Updates and Twinkle Lights!

Dear Bloggers, Readers, and Blog World,

I offer my apologies! I have been gone far too long, and although I think I have a pretty good excuse, I have missed you so much!!
I had shamefully forgotten how much I loved posting here and sharing with all of you - return readers and new ones - all of the things that I love and get up to!

So, to recap on the past few months, and just briefly to spare you all the long drawn out story time!
My Sister moved to NYC, and has been staying with me until she gets on her own feet here, and I am happy to report she has done good job of it to! And right before Christmas - I think she got her Christmas wish! ;)
I got a new job!! Which, I have now been in since September, and I absolutely adore!!! I feel I am very lucky indeed that in this economy I was able to move from one company, right into another, and with more money! So, from an Architecture firm to a high end Interior Design firm as a project manager.. and I couldn't be happier!!
Home is pretty much the same. Same lovely apartment, with my fat boy slim cat, Oscar! He has gained a few more toys since August mind you! Thanksgiving was spend with my Sister at the Macy's Parade - I've been here over three years and that was the first time I'd seen it! And the holidays, of course, also came with the traditional trip to Las Vegas with my Dad!!!
On the romantic side of my life, my boyfriend and I broke up, I believe I had mentioned him on here before. Still, when it's not working, it's just not working.
And now we are all rolling on into Christmas!!! Which my the way - I LOVE!!!
Last night, while my roomie, and my sister was out, I had a glass of wine, sang Christmas songs and put up my own set of gorgeous twinkle lights around the breakfast bar! I hung my pretty glass ornaments from them too, and I must say, they look pretty special!! I went for the white wire twinkle lights of course - they are soo much nicer when a tree isn't involved!!
Talking of which, the tree was out of bounds due to my fat boy slim! Who I believe would have had way too much fun trying to eat the thing! This way is much more cat friendly, and still so beautifully Christmasy!!!! Oh!! It's so exciting!!

And so, to finish off my long update of goings on! I've posted below some pretty images of twinkly lights... because they're not just for Christmas, and yes, I'm trying to convince myself I can keep mine up all year round!! I love them around the bed - so beautifully pretty and rustic!!

Outer Banks, North Carolina

The Outer Banks, North Carolina.... Where we got to spend a gorgeous four days over Memorial Day weekend relaxing on the beach, exploring the area, having fun, and where I got to do a few 'firsts' in my life!!

Which included.... eating pulled pork - real NC style, which when done well is soo good!! eating a dolphin sandwich (although tasty, I wonder if this negated all of the dolphin friendly tuna I've always insisted on buying?), and riding on a Wave runner!! but more of that later!! I also got to see Delaware, Maryland and (the East side) of Virginia on the drive down there! (oh, and NC too!)

I think one of my favorite parts of the trip were the sunset walks on the beach, it was quiet, beautiful, peaceful, and romantic... I loved taking the short walk to the beach, watching the sky turn pink, and feeling the waves curl around my feet.... I picked up so many shells too!!

The above two photos are from one of those sunsets.. just ... beautiful.

There was one scary moment on the first day, while out in the waves, it seemed the sea wanted to teach me a lesson... Lets just say, there was a strong rip tide, and I was very thankfully saved from what potentially could have been rather tragic... 

And so, I was happy to see the sun set on another day, where footsteps in the sand could be made.. 

Above is the short walk we took to the beach, it was soo nice to be as close as we were! And with my milky white skin (yes, I like it that way!!) I slathered on 50 strong sunblock to stop myself turning into a painful lobster colored woman!!!

Wave runners!!! I had sooo much fun on these!!!! We rocked these out on the second day we were in NC, and they were a blast!!! Zooming around at top speed, doing donuts, swishing back and forth and going all out with them!! Loved it!!! And one of the guys on guard said I was good at 'sliding'! Although I'm not so sure what that means, I think from the info I did get, it means making a tight turn smoothly!! (correct me if I'm wrong here!!)

And ohh the houses.... all on stilts to protect them from high seas during hurricanes... some were HUGE! Others, not so much... I did like the aqua blue one in the pic on the left, and one thing I really wanted to see, was the famous house in Rodanthe from the movie (based on the Nicholas Sparks book) 'Nights in Rodanthe' with Richard Gere and Diane Lane. I love that house, all dark wood with those bright blue shutters!!!

And just like all holidays, they must come to an end... I was sad to see the end of this one, it's for sure. But it was gorgeous, and peaceful, and beautiful, and so relaxing... I loved it. 

If I could, I'd go back in a flash!!