Girlfriend’s Weekend – Oh, Yeah!
So here’s the deal – all around me throughout the years I’ve
heard moms on the playground, the gals next to me in Sunday school and
neighbors talk about this myth - this
venture out onto beaches, vacation houses and shopping meccas, with only
girlfriends. For years I’ve longed for the same opportunity – to leave the
laundry, the dishes in the sink (okay, I actually HAD to do those before
leaving) and my whining children, barking dogs and grumpy husband all in search
of wine, sales and talk of the cutest of shoes. Yep, I’ve been yearning for a
girlfriend’s weekend.
And as my 4oth birthday approached (I know. I look 29,
right?) I decided to cajole, bribe and beg my high school besties to drop what
they were doing for just one weekend out of the year and join me on a little
trip. Luckily, they all needed a break like I did J and we set the last weekend
in April for our trip. We all live in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma, so we
decided the easiest place to triangulate and meet would be the Dallas area. One
of the gals lives in Plano and suggested an area called Legacy which has great
upscale outdoor restaurants and cute little boutiques. So off we went.
And it was wonderful!
Incredible!
And felt so good to be with the girls who knew me so well.
My son asked why I was so excited about this trip, and the only way I could put
it is that when you grow up with people, there’s this automatic bond. You go
through all these things together – first kiss, first period, bra shopping,
break-ups, studying for finals and….growing up. All those strange and yet
wonderful firsts forge something special, or at least that’s the way it was
with us. Doesn’t matter how long it’s been, it’s as comfortable as that pair of
Levi’s in the closet, as sweet as that bottle of vanilla vodka we mixed with
our Cokes, and far more valuable than could ever be described. We talked, we
laughed, we cried and it was PERFECT. I’m not kidding. PERFECT.
I posted a pic so you could see how happy we were to be together…we’ve
all changed, but one thing has not, and that’s our need to be together, love
each other, and not do any laundry. Oh, and I brought them all a copy of Waters Run Deep, my new book that came
out Tuesday. In that book my heroine Annie doesn’t really have any of these
girlfriend bonds (or any others for that matter), but she finds a home in Bayou
Bridge…and a chance at love. In one way, I feel sorry for her that she grew up
so unstable she never forged bonds with girlfriends. On the other, I’m a little
jealous of Annie…well, she is a
tough former FBI agent and ends up with a sexy Cajun detective. Hope my Housewives
of Webster Parish enjoy reading one of my books. Should give us something to
talk about at the next get together. Oh, yeah. It’s now an annual thing.
What about you? Have
you ever gone on a girl’s trip? Where’d you go? And if not, what’s your idea of
the perfect girlfriend getaway? Or maybe you’d rather be left alone to read a
book?
29 comments:
The only girls' trips I have gone on were with my sisters. They were a lot of fun. Mostly just going to & from my parents via a road trip.
Oh, but I bet you enjoyed it, Marybelle. Sisters have to be the best thing ever. I don't have any sisters and no first cousins at all, so maybe I craved those bonds because I was stuck with younger brothers (who I do love btw). Either way, those girls were important to me and it was so nice to be with them :)
Oh, btw, Mary Belle is the name of my heroine for the Daily online read coming up :)
Liz, that looks like so much fun! And what a great idea!
My girlfriend getaways are...RWA conferences! My best childhood friend writes for Hqn Blaze, and she is my permanent conference roomie. I cannot wait for Anaheim this year!
From MarcieR
About ten years ago a girl in my Tae Kwon Do class and I went to New Orleans for the National Competition. After the comp, she had a couple of her girlfriends join us to see the city. I had always wondered what it would be like to have a girls weekend and this one was not the way I wanted it to be. They drank and kissed strange guys and I wanted to see the sights and do the touristy thing not party all the time. So it was a bust with the friends, but I came away from the competition with a bronze and silver metal! WOOT.
