Last night, the four of us headed downtown to enjoy some of the Azalea festival. First stop, Kilwin's for some killer ice cream. Punk scoped out all the varieties through the glass and settled on the rainbow-looking one. When he found out it was called "Superman" ice cream, he was elated! After his first bite, he mused, "I bet this can make me fly high!" :)

Anyway, we wound up parking out in the neighborhood of historic houses. I could walk those streets and day-dream about those houses--their histories, their many families, the amazing stories and secrets they hold--for days on end and never tire of it. On the way back to the car at the end of the evening, we passed a magnificent porch with a lovely house attached. It was set back from the road with a glorious garden between. I stopped in my tracks to admire it. It was just gorgeous. Aaron remarked, "I bet you'll have something like that for your mansion in heaven."

Oh! I sure hope so! I would so enjoy eternity in a home like that! I would spend hours in the heavenly library researching wallpapers and paint colors. I'd lose entire afternoons in the antique shops (where every thing would cost only a smile!). I'd sip sweet tea on my veranda with each lovely visitor, sharing the story behind my latest and greatest finds. My garden would either bloom victoriously without a thought from me, or else, I'd have heaven's most charming gardener, probably an old soul, to work magic there. Then, zhe and I would sit in our rocking chairs and admire zir work together. I hope my gorgeous mansion could be like a bed-and-breakfast. I would so enjoy entertaining like-minded travellers from other places and times within heaven, getting to know them for a little while before they moved on. I'd especially enjoy a little quiche lorraine or my signature eggs florentine with repeat visitors.

As we were driving away from our parking spot, I realized that the grand mansion we'd parked next to was a real bed-and-breakfast. It was on the corner of Nun St. and 2nd Ave. I looked it up on the web and it's real name is "The Verandas" (click here to see why), but if it were my little slice of heaven, I wouldn't be able to resist calling it "Second to Nun"!