A Family Get Together
Introductory Comments
Purpose of Trip: To bring together all of my children and grandchildren for the first time under a single roof in a place with ocean beaches and lots of flat surface to walk and ride bikes. Our place is in Corolla on the northern end of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. My hope is that each family feels free to choose their own activities each day, but that we will gather for dinner every evening around the pool and the grill. I intend to do some journaling on the trip, but I will not be able to work on this page until I return. This is one of the downsides of no longer having a laptop. The iPad does not work with iPage.
Background Information: The photos below were taken on my first visit to the Outer Banks last November when I rented the home that you see in the first photo on the left. It is not on the beach, but it is less than a five minute walk to get there. There will be 14 of us with 7 bedrooms and 7.5 baths. The home also includes its own outdoor pool and a hot tub. I have rented a gas grill for the week for the outdoor cooking chores.
The ocean is great for surfing, not so sure about swimming. It was a windy day when I first visited the outer banks, so the photo in the centert may be an extreme look at the waves. I hope so. My son, Scott, is the surfer, so he should have great fun.
There are well developed paths leading to the beach at various points along the part of Corolla where we are staying. I chose a black and white version to demonstrate the sense of the beach as a place to walk with almost no end in site.
These introductory photos were processed back in the fall of 2015 when I was still using the irritating water mark in the center of the photo. I have since reformed my copyright sensitivity and I usually place the watermark in the lower right hand corner.
I have created seven Slideshows below to complement the journal. Click on "Play" for each presentation and enjoy. You can click on pause to view a photo for an extended period.
Purpose of Trip: To bring together all of my children and grandchildren for the first time under a single roof in a place with ocean beaches and lots of flat surface to walk and ride bikes. Our place is in Corolla on the northern end of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. My hope is that each family feels free to choose their own activities each day, but that we will gather for dinner every evening around the pool and the grill. I intend to do some journaling on the trip, but I will not be able to work on this page until I return. This is one of the downsides of no longer having a laptop. The iPad does not work with iPage.
Background Information: The photos below were taken on my first visit to the Outer Banks last November when I rented the home that you see in the first photo on the left. It is not on the beach, but it is less than a five minute walk to get there. There will be 14 of us with 7 bedrooms and 7.5 baths. The home also includes its own outdoor pool and a hot tub. I have rented a gas grill for the week for the outdoor cooking chores.
The ocean is great for surfing, not so sure about swimming. It was a windy day when I first visited the outer banks, so the photo in the centert may be an extreme look at the waves. I hope so. My son, Scott, is the surfer, so he should have great fun.
There are well developed paths leading to the beach at various points along the part of Corolla where we are staying. I chose a black and white version to demonstrate the sense of the beach as a place to walk with almost no end in site.
These introductory photos were processed back in the fall of 2015 when I was still using the irritating water mark in the center of the photo. I have since reformed my copyright sensitivity and I usually place the watermark in the lower right hand corner.
I have created seven Slideshows below to complement the journal. Click on "Play" for each presentation and enjoy. You can click on pause to view a photo for an extended period.
A Descriptive Journal by Jay Voss
Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26
I began my trip early Saturday morning and except for a few wrong turns along the way arrived in Elizabeth City, NC by a little after 1 PM in the afternoon. I chose Elizabeth City because it was about 50 miles from Corolla on the Outer Banks. I knew that I could get out to the outer banks early the next morning before any traffic hit. I toured the small city and the surrounding countryside, went to Mass at 5 PM where I heard one more traditonal homily, this time delivered by a Deacon. Although the Mass seemingly went on for ever, it was finished at 6 PM. My search on the Web identified a restaurant called Montero's that sounded good. I sat at the bar, had a beer and some calamari and went back to the Travelers' Inn for an early night. The inn was my effort to find an inexpensive motel for the first night. The Travelers' Inn is an old motel that has been redone and is either owned or managed by an Indian couple who were trying very hard to make an old motel presentable. They were doing fine. The down side was that the motel attracts a lot of truck drivers and other people who like to drink beer and tell stories into the wee hours of the morning. After my initial doze off of two hours, I had a very hard time getting back to sleep until 3 AM. Finally, the clock hit 5 AM and I was ready to go.
I was on the OBX by 7:30 in the morning. After a brief drive south through Kitty Hawk, I decided to turn around and head north to find some breakfast and to meet the challenge of spending the next 8 hours waiting for the rest of my family and to get into our rental home in Corolla. I stopped at Tim Buck II shopping center where I had spent some time last fall and ordered an omelet and a cup of coffee. By 8:30, I was faced with time to kill. My trip last fall to book our home was fortuitous. I went to the Twiddy rental agency, checked in with them early, received my keyless entry code for the house, and was told that I would receive a text when the house was ready. Last fall, I had also discovered a public parking area very near our rental property where I could park my car, check out the beach, and launch a bike ride to revisit the surrounding area and perhaps discover some new areas.
While riding my bike, I checked out the house, returned to Currituck Park that I visited last fall, and took a a mile long hike on a wooden trail through the swampy forest to a view of Currituck Sound. I was able to kill 3 hours with these bike and walking journeys. Around 1, I went to the Raw Bar located in the Tim Buck II mini mall, had a bowl of clam chowder and a beer. In the meantime, I was getting progress reports from Gina and Brant on their respective car rides to the OBX. I knew that it would be a least 3 PM before Brant arrived and a little later for Gina. I went back to my favorite Currituck park, relaxed in one of my beach chairs, read a little, and sort of closed my eyes and enjoyed the quiet and shady surroundings. A little after 3, Brant called and said he was at the house and that the cleaning crew had just left. The cleaning lady told Brant that it was OK to move in a little early. By 4 PM we were somewhat settled in the house and Brant and the girls were enjoying the pool. Gina arrived soon after and we spent some time dividing up the sleeping accommodations. We knew Scott would not arrive until later that night, so we tried to be sensitive to his needs while still making the decisions. Jacob waisted no time joining Gina and Joe in the pool where he splashed to his heart's delight. I held Stella for awhile as we watched everyone swimming. I ordered a pizza around 6:30 and we began our first evening of conversation. Karen, Brant's wife had never met Joe. Joe and Gina had never spent time with Chloe and Skylar, so the next couple of hours pleasantly passed just getting to know one another. We sat out on one of the many decks and listened to the sounds of the night in an ocean community. Scott had still not arrived at 10:30 and I gave up the ship and went to bed. Age has some privileges. I slept well until 4 AM on Monday morning when I decided to get up and begin this journal. It is quiet in the house at 5:10 in the morning, so I have to assume that Scott and his family arrived and got settled. I heard nothing from 10:45 PM to 4:00 AM Monday morning. I still hear nothing. I hope there is a sunrise to check out. It looks a bit cloudy out there.