I have a group of friends I named the Surf Sisters. We don't surf, but we go to the beach together every year. Now that I'm moving to Florida, they are planning to come here to see me in June. We have lots of adventures. Cat fights, laughing a lot, getting into trouble, all sorts of happenings. They are truly like sisters. My book Once Upon a Blue Moon (It was a Next) was based on our adventures. I sure will miss those gals. I'm glad you decided to have a girlfriends weekend, Liz. Every woman should do this!!
Liz,
Sounds like you had a great time. Welcome to the Fabulous 40's!
I am heading off on a girls weekend this week. Sort of. I'm going on a writer's retreat. I don't know anyone all that well, but it doesn't matter. I can't wait.
Last weekend my boys went away for the annual opening of fishing season. I had the house to myself. Except for the people who live in my head. I got a TON of writing done. I'm close to finishing my WIP. Just have to go through each chapter and fine tune. Oh, and add about 10,000 words.
Liz, congrats on setting up your first annual girlfriends weekend!!!
A few years ago, my 4 sisters and I and one S-I-L rented a van and drove to Ottawa in February to visit my daughter where she was in her first year of university and to skate on the Rideau Canal. While we were there, we broke the elevator in her dormitory and were trapped for ages with all of our heavy winter clothing on. Half of us were menopausal, so by the time help arrived from off-campus to get us out, there was a pile of clothing in the middle and we were in long johns and camisoles. The elderly man who came in on his weekend off to rescue us politely turned away while we got dressed again.
My daughter said the elevator had never broken before, nor since.
We skated on an absolutely frigid but cloudless day, ate hot beavertails on the canal and had an absolute blast!!! No one can laugh themselves silly like a bunch of female friends out to have a good time.
I'm so glad your weekend worked out for you, Liz! These kinds of memories last forever.
I went on a wonderful girls weekend to Washington DC. We saw all the sights, museums. It was so much fun.
Liz ~ So glad you had a great weekend with your girlfriends.
I've never been on a girlfriend's weekend but I do love shopping at the greenhouses with my sister.
Also spent 4 hours in a Chinese supermarket with my sister in law once. I think we read every label in the store.
Liz! Congrats on your first girl's trip! I dearly, dearly love my husband and son, but almost as much I love those girl trips. In fact, we girls are soon going to a women's retreat at a spa hotel. Great package, great price, great time expected! Sorry, did I seem too enthusiastic? My child is 21, so there is no longer even the "am I a bad mommy" questions, and best of all, my husband now feels free to enjoy his time away and has even learned the blessedness of spending stressless time in one's own home all by oneself.
Great post! Thanks.
Hi Liz,
I've been waiting and waiting for your book to come out ever since I saw the cover months ago. I'm saving it for my weekend treat.
I've done a bunch of girls weekends with my high school buddies and my cousins and my writing buddies. Like Cathryn, I room with my very good friend at RWA every year and we use our time "wisely" while we're away. (Wise = good food, lots of laughs, tons of book talk, late nights, etc.)
You're right about the special bond with old friends. My RWA roomie and I started out as strangers in a baby group with our infants on our laps. Now our babies are teenagers and we're writing romance! Times change, but the friendship doesn't.
What a neat post! Love the picture.
From MarcieR
OMG Mary Sullivan!! Funny stuck in the elevator story! Tho I know it wasn't funny at the time!
Okay, I need to make some knew friends. Sounds like a good time for all!
Cathryn - I love seeing all my friends at RWA too. I usually room with someone from my chapter, but one year I roomed with three other ladies I didn't know all that well, and we had a great time together. I can't wait for Anaheim either. Fun will happen.
Aw, Marcie, I hate you didn't enjoy the trip as much. Guess NOLA is a town some people loose their inhabitions in. A shame you didn't find someone to do the tours with you because some fascinating history exists in that wonderful city - I lived there for seven years and know what it means to miss New Oleans :)
Everyone has fun when they're with Lenora...or Elnora. Have you introduced the Super Author Blog to Elnora yet (Psst....Elnora finds trouble). LOL. I may have to join those Surf Sisters because I'm going to miss you when you go.
