The View from Buzby Beach

T hanksgiving Day was over and the next day, colloquially known as Black Friday, started off true to its name when I woke at Pee O'Clock to let the dogs out.  The sky was dark, the rain was falling, and the only sound was the raindrops hitting the sunroom roof. Ace and Sophie did not linger long out of doors. They took care of their business and hurried back inside. A quick drying with a towel and the two of them were ready for their breakfast. Thus did my Friday begin.

The missus and I have had this camping trip planned for some time. It is an annual tradition for us. When my father was still alive, we came down this weekend every year and I would march in the Veterans Day parade with him.  This weekend is also my mother's birthday. She will be 85 years old this year. Quite an accomplishment considering my grandmother died of heart disease at 64 and my grandfather of a massive heart attack at 70. Mom credits her longevity to modern medicine and not eating yucky (according to her) vegetables like broccoli and spinach. As mentioned in the title of this post, the center of the remnants of Hurricane Nicole is passing far to the west of us near the North Carolina mountains. Still, the sheer size of the storm means we are experiencing frequent bands of rain and wind. Also, the wind direction is pushing water upriver from the Pamlico Sound. The Neuse is higher here at the campground than I've seen it in a long time. One of my goals, while we are her