My cousin's blog on island life

As we head into winter, snow, and blizzards here in Iowa, here is my cousin's blog http://tjparkerislandlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/more-rain.html. Terri and her husband Blake "retired" to their next profession to St. Thomas a year and a half ago. Her blog is about island Life. For instance, this week around "10:00 a.m. the Governor of the islands announced that everyone should go home. Schools would be closed, government offices shut down. I know this may sound absurd to you but the island just doesn't know what to do when it rains. God forbid it would ever snow! There are some real dangers though- mud and rock slides as well as curvy roads can make driving a challenge. I headed home around 12:30 and there were few cars on the road. I did see a family of pigs having a grand old time rolling in the mud! There was a HUGE mama sow and about 7 or 8 little ones enjoying the rain. The radio announced that everyone should just go home. There is talk of a curfew. The rain is expected to continue into the night and folks are worried about flooding. They also warned people that it would be rather chilly tonight- low may even hit 70. I had to chuckle as I listened to the song that followed this announcement - Winter Wonderland. Ah, island life."

Be sure to check it out.

Traveling back in time -- Beauty and the Beast

I'm trying to free up some room on my hard drive and ran across some videos. The place was Mercy Hospital, two days after Luke was born. This was about the same time that Jeremy was in the leading role of Beauty and the Beast at the Playhouse.

Day 6

Another beautiful day in paradise. We headed south again towards Hattaras Island and the light house to (1) enjoy the beaches and (2) pick up a shirt at the light house that Doug wanted. We spent the day at a couple different beaches. Towards the end of the day Rick started talking to a fisherman who lived nearby. Beth asked for a dinner recommendation for sea food and he recommended the Quarterdeck in Frisco. Enroute to the restaurant we pulled over in a day-use area to enjoy the sunset.

Day 5

Beth, Doug, and Gloria near the Roanoke Marshes Light House on Roanoke Island at Manteo.
Watching the winning game of the World Series
Siblings on the Roanoke waterfront.
Roanoke water front.
Roanoke Marshes Light House.
Elizabeth II.

Today we went to Roanoke Island to visit the Lost Colony, Fort Raleigh, the Elizabethan Gardens, the Elizabeth II at Festival Park, and another light house. Rick stayed back at the house and did some exploring on his own, using one of the bicycles here at the house.

Festival Park is across from the Manteo waterfront. History comes alive, with actors playing the part of the “natives.”. We toured a 16th-century ship called the Elizabeth II.

Twenty-three years before Jamestown (1584), the dream of an English-speaking nation began on the shores of Roanoke Island. This small island was home to the first temporary English settlements in the New World, sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh during the years 1584 to 1587. Roanoke Island Festival Park celebrates this period of Roanoke Island History through history-made-fun and a passion for the arts.

On Elizabeth II, a representative 16th-century sailing ship, we met sailors like those who sailed across the Atlantic in 1585. They were dressed in period garments and spoke Elizabethan dialect. They brought the history of the voyages to life at the Settlement Site, where we were introduced to the game of Skittles and worked with their k-nives carving tools.

Day 3 and 4 Lighthouses

Monday we went north a few miles to the light house at Currituck.



After we were unable to make the ferry to a couple wineries we went south and visited the Bodie Island lighthouse.



Tuesday we again headed south and stopped and visited the Cape Hatteras Light house.


Next we had to catch a ferry for a 40 minute ride to Ocracoke to visit the Ocracoke lighthouse.

Day 4 Whales

Sunday and Monday were cloudy, windy, and rainy. That didn't stop us from having fun. Yesterday we visited the Currituck Beach Light House in Corolla. Doug and Beth climed to the top while the rest of us looked around down below. We tried to visit some wineries only to realize we had to take a ferry and got there too late and had to wait till the next one so we gave up that idea. We also visited Bodie Island light house. I'll post some of these pictures later.

Roger and I caught the sunrise this morning. After breakfast we drove further south to Cape Hatteras light house and Oracroke Island lighthouse. The ocea was violent near Rodanthe and water and sand were over the road. County crews closed the road right behind us to other travelers while they tried to make the road safer.

After visiting the light house on Oracroke, we pulled off and walked over a sand dune to the ocean. As we got to the top of the dune we caught something off in front of us coming up out of the water. A WHALE!!!! It just kept going back and forth in front of us. I talked to someone who said he had been coming to the Outer Banks for years and had never seen one. It was a great day.

Lighthouse pictures to be posted tomorrow.

Day 2 Outer Banks

Slept with windows and slider open last night and woke to rain coming down. Can't wait to go see everything in the daylight. Weather forecasts is rain today but that won't dampen our fun any.

Chris and Topher are grandparents. Calvin Tyler was born just before 6 this morning. He weighed 9 pounds 3 ounces and over 21 inches long. Congratulations to the Bart and Erin and the grandparents.




After a late breakfast and spending time with the Loessers, we visited Kitty Hawk Museum today.


After spending several hours at Kitty Hawk the wind was really picking up and it looked like it would start raining. We went to a nearby restaurant, Outer Banks Brewing Company and had a late lunch/early dinner, chocolate molten cakes and a brew.

After dinner it was almost dark and rainy, but we drove south looking for the Bodie Light House. We found it (plus many deer along the way), but it it is no longer lit and was pretty dark. After hitting the grocery store for breakfast items and snacks, we came back to the Yellow Brick Road to watch the World Series and scrap.

Day 1 of Outer Banks

Saturday, October 31. We had set the alarm for 3:30. After loading the car, letting dogs out and feeding them, we left our house at 4:15 a.m. for Doug and Beths'. Everyone was on time and we were on the road to Kansas City by 5 a.m. Upon arrival at KCI we learned our flight had been delayed and we could still possibly make our scheduled fllight as it was only two gates over but they also booked us on a 6 p.m. flight out of Newark.

Flying into Newark I saw the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Our flight attendant said our out-going flight was also probably delayed. Unfortunately I think it was the only flight on time that day out of Newark. After three gate changes, pizza, beers, and margaritas, our outgoing flight left at 7:15 p.m. We landed in Norfolk around 8:30 p.m. After getting the luggage and rental car, we didn't make it to the Outer Banks until almost 11 p.m.




Our hosts, Chris and Topher had wine waiting for us when we got here and were awaiting news on the birth of their new grandson.