Day 10 – Sunday June 1

Today we were sad to see ToSeb pile into their white, Subaru rental car and start their journey back to England....first stop, Norfolk Airport, then short flight to Philadelphia, and then flight to London. It was very symbolic to see that the deer came out to wave goodbye. First the mother and her young deer stepped out of the bushes as their car trundled up the road; and right behind them came a beautiful slightly larger, slightly darker brown deer. So pretty and delicate. Just like the beautiful Plover birds we see flying over the beaches and making nosedives into the ocean when something juicy catches their eye! The other bird we have seen a few of are the Ospreys and we have even seen their nests on the Sound with young in them. Alanna was lucky to see and catch in a video a pod of probably Dolphin out in the Ocean.

Ray and I went into the grocery store …. Goodness, it seems we can’t keep away!! It is only about a 10 minute drive down there… When we came back, we lay around the pool, I haven’t plucked up courage to get in it yet …. It is cool …. Anyway, I will persevere and jump in some time!! The afternoon was spent on the beach, and then Ray barbecued in the evening, and soon it was time to fall into bed again. I must say, none of us have had much problem sleeping. We put it down to the sea air.

So, another relaxing day…… such a beautiful place to chill out in: the beach,  the Sound, a nice big house where we could all do our own thing or be with others, a well designed community with lots of interesting trees and beautiful greenery and lots of lovely colourful flowers. It really is bliss!!!

 

Day 9  - Saturday May 31

Late Saturday morning I set off on a walk on my own. I started out going through Town along the wooden board walk. Such fun. Interesting, colourful, boutique shops on the one side, and the Sound on the other. When I reached the far end of town the board walk came to an end and I ended up on the main street. I kept walking past the shops till I came to the houses and looked for a road that would take me to the beach. Well! The roads were regularly spaced, but each had a sign saying: “Private Road, No Trespassing – for Residents  of that road only!! I debated with myself: “do I just walk down anyway, or do I be the good citizen and obey the rules!!” So, on about the third of such roads, I walked down the road and met a couple doing some garden work. I stopped to ask them how to get to the beach. They told me! We had a nice little chat. They lived permanently in Duck having moved there on retirement, and were thoroughly enjoying it!! While we were chatting 3 deer came around, very calm, not frightened at all. Gene said they come around all the time, and have gradually become comfortable with him! So, I ended up walking back on the beach. I kind of overran the steps off the beach leading to Plover Drive, but found it after checking in with a couple of lifeguards. Saw some Ospreys and the large sized crabs, said hello to a few people, and finally made it back to the rental house just after 3 pm; I had walked 11.1k in about 3 hrs. The temp was perfect 21C.

We had a relaxing few hours, and then it was off to dinner at the “Fishbones Raw Bar and Restaurant” … a casual little restaurant with a fresh décor, delicious seafood … and other delicious dishes … and a very friendly and impressive staff. Thanks Lloyd for the recommendation!! This was our second visit, and the server remembered what I wanted to drink, and that I asked for a glass of water – no ice nor chilled – just room temperature!! Brilliant!!

Then home, relax with a cup of peppermint tea … and lights out!!!

 

Day 8 – Friday, May 30, 2025

Our days start slowly! Get up make a cup of tea and coffee and back to lie on the bed to drink it ….. and chat. Then, a shower, and dress appropriately for the activity of the morning. Today, Ray and I set off for the supermarket. The staff there must be mind goggled at the amount of food we are buying …. But when you have seven people, you need a lot of food!!!

When we got back, the rest of the group were on  the beach, so we donned our swimsuits and headed down to the beach. Way more people than I had imagined were there since the “season” hasn’t really started yet. One of the shops told us, they had just got in their stock in time for the summer season to start, so they were well stocked! The variety was mind boggling!!!

The beach is beautiful, despite all the people. The ocean isn’t too rough that you can’t swim in it, although, I have to admit to being a little nervous walking out too far into the big waves!! The sands are yellow, and fine, and stretch for miles! The “Plovers” are a beautiful, graceful bird that flitter back and forward searching the ocean for goodies. Then there are the pelicans, and today, out at sea maybe dolphins?? We are not sure, but we have been told that you can see the dolphins from the beach. The tiny crabs make wee holes in the sand. You can watch them chucking the sand out, and then darting down into the hole, and crawling back out. So fun!!! And then of course there is “dog-watching!!” There are dogs everywhere here; we even saw a “Shorky” in the woman’s basket in the supermarket!! So, so fuzzy and cute!!! She was telling us that some stores are really crowded with dogs, and especially in an area where the workmen shop, because they all have the “big dogs!!”  And of course, the dogs are allowed in the restaurants. Everyone enjoyed the relaxation, the swimming, and all the other activities. We were plastered with suncream and hoping not to get a sunburn!! Alanna got a mild one two days ago when it was dull and cloudy, but it is fine now. And I don’t feel I have gotten any sun …. But maybe!

