Getting Away With the Girls

My mom, sister and I had our annual girls' getaway weekend last weekend. Every February, we rent a cabin somewhere for the weekend just the three of us, to catch up and bond and do fun girly stuff.

It's important for us to get away together because we truly are three peas in a pod, yet we no longer live in a pod. In fact, we haven't lived in the same house for 25 years. My sister lives in suburban Dayton, my mom in the North Georgia mountains and I in Martins Ferry.

Whenever we are together on other occasions, our attention is divided between children and siblings and other parental units. The girls' getaway gives us a chance to break up the monotony of gray winter days and bring some life-giving sunshine into each other's lives, if only for a brief time.

Last weekend, we rented a cabin at Dillon State Park outside Zanesville, which we all recommend highly. From the maintenance guy who shoveled our porch and sidewalk after Friday's snowfall, to the thick towels and soft sheets, to the super-cleanliness of the place, we were quite pleased.

Our itinerary included four main goals: eat out, shop at the antique and pottery places outside Zanesville, play Scrabble and watch chick flicks.

While going about our weekend activities, I had several "things-that-make-you-go-hmmm" moments. I took mental notes of these tidbits that gave me pause, and I share 10 of them with you below, in the hopes you will find them useful, humorous, "hmmm"-inducing or all three!

1. I noticed that when you get older, the top bunk is no longer coveted by the older sibling but instead is gladly forfeited to the younger.

2. Chick flicks are soooo much more fun to watch with other chicks!

3. (Orneriness Alert) If you're going to get your picture taken in front of a life-size James Dean poster, make sure you don't pose with your hands on your knees directly in front of it. It gives a whole 'nother meaning to that smirk on the Rebel's face.

4. Antique "shopping" is much more about "Oh look! My grandparents used to have one of those!" than "Oh look! I have to have that!" My favorite part? Trying on the old furs and fancy hats!

5. I never knew there were so many talented and creative people trying to sell their beautiful and unique wares. For a taste, visit these shops east of Zanesville: Zanesville Pottery, Casa Bella and Colonial Cottage.

6. When we were kids, Tom's Ice Cream Bowl in Zanesville was a must-stop on the way to or from Columbus, and Maria Adornetto's was the place to go for spaghetti. Tom's is still there and EXACTLY the same — it was like we entered a time warp (except for the prices and the fact that the soda jerks sport tattoos and ear guages). Adornetto's has been updated and expanded but still has great spaghetti!

7. Two nights of uninterrupted sleep and several bouts of belly laughter can do wonders for one's mental and physical health! Doctors should prescribe them more often!

8. It's strange yet gratifying to spend time with people who think, act and talk almost exactly like you. It's as if they validate your very existence.

9. It doesn't matter where you go, you can find kind-hearted and friendly folks, like the sweet owner of Casa Bella and her employees; the young male and female clerks at Rue 21 at the mall in Zanesville who kept pointing us toward the real deals; and the gray-bearded customer at Tom's who approached our camera-wielding trio and, after unnecessarily asking if we were tourists, struck up a conversation.

10. There is nothing like a couple days away from home to make you appreciate and adore your spouse and children even more than you thought possible. Thank you, my dear husband, for making this girls' getaway weekend possible!