More From The Crystal Coast!

Stormy weather in Paradise!

This area of the Outer Banks of North Carolina is referred to as The Crystal Coast. Emerald Isle is a quiet strip of Atlantic beach with colorful houses lining the shore, no high-rise in sight. The beach itself is soft sand, no rocks, and not too wide an expanse to the water. To me, it is the perfect beach. It's never crowded, even on the hottest summer day. Here, you can really appreciate the natural environment of the ocean and the shore. I'm mesmerized by the sea, always looking out there for something...and still searching for dolphins in the distance.

Rows of colorful beach houses!

!

A beautiful home-away-from-home!!!

We've been enjoying late-night lightning shows with dramatic rumbles of thunder. Unfortunately, the accompanying rain decided to hang on long after the light show ended, and we woke up to a soaking rain that just now (5 pm) stopped. The forecast calls for a lull and then more rain headed here for the remainder of our vacation. We were house-bound most of today (and if you have to be house-bound, this is the house to do it). After a short shopping trip to pick up a few things for Will's apartment in Charleston, Anne, Will, and I stopped at the grocery store to pick up ingredients for tonight's dinner: chicken marsala. I'm very excited to make this favorite dish tonight. I hope it comes out well. We're having baking potatoes (Idaho or sweet) and green beans, so it should be a really good dinner.

Anyway, rain has put a damper on the day, but we've really had an amazing time here. So far we've had two great beach days, and lots of fun at night with dinner in, and craziness afterwards! Ben and I started it last night with a dance-fest that started with one spontaneous song and ended up going into the wee hours with all of us joyfully dancing like fools in the living room! Anne captured it all in video on her phone and I hope no one ever sees it! It did provide lots of laughs today! I told Anne that if I am ever in a bad mood, all I have to do is watch that video and it will make me laugh out loud!

We've had some memorable experiences so far. We were very fortunate, last night, to witness just-hatched baby sea turtles making their way to the ocean for the first time. The original hatching/migration was three days earlier, and last night we noticed a bunch of people gathering on the beach. I went to see what was happening, and a woman told me that she was part of a group that would be excavating the nest, to count shells left behind and see if there were any babies that hadn't made their way out of the nest. There were two (of about 120-180) still needing a little help and direction. They were lifted out of the nest and started down a cleared path toward the ocean. There were probably 100 people on both sides of the barrier quietly cheering these little babies on. It was very exciting, but at the same time, unsettling to think what might happen to these little guys once they entered the water. I was anxious as the first waves pulled them into the sea, and then pushed them back up onto the beach, only to pull them back out and into the deeper water. It's amazing to see the instinctive pull that guided these sea turtles toward their destiny. I went to bed last night worrying about them, hoping they survive to adulthood and make their way back to this beach one day. The odds are not in their favor, but I'm pulling for them!

Waiting for the babies to appear and start their journey...

Baby Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Ocean-bound!

Look who I met on my walk yesterday...

Pretty mosaic of seashells...

I'm going to get outside while the rain holds off, and hope to bring you new photos of our vacation and the recipe for tonight's chicken marsala in my next post.

Have a lovely evening, my family and friends!

Chicken Piccata, Dining In, and The Carolinas!

Dining Area in "No Regrets" Beach House

One week ago this evening we were rolling into Charleston, the last part of our trip to the Carolinas.  What a wonderful week plus a couple of days we had, me with my sister Anne and her family.  It's even more evident now that fond memories are all that are left of a lovely chunk of August 2012.  While the many-hours-long rides in the car to and from Emerald Isle, to Charleston, and back home were admittedly tough on everyone, I can actually say I enjoyed it.  Of course, I wasn't driving.  I got to sit in the back seat and observe like I never can when I'm the driver -- not just the changing landscape passing by, state by state, but also the interaction and conversations between the front seat and the back seat.  I read two books, and started a third.  I learned a lot about real estate -- Anne's an agent with Prudential in Saratoga Springs -- and a little bit about the car business (John works in the auto industry).  I kept up with my friends on facebook, tracked our routes (and alternate routes) on my Windows phone (really cool!),  and listened to some good music.  We had two cars going down, so I spent part of the time in my nephew Will's car (with my sister Anne) and part of the time in Anne's and John's car (again with Anne).  We headed home in one car leaving Charleston after Will was settled (not an easy good-bye).  Anyway...we spent so much time together that I really missed them just days after we got  home!  So today Anne and I met for lunch at the Olde Bryan Inn in Saratoga (very close to my office), and spent a too-short hour catching up after the four whole days since our trip ended!

Food is always a huge part of our trip to Emerald Isle.  This year, we were there for fewer days and ate out one night, so there were fewer home-cooked meals.  The ones we did have were great, though.  Will told me about a recipe he's made at home (my nephews are really good cooks!).  It was for chicken piccata, and he used Giada DiLaurentis's recipe from The Food Network.  He printed it out for me, and I had to improvise a bit because we didn't have everything the recipe called for, but what we did have created a truly delicious meal.  We bought too many packages (!) of thin-sliced chicken cutlets (no need to pound) which were lightly dredged and sauteed in equal parts olive oil and butter.  After they were removed from the pan, white wine (my addition) and lemon juice were added to create a sincerely delicious sauce.  We had left-over shrimp scampi from the night before, which complimented the piccata beautifully.

Giada's Chicken Piccata
(photo from The Food Network)

Here's a link to Giada's recipe, which is absolutely fine so no need to reiterate, and this is how I improvised with the resources on hand:

• I didn't have straight up AP flour, and didn't want to buy a whole bag since we were there for such a short time,  so instead I used Light Bisquick (purchased for the blueberry pancakes) with the additions of salt and pepper.  (It worked out beautifully.)
• I dipped the chicken cutlets in a beaten egg/milk mixture before dredging in the Bisquick.
• After the first few chicken cutlets were cooked, I placed them on a foil-lined cookie sheet that had been given a quick spray of cooking oil, to keep warm at 250-degrees Farenheit until all the cutlets were done.
• My olive oil/butter got a little too brown after cooking all the cutlets, so I started fresh.  I took about half that liquid, minus the browned bits, and put it in a fresh sautee pan, with a little more olive oil and butter, and then proceeded to add the wine (a few glugs, and not in the original recipe) and lemon juice to the new pan.  
• I didn't have parsley, and no one cared!  
• I served capers on the side, since some people are afraid of capers! 
• All the cutlets were placed on a large serving platter and the sauce was poured over top.  It was very saucy and sooooo delicious!

I can't believe I didn't take a picture, so Giada's will have to do.

If you want a really delicious and somewhat simple chicken dish, and you love lemon anything like I do, try this!

A Week in Pictures

"No Regrets"

Without a laptop for the past 10 days while I was away, this blog's postings came to a screeching halt.  Still, photos were posted on facebook, proof that I was having a wonderful vacation with my sister Anne and her family, first at Emerald Isle, North Carolina, and later three days in Charleston where my nephew Will started classes (today!) at the College of Charleston.

After 18 hours in the car over Sunday and Monday, and then a full work day today, I have barely enough energy to write, so I'll post photos of the past week, and let the images tell the story.  How great is it that this blog serves as a journal of experiences?  All I have to do is look back, and the memories come alive. Here's hoping that this entry proves that to be true as well, when I come back in a month, a year, or five years from now to relive the incredible days that I was so fortunate to spend with my sister and her family.  Thank you Anne and John, for the privilege...

Here we go:

Beach House Photos

The house is named "No Regrets" and there were none!

Emerald Isle Beach Photos

The beach at Spinnaker's Reach, EI, NC

Who's hungry???

Grateful for the abundance...

Storms a brewin'

but just one night, and for just one hour...

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston by day...

Charleston, again

...by night

College of Charleston

A great school for a great kid!!!  Go get 'em, William McGeehan Bishop!

The beach -- it cures what ails me!

