A River Runs Through It

We got back in one piece from our icy mountain cabin retreat weekend, which is a miracle considering the slick roads, 5-degree temperatures, and not-so-experienced winter drivers. I miss the cabin already; or maybe it’s my sister, brother-in-law, and niece that are making me sentimental.
Hubby, Paxton the dog, and I began our trip Friday afternoon. The drive to Boone took about 3.25 hours and was lengthened due to a 10-minute pullover from a highway patrolman to bless us with a speeding ticket. Besides that much appreciated waste of $150 we had an uneventful journey up the mountain and arrived at the cabin around 7:30pm.
We immediately toured the beautiful grounds, unpacked, got a blazing fire going, and cooked a piping hot spaghetti dinner. Turkey meatballs are quite tasty by the way.
We then drank some beers and apple cider and played a game of Phase 10, a card game that only involves a small hint of strategy (I typically always bow out of strategy games and instead opt for trivia or pure luck). My sister also introduced us all to Ghirardelli double chocolate brownies. They are delightful.
The next day the boys went skiing/snowboarding at Sugar Mountain while the girls plus baby went shopping at the Blowing Rock outlet stores. We were extremely lucky to score some major sales. Most stores were having clearance sales. To celebrate, we ordered takeout sushi from Makatos and joined the boys back out the cabin for dinner. There, more beverages, card games, blazing fires, hot tub adventures, and laziness ensued.
I can’t complain at all about the weekend, even with the cold front all around us. The cabin was immaculate. Granite countertops, large bathrooms and bedrooms, a huge deck and hot tub, and a prime view of a river that was made for exploration…we had a great time.