Slideshow # 1: The photos below reflect scenes that I encountered on my arrival day before the family arrived and we checked into our rental home for the week. This is the portion of the beach that we frequented during the week. Currituck Park and surrounding woodsy scenes helped keep me calm while waiting for the family and the check in time.
Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26
I began my trip early Saturday morning and except for a few wrong turns along the way arrived in Elizabeth City, NC by a little after 1 PM in the afternoon. I chose Elizabeth City because it was about 50 miles from Corolla on the Outer Banks. I knew that I could get out to the outer banks early the next morning before any traffic hit. I toured the small city and the surrounding countryside, went to Mass at 5 PM where I heard one more traditonal homily, this time delivered by a Deacon. Although the Mass seemingly went on for ever, it was finished at 6 PM. My search on the Web identified a restaurant called Montero's that sounded good. I sat at the bar, had a beer and some calamari and went back to the Travelers' Inn for an early night. The inn was my effort to find an inexpensive motel for the first night. The Travelers' Inn is an old motel that has been redone and is either owned or managed by an Indian couple who were trying very hard to make an old motel presentable. They were doing fine. The down side was that the motel attracts a lot of truck drivers and other people who like to drink beer and tell stories into the wee hours of the morning. After my initial doze off of two hours, I had a very hard time getting back to sleep until 3 AM. Finally, the clock hit 5 AM and I was ready to go.
I was on the OBX by 7:30 in the morning. After a brief drive south through Kitty Hawk, I decided to turn around and head north to find some breakfast and to meet the challenge of spending the next 8 hours waiting for the rest of my family and to get into our rental home in Corolla. I stopped at Tim Buck II shopping center where I had spent some time last fall and ordered an omelet and a cup of coffee. By 8:30, I was faced with time to kill. My trip last fall to book our home was fortuitous. I went to the Twiddy rental agency, checked in with them early, received my keyless entry code for the house, and was told that I would receive a text when the house was ready. Last fall, I had also discovered a public parking area very near our rental property where I could park my car, check out the beach, and launch a bike ride to revisit the surrounding area and perhaps discover some new areas.
While riding my bike, I checked out the house, returned to Currituck Park that I visited last fall, and took a a mile long hike on a wooden trail through the swampy forest to a view of Currituck Sound. I was able to kill 3 hours with these bike and walking journeys. Around 1, I went to the Raw Bar located in the Tim Buck II mini mall, had a bowl of clam chowder and a beer. In the meantime, I was getting progress reports from Gina and Brant on their respective car rides to the OBX. I knew that it would be a least 3 PM before Brant arrived and a little later for Gina. I went back to my favorite Currituck park, relaxed in one of my beach chairs, read a little, and sort of closed my eyes and enjoyed the quiet and shady surroundings. A little after 3, Brant called and said he was at the house and that the cleaning crew had just left. The cleaning lady told Brant that it was OK to move in a little early. By 4 PM we were somewhat settled in the house and Brant and the girls were enjoying the pool. Gina arrived soon after and we spent some time dividing up the sleeping accommodations. We knew Scott would not arrive until later that night, so we tried to be sensitive to his needs while still making the decisions. Jacob waisted no time joining Gina and Joe in the pool where he splashed to his heart's delight. I held Stella for awhile as we watched everyone swimming. I ordered a pizza around 6:30 and we began our first evening of conversation. Karen, Brant's wife had never met Joe. Joe and Gina had never spent time with Chloe and Skylar, so the next couple of hours pleasantly passed just getting to know one another. We sat out on one of the many decks and listened to the sounds of the night in an ocean community. Scott had still not arrived at 10:30 and I gave up the ship and went to bed. Age has some privileges. I slept well until 4 AM on Monday morning when I decided to get up and begin this journal. It is quiet in the house at 5:10 in the morning, so I have to assume that Scott and his family arrived and got settled. I heard nothing from 10:45 PM to 4:00 AM Monday morning. I still hear nothing. I hope there is a sunrise to check out. It looks a bit cloudy out there.
Slideshow # 1: The photos below reflect scenes that I encountered on my arrival day before the family arrived and we checked into our rental home for the week. This is the portion of the beach that we frequented during the week. Currituck Park and surrounding woodsy scenes helped keep me calm while waiting for the family and the check in time.
Monday, June 27
After writing the first segment of this journal, I decided to walk to the beach and see what the sun rising might look like on the first full day of our stay. I was not disappointed. Although there were clouds in the sky, and I was unable to capture the sun rising at the horizon, it did manage to peak out among the clouds as it continued to rise in the eastern sky. There was a couple walking on the beach when I took the photos below and was able to catch their silhouette against the back drop of the rising sun. The beach at this early hour is so quiet with only the sound of the waves breaking against the shore and the vision of a few early souls walking and jogging on the beach. At one point a beach worker on an ATA sped buy checking any issues on the beach. I walked the beach testing the water temperature as I walked. It was surprisingly warm, not too warm, but certainly warmer than I expected. I knew that later in the day, I would wander farther into the crashing waves, experiencing significant force against this aging body.
After my walk, I wandered on down to the Food Lion to buy some bagels and a nice chunk of sliced ham that I knew would offer an alternative to sausage for the breakfast crowd back at the "Lion by the Sea," the name of our little abode on the OBX. It was already evident from the clearing sky, that this would be a good day for the beach. I went into the pool for the first time about 8 AM and played with Chloe, Skylar, and Andrew. A short dip in the hot tub hopefully calmed my lower back and front left thigh issues. Interesting enough, my back hurts the worse when I get up in the morning, but once those muscles are warmed up a bit, I am much more able to walk in less, almost unnoticeable pain. We began the unpleasant job of packing for the beach. Brant and I handled the initial chores. Scott and his family went out to rent bikes and a surf board for the week. Our system for packing and going to the beach needed some work, but once we set up the tent and the umbrellas with numerous chairs underneath, we were ready for our first all family outing to the beach.