Waiting to say "Good Night Irene"

Image from National Geographic

We're in that strange mode of "calm before the storm" as Hurricane Irene makes her way north.  She made landfall this morning at Cape Lookout, NC.  To think that we were on North Carolina shores just one week ago, savoring the last day of a beautiful vacation week, so hard to comprehend given the newscasts and weather updates on my television this morning.  I hope that the people and residences of Emerald Isle weather the storm without too much trauma, and that the entire east coast comes out of this OK.  I don't know if such hope is realistic, but I'll hold on to it.

My sister Anne and me, on Emerald Isle.
One week ago today, August 20, 2011



L-R:  Will, Patrick, Anne, John, Jeannie
Jack, Kristin, Megan, Ben


My nephews Jack and Ben headed north to come home to Saratoga Springs (along with Jack's fiancee Kristin, Kristin's sister, and Ben's girlfriend Megan), ahead of any mandatory evacuations of Brooklyn, NY, and Hoboken, NJ.  I am so grateful that they had the wisdom to make that decision.  There has never been a mandatory evacuation of New York City, which is telling in regard to the potential danger from this storm. 

As I look out my living room window, the sun is brightly shining.  Barely a leaf is moving.  Katie and Bill have cleared their yard of lawn furniture and outdoor toys.  There's still a HUGE boat in the driveway, covered by three canopies on poles, and I have to wonder what will happen to that set-up if we get the 40-60 mph winds that are predicted for our specific area.  And then there's the chicken coop and its residents.  Don't even want to think about that.  Meanwhile, we wait for Irene to make her presence known, some time around midnight tonight with pounding rains predicted for all day tomorrow. 

To pass some time today while the sun is still shining, we're heading to the Washington County Fair.  I wonder if all those farm animals have a sense of what is about to come their way.  You often hear of animals being aware long before humans of pending natural storms and disasters.

Best of luck to all of you along the east coast, especially those in Irene's path.  I did hear of one good tip -- fill your bathtubs with water so you will be able to flush your toilets.  That's something I'd never have thought to do, and though it is not the most glamorous helpful-hint, it sure could make life easier if we lose power!

Take good care!

Photo image credit:  http://www.google.com/imgres?q=hurricane+irene&um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7GGLL_en&biw=1280&bih=513&tbm=isch&tbnid=2lVzLuO0rZDmXM:&imgrefurl=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/08/110825-hurricane-irene-outer-banks-storm-tracker-weather-nation-major-path/&docid=yn64fCLYg_LSKM&w=600&h=450&ei=BPZYTt3aIKi40AG_ipm0DA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=47&page=1&tbnh=164&tbnw=207&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&tx=125&ty=53

Late Afternoon on the Beach

Yesterday was dark and cloudy all day.  It was cool, with a strong breeze, on the beach.  Most of our crew stayed down by the water for a good part of the afternoon, but then we felt raindrops and could see the dark sheet of rain out over the ocean.  It looked like it was coming our way, but the sky above was still dotted with blue among the clouds.  I held out hope that it might blow over, so when everyone packed up and headed back to the house, I stayed on with my chair and my book.  The storm seemed to be moving across the ocean and not inland, so I became engrossed in the next chapter (of The Help) and looked up to see a bright sky and a magnificent rainbow over to the east. 

I stayed there until after 6 p.m., enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon sun, listening to the sounds of the ocean, and watching a young family nearby playing in the sand.  It made me think of my kids, of my grandsons Henry and Peter, and how much they'd enjoy this, too.  I miss those little guys and we talk on the phone every day.  The other day I told Henry (3 years old) that I had a surprise for him, a seashell, and he wasn't impressed apparently!  He said he wanted a car!  (He loves to play with my EI seashells from previous vacations).  Katie held the phone to Pete's ear (almost 10 mo.) and I talked to him, and he giggled.  I don't know why, but little kids sound even cuter over the phone!  So sweet...

Today we're off to visit a light house.  It's my first excursion out, other than to buy groceries, which has been absolutely fine with me, because, why leave paradise?!!!!  Still, we're going to head out.  Not everyone has been as close-to-beach house as me -- my brother-in-law John went for a 45 mile (yes!) bike ride yesterday.  We were all impressed if not worried about him!  I don't think it was his intention starting out to go that far, but he did.  When he got back, a swim in the ocean was just what he needed.  Isn't it just what anyone needs, really?!  I know it works wonders for me!

