OT--Vacation adventures
 

OK, so I'm down here in the Outer Banks for a one-week vacation--booked this AirBnb cottage late last winter/early spring, as a planned relaxation/writing getaway for the second major part of my Year of Lexie.

I was keeping an eye on the hurricane news. Originally planned to get a VERY early start Saturday for the 7-8 hour drive, but decided to wait a bit and hopefully miss the worst of the storm. I carefully packed EVERYTHING I thought I might need, and even included a solar charger, etc., in case power went out. Feeling very well-prepared, I headed down around 10 am.

The drive wasn't bad, for the most part. It was a little scary driving over some of the long, LONG bridges, where the ocean level had risen almost to the bottom of the bridge, and you could feel the wind hitting the car. No super-heavy rain--I had to put the wipers on high speed for just 15 minutes or so here and there, and much of the trip there was little or no rain.

There was some deep water in spots on the road, as well as blowing sand, once I got near my destination (southern part of Hatteras Island). I had a bit of trouble opening the lockbox and had to call my host (who lives across the street), but finally got it open and carried in my stuff. As I was unpacking my electronics, I had a sinking realization. I had brought both my personal and my work laptops (have a presentation I need to finish up for a training we're doing next week), but I didn't bring a charging adapter! I called my host, who actually DID have an extra adapter for a Mac, but it was the wrong style--and I didn't have with me the small adapter-adapter that would make it work with my Mac. So, after searching availability, it looked like my options were (a) drive 2.5 hours each way to the nearest Apple Store in Virginia Beach or (b) order it from Apple or Amazon with the soonest possible delivery Wed. or Thurs.

Since the whole POINT of this vacation was to do writing, (b) was not a good option. So I ordered the adapter online and planned to be AT the store when it opened at 11. So, another lovely drive up and back to get the adapter. The Apple Store dude was a hottie with long, sun-streaked wavy hair in his mid-20s, who chatted with me about surfing in Hatteras--he was sympathetic to my long drive.

So I get back to the cottage, and holy crap, there was almost too much water in the street to drive through. Correction, there WAS too much water in the street to drive through, but I did anyway, cringing at what the salt water was doing to my new post-collision paint job. This time, the KEY wouldn't open the bottom door lock--my neighbor came over and finally managed to get it to work (though we concluded that from now on I should lock only the top lock).

No sooner did I make it in than my host texted me to suggest I put my car at the end of the street, as it was NOT good to drive through the water. I asked if I should leave it where it was, now that I'd parked it on dry land. He said, "Probably should move it--it's going to get worse before it gets better, and high tide is at 10 tonight and again at 10 tomorrow morning)." He apologized for the inconvenience but suggested I move it now. I told him the hurricane wasn't his fault, and I'd move the car.

I figured any errands better be done NOW, since it wouldn't be fun wading through the water on the street to get back and forth. So drove back through the water (which was up to my lower calves), and found a car wash the next town over, and had it thoroughly washed (body shop guy said no wax for a month--he didn't say anything about salt water baths), including undercarriage. Found a grocery store and picked up a few things I needed, and then parked at the end of the street and waded back to the cottage.

This morning I slept in till almost 10, and the water was even HIGHER. There were guys on styrofoam boats picking up trash for trash day. I discovered I had no dishwashing detergent for the dishwasher, and when I texted my host he offered to "paddle some over." I told him no rush, we can wait for the water to go down, and he said he'd bring some by at 4 when it's low tide.

So. It hasn't gone exactly as planned, lol. But for now, I have what I need, and hopefully the water will recede over the next few days. I haven't even gone down to the beach, as I'd have to wade through deep water to even get to the sand. The cottage is cute, I have the windows open, and it's nice and quiet.

I can't get over the utter "coolness" of the locals there. I'd be freaking out if I had to paddle anything anywhere.

Can you post a few pictures?

View out my front door this morning:

And a view down the other end of the street:

And alongside my cottage (toward the back):

i absolutely love your post. it is such acceptance of it is what it is and you made the most of it. i totally believe that every situation in our lives is neutral and it's all how we decide to look at it. this was so great, inspiring and so empowering. you go girl! enjoy the peace and quiet and i hope you get some writing done. be safe and enjoy.

BTW, my cottage is a little one-story, two-unit (side-by-side) house--not like one of those big things on stilts on the other side of the street.

Yikes!! Although I suppose to the natives, it's no more of a big deal than a blizzard is to me and Wisconsin here in the Midwest--you learn how to hunker down and get thru it...

Hope your vacation doesn't get too much more "adventurous", Lexie!

You're probably right. Coming from California, I panic when I see one raindrop or snowflake, but I'm cool as a cucumber in an earthquake.

Thanks for the pictures, Lexie. (Actually, I was kinda hoping you'd post one of the wavy haired hottie.)

LOL, hey, the wavy-haired hottie was the universe's compensation to ME for the inconvenience of driving all the way up to Virginia Beach for a laptop adapter. I could have snapped his picture, but I've got the memory to soothe me. :)

Lexie - You have the most awesome attitude when dealing with obstacles of anyone I know. Flooded basement? Got it. Flooded city? Got it.

Hope the rest of your week goes great and thanks for the reminder that we can get through anything:)

Hugs and prayers

Yeah, for someone not born a "water sign" I seem to have an inordinate number of issues involving water. Let us not forget the refrigerator ice maker leak into my basement, and the broken washing machine hose that flooded into my main floor living area. Oh, and my near-drowning on my trip to Fiji. (Needless to say I don't plan on going any distance INTO the water here right now!)

Well, it's 4:30, and supposedly "low tide" but I can't see that the water has gone down a whole lot. I think it will just take a few days for the roads/yard to dry out, once the tide isn't flooding it anymore.

