So here I am, writing at my desk when I should be on my way to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I had planned on doing a series of blog posts this week about caring for Arden during a warm weather vacation. The heat, activity, ocean water and sand all present new obsticles and I thought that the experiance would make an interesting conversation.

View from our deck - Outer Banks 2008

The first time that we visited the Outer Banks of North Carolina was a bit of a daunting experience. Between the extended car ride (about 10 hours), being so far from home, the heat and the overall concern that we may run out of diabetes supplies, our first OmniPod enabled vacation was a bit nerve-wracking. We made it through pretty well and even came out the otherside with what I thought was some solid advice that was worth sharing. I envisioned taking advantage of this new blogging platform and writing from the road this week as we journeyed back to the Outer Banks (OBX) for our summer ending vacation.

 

But things have changed...

Hurricane Irene made landfall near the southern tip of the Outer Banks at about 7:30 a.m. Saturday, with winds of about 85 mph as the storm trudged up the East Coast. link

 

 

So it seems that a hurricane has smacked into the amazing beach where we have rented an ocean front house for the week (pictured below).

Image from realtor of our 2011 rental

We haven't given up hope that we will see this house in person... here's our plan.

We aren't giving up just yet. As I write this the Outer Banks is being pummeled by Hurricane Irene and the area is understanably under evacuation orders. As soon as the weather passes OBX assesments of bridges, beaches and homes begin. If the governing body says that the beach is safe to re-enter and if the house that we rented is habitable, we are jumping in our car and heading to North Carolina! I don't know if we are being too hopeful, a bit stupid or a combination of the two but we aren't giving up.

So if you want to follow along with us as we wait, hope and perhaps make our way, just subscribe to the site by clicking on 'Arden's Day RSS' located under our Twitter feed to the right of this posting and you'll know each time that I've posted an update. I'll be writing about our Hurricane Irene vacation for the next seven days or as long as there is hope that we can reach our destination safely. We won't put ourselves in harm's way to make it to the Outer Banks and we realize that the heightened situation will present more issues for Arden but in the same breath, we also will not teach her that there are things beyond her reach because of her disease.

 

Arden at OBX in 2008

I hope that it goes without saying that our hearts go out to those affected by Hurricane Irene and we wish them Godspeed as the storm reaches their homes and beyond. As our house is also in the projected path, I'm including my family as well as yours in this wish.

Now we wait, both for the Hurricane to leave OBX and for it to arrive here at our home in New Jersey. This is going to be one crazy weekend... be safe!

In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina...

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