We came back, cleaned up, and started on dinner. Poor Ray has got an annoying cough and he got a cough mixture from the chemist which he took when we came home from the beach. The next thing I knew, he was begging off barbecuing dinner ….. and all who know him know what an avid barbecuer he is!!! It seems that the cough mixture made him feel “wobbly” and he was a bit scared he was going to fall over. So, he went off and laid down on the bed. He did eat some dinner, and has appeared fine since, but he is really having a bit of a hard time right now, which is such a shame.

So, we had a quiet evening and will be off to bed shortly.

 

Day 7 - Thursday, May 29

While Toby, Keri, Annabelle, Seb and Alanna went off to the gun range, Ray and I had a quiet morning in the house. Ray was still under the weather, so I took a nice relaxing walk down to and along the beach. The shooting, for Annabelle, Seb and Toby was great fun with the opportunity to fire a pretty exciting gun at the target. They were all incredibly accurate in their first attempt target shooting!!  They came back to the house for a quick lunch and we all set off for the  Wild Horse Adventure Tour starting in Corolla. The Hummer we travelled in was perfect for the trip. We went down on to and along the beach. What a unique trip! All the way through the dunes there were typical Outer Bank style houses built, most of them huge houses; they lined roads of sand, and were scattered amongst the dunes. The Humvee ride bouncy to say the least; can you imagine sitting in a vehicle built for the navy, that tackles the beach at the water’s edge and the soft sand, that drives up and down a narrow sandy road on short, steep uphills and downhills so that you are bumped and shaken like a rag doll. I can’t say we saw a ton of wild horses but the dozen or so we did see were amazing! Beautiful shiny coats, very good looking, interesting colours and sooooo healthy! There was only we saw that showed some ribs and hollows, and the rest were magnificent. Amongst others, we saw a mare and foal, and a family of the stallion, the mare, and the probable yearling. They were mainly in twos and threes.  They were all so calm and wandered around the empty and ponds of fresh water to satisfy their water needs. They graze on the wild grass in the dunes and browse on the mini trees and bushes. So beautiful you can’t imagine!!! They told us there were around 100 - 120 in the area which is fenced off from roads etc. We saw the Corolla Wild Horse Fund vans that roam the area to check on the health and wellbeing of the horses. If there is a problem, the goal is to treat it on the spot … if possible. Once the horses are removed from the habitat, they can’t always be sent back. So there is a farm where the horses are looked after. I am hoping we can find that and maybe make a visit. 

The tour was about 2 hours in length and then we were back in civilisation in Corolla, filled up on ice-creams, and headed back to our temporary home in Duck.

We had about 2 hours of quiet time before dinner, so I fitted in a very short run (about …) and had time to dry off, rearrange the hair, and head out to dinner at a restaurant recommended by our friends Lloyd and Cheryl. We had a great meal, and then wandered home with our doggie bags for lunch tomorrow.

It is thanks to Lloyd and Cher that we came to Duck in the first place. I can’t remember when, or how many visits we made, but we have some wonderful memories from when Alanna was little, and Lloyd and Cher and Joanna, and then ultimately, Jeff, were all here together. Thank you Cher and Lloyd for introducing us to this unique and fun area.

This is such a fun place. Renting a house for a big family, or you and your friends, or just you creates a setting for a fabulous time. The  area is ecologically rich, the development has been very tasteful, and the town of Duck is eclectic, fun, and beautiful!

 Day 6 – Wednesday, May 28 – Toby and Keri’s 21^st Anniversary

A big day for Toby and Keri! Happy Anniversary!!

Everybody kind of did their own thing this morning, which gave me the time to sit down and write my blog. Probably not too exciting for others to read, but for Ray and I, relaxing with this wonderful group of people (Alanna, Annabelle, Keri, Seb, and Toby ) is very fulfilling. Ray isn’t feeling too good: coughing, headache, sniffles  ….. mmm – hope it clears up soon … and that the others don’t get it! So we stayed home while Toby et al headed to the gun range. They didn’t get a chance to shoot today, but have an appointment tomorrow morning.

