So much has happened in the month I've been home, one reason I was hell bent to get back home at that time was the following weekend my sis had rented a beach house and the 4 of us My Mom and my 2 sisters were planning an all girls 3 day event! We were to leave on Thursday, and Hurricane Matthew hit! They actually evacuated Ocean Isle Beach where our house was sitting, on Saturday! SO needless to say we did not get to go to our beach house as we were home dealing with the storm hitting US! So we kept trying to reschedule the trip a lot of money had been put on the non refundable table so come Hell and HIGH water we were going later rather than sooner! So it was the following Sunday when the owner told us we could come but we had to take house next door to the one we had paid for...they are almost identical in size, etc. So that's what we did!
our Little River eatery
We caravanned since we had 4 dogs with us! We took our walkie talkies and had some fun playing with them...don't think 60 plus yr old women don't act silly we DO! So we called ourselves the "Loonie Tunes" I was Yosemite Sam, Big sis was Bugs Bunny, Little sis was the Tasmanian Devil, and Mom was Daffy Duck...We had so much fun "what's up Doc?" "Tttttthhhaaaaat's all Folks" And we stopped for an outdoor lunch in Little River, and we still had the giggles!
the view from our table
we had grackles all around trying to get a hand out!
we are ages 60, 63, 67, and 92! All seniors now!! But we still enjoy a good time, and we played a game of Korn Hole while we waited on our hush puppies, fries and coleslaw, with sweet tea!
then back on the road to the Island, Ocean Isle.
And finally we arrived to our house. the one on the right was our original but it was a scheduling problem that meant we had to go with this one...It is a beautiful house. That sand you see on the ground? That was put there by Matthew....under it is a paved driveway! The pool in the backyard was full of salt water and sand as it was deluged by the tidal surge as Matthew came on land. The Ocean is shrinking this beach as climate change has made our oceans higher! Check out the 2 houses in front of this one...these houses will not be saved, as each high tide came underneath them!
These ocean front homes got hit hard...
that sand pile was scraped up off the street but there is still more on the pavement...you can see the plumbing is exposed as sand was washed away to the tune of 2-3 ft!
a sanderling eating some seaweed.
and It was nice to see greater Black Backed gulls here ...some Immatures, and maybe a female, and 2 mature males.
Lots of these huge sandbags could not stop Matthew as he blasted this beach!
these houses are in better shape but in the distance you can see how the beach disappears and is now part of the ocean! This type building should never have happened!
here is the inside of the house...this house has an elevator so it was perfect for Mom, altho it had a ghost in it as it would mysteriously go up and down by it's self! The kitchen and living area...
Casey really enjoyed this trip with his sisters and cousin Jim too!
...how do you like that light house chandelier? I thought the house was appropriately beachy in it's decor.
The front porch had 4 rocking chairs JUST right for the 4 of us to take a relaxing rest overlooking the ocean..
Mom, sisters, and Jim!
we stayed out there till bedtime, listening to the ocean, and watching the moon rise...
here is the sunset, and look how close that water is to this house!
Like I said these wont be saved...
Casey and the girls enjoy the porch view too...
These people are not going to be able to save their pool...
we did a lot of this!!
and this...
and we celebrated our birthdays!
Mom took a stroll out on the pier...it was kind of breezy but she enjoyed it!
we had some easy meals and played some board games and I put on a slideshow of some of my photos of my recent trip. Everyone went to sleep...*yawn* oh well...
Then it was back on the porch to watch the shrimp boats....and doze off to the sound of the tide.
This is the room I had...it was in all navy blue and white...this house has 6 bedrooms! And 6 bathrooms! I could get used to this! Last yr I took a cabin by the Pacific Ocean, and this yr the Atlantic! I am one fortunate woman.
and here is Big sis's room...
It was really a fun trip.
The storm did a lot of damage, but all in all I'd say they got off pretty good considering!
PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.