Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Friday, August 16, 2013

Four weeks

Four weeks ago tomorrow, much of our stuff was moved to Wilmington, to the apartment I rented back in March, and here it still sits. As with most things in life, the experience has been a mixed blessing. I admit however that I am beginning to lean a little toward restlessness and sometimes find myself yearning for that permanent (as much permanency as Earth allows) place I am hoping for. Waiting for a short sale house to be approved by a bank can test the limits of one's patience. Yet overall, I feel relaxed and satisfied here, and believe it will all work out as it is supposed to.

Outside the apartment today were some young men smoking and discussing sports and just making themselves at home. No doubt they are UNCW students, as Port City Radio warned their listeners today. This is the big return to school in the fall, moving in weekend. They may add to the sort of interesting mix of people here.

The weather. On Sunday the temp was 94 with a heat index of 104. Four days later, a new record low for this day was recorded. There is still a lot of rain, much of it coming in short bursts of huge drops. I heard today that all the rain has been hard on the shrimpers.  


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Greenfield Lake

How I love Greenfield Lake. Let me count the ways.
The first is remembering when the thousands of azaleas were in full bloom in the spring and I was in a pretty dress with a big bow in the back. Second perhaps is being in a little boat in that murky water with my daddy as he rowed away from shore. Safe and happy. 

Now I can go anytime I want.

Today I got there about ten. I took my good macro camera hoping to capture a pic of a dragonfly, but though there were many zipping around the edge of the water and onto the shrubs and vines, none stopped to pose. It was a lovely morning anyway, and I could have stayed on and on. As for facts, there is a five mile sidewalk around the lake, a bike path, paddle boats (that are not used much), playgrounds, places to sit and swing, shelters for picnicking (and a couple of guys sleeping on the tables), and lots of really cool wildlife.

This morning I saw one of the alligators - being sneaky out there in the middle waiting for an unsuspecting sea gull to dive down - ducks, birds, lizards, butterflies, lots of turtles, and several colors of dragonflies. The cypress trees, and the live oaks with their swaying moss are so pretty.

I have just been run out of the office (wifi) as it is closing time, so I will post a quick picture or two while I sit on the porch.






fait accompli

A big round of applause...we have had  the closing on our Greenville home. Yippee! My realtor commented that people really like Greenville and nobody moves away from it. They just move toward somewhere else like I did.  Agree. I have no complaints about the past sixteen years there. The decision to move was made with much thought, and July 2012 we started working toward that goal.  What an exhausting, grueling year lay ahead. Honestly I think there were a million things to do, and by the grace of God, everything got done. On Wednesday, the house was emptied and cleaned and ready to pass on to the next owners. "We love the house," they said several times. And that made me feel very happy.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Laura

Every August 4th, I mentally wish my cousin Laura, who is thirteen years younger than I and has always lived many miles away, a happy birthday. This year was different. For the first time ever probably, I saw her in person on her birthday.  She, her husband and grown daughter drove down from Maryland to visit her mother, my mother's sister, for a few days. Last night they fixed a delicious beachy birthday dinner, headlined by shrimp and scallops, and invited the hubby and me to help celebrate. One of the really nice things about being in Wilmington has been spending time with my cousins. It won't last forever, but I am savoring it as it comes.

Friday, August 2, 2013

around

So far my home is a temporary one and surprisingly fun. In an apartment you can go swimming whenever you want, call somebody to fix the simplest things even change a lightbulb, walk outside and have someone to talk to, or see a cute dog to act gaga over. There is a weight room, play areas for kids, an indoor pool also, and nice people in the office, where I am now, who let me connect to their wifi. Speaking of the pool...it is the most relaxing place ever. Maybe it is the breeze through the tall, long leaf pines, the birds singing as they dine on red berries in the little trees by the steps, or the chatter and splashing of children, but each time I have claimed a lounge chair in a shaded spot there, I had to fight being lulled to sleep.

Yesterday I drove to Wrightsville Beach not once but twice. One of these days I will get over the thrill of being able to drive down Airlie Road and practically having my breath taken away by the huge old overhanging trees on the curve toward the sound, but that time has not yet come. Here's a photo through the windshield that cannot do it justice.

I crossed the drawbridge, rode around the loop, and cruised and looked. This is a busy season for beaches, and Wrightsville is in the height of being enjoyed by surfers of all ages. They were unloading long mostly colorful boards from their vehicles, carrying them toward the ocean, and then I presume riding the waves. Maybe the short lived, hard downpour we had just had sent a surf's up message to them. There were other folks barely covered or wrapped in towels who were riding bicycles, walking dogs, eating sno cones, and having as grand a time as I was cruising.