All had fun, I waded out to my waist and took on the crashing waves in mid travels. Scott and Marcus went further out to confront the higher waves breaking first against the shore. I was amazed at how sandy and shallow the beach is at this point where we are staying. Many, many people were experiencing the same enjoyment. Brant was supervising Chloe and Skylar as they experienced their first time at the ocean with the added challenge of how to use the boogie boards for body surfing. They struggled at first, but within a half hours time, they were both riding the waves into the shore and enjoying every minute of it. In the meantime, Joe and Gina were working with Jacob to help him encounter the ocean. He was very reluctant to enter the water from the beach, but after a few minutes, Joe could not hold him back from walking into the gentle surf. After Scott and Marcus faced the waves head on, Scott decided to give the surf board a try. I failed to actually see him catch a wave. He was too far away and there were to many distractions on the beach that interfered with a focused observance. However, he said that he caught three waves. He also damaged the rudder on his board and had to take it back for repairs later in the day.
We returned for lunch around noon time, and sort of settled in for afternoon of beach recovery and enjoying the pool. I took about a two hour nap, which was quite helpful. I decided earlier in the day, that I would be responsible for dinner. We had lean hamburger with my effort at preparing roasted potatoes as a side. We also had Karen's delicious salad made the day before. While I managed the potatoes and the onion and mushroom topping for the burgers, Scott cooked fourteen burgers on the grill. I toasted the hamburger buns on the electric range in the kitchen, burning only a few. We sat around the pool and enjoyed our first dinner together with this version of the Voss extended family. Preparing food for 12 adults and kids is a new experience for me, but it seemed to work well. After dinner, the kids enjoyed the pool. The adults sat around talking and sipping our wine or beer. Jacob went to bed at 8. Stella after spending her first day at the beach, took in the sights at the pool from her baby perch at the side of the pool and was quite content. We ended the evening with a movie on Netflix. I spent a little time with my iPad and called it day around 9:30 PM. I still awoke at 4 AM the next morning, but six hours of sleep Is always a plus for me.
Slideshow #2: One of the problems I had to overcome is taking photos when at the pool and at the beach. I eventually did better at the beach, but I have a limited number of photos at the pool where I had a lot of fun with the grandchildren. I regret that error. I forgot to take my camera to the beach on this Monday morning with the family, but I did take it on an early morning walk. This presentation also begins to display the inside of "Lion by the Sea" where we experienced much joy during the week.
After writing the first segment of this journal, I decided to walk to the beach and see what the sun rising might look like on the first full day of our stay. I was not disappointed. Although there were clouds in the sky, and I was unable to capture the sun rising at the horizon, it did manage to peak out among the clouds as it continued to rise in the eastern sky. There was a couple walking on the beach when I took the photos below and was able to catch their silhouette against the back drop of the rising sun. The beach at this early hour is so quiet with only the sound of the waves breaking against the shore and the vision of a few early souls walking and jogging on the beach. At one point a beach worker on an ATA sped buy checking any issues on the beach. I walked the beach testing the water temperature as I walked. It was surprisingly warm, not too warm, but certainly warmer than I expected. I knew that later in the day, I would wander farther into the crashing waves, experiencing significant force against this aging body.
After my walk, I wandered on down to the Food Lion to buy some bagels and a nice chunk of sliced ham that I knew would offer an alternative to sausage for the breakfast crowd back at the "Lion by the Sea," the name of our little abode on the OBX. It was already evident from the clearing sky, that this would be a good day for the beach. I went into the pool for the first time about 8 AM and played with Chloe, Skylar, and Andrew. A short dip in the hot tub hopefully calmed my lower back and front left thigh issues. Interesting enough, my back hurts the worse when I get up in the morning, but once those muscles are warmed up a bit, I am much more able to walk in less, almost unnoticeable pain. We began the unpleasant job of packing for the beach. Brant and I handled the initial chores. Scott and his family went out to rent bikes and a surf board for the week. Our system for packing and going to the beach needed some work, but once we set up the tent and the umbrellas with numerous chairs underneath, we were ready for our first all family outing to the beach.
All had fun, I waded out to my waist and took on the crashing waves in mid travels. Scott and Marcus went further out to confront the higher waves breaking first against the shore. I was amazed at how sandy and shallow the beach is at this point where we are staying. Many, many people were experiencing the same enjoyment. Brant was supervising Chloe and Skylar as they experienced their first time at the ocean with the added challenge of how to use the boogie boards for body surfing. They struggled at first, but within a half hours time, they were both riding the waves into the shore and enjoying every minute of it. In the meantime, Joe and Gina were working with Jacob to help him encounter the ocean. He was very reluctant to enter the water from the beach, but after a few minutes, Joe could not hold him back from walking into the gentle surf. After Scott and Marcus faced the waves head on, Scott decided to give the surf board a try. I failed to actually see him catch a wave. He was too far away and there were to many distractions on the beach that interfered with a focused observance. However, he said that he caught three waves. He also damaged the rudder on his board and had to take it back for repairs later in the day.
We returned for lunch around noon time, and sort of settled in for afternoon of beach recovery and enjoying the pool. I took about a two hour nap, which was quite helpful. I decided earlier in the day, that I would be responsible for dinner. We had lean hamburger with my effort at preparing roasted potatoes as a side. We also had Karen's delicious salad made the day before. While I managed the potatoes and the onion and mushroom topping for the burgers, Scott cooked fourteen burgers on the grill. I toasted the hamburger buns on the electric range in the kitchen, burning only a few. We sat around the pool and enjoyed our first dinner together with this version of the Voss extended family. Preparing food for 12 adults and kids is a new experience for me, but it seemed to work well. After dinner, the kids enjoyed the pool. The adults sat around talking and sipping our wine or beer. Jacob went to bed at 8. Stella after spending her first day at the beach, took in the sights at the pool from her baby perch at the side of the pool and was quite content. We ended the evening with a movie on Netflix. I spent a little time with my iPad and called it day around 9:30 PM. I still awoke at 4 AM the next morning, but six hours of sleep Is always a plus for me.
Slideshow #2: One of the problems I had to overcome is taking photos when at the pool and at the beach. I eventually did better at the beach, but I have a limited number of photos at the pool where I had a lot of fun with the grandchildren. I regret that error. I forgot to take my camera to the beach on this Monday morning with the family, but I did take it on an early morning walk. This presentation also begins to display the inside of "Lion by the Sea" where we experienced much joy during the week.
