The Outer Banks Day 7 (March 25, 2011)

     Dolphins entertained me midway during our morning walk. I took pictures but they were too fast and my trigger finger reaction was too slow. It was very chilly this morning. Nat and I were the only ones on the beach except for a few sandpipers and some seagulls. Later this afternoon the cormorants were out in abundance having a TGIF party with free sushi. Bon appétit!

     I had my last coconut and white chocolate mocha at the Dancing Turtle. I found out what proportions they use so hopefully I can get it duplicated somewhere at home.

     I needed to fill up the gas tank, call my mom and find some food so we headed north around noon. The fresh air has given me a voracious appetite and the scale at home will show me just how much. Today I found a gem of a spot in Buxton. I think it was called the Buxton Munch. I had an interesting tomato soup made with Ro-tel (can’t check the spelling because I have lost my internet.) It was very good. As I neared the bottom of the bowl I discovered bacon which I had to pick out because it’s Friday during Lent and I can’t eat meat. I, also, ordered a crab cake and avocado wrap. Yummy!!!! I brought half back to the cabana. The lunch spot was 60-70’s retro including a poster advertising Woodstock. J

     Dawn at Kaia’s gave me so much more than 20 oz of blue crab dip to take back to Jax!!! She made it this morning. It looks very good. I can’t wait to share it.

     I shut the heat off in the cabana after Nat and I had our walk. I opened the door. I listened to Josh Groban, sat out on the deck in my winter jacket sipping a Bud Lite Lime while watching the waves in the Atlantic. Then it was time to start packing up the van. There will be more to pack in the morning but most of it is done. Before I leave here (if I want my deposit back) I have to strip the bed, put the linens and towels in a bag, remove food items from the fridge and wipe it down and lastly, vacuum. This is a really nice cabana and I have appreciated being here with Natalie but it’s time to go home.

The Outer Banks Day 6

    It rained last night but the cold front didn’t come in until this afternoon. Natalie and I had a nice hour morning walk. The sun was shining. The wind wasn’t too bad. We went later than usual and had to deal with rising tide. This afternoon’s walk was only 30 minutes because I was a wuss. Yowser! It was a winter jacket with the hood up and hands in the pockets kind of walk. There was a noticeable amount of beach erosion since yesterday. There’s one spot that I have nicknamed “Natalie’s weave poles”. She likes to walk between them as a dog would do in agility. I could never figure out why they were there. This afternoon I found out that the poles are attached to very long pieces of wood as in perhaps they were part of a pier at one time.

     The Dancing Turtle’s delight of the day for me was a coconut and white chocolate mocha. It was wonderful and smelled so good. I will order it again on our last day tomorrow. I took pictures of areas of the village. Then I drove out to Hatteras Landing to shop at the Kitty Hawk Kite Shop.  Liz was there and remembered my name. She inquired if I was able to get internet at Kaia’s the other day. We were talking about the blue crab dip when Dawn, the owner of Kaia’s, walked in with her two kids. I was tickled that she remembered my name, too. The main item I sought there was a flying pig windmill for my backyard. I saw it on a post Sunday as I was leaving the parking lot. I laughed so hard. It reminded me of Jere at work and his flying monkey story.

     We drove north to Buxton so I could check in with my parents on my cell phone. I stopped at a few other shops on the way back including Red Drum Pottery which I promised Marion on the Bouvier list I would do. I was hungry. I planned to go out for dinner and didn’t want to eat much. I stopped at Frisco Sandwich Co. They advertised $1 tacos. I ordered one taco to go. They offered them in pulled pork and chicken. I opted for the pork. I was a little annoyed that it took so long for them to make one taco. When it was finally done the owner came from behind the counter carrying my taco like it was a precious jewel and gently placed it into my hands. It wasn’t until I got back to the cabana and took a bite of it that I understood why. OMG! The pulled pork with taco seasoning, cheese and salsa had been deep fried in a tortilla. I relished every bite. I thought about going back for another and not going out for dinner. I will just have to come back to Hatteras sometime for another one or two.

     My blue jeans are unbuttoned and unzipped as I write. It was a good thing I stayed with my plan to eat at Dinky’s Restaurant tonight. Dinky’s is located on the Pamlico Sound side of the island and is on the second floor. I was seated at a window with a view of the sound and the marina below. I started with a cup of the soup of the day, crab and brie bisque. It was as good as it sounded it should be. It was served with Bavarian brown bread rolls and butter. The rolls were to die for. My entrée was Gorgonzola Chicken: a full chicken breast, a small slice of ham, garlic, mushrooms, baby spinach in a creamy gorgonzola sauce served over penne pasta and topped with asiago cheese and diced fresh red pepper. Yummy for the taste buds to say the least. I maybe ate one quarter. I am not used to eating that much. The rest is going home with me on Saturday because I can’t eat meat tomorrow.

