A Day Late, but Merry Christmas!

It's been a hectic past 2 weeks ..... I had very little Christmas shopping completed early this year. I had purchased only 2 gifts - rag rugs for Elly from the Village Ragpicker in Ocracoke and sea glass earrings for Katie from Indian Town Gallery in Frisco. Next year, I swear I'll be done with my gift shopping by the time I leave the Outer Banks! The problem is - I hate to shop. I much prefer knowing exactly what it is I want to purchase and at what store it can be found, then just dash in, make the buy and get out.

Since Chris & Katie were hosting Christmas Eve this year, there was very little pressure on me - no need for a good *spring* cleaning, no need to put up the tree, no need to drag the good china, crystal & silver out of storage, etc.

The weather could have been better ..... it was definitely a white Christmas this year! Lots of snow (& ice) on the ground. Bitterly cold, though. It was such a pretty drive to Rock Island with all of the lights & decorations.

I ordered a honey ham from Amana Meat Shop & Smokehouse. It arrived Tuesday evening. I was beginning to fear that it would not arrive in time for C'mas Eve. Had it not, it would have been baloney & yellow mustard on Wonder bread for dinner. I made two side dishes to carry over - Low Country Red Rice (it goes so well with ham) and Elly's favorite potato dish. I'll post the recipes for both below.

Elly made a traditional Danish dessert called Ris á l'amande. This is a chilled rice & almond pudding, served with a warm cherry sauce. A particular tradition is often associated with eating Ris á l'amande, where a whole almond is mixed into the pudding, and the person who finds it wins a prize. (I brought along the prize, but Elly forgot to place the whole almond in the pudding. Harumph.) This dish is usually served as dessert at Julefrokost (Christmas lunch) or on Christmas eve. According to Wikepedia, nine out of ten Danes enjoy it after the main course Christmas eve. It was very good, but not as flavorful as the recipe that Birgit used on the Outer Banks.

This was Katie's first *big* dinner party. She was terribly nervous, but really did a great job! The ham was baked to perfection and she also whipped up 2 of Chris' favorite holiday dishes - bleu slaw and cauliflower with Grandma Annette's cheese sauce.

Their loft was decorated in the Christmas spirit. Lots of candles, lights and a lovely decorated tree. It's a very cute & quirky place located in The District. At one time the structure had been an office building. The dining area is the old elevator shaft - the up/down arrow lights are still above the door!

Of course, Tao was the main entertainment for the evening, but before dinner we played a game called Cranium. What a blast! We didn't have time to finish the game, but I'm sure that my team, consisting of Bugs, Mom and me, would have beat the pants off Chris & Katie.

We enjoyed ourselves immensely and this was truly one of my favorite Christmas Eve's of all time.

Low Country Red Rice

9 thick slices bacon, fried crisp, crumbled & reserved

2 medium onions (preferably Vidalias), chopped

6 stalks of celery, chopped

2 cups uncooked Minute Rice

3-15 oz. canned tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In the bacon grease, fry onion and celery until soft & onion is translucent. Mix together tomatoes, water, salt & cayenne in a 2 quart casserole dish. Stir well. Add in rice & stir again. Mix in the onion & celery.

Place in a casserole dish, loosely covered. Bake at 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the rice is soft, but not dry. Before serving, stir in the reserved bacon.

Also excellent served at room temperature. Goes especially well with ham, fried chicken or shrimp.

Mrs. Smith’s Potatoes

2 pound bag frozen country style hash browns

3 cups grated sharp cheddar

24 oz carton sour cream

1 can cream of celery soup

2 sticks melted butter

Thaw hash browns on paper towel. While potatoes are thawing, combine sour cream, melted butter and soup. Add in grated cheese. Then gently fold in potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes in a 9 x 13 pan, uncovered.

Levi's Treasure Hunt

Vacation Day 15

Friday, October 10, 2008

Jeff & Carrie vacated the premises first thing in the morning. It's always a sad day when they leave .... they are such enjoyable company. They've decided to take a break from the Outer Banks next year and vacation elsewhere. It just won't be the same without them!

Dawn & I had a lazy day doing a whole lot of nothing. Jen, as usual, was up and about bright & early for her morning walk, then traveled on over to Ocracoke for her secret mission. She was in charge of the treasure chest ..... hopefully, she would bury it where #1 Levi could find it and #2 no one else would find it before Levi did!