Tuesday, June 28
I am keeping to my regimen of writing this journal every morning. After doing so, I decided to take a bike ride up to Shad Rd. and over to Hwy 12. It turned out to be about a 1.9 mile trek. I took a few photos at Shad Beach and then cycled home. I made the coffee and took a swim in the pool and a dip in the hot tub. My lower back problems are the worst in the early morning. They improve somewhat has I exercise and warm the muscles up. Everyone gets up at different times, but most everyone is up by 8. After breakfast, we all decided to do the beach again for a couple of hours. This time, I brought my camera and took some people shots of the family on the beach. One of my regrets is that I did not capture enough of Chloe and Skylar at the beach and at the pool. I am not sure what happened. I rarely used my camera at the pool, a definite mistake.
It was a warm and sunny day with an increasing breeze. There was a much stronger riptide in the ocean than the day before and I felt it quite strongly as I wandered out from the shoreline. I spent about the same amount of time in the water as on Monday, so I have had the satisfaction of spending a little time at the beach, not always my favorite pastime. Jacob is really enjoying his time learning about the ocean and feeling the movement of the waves. He is increasingly more adventurous in holding is Mom or Dad's hand and testing the breaking wave in its final phase of joining with land. It was warm and windy on the beach and the heat started to get to me. I had to hold the old umbrella that shaded me because the wind wanted to turn it inside out. I soon got tired of all that and returned to our house around noon. I spent most of the afternoon just relaxing by the pool and at one point taking a two hour nap. I had a nice talk with Carolina, Scott's wife, as we sat by the pool. Toward the late afternoon, it began to rain for the first time on our visit. It was not a thunder storm, so the kids continued to play in the pool and had a great time. Karen made a wonderful dinner of grilled chicken marianated with various sauces. She worked the grill while the rest of us did what little we could to prepare the table. We finished eating around 8.
Gina and I took a nice stroll on the beach and talked about how we wished that Terry could have experienced this trip. It was dark on the beach when we started looking for the exit stairs. After a few false attempts and with directional help from a family on the beach, we found the stairs and wandered home. I spent the next hour or so winding down and went to bed about 10:30, a little closer to my regular bed time at home. It may rain again on Wednesday, but perhaps not until the afternoon.
Slideshow #3: These photos were taken on a Tuesday morning at the beach. I tried to capture as many different members of the family as I could, but seemed to miss Brant, Chloe, and Skylar who were having a great time in the ocean learning how to use their boogie boards with Brant's expert direction.
I am keeping to my regimen of writing this journal every morning. After doing so, I decided to take a bike ride up to Shad Rd. and over to Hwy 12. It turned out to be about a 1.9 mile trek. I took a few photos at Shad Beach and then cycled home. I made the coffee and took a swim in the pool and a dip in the hot tub. My lower back problems are the worst in the early morning. They improve somewhat has I exercise and warm the muscles up. Everyone gets up at different times, but most everyone is up by 8. After breakfast, we all decided to do the beach again for a couple of hours. This time, I brought my camera and took some people shots of the family on the beach. One of my regrets is that I did not capture enough of Chloe and Skylar at the beach and at the pool. I am not sure what happened. I rarely used my camera at the pool, a definite mistake.
It was a warm and sunny day with an increasing breeze. There was a much stronger riptide in the ocean than the day before and I felt it quite strongly as I wandered out from the shoreline. I spent about the same amount of time in the water as on Monday, so I have had the satisfaction of spending a little time at the beach, not always my favorite pastime. Jacob is really enjoying his time learning about the ocean and feeling the movement of the waves. He is increasingly more adventurous in holding is Mom or Dad's hand and testing the breaking wave in its final phase of joining with land. It was warm and windy on the beach and the heat started to get to me. I had to hold the old umbrella that shaded me because the wind wanted to turn it inside out. I soon got tired of all that and returned to our house around noon. I spent most of the afternoon just relaxing by the pool and at one point taking a two hour nap. I had a nice talk with Carolina, Scott's wife, as we sat by the pool. Toward the late afternoon, it began to rain for the first time on our visit. It was not a thunder storm, so the kids continued to play in the pool and had a great time. Karen made a wonderful dinner of grilled chicken marianated with various sauces. She worked the grill while the rest of us did what little we could to prepare the table. We finished eating around 8.
Gina and I took a nice stroll on the beach and talked about how we wished that Terry could have experienced this trip. It was dark on the beach when we started looking for the exit stairs. After a few false attempts and with directional help from a family on the beach, we found the stairs and wandered home. I spent the next hour or so winding down and went to bed about 10:30, a little closer to my regular bed time at home. It may rain again on Wednesday, but perhaps not until the afternoon.
Slideshow #3: These photos were taken on a Tuesday morning at the beach. I tried to capture as many different members of the family as I could, but seemed to miss Brant, Chloe, and Skylar who were having a great time in the ocean learning how to use their boogie boards with Brant's expert direction.
Wednesday, June 29
So, I am settling into a routine, except for one difference today. I decided to take a day off from the beach. My plan was to have a celebration dinner for Marcus' graduation from Middle School with a special dinner that evening and I needed to purchase the steak and buy him a cake. Before I left on that adventure, I rode my bike for a little over 5 miles, did my morning swim in the pool with a ten minute session in the hot tub, and enjoyed some coffee and a bagel. About 9:30, I climbed into the car and made my first stop at the local Food Lion to see about the cake and the steaks. The lady in charge of the bakery said she could have a cake done for me by 1 PM made to order with some graduation symbols and a salutation to Marcus on the cake. I then wandered over to the meat section and talked to the butcher about putting together 10 NY Strip steaks for grilling. He also was very accommodating. I checked out the potato section and knew that when I returned, I could purchase most of the food for the evening cookout at Food Lion.
I returned to my car and started the 20 mile trek to Walmart near the northern entrance to the OBX from the mainland. It is a slow drive, but I made it in about 35 minutes. I liked the the corn on the cob at Walmart and bought 12 ears of corn. In addition, I picked up some wine and purchased a new umbrella to replace the one falling apart when it gets a bit breezy at the beech. I was soon to discover that this umbrella also had some damage. Walmart is 20 miles from our place. It took me almost an hour to get there because of heavy traffic in the town to the south of Corolla, called Duck. It makes the idea of getting in the car and exploring the rest of the the Outer Banks, (Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Roanoke Island, Okracoke) a less than exciting idea.
