Fleeing the pollen

It's pollen time in Raleigh right now - the worst it's been in years, they tell us on the news. Sure, springtime always bring pollen, but this is just awful. I've got drifts (literally) of sticky, yellow/chartreuse pollen all over everything. My black car. The outdoor table and chairs. The little ledge on the front door. Everywhere. Yesterday I had to mop and vacuum on account of all the pollen being tracked in on our shoes. Ugh. What we need is a good cleaning rain to rid us of the stuff, but I'm not hopeful. Please, God, do't let there be pollen like this in CA! Partly in response to the pollen, and partly because it's Ethan's spring break, we are running away. We're headed to Manteo, on Roanoke Island, this afternoon for a few days. We'll be exploring lighthouses, eating too much seafood, and having a look around the first English colony in the New World. I've been reading some books like If You Lived in Colonial Times to Ethan to get him in he mood for what we will be seeing. He's enjoying it all so far. I think our favorite thing we have learned is that, if he was to write MItch a letter,rhe couldn't address it "Dear Dad..." but instead would have to write "Dear Honour'd Sir..." and then sign it "I am, with greatest respect, Dear Father, your dutiful son, Ethan." Ha!