It was so cold! There’s nothing like the word spring to make a little chill even chillier because all one wants is for the sun to have the decency to shine. Especially if one goes south like the birds. Spring in Nags Head was a little indecent, to be honest: cold, windy and cloudy.
But we made the best of it. Well, I guess that depends on perspective. Clara said on the car trip home, grumpy for lack of UV rays for spring break tanning, “Mom, we went to four museums in four days. Is that, like, your perfect vacation or something?”
We went to the beautiful beach at least once a day, although usually we didn’t stay more than ten minutes because it was so blustery. The waves were raucous and even Bali ran from them and not into them. But we were together, except for Tay who had finished her spring break two weeks earlier. Trent, finding his Master’s at East Carolina, joined us for two nights also, happily.
One of the “museum” visits that Clara so enjoyed was a stop at a wildlife refuge near Alligator River. Aside from having a very nice visitor’s center, the back roads there were perfect to give Finn and Clara their first turns behind the wheel. The roads were made of dirt or gravel so the rare other cars on the road were going only as fast as bees sliding on honey. Clara was cautious and cool, Finn was elbows up and foot down—driving a little faster than expected! They both did great and stood a little taller when they stepped out of the driver’s seat.
Other highlights included going to Kitty Hawk and learning more about the wonderful imaginations and methodical discipline of Orville and Wilbur—and their mother’s uncanny ability to build and fix things in the home; getting brews and beer for Kevin; driving through the gorgeous campus of William & Mary; seeing the Cape Hatteras light house and learning about German U-boats being nearby during WWII and the resourceful isolation of families living in the light house; playing Bananagrams; watching the show soap opera-style but somewhat historically realistic Jamestown and visiting the actual Jamestown or at least it’s replica.
I loved the visit to Jamestown, although it wasn’t the site of the archeological dig of course. It is impressive to think of the courage and creativity all of those first arrivers had to call upon. The efforts to recreate life from England must have been both so comforting and so maddening. The Native Americans must have been astonished by the bizarre sights—neck ruffles and corsets could hardly have been helpful.
Having been to the very spot on the other side of the earth, the Banda Islands or Spice Islands, that other European ships were reaching at the same time, I can see in my mind’s eye cosmic history’s lines colliding and bursting into flame in the arc of history. The galvanizing of globalization.
Overall the trip was good family time with the exception that Tatum couldn’t be there, but it wasn’t perhaps the most springish of spring breaks because of the overcast and blowy weather. Next time, maybe we could “spring” for a place with a hot tub—or better yet, a place with sunshine. Kevin loved it though, climate and landscape alike being a true break from the frying pan that is Delhi.
@theterrace 