Oh, well, got no place I need to be. It's pleasantly cool outside and I'm keeping the windows open so I don't need to listen to the noisy air conditioners.

Dang, I'd forgotten about the episodes but my mind was saying "what IS it with you and water?!?!?"

Enjoy the rest of your vacation and the cooler weather. We're at 90 degrees and I'm staying inside with the a/c.


Hugs and prayers

Same here. When Northridge hit I was less than 100 miles from the epicenter. I was in my doorway before I was even awake.

Rain? What's that SeriousKarma? :lmao

Very cool you're making the best of it! Having just spent a week camping at the Grand Canyon without having cell or internet service there, it's amazing how dependent we've become on our electronic communication!

We got hit by Hermine at our beach house. Lost end of the dock, other than that all fine.

The nice thing is - very cool winds afterward. Its even cool in hell on earth atlanta. So I hope you get the same experience Lexie - those tides should subside soon.

have a great time!

Hehe. I really enjoyed this story (not at your expense of course!). Hoping you have a relaxing trip for the remainder of you vacay.

It's 73 degrees here right now, with a brisk ocean breeze. Good thing there's good ventilation. I cooked a hamburger patty for dinner and it set of the smoke alarm. Took about 30 seconds for the place to get FULL of smoke (must have been grease on the frying pan or something), but I opened the windows and front door, and turned on a box fan to blow the smoke outside. All's well.

Given the Venice-like surroundings here, I'm VERY glad I didn't plan to eat "out" this week. I brought a bunch of stuff from home and picked up a few more things at the nearby grocery store. The grocery store is so famous, they sell sweatshirts with their name on it. It had great write-ups--apparently they've been in business (family-owned) for 50 years. They had a nice little deli section, and a great selection of EVERYTHING in a very small space. All kinds of gourmet goodies, too, if you're inclined to get fancy (I'm just concentrating on sticking with my diet).

I do want to go out for a couple of fresh seafood dinners later in the week when the roads are more navigable.

My original plan was to stay down here till Sunday, but given that I have to leave for a work trip on Monday, I'll probably leave Saturday so I have one day to wash clothes and decompress (and dry out!), get my car washed, etc.

Wow Lexie, what an adventure! You and the locals have a great attitude.

I'm from NY and drove in snow and ice for decades. Hated it but I did it. When I moved to L.A. and saw people freak out if it rains for five minutes I laughed. But now, having been here almost 20 years, I freak out when it rains for five minutes.

Great pics, hope the rest of your trip goes well.

Have a great trip Lex. Relax, enjoy....

Now THIS is more like it...

And this is where I had dinner tonight...

So pretty!

How wonderful you were able to take this trip, Lexie! It sounds as though it has been worthwhile in spite of Hermine. It is annoying about the charger issue, but it sounds as though it wasn't that unpleasant to deal with :)

I'm about a 6 hour drive from there, and we had a lot of flooding and downed trees, too. And yes, when you live within 50 miles of the coast, you do get used to it. You learn what to expect and how to prepare for it.

I do hope your writing is going well and that you are enjoying a lot of fresh seafood!!

Well, I haven't gotten a whole lot of writing done. I did take my laptop with me to the beach yesterday and got a bit done there. And I got my presentations for next week done. There's still a bit of water in the street here, though it's now possible to walk around it. I'm leaving the car at the end of the street till it's time to pack up tomorrow, just so salt water doesn't get splashed on it.

Still, getting a change of scenery--and mostly away from the job--has been nice. I may go down to the beach a couple more times before I leave, and I'd like to check out the rest of the area a bit, too.

Haven't had a LOT of seafood, but the place where I had dinner last night was awesome--one of the most delicious meals I've ever had, in fact. It was shrimp and grits, but the grits (with smoked gouda) were smothered in this sort of jambalaya-like stew with sausage, tomatoes, chick peas, onion, and mushrooms.

I'm hungry now.... Yummy!

Glad to read that you're making the best of a vacation that has thrown some unexpected situations at you. Enjoy the rest of your time.

I'll also second COD's thoughts: that dinner sounds great!

My last full day here in OBX--I had lunch at a famously awesome little cafe (crabcake wrap with avocado), then climbed the highest lighthouse in North America--the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. They moved it in 1999 a couple thousand feet inland, due to shoreline erosion that was threatening it--a real feat of engineering! It was 250-some steps to the top, and man--you really FELT it. The view from the top was spectacular, though.

After the lighthouse (and the museum tour), I stopped, on impulse, at a little bookstore. I love bookstores, and there are so few independent ones these days.

The lady who ran it greeted me pleasantly, and as I was browsing in the room next door, I heard people talking about being "friends of Bill W." Holy crap--I walked over and there was a couple chatting with the owner, and it was obvious they were all in AA. I said, "Where's the coffee pot? I've got a resentment..." and everyone busted out laughing. The owner had 30-some years, as did the guy, and his wife/girlfriend had eight years, same as me.

The owner said when she got sober, she was the only woman in a group of six guys, and whenever she'd call one of them for help, he'd call one of the other guys--to avoid any inappropriate one-on-one. We had a great little chat, and when I left (having purchased a book she recommended for me), she gave me a hug and gave me her card so we can keep in touch.

There really is something totally awesome about traveling by yourself. When you don't have someone with you as your "security blanket" you're much more likely to have interesting conversations with strangers, I've found.

So even though the trip didn't go exactly as planned, I'm looking forward to another visit--it always takes me a few days to kind of get the hang of strange places, and I'd love to have another week here. But it's a good excuse to get down here again.

Cape Hatteras Light

These went up and up and UP