The whole family at the beach!

Dad sent me this family portrait taken at the beach in Hatteras during our trip, so you get to see everyone (except Calvin, Sherry and the kids--Sherry was the photographer for this one, I think.)

Family vacation!

Finally, here's the story (with pictures, of course!) of our family vacation in the Outer Banks. This was my brother Ralph's 40th birthday present--my sister-in-law Kathryne rented one of those gorgeous huge houses in Hatteras for a week for us all to get together. Most of us stayed Saturday through Wednesday--Ken, Mom, Dad, Dave and I, as well as Ralph and Kathryne and of course Sheila and Brian. Their good friends Sherry (not sure that's the right spelling), Calvin (parents) and Owen and Mia (kids), were there much of the time also. Here's Mia:


We flew as far as Norfolk, VA. My dear husband, when he saw the flight security staff with their blue gloves at the gate, commented, "It's time for the cavity search." Needless to say, we both got patted down. We rented a car and drove--said car came with Sirius satellite radio, and Ken and I fell in love with Channel 10's "mellow rock." Made the long trip (made longer by my navigational failures both ways) much more pleasant.

The first day we went to The Hatterasman/Hatteras Sushi Co. for dinner. The place served burgers, hot dogs, Mexican food, sushi and sashimi. Oh, also hummous, beer, wine and sake. You just can't make this stuff up. That being Ralph's birthday, we had cake and gifts, and general family enjoyment.

Calvin, Sherry and the kids arrived Sunday. Mia and I hit it off from the start, especially when she wanted to play and I suggested we get the sidewalk chalk and draw on the concrete driveway. This became a daily tradition for me and all four kids. (left to right: Owen, Sheila, Mia)

We had all kinds of fun!
Photo: Dave with (left to right) Brian, Sheila and Mia. Kathryne's in the background.

--Setting off fireworks (legally and safely) at night--Sheila did the Hermione bit, calling out "Expecto Patronus!" and other spells. When we set the strobe fireworks off, Brian did his most excellent Robot Dance (the other kids made good robots too, but Brian really has the moves.
--Hanging out in the hot tub. Brian treated it like a pool, and his mom informed him, "A hot tub is not for swimming, it's for hanging out doing nothing." I began singing "We are the pirates who don't do anything" (a VeggieTales song) and the kids picked it up, singing at the end, "and if you ask us, we're in the hot tub."
--Dave brought his guitar, and one night some of us grownups sat on the screened-in porch and talked, and he played everything from the Beatles his own stuff. He played a John Prine song especially for me, and yes, I liked it! The chorus is about how the thing to do is to move out into the country, grow a garden and raise kids and let them find their own religion. I'm there!

--Ken had a bad cold but still had an enjoyable time with some good books as well as museum visits.

Dad, Dave and Ken at the Cape Hatteras lighthouse

--Food! We each took one night cooking dinner. Ralph and Kathryne made an awesome shrimp boil, Calvin and Sherry provided excellent brats and marinated chicken (plus Sherry also bought excellent barbecue for lunch one day!), and I (with help from Ken despite his cold) made scampi. Mom and Dad had bought dinner.

Dad on the front porch


--Kathryne bought a Pirate Dice game, based on the game in Pirates of the Caribbean II. It's a bluffing game, and was incredible fun!

--And, of course, swimming and riding the waves in the ocean. The waves were just right--high enough to be fun, low enough to not be scary. And I'd forgotten how much I love, love, love the ocean!!

P.S. No pictures of the birthday boy--sorry! I hope Mom and Dad got some.