Pam's Daily Wave...

Good Morning and Welcome back to my Atlantic Life in Hatteras 😊

....and yes, it's bit of a photofest, best seen on the blog website!!

I didn't mean to take a break from writing my “Daily Wave”.…it just sort of happened: -

Our season started early with an awesome women’s retreat at the beginning of March….and before we knew it, we were super busy and had rooms reserved throughout the summer. I started countless pieces of writing, only to have to put them down to work around the inn, by the time I'd pick them up again, with the flow of words interrupted, I'd struggle to pick up where I had left off.

Fun and Games at the "My Atlantic" Retreat

In the background, Pumpkin is looking for his yoga mat!

.......Yoga at our next retreat will be on our beautiful new "Courtyard Deck" (Thanks JB, you're awsome 🥰)

As many of you know, my favorite time to visit my beloved beach, is just before sunrise…. but, with an inn full of guests expecting to wake up to a hearty breakfast feast, JB and I were busy working in the kitchen before sunrise to make sure everything was ready for breakfast time.

Atlantic Breakfasts...

By the time we were freed up for one of us to leave the inn, it was afternoon….and sometimes the beach can just be a tad too “peopley” for me during the busier summer months.

Busy summer beach...

After the quiet winter months of January and February when we close the inn, we were so excited (as I’m sure was our bank manager 😊) to have guests visit with us again, that we completely forgot to plan a few days off for ourselves over the summer period.

For us, owning and running our beloved inn is a 24hrs a day, 7 days a week commitment…. there are no days off. Unlike a restaurant, we can’t close one day a week, we need to be open every single day. The only way for us to take a day off is to block all our rooms/suites for a couple of days, so they cannot be reserved…..something that needs to be done in advance – and for us, during the summer months, that needs to be done many months in advance, which we forgot to do!!!

By the time we realized that we hadn’t blocked off any time, it was too late, we had guests booked in every day for several months. It didn’t matter that in some instances there may only be a couple of rooms booked, this makes no difference to our ability to take a day off and leave the inn together, whether it’s one person or an inn-full, we need to be present – to be up super early in the morning and available throughout the day….and often well into the night.

Whilst I’m super grateful for the inn being busy during the summer season, months of consecutive 5am starts, and long days stretching into long nights, had started to take their toll…we were tired and a tad stressed (owning a “fledgling” business in our current economic climate is not for the faint-hearted , with soaring costs and little to no way to recoup these seemingly ever - increasing expenses, it can challenge even the bravest of us adventurers!!).

Our "Waterboys"....Kiter, Windsurfer and Surfer 🌊

One of our super talented guests, playing "Alba" - a piece of music we found at the inn when we were renovating

Fortunately for us we’ve continued to have the absolute best guests visit with us. We were a little concerned that last year had been a one off, that we had just been lucky with the people that had chosen to stay at the “Atlantic” and that this our second year, we wouldn’t be so lucky…. But we can honestly say, it has been wonderful!

Now, there are always the occasional few guests (for us these have been very few and far between) that are more of a challenge – the ones that cause me to lay awake at night wondering if we really want to be owners of an inn, wouldn’t it just be a whole lot easier to go back to clinical research leadership and earn nice salaries!!!!

Then I think about the quality of life that we have here in Hatteras, the fun we have running the inn, and the absolutely incredible people we get to meet….and the thoughts and fears of that particular sleepless night disappear in an instant.

Our Hatteras Life...

One of the things that we have been so blessed with, is the huge number of returning guests that we’ve had, which has been nothing short of remarkable. There have been so many times over the summer that we would suddenly realize that the inn had more returning guests than new!!!! We not only have had guests that return for a second visit, many are on their 3rd, 4th, 5th….and even 12th visit in a year!!!!!! With these guests/"friends” in mind, we are working on a rewards program over and above the 10% discount that we automatically give guests that return as “friends”, as we want to show our appreciation of their wonderful support for the “Atlantic”.

All that being said though, after going over 3 months without a day off, it was time….

So, with 3 days blocked just for us, it was time for a “Staycation”….which, when you own an incredible century-old inn in one of the most beautiful places on our little blue planet, with awesome restaurants and the absolutely best beaches (yes, I’m completely biased!!!!), why would I want to vacation anywhere else?????

JB and our boys...

With clear, sunny skies and the most spectacular blue-green ocean that I’ve seen here in Hatteras (it reminded me of vacations spent on beaches in Jamaica🏝️ ), after allowing ourselves a bit of a sleep in (6:30am just seemed so decadent), we spent the morning, hanging out with the pups and planning our next projects for the inn. Afternoons were spent on the beach – JB fishing, whilst I read a book, or more often just lazed in my hammock and quite simply watched the waves….Not thinking, not worrying, not planning – just being mesmerized by the unfurling of each magnificent wave, listening to the sound of the surf as it met the sand, kissing the glistening shores of my incredible Hatteras home…Bliss!!!!!

Bailey and Bodie enjoying some much-needed beach time!

JB in his favorite space.....fishing beyond Ramp 55

My Atlantic Waves....

My day off....watching the waves....💗

Our time off also meant I finally had time to write…. which, next to my morning sunrises on the beach, is the thing I miss most during our busy times. It’s not to say I don’t write, I always manage to find 10mins at some point in my day to write, what can I say – I love writing. But finding enough time in my day to write posts, edit them, and then publish them on my blog, was exceptionally difficult.

Time to write....🥰

It was during one of our “Staycation” afternoons at the beach, that I wrote this little poem, which seemed to encapsulate my mood and frame of mind perfectly.

“Let me begin again….

Let my beautifully crafted pen glide effortlessly across the page,

the ebony ink dancing delicately over the empty spaces,

The multitude of thoughts that have tumbled relentlessly around my messy mind,

spilling ever-so silently onto the pages,

What once was confusion, becomes clear, chaos turns to calm, my restlessness stills,

And that fragile balance of perfect harmony returns…....so, let me begin again”

And now, I’ve got some catching up to do… Just like the sign on our front porch -

"Every Summer has a Story”, and the best way to tell this one is in pictures…💗

And now, a quick glimpse our Summer Projects...😊

Until Next Time...

Take care, Stay Safe and....

Love and Hugs,

Pam

PS. Sadly missed - A truly incredible lady, inspirational leader and awesome horsewoman…..

Queen Elizabeth II 💗

"Phillip came to me today, and said it was time to go. I looked at him and smiled, as i whispered that "I know"

I then turned and looked behind me, and seen I was asleep. All my Family were around me, and I could hear them weep.

I gently touched each shoulder, with Phillip by my side. Then I turned away and walked, with My Angel guide.

Phillip held my hand, as he lead the way, to a world where King's and Queens, are Monarch's every day.

I was given a crown to wear or a Halo known by some. The difference is up here, they are worn by everyone.

I felt a sense of peace, my reign had seen its end. 70 years I had served my Country, as the peoples friend.

Thank you for the years, for all your time and love. Now I am one of two again, in our Palace up above."

This poem I believe was written by a lady called Joanne Boyle

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