Nov. 18. By Lindsay Martell. November is one of those months that begins so sweetly. A pumpkin spice latte here, a few pieces of Halloween Kit Kats there. A happy sugar and caffeine buzz that blends beautifully with the finally-fall weather.

And then, the sweetness wears off and we’re left with full-on pre-holiday chaos: we’re talking turkey, so much football, Black Friday, and a lightning fast sprint into December.

Oi.

Before we get felled by all of the, er, revelry, and putting all of the holiday-ness first, finding new ways to move your body is a great way to de-stress, detox (see Kit Kats, above), and flex yourself physically and mentally.

That’s what I did when I signed up for a line dancing class at Primal Brewery in Huntersville. I shelved all feelings of inadequacy, ransacked my closet looking for something remotely western to wear (zero luck; I’m about as Morticia Adams emo as you can get), and headed to Primal, where Chrissy Nicole (Dance w/Chrissy on Facebook) leads a cadre of newbies in the basics of a 32-count, four wall line dance to the T-Pain song, Bartender.

Soon, I was breathless, confused, and loving every second of it.

I consider myself fairly coordinated (thanks to a ballet background and the occasional cardio fitness class), but line dancing had the synapses in my brain working overtime. By the end of the 60 minute class, I was hot, parched, and mumbling the counts on repeat. As I dodged the raucous cornhole games on Primal’s outside patio, I floated on the memories of those 32-counts. It was the kind of high that comes from working hard on something that challenges you from head to toe.

According to a 2024 British study, dancing is better for depression than other forms of exercise like walking and yoga, with data showing dance is even more effective than some antidepressants.

Will line dancing make your holiday stress disappear? Not entirely. But will you feel about a million times better after mastering a 32-count four-wall pattern? 100%.

Murray’s Mill Historic District / HACC photo

And while not the euphoric thrill ride of finally getting the counts right on the dance floor, exploring Murray’s Mill in eastern Catawba County was a quaint way to spend a few hours. My husband, daughter, and our little pup, Dug, had lunch next to the historic 1913 mill dam, a picturesque spot that also includes an easy hiking trail around the millpond, and statuesque corn fields that had both me and my husband showing off our Gen X-ness with more than a few “Children of the Corn” jokes.

I mean, how could we not?

So, it’s November, and maybe you’re stuffing your Amazon carts to get a jumpstart on the holidays, or asking if you really want to buy tickets to the (fill in the blank holiday events that take over Lake Norman), catch your breath by learning something new (Thanks, Chrissy!), or soak in the natural beauty all around us.

Isn’t that always in season?

Martell

Milling About is a new column about life around Lake Norman, written by Lindsay Martell. The column name is a nod to life around the lake and our town’s mill history.

Lindsay Martell lives in Birkdale with her husband, daughter, and a scruffy mini mutt named Dug.