 

Day 5 – Tuesday, May 27

The weather today was wet and cool, which kind of put a damper on going to the beach or even the swimming pool. Anyway, we made good use of the day, and Ray and I went for a long walk through Duck to the end along the main street and back on the board walk along the Sound. Duck is a sweet town with an eclectic mix of shops and other little businesses ( beach ware shops, coffee shops, donut shops, etc.) built around wooden board walks, and beautiful oak trees where little grey squirrels abound!   All pretty and full of character! And the people are beautiful too. Everyone gives you a little wave and says “hello” ….. it is an amazingly warm feeling.

When we came back to the house, mid afternoon, Alanna was here. She was excited about a bathing suit she had tried on. So,  she and I went back into Duck together and I was able to satisfy some of my “shopping” desire by rambling around some of the little stores and the amazing abundance of colourful and multi-designs clothes.

While we were out, Ray and Toby took off to purchase something for dinner: a meat lasagna and a veggie lasagna. I won’t go into the story of the lasagna purchases, but there was quite a mix up of what we ended up with. Nonetheless, we ate lasagna for dinner plus another delicious fresh salad. And then, after sitting around the table and winding down, it was time for bed!

 

Day 4 – Monday, May 26

Well, Ray and I truly did sleep in today. It was 10:00 a.m. when we woke up! However, in our defence, that was about 7:00 a.m. Pacific time!!! Around 1 pm, we all set off in the Subaru to drive down to Roanoke Island and a visit to the Aquarium. The advertising quotes: The Aquarium is an educational attraction focused on “inspiring appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments.”” And it was true to its word! We had a fabulous time watching and learning about the local sea creatures, and the different environments in the area, such as wetlands, rivers, ocean, sound, etc., all of which seem to attract different species. For example, I was horrified to learn that there are alligators in the Sound! My goodness, we used to swim there thinking we were safer than in the Ocean …. Now I am thinking …. Oops, but there were alligators????   Other delights included the amazing Jelly Fish which apparently have the highest level of intelligence without any tissue, Sharks, Sea Turtles and a Sea Turtle Rescue room which provided medical help to the rescued sea turtles. As one example: Sea Turtles get cold very quickly, and can easily get “frost bite” on their backs! Who would have thought of that!! There was an interesting “white” alligator – a pigment, just as you see the odd pure white bird, or other animal! Then there were the Sea Horses, and I wondered at the rough similarity to a true horse’s head. The interesting part of them was the way they clung on to plants with their tails! And for me, the best of the whole exhibit was the river otters playing with each other. It was hilarious when one caught the other by the tail as it tried to escape and slowly pulled it back to the pool it had just escaped from! All very exciting! At the end, we had a snack. A first time for “French fries and cheese” …. Ray actually wanted to try the “French Fries with Bacon and Cheese” but  I declined that choice! Interesting …… not sure I would choose it again!! But it does seem to be a thing down here. I supposed a little like “poutine” but no gravy, just cheese!  Then after all that excitement, we drove north up the highway to our little sanctuary in Duck.

 

Day 3 – Sunday, May 25

We weren’t up exactly early …. But I think we are all “lazy” when we are on holiday!! Toby, Keri, Annabelle, and Sebastian were all up doing their own thing – with Alanna, Annabelle, Toby and Seb sunbathing around the pool! After breakfast, Ray and I went for a long walk on the beach, enjoying the beautiful waves, the plovers, and the sun! Bliss!!! After eating lunch Toby, Seb, Ray and I went to the “Foodline” a huge grocery store in a small plaza not too far a drive from our house. We bought the largest pile of food I could imagine buying!!! But, I guess when there are 7 of you, including two very active, athletic, “teenagers” you need to!

In the evening, Ray and Toby barbecued dinner, and we all had a good time catching up on our lives since we had last seen each other.

 

Day 2 - Saturday, May 24, 2025 - Vancouver to Duck, North Carolina

The one good thing, we had lots of time at the airport to eat breakfast and try and stay awake. Security, border crossing, etc. were friendly and smooth.  And after an hour’s delay sitting on the tarmac, here we are at 10:55 a.m. flying high over the snow packed tops of the Mountains on flight into Atlanta, an hour’s layover, and then on to Norfolk in North Carolina.

