When A Heart Breaks

I lost my best friend yesterday. I lost the one person that has ALWAYS, without fail, been there for me. The one that has loved me unconditionally complete with all my faults,the one that has listened to every word I ever said to them, and the one who has never judged me. I lost one of my favorite things in the world yesterday, my dog.

One of my favorite memories of growing up was going to the pumpkin patch only to come home to this wonderful surprise. I was 7 years old and had NO idea I was about to get a dog. I named him Hiccup and loved him the first minute I saw him. I had a lot of family drama growing up and Hiccup was the one “person” who was always there for me. I had another dog, an older golden retriever named Cally, who I loved with all my heart (and was devastated when he died 5 years ago) but Hiccup and I had a different connection. He loved me as much as I loved him, and I could tell.

Hiccup turned 10 in October 2012, so he definitely wasn’t the youngest dog ever but I thought I still had 3 or so years left with him because a beagle’s’ life expectancy is about 12-15 years. I think the reason I’m so upset is because I was caught so off guard. I found out that he was dying last night while I was at work and it honestly felt like my world stopped for a minute. I am very serious about my work, but I put everything down and ran out.

It was probably the most painful thing ever to see the life sucked out of my precious baby. I cried and cried and cried. The worst part is, my dad told me that he noticed something was wrong with Hiccup and that he ran straight up to my room looking for me before he laid down and started to cry. That broke my heart. I never knew how much it could hurt to lose something or someone so close to you. I’ve been very lucky to have not really experienced any real loss in my life so far, so Hiccup dying definitely takes the cake.

My heart is so heavy and I keep wanting to call my “bub” up the stairs and play with him. It is still sinking in that he’s gone and now he is nothing but a memory. I wish I could just hug him one more time.

I miss my best friend but I know he is in doggy heaven with the other best dog in the world, Callahan.

Wilmington, NC

My friends Lydia, Callan and I decided on a whim a couple of months ago to make a trip to Wilmington, North Carolina. I’ve been looking forward to it for the past month and Friday morning we were finally packed up and ready to make our way toward Wilmington. Our main reason behind going was to see One Tree Hill (and Dawson’s Creek) filming locations,but also to go to the beach and enjoy a city new to all of us. The drive was 9 hours too long. If you’ve read my blog at all the past year, you will know that I love to travel even if it is just a city I’ve never been to before. Any new place to me is a great place to me. I can’t even explain the joy I felt as we crossed the bridge that leads into Wilmington as we overlooked the gorgeous Cape Fear River and beautiful Historic Downtown Wilmington. It is even more beautiful in person.

We got to Wilmington at about 5pm and went straight to our hotel to get ready to go to dinner out on the Riverwalk. I pretty much planned the activities and things we were going to do on the trip but this night was kind of spontaneous. We decided to eat at the Riverboat Landing.

What drew us to it was how adorable it is! There are private balcony’s for two people that overlook the river. I wish we could’ve sat out there but seeing as there was three of us, we couldn’t.

After dinner, there was a Red Hot Chili Pepper’s cover band out on the Riverwalk and there were tons of people there. They have live music every Friday. The band was so good and sounded just like the RHCP’s. Seriously. Next weekend is a Dave Matthews Band cover band.. I am so sad I won’t be there for that!

The next day was our “One Tree Hill” day. We creeped around all of the characters houses and such. Here are some pictures.

Me, Lydia, and Callan where the Rivercourt was.

What used to be the Rivercourt

Me and Callan in front of Peyton’s house! I was skeptical about creeping around peoples houses’ and taking pictures but I just went along with it!

Haley’s house in high school

Not the best picture, but this is Lucas’ house.

Me and Lydia in front of Lucas’ door! eeeeepp

Lydia and I on the Sixth Street Bridge, from the opening credits.

The top picture is all three of us underneath Crystal Pier, which is from the opening credits of Dawson’s Creek. They have redone most of the pier but you can see part of the orignal pier down at the end. This one is me just fan girling over this pier. I was so happy there was still a part of the original pier!

In front of B. Davis’ house! The neighbor across the street saw us walking the street and I thought he was going to tell us to go away but he actually offered to take our picture. Haha, he knew exactly what we were doing when he saw us. He was so nice! Along with everyone we met in Wilmington. He told us that they used his house once and we figured out that his house was used for the dare night in season 2 when Nathan and Tim dressed like elves and have to try and sell cookies. Pretty cool!

Outside of the exterior of Tric! Sad that the stairway that led up to Tric in the show was taken down. I thought it was an actual part of the building.

The church that Brooke and Julian got married in!

Me and Lydia in front of what used to be Clothes over Bros and Karens Cafe!

Port City Java, which was Tree Hill Cafe in the show! Really good coffee and looks the same inside as it did on the show!

 

Whitey Durham Field House! They did such a great job of making it look bigger and like a school!

This is Airlie Road, where Pacey pulls over and kisses Joey and also something else really important happens here but I don’t want to spoil anything incase people haven’t seen that part of DC yet!

This used to be Leery’s Fresh Fish in Dawson’s Creek!

Lydia and I in front of the court house in downton Wilmington! Was used on OTH and DC a few times.

All of us!

Sitting where Nathan and Haley sat on the Riverwalk! Love this place so much.

The Riverwalk at sunset.

This picture is from our first night. I think this is right about when I fell in love with Wilmington.

Hell’s Kitchen from Dawson’s Creek! Has the original furniture and decorations from the set. I have a kind of cool story about it! Our last night, Lydia, Callan, and I wanted our picture taken downtown and had to ask some strangers to take it. Two guys were approaching us and I asked them if they could take it! We got to talking to them and they told us they were heading towards Hell’s Kitchen which is where we were wanting to go and it turns out one of the guy’s family owns it. He was so cute. We hung out with them for a while and it was just really cool hanging out in there. It was so much fun and a great last night!

Lydia and I at the Reel Cafe on Front St our third night. I highly recommend it! Great food and atmosphere.

Me in front of Alderman Halla at UNCW, aka Capeside High School!

“Capeside High School”

Okay, if y’all ever go to Wilmington, you MUST go to Chops Deli. It was amazing. Literally my favorite meal in Wilmington.

Port City Java, aka Tree Hill Cafe, had some delicious coffee!

Nathan and Haley’s house! So pretty but it was on a private drive so we couldn’t get a great picture.

So, we try to find Dawson’s house from Dawson’s Creek and came across this. I reallllyyy wanted to drive down there anyway but Lydia was driving and she really didn’t want to. I was so close yet so far away! ahhhhhh

Our last day, we took an hour boat ride down the Cape Fear River. It was really fun and informational! This is just a picture of some condos on Water St. I will live there one day.

All of us on our last night! So sad.

Making a road trip to Wilmington was one of the best decisions I’ve made and money well spent. The OTH and DC creek stuff was really cool to see but I fell in love with Wilmington itself. It is so perfect for me. Not too big, not too small, good night life, super close to Wrightsville Beach. The fact that it is a pretty big place for filming locations is another reason why I could totally see myself living there. I had the time of my life! I want to go back NOW! I really am considering trying to get a job and move their after college. I really wish there was a law school in Wilmington because I think that is what I’m doing after college but in any case, I could move there after! I’m being serious about it too, that city has my name written all over it. Counting down the days until I can go back!