A Visit from the Dunns

     Today Bernie and Ann Dunn, who had been at a convention in Myrtle Beach, escaped for a day and paid us a visit in Charleston.  They are a couple with whom we have camped, eaten, and imbibed for the last decade.  It was a quick visit, but daughter Cindy was available to play tour guide in her area of expertise in downtown Charleston.  We dropped off her car at work at the Post and Courier and proceeded to the newly renamed Riley Park and the "Pineapple Fountain".

     The pineapple has been a symbol of hospitality in the area since the days of the square riggers.  As the story goes, when the ship captains returned from their global journeys, they brought back, among other things, pineapples.  So when a pineapple appeared on the gatepost of the captain's house, it meant that he was back and ready to entertain.

     After a quick, but relaxing, pause on the "Battery" with views of old Fort Sumter and a huge cargo ship coming in to pick up a hold full of BMWs, we drove over to Queen Street and the Husk.  In a city of great restaurants, Husk is one of the best.  Our lunches included: country-fried steak, shrimp and grits, southern fried chicken and bacon cheeseburgers with a side of cornbread in a real cast iron skillet.  It is amazing what attention to detail and a great waiter can do to otherwise conventional fare.
    

     The Dunns are both "foodies", and they understand the importance of good knives in the food business.  It was interesting, therefore, to see this truck parked in the area of several fine restaurants.

     We got back to the house at four and sent them on their way as scheduled.  Baxter, of course, slept through the whole affair.  He greeted the Dunns appropriately with a wagging golden tail, but he soon retired to his bed in front of the fireplace and contentedly dozed off.