Slade's work team (2nd annual visit)

Wednesday, September 23

Last year, Slade's work team had their annual meeting at Atlantic Beach and we had a great time out on the power boat and sail boat.

As soon as we learned that they'd be back this year, we knew we wanted to do it again.

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate fully, but we did go out on the sailboat this afternoon. The winds were blowing 20-30 knots, so we didn't put up the sails.  But we had a nice cruise.

Tonight, we had a shrimp-boil here at the house and a nice evenings chat on the patio.

It's always fun to be around younger people and get to listen in on their side bar work issues (With all the technology, I don't believe they are ever "away from work").  I'm just glad I'm retired and don't have to worry about all that work related stuff!

On the mountain

Tuesday, Sept 15

We've decided to go West rather that East from Raleigh.  We've left the motor home at Jordan Lake for the week.  No need to drive it (at 8 mpg) to the mountains and not using it.  So we came on up to the mountain house on Monday.

It's not often I get up early enough for a sunrise, but something woke me up about sunrise this morning and the view to the West (away from the sunrise) was interesting.  Clouds in the valley below us and an interesting sky.  So I rolled out of bed just long enough to take this picture.

September and October we often awake to clouds in the valley.

This morning the temperature was 42 degrees.  That's nice, if it didn't mean that summer is almost over.  We love summer and the warm temperatures.  We don't like winter and the cold temperatures. Reminds us that we need to be thinking about somewhere warm for the winter.

It's been a quiet week.  We have nothing to do, and we did it - watched a couple of movies, mowed the grass, read our books, and just enjoyed the view.

A nice view for breakfast

A nice view for supper

Thursday I drive Clara over near Banner Elk  to meet some girl friends from Beaufort who are staying for the weekend.  They'll shop until they drop and I'll pick up Clara on Sunday

Friday morning I drove over the Wendell and Dawn's new-to-them home on Nantahala Lake.  It's a 3 hour drive from Spruce Pine.  It reminds me that there's a lot of Western North Carolina West of us.

Once I got to the Nantahala River, I thought I was there, but there home is really isolated (as is Lake Nantahala).  It was another thirty minutes up and down, round and round.

They have a lovely home on some of the steepest property I've seen.  The entry to the house (after driving down the steepest driveway I've ever seen) is the top floor, with 2 more floors beneath it (probably a 50 foot drop from the first floor to the ground).  Then another 100 foot elevation drop down to the lake.  Steep!

Friday afternoon I took out Wendell's new 155 hp jet ski.  That thing is fast, and it's still in the break-in period so the throttle won't open fully.  Not sure I could handle it wide open.

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Nantahala Lake is a beautiful lake

Wendell's pontoon boat has some underwater lights on it

We rode his new pontoon boat around the lake (which is relatively small) and then went on the boat to the only restaurant on the lake (great catfish).

Saturday, I drove back to Spruce Pine and started getting the house ready to shut down for the winter.

I drove down to the Orchard to get some apples (they are plentiful and beautiful this year) and listen to some music for a while.  While there, there was a Overmountain Victory Trail reenactment.

Sunday afternoon, after having lunch with Sherri and Pat, we drove back to Raleigh, had dinner with the kids and settled into the motor home for the evening.

Monday, back to Beaufort.

Weekend at the Lake

Friday, Sept 11 - Sunday, Sept 13

We drove the motor home to Raleigh (Jordan Lake State Park) earlier in the week for a doctors appointment at Duke Medical Center.  During the week, we got to watch Evan and Slade's (he's Coach Inscoe) soccer practice, a soccer game (we won), and Anna's volleyball practice, and spent a day with Dad (he's coming up on his 100th birthday October 20).

On Friday, we packed up and drove (without the motor home, which we left at Jordan Lake), to Lake Gaston which is about 1 1/2 hours North of Raleigh.  The kids had rented a house for the weekend and invited us along.

Evan brought Nick along and Anna brought Anna Claire.

It was a great weekend and we greatly enjoyed spending the time with all the kids.

The "cool dude" jumping off the dock

Anna Claire, Evan, Anna and Nick doing some experimenting with photography

A neighbor had a big ski boat that created quite a wake.  He took everyone out and all the kids (including Dad) learned how to wake surf

The kids (all 4) come down for the weekend

Saturday, September 5

By Anna:

We're back in Beaufort! And by we're I mean Evan, Mom, Dad, and me! We got in late Friday night and didn't do much but go to bed so I'm not making a special header just to say we went to bed.

This morning once everyone got up and ready, Papa took Evan and I to the airport to check out some of the plane surfaces that Papa and I have been studying together (By Papa;  Anna has shown a lot of interest the past few weeks in what makes airplanes fly.  We have spent a lot of time on Facetime talking about stuff that I forgot 45 years ago - what makes an airplane fly?) . We met some really nice people, one guy told us all about his plane and even let us mess with the controls in the cockpit!  It's really great to be able to see an aileron rather than just reading about it!

When we were getting ready to go, Papa asks "How would you like to go flying this afternoon?" Evan and I were shocked and so excited! We booked a tour at 1pm with Naomi as our pilot.

With Naomi, an inspirational FEMALE pilot!

We flew down to Emerald Isle, over Bogue Marine Base, Radio Island, Shackleford Banks and all the way out to Cape Lookout! The views were absolutely incredible!

Naomi just asked me if I wanted to fly the plane!  I'm excited!

"The Cape"

The Western end of  Shackleford Banks where we have spent a lot of time!

Cape Lookout Lighthouse

When we were flying along a strip of beach for a while, Naomi let me work on flying for a while! I got to take the controls for about 15 minutes and by the end I think I kinda got the hang of it!

Pilot Anna? I think yes!

Pivers Island in the foreground and Taylors Creek/Beaufort in the back.

Shackleford Banks and Beaufort Inlet (on the right) and Beaufort on the left

The guys in the back seat

Beaufort Inlet, Fort Macon and the Port

When we landed and thanked Papa a million times over, we went downtown with Mimi to work on Christmas shopping. You can never start too early!

We don't have any family pictures or anything of dinner, but let me tell you, we had the BEST chicken and mac'n'cheese ever. That just needed to be said so we can remember that AMAZING meal.

After dinner, we had an evening  cruise on Papa's boat.

Someday, we'll have a new bridge going into Beaufort.

Sunday, September 6

This morning Mimi and I got all fancy and headed to church, the new pastor is absolutely amazing. He found a way to connect with teenagers and the older members all at the same time!

After church we met the rest of the crew at The Dockhouse for breakfast before Mom and Dad had to head home.

It got pretty rainy really fast so we spent part the afternoon inside just chilling out and reading.

Then there was a break in the weather, so Papa said "Let's go kayaking"!  It was an amazing trip.  We paddled up to a herd of 25 ponies.

Evan decides tanning is the best way to spend your time on the water.

I'm still trying to teach Papa that in order to get everyone in the picture you have to take a selfie!

I was working really hard to not intimidate the horse by standing up... but also keep my shorts dry

Evan got super close to the ponies, one even touched his kayak!

Doesn't it look like I'm wearing boots?!?

A great adventure weekend:  flying, boating kayaking.

Then, Mimi and Papa took us home in the motor home. They're going to be staying at Lake Jordan in the motor home this week.