Over-Time

Work has been crazy!  We are in our busiest two weeks of this year.  Classes need to be taught everyday, and evening lessons as well.  I just got off at 9:15pm tonight.  But that doesn't mean I get to sleep.  Instead, I come home to the place where I am pet-sitting only to find kitty-vomit on my bed.  Adding "kitty" in front of vomit doesn't make it any better...so needless to say, I had to get a load of laundry in before the night is out.

Pet-sitting has been nice.  It's good to have a real kitchen for the first time in a while, and it's lovely to rest with the animals after way too many work hours.  Also, I like that it pays, because it helps me with my painting addiction and any other adventures we choose to partake in.

Speaking of adventure, I am going to have one this week.  My co-worker and I are taking a helicopter ride over our campus and neighboring towns/islands.  I have never been in a chopper and it is on the to-do list.  Trust me, I will take a TON of photos with that new camera I won from the video contest.  :-)  Will post them soon!

Beaufort, Blessings, and Beauty

The phone conversation with my momma went as follows:

Me:  I am sitting at the beach...because people say it's relaxing.  I work here though, so I don't think it is...what I really need is to get away.  I always liked the idea of Beaufort.

Momma:  You should go.  It's Labor Day weekend, you may not get another chance.

Me:  I can't justify spending the money right now.

Momma:  What if I promised to pay for your B&B in town?

Me:  Then I would promise to go.

From my B&B porch swing

After my volunteer shift at the aquarium on Sunday night, I drove north with my borrowed GPS and high hopes for my adventure.  I enjoyed the sunset just as I drove over the bridge to Beaufort.  The B&B I pulled up to was the best in town, I am sure! The Innkeeper's son was playing at a restaurant in town so I dropped my stuff and headed straight there for dinner.

Bad move, I ended up paying WAY too much money for the worst crab dip I had in my life!  (It was probably just cream cheese with fake crab sprinkled on top)  Perhaps I am a crab Nazi being from the eastern shore...but that stuff was not worth it.  So to justify it I waited 2.5 hours for the band to come and play.  Sleepily, I sat for two songs then called it a night.

The next day I started off with a taxi boat out to Shackleford Banks to collect some shells, but as I was walking I started to grab litter up off the ground.  It's nearly impossible for me to ignore litter.  And one piece turned into two...then three...then twelve.  Two hours later, I am sweaty and sunburned, with a jacket full of trash and three seashells.

This aint the half of it!

Upon returning to the mainland, I disposed of all my litter and headed to the Maritime Museum where surprisingly I got to touch a whale heart and see the poo tube from Blackbeard's ship.  (No really...it sank off the coast there and they claim that the sewer pipe on his ship might be the closest link to Blackbeard we have.  Given the conditions of the time, he probably spent a lot of time in ship's potty...)  GROSS!  There were other relics from his ship and overall the exhibits there were great.

I also went to Fort Macon where I was assured by the park ranger that I did indeed go to the restaurant with the worst food in town for dinner last night.  And she helped me correct the error with a much better suggestion for the night.  After a delicious meal at Finz complete with desert, I was able to walk it off in the historic cemetery and head home.  A pleasant trip indeed!

Grave Marker reads "Little Girl Buried in Rum Keg"

Shackleford Banks

With ALL that said, I feel very blessed.  I am training for my Color Me RAD 5k, I am taking random painting classes, and I am surrounded by the most beautiful nature and even more beautiful people.  I am blessed!

Photos from Around Here

Where to start...

I don't quite know where to start and what to say.  There has been quite a bit on my mind.  Maybe I will just throw them out in bullet points because it is easier to read than my mental spewing that would cover you with paragraphs.

• I smelled fall in America for the first time in FOREVER!!!  Asian fall smells different and I truly missed the smell of this country in Sept.
• I bravely took apart my bike to fix the tire which afforded me the chance to go riding at the nature park again.  It went about the same as last time...complete with tree hitting.  (For last time's account see Bike Adventure)
• I am attempting to shake off what is called the poverty mentality.  It means I always feel in lack...but God has been so good in His provision.  I mean SO GOOD!  I am surprised at all He has done in these past few weeks.
• I have finally started in the Aquariology dept. full swing at the Aquarium, which means a lot of food prep and poo cleaning.  Not all the glory that it seemed....BUT I still love it because I work with the seahorse babies!  AHHHH SO CUTE!!!!
• Though I skipped out this week, last week at the Bird Shelter, we released an Egret that we were rehabbing after he was hit by a car.  It was great to see him all better and flying off into the marsh.
• Had my first art class with acrylic paints....and loved it!  Hint hint hint for the Christmas gifts...art classes would be great.  :-P
• Lastly, made friends with Fred and Tim (the old crusty fishermen on the pier) and they showed me how to filet fish and kept giving me freebies.