Beach House Memories

4-wheel drive 

Joe, Dad, Jesse and I came down for Memorial Day weekend.  It was a much needed break and very relaxing.

Today I was looking at the only photo album in the cottage with pictures from 1986 - 1992.   There are also some great photos of the wild horses when they were roaming the Corolla beaches.  Fortunately they are safely contained in the 4-wheel drive area, but it was pretty wonderful to see them grazing in the yard and roaming the beach with us.

I hope you enjoy this photo stroll down memory lane.  So many wonderful memories of beach time with my Heather.
xo
Lisa






Heather's first trip to appropriately named Duck NC.  There were ducks at the Wee Winks Store.  Doesn't everyone travel in a robe?

















Heather (age 4) standing on the stairs of "Ducky Irene".



Heather - 5 years old.  Who says you need an umbrella to get some shade.  Mom's beach bag works fine.


Heather obliged my love of photography and she is super happy I take pictures of birds now.



Sun streaked natural highlights



Prue and Heather - 6th grade





Horses in the front yard.  This small herd lived here for a few years.




Check out my fine parenting skills - Heather is playing next to the horse and I am watching from a safe distance.  The horses were on the beach all the time with us.

Frisky Stallions.


This is pendant that I designed and gave to Heather.  It has the nautical coordinates for the beach house.  The diamonds were from earrings and necklaces that I received from my Mom and Grandmother.  The back is engraved with Irene.  Heather and I both have my grandmother's name as our middle name.  I also named the beach house after her - Ducky Irene.

Saving the best for last, there is a journal at the beach house for family and friends to write in.  Well, I was looking for my Mom's last journal entry and found this gem.

Twins? No........but proudly Mother and Daughter

Some say we look like twins.  I REALLY appreciate the compliments, but nope.  In an odd way I wish I could be Heather's twin, then I could be a living liver donor for Heather.  Oh what I wouldn't do to be able to cure Heather's Lyme and Liver disease.

What I see in this picture is a happy Lisa and a happy Heather at their happy place - the beach.

I am proud to be Heather's Mom.  I will admit that I can see the "twin" resemblance in the beach hair.  We both LOVE the beach. What's not to like - sand, sun, surf, seashells.....

This year, Heather will be spending Mother's Day with my Dad on a cruise to Bermuda.  The tickets were purchased last summer, before my Mom passed away.  Mom and Dad were really looking forward to this cruise with their dear friends, Ann and Ray.

Well, Dad decided he still wanted to go on the cruise and he asked Heather to join him.  YIPPEE!!!!! I may be a tad jealous, but I am so happy that Heather will be able to escape to an island, swim with the dolphins, and enjoy a spa day with her Grandfather.

Another wonderful thing is that Heather was at jeopardy of NOT being able to go since here liver enzymes tanked.  She had blood work done a few days ago and her Liver doctor said she could go - whew.  My sweet Heather really needs this break.   Heck, both Dad and Heather deserve this wonderful trip.

As for me - I will spend my Mother's Day on the lake, reflecting and missing my Mom, and smiling when I think about Heather and Dad on the cruise.  Tears will be shed, but they will be tears of love.

I love you Heather!  I am so proud and honored to be your Mom, your friend, your confidant, and your advocate.  Enjoy the cruise, take lots of pictures, and cherish this wonderful adventure with Bill (Huh?????  Dad, Grandfather, Bill ..... yes, they are all the same person.  Heather and all the grands call their Grandfather, Bill.)

xo
Lisa

P.S.  When Heather returns we will be participating in the Liver Life Walk in Washington DC.  Life has been a bit hectic and we haven't registered or started a team but, we will be there.

EVENT DATE: May 20, 2017
WALK BEGINS: 10:00am (Check-in 8:30am-9:45am)
WALK ENDS: 12:00pm
LOCATION: Nationals Park 1500 S Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20003

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month

May is Lyme disease awareness month. Prevention is the first line of defense, but awareness of symptoms is also important. Timely treatment can both cure these symptoms and prevent progression to the later, more serious form of the Lyme disease - Chronic Neurological Lyme Disease,

Trust me - you don't want to have Chronic Lyme Disease.

What can I do to prevent Lyme disease?:

• Dress defensively. 
• Use insect repellents. 
• Do your best to tick-proof your yard. 
• Check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks. 
• Remove a tick as soon as possible with tweezers. 
• Go to your doctor if you think you were bitten by a deer tick. 
• Check out this link for a tick identification chart: http://www.tickencounter.org/tick_identification
• If you are unsure about the type of tick, you can email a picture or send the tick for testing to: http://www.tickencounter.org/tick_identification/is_it_a_tick

Lyme Facts:

• Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a tick, and the disease is prevalent across the United States and throughout the world. 
• Lyme disease is best treated in the early stages. Early treatment consists of oral antibiotics. Persistent or chronic Lyme disease is treated with intravenous antibiotics.
• The tick should be removed with a fine pointed tweezers, grasping it from the side where it meets the skin, and gently pulling in the opposite direction from which it embedded. 
• The disease is caused by a spiral-shaped bacteria (spirochete) called Borrelia Burgdorferi. The Lyme spirochete can cause infection of multiple organs and produce a wide range of symptoms. 
• Fewer than 50% of patients with Lyme disease recall any rash. Don’t assume you can’t have Lyme disease is you don’t have a rash. 
• Testing for Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Bartonella (other tick-transmitted organisms) should be performed. The presence of co-infection with these organisms points to probable infection with the Lyme spirochete as well. If these coinfections are left untreated, their continued presence increases morbidity and prevents successful treatment of Lyme disease. 
• There are no tests to provide that the organism is eradicated or that the patient is cured. 

xo

Lisa