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An Unfortunate Weekend Away

Dale and I have a long standing tradition of going away for the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. It started back in 1997 when we went to the Cape together to celebrate our engagement and I think we’ve managed to get away just about every year since. The last few years we have gone to Florida to visit the kids but that didn’t work out this year, for various reasons. We had planned, instead, on going up to Freeport, ME, but then my dear friend from college contacted me and told me about a tweet-up in Ogunquit at the Beachmere Inn. I told her, I don’t tweet much, but she said that was irrelevant and we were welcome to join in on the group rate. So we made the plan and on Friday we headed north.

It started out as a wonderful day. We had a delicious lunch at a taco spot in Kittery, drove a bit up the coast to check out the sea ducks, and then arrived at the inn. Our room, a suite with king-sized bed, a beautiful living room and spectacular ocean views, was lovely. We settled in and then headed out to pick up some supplies – cheese & crackers, beer, snacks, and the like.

By the time we got back from our jaunt to the grocery store I was just not feeling like myself. I tried to ignore it and made myself a martini. I took two sips and didn’t touch it again. (I’ll let that settle in for those of you who know me well.) Within minutes I was in the bathroom puking my guts out. And unmentionable things were happening on the other end, too. I continued to “throw and go” every 30 minutes from 7pm until 2am. Good times, my friends.

Saturday morning I dragged myself out of bed and managed to shower and get dressed to have breakfast with my friend, Chrissie, and her boyfriend Tony. I fought back nausea and exhaustion but I don’t think anyone was the wiser and we did have a lovely visit. I spent the afternoon back in bed, napping and resting, while Dale watched an old black and white movie out in the living room. I actually felt pretty good when I woke up but it didn’t last long and I just couldn’t muster the strength to think about dinner or food. Dale went out and bought me a box of saltines and a pastrami sandwich for himself. We watched a movie together (well, he watched and I half watched/half slept) and I went back to bed at 10pm.

Sunday morning I felt much better and had a more pleasant breakfast and visit. Dale wanted to visit Kittery Trading Post on the way home and I was fine with that so long as I could just sit and knit while he shopped. I did and he did and we made it home in time for the Patriot’s game. I made some homemade chicken and rice soup and that also helped with the healing of my body but the football game did nothing to make me feel better, I can tell you that.

Monday I felt mostly better and we spent the day bringing Hannah back to college. She is happily ensconced there and we are adjusting to our home without her. I still miss her but it’s much easier this time, and having the house to ourselves again is a nice change.

The romantic weekend away we had planned was certainly a bust! My husband is a great sport, though, and he never complained once. Not when we couldn’t go out to dinner. Not when we couldn’t do any sightseeing or walking around the town. Not when I spent most of the weekend either in the bathroom or asleep. Not even when he caught the virus from me and got sick himself – with a much milder case, thank goodness.

I owe him a do-over on this weekend, that’s for sure.

This Post Has 32 Comments

  1. So sorry you caught the latest ‘bug’ during your romantic getaway! Glad you’re feeling better! You still managed to take some gorgeous photos 🙂

  2. Aw, that sucks!! That happened to me three Christmasses ago when I went to London (England). It was horrific, but my man was a great sport about it.

    Hope you’re feeling better. And a do-over sounds like a fantastic idea!

  3. Glad you’re feeling better…guess this weekend proved the part of your wedding vows “in sickness and in health”. A do-over is a great plan.

  4. All I can say is ugh! Ugh that you caught that nasty bug and then had to
    endure the Pats terrible game. The up side is you have a wonderful man
    who took care of you and didn’t complain!

  5. Only 2 sips only from a martini = definitely something wrong! Not fun. A weekend do over would be in order for sure. So was it the taco? Glad you’re feeling better.

  6. UGH! Not much is worse than being really sick. Oh yeah, being really sick away from home!! I’m glad to hear you are back on the mend! And your ocean shots didn’t suffer – nice!

  7. It’s just no fun to be away from home when you’re sick and to be away on what was to be a romantic weekend is even sadder. Take care, my friend. May Dale feel better quickly.

  8. What a shame! Glad you are feeling better. Those ‘sickness and in health’ times are true indicators of love though.

  9. Oh, Carole, I’m so sorry – being sick is bad enough, but not being at home when it happens makes it that much worse. I’m glad you’re better now.

  10. Oh no…poor Carole and Dale! I’m glad you have both recovered and hope your next trip more than makes up for this one. “Throw and go”…I love that phrase! I’ve always been blessed with a cast iron stomach, but I remember the first time I had the T&Gs after about 12 years with Pete. From the bathroom, I heard him on the phone with the doctor’s answering service, “But you don’t understand – this is my wife. She NEVER throws up!” 😉

  11. OH, I’m so sorry to hear that your lovely weekend was spent being sick. I hope that you are both feeling better now.

    Both of you deserve a do-over for that weekend. It looks like a lovely spot.

  12. Oh, no – what a rotten thing to happen! Isn’t it great, though – you were celebrating your engagement, and this was a perfect illustration of life and love together. In sickness and in health, baby.

    I’m glad you’re feeling better – definitely a do-over is needed.

  13. That. Just. Sucks.

    The stomach bug has been going around. I think I can deal with anything but that.

    I hope you guys have another trip planned soon. You definitely deserve a do-over for sure!

  14. Oh, I’m sorry! I thought it was the taco, but it sounds worse than that. GLad you are mending, recovering.

  15. I think it is so hard to be so sick when you are away from home! Glad to hear you are better and hopefully Dale is better, too.

  16. Hope you and Dale are completely back to normal soon. My niece had the stomach bug last Friday/Saturday as it went around where she works. Our house has been fighting a cough/cold since new years.

    The trip does sound like it would be a lot of fun when completely healthy and I hope you get to enjoy a do-over.

  17. We’ve never had any problems with the food at Loco Coco’s aside from occasional attempts to slip dead animal into our veggie burritos. Sounds like you may have had a Norwalk-like virus, though, which generally takes around 24 hours to incubate. Having been there, done that a couple of times myself, I can certainly empathize. Anything you might have eaten prior to the trip that Dale didn’t have?

  18. What a lovely place, but what a way to spend a weekend there!
    Glad you’re recouping, sorry Dale got it, and you know what?
    Isn’t that what the line “for better or for worst” is all about?
    (((hugs)))

  19. that same virus is making the rounds on the west coast too. ugh.. It’s missed my house so far, but I am knocking on wood as I type.
    stunning photos.

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