For dinner last night, we cooked out - hamburgers, hot dogs, andouille sausage.  Earlier in the day, I made a seashell macaroni salad with tuna and egg.  There were baked beans, fresh tomatoes, sliced watermelon - all simple but very good stuff.  Tonight we're having grilled garlic shrimp skewers, jasmine rice, and (special request) my favorite sweet and sour sauce.  We'll probably roast some veggies to go along with it.  It will be our last big dinner since we're all leaving Sunday, so we'll keep it simple tomorrow night.

Here are some photos from yesterday.  I'll be taking more pics today and will post those tomorrow.  Have a great day, everyone!

Thursday on EI, NC - click to enlarge!

Casual Comfort and a Recipe for London Broil Marinade

That lived-in look!

We've settled in and become really comfortable in this beach house.  This  morning starts the mid-point of our week here, and I'm still in "we're here" mode and pushing away any thoughts of this ending any time soon.  We have today, Thursday, Friday, and all day Saturday to enjoy, after all.  That's a whole vacation in itself!

Yesterday was a lovely day.  The weather has been perfect.  Though the weather man says it's been unbearably hot in North Carolina, out here along the Crystal Coast, the days have been perfect.  Yesterday we enjoyed a light breeze by the ocean.  Kristin and Will went for a 5-mile walk to the pier and back.  Jack and Patrick ran that distance. John went for another bike ride.  Anne and I relaxed under the canopy in our spot on the sand, and jumped in and out of the waves a few times. 

Early yesterday, while I was making cheesecake swirl brownies, the kids went shopping at Food Lion and brought back two London Broil steaks for last night's dinner.  On the menu was marinated London Broil, ratatouille, and corn-on-the-cob.  My boss, Mary Lou, had shared a number of recipes with me for this trip (she's an excellent gourmet cook) and I was wise enough to bring them with me, especially her recipe for London Broil marinade.  I whirled the ingredients up in the blender, poured it over our two steaks, and let it marinate all afternoon.  After showers and a happy hour on the deck with delicious appetizers made by the kids (Kristin's guacamole and Ben and Megan's Buffalo Chicken Dip) we gathered for dinner around 8:00 p.m., and stayed long at the table, until after 9:00.  It's been so completely casual and comfortable, producing big dinners doesn't seem like a chore, at all.  Tonight we may take a break and order pizza and have a salad - we like to do that to give the cook a little rest (though I love these dinners)! 

I had a little scare with my camera last night before dinner -- the lens wouldn't retract and the camera wouldn't work, which was the fatal blow to my last camera.  I thought, "Oh NO!  I can't take pictures here in this beautiful place!!!"  It really made me sad for a while, and I was so grateful later when John was able to fix it.  I can't imagine being without a camera while I'm here.  Phew, glad that didn't turn out to be the disappointment it could have been...

We ended last night with a game of Cranium, which was so much fun and had us laughing in hysterics. Ben and Megan won, handily, and the night was over, for me (the kids stay up much later!). I'm usually one of the first to turn in, and fall asleep in a matter of seconds, I think!  Just loving every second here.

Here is a collage of photos from yesterday:

A day of delicious sights, sounds, and flavors...

As today gets off to a quiet start, John is doing a little bit of work-away-from-work (conference call), Jack and Will just left for an early run, I'm here blogging at the dining room table, and everyone else is yet to be seen.  I love early mornings here -- the quiet ease of a true vacation.  This morning I read in bed before I got up.  I've had a copy of The Help for a while now, and am finally getting into it.  As someone who enjoys writing, it's a great book for me, a story about a writer and her process, and so much more.  So grateful to find time, here, to settle in to a good book...

Can't end this post without the recipe for London Broil Marinade.  It's so simple, and made for a very delicious dinner. 

LONDON BROIL MARINADE
from my boss, Mary Lou, who copied it from one of those old community cookbooks
(I'd credit the cookbook, but all I have is a photocopy of the page and the name of the contributor: Mary S. Grimm)

1 c. soy sauce
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/4 c. Gravy Master (we couldn't find any locally, so I didn't use it - used 1/4 c. olive oil, 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar instead)
2 t. Beau Monde seasoning or other salt seasoning (Beau Monde can be hard to find - Wegmann's might have it).

