met each other, Ann and I realize how much alike Tim and her husband Stan were, and it tickled us. They're both storytellers, and kept us laughing.

We set up camp at the Carolina Beach State Park. A wooded site, near the bathhouse (with showers!). The grocery store was only about a mile away, too, so we were back in civilization.

First, we went to check out the town of Carolina Beach. Small beach town that reminded me of beach towns in the 70s and 80s - laid back, summery, year-round vacation.

Ann and Stan took us on a driving tour all around the coastal areas of North Carolina where they both grew up.

After a visit to a really cool Christmas store, they treated us to some Calabash seafood in Calabash, NC. 

Yes, those are sea scallops, and yes, I enjoyed every single morsel of them. I've never seen so many on one plate before, and no one heard a complaint from me either! Fresh, succulent, delicious - doesn't even come close to describing them. But I want some more!

Tim put a dent or two in this seafood platter, too. 

Carolina Beach will always be special to us. Not because of all that we saw, experienced, or ate, but because of the time we spent with our friends. They loved on us in a very special way, and made us feel so welcomed. They love the Lord and He radiates from them in every word, every action, every touch of the hand. While the forest refreshed us, the fellowship with our friends nourished the depths of our souls and we'll be forever grateful for our time together.