The past week we spent at our home in Wilmington, NC. I was thrilled that Bryan, Laura and Brylee flew down to spend the week with us. It was the first time they saw the house. Of course they loved it! All in all it was a great week spent with Brylee. Bryan had arranged a charter boat for fishing that Wednesday for him and Pete. Brylee was asked if she wanted to go but decided she wanted to stay with “the girls.”

They had a good time fishing on a small 22 foot fishing boat with the captain. It was just the three of them for four hours. They fished in the intercoastal and the ocean. Their catch, (which was abundant), included Bonita, Spanish Mackerel, and Redfish. That night Bryan grilled all three types of fish three different ways. I made my potato salad, (no mayo) and fresh tomato salad with mozzarella, red onion and basil. I had invited my friend Rick and his wife Monique. I’ve known Ricky since high school, he was one of my best friends brother. He hadn’t seen Bryan since he was about five years old! We also celebrated Brylee’s sixth birthday since we’re not going up for her birthday nest week.

We went to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Kure Beach. It was a nice day. We found the aquarium to be a little lacking as far as live exhibits. They did have an albino alligator along with another and that was it for alligators. Lots of local fish and jellyfish too. The best part for all of us were the river otters. They are so cute and playful.* After that we went out to dinner at Oceanic on Wrightsville Beach. Great dinner, Bryan and Brylee went down to the beach and we stayed on the deck and watched them. The weather wasn’t hot enough to go swimming, (some people were in the water), but she got her feet wet and Bryan had to chase after her. Paybacks a bitch! Pete and I took Brylee to the pool and Pete went in the water with her even though it was cold.

• Otters, I saw a documentary on otters and it stated that they have very few natural enemies, are very social and play in the water all day. Ever since that, I decided that if I do come back, I would like to be an otter.

Another day we went down to the River Walk along The Cape Fear River and ate at Elijah’s. We went into The Cotton Exchange and all along Front Street. The last night we ate at my favorite restaurant in Wilmington, Indochine. They loved it, but they loved everywhere we ate!

Relationships on this trip was ok. Bryan was Bryan, very accommodating and outgoing. Laura, not so much. She was sick with a cold, they all were. She passes out on the couch before nine. Always feeding Brylee junk food with her usual chicken nuggets. She will engage Pete in conversation but not me. We’ll converse but I always have to start the conversation and it’s most likely about her kids and family. Never asks questions or shows any interest in me. She sees me setting the table and getting ready and doesn’t offer to help. When Pete clears the table she does help. I thought maybe she’s not a girls,”girl,” but she has friends, mostly they’re family, lots of cousins. Another female relationship that eludes me.

Now Brylee is a whole other story. She is a joy in my life! We had a great time everyday. She’s smart and funny, curious, and cute as all get out. I had gotten her an acrylic paint canvas with paints, (it was a set I got in Michael’s). I sat with her while she painted and showed her how to edge. I also got her a kit to make a wind chime, which she’ll do at home. As usual I got her a ton of clothes. Last year she said, “Grandma why do you buy me so much clothes?) I told her because she looks so cute in all of them and besides she gets toys from everyone else. She gave me a fashion show with poses and all. We played Crazy 8’s, colored, and did some gardening. I showed her how to weed, (must get it from the roots). We spoke our “special language,” and singed songs. Her new favorite, “My Girl”, by The Temptations. They are using this for her next tap recital. We had to sing it over and over and over again! She was my barnacle like last year sitting on my lap in the wheelchair everyplace we went. She wanted to sit next to me at every meal. We also played a game she made up about her being a Jeannie, granting me wishes. I told her my biggest wish was to live closer to her so I can see her more often. When it came time for them to go she started crying. I held it in as long as I could and they drove away with tears streaming down her face. I cried after she left because the one joy in my life was leaving and I was left with Pete.