Puree onions, garlic, and soy sauce in blender until smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend.  Use 1/2 cup of this marinade for each steak.  Marinate in glass pan 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.  The rest may be saved in a covered container in the refrigerator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you are enjoying these posts from EI, NC.  I promise to bring you more good stuff every day!

Sigh....

It's Saturday night and we're all ready (physically, not emotionally) to leave the beach house tomorrow morning.  We had a dinner of especially good left-overs (scampi, grilled chicken) and salad.  Anne and I emptied out the refrigerator and cabinets of all that we can't leave behind.  The last load is in the dishwasher.  Beach towels are in the dryer.  It won't take much for any of us to pull our things together tomorrow and be on our way.  We had our last beach day today, a few hours under a cloudy but friendly sky.  The waves were strong and quick, and I was tossed but landed on my feet.  I didn't stay too long in the waves.  There was quality time to enjoy under the canopy.  We could see the rain coming in from the sea, a sheet of gray transparency approaching from a distance, and it arrived too soon, sending most beach-goers packing, and quickly.   It was a good beach week -- we were able to spend a good amount of time there every day -- and the rain was polite enough to wait until we had all had a good time.

After the beach, Anne, Kristin, and I stopped at a local shopping center.  I wanted to find a little something for Henry, and an even littler something for his October-arriving baby brother.  Last year I found Henry little Crocs that he wore until they were just too small.  This year, I found a navy blue zip-up hoodie with "Emerald Isle" embroidered on the front.  New baby gets a onesie with a lobster on the front that says "got butter?".  Cute.

Anne and Will are playing checkers right now, and she just triple-jumped him.  There was whooping and holloring that could be heard a mile away!  Now they're back into the game, contemplating the next move, and the move after that.  I can feel the tension!  Checkers is a wonderful game, and we always play it at the beach house.  I seem to never play it anywhere else. 

To wrap up this wonderful week, here are some pictures that will provide me happy memories for a long time to come.

Beach House Entry

John Peeling Shrimp

Seashells Against a Dune Fence

Nightstand Books

Patrick and Frisbee

Will being Creative

Midnight Golf Cart Ride (who knew we had no headlights?!)

Bishop Boys Stargazing

(They saw a bunch of shooting stars!)

Row of Beach Houses

So long, Captain's Quarters!  Good-bye Emerald Isle. 

Thanks for a GREAT vacation.

You will be missed!

Photos:  by me

Lovin' It Here!

It's Friday already. Hard to believe.  I fly home Sunday, so that "end-of-vacation-is-near" awareness is all-too present. My nephew Patrick leaves the beach house today, continuing on to Florida State University where he starts classes on Monday. I'll miss him. We had quite the checkers match last night. He's the reigning king of checkers, but I gave him a run for his money! In the end, my last three options for moves were all fatal, so he won, but it was a good battle!

The storms of the previous night gave way to a hazy day, so yesterday afternoon we decided to go to the beach. Rather than pack a picnic and take the canopy, we took only our chairs and towels this time. The water had cooled considerably, the waves were bigger, and the lack of bright sunshine made for a different beach experience, but equally enjoyable. We still used sun block as if the sun were blazing. My dad always used to say that a hazy day was worse for a sun burn, for whatever reason. The beach was busy, with a lot of people in the water. Every few minutes, a flock (is it a flock?) of pelicans flew overhead.  Patrick and Will played frisbee and we all jumped in and out of the water, read, sat, relaxed, and took it all in (see picture below).

Patrick and Frisbee

The Boys Bishop - My Handsome Nephews!

