Monday, August 24, 2009

I'm Back...

Sorry for being missing so long. For some of my faithful readers who have still checked in daily or weekly, thank you for hanging around.

This past week, we were at the beach for a MUCH NEEDED vacation, and what better way is there to end the summer than a week at the beach before school starts back. I can't believe that my baby girl will be a senior this year. Already we have had her "official" senior picture in that "tacky" drape thing that will be in the yearbook. We will have official senior portraits done at a later date with our fav photog. http://apportraits.com/ Also, bragging rights allowed, DD had one of the highest GPA's at school, thus earning her a numbered, reserved, senior parking space. So that coveted parking tag is in hand ready to hang on the rear view mirror in the morning. All preppy school supplies are purchased and in her new preppy backpack, ready to walk out the door in the morning. (backpack: white (mother's fear) with pink and green plaid!

Back to the beach, we had a fantastic time. Having 2 teenage girls (DD is 17 and DSD is 16) allows my husband and I to have more "us" time and I do believe we needed it. We had a great time as the 2 of us as well as the 4 of us. Pictures later as I was finishing up 2 disposable water cameras that will have to be developed.

Wednesday was gorgeous and as a family, we took a sail on a catamaran from Beaufort over to Cape Lookout Lighthouse (hence the name of this blog).
It was about 1 1/2 hours to cruise over and then back. However, in between we experienced a delicious catered lunch from Beaufort Grocery Company of veggie wraps, 4 different subs, hot dogs for younger passengers, pasta salad, green bean salad, various chips, pickles, and my favorite cookies, white chocolate chunk macadamia nut. They also provided throughout the entire sail (day) all you care to drink soft drinks, lemonade, and water, with beer and wine at only $2 if you cared to partake. Upon our last boarding for the sail back, they also had fresh fruit sliced up and also more bags of chips. The mate was fantastic and made sure everyone was well taken care of. We actually dropped anchor on a little island (can't remember for the live of me what it actually was) to go shelling, swim, etc. We didn't find any shells per se but we did collect 16 fairly large sand dollars. I will post a pic of one once I finish the bleaching process. Trust me, they do not come out of the water smooth or white!! On this island you could basically float or swim around as there was no currents or waves, just clear blue, smooth water. Or you could actually swim in "pools" where water has come up on to the island at high tides and formed pools of water, some quite deep. After about another 1 1/2 (and many people taking turns jumping off the side of the catamaran, we sailed over to where Cape Lookout Lighthouse actually sits. You can't tour this light house now but once the government finally finds funds to refurbish the lighthouse, you will actually be able to go all the way up. We did get tour the light keepers house which is now a museum and my husband and I actually found the ruins of the original lighthouse about 250 ft from where the current one stands (the current one was built in 1857 or 1859). Finally we boarded once more and headed back to Beaufort. We had great winds heading home and I do not believe we motored at all until we hit the waterfront. On our cruise out, we saw dolphins, but on the way back, we saw MANY wild horses on Carrot Island which is directly across from the Beaufort Waterfront. If anyone of you ever make it to the NC Crystal Coast and find yourself in the vicinity of Beaufort, I encourage you to take one of the cruises. From more info click Lookout Cruises. Once again, picture later.

As we were cruising on Wednesday, my husband commented to me that he had promised to call and check on this couple, Mr. and Mrs. Vick (89 and 96 respectively) but had left the number at home. I told him we could call home and have someone get us the number. He said they would be okay till we got home but made the comment that he sure hoped nothing would happen to the Vicks while we were gone. This couple lives on my husband's mail route (as most of you know, he is a letter carrier and MOST of the people on his route ( a walking route) become quite attached to him as he does to them. However, the Vicks were especially special. Up until a few years ago, they would spend about 6 months of the year in Mexico and south Texas. They would send gifts to our girls and bring things home to us. (Let me tell you, when baking there is nothing better than Mexican vanilla to me!) If their TV would go out, they would call him, every day they would have a drink and usually something to eat waiting for him when he showed up, as their health has declined in the last year and they have pretty much quit cooking, eating only microwave meals, he would run and get them dinner most nights of the week. Mrs. Vick is a gracious woman and so fun to be around and you would never believe her to be 96 years old. Mr. Vick was such an intelligent man and I would be amazed at the stories he would share with me. I remember the first time after my husband and I met that we took our girls over and Mr. Vick "teaching" them what they need to do to succeed in life. He was a very successful and well loved man. As you may have noticed, when referring to Mr. Vick, I am using was quite often. As we returned from vacation, as most people often do, we checked the answering machine. The last 2 messages were from their wonderful next door neighbor, Ann. She had called to let us know that Mr. Vick passed away Friday evening about 5pm and also to let us know how Mrs. Vick was holding up. The second message from Ann was to let us know arrangements. Visitation was actually last night, and we were able to attend. They have been married for 41 years and dated 14 years before marrying. This is the second husband that Mrs. Vick has buried. Usually we just go to visitation, make our appearance, speak to the family, and pay our respects and leave. Last night, we were the last to leave (along with the next door neighbor and the neighbor across the street who helped out so much last Friday) as Mrs. Vick was visiting with her husband one last time. She just didn't want my husband to leave. In fact, upon our arrival, everyone was so glad to see him. The thing that Mrs. Vick repeated over and over Friday night after his death and again on Saturday was to make sure we knew what had happened. She was more worried about my husband finding out the wrong way or not at all until arriving at their house to deliver mail.

Today was Mr. Vick's funeral. Unfortunately I could not attend because of a Dr's. appt. I could not change but my wonderful husband did. Mr. Vick was buried with military honors as he served this great country in the army during WWII. And printed in the little program was a poem that I had never seen before (but I am sure it is used quite often for funerals) but sounded just as if he had wrote it himself.

Miss Me But Let Me Go....

When I came to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom filled room,
why cry for a soul set free.
Miss me a little - but not too long,
and not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me - but let me go.
For this is a journey that we all must take,
and each must go alone.
It's all a part of the Master's plan,
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart,
Go to the friends we know
and bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,
MISS ME - BUT LET ME GO.
~author unknown

Please, my dear blog friends and readers, say a prayer or 2 for the lovely Mrs. Vick and the friends that loved Mr. Vick so.

3 comments:

WorthyStyle said...

Said a little prayer for Mrs. Vick!

Also, I grew up attending Camp Seafarer in Arapahoe, so of course I love hearing about family visits to the Crystal Coast of NC!!! I am so happy your family is healthy and happy and close! Sounds like a lovely vacation... : )

Grace said...

I'm glad you're back! I know you probably have mixed feelings about DD being a senior! Senior year is so fun! I know she'll love every minute! Has she decided on a college?

Beth Dunn said...

Your vacation sounds great. Will say prayers xoxo