Breakfast

I awoke early this morning to water nearly everywhere. I'm told that more than 5 inches of rain fell during the night.

It was necessary to slog through numerous puddles to get to the Flying Melon Restaurant. I was there with friends to help Captain Rob Temple (of the schooner "Windfall" -- the black sailboat with the red sails) celebrate his birthday. There were only guys there and the talk was not entirely centered on sports and bad jokes (though there was an ample supply of both).

It was good to be with old friends again after spending more than two weeks off the island....though I do miss Lou Ann and the fun times we had in the mountains. We made chalk drawings on the sidewalk, visited a county fair (where Lou Ann got great delight in seeing me pet a pig), attended a country square dance (which was remarkably similar to our island dance), went to a small town movie theater (saw "Corpse Bride"), visited friends and family, and generally had a wonderful visit.

I also had an opportunity to spend time with my son and his family. The grandchildren, Zoe, Eakin, & Eliza, are getting to be quite proficient at swimming (a valuable skill for visits to the island, of course). Unfortunately, my daughter-in-law, Brittany, ruptured a disc in her lower back while I was there. Yesterday she had surgery to relieve the severe pain. I understand she is recuperating nicely. We are all hoping she will be up and about in short order.

Already island life is settling into a "comfortable busy" routine with family & friends -- breakfast this morning with the guys, poker last night (I won $7.00!), a movie tonight with Amy & David and David's family, brunch tomorrow with family, dinner tomorrow evening with friends Chris Weedy & Jimmy Creech (he was the Ocracoke Methodist minister in the late '70's & early '80's).

When will I have time to read, visit with neighbors, walk on the beach, or (perish the thought) work?? I suppose all this will work itself out soon.

Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old August Storm of 1899, published September 15, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news091505.htm.

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