And I Feel Fine

Beach log, day two

Water temperature: low sixties (up from positively frigid yesterday)
Current book: "Between Parentheses" by Roberto Bolano
Best random song: acoustic version of REM's "It's the End of the World as We Know It"

Yesterday was travel day, arrival day and the official start of the annual beach vacation.

Color me happy.

Coolish, with a leaden sky and the traditional stop at the Weeping Radish Brewery for their stellar, fat hotdogs with grilled onions for a late lunch made for an especially pleasant trip down.

Afterwards, I cruised past the Gale Force Guns & Ammo Shop. where vacationers can pick up any last minute firearm needs before hitting the banks.

I was expecting changes on the beach after the big storm last fall that decimated Kitty Hawk and, sure enough, there were.

My beloved outside shower moved from beach level to porch level and tons of sand has clearly been brought in although the entire beach is definitely much lower than it used to be.

Otherwise, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Thankfully.

Nineteen years coming to the same house and the greatest pleasure is in how little things change.

Today began with an early morning pelting rain, which necessitated me closing the window over my bed, but not, perish the thought, getting up for another two hours.

Breakfast included Weeping Radish's superb bacon. followed by a long walk on the beach under roiling clouds.

Dolphins put in an appearance just before a late lunch, cavorting right in front of the house.

It was also the first "inane technology" moment as the woman on the gazebo next door proceeded to call someone on her phone and shriek about the dolphins rather than just enjoying the moment.

Don't get me started.

When a light rain forced us off the beach late in the day, we took shelter on the screened porch, drinking tequila and playing Scrabble until the sweet tea lover among us beat the pants off of us.

Damn Southerners.

After multiple attempts, we finally tuned in my favorite cheesy, local radio station, the one who plays the exact same songs every year with the addition of a very few new offerings.

I couldn't stand it year round, but for vacation, it's another welcome reminder that some things never change.

And, just maybe, they have the potential to get even better.