May 18th - 29th, 2000
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Summertime is here again! For the first time in a long time I took vacation! Woohoo!
I left work, packed quickly and hauled butt to the Outer Banks. I couldn't get out of Raleigh fast enough.
(Well the officer thought I could have slowed it down a bit.)
I arrive late Thursday night and find the house under seige by the Breakaway Moms. Jeanne, Lynn and Debbie (I don't know everyone's last names, so I'll just stick to first) were recovering from a rough day of painting and relaxing. Everyone crashed pretty quickly and prepared for the assault on the beach. More intense painting happened Friday afternoon. Under scrupulous supervision, an ordinary wall was transformed into a grand seascape. I took the opportunity to get some sun. (My quest for a bikini top never made it to successful fruition.) My job was to reinforce the wall with the retaining fence seen at the bottom. | 
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More troops arrived
Friday evening. The next morning, I drove up to Richmond to visit several
of my friends who were participating in TKD belt testing. I stole some of
the ladies for the journey and kept them hostage until that evening. See
the 2nd Dan Test page for more pictures.
Alan and John David arrived on Sunday and then DJ, Nori
and his friend arrived on Monday. The responsible people left on Sunday, leaving the fort
in the hands of 6 crazy defenders. In our efforts to stay
healthy, lots of leftover food lost its life. We made the best of the situation though.
The hot tub was getting lonely, so we spent 3 hours on Monday keeping it company. Everytime
a drink ran dry, another was ready to take its place. "Oh, the humanity!"
Picture Notes:
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Wednesday saw the end of the party. The house was fairly
vacated, leaving me the sole guard on such a big beach. I manned the post as best I
could, catching up on sleep and doing my best not to think about the work ahead of me this
summer. I managed to keep my mind in low gear for a few days.
Thursday brought more vict... guests. It was a slow, rainy evening, so we took off to see Mission: Impossible II. My opinion: good flick. (To most movie critics: Stop overanalyzing movies and just enjoy them for what they are... entertainment. This isn't English class where everything MUST have meaning, this is just candy for the eyes.) The rest of the evening was spent in the company of the college-bound ladies. Such a horrible way to spend vacation. :) Friday was a great day. Lots of sun, a little wind. Spent most of the day outside. Did a few minor chores around the house and lounged around the pool. As Frank put it: "Life is full of difficult decisions; get in the pool or go to the beach, to get sun on one side or the other, to drink Mudslides or Margaritas... Tough life."
Picture Notes:
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Many activities over
the Memorial Day weekend. By Friday night, Tuna Gorda was fully manned
(and womanned), with the recruits taking shifts of partying and sleeping.
Doug and Debbie brought a Sea Doo with them. They found a ramp
over near the hunt club that was decent for putting in. Doug gave lessons on how to drive
the thing and I managed to learn most aspects of Sea Dooing... How to start it, how to
steer it, how to roll it, how to clean it, how to get back on it, and how to get thrown
off of it. No matter what I did, I ended up finding a nice bed of seaweed to drive through.
After clogging the motor several times, it was time to call it a day.
Picture Notes:
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The Currituck Lighthouse is one of many Lighthouses on the Outer
Banks. It is closer to the Sound than the ocean, but from the top, you can see for miles in
any direction. The Lighthouse is still in operation and has recently been restored for
historical value. There is a $5 fee to climb to the top and there is a nice souvenier shop
near the bottom.
The Whalehead Huntclub is less than a half mile away, easily seen from above. It is currently being restored but is still open to tours. The Huntclub was built to please the owner's wife many years ago, back when there were no clubs that allowed women.
Picture Notes:
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| At some point, Kathy told Dave to "Go fly a kite." So he did. He had some newly purchased stunt kites that needed testing. The wind was a little gusty, making it difficult to fly, but it was still plenty of fun to watch. Alan took a turn at the reins and managed to flip a few tricks as well. |
| Wax. What works for a light source can also work to help keep skin smooth and soft. I don't know who manages to design these things, but it sure makes for some funny moments. (And silky smooth hands!) Debbie brought the waxing kit and loaded it up for general enjoyment. All the ladies took a turn at dousing their hands in the wax and then warming them with the special mitts (which Michelle modeled for us). Alan got a little creative and started making sculptures with it. (Kathy got a little crazy with it.) |
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Monday couldn't resist. It never can. It just keeps
rolling around. At least on this particular Monday, I got to wake up late at the beach.
It was a good day for a while and then the party had to end. It was time to pack up and
clean up. We had to paint several walls after all the damage we had done. Shoot. We even
had to move a mirror and a commode to clean up the damage we had done. (Now that's a party!)
Next time I'm there, I'll have to help decorate a little more. It's pretty fun work.
I had this really great picture of Jeanne painting the bathroom... But because I want to be allowed back at Tuna Gorda, I'll refrain from putting it on the net. |
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Final thoughts: Tuna Gorda now has a new slogan courtesy of the
Whalebone Pub. It is just too appropriate.
Thanks again for letting my comrades and I stay! |
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