Life of Riley

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I took the day off to spend with Dawn while she's here in Rhode Island... the life of Riley for a day!

I lollygagged around all morning, sipping my coffee and puttering around at half speed. I replanted a few indoor plants before showering and heading over to Sheppard's Run, where Dawn has been staying. The beautiful vineyard and hotel are absolutely perfect for her, and, lucky for me, it's only a few minutes from my house.

I found Dawn and her husband sitting in the peaceful living room, where I joined them for a bit before we wandered outside to admire the beautiful grounds and then headed off to lunch. Dawn was craving clam cakes, so naturally, we all headed to George's, where we dined like kings! Our table was overflowing with appetizers, entrées, and desserts, and we practically rolled ourselves out of there completely stuffed.

George's is such a great spot when you're looking for that classic New England vibe. Sitting above the water, you can watch the fishing boats come and go and catch the occasional ferry passing by. And if you're visiting Rhode Island, chowder and clam cakes are an absolute must!

After lunch, we all browsed through the little souvenir shop below the restaurant. Channeling my inner tourist, I even bought myself a sweatshirt. Why not?

We eventually headed back to the vineyard, where Dawn and I sat outside sipping wine all afternoon as if we didn't have a care in the world... other than keeping an eye on the clock and waiting for dinner time to roll around!

I headed home for a quick change before meeting up with everyone again for dinner at Matunuck Atelier, where we were joined by Dawn's friend, Patty. I've heard about Patty for years but had somehow never met her until now. She was every bit as wonderful as Dawn had always said, and the two of us were tickled pink to finally meet.

Dinner was incredible. There were so many appetizers that they barely fit on the table, followed by salads, entrées, and some pretty incredible desserts. And how on earth was this the first time I'd ever tried olive oil cake?! It sounds kind of gross, I know, but trust me... it was delicious!

The conversation never slowed down, and before we knew it, we'd been sitting there for more than three hours, stuffed to the brim but smiling through every bite and every new topic of conversation.

I'm not sure my waistband could handle Dawn's lifestyle! I enjoy food way too much. No wonder she orders everything but only takes a bite here and there... she's figured out the secret! Me? I'm over here cleaning my plate and wondering how soon I should start my diet.

It was such a fun day with my bestie, filled with good food, great conversation, plenty of laughs, and absolutely no rushing around. Days like this make me realize that sometimes you just need to slow down, enjoy the people you love, and indulge a little... or, in our case, a lot!

And now I'm thinking it's definitely time to start planning another trip to see her in Florida... hopefully sooner rather than later....but I may need to give my waistband a little warning before I visit!

“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
— Oscar Wilde