Before picking up the cake and steaks at Food Lion, I stopped for a Mahi Mahi sandwich and a beer just next door. Although it was lunch time, there was almost no one there, but the sandwich was good and it killed some time before my 1 PM pickup at Food Lion. There appear to be many seasonal workers in the grocery story from Eastern Europe. Although they speak limited English, it is often difficult to fully communicate what I wanted. The first cake that was brought to me based on my description was a birthday cake for Josh. The young lady finally found the woman in charge of the bakery and she produced a beautiful cake for Marcus. After that, it was no problem picking up the 10 steaks from the butcher, buying the potatoes for baking, lettuce and fixings for the salad, checking out, and heading back to our "little" cottage near the beach. I spent the rest of the afternoon just lounging around, taking a short nap, and going for another dip in the pool and the hot tub.
Dinner came off really well with Joe's assistance. He got the baked potatoes going and cooked the steaks to perfection on the grill. I made the salad and boiled the corn with a little milk thrown into the water. We managed to get all twelve of us seated at two tables and enjoyed a wonderful family meal in honor of Marcus. Just as the dinner began, Jacob who was sitting on the couch decided to climb off and fell on the floor. Except for the shock of the event, he soon stopped crying and was fine. The dinner concluded with the cake for Marcus and everyone enjoyed the quality of the dessert. It worked out quite well and was so much more pleasant than seven adults, 5 children, and two babies sitting at a restaurant waiting for food and hoping everyone will be patient and behave accordingly. It was another one of my family events that I had visualized and materialized with the help primarily of Joe. One other goal of mine did not take place that evening, but should have. I wanted to take a family photo on the front steps of our place sometime during the week. This would have been the perfect time, but alas the moment passed, the crowd quickly dispersed and we all resumed our evening at the beach positions where ever they might be.
After dinner, everyone but Jacob (he was down for the eveining at his usual time of 8 PM) and me went to the beach for a game of bocchi and to enjoy the warm summer evening. I started watching "You've got Mail," but when everyone returned from the beach, I saundered into my bedroom in search of rest. I was pleased with how the day had gone and how well our family gathering was progressing.
Slideshow #4: The text explains why I did not take many photos on this Wednesday. I took the first two photos, but others shared their photos with me.
So, I am settling into a routine, except for one difference today. I decided to take a day off from the beach. My plan was to have a celebration dinner for Marcus' graduation from Middle School with a special dinner that evening and I needed to purchase the steak and buy him a cake. Before I left on that adventure, I rode my bike for a little over 5 miles, did my morning swim in the pool with a ten minute session in the hot tub, and enjoyed some coffee and a bagel. About 9:30, I climbed into the car and made my first stop at the local Food Lion to see about the cake and the steaks. The lady in charge of the bakery said she could have a cake done for me by 1 PM made to order with some graduation symbols and a salutation to Marcus on the cake. I then wandered over to the meat section and talked to the butcher about putting together 10 NY Strip steaks for grilling. He also was very accommodating. I checked out the potato section and knew that when I returned, I could purchase most of the food for the evening cookout at Food Lion.
I returned to my car and started the 20 mile trek to Walmart near the northern entrance to the OBX from the mainland. It is a slow drive, but I made it in about 35 minutes. I liked the the corn on the cob at Walmart and bought 12 ears of corn. In addition, I picked up some wine and purchased a new umbrella to replace the one falling apart when it gets a bit breezy at the beech. I was soon to discover that this umbrella also had some damage. Walmart is 20 miles from our place. It took me almost an hour to get there because of heavy traffic in the town to the south of Corolla, called Duck. It makes the idea of getting in the car and exploring the rest of the the Outer Banks, (Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Roanoke Island, Okracoke) a less than exciting idea.
Before picking up the cake and steaks at Food Lion, I stopped for a Mahi Mahi sandwich and a beer just next door. Although it was lunch time, there was almost no one there, but the sandwich was good and it killed some time before my 1 PM pickup at Food Lion. There appear to be many seasonal workers in the grocery story from Eastern Europe. Although they speak limited English, it is often difficult to fully communicate what I wanted. The first cake that was brought to me based on my description was a birthday cake for Josh. The young lady finally found the woman in charge of the bakery and she produced a beautiful cake for Marcus. After that, it was no problem picking up the 10 steaks from the butcher, buying the potatoes for baking, lettuce and fixings for the salad, checking out, and heading back to our "little" cottage near the beach. I spent the rest of the afternoon just lounging around, taking a short nap, and going for another dip in the pool and the hot tub.
Dinner came off really well with Joe's assistance. He got the baked potatoes going and cooked the steaks to perfection on the grill. I made the salad and boiled the corn with a little milk thrown into the water. We managed to get all twelve of us seated at two tables and enjoyed a wonderful family meal in honor of Marcus. Just as the dinner began, Jacob who was sitting on the couch decided to climb off and fell on the floor. Except for the shock of the event, he soon stopped crying and was fine. The dinner concluded with the cake for Marcus and everyone enjoyed the quality of the dessert. It worked out quite well and was so much more pleasant than seven adults, 5 children, and two babies sitting at a restaurant waiting for food and hoping everyone will be patient and behave accordingly. It was another one of my family events that I had visualized and materialized with the help primarily of Joe. One other goal of mine did not take place that evening, but should have. I wanted to take a family photo on the front steps of our place sometime during the week. This would have been the perfect time, but alas the moment passed, the crowd quickly dispersed and we all resumed our evening at the beach positions where ever they might be.
After dinner, everyone but Jacob (he was down for the eveining at his usual time of 8 PM) and me went to the beach for a game of bocchi and to enjoy the warm summer evening. I started watching "You've got Mail," but when everyone returned from the beach, I saundered into my bedroom in search of rest. I was pleased with how the day had gone and how well our family gathering was progressing.
Slideshow #4: The text explains why I did not take many photos on this Wednesday. I took the first two photos, but others shared their photos with me.
