A Simple Special Evening

As most of you know, we live between the Sandbar and the Swamp. The “sandbar” part is the resort area of the Outer Banks of NC. There are people who live elsewhere all year and look forward to having just a week or two in the place that we call home. Sure, they drive poorly, fill the restaurants and block up the aisles at the grocery, but they’re on vacation and we get to just “be here.” I am grateful (and I try and remember to be patient and grateful).

Being silly at the bar.
Yesterday afternoon we decided we would have supper out. We have not been going out like we used to, a combination of changing our eating habits and watching our finances. We had just gone out last Wednesday celebrating my most excellent eye exam that day, but we still decided we’d head out on a Saturday evening in the midst of tourist season to a very popular restaurant. Oh, why not?

Early is better, so we arrived just past five. It was already slammed of course, but only minutes after we got there, two nice seats opened at the bar and we were sorted. I had one of my favorites, a mahi-mahi BLT and Lynn had the empanadas and I had my Becks non-alcoholic beer. Sweet! I am grateful. 

Fresh Mahi-mahi BLT and chips
After supper we had a leisurely drive down to the Bodie Island lighthouse and then headed over to Manteo. We sat on a bench enjoying an ice cream overlooking that lovely harbor. We were right next to the very spot where we were married twenty-five years ago this November. I recommend Big Buck’s handmade ice cream and I highly recommend the coffee-caramel-cookie. After our treat, we walked along the boardwalk holding hands. It was a simple, yet special Saturday evening, and I am very grateful for it.

Bodie Island Lighthouse is just "around the corner." I try not to take where we live for granted. Lynn said last night as we drove down the beach road, "This feels like summer." We really do need to get out into it more!
Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.