After Outer Banks

The day after we got home from our trip to the Outer Banks, Lise and Magda went to Biltmore. I opted to stay home to catch up on a few things. I’m sure they took photos inside and out of the mansion and gardens, but I didn’t ask to see them. They did speak to the horses in the pasture. DW came over to get an apple. I failed to report to you that a new horse was added a week or so ago. Neighbor Joyce doesn’t know its name, so we call it Newbie. We can tell Newbie from Vixen by his star and longer socks.

Going to Woodside was the big event the day before Magda flew back to Denmark. Lise is always eager to take people there to experience the gracious Southern hospitality of Myra and Rick. They served us lunch, followed by an extensive tour of the house and grounds. I was very impressed with the gigantic display of wisteria blooms, and asked neice Kathie and Lise to pose with them.

I took one photo of Rick and Magda as he told about the pirate that had stayed in the house long ago.

The best photo of the day was Magda’s – the side of the house with the shoe that was made for my late sister-in-law when she was a child.

Motel Water and a Sun Rise

The first thing I noticed in the motel bathroom was that hot water came from both taps. Normally the color blue on the tap denotes cold water, and red tells you hot water will come out. Not here! The next day Lise went to the office to tell them we had no cold water. The explanation was simple, but we have laughed at it ever since. It seems that for convenience they heat ALL the water during the winter. In the summer, they have to cool the water.

I wish I had been there to see Lise’s face. I know my jaw would have dropped, and I would have asked if everyone had to take a cold shower during hot weather. Isn’t that the logical conclusion? Surely water is heated for one set of pipes and cooled for the other, but that’s not the way they said it.

Two days later I washed my hands in a restaurant restroom. Looking at the faucets, I wondered what temperature the water would be from the cold side. It was cold. I turned on the other tap and the water was also cold. Perhaps if I had let it run long enough, it would have gotten warm, but I’m not at all sure. That crazy town did not operate with the conventional rules for water like the rest of the country.

We got up early to see the sun rise on our last morning at the Outer Banks. Magda and Lise walked on the path through the dunes and waited on the shore. I took the easy way out and watched, with camera in hand, from the balcony of our room. I was lucky that I saw it at the same time they did, with the break in the dunes letting me see water and sun together. What a glorious sight it was!

Fun, Flight, and Fine Dining

Lise spotted a thrift store that highlighted dishes, and we went in to see if I could find a small plate to add to my collection. I began to buy plates because I was tired of using the two sets of dishes I’d used for 50 years. Magda found one with flowers on it, and Lise liked one that matched three large plates I had at home. I was thrilled to take both home. While there, Lise spotted a large, green stuffed animal that stole her heart. The original price tag was on it, but she got it for much, much less. This creature was my seatmate until we packed the trunk to return home.

Going to the place where the Wright brothers made their first flights was most interesting. We took a selfie with the monument behind us. We climbed that steep hill and put on the brakes coming down. Lise and I jumped to the conclusion that the airplane took off from that hill, but we were wrong.

A large stone marks the place where the plane ran on one rail for take-off, because wheels would not have worked in the soft sand. The first flight was about 12 seconds long, followed by three longer ones, all on the same day. Smaller stones mark the landing spots.

Take-off point with rail and markers further down

I liked the display of the airplane and several key figures made of metal. Both Wright brothers were shown, one lying on the plane and one running beside it. The photographer was also there, and it was from his photograph that the scene was modeled.

That evening we had a marvelous seafood dinner. I remember Magda and I had a crab cake, among other things, and Lise had fried clam strips. We don’t know where the crabs and clams were caught, but it seemed appropriate to eat them near the ocean.

Lighthouses, Duck, and the Ocean

We drove to see the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, the tallest and most recognized one in America. From a distance it didn’t look right. Its distinctive black and white stripes were missing. Getting closer, we found it was covered in scaffolding. I didn’t even bother to take a photo.

We had better luck with the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. Magda climbed it for us, having young knees and lots of energy. Lise and I sat on a bench in the shade and waited for her to reach the top and wave to us.

Before we left on the trip, I overheard Lise and Magda discussing the things they wanted to see and do. I loved hearing them suggest things and rearrange them verbally. They travel together often, having similar tastes and style, as well as more time off than most of their friends. I was willing to go anywhere they wanted to go, which was a wise decision for me.

We went to the town of Duck. It was a beautiful small town where we wandered on a boardwalk and peeked in shops. Lise posed with the statue of a horse, one of many in the whole area.

I took Magda’s photo with a duck sign, since her last name translates to Duckling in English.

