The Relocation

I've been quiet, but for good reason.  The end of the school year, as any parent of a school aged child will tell you, is busier than the holiday season.  We frantically bustled through the end of the year obligations and finally found ourselves fitting in the last minute hair cuts and orthodontist appointment. I made a quick trip to see my dear friend Ginger in Nashville and then turned around the very next day and drove with Kenny and Olivia the necessary 500 miles to Bald Head Island, North Carolina where we live every summer until close to the start of school.  I used to be quiet about this relocation because I thought people really weren't happy for my charmed life, but the last year has taught me that my thinking was completely wrong.

I love this place. I love the beach enough to wonder why I spend more of my time away from water than near it every year. I love the lazy pace and the Spanish moss and I don't even care when sand is everywhere. It's a good day if we sleep til our bodies are ready to awaken and then survey our friends to see what the plan is. For Olivia, the plan usually involves meeting her friends on their bikes and pedaling off to some other adventure.  For me, it usually involves reading, walking, visiting, eating. Invariably the day ends with ice cream - sometimes homemade, sometimes in the form of these wonderfully made local ice cream sandwiches. What could be better?

I often feel this crisis between writing about life and actually going out and living it.  You know what I mean? If I am looking for things to write to you all the time, I feel like I'm missing the actual living of it.  BUT, on the other hand I think this wonderful life deserves a witness or recording of it, so if I can string a few sentences along and they are pretty good reading, maybe I should.  I can at least try to do a little balancing of both this summer.

Currently, we are smack dab in the middle of the year's first tropical storm, Andrea.  I've heard a lot of storms on this island. and even saw the Weather Channel van at the marina once, but the wind from last night's positively howled.  I woke several times in fear about a tree coming through the ceiling and then managed to slide back into sleep by reminding myself how many times the rain on this tin roof sang me safely to rest. I'm no fool about storms - I will get to safety (in the lighthouse?) if I need to, but a little wind and rain to wash the world clean feels good sometimes. It's sunny - and still windy - here this morning, but I hear more is coming this afternoon so my friend Janie says we should probably take the kids fishing early today.  I'll take some pictures for you.