Oh, Mary, I remember this story from the old Super blog on eHarlequin! Too funny. Hey, when you're hot, you're hot...and clothes must drop. Thanks for sharing that. I don't think that's a memory that will ever fade for you sisters.
Tammy - I loved when I went to DC for Nationals. The only other time I'd been with family, but being on my own with savvy, smart women...and great little street cafes made it so much fun. I didn't get to do any museum other than the Ford Theatre, but I plan on going back soon. Great place to visit any time.
Kaelee - I'm assuming the greenhouses are for gardeners? If so, count me in. I love looking at plants and flowers. Take me to a nursery anytime.
Don't think I've been to a Chinese supermarket. Sounds intimidating but fun. What were some of the ingrediants? Were they exotic?
Ah, the spa. Perfect girl's trip, Mary. One of my friends owns a lash boutique where she does tinting, extensions and permanent makeup. She actually brought us some spa bags and did a little tinting of brows and lashes for the blondes. Lots of natural blondes in our group - never knew they had to tint brows. Have fun :)
So cool the way you first began, Ellen. How awesome is that?
Oh, and thanks for looking forward to my book. I've been looking forward the Shadrach's, ahem, I meant Deacon's book forever! I hear everyone is recommending it ;)
Well, if you bring me some of those fresh tomatoes from that garden you're growing out back, you can come with us next time. LOL. It was serious fun! And worth every penny. Plus I scored some awesome shoes!
Hi Liz,
I envy you those old friends. The closest trip I can think of- weekend at a mountain cabin near where we live with some 'more recent' friends. And it was fun.
Hi Liz ~ My sister in law is a widow but her husband used to be a liquor license inspector. In the course of his job he learnt a few secrets from the chefs in Chinese restaurants. My SIL eats a lot of things that most non Asian people wouldn't. However we did buy an egg that we didn't eat as it had an embryo in it. We also bought ginseng tea, ginger tea, a lot of sauces and some filled buns. The one type of candy we bought was not enjoyed either but I can't remember what it was.
Laura - we take family vacations with our more recent friends and we always have a blast. You know, I love friends at all stages of the game. New friends are fun, but there is something to be said for the girl you sat beside in kindergarten and then later held her hair back while she threw up all that Strawberry Hill she imbibed at Sadie Hawkins dance. Yeah, I know. Ewwww! But that's what girlfriends do :)
Interesting, Kaelee, and gross on that whole embryo thing. I'm not really adventurous when it comes to foods. I pretty much stick to the American stuff. Okay, and French fries. LOL.
My gal pals and I have been having Girls Weekends for aobut 30yrs. We have gone to visit our friends in PA, gone to Las Vegas, gone to the Spa and to each other's homes and cottages....We are due one soon, but one of us is going through a tough time with a husband who has cancer. So we will try to make sure she comes with us if she can.. If not we will just to a day thing... We all support each other. That's what friends are for.
How right you are, Kathleen. We are good support and so important for comforting each other. The last time we all traveled together, we went to Memphis to visit Tina's son who was at St. Jude's. Unfortunately, he passed away, and I can't tell you how much it meant to me that I got to experience a small slice of her life. My heart broke the day she lost him, and I still cry when I think about it. Not all trips are joyful, but they are necessary. We needed to be with her and she needed us there...if only to laugh through the tears.
Never done a girls weekend. Seems like you had a blast though! Didn't have anything but brothers and boy cousins around me when I was growing up. My sisters are 14 and 15 yrs younger than I am! Congrats on your 40th birthday! I have quite a few years on you, but I remember my 40th. My son was 6 months old and I pretty much had my hands full with working full time, my DH working on another island and only home on weekends! Luckily I got to take my son to work with me almost the whole first year of his life!
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