Life in the Left Lane

I just read Gypsy Mama's post entitled A Quick Crash Course in Surviving Good-bye and it was such good timing, given the fact that we only said goodbye to our precious family and friends mere days ago.

It's true. Goodbyes are hard. I definitely agree with Gypsy Mama that it's easier to say, "See you next week," instead of "See you next year." (Gotta love Skype.) When we left back in February for our big move to the UK, it was one tearful goodbye after another. I only cried twice this trip--when I watched Page walk to her car, knowing I'd miss the birth of her baby boy and when I happened to be at my friend Ann's house at bedtime and her kids wanted to me to tuck them in. TEARS! Ugh, I have a lump in my throat right now!

If you are new to Gypsy Mama, spend a few minutes on her site. She always has amazing insights and encouragement, that somehow always seems to be right on time.

WEEK 1: CLAYTON FRIENDS

They look uncommonly angelic, especially Ollie.
I'm sure he's hiding our passports behind his back.

Guzzling a Five Hour Energy Drink before the Def Lepard
concert. Twenty-nine hours with no sleep, baby.

Merrit and Skylar were best of pals all week in Clayton.
Okay, I admit it...I was thinking of arranging a marriage. Skylar is adorable!!!

Ollie commandeered Summer's guitar for the week.

We visited our cats! Here's Merrit with Skippy.

Mike gets some lovin' from Jenga.

Ollie and one-year-old Emmie, the sweet daughter of friends Jer and Kara.

Cornhole!

Mike and Jer: These guys have been pals since 1996.

Kara and baby Em. Cuties, both.

Arriving at the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship office to have our
biometrics done as part of our visa application process.

Later that same day, we went to Kinko's to have new passport photos taken.

Had to stop by Little Tokyo in Cary, NC--our favorite sushi restaurant.

The boys with friends Aaron and Andrew, playing Guitar Hero.
Ollie's pretending to play along on a toy synthesizer.

Swimming at a friend's pool.
Mid-air hams, Lincoln, Jamison, and Merrit.

Friends came over to play at Chris and Kristi's house.
How many monkeys can get on the trampoline at once?

WEEK 2: BLACK MOUNTAIN FAMILY

Week two began in Black Mountain at Mike's parents' house.
There's nothing like home cooking!

Papa Clyde giving Ollie a ride on his "tractor" (a.k.a. riding lawnmower).

Enjoying family, and the view, up at Mike's brother Rocky's house.

Ollie in the treehouse at his great uncle Junior's house.

The boys being swung on the hammock by one of their second cousins,
who was visiting from Tennessee.

Gathered around the table on Aunt Frances and Uncle Junior's
screened-in porch. From left to right: Aunt Frances, Delores, Dyan, Rocky, Lisa,
Tim, Tom, and Clyde.

Me with my sweet niece, Page, 24 weeks pregnant!!!!
It's a boy!!!!

Mike's sister, Durenda with new pup, Tucker.

From left to right: Tom, Durenda, Delores, Andrew, Page, Rocky, Gilbert, and Kim.
The Fam!!!

Garden fairies in my mother-in-law's back yard.

Rudy, Page and Andrew's "first born."

Chocolate ice cream bars at the Black Mountain Ale House.

Summertime: peaches and hydrangeas on Nanny's table.

We met up with friends Eric and Anne at the Black Mountain
Ale House to have a beer and play table shuffle board.

The next day, we drove to Tennessee to see Mike's dad and stepmother.

Mike and his dad. I love this picture. :-)

Eric and Anne hosted a dinner for us. The food was fab! And the
firepit that followed was so much fun.

Good friend from high school, Aaron, showed up...what an awesome surprise!

Ollie picking raspberries in the woods behind the house where Mike grew up.

Breakfast.

Nanny and Merrit picking berries.

In the oaks.

Making root beer ice-milk. Mix a two-liter of root beer with one can of Eagle Brand
sweetened condensed milk in an ice cream maker.

The root beer ice-milk went perfectly with Merrit's birthday cake.

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream.

WEEK 3: EMERALD ISLE RELAXATION

Week three of vacation dawned with a gorgeous sunrise!

Being right on the beach was fantastic.

Merrit filling up water ballooons at the outside tap.

Couldn't resist this sign.

This little shack, right on the sound, sold fresh heads-off
shrimp for just $6/pound.

Mom and I cooked up some fresh and easy seafood dinners.
Here, our shrimp is almost ready to be skewered and grilled.

Garlicky. Delicious.

Grandma B with her surfer boys.

One day the heat index was 108! Being able to have an umbrella on the
beach made all the difference.

Mom and the boys in the surf.

Mike took turns taking the boys out into the water.

Windblown Ollie in his favorite T-shirt.

My girls came down to the beach for the day!!! Tina, Robyn, and Ann.

My friend Tina, acting as though she's about to drink a

sand crab cocktail! Ewww!!!

Merrit with Tina's son, Lincoln.

Our group at The Sanitary Restaurant and Fish Market in Morehead City, NC.

At dinner, each of the kids drew a picture of "My Day at the Beach."
Here's Lincoln, holding his boogie board.

Here's Jamison's artwork. She spent a lot of time drawing
in the details of her bathing suit.

Merrit's drawing depicts huge waves like shark teeth...but, he's smiling in
his self-portrait.

Hang ten, Merrit Man!!!

By mid-week, Merrit really got the hang of catching waves on his boogie board.

Our little maniac.

Ollie loved playing in the tidal pools.

Shrimp trawler out behind the seafood market where we went to buy
shrimp for a shrimp boil late in the week.

My boys and I.

My beautiful mom.

Another day. Another seafood dinner. This time, we bought live blueshell crabs
from a man named Jerry. Here he is fishing them out from the tank behind his house.

Jerry loaned us a cooler and said, "Aw, y'all just bring it back when you're done
with it." And he only charged us $10 for 12 crabs...and then threw in two more
for free, just "extras for the boys."