Recap

FamUnion2012 ends with Erin and I taking a stroll in downtown BAL before dropping her off to BWI. It was a just-bearable kinda hot, kinda humid, but damn good picture-taking day at Harbor Place. We window-shopped a bit and had lunch at Hooters. 

I really enjoyed doing this blog and hope that more of you will chip-in. It's never too late to post a story about or trip and add a few pics. 

I'm looking forward to the next FamUnion . . . . Cheers!

 

'Headin Back

Man! The last day of a 'vaca is always so sad. As I walk around the house, cleaning and packing-up stuff, I see the place where we all had a great time together. It went by so fast but it was also very action-packed. We did a lot of stuff.

I went out for one last walk on the beach and "wow!" It's empty. Guess everyone else is leaving too. More people will be here later on. Better get going. No more thinking about the past week. Time to think about the next thing to come. Lata OBX.

Day Six

On Friday some of us went to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It's the tallest in the US. The place is very photogenic. There's a great view from the top. Seth doesn't do so well with heights but managed. There were a tone of steps but most of us agreed that it was still somehow better than the steps at Loggerhead.

We came back for some hotdogs on the grill then Seth, Nicole and I went horseback riding.

This was my second time riding. Each time the tour guides have given me a white spotted crazy horse. This time I rode a temper-mental mare named Snowflake. Seth rode a tank of a horse named Tonka. It was like 6 ft tall. I can't remember the name of Nicole's horse.

Equine Adventures took us on a 2 1/2 hr tour of a really nice trail and beach. They were more into telling jokes than giving information about the horses or the area. But it was a real fun, long ride. I feel like I have some experience now.

While we were riding on the beach, Snowflake bugged-out. I think that horse wanted me off. It jumped around and made noises. I thought I was going to fly off, for sure, but somehow held on. Seth thought that it might have mistook a skinny branch for a snake and got scared. Or, it just didn't like me. Either way she calmed down immediately and then we headed back.

We passed by a few locals fishing on the beach on our way back. One who looked like Larry the Cable Guy said, "Dat . . der . isa dag--on Clyyydesdale right der." Funniest line of the trip.

Days Four & Five

On Wednesday morning April came up to the kitchen, to make coffee, and found my 'lil friend in the sink. She went to get Maaa, "Mom! Some creature crawled up the sink. Come see."

Mom took care of it. She put the ghost crab in a salad bowl and took it out on the upstairs deck. The intent was to keep it around to show the kids then take it back to the beach but it got out. The poor guy made a break for it but must have fell off the top deck. Paul found him at the bottom. RIP. Sorry dude.

In the afternoon, I went kayaking for the first time. It's a great activity. Not much skill is needed. I wanted to take my iPhone for pictures. The rental place gave me a plastic zip-lock to put it in but I chickened-out at the last minute and left it in the car. But I totally could have taken it. No probs. Stephanie hooked me up with a disposable. Those pics will come soon.

We kayaked to a small beach area in Sandy Bay and got out for some pics. We bothered a few hermit crabs and Seth dug up some dead thing. It looked like a face-hugger from Aliens. We left it all there.

Later for dinner, I grilled up a seafood feast: tuna steaks (medium), lobster tails and Seth's shrimp dish.

Nighttime we enjoyed a campfire on the beach. Lex & Dex made friends with the ghost crabs, "I don't usually like spiders but these crab guys arn't so bad." said Dexter.

Steph, Joe, Mark, Trish and Lexy left early on Thursday morning. Seth and I went boogie-boarding and got knocked around pretty good. Everyone else enjoyed a day at the beach and the pool.

Grilled chicken tacos for dinner then gin 'n tonics and 9-ball. Cheers to another great night!

The Fire Pit

Well it was a slow start at the windy beach. Jan dug a hole and lit up the starter log. Once we put some wood on, the fire just didn't want to flame up.
A mess of hungry skeeters came in for the kill taking stabs at us poor humans. Joe lasted a whole 30 seconds before running back to the house. Eventually we got the fire going by throwing in some newspaper and snotty rags.
The whole night was great fun.

Days Two & Three

It was very strange to see Maaa playing pool, at first, but she looked like a natural. Her and Erin got pretty silly together.

The first batch of burgers got hosed-down by me trying to blast Joe with the water cannon. I'm a horrible shot. The stream hit the grill and agitated the grease fire that was already started. Mark hosed-off the grill. Burgers were not bad. Grill-guy came to cleaned it off.

Seth and Nicole arrive. The FamUnion beach party is now fully intact. We ended the second night playing Apples-to-Apples. Me 'n Dex teamed-up. Joe won twice and made sure we all noticed. It won't happen again ;-)

On day three some of us head to Ocracoke Island. Got some great pics on the ferry. Seth took this one of me that got warped some how. I look like the Fear and Loathing . . . cover.

Lunch at Howard's. The Carolina Burger: burger, cheddar, chili & cole slaw = damn good!

Ocracoke is a very small 'Key West' kind of place. We went hunting for a geocache and found it with the help of a seven year old local named Locklyn. Dexter and Locklyn had a quick 12 min friendship that included a tour of a tree house and a back yard full of carny stuff. We left and as we were walking Locklyn continued to tell his family story. Apparently his fam has lived there for a many generations. I felt funny walking away while hearing such a personal story then grandma, who was swinging on the porch, says "You can keep walkin. He's just gonna talk for ever."

We were gonna walk to a lighthouse but ran into a storm cloud of mosquitos. We were ambushed. Seth and Paul got the worst of it. "I'm freakin bleeding. Ok. I'm gonna head back." "Ya me too [everyone else simultaneously]."

Another great day in the books. Seth, Nicole, Erin and I stayed up - hunted for sand-crabs and then played a little pool. After everyone went to bed I went back on the beach to bring home one of my little friends. Caught 'em in a trashcan. I'm told April found him at 630 the next morning. "Mom! Some strange creature crawled up the sink." Mom got 'em in a bowl to show the kids later but it crawled off. Wonder where it went.

Day One

The first night was great and now I'm officially beat.

Very cool that we all managed to arrive around the same time. I am very impressed how prepared everyone is for this trip. There's definitely no shortage of hot-dogs, thanks Aunt Steph.

Kudos to April for talking the idiot kid next door out of the biggest mistake of his life. Dude would have broken his neck for sure. What is it with some fools that have to do the crazy on the first day?

Kudos to Joe for tiring-out the kids :-)

Mark brought tons of PIT apparel. That's ok! Got my Ray Rice jersey in case of an emergency, too much Steelers, situation. LOL! :-)

Everyone passed out and I got in the hot tub. If you are reading this here's an important tip: please no sand in the hot tub. Rinse off your feet before getting in. Thanks.

After hot tub, I went on the beach with a flash light; saw a bunch of sand crabs and stars above. Two things that are, most likely, totally new to Dexter.

Dead now. Gonna listen to somethin and fall asleep.

Joe

Dex

Erin & Paul