Published on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 by Katherine She called me out on it, so I had to do it. I mean, I had promised, after all. “Do you want to go to a Pub Painters event some time?” “Surrrrrreeee!” Then came the text. “November 4th! Here is the painting! Let’s sign up!” Ummmm…. What? Me? Strangers? No kids? Girl night? PAINTING?!!? I CAN’T EVEN DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE! This is how it works. You ch...

Published on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 by Katherine I shrieked when I saw them. “MEXICAN JUMPING BEANS! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” The cashier at Five Below replied, “EVERYONE says that!” The last time I held Mexican Jumping Beans in my hand was in second grade in California. It was like stepping in to the past. I was literally holding something in my hand from a lifetime ago. What makes a Mexican jumping bean ...

Published on Friday, September 19, 2014 by Katherine My son’s first nightmare was about spiders. I heard his little cry, causing me to race out of bed and in to his room. “The spiders are getting me! The spiders are getting me!” My little guy had woken up in the middle of a nightmare in which spiders were crawling all over his body. Fast forward many years. This boy can gut a deer, shoot better than most and woul...

Published on Thursday, August 7, 2014 by Katherine My addiction. Do I think about them every day? No. But if I see them somewhere, I stop dead in my tracks and remember. The forgiveness of the shell as you squeeze to reveal the inner contents. The warm juice that trickles down your fingers. And finally, the salty, nutty innards that always leave you wanting more. And more. And more. My mother and daughter think ...

Published on Monday, July 28, 2014 by Katherine Dusty Jr. Poor kitty not only has the name of a cat that “is no longer,” but has been called a boy’s name for several months. Indeed, DUSTY, as we call HER now, looks just like a feral male cat that several locals fed and took care of for many years in Corolla. At the beginning of the season we were heartbroken to hear Dusty had not been seen in quite a while...

Published on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 by Katherine My father was a great joke teller. His specialty? Shaggy dog stories. I thought I had heard most of his jokes. Until last weekend when my mother alluded to one of his jokes that didn’t ring a bell. (Those of you who are well versed in shaggy dog stories will catch that little gem I just referenced.) She proceeded to tell me the joke, causing me to instantly shoo...

Published on Friday, May 30, 2014 by Katherine Here we are at the end of the month, meaning it is time for the 'Lilhoohaa photo challenge post.  This month's subject is FUN! 1.  Last weekend my son went surfing.  As he paddled out, I saw that three children were watching him intently, as if they had never seen a surfer before.  Once he started to turn, they began to get even more excited.  They waited with b...

Published on Thursday, May 8, 2014 by Katherine My Corolla mornings begin far too early, thanks to my over excited, “Let’s go to the beach!” dog. What seems like only hours after I have gone to bed, Moon is waking me up for his morning walk. Despite my wish for more sleep, our mornings are one of my great joys. Off season, I am able to let Moon off the leash and walk an empty beach hunting for sea glass. Whe...

Published on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 by Katherine I’ve been in Corolla with no internet and no television.  It rained for three days.  Not just rain… but RAIN.  Freezing rain.  Rain and wind and sand blowing so hard it felt like needles shooting in to my face. Do you know what I did for those three days?  I read a BOOK.  Yup!  I actually stopped my perpetual never-ending motion, plopped myself on to a cou...

Published on Thursday, March 13, 2014 by Katherine Nothing can make your day/week/month/year more than a simple, random act of kindness.  Last week I was the recipient of such an act. It was actually more than simple.  It was a well thought out act that took imagination, time, money and planning.  And it was done for ME! First of all… NO SPOILERS NO SPOILERS NO SPOILERS!  I have watched every single episode of...

Published on Sunday, March 9, 2014 by Katherine In all the years I have lived in the Hampton Roads area, I have never experienced anything like it.  Last Sunday we were sea glass hunting on our secret beach.  We had made it through a huge snow storm just a few weeks before.  On this day, Mother Nature had melted the snow and given us a 73 degree afternoon. SEVENTY THREE DEGREES.  I was in snow boots just weeks...

Published on Sunday, March 2, 2014 by Katherine People driving their cars in to buildings.  This has become an epidemic in Hampton Roads.  Every few weeks there is a new car vs. building post.  Locals are crashing in to restaurants, stores…. and yes, even a car dealership. At some point I “liked” the local news station WVEC on Facebook.  I believe it was for a car giveaway.  How ironic.  Perhaps it is ...