A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Sunday, September 20th

I was soooo tired! I tumbled into the bed, sinking into the depths of the mattress and pulled the (brand new L. L. Bean blue buffalo plaid flannel - soooo snuggly) sheets up to my chin, preparing for a good nights' sleep. What a comfy bed! I curled up on my side, and watched the churning waves breaking on the beach, their white foamy crests reflecting in the moonlight. This was not the usual soft whisper of the sea's lullabye, ebbing and flowing on the sands. These waves were crashing and booming so hard you could feel the sound in your chest! I had left the windows open and shades up so that I would awaken to the sight of the ocean at sunrise, but now wondered if I'd be able to fall asleep with the cacophony of the ocean. I ... didn't .... wonder ..... very long .......... zzzzzzzzzzzzz ...........




When I next opened my eyes, a faint glimmer of light outlined the distant horizon. I laid there for a few moments debating whether I should remain warm & cozy in bed, or take up position on the deck to watch the day break. The desire for a hot cup of coffee prevailed over the comfort of the bed, and I quietly crept down the hall, so as not to awaken my housemates. I needn't have bothered, as everyone was already up and at 'em. The coffee was brewing, cups set out at the ready. Morning greetings were exchanged and we all trooped to the deck to watch the sunrise.







The sky above us was a deep navy blue, graduating to pink, then red and orange near the horizon. This morning's ocean was placid - dark purple with silver and gold highlights dancing across the surface. As I viewed the beach, I could see our neighbors, still benumbed with sleep, stumbling out of the cottages to watch the sky. It seems as though everyone arises for the first few sunrises .... later in the week, the decks and beach would be very nearly empty of gawkers.

After watching a beautiful sunrise, we planned the day's events as Dawn prepared breakfast. Kathy & Buck would be heading north to Whalehead Beach to take possession of their cottage, and Dawn & I ...... well, we had no set plans. After a great breakfast casserole of eggs, hashbrowns, sausage & cheese (Yum! Thanks Dawn!) I finished with my unpacking and setting the kitchen to rights with the "help" of Kathy.

We started with the groceries I had packed in from home.




Kathy wasn't much help.




















We stepped outside to explore our surroundings in the daylight. Wink's Market was directly across the street. How handy is that? I'm not sure what year it was built, but I believe Christ was a corporal at the time.




Our view of the beach road, south, west & north.




Below are pics of Wink's from way back when
(1940's?) and now. There have been a few changes in the area since its founding.


The area today.




We made quick work of settling in - the dishwasher was running, the cupboards organized, the fridge stocked with beer. (Hey, Dawn ...... I finally found the cookie sheets! They were in a drawer under the oven.)

What would the day bring?

Settling In

Before I could even think about unloading the truck, I was hustled into the cottage and out onto the ocean front deck - "Look at this view!" "Wait until you see this!" my friends exclaimed. Well, those silly people ....... it was pitch black outside, what did they think I'd be able to see? As soon as I stepped onto the deck, I could hear the roar of the ocean .... the surf was absolutely pounding the beach. A gust of wind caught me and turning to face it head on, I saw the huge waves, with white foaming crests, breaking close in. The waters rolled up mere feet from the bottom of the deck stairway. Wow. Now, that's impressive.

Reluctantly, I left the awesome sight of the riled ocean, and began the tedious work of unloading the truck. Usually, I arrive early enough in the day to take up residency in the cottage as soon as it is cleaned and ready. By the time evening rolls around, I'm settled in - unpacked, the kitchen organized and rearranged to my liking (all dishes, pots, pans, cookware & untensils washed and put away), the grounds picked up of any litter that might be laying around & the first of many trips to the market have been made.

Due to the lateness of the day, my friends and I simply carried in the baggage, dropping it haphazardly in the front hall. I divied up the bed linens and we began making our beds. Since Buck & Kathy would be staying only that night, they were assigned the sleeper sofa. The 2 bedrooms in Terra Mar were miniscule, but both had windows overlooking the deck & beach. Dawn & I really went through some contortions to get the sheets on, as both beds were tucked snugly into the rooms. The heads, foots (feet?) and sides of both beds were against walls and to make the beds we had to lay on them. That was enough work for one night - we were all ready for dinner.

As she did last year, Dawn packed in crabs from the Pamlico River & Sound. Tonight we would dine on steamed blue crabs ..... later in the week, fried soft shells. Kathy, not an afficiendo of sea food, fixed herself some hotdogs - how can someone not like crab?? We sat down for our first meal in Terra Mar. Crab legs, a big bowl of dipping butter, pasta salad & cold beer, with only the sound of the ocean as background music and great dinner conversation between friends ....... this is what staying on the beach is all about, my friends.