Darrin, Darcie & the kids ferried over to the island that afternoon and after finding a bottle washed ashore, the fun began. Levi successfully followed the treasure map and dug up the pirate loot - all the while battling 'skeeters. (From what everyone said, the mosquitoes were terrible on Ocracoke, but the day I visited, I saw nary a one. Not even on Howard Street!)

Levi et al returned to Hatteras Village where he proudly displayed his find.

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The Get Together at Lightship

It's All About Making New Friends!

Vacation Day 14

Thursday Evening, October 9, 2008

After our wonderful lunch with Eve, Dawn & I hurried back to the Lightship to prepare for the evening's cocktail party. I had posted a notice that all OBC members were invited - unfortunately, between the lateness of the season, the pouring rain and our remote location, not many folks from the board attended.

Judy Schwagin & her hubby represented the OBC - it's always so nice to meet the folks from the board - without exception, each and every member that I've met have been lovely people. The Schwagins were no exception. I wish could have sat down and talked more with them, but I seemed to be entertaining out on the deck most of the evening, sitting under the umbrellas with the smoking population.

Before the rain started, the deck was a great place to sit & chat. This is Scott, one of the Wisconsin people, and Lynne, Sandi's mum.

Tons of great munchies! Darrin & Darcie made super crab ragoons.

The WI group contributed a Dairy Land cheese & meat platter. That pepper cheese was the hottest I've ever had in my life! Have I mentioned that my friend, Sandi from Madison, and her family and friends were staying just up the beach from us?

They are rich, so they stayed ocean front in a McMansion. I had hoped to spend a day hanging out at their place, to see how the other half lives, but there was never enough time.

Here is a pic of Sandi and her group.

Left to right: Lynne (Sandi's mom), Marv, April, Braylon (Rena's daughter & grandson), Rena, Farrell, Sandi, Scott & Holly.

Lunch With Eve

Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station by Maureen Brady

Vacation Day 14

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Sorry I haven't posted lately .... I've been suffering from a relentless, seemingly never-ending cold. It started Thanksgiving morning, and has waxed and waned since. Sunday night I was very nearly to the point of taking a quick trip to the ER for a breathing treatment, but felt too awful to get out of bed. Fever, chills, muscle aches, constant coughing & sneezing, chest congestion, expiratory wheezing .... and I'm not sure what the hell is coming out of my nose when I blow it. Since my bout with pneumonia a few years ago, I'm extremely leery whenever I get just the sniffles. Hence, my laying low the past few days.

Dawn & I were heading up to Avon, today, to meet up with Eve for lunch. Eve and her husband, Pete, own The Yellowhouse Gallery in Nags Head. Eve would be bringing along 2 pieces of art work that would soon be hanging in my home ..... first, the water color of Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station that I commissioned by Maureen Brady (aka Salvo) and second, a beautiful driftwood photograph by Eve. Both pieces were matted & framed by Pete, who does incredible work! If you ever need any framing done, I highly recommend him.

We met at the Atlantic Coast Café, where I had a most unusual sandwich .... a crabcake reuben. I love crabcakes and I love reubens ..... now, I love crabcake reubens. Fat chance of getting one of those here in Iowa. (Although, there's a place in East Moline that serves wonderful reubens on raisin bread!) As usual, I ordered unsweetened iced tea with my meal, and as usual I was served that sweet, syrupy glop that has, undoubtedly, caused many diabetic comas. (Speaking of which, I see Sunny von Bulow died.)

Eve, Dawn and I had a lovely long chat over lunch. Eve emanates a tangible joie de vivre the very moment you meet her. Like so many of my Outer Banks friends, I met Eve via the OBC. The first we met face-to-face, I was pulling into the parking lot of The Yellowhouse Gallery as she was walking from the framing shop. The instant she saw my license tag, a huge smile lit her face and she greeted me with a hug and the exclamation, "Y!" (YMINIowa is my nom de plume on the OBC.) With that smile and hug, Eve made a new friend - ME!

As with Dawn, I had helped Eve with her family history. Much to my delight (and, I'm sure her's), we learned that she was a direct descendant of the movers and shakers of the 17th & 18th centuries in the new Colonies of America. One "grandfather" had been a Colonial Governor of Virginia in 1655. Another was a member of the first Provincial Congress, thus leading the revolt which resulted in the independence of the Colonies. The names Lee, Harrison, Monroe, FitzHugh, Taliafero, Diggs, Churchill, Carter, Battaile run through her family tree. Eve's family has been, by far, one of the most interesting families that I've researched.

