A Busy Day

I missed all of the fun yesterday. In the afternoon, from 1 to 4, Michael & Paula Schramel hosted an open house at their home on Lighthouse Road. The Schramels won the Ocracoke Preservation Society Old House Award this year for their work rehabilitating the 100 year old James Henry Garrish house. It is the one story building with the wrap around porch and metal roof about half way between the Island Inn and Albert Styron's store. All of the work was done to NC state preservation standards. Congratulation to Michael & Paula!

At about the same time the Ocracoke Working Watermen's Association was offering seafood dinners at the fish house. I heard they were serving delicious seafood gumbo. Unfortunately I was working all afternoon and missed both the open house and the food.

From 5 to 7 Mary Ellen and Jim Piland opened their home for a spontaneous early evening party. (One of the things I love about Ocracoke is the spontaneity of social gatherings. Neither the Schramels nor the Pilands had planned their get-togethers more than a day ahead, and everyone was invited. Word was just passed around the village informally.) I didn't get out of the Village Craftsmen until after 5:30, and was committed to baby sitting at 6:30 so I decided not to rush, and just went home to relax for a bit before Lachlan came over.

Lachlan and I played and read until Mama and Daddy came home at about 8:30, so I can't say I missed all of the fun yesterday! Later today we'll be going out to the beach to fly our kite again. I'll take my camera this time.

Our latest Newsletter is an article about Blackbeard the pirate and new research that suggests he may have been born in eastern North Carolina. You can read it here.