The delay on the ground reduced our time in Atlanta to get to our second flight, but thanks to a very helpful and kind guy welcoming us off the plane we got directions, followed them to a T, and after a short train journey ended up in the right terminal at the right gate with no fuss at all. A big “Thank You” to that kind and thoughtful person!! Our second flight was short and once on the ground we headed off to find our rental car. So, there is always some little trick to trip you up. Neither Ray nor I could remember any particulars about the rental company, and we didn’t have any of that information printed out, nor could we find it on our cell phones. Only one way to do it: I went to the first car rental company that was open and free and asked if they had a booking for Gillis. No luck ! Meantime, Avis came free and Ray and Alanna went there..... bullseye! They had our booking! Phew. A scary moment or two!! We had a busy, but easy, and direct couple of hours drive from Norfolk to the OBX …. Outer Banks of North Carolina! We found the rental house with no problem and about 10 p.m. opened the doors to find Toby still up and the others in bed! He showed us “our” bedrooms, we had a quick chat and a cup of tea and then off to bed.

We are staying in a fairly large rental house called “Peaceful Breeze” which is about 468 yards from the biggest beach I have seen in a while.  There are 5 bedrooms, and a 32’ x 16’ private pool … oh, and a hot tub! So the 7 of us have lots of room to spread out. Here are some pictures of the house from the outside.

HOLIDAY IN NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 24, 2025 TO JUNE 7, 2025

 2025 - HOLIDAY IN DUCK, NORTH CAROLINA

On May 24, Alanna, Ray and I fly to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. This holiday was conceived one night at dinner when Alanna said "why don't we take a trip to Duck and bring back some memories from the past?" We spent several summer holidays in Duck with Sherry and Lloyd and JoAnna and Jeffrey when JoAnna and Jeffrey, and Alanna, were young. We had some fabulous times: playing in the Ocean and avoiding the rip-currents, fishing in the Sound, seeing the wild horses, going deep sea fishing from near Cape Hatteras, and learning about the Wright Brothers first flight out of Kitty Hawk. It is a fun and beautiful area. And so, Ray and I jumped on it. Ray also contacted Toby and Keri, his son and daughter in law, in England, and asked if they would like to join us. So, we are all headed to Duck for two/one week shortly. I will try to keep you updated .... but if we are having soooooo much fun, my posts may be a day or too late!! Stay tuned!! 

Day 1 - Friday, May 23, 2025

So ... on our way! We left home around 1.00 to pick up Alanna, but we didn't get too far. Chun and Sangeun (neighbours) were just getting out of their car and Betty and Luna were passing by on their walk and of course all had to give us a hug and wish us "happy holidays". When we finally got in the car and ready to move, Ray asked me if I had my US credit card! Well, I had completely forgotten having one! So, I had to go back in the house. A fun time. I managed to punch the wrong code into our alarm system and the sirens went off. I couldn't turn them off and Ray had to come to my assistance and sort it out with the alarm company!!  Finally, we were able to take my card and leave. We picked up Alanna who had been patiently (or maybe not so) waiting... and we were on our way down the 99 highway to Vancouver. It is considered one of the best scenic drives in the world: beautiful ocean sound dotted with little islands on one side, and rugged rocks and mountains held together with coniferous trees and brush on the other, while above the sky played different scenes from bright blue and sunny, to dark grey clouds and rain .... and don't forget the railway paralleling the road, only a few feet from it and perched on the edge of the water. 

We had an uneventful drive down to Granville Island. Granville, is an eclectic village nestled in False Creek a short narrow inlet in the heart of Vancouver, separating the Downtown and West End neighbourhoods from the rest of the city, and which forms one of the four main bodies of water bordering Vancouver. In Granville, there are theatres, artisans,  restaurants, outdoor entertainment, boat rides, beautiful flower displays and seagulls! All colorful and fun. Inside the market there was every food you could imagine, displayed in colorful and artistic patterns. We went to Bridges for a very late lunch,  and sat outside enjoying the beautiful evening views. Finally, it was time to leave and find our way to our overnight stop, the Best Western Plus Vancouver Airport. We realized we had a 5 am rise the next morning so hung out in our respective rooms and tried to go to sleep early. Well, the going to sleep came easy, with a wake up at 1.00 am ... and you got it .... tossing and turning and checking my alarm till rolling out of bed at 5.00 am.