The sun was going down when we paid to go on a long pier near our motel.

The girls were willing to ride the statue of a turtle.

We all loved the sound of the surf, with its hissing sound of bubbles on the sand.

Wild Horses on the Outer Banks

We arrived at Nags Head well past dark and had our first glimpse of the ocean the next morning from our balcony. Had it been warmer, we would have left that back door open whenever we were in the room. I think Lise could hear the breakers with the door shut, but I couldn’t.

We took a tour looking for wild horses in a protected area. I was in the front seat, with the girls behind me. There was a steady stream of vehicles going up and down the beach. Magda caught sight of a dolphin, and she particularly enjoyed looking at all the shore birds.

Our driver spotted a group of horses and took us closer. We were warned not to try to call the horses closer and certainly not to get out of the vehicle. The animals paid no attention to us. We found one other lone horse, but because the vegetation was not plentiful, the horses were scarce. This zoomed-in shot was taken by Lise or Magda.

We looked at petrified tree stumps in the sand. People speculate that sand overtook the trees many, many years ago. It was an odd sight.

Lise and Magda Arrive

Daughter Lise and friend Magda did not push the first few days they were here, giving themselves time to adjust to this time zone. They live six hours ahead of me. They were eager to walk, though, and had a chance to chat with neighbor Joyce on their first full day.

To help me, they moved totes in the garage where seasonal things are stored.

The first tourist thing we did was go to Winchester Creek Farm. We saw alpacas, llamas, and other less exotic animals. Our guide knew all about the animals, including things about their breed, names, ages, quirks, and stories about them.

Our trip started the next day with a lavish brunch buffet at the Grove Park Inn just north of Asheville. I think most standard breakfast foods were available from eggs Benedict to shrimp and grits, scrambled eggs with bacon or sausage, pancakes, Wagyu beef, banana bread French toast, pastries, and desserts. Being people who love to eat, we three were in hog heaven.

After breakfast, we settled in to drive all the way across the state to the Outer Banks, an area new to all of us.

Miss Duckling

Daughter Lise and friend Magda got themselves from the airport to my house by renting a car. They are intrepid travelers, easily finding the best way to do things. They were still alert after being up for almost 24 hours. Amazing!!

Magda gave me a most precious gift – a rubber duck. It came from the company she works for, which is where she and Lise met. Also, her last name, translated into English, means duckling. I put the new duck beside the one toy I have on the bathtub, a small yellow duck. The next morning I looked at the two ducks and noticed the little one was looking adoringly up at Miss Duckling. They are now best friends, probably as close as Lise and Magda.

I had talked to Magda on the phone several times and felt I already knew her and loved her. What joy to have her here in person!

Chirping Smoke Detector

At least the chirps did not start in the middle of the night! The smoke detector in the entrance hall beeped once last night, but I thought I had dragged my sneaker on the wooden floor. When it happened again this morning, I knew I had to find which one was complaining. Soon it beeped regularly, and I called on neighbor Jeff to change it. He rescued me last fall, then Lise’s friend Toke took care of the other five when they came to visit. There is no way that battery should have failed this quickly.

Jeff responded to my text and was here within minutes. He is such a smart fixer, coming prepared with a voltage meter. Checking the battery, he found it did not have enough charge to function properly. We both assumed my new battery was fine, but it chirped just as he stepped down to the floor. What?? He flipped it out, checked its voltage, and put it in again. This time it stayed blessedly quiet.

What do people do who don’t have wonderful neighbors to call on??? If I were 50 years younger and bought a house, I think I’d look for a course that would teach me how to do basic repairs myself. These days, perhaps there are videos to watch.

“Hush, Anne! You have no business climbing on a ladder. You’d do better falling over yourself thanking your rescuer.”

And Anne lived happily ever after, knowing she should call for help instead of trying to be independent.

Guessed Right!

I don’t consider myself watchful, but I drew the right conclusion about neighbor Cindy. Days ago I didn’t realize she was going to see her grandchildren until we were texting. She mentioned she had to go because her flight was boarding. Fast forward a while. I’m not time-aware, but it seemed she had been gone long enough. Her house appeared normal as I passed. Jim’s truck was gone early, as usual, and that’s when I wondered if it was time for Cindy to be home. Turning around, I passed the house and got my answer. The dogs were let out in the fenced yard. They wouldn’t have let themselves out!

After I got home, she replied to my text of discovery, saying she got home the night before!! She had had a wonderful time, but was also glad to be home. Most people can identify with that. I’m glad she is back, making my neighborhood complete again.