     The wind is howling tonight. Occasionally a gust shakes the cabana. I have neighbors across from me in the courtyard who  started a wood fire in one of the freestanding grills this evening. We talked on the beach yesterday afternoon and this morning but didn’t know we were in the same complex. They are from Indiana and arrived yesterday. They have a beagle named Sandy who is Nat’s new BFF. Oh, Nat’s Maltese boyfriend’s name is Cooper. They were so happy to see each other on the beach this morning. J

     There are errands to be run tomorrow, some walks on the beach and then it’s time to pack up. Dawn is going to have blue crab dip ready for me tomorrow to take home. Who wants to come to my house and eat crab dip on warm pita chips?

The Outer Banks Day 5

     Natalie and I started the day with an hour walk on the beach northward. She wanted to go south but I wanted to see if the birds and dolphins were feeding. There were no birds or dolphins. I was disappointed. I brought my camera. It figures!  It was a gorgeous, sunny morning.  After the walk, Nat and I loaded up into the van for the Dancing Turtle and my latte.

     This was a quiet day spent in prayer, meditation and reading Tear In The Desert by Fr. Ron Moses Camarda. I am not ashamed to say I cried a lot today. I felt very touched.

     We took a walk on the beach mid afternoon. It was warm enough for me to wear a swimsuit (with shorts). I even got a little sunburned. There were more college students and families out on the beach than there have been. Natalie has a crush on a cute Maltese guy. He didn’t like her advances when we first passed them on the beach but on the way back he was sooooo happy to see her. She was excited. They were really cute playing together. J

     Had dinner at Captain Rolo’s which opened up for the season yesterday. I had a yummy NC pulled pork BBQ sandwich with cole slaw. Nat liked the pulled pork. I hope I’m not spoiling her too much because people food is not going to happen for her when we go home.

     Thunderstorms are coming tonight and a big drop in temperatures. I am very tired and can barely keep my eyes open. Nat’s already asleep. It’s almost 9:00 pm. This is the first time I have had television on in the evening since we arrived. I couldn’t miss Survivor. It’s now over and so is the power on the television. Nite!

The Outer Banks Day 4

     This morning I allowed myself to sleep in. Natalie was agreeable to this plan. We snuggled until 8:30. I put on a heavy jacket over my pj.’s, opened the door and it was warm. How nice! I took Nat on a quick walk around the complex for her to do her business and came back to the cabana. She was not happy that we had not gone to the beach instead. She let me know this when I began ascending the stairs to the deck by balking. She looked up at me and sent me this message, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” “No, darling, we will do it later.” I’ve been calling her darling since last summer because she is just that – darling.

     It was a mundane morning. We ate breakfast. She washed her belly and feet. I vacuumed a ton of sand off the floor. I cleaned up and dressed. I stopped by the Dancing Turtle for a latte before driving down the road to catch the ferry to Ocracoke. Nat curled up in her crate.

     A ferry leaves for Ocracoke Island on the hour every hour.  We were early. At 11:00 we drove onto the ferry and departed shortly after. I stayed in the van a good while and deeply regret now that I didn’t get out to take pictures. There were a flock of seagulls (real seagulls not the singing group) at the end of the ferry looking like they were going to attack. I couldn’t help thinking about Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. I was somewhat spooked. They looked like they were flying in place.  They were there for the longest time. They wanted food. It was eerie. I am almost tempted to take another ferry ride to get pictures. There weren’t seagulls on the way back.

     It is about a 35 to 45 minute ride to Ocracoke. The trip went by quickly. Ocracoke Village is at the other end of the island which is about 13 miles. Ocracoke Island is owned by the US Park Service but Ocracoke Village is not. It is quaint. The Decoy Shop was not opened. I wanted to go there because the Toronto couple recommended it. I did go the lighthouse but it was closed so no trip to the top for me. I drove around for a while before stopping at Howard’s Pub which had been recommended by a number of people. I had a crabby lunch. I had a heavenly crab and corn chowder followed by a fried crab cake sandwich with homemade Idaho fries. Excellent!!! The wait staff was great and super friendly.

     We returned back to Hatteras via ferry. There was a nine minute period of time that the ferry idled in the channel. I thought that I was going to have an adventure to blog about but nothing exciting happened. Nat slept and I read more of Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. (I finished it later. Awesome book!. A little outdated but the thoughts and message are still the same.) Had a great hour of walk/run on the beach with Natalie.  It was sunny, warm with a mild wind at our fronts on the way back.

     Nat’s epicurean thumbs up (or in her case, dew claws) for today went to crab cakes and garlic bologna sandwiches with mayo and baked Tuscan Herb chips. My little darling is tuckered out and asleep. I am about to join her.