Wedding Announcement of Eve's Great Great Great Great Great Grandparents

The Virginia Gazette; Friday, August 10, 1739:

Upon Meeting Dawn

Vacation: Day 13

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The housemates had gone off to play tourist (Jeff got some great shots at Bodie Light), and I was hanging out around the pool awaiting Dawn's arrival. Meeting someone for the first time is always terribly awkward. I'm a great one for welcoming hugs, but not everyone else is. So, the greeting usually ends up to be an uncomfortable, half hug, half handshake, usually accompanied with nervous laughter. However, Dawn's warmth and friendliness was apparent from the beginning.

Dawn is the quintessential Southern Bell. Petite, blond, pretty as a picture - and that wonderful soft, slow drawl when she speaks, every syllable dripping sweetness like honey on a warm biscuit. As we spent more time together in the next few days, I'd learn that beneath that magnolia exterior laid a healthy dash of Tabasco.

As she settled in, the rest of the group began arriving back at the cottage. Darrin and Darcie had been on their 2nd day of a mission to find liquor. Only beer & wine are served on Hatteras Island and I was under the impression those were the only 2 spirits sold there, too. The girls had headed up to Nags Head to the ABC store, yesterday, arriving just after it closed. One hundred twenty miles, round trip, with no results. Today, they had learned that liquor was sold on Hatteras, and in fact there was a store just up the road. All of that wasted driving! And, Dawn had come prepared, as well.

She was prepared in more than one way ..... she had brought the fixings for dinner that evening, which she insisted cooking alone. Dawn's husband is a crabman, and it was through his hard work we enjoyed this treat! Kudos to him!

That night we ate like royalty ..... soft shell crabs, fried shrimp, hush puppies, a great potato dish and pasta salad. We really felt guilty about her doing all of the cooking, but she zipped around the kitchen like a seasoned chef.

We all learned how to tell the difference between boy crabs and girl crabs ..... aprons vs. lighthouses, along with the process of crabs developing their soft shells. Their little legs were really crunchy - good, but food with legs still attached makes it too personal for me to eat. I stuck to the main bodies. YUM! And the shrimp was INCREDIBLE!

After dinner, we all laid around the great room, half way watching TV, half way snoozing, all the way too stuffed and content to make the short journey to our sleeping quarters. But, with a busy day planned for Thursday, we turned in fairly early.

The Pre-Dawn Hours & My Premier This Friday

Vacation: Day 13

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

One last note about Tuesday ..... after Jen & I returned to Lightship, we all went out to dinner at the Shrimp Shack. Last year, the Shrimp Shack was our dining preference for lunch & dinner. Their fried shrimp was incredible, the pulled pork delicious .... well, everything was just very good! They did not disappoint us this year. Once again the food and service was excellent, although the shrimp seemed to be a bit smaller and a little crustier. I don't want to say that Alexa makes an impression on people, but ...... The owner came to our table and talked with us. She remembered Alexa from last year! Too funny!

We awakened Wednesday to another gloriously sunny day. The Weather Channel assured us that blue skies, a good wind and warm temps were in store for us until Thursday. Since Dawn was arriving in Hatteras today, I was glad to see she'd have good traveling weather.

Dawn & I had never met face to face, and had only spoken on the phone twice. I made her aquaintance via the Outer Banks Connection. I always enjoyed Dawn's posts & photos ..... she seemed very kind and very sweet. I had been helping her with her family tree - talk about an old Outer Banks heritage! She's a direct descendant of the Midyett, Pugh, Daniels, Etheridge families who settled in the Bodie Island and Chicamacomico area in the very early 1700's. If you've ever visited the Outer Banks, you are sure to have heard those names! (And, to think ..... she didn't have a clue about her roots!) Her family has always been involved in the fishing industry .... if not fishermen, oystermen or crabmen, then boat builders.

When I realized that there would be an empty bedroom the last 5 days in Hatteras, I invited Dawn to come for a visit. As the crow flies, she lives about 40 miles from Ocracoke. But, as the car drives, it's 200 miles to the same place. That's crazy. She planned on arriving later that afternoon.

Levi and Alexa wanted to return to the beach. The surf action had abated, so they were able to play in the water more. This pic of Alexa reminds me of some little pagan goddess offering up prayers to the ocean. You can tell, she loves the beach.

Alexa confided to Jeff that this day was the very best day of her life.

After some quality beach time, it was back to the cottage to prepare for Dawn's arrival.

To be continued .......

This weekend will be the tree lighting ceremony in Manteo. It is also the premier of the Christmas Greetings video that Melody shot this fall, starring yours truly, Dawn, Steph, Ish and Will. Can't wait to see that.