Happy New Year from The Atlantic Inn!
As the sun rises over the beautiful shores of Hatteras, JB and I are filled with gratitude for all the memories created here and excitement for all the adventures yet to come.
Yes, it’s me - Pam, from The Atlantic Inn in Hatteras! I thought it was about time for a blog post to catch you up on what JB, Bailey, Bodie, Pumpkin, and I have been up to recently. And, of course, I have a few photos to share with you along the way. 😊
The last sunset of 2024
They say time flies as you get older, but this year truly zipped by. JB and I stood watching the final sunset of 2024 on December 31st, marveling at how fast it all went. We couldn’t believe it was about to be 2025. To say it flew by feels like such an understatement.
New Year's Eve sky over Hatteras
Life at the Inn
This past summer brought sunshine, laughter, and a wonderful mix of new and returning guests. One of the highlights of our season was hanging out and catching up with our returning Atlantic “friends,” of which there is now quite the gang! It just wouldn’t be the same without them (yes, you know who you are 😉).
JB in one of his fave places
JB kept busy in the kitchen, tweaking our breakfast menu to include some exciting new dishes alongside our classic favorites. It’s funny to think back to our early days at the inn, bumbling around in the kitchen like a pair of clumsy rookies. We were constantly getting in each other’s way. While the dining area stayed serene, the kitchen told a very different story - lots of “Excuse me… you’re in my way”, “Where’s the spatula?”, and even a few “You did what???” moments. But we generally managed to find the funny side of things!
Four summer seasons later, we’ve found our rhythm. The kitchen is perfectly arranged to suit our workflow, and now we move like a well-oiled (and very happy) little machine. What a journey it’s been!
Lots and Lots and Lots of Breakfasts!!!!!
It’s also amazing to reflect on how much our lives have changed since those clinical research days, where we barely had time to connect with each other amidst the demands of our crazy busy careers. Now, we live and work together in this beautiful space, spending more time with each other than ever before. It could have gone one of two ways…..bring us closer together or, I don’t want to imagine the alternative. And honestly, our relationship has only grown stronger. This innkeeping adventure has had its share of ups and downs, but we feel so happy and blessed to have been on this journey together.
JB & Pam
Highlights of 2024
No matter the season, the beauty of the Hatteras beaches never fails to amaze me. Every sunrise feels like a fresh start, and with the beach just a three-minute walk away, it’s impossible to resist starting the day with sand between my toes and a sky painted in shades of blue, pink, purple, and gold.
That magical pre-dawn time
JB and I did take more time off during the 2024 season - days spent lounging on the beach, enjoying our beloved inn and its grounds, meeting up with friends and family, and of course taking the opportunity to enjoy a meal out together.
We also took the opportunity to travel off the island in our RV with Bailey and Bodie, which was so much fun. Traveling this way means they get to share in our adventures!
Just chilling with the boys...
One of my fave places to be on a summer's day off - lounging on the Courtyard Deck
Hanging out at Canadian Hole after some paddleboarding
Finding time for my yoga
Our incredible friends Mike & Jeannie Cranford performing a blessing of the sound
-this was absolutely awesome!!!!
A little time in the mountains visiting with friends
Other Highlights of 2024
Achieved another 100% on our Environmental Health Inspection - our 4th year in a row!
Awarded TripAdvisor’s 2024 Travelers’ Choice Award
Attained Airbnb’s Superhost Award and Guest Favorite Award
Maintained 5-star reviews on Google, TripAdvisor, and Airