Today life is good on the Outer Banks. I was out and about getting errands done so I decided to check out the ocean. I was down by Whalebone Junction so I whipped on in and then quickly out of Jennettes Pier. The Aquarium purchased the pier a few years back after it was damaged by a storm so I wanted to see what they had done to it. Well from what I could see not much. The parking area was gone and there was no way I was going to drive my little Focus in sand. So I went one street up to Grayeagle where I knew there would be a beach access that I could see the pier from. Well as you can see from these photos storms have been taking their toll.

Jeannette’s Pier

This is the beach access. Its damaged; the steps to the beach are gone

One cool thing about this access is that you can stand
on top of the dune and see the ocean

and sound

It gives you a feel of just how narrow these barrier islands are. There are areas that are miles wide but they are the exception not the rule.

Oh for the love of Saint Jude!

I had a little extra time at work tonight so I thought I would just check out the head lines, here is one that I found distasteful. Kind of reminded me of the present president. Not happy with what your cabinet or advisors tell you fire them

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061127/ap_on_re_us/anti_peace_sign

what a difference a day makes; water is up geese are gone

The water in the sound was out this morning after the big blow we had last night, as you can see the geese are walking where they once paddeled.

This is ocean over wash on the beach road

These photos do not do the "Victory at sea" feel and sound of these waves justice. The wind has stirred the water into a frothy powerful force capable of much destruction. The sound of the waves is much like a never ending freight train or jet engine the spray off the ocean spreads many miles inland. The ocean is powerful and beautiful force not to be taken lightly. I have seen mere humans advance on the waves misjudging their power only to be taken down. This is a sight to be enjoyed from a safe distance.

Happy Thanksgiving

Last week the long range forecast showed an OK week ahead; well as the old saying goes around here “if you don’t like the weather just wait a few minutes”. It seems a low has formed in the past few days giving both Carolina coasts some very inclement weather. It looks like indoor time for the next few days including Thanksgiving Day. The merchants and restaurant owners will be happy. No problem for me I will be working and rainy weather is great sleeping weather.

Visit this site OBX Connection - Weblog for some beach photos. Once there if you go to the home page and visit the monthly photo contest you can check out some more OBX shots.

I will be going up to my nieces place for Thanksgiving dinner. My sister is coming up from Pensacola, my mom has gone down to New Orleans, and my kids will be at their fathers. Whoa trying to keep up with where everyone is and will be makes my head spin.

Well I hope all who read this have a great holiday. Remember there is NOTHING more important than family and friends and people do not have to have the same blood to be family and family can be the best friends.

Happy Thanksgiving

Leonid Meteor Shower 2006

If you are out and about Saturday night (Nov 18 2006) at around 11:30 pm look to the east. Who knows it might be worth it. SkyTonight.com - This Week's Sky at a Glance - This Week's Sky at a Glance

breakfast by the shore

I wish I could include the sound of the waves with the photo

In this shot you can see the front coming in.
I'm not a surfer but thoes look like some nice waves

Well campers we have had some awesome weather on the Outer Banks this week. Except for Sunday, sorry runners, the weather has been great! Temps in the upper 60’s to low 70’s shorts and flip flop weather. Things switch over late tonight and tomorrow with rain coming in and cool weather on Friday but heck it’s November!

Its suppose to be a good one next week too. Lots of sun and temperatures in the upper 50’s & lower 60’s my kind of weather. A lot of folks come down for Thanksgiving. They rent the big cottages and have a blast with family and friends. That’s what it is all about; family and Friends.

Traffic was a bit heavy and it took a while to make that left turn out of work (7:30 am)

it took a little longer to get past the light on Colington Rd also. (8am)

Seems I was wrong about the date for the Outer Banks Marathon, it wasn't yesterday it was today. Hope the rain holds off

So what has happened this past week, not much, spent most of it WORKING but with the holidays coming up that’s OK. What time I had at home was spent fixin things.

This week I learned a little more about plumbing; what did I learn?

1. Basic plumbing is not that hard that being said

2. It will take 3 time’s as long as the “book” say’s it will take and the “book” never has instructions for the exact type of faucet, handle or fitting that needs repair.

3. It will cost at least 2 times what it should cost to fix something the first time you do it.

4. It is worth the extra money to go to a real plumbing store. I went to Home Depot, the staff honestly tried to help, they did their best but I could tell they did not have the slightest Ideal what I needed. I went to ACE Hardware, those guys were great but again because I did not know the terminology and did not know the exact model number they were not able to help me BUT the guys from ACE sent me to Ferguson’s Plumbing where Mike was able to get me everything I needed and he explained how to put it all together.

5. Digital cameras are great;Take a photo of what you are fixing. It helps those that are trying to help you know what you are talking about.

The above being said it took me 9 hours to repair the kitchen sink faucet and the shower faucet (the shower took the most time) a lot of that time was spent getting the shower handle off, the set screw was striped. I tried using an extractor but that did not work so I wound up having to cut it off; those little L shaped Hex screw remover things are not easy to use. (If anyone knows of a better type please let me know)

I did allow myself the whole day to do this project because I knew that I did not really know what I was doing. I read the how to book and it seemed “do able” I accepted that I would hit some bumps and that it would cost more that it needed to but I also knew that the next time I do a job like that I will have a better understanding of how the faucet works and what is needed to fix it.

Cost to fix the 2 facets; $76, 9 hours of time and whatever I used up in gas.

Well I’ll be back at work tonight I expect it to be busy, there is a marathon happening here at the beach and its warm there is also a fishing tournament so a lot is going on. People will get hurt. I have a few days off next week in which I will be helping my mom get ready for her trip to New Orleans to visit my brother. I will also be figuring out why the hot water is coming out the cold water side in the shower faucet I fixed ;-)

Saturday at the pumpkin patch

First touch of the Atlantic Ocean

Sunset Tuesday

Nags Head Pier Wednsday

Well another week has gone by, flown by is more like it. But it was a good week. I spent last Saturday with my niece and her 4 children in Norfolk. We took the children to a fall “event” that included a petting zoo and pumpkin patch. I can tell you this; I now know why the young have children and god must have installed an amnesia gene because I don’t remember the noise and constant motion and shear exhaustion that is included in an outing with a bunch of young children. They were great though and I glad I went.

I worked Sunday. Monday I went back up to Norfolk and picked up my grand niece and brought her to the beach for a short visit. We did very simple things like walking along the beach; this is the first time as far as she knew that she had dipped her feet into the Atlantic Ocean, we went to the sound and watched the sunset. She got to meet her Great Grandmother for the first time as far as she could remember. Wednesday we went to the Nags Head Pier had breakfast and then walked to the end of the pier to watch the dolphin play in the cool Atlantic water; we then took a stroll on the beach. It was hard to pull her away from the water but we needed to go; she had to go home and I had to go back to work. I’m looking forward to next spring when I can bring her and hopefully her brother down; if all goes well we can have a bonfire on the beach and take flash lights to look for crabs as they scurry around after dark.

I think I’m beginning to remember a little of what raising little ones was like (at least the good part's)