L-R: Jack, Patrick, Will, Ben

For Patrick's fare well, we had an incredible dinner last night: slow-cooked baby-back ribs, barbequed chicken, corn on the cob, and potato salad. We had been marinating the chicken for a couple of days in an Italian/Balsamic dressing which flavored it beautifully. I can't remember ever having had ribs. I never order them out, and I never make them, so they were a treat for me. John had used a dry rub, seared them on the grill, and then slow baked them in the oven. When we got back from the beach, I made a chunky potato salad with little red potatoes and lots of celery. The kids loved it. It was my favorite dinner so far. The best part about dinner here at the beach house is eight of us sitting around the table, enjoying a meal together, and lingering for a long while after dinner.

It's about time to say good-bye to Patrick.  I'm going to miss his affectionate and sharp sense of humor.  He's a lot of fun to have around.  Fortunately, his three brothers are all equally good company, and I will enjoy every second with them until we all leave on Sunday.  Checkers, anyone?

Stormy Weather in Paradise

After four glorious days, an incredible storm rolled in last night, just as we were getting ready for dinner.  There was no grilling last night -- we had decided earlier to take a break and order pizza.  The boys and I enjoyed some time on the 3rd floor deck, in awe of the approaching storm clouds.  The sky was black and we could actually see the entire front approaching from the southwest.  It was quite a contrast from the cloudless blue sky of the previous day.

A Perfect Day!

Beach Umbrellas Under a Bright Blue Sky!

Lights flickered on and off a few times, and we were ready with the one candle we could find, just in case, though we never lost power.  The panoramic lightning show all around this many-windowed house provided a lot of "oohs" and "Did you see that?" and "Wow!" and forced a few of us away from the windows, actually concerned that we were too close to the action! 

Up on the Roof!

A seaside storm is an awesome thing.  We're pretty sure that one lightning bolt made contact close to home.  We saw the strike and heard a crack.  My sister Anne said that lightning finds them -- they have a history of lightning strikes finding their real-life homes:  one house was struck twice, another once!  Fortunately, it didn't find us last night!

Skies Overhead

We were off to an easy start this morning.  Patrick and John went to play 9 holes of golf.  Anne and I went to find breakfast out -- a little place called Emerald Grill where a breakfasat platter is $4.99.

I'm thinking that I'm going to relish every second of the remaining three days here, and whether the sun comes out or we have storms for the rest of the time, it doesn't matter.  It's great to be here and to be enjoying time with my sister and her family, storm clouds or no.

Our House Is a Very, Very, Very Fine House!

Captain's Quarters is a very fine house, indeed. I can't imagine how completely cool it would be to live in such a place year-round, though most people don't. Most of these homes are built to be rented, week by week, during the tourist season, and beyond. The lyrics "By the sea, by the sea, by the beatiful sea..." keep playing in my head!

Day 2 at the beach house was just what we figured it would be. I slept late, until about 9:30, having earned about 11 hours of sleep from the previous busy day and days before. Man o man, I must have more exhausted than I even knew! After an easy breakfast, Will and I put together sandwiches and drinks and packed for lunch on the beach. The boys went ahead and set up the beach canopy and chairs, and Anne and I followed right behind them. As I was on the walkway heading to the beach, there were two young girls ahead of me, maybe fourteen or fifteen, both so confident in their bikinis. It made me realize how much time has passed between "then" and "now" and also curious about what kind of bathing suits they'll be donning forty years forward, after life and children, perhaps, have had made their marks on what are now flawless bodies. Oh, cynical me! I hope they appreciate their current perfection!

Walkway to Beach

The beach was more croweded than usual yesterday afternoon. Canopies and umbrellas lined the beach in both directions. This beach actually runs east and west along the Crystal Coast, North Carolina's southern shore. Waves roll in at a bit of an angle, depending on how the wind blows. Eventhough there were a lot of families on the beach, it didn't feel crowded. We spent a few hours and then headed "home" to the pool. Soon it was time to get dinner going, so we all headed in for showers and I started the beginnings of the sauce that would be the foundation for our Italian dinner. Ben helped me make the meat balls. I cooked up some sweet Italian sausage and put together a huge tossed salad. We toasted garlic bread under the broiler and then all sat down to a great spaghetti dinner. Anne uttered those wonderful words, "It smells like a restaurant in here!"...music to my ears.

