Vacation: Day 9
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Jennifer arrived last night and after we had a couple of beers, we got her settled into her quarters. It's such a long drive from Newport News to Hatteras Village, especially in the dark. Once you're south of the Bonner, there isn't much to see at night. I'm sure she was tuckered out and would sleep in the next morning.
The windows had been left open last night and I awoke, huddled under the blankets. I had remembered to drop the blinds, but a stiff, steady breeze from the east was blowing them inward. Sunlight was pouring into the room. I finally forced myself to leave the warm cocoon of bedding and rummaged through drawers until I found my flannel jammies. I headed for the kitchen and found the coffee brewing and the Weather Channel on TV. Hmmm .... I must be slipping - who was up before me?
Grabbing a cuppa Joe, I went to the deck to check out the ocean. Yep, it was still there and it was just as riled as yesterday. And, Jen was walking back from the beach already! So much for sleeping in! As she entered Lightship, Carrie exited for her morning walk. I've never seen 2 people walk so much in my life. Maybe if I took up the habit I could make it to the 3rd landing before stopping to rest.
Plans for the day were made. Jen, Carrie & I were going shopping. Our first stop would be Wings.
Now, if anyone has visited the Outer Banks, they'll know that on practically every street corner, there is a Wings store. These stores carry nothing but the finest (cough, cough) merchandise showcasing the beauty of the area. Okay, that's a lie. They are gaudy - nay, garish - architectural monstrosities filled with every cheap souvenir ever made for beachy locations. T-shirts, sweat shirts, swim suits, beach towels, beach chairs, beach umbrellas, shot glasses, sun glasses, sun lotions, water rafts, water wings, water noodles, and one of my all time favorites ..... the Virgin Mary artfully crafted with shells, painted in pearly pastels with "Nags Head" emblazoned at the base in neon pink. If the Virgin Mary wasn't kitsch enough for you, how about a bright blue, leaping dolphin with a clock embedded in its abdominal area. Thanks to Wings stores, China has no unemployment.
However, that's not to say that you can't get a good deal there! The Wings store in Hatteras Village is slightly less tawdry & tasteless than its northern counterparts. It's also a much smaller than the others, but just as packed full of ..... stuff. As we squeezed our way around the racks & racks of beach wear, counters of mini lighthouses, key chains, shark teeth and postcards, I happened across beach towels on sale. End of season clearance - buy one, get one free - $5. Can't pass that up!
Loaded with bags, we left the store. Jen expressed her concern about exiting the parking lot. Immediately as you back up, you are on Route 12. Then, add in the curve in the road right next to Wings, and you have a tricky situation viewing oncoming traffic. I glanced towards the curve, judging the distance from our car.
And, then it happened. That God awful feeling when you take a step and there's no terra firma under foot.
No, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. No, I didn't see the little 2 inch high curb of the sidewalk. No, I was not prepared for the pain that followed. I stepped off into thin air, and for a moment, I hung suspended. Seriously, there was a moment where I actually levitated before pitching forward into a 1 point landing. I felt like Wile E. Coyote ....... you're only delaying the inevitable as you hover inches above the ground. You're gonna land and it's gonna be accompanied by pain. The fall, which had started so very slowly, rapidly increased in velocity.
I hit with a dull thud and for a nanosecond, I felt nothing. Okay, maybe I was alright. Then my world turned black as wave after wave of pain traveled from my right knee to my brain. There was a moment of silence.
Vacation: Day 9
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Jennifer arrived last night and after we had a couple of beers, we got her settled into her quarters. It's such a long drive from Newport News to Hatteras Village, especially in the dark. Once you're south of the Bonner, there isn't much to see at night. I'm sure she was tuckered out and would sleep in the next morning.
The windows had been left open last night and I awoke, huddled under the blankets. I had remembered to drop the blinds, but a stiff, steady breeze from the east was blowing them inward. Sunlight was pouring into the room. I finally forced myself to leave the warm cocoon of bedding and rummaged through drawers until I found my flannel jammies. I headed for the kitchen and found the coffee brewing and the Weather Channel on TV. Hmmm .... I must be slipping - who was up before me?
Grabbing a cuppa Joe, I went to the deck to check out the ocean. Yep, it was still there and it was just as riled as yesterday. And, Jen was walking back from the beach already! So much for sleeping in! As she entered Lightship, Carrie exited for her morning walk. I've never seen 2 people walk so much in my life. Maybe if I took up the habit I could make it to the 3rd landing before stopping to rest.
Plans for the day were made. Jen, Carrie & I were going shopping. Our first stop would be Wings.
Now, if anyone has visited the Outer Banks, they'll know that on practically every street corner, there is a Wings store. These stores carry nothing but the finest (cough, cough) merchandise showcasing the beauty of the area. Okay, that's a lie. They are gaudy - nay, garish - architectural monstrosities filled with every cheap souvenir ever made for beachy locations. T-shirts, sweat shirts, swim suits, beach towels, beach chairs, beach umbrellas, shot glasses, sun glasses, sun lotions, water rafts, water wings, water noodles, and one of my all time favorites ..... the Virgin Mary artfully crafted with shells, painted in pearly pastels with "Nags Head" emblazoned at the base in neon pink. If the Virgin Mary wasn't kitsch enough for you, how about a bright blue, leaping dolphin with a clock embedded in its abdominal area. Thanks to Wings stores, China has no unemployment.
However, that's not to say that you can't get a good deal there! The Wings store in Hatteras Village is slightly less tawdry & tasteless than its northern counterparts. It's also a much smaller than the others, but just as packed full of ..... stuff. As we squeezed our way around the racks & racks of beach wear, counters of mini lighthouses, key chains, shark teeth and postcards, I happened across beach towels on sale. End of season clearance - buy one, get one free - $5. Can't pass that up!
Loaded with bags, we left the store. Jen expressed her concern about exiting the parking lot. Immediately as you back up, you are on Route 12. Then, add in the curve in the road right next to Wings, and you have a tricky situation viewing oncoming traffic. I glanced towards the curve, judging the distance from our car.
And, then it happened. That God awful feeling when you take a step and there's no terra firma under foot.
No, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. No, I didn't see the little 2 inch high curb of the sidewalk. No, I was not prepared for the pain that followed. I stepped off into thin air, and for a moment, I hung suspended. Seriously, there was a moment where I actually levitated before pitching forward into a 1 point landing. I felt like Wile E. Coyote ....... you're only delaying the inevitable as you hover inches above the ground. You're gonna land and it's gonna be accompanied by pain. The fall, which had started so very slowly, rapidly increased in velocity.
I hit with a dull thud and for a nanosecond, I felt nothing. Okay, maybe I was alright. Then my world turned black as wave after wave of pain traveled from my right knee to my brain. There was a moment of silence.
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