     I am very tempted to change my Facebook status from single to having a relationship with The Outer Banks. J

The Outer Banks Day 3

     It was warmer this morning than it was yesterday. Natalie and I went north on the beach.  Although there are very few houses in the area, it was where it was happening this morning!  A large school of fish were providing themselves as refreshment for a massive amount of cormorants, a fair showing of seagulls and dolphins. There were lots and lots of dolphins and not a goal post in sight. My camera was on the table in the cabana. I forgot it.

    Ventured to The Dancing Turtle Coffee Shop and I was not disappointed. It has a very quaint and homey atmosphere. Sade playing on the stereo. I think this was the first time that I had handmade espresso shots in my latte. At Starbucks they just press a button.

     Then we headed north for Buxton and the lighthouse except I decided to keep driving and ended up in Rodanthe. It is all such a short distance from Hatteras Village but on the way here on Saturday everything seemed so far away. Turned around in Rodanthe and did a little shopping here and there on my way to the lighthouse.

     The lighthouse is awesome. I wish it had been open so I could have climbed to the top. I went into the visitor center and had a delightful conversation with the gal who works there. We began talking about shells. She collects. I do not but she was interesting and enthusiastic about it. Her enthusiasm bubbled right into me. She told me places to go that are great for finding many different shells. I bought a waterproofed shell pamphlet to carry with me. I’m going to do this! I’m going to collect shells. The weather up to this point had been overcast and a tad breezy. When I came out of the center the sun was shining. It had gotten very windy. I was off on my little adventure. This is how I met the six US Park Rangers. This is how I bought a bumper sticker for $150. This is how I learned that I should always follow my intuition.

     The gal in the visitor center had asked if I had 4 wheel drive. I do not. She told me where to go and that there was an area for me to park. I would have to hike in the rest of the way to Cape Point. I’m driving and turn onto a hard sand road that leads to ramp 44. The sand begins to get loose. I sensed then that I should turn around. I even had a time out moment. But the gal said there was an area to park…. I drove about 50 feet. I decided not to go ahead when the van had an aha moment and sank into the sand. I think I’m going to use my old getting out of snow tactics. I did. I sunk deeper. Oh, cripe! No shovel so I use a cane in  the van to start digging out. I pray. I pray a lot. There is no one around. I’m hungry and I need to pee. Natalie is crying like she has to pee, too.  I need a miracle! That’s when the first four US Park Rangers show up. They were very kind to me. They laughed with me and not at me. They tried to help me get out. They called in two other rangers. By now we are buddies because we are working for a cause. Handy tip to know if you ever get stuck in level sand: let air out of the tires until the pressure is 20. Then I’m putting the van in reverse and they push. Key words “level sand”. I was not in level sand. They call for a tow truck. He won’t use my AAA. He wants a credit card for a charge of $150 to tow. He came. He towed the van out. I followed him back to his shop to pay and get air in the tires. He gave me a receipt. I thank him and turn to leave. “Wait”, he says. He reaches over and rips something off the wall. It is a bumper sticker. “Got Stuck” J

     Nat and I stopped at The Hatterasman for takeout before going to the cabana. I learned something about Natalie today. She likes grouper with and without tartar sauce. The grouper was okay. The cole slaw was probably the best I have ever had and I will go back just to get it.

     After my late lunch on the deck of the cabana we took an hour walk on the beach in fierce winds. Dogs sneeze when they get airborn sand up their noses. I never knew that either.

     Ocracoke tomorrow if it doesn’t rain.

Outer Banks/OBX Day 2

     Nat enjoyed our morning walk on the beach.  The beach provided her with a hound dog buffet of scents and smells. Her saber tail held high she feverishly crisscrossed in front of me every few seconds. I swear she was smiling. She loved chasing the seagulls and really wanted to pick up a belly up dead one. She was not happy with me when I told her no. She did not enjoy our walk into the village this afternoon. Tail down. We walked by the side of the road. I would never attempt to do this at home but people walk their dogs along the road here. Drivers slow their cars down or move over to the other side of the road. She’s one tuckered out PBGV tonight as we had another (but short) beach walk before the sun set.

     I’m enjoying myself here. It’s really easy to fit in. Everyone is friendly – both locals and tourists. Everybody says hi to each other whether you know them or not. I imagine it’s a whole different world when it is not off season. I witnessed somebody leaving their vehicle running as they ran into Burrus’ Red & White grocery to pick up something. That would not be happening in Jacksonville, FL!  I met a charming young Hungarian couple who were down from Washington, DC for their college spring break at Kaia’s Café this morning. After they left I met an equally charming my age couple from Toronto who shared lots of tourist tips with me which I intend to investigate.

     Natalie ventured up the stairs to the crow’s nest when I was up there reading this afternoon. She seemed to like being able to see so much more that high up but the poor gal couldn’t make it down the stairs after I left. Poor pitiful Natty crying like only a PBGV could  tugged at my heart. I had to go back up and carry her down. I doubt she will go back up again.