Ben in the Kitchen

The Aftermath

The kids did the dishes, and we played board games and later sat outside on the 3rd floor deck, late into the night. It was dark but we could hear waves rolling on shore. I went to bed, tired and happy, for another happy day in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, in a very, very, very fine house!!

Beach House, Day 1

OK, let me just say I love it here.  This is my fifth or sixth trip to Emerald Isle, NC, with my sister Anne's family.  This house is GORGEOUS.  Like most of the homes in this part of Emerald Isle, the living area is up on the top floor allowing for the best ocean views.   Bedrooms are one floor below, and a rec room is on the bottom floor.  Porches abound.  This house is decorated in a very nautical theme, with a little bit of 50s kitcsh in the kitchen! 

  Anne and John drove the entire distance and arrived just minutes before me.  Once we went grocery shopping (3 carts-full) and settled in, we decided to hit the beach for a late afternoon swim and happy hour.  The ocean water temperature was just right, still cool but not too warm, and the breeze off the ocean provided a refreshing cooler -- that and beverages on ice.  Anne's boys played football on the beach and it was so good to just sit, relax, and enjoy each others' company.

Dinner last night was burgers and dogs on the grill, with baked beans and a Caprisi salad.  After dinner, I was so tired after three flights and one cab ride to get here, and then all the fun, I went to bed and everyone else stayed up to play Apples to Apples, a card game that had them laughing until midnight (I hear) but I was so knocked out I didn't hear them. 

Cute Kitchen

There's no schedule or agenda this morning.  Patrick and Ben got up early to play golf.  Jack and Kristin are swimming in the pool after an 8-mile run (she's preparing for a half-marathon).  Will is still sleeping (11:10 a.m!).  John made a breakfast of eggs, Canadian Bacon, and toast.  I'm blogging away, looking forward to a day of nothing-in-particular.  There's a sign above the window overlooking the beach that says "Another Day in Paradise."  Ain't that the truth!

Easy Livin'

This isn't real life, this beach living. I realize that. Today is the mid-point of this vacation, the day when you realize that soon enough, you'll be leaving this escape from regular life and return to your normal day-to-day existence. It's not an oppressive feeling, yet, but it is an awareness that what's left of this time here, in our own nirvana, must be savored.

I haven't baked one thing yet and may not for the whole week. We're concentrating on creating simple, delicious dinners to be enjoyed around a big table -- dinners where we sit and talk and hang around for a long time after. After a few hours at the beach and a post-beach swim in the pool, late yesterday afternoon my sister Anne, brother Danny and I drove across the bridge that connects Emerald Isle to the mainland to find the makings of our dinner. Danny chose rib-eye steaks, one for each person, and we picked up white corn (on the cob). I made a sea-shell macaroni salad with tuna, chopped roma tomatoes, cucumbers, and a little onion. Anne tossed a salad. Danny grilled the steaks with a lemon-pepper rub, and my sister-in-law Suzette made me a Cosmo (wow!) but even better, a mushroom sauce for the steaks with olive oil, butter, and garlic. It was a summer night's feast. My nephews Patrick and Will made hot fudge sundaes for anyone who could manage it after dinner, and later we went for a walk on the beach. The moon was not visible but the stars were brilliant. We futily tried to identify consetllations, but most of us have forgotten our elementary school astronomy. Must brush up! After our walk, we hung out on the front porch and could hear the surf along with the cicadas and tree frogs, in what Anne called a symphony of nature. I thought to myself, as I walked with my family, how lucky I am to have this time with them.

I have just awakened to another beautiful day. The sun is streaming in through the dining room window. All is quiet in the house. Will and Patrick are already off to a nearby golf course. My brother-in-law John is sitting on the couch reading a newspaper. Anne, Danny, and Suzette have yet to make an appearance. I'm sitting here, at the granite counter of an expansive kitchen, blurry-eyed while I type this blog, more relaxed than I've been in a year. My hair looks like I've had a terrible fright, I'm in my Skidmore t-shirt and flannel p.j. bottoms, thinking about what today will bring - sure to be another day of time spent with people I love, planning a delicious dinner, and walks along the beach. If I'm dreaming, please don't wake me up!