"It was a furry bird, standing on its hind legs!"

Vacation: Day 3 con't. Sunday Evening, September 28th, 2008 If anyone is keeping a journal via blooger.com, please let me know what I'm doing wrong! While creating posts, the page layout is perfect .... there are paragraphs, captions are set correctly beneath photographs, etc. The preview is also laid out to my specifications. However, when I actually post the entry, it's all screwed up. Help! Getting back to our story ...... Following our lunch at Teach's Lair and the key retrieval, Harry & I took possession of Lightship. A quick walk through revealed 2 story high ceilings in the great room, loads of windows in all rooms, each with a view of either the sound or ocean or both, comfortable furnishings and numerous amenities not mentioned in on the rental agency's web site. A darling wooden table and chairs graced the top, ocean front deck. From this deck, the ferry landing could also be seen. With the addition of an umbrella, this would be the perfect place for morning coffee. Dozens of recessed lights, along with dozens of light switches. We never did figure out what some of the switches were for, nor how to turn on certain lights! No elevator, however, so Harry carried up most of the luggage and groceries up 4 flights of stairs. What a guy! The cottage was decorated in colors of beige, off-white and brown - sounds rather boring, but actually it was quite soothing. No jarring tropical theme, but rather a subtle sophistication. I began putting the kitchen into order, cleaning and rearranging cupboards & drawers, loading the dishwasher with dishes & cutlery (you never know if ColleenNJ may have stayed in this cottage), wiping out the fridge and putting away groceries. What a view from the kitchen/dining area! The sun was setting over the sound, the evening sky washed with blues & purples with a mere hint of gold. The boats docked at the marina bobbed in the water, their lights appearing to be small diamonds sparkling just off shore. With a panorama like this, I really didn't mind cleaning the kitchen! I went down around the pool area, washing off the deck furniture and sweeping the patio. Checking the hot tub, I found the temperature to be perfectly set for the cool evening. With everything set to order in the cottage, I eagerly awaited the arrival of Chris & Katie. I'd been in contact with them numerous times that day. They had over nighted in Asheville, after spending Saturday kayaking on the Nantahala River. This was Katie's first time back on the water since her terrible accident on the South Platte. All day Saturday I had worried about them being on the rapids, but the phone calls assured me that their paddling adventure had been uneventful. They arrived a bit before 7 o'clock and after a few drinks on the upper deck, we headed out to explore the culinary delights of Hatteras Village. We first stopped at the Breakwater. Although not even 8 p.m., they had stopped serving and advised us that most restaurants, if they are even open on Sundays, quit serving early. Shrimp Shack ..... closed. Teach's ..... stopped serving. Ruh-roh. Our meager kitchen provisions did not include the makings of an adequate dinner, so it was a mad dash to Burrus' Red & White for taco fixin's. The hunger in our eyes must have been apparent, as the small market remained open after hours as we hurriedly threw taco shells, cheeses, lettuce, ground beef, etc., into our cart. Harry was dancing in the aisles, singing something about a Mexican fiesta. Our first dinner in Lightship was surprisingly good. Tacos, frijoles, chips & salsa, Corona - it definitely hit the spot. After cleaning up the kitchen and loading the dishwasher for the 4th time that day, Harry & I took our ease in front of the television and Chris & Katie headed for the hot tub. I drowsed lazily on the couch as Harry sat in one of the "man chairs" watching football. Just as I began my descent into sleep, the sound of a banging door and footsteps racing up the stairs brought me back to full consciousness. With an entrance worthy of Cosmo Kramer, Katie & Chris ran into the great room. Excitedly, Katie described a "creature" that was hanging around the pool and hot tub. "It was a big, furry bird, standing on its hind legs." Oh, no! Was Big Bird on the loose?

Chris thought it looked more like a weasel or ferret .... I was clueless as to what sort of animal had invaded the pool area. Orrrrr ...... was it possible that it was a nutria? The Internet is a wonderful resource for questions such as this. Sure enough, it was not a Sesame Street character, but a nutria.

Nutria, also known as coypu, are large semi-aquatic rodents, indigenous to South America. In the 1930's, they were imported to Louisiana for the fur farming industry. Either intentionally or accidently, these big effin' rats made their way into the wild, moving up the east coast, becoming quite a nuisance. A few years ago, Colington & Roanoke islands had a problem with them hanging around the sound side docks and wreaking havoc.

The kids did not return to the hot tub that evening .... instead everyone agreed it had been a long, busy day and a good night's sleep was in order for tomorrow - our first full day in Hatteras!

I am now going to attempt posting a slide show of Lightship ..... I'm sure I'll screw something up, so bear with me .............