The first Sunday we were there was the Cohoon-Gray family reunion. That was part of the reason we went when we did. Family reunions are typically about as much fun as a root canal by a dentist with the DT's. This one was certainly better than that. I got to see a lot of family that I don't generally get to see, which is the point I suppose. Add to that the fact that there were no fights and only a couple of snipes by my grandma at me and the wife and I count it a win.

That night we went to go see The Tams (a beach music group). They were awesome and yours truly got up with them and danced in front of everyone. Sadly there is no evidence. I forgot to bring my camera. Still it was awesome.

There was a significant amount of outdoorsy activity. We went to the beach three times and if you're eager to see me on a boogie board there is photographic evidence of that. Check my flickr stream (on the sidebar over there) to check that out. You might want to jigger with the brightness on your monitor first though. I am REALLY white. We flew kites on Jockey's ridge. My mom, wife, and daughter went fishing and caught some minners.

We ate.... Oh dear LORD did we eat. In addition to the spread at the reunion, my mom did up some seafood one night (crab legs, clams, and for me a 3/4s inch thick tuna steak) and I grilled some cow flesh another. We didn't eat out much other than lunches. When we did it actually involved little seafood. I guess when you grow up at the beach you get jaded, I don't know. There were awesome burgers had and even better frozen custard at a joint call Kill Devil Fries. I had more bacon than is advised by any health advisory board.

One afternoon, my mom took the kids to see their great-grands the missus and I begged off. We went to Manteo's waterfront and looked in all the cute shops. I went by to see my old high school which was a bit odd. Much has changed, but some things remained the same. I left a note for my junior year English teacher (Hi Mr. Guiley!) and left my email with him. I hope he contacts me. I owe a lot of my better literature choices to him and hopefully the good bits in my writing. We had dinner at a little sandwich shop and saw Journey to the Center of the Earth.

I got a good bit of writing on Legion done so that was good. Not nearly as much as I would have liked, but one thing I told Leigh was that I enjoyed just being with the family. The temptation in years past has been to "check out" when on vacation. That did happen once while I was there and we had a good back and forth about it. I was in the wrong and after that it was golden. I still got time to write but made sure that I was fully present the rest of our stay.

So that's it in a clamshell. Hope any summer vacation you had was half as good at least.