Thursday, June 30
I received my monthly check today and paid my bills sometime before 5 AM in the morning while sitting on my deck enjoying the sound of the waves a block away and a cool, gentle breeze coming off of the ocean. Another nice way to begin a day at time when everyone is asleep and I can have the time to concentrate on the unfolding story of this vacation. It rained last night, but some blue sky seems to be overhead with some dark clouds hiding the moon as I write. I look east and see the beginning of the sunrise as the horizon is a very deep orange red color. The promise of another day to come.
As with any vacation, one day seems to fade into the next. It is really fun to do the beach with the kids and see them enjoy the sand and sea in various ways. After my bike ride and an egg and cheese sandwich, I wandered up the road to the Twiddy rental place to report a problem with a sliding door and to check out information about a wild horse tour at a place just up the road from Twiddy. When I came back, I jumped into the pool and played with Andrew, Chloe and Skylar. Andrew was jumping for the soccer ball and the girls liked to be pulled around the pool on a boogie board. All but Karen, the twins, and Andrew went to the beach in the morning. It was cooler on the beach than the day before when I did not go. I found it pleasant. I took more photos of Jacob and Stella. Jacob loves running into the water and getting the last effects of a breaking wave. Scott and Marcus hit to the waves farther out continuing on this day to find the right wave to ride to the shore. Carolina and Sophia played paddle ball on the beach. Brant sat under the umbrella and listened to his music from the speaker hoisted on the underside of the umbrella. I wandered into the water, but not too far. Gina's family and I returned home around noon. The afternoon for me was another quiet one. Scott's family including Brant's girls jumped in the car and made an all afternoon trip to Roanoke Island about 30 miles south, an hour's drive on a good day. Joe and Brant joined together around 1 PM to begin slow cooking the pork loins that Joe had purchased for Thursday night's dinner. It was absolutely delicious, done to perfection and complemented very nicely with his pasta salad. It has been fun to have a team effort on the cooking chores, even though one person has taken responsibility for the menu each night.
As our journey to the OBX begins to move into its final stages, I am really happy for this gathering. The cousins have formed a bond giving Jacob a lot of attention that he has thoroughly enjoyed. I have had a chance to talk with Scott, Brant, and Gina individually at various times, which has been pleasant for me. It is now Friday morning. We have two full days to go, although Scott's family will have to leave to catch a Saturday night flight tomorrow noon. We are not done yet, but it has been a very satisfying week for me. I was fearful about the weather, but the rain has mostly been at night or in very short bursts during the day. The sun has shown brilliantly each day and lit up this family gathering.
Slideshow #5: This was my most prolific day of photography so far. I was remembering to bring my camera to more places. The flowers were taken on an early morning bike ride where I discovered several bushes of these "canna lilies" adorning the front yard of a home. After spending the first part of the week at the beach, individual families began to explore more places in separate groups. Carolina took the shots at Roanoke Island with the Scott's and Brant's kids. I took the selfie on our deck off of the living room. Brant and I walked out to the deck from an air-conditioned living room to a humid, rainy deck and my camera lens fogged up. I did my best with post processing to make the photo work, but without much success. Evening walks on the beach were becoming a common pattern at the end of the day.
I received my monthly check today and paid my bills sometime before 5 AM in the morning while sitting on my deck enjoying the sound of the waves a block away and a cool, gentle breeze coming off of the ocean. Another nice way to begin a day at time when everyone is asleep and I can have the time to concentrate on the unfolding story of this vacation. It rained last night, but some blue sky seems to be overhead with some dark clouds hiding the moon as I write. I look east and see the beginning of the sunrise as the horizon is a very deep orange red color. The promise of another day to come.
As with any vacation, one day seems to fade into the next. It is really fun to do the beach with the kids and see them enjoy the sand and sea in various ways. After my bike ride and an egg and cheese sandwich, I wandered up the road to the Twiddy rental place to report a problem with a sliding door and to check out information about a wild horse tour at a place just up the road from Twiddy. When I came back, I jumped into the pool and played with Andrew, Chloe and Skylar. Andrew was jumping for the soccer ball and the girls liked to be pulled around the pool on a boogie board. All but Karen, the twins, and Andrew went to the beach in the morning. It was cooler on the beach than the day before when I did not go. I found it pleasant. I took more photos of Jacob and Stella. Jacob loves running into the water and getting the last effects of a breaking wave. Scott and Marcus hit to the waves farther out continuing on this day to find the right wave to ride to the shore. Carolina and Sophia played paddle ball on the beach. Brant sat under the umbrella and listened to his music from the speaker hoisted on the underside of the umbrella. I wandered into the water, but not too far. Gina's family and I returned home around noon. The afternoon for me was another quiet one. Scott's family including Brant's girls jumped in the car and made an all afternoon trip to Roanoke Island about 30 miles south, an hour's drive on a good day. Joe and Brant joined together around 1 PM to begin slow cooking the pork loins that Joe had purchased for Thursday night's dinner. It was absolutely delicious, done to perfection and complemented very nicely with his pasta salad. It has been fun to have a team effort on the cooking chores, even though one person has taken responsibility for the menu each night.
As our journey to the OBX begins to move into its final stages, I am really happy for this gathering. The cousins have formed a bond giving Jacob a lot of attention that he has thoroughly enjoyed. I have had a chance to talk with Scott, Brant, and Gina individually at various times, which has been pleasant for me. It is now Friday morning. We have two full days to go, although Scott's family will have to leave to catch a Saturday night flight tomorrow noon. We are not done yet, but it has been a very satisfying week for me. I was fearful about the weather, but the rain has mostly been at night or in very short bursts during the day. The sun has shown brilliantly each day and lit up this family gathering.
Slideshow #5: This was my most prolific day of photography so far. I was remembering to bring my camera to more places. The flowers were taken on an early morning bike ride where I discovered several bushes of these "canna lilies" adorning the front yard of a home. After spending the first part of the week at the beach, individual families began to explore more places in separate groups. Carolina took the shots at Roanoke Island with the Scott's and Brant's kids. I took the selfie on our deck off of the living room. Brant and I walked out to the deck from an air-conditioned living room to a humid, rainy deck and my camera lens fogged up. I did my best with post processing to make the photo work, but without much success. Evening walks on the beach were becoming a common pattern at the end of the day.