    We made a trip to Frisco and Buxton late this afternoon. My cell phone came alive in Buxton! J I touched base with my parents. Then early in the evening I began talking with a cabana neighbor who told me he can call out on his T-Mobile phone from the beach or at the top of the beach access walkway. Best yet, he gave me the password to his wireless internet to use while I am here. Yippee!

     I bought a hound dog kite from Liz at the Kitty Hawk Kite Shop this morning. Tomorrow I will attempt kite flying. It’s been many, many years. Do you know there is a protocol about flying kites based on wind speed for the day? I didn’t. It’s an art. They have 2 hour kite lessons and 4-6 hour kite camps here. I’ll pass. I never read directions anyway.

     Tomorrow Sonny’s Restaurant opens for the season and it’s a big deal here. It’s the beginning of all the ‘closed for the season’ restaurants to come back to life. I will have to check it out before I leave. I do have to hit Dinky’s. I have been hearing that it is the best restaurant.

Outer Banks Day 1

     Can’t remember when I started feeling this pull to the Outer Banks. The odd part of that ‘pull’ was that the weather had to be cool. Last fall when I was over the hot weather in Jacksonville I put a deposit down on the ocean front cabana called Lost Shaker of Salt located in Hatteras Village for a week beginning on my birthday.

     I left the Starbucks parking lot at 6:16 this morning with my faithful dog child, PBGV, Natalie. Pretty uneventful trip traveling up 95 except for plentiful beautiful red buds and long unseen blooming forsythia and then maybe the Pepto Bismal limo (hope I remember to check the spelling before I post this. I have no internet. I knew it before I got here. Thought I could live with a moderated “unplugging” from the world for a week and use the wifi café once daily).

     The new direction onto 264 East provided some amusement. I slightly missed my exit for Washington, NC and found myself at a Hess station near the campus of East Carolina.  To make a long story short, this adorable flirty, tall, muscled young man offered to wash my van windows for $5 as a joke. He and his friends are college students and were on their way to ride bikes in Raleigh. To his surprise I took him up on it. He said for $10 he would take his shirt off. I was tempted but I didn’t. L When I retire I want to become a house mother at a college fraternity.

     The last part of the trip was tedious with intermittent two lane highways.  I   was inpatient. I wanted to get here. I loved the scenery even if everything is still brown. Water, water everywhere! So inviting to a Pisces! I see the ocean in Jacksonville on occasion but I wanted to see it now on the Outer Banks and it just wasn’t happening for miles and miles. I felt drawn to getting to the Atlantic Ocean. I likened it to all those people who had to get to the mountain in Close Encounters of The Third Kind.  But first I see a sign that I have never seen before. Watch Out for Bears. What?? And the next sign says Watch Out for Red Wolves. On that one I look over at Jacob Black (the blanket Meredith gave me last year for my birthday which is draped across the back of the passenger seat) and winked before I asked him if they were kin.  Finally I was on Roanoke Island!  I was in Nags Head – awesome! But it was pretty empty. It’s off season. All the way down was pretty much the same way. And then I finally saw the Atlantic Ocean via an Outer Banks sighting. It was dark blue, It looked cold but I saw people wearing wet suits in the water flying kites. That is insane!  I thought there were going to be more bridges/causeways then there were. Hello Rodanthe and Avon! Then there was Buxton and Frisco and at last Hatteras Village at 6:25.

     Lost Shaker of Salt looks like the pics I saw.  I unloaded the van before taking Natalie for a walk on the beach. It’s chilly but we brave it. Nat poops on the beach. No problem – wait – where are the bags I stuffed in my jacket pockets? Find two tissues and manage a balancing act to the van where there are plenty of bags but no! Somebody has their dog off lead and …. All turned out well. The lady wanted to talk and talk. She’s leaving in the morning. I finally excused myself to find the dumpster and go upstairs to call my parents to let them know I arrived safely.

     My phone has no bars. Nowhere in this town can I call out with my phone. I drove around to find a place. By now it’s dark and I can’t see for crap because I live in a haloed night of lights with contacts.  A waitress at the pizza place (the only place open – remember it’s off season) was so sweet to let me call my parents from her phone as they don’t have a pay phone. Out of politeness I order a small pizza which costs almost $20. Yikes!

     Nat and I end up back at The Last Shaker of Salt to eat pizza (I didn’t know she liked crust but then again I don’t let her eat people food nor do I eat real pizza) and I open a bottle of Moscato. I make my way up to the crow’s nest and toast the huge moon that God has sent my way on my birthday, Thank you, God!!

    Nat is sleeping on the gigantic bed. I helped her get up. Time for me to join her so we can have another day of adventure tomorrow. (Word is making these inappropriate indentions and I can’t correct it)