Well, it’s my first day off of work since getting back to the Outer Banks last week, and I’ve made full use of it so far!  I slept in and ate a delicious breakfast of mystery oats before dousing myself in sunscreen from head to toe, packing up my computer and a couple books, stopping in to Front Porch for an iced coffee, and heading down to Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head.  I camped out at one of the picnic tables on the beautiful brand new thousand-foot pier for about three hours.  It was the perfect place to spend the hottest part of the day – the sun was bright and warm, but the breeze off the ocean kept it from getting too hot or muggy.  The smoke from the inland brush fires made everything a little hazier than usual, but it doesn’t bother me yet since I only just got here and am still enjoying the occasional campfire smell.  I sat on the pier reading, drinking coffee, and occasionally zoning out to watch little kids fishing and old men painting en plein air.  It was lovely – the only thing that would have made it better was wireless internet!

Eventually I really did need to get some work done using the internet, so I headed a few miles back up the beach to the Front Porch in Nags Head, where I’ve been for the past couple hours with my laptop and a delicious iced latte, courtesy of Chris.  I’ve planned my stops today very strategically along the shore – I drove all the way down the the pier first at milepost 16.5, went back to Front Porch at 10.5, and when it’s time to head home in a couple of hours, I’m going to pick up dinner at Food Dudes at MP 9 on the way!  Living on a long, skinny sandbar makes planning stops very easy.  There’s no driving back and forth, or over, or around.  You just go in order!

Anyway, I’m about due for a refill and have had enough of a break to get back to work.  Happy summer, everyone!