Friday, July 1,
We have seafood on the menu for tonight, but the rest of the day as of 5:48 AM is still unplanned. Well, this turned out to be an eventful day. The photos will tell the tale of most of the morning and the afternoon. Scott's family went parasailing on Currituck Sound. Carolina and I went along to ride in the boat. The event lasts for a little over an hour, but Scott, Marcus, and Sophia only spent 12 minutes or so up in the air. There were four other groups on our boat who also went up in the air. The two man crew appropriately labeled Carolina and me, "Chickens." Upon reflection, I would have done a ride if my back had been better. I took a lot of photos of the Voss group gliding under the huge sail at heights as much as 1200 feet. They all enjoyed the flight, including Sophia who did not want the dip in the water at the end. The two guys on the boat were very good. One drove, the other took photos on and SD card and gave it to Carolina after the ride. Hopefully, the photos that I took show how much they enjoyed this adventure.
After lunch, I went with Scott's family on a horse tour of the dunes on the north end of the Outer Banks. The road stopped about three miles north of where we were staying and the only way you can keep going is with a 4WD with deflated tires. The attraction are the wild mustang horses that have roamed the outer banks since the days of Spanish explorers who brought the horses and left them to run wild. I have very mixed emotions about the quality or value of the tour. Our guide was not very enthused about his job. He did drive the truck well through lots of sandy pathways and up and down the windy beach. What is surprising is that are so many homes on this part of the OBX where the only way you get to your home or rental is by a vehicle that works in the sand. It was not just a couple of houses. It was a full development with a rental agency ready to serve the visitors. I hope the photos give some idea of the weirdness of it all. I expected or hoped to see horses running on the beach or rearing up on their hind legs like they do in the brochure. I was disappointed. I have included several photos of horses grazing on the sparse vegetation on the dunes or in the sandy front and back yards of the houses. I have seen horses grazing before, so this was no great thrill. However, seeing the integration of so called wild horses with a development of modern homes was unique. The whole trip took two hours, but the last part was spent driving into the wind with rain drops hitting our faces like pin pricks. I was happy when the trip was over and was ready to tell others that "it ain't worth it."
We arrived home about 3:45 and found that Joe and Jacob had fallen while getting out of the hot tub. Jacob had a mark on his left temple and we all thought that he might have suffered a concussion. Gina, Joe, and I took Jacob to the OBX Hospital in Nags Head, a trip that took forever because of a backup in the town of Duck. We arrived around 5:30 PM. They did a CT on Jacob's heard that came out normal. However, since the accident, Jacob had not tried to walk. When Gina put him down, he could not put any wait on his left leg. An X-ray showed several small fractures in the bones in his lower leg. He was in real pain. The doctor ordered a temporary cast and two nurses put on the cast, which helped to stabilize the break while allowing for the natural swelling that occurs after this type of accident. We arrived back at the house at 10:00 PM and sat down for our very late finale of seafood prepared by Brant's wife Karen. Poor Jacob was asleep at this point, but he had a very restless night. This turned out to be our last adult family dinner at "Lion on the Sea." It was a real treat and Gina, Joe, and I were grateful that they waited for us to enjoy this meal on a rather difficult day for little Jacob.
Slideshow #6: I spent a good part of the day with Scott's Family as other family groups chose their own activities for the day. This was a day for me to take tours on the OBX. Until Jacob got hurt in the afternoon, it was a fantastical day.
We have seafood on the menu for tonight, but the rest of the day as of 5:48 AM is still unplanned. Well, this turned out to be an eventful day. The photos will tell the tale of most of the morning and the afternoon. Scott's family went parasailing on Currituck Sound. Carolina and I went along to ride in the boat. The event lasts for a little over an hour, but Scott, Marcus, and Sophia only spent 12 minutes or so up in the air. There were four other groups on our boat who also went up in the air. The two man crew appropriately labeled Carolina and me, "Chickens." Upon reflection, I would have done a ride if my back had been better. I took a lot of photos of the Voss group gliding under the huge sail at heights as much as 1200 feet. They all enjoyed the flight, including Sophia who did not want the dip in the water at the end. The two guys on the boat were very good. One drove, the other took photos on and SD card and gave it to Carolina after the ride. Hopefully, the photos that I took show how much they enjoyed this adventure.
After lunch, I went with Scott's family on a horse tour of the dunes on the north end of the Outer Banks. The road stopped about three miles north of where we were staying and the only way you can keep going is with a 4WD with deflated tires. The attraction are the wild mustang horses that have roamed the outer banks since the days of Spanish explorers who brought the horses and left them to run wild. I have very mixed emotions about the quality or value of the tour. Our guide was not very enthused about his job. He did drive the truck well through lots of sandy pathways and up and down the windy beach. What is surprising is that are so many homes on this part of the OBX where the only way you get to your home or rental is by a vehicle that works in the sand. It was not just a couple of houses. It was a full development with a rental agency ready to serve the visitors. I hope the photos give some idea of the weirdness of it all. I expected or hoped to see horses running on the beach or rearing up on their hind legs like they do in the brochure. I was disappointed. I have included several photos of horses grazing on the sparse vegetation on the dunes or in the sandy front and back yards of the houses. I have seen horses grazing before, so this was no great thrill. However, seeing the integration of so called wild horses with a development of modern homes was unique. The whole trip took two hours, but the last part was spent driving into the wind with rain drops hitting our faces like pin pricks. I was happy when the trip was over and was ready to tell others that "it ain't worth it."
We arrived home about 3:45 and found that Joe and Jacob had fallen while getting out of the hot tub. Jacob had a mark on his left temple and we all thought that he might have suffered a concussion. Gina, Joe, and I took Jacob to the OBX Hospital in Nags Head, a trip that took forever because of a backup in the town of Duck. We arrived around 5:30 PM. They did a CT on Jacob's heard that came out normal. However, since the accident, Jacob had not tried to walk. When Gina put him down, he could not put any wait on his left leg. An X-ray showed several small fractures in the bones in his lower leg. He was in real pain. The doctor ordered a temporary cast and two nurses put on the cast, which helped to stabilize the break while allowing for the natural swelling that occurs after this type of accident. We arrived back at the house at 10:00 PM and sat down for our very late finale of seafood prepared by Brant's wife Karen. Poor Jacob was asleep at this point, but he had a very restless night. This turned out to be our last adult family dinner at "Lion on the Sea." It was a real treat and Gina, Joe, and I were grateful that they waited for us to enjoy this meal on a rather difficult day for little Jacob.
Slideshow #6: I spent a good part of the day with Scott's Family as other family groups chose their own activities for the day. This was a day for me to take tours on the OBX. Until Jacob got hurt in the afternoon, it was a fantastical day.
Saturday and Sunday, July 2-3
Gina and Joe talked to medical people in Danbury in the morning and decided to leave at noon for the long drive home. It took them 11 hours, but they made it before midnight. Jacob was happy to be home and slept all night. Sunday morning, he went to the Orthopedic Center in Danbury Hospital and had a real cast put on. See the photo with his orange cast. He will be in it for about 3 weeks. It is hard for me to understand how a little guy like him who is so active running all over the place will make the adjustment during this recovery period.
I left for home at 4:30 AM Sunday morning and pulled into my driveway at 2 PM. I was tired, but had experienced very little traffic or slowdowns, so it was good to be home. We all had a great time on this trip, together for the first time as the Voss clan. In years to come, Jacob's accident will become one of the stories of the week. It was unfortunate, but the trip was a success. I hope we can do something like this again in two or three years. Not sure, we can do it every year. Besides Jacob's accident, I have one regret. We should have taken a family photo early in the week. I had decided to try it on Friday night, but because of the accident, we never got a full family photo. My other regret is that I took so few photos of the twins. I am not sure why that is, but thanks to others, I do have some shots of them.
Slideshow #7: Saturday was a day of coming down from the high of the week with family. It was a time to see Gina and Joe leave early to get Jacob home for a visit to the doctors on Sunday for a permanent cast. Scott's family also left early to catch a flight back to Boston from Raleigh Durham. I spent the day with Brant's family packing and cleaning up around the house. I did take a final stroll to the beach where I caught these random photos. Finally, Jacob is on the mend.
Gina and Joe talked to medical people in Danbury in the morning and decided to leave at noon for the long drive home. It took them 11 hours, but they made it before midnight. Jacob was happy to be home and slept all night. Sunday morning, he went to the Orthopedic Center in Danbury Hospital and had a real cast put on. See the photo with his orange cast. He will be in it for about 3 weeks. It is hard for me to understand how a little guy like him who is so active running all over the place will make the adjustment during this recovery period.
I left for home at 4:30 AM Sunday morning and pulled into my driveway at 2 PM. I was tired, but had experienced very little traffic or slowdowns, so it was good to be home. We all had a great time on this trip, together for the first time as the Voss clan. In years to come, Jacob's accident will become one of the stories of the week. It was unfortunate, but the trip was a success. I hope we can do something like this again in two or three years. Not sure, we can do it every year. Besides Jacob's accident, I have one regret. We should have taken a family photo early in the week. I had decided to try it on Friday night, but because of the accident, we never got a full family photo. My other regret is that I took so few photos of the twins. I am not sure why that is, but thanks to others, I do have some shots of them.
Slideshow #7: Saturday was a day of coming down from the high of the week with family. It was a time to see Gina and Joe leave early to get Jacob home for a visit to the doctors on Sunday for a permanent cast. Scott's family also left early to catch a flight back to Boston from Raleigh Durham. I spent the day with Brant's family packing and cleaning up around the house. I did take a final stroll to the beach where I caught these random photos. Finally, Jacob is on the mend.
A Final Word or Two:
This was a first for me in bringing all three families and the grandchildren together. It was worth every penny and all the miles of driving. We enjoyed each other, the beautiful beaches of the Outer Banks, and the ambiance of Corolla, which is on the more quiet and less commercial northern part of the OBX. It was not far to go to find food, drink, hardware supplies, gift shops, restaurants, etc. However, Lighthouse Rd was more a place for walking and biking than driving down the street in a car. It is a very calming place. Yes, there were a few loud parties at night, but I never really found that they interrupted my beauty sleep. Jacob enjoyed playing with his cousins for the first time. They enjoyed keeping him occupied. It was great fun to watch the twins and Jacob get used to the wave action at the beach. The girls became quite good on their boogie boards. Jacob got to the point of wanting to run in and out of the water without holding the hands of Mom or Dad. Andrew, the oldest of the youngest five, kept all of them busy with his desire to play. Stella, well Stella enjoyed resting under the sun safe tent and just taking in the sites and smiling at whoever looked at her. Scott spent a lot of quality time with Marcus and Sophia out in the rush of the higher waves. Sophia and Carolina played beach games. The essence of this week took place at the beach, at the pool, and in the conversations and play that took place inside the house, particularly around the dinner table. I do want to repeat the experience, but I am not sure where or when. I am wondering if a gathering at a centrally located Lake in the Blue Ridge Mountain Area might be a possibility. The idea of a drive of 9-11 hours appears to be doable. We shall see; but in the meantime, I am most grateful to my three children and seven grandchildren for an exceptional experience at this stage of my life.
This was a first for me in bringing all three families and the grandchildren together. It was worth every penny and all the miles of driving. We enjoyed each other, the beautiful beaches of the Outer Banks, and the ambiance of Corolla, which is on the more quiet and less commercial northern part of the OBX. It was not far to go to find food, drink, hardware supplies, gift shops, restaurants, etc. However, Lighthouse Rd was more a place for walking and biking than driving down the street in a car. It is a very calming place. Yes, there were a few loud parties at night, but I never really found that they interrupted my beauty sleep. Jacob enjoyed playing with his cousins for the first time. They enjoyed keeping him occupied. It was great fun to watch the twins and Jacob get used to the wave action at the beach. The girls became quite good on their boogie boards. Jacob got to the point of wanting to run in and out of the water without holding the hands of Mom or Dad. Andrew, the oldest of the youngest five, kept all of them busy with his desire to play. Stella, well Stella enjoyed resting under the sun safe tent and just taking in the sites and smiling at whoever looked at her. Scott spent a lot of quality time with Marcus and Sophia out in the rush of the higher waves. Sophia and Carolina played beach games. The essence of this week took place at the beach, at the pool, and in the conversations and play that took place inside the house, particularly around the dinner table. I do want to repeat the experience, but I am not sure where or when. I am wondering if a gathering at a centrally located Lake in the Blue Ridge Mountain Area might be a possibility. The idea of a drive of 9-11 hours appears to be doable. We shall see; but in the meantime, I am most grateful to my three children and seven grandchildren for an exceptional experience at this stage of my life.
The End