This was my first experience with eating steamed crabs. In addition to the usual dining utensils, an assortment of what appeared to be tools from a Craftsman chest were also laid out. My dinner mates assured me that these items would facilitate obtaining the sweet, tender meat found within these well armored creatures. I carefully watched as Buck & Dawn methodically cracked, pounded, pulled and picked.

Pickin' Crabs - Step by step




Remove the front claws: Put them aside, you can come back to them later.















Pull off the rest of the legs: Sometimes, you get lucky and some crab meat pulls out with them. Just enjoy it.













Open the apron: Pull up the apron on the bottom of the crab and break it off.










Open the crab: You can now easily pull the hard shell off of the top of the crab.






Clean out: Scrape out and discard anything that does not look appealing to you - the yellow "mustard" and the lungs (sometimes called the devil's fingers). Doesn't that look just YUM?












Break in half: You are now down to the main part of the crab. Simply grasp it in both hands and break it in half to expose the sweet crab meat.

The crab meat can be found in all of the little nooks and crannies. This is some of the finest tasting seafood to be had anywhere.






Dawn & Buck made it look SO easy. I, on the other hand (which, by the way, was quite bloodied from getting my fingers stuck in the claws), was making very little headway with dinner. Shells were flying all about the kitchen as I cracked. Kathy, Buck and Dawn would cringe and duck every time I started on a new crab. I kept up a steady litany of apologies throughout the meal. Finally, more from exhaustion than a sated appetite, I finished my dinner. Okay ...... it's true .... this was really excellent eating, but - dang - it was sure a lot of work for a little bit of food!



After a quick cleanup of the kitchen, it was off to bed ...... and I was surely looking forward to falling into the arms of Morpheus after such a long day.

Zoom-Zoom-Zoom to Terra Mar

After beating a hasty retreat from the toxic waste dump also known as the Days Inn, I set the cruise control at 75 mph and sat back to enjoy the ride. Today would be the most scenic, as well as the most difficult portion of the drive. I'd be going through the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah mountains with their winding roads and steep inclines and descents. The leaves were just beginning to display their fall colors - hopefully, on the return trip, the trees would be in their full autumn glory.



Now, many of you have commented on my "bravery" to drive so far all alone. In my mind, it's like going to the grocery store ..... for me, it's about a 30 minute round-trip to the Hy-Vee and back home. I figure if I drive 8-9 hours/day, it is just like driving back and forth to the market 16-18 in one day. No biggy.



I hoped to arrive at Terra Mar around 7:30 or 8:00. The cottage would be available by 3 o'clock or earlier, depending on when it was cleaned. Since Buck & Kathy had only a few hours to drive from their home in Virginia, it was decided that they would pick up the keys and I would go directly to the cottage on arrival. Dawn had worked the night before, so would take a nap before she started her drive of a couple of hours. Dawn was also bringing dinner ..... steamed crabs! (Her hubby, Michael, is a commercial crabman on the Pamlico River/Sound.)



I have some questions about crabs ...... I hope someone can answer them. Okay, we were having steamed crabs for dinner. The only real edible part were the legs/claws, as there is very little meat in the main body. Another night for dinner, we'd be having soft shell blue crabs. The best part of those are the body. Are these different types of crabs or the same species, but in various states of undress? What is the difference between lump crab meat and backfin meat? I assume the backfin meat comes from the area of the ..... ummmm .... backfin. Does the lump crab meat come from the crab's lumps? Why is she-crab bisque better than he-crab bisque?



Kathy & Buck were in the cottage by late afternoon, Dawn arriving around 7 o'clock. We learned later that Tim-The-Realtor had the cottage cleaned first thing, and it was available at 10:30 that morning. Drats! An entire day at the beach wasted!



By the time I reached North Carolina, the sun had set and my usual landmarks were lost in the darkness. It's a straight shot down 168/158 to the Wright Bridge, but I enjoy passing through all of the little towns along the peninsula, seeing how've they changed since my last visit. I whizzed through Barco, Coinjock, Grandy, Jarvisburg, Powell's Point and Point Harbor. Sadly, it was too late to stock up on fresh produce at the Grandy Market - one of the best places to shop in the Outer Banks area. Every time the road curved to the left, I expected to see the bridge, but alak and alas, I learned that there are numerous left bearing curves along the route. Finally, I saw the Mermaid Strip & Gentleman's Club off to my right ..... HOORAY! I rounded that last curve and, even in the darkness, I could see the Currituck Sound before me, and off in the distance the lights of Kitty Hawk, sparkling like a strand of diamonds on the horizon.



I called the cottage to advise Dawn, Kathy & Buck of my imminent arrival. Honoring the promise that I had made to myself to avoid the 158 bypass as much as possible, I zipped across the intersection and onto the beach road. In a few minutes I spied Wink's Market and then Terra Mar, lit up like a Christmas tree. I could see faces in the window and hear excited voices exclaiming, "She's here!" and suddenly the front door opened with my friends spilling out onto the porch. Gingerly, I unfolded myself from the truck's seat, every bone creaking and every muscle aching. Hmmmmm ...... guess I'd need to take more frequent stops on the way home.

As a cold bottle of Miller Lite was pressed into my hand, hugs were exchanged, friendships were renewed and friendships begun in those first few moments.


To be continued .........

I'm A Slacker

Well, I've returned from my vacation and didn't post a single entry onto the blog during the entire trip. Actually, I still haven't finished up last year's vacation posts! I promise to finish Roanoke Island from last year a bit later on.


I departed the Quad Cities Thursday, September 17th. I had planned on leaving the day before, but my left foot had taken on the appearance of a Smithfield ham with 5 Vienna sausages attached to it. (Etiology unknown.) Since my physician had recommended that I not travel, especially alone, I decided to wait another day before leaving in hopes that the swelling would miraculously subside over night, lessening my guilt of ignoring the doctor's orders. No such luck. With the help of Bugs, I loaded up the truck with vacation essentials. I wish I were the type of person who could take one small piece of luggage containing a couple of t-shirts, some shorts, flip-flops, a change of undies and a swimsuit, but ...... I'm not. Two large plastic bins were stuffed with bed linens, towels, my favorite cook ware and foodstuffs. One suitcase held my clothes, another was full of personal hygiene products, books, maps, makeup (why I ever pack makeup is beyond me ..... in over 20 years, I've never worn makeup on the Outer Banks), laptop, phone charger, cooler, etc.

With everything neatly stowed away in the truck, a full tank of gas and an empty bladder, I was ready to roll. A final kiss for Bugs & Addie Maude and I headed out of town!

Since I was departing a day later than planned, I hoped to drive as far as possible the first day. My goal was to reach Beckley, West Virginia by nightfall. The next morning, I would do some power shopping at Tamarack, probably the best place to shop along the route to the Outer Banks. Tamarack showcases West Virginia's artisans. Furniture, clothing, pottery, artwork, music, books, food, quilts ...... if it was made in WV, it's probably available here.






By the time I'd reached Louisville, KY, I knew I'd never make it to Beckley. After driving only 8.5 hours and 530 miles, I realized I was just too tired to continue. Disappointed in my dismal mileage total for the day's travel, I pulled into a Days Inn in Mt. Sterling, KY.

If you are ever in the vicinity of Mt. Sterling (whose claim to fame appears to be October Court Day, a flea market that evolved from colonial times), do NOT, I repeat, do NOT stay at this Days Inn. This was the filthiest, grimiest motel room in which I've ever stayed. Had I not been so tired, I can assure you that I would have been back at the front desk, demanding a refund post haste upon viewing my night's lodging. The carpet was heavily stained and pocked with cigarette burns. The bed spread and blanket were in similar condition. I ended up unpacking my beach towels and sleeping on those. As I showered the next morning, I tried to avoid the mold and mildew on the shower walls and curtain. It was flat out gross.

I wrote to the Days Inn corporate offices and received this:

Dear Lynnea,

Thank you for taking the time to bring your concern to our attention andallowing us the opportunity to address your needs. We are sincerely sorry to hear we did not provide you with an excellent Days Inn experience. You can count on our team to help resolve your concerns. To assist you in reaching a resolution, I've informed the Mt. Sterling, KY general manager of the situation. The general manager will contactyou within 7 business days.

As a company, we're committed to delivering a great experience every time you stay with us, and I sincerely apologize this did not happen in this case. If for some reason your concern is not resolved, please contact me directly at DaysInncares@wyndhamworldwide.com and I will personally helpaddress your needs.

Lynnea, please know that we truly appreciate your feedback and theopportunity to respond to your concerns.

Count on me, Jenna Hughes

Ha. They think I'm going to return to see if my concern was resolved? I don't think so.

I was on the road by 9 o'clock - this would be a long drive. 630 miles and nearly 11 hours. I was not looking forward to the journey.