beach bound

All that talk of fall yesterday and here I am packing for a trip to the beach.

Of course, fall is the best time of year to go to the beach, if you ask me.

We are heading to Ocracoke Island bright and early Sunday morning.  We'll catch a 4pm ferry in Swan Quarter, NC and sail across the sound for 2 1/2 hours to reach the island.  There is usually an alternate route involving a bit more driving and a shorter ferry, but that route has had loads of sand dumped on it thanks to Irene's traipse across the Outer Banks several weeks back.

I'm not sure why we don't usually opt for the less driving and longer ferry route, actually.  I'm rather looking forward to it.

Claire and Wolfie are gonna like it, I bet.  Hope they don't mind dogs peeing on the ferry deck, because I'm not so sure he's got the toilet thing figured out all that well.

Anyway.... packing.  For the three of us plus Wolfie, for a week at the beach.  (We'll be in a house this time, not squeezing into a teeny tiny backpacking tent like last time)  This will be the third time we've rented the same house and I'm excited to be going back.  Though I spent years camping when I visited Ocracoke, I am most certainly glad to be checking into a house instead of a campsite these days.  At least until we're done with the diapers, I think.  So... what to pack?  'Enough' clothes (which is, of course always way less than you think it is), diapers for that baby bum, toothbrushes, camera, books, hats, food...... etc, etc, etc.  There are stores on the island, of course, so it's not that crucial that I don't forget the toilet paper or mustard or dish soap or what have you.

Nana is coming for several days of our trip and she has so kindly volunteered to bring along most of the groceries.  Lovely nana.  Must remember to request some good Jersey bagels.  Nothing against the south, I'm quite happy here and I do so love me some biscuits, but the good bagels are generally north of the mason-dixon line, I do declare.

We usually bring along the laptop.  I do try not to spend any real amount of time on it while there.  What with it being vacation and all.  Unless it's for looking up recipes for shrimp and grits or the best way to prepare scallops or whatever fresh seafood we bought from the seafood market that day... that is perfectly acceptable vacation internet time, you know.  Vacation is a lot about relaxation, sure.... but mostly it's about eating, right?

And then there's music.  Of course we want to bring along our nearly 9000 song iTunes playlist.  And yes, surely I'll check my email from time to time.  But not too much.

So, maybe a postcard or two from the beach here and there over the next week.

And surely huge sharing of photos and stories when we get back~

For now, a look back on some good times from our trip to Ocracoke last fall.  A trip where Claire learned to crawl and rode on a bike seat for the first time.

that's papa out there raking for clams~

and here we have said clams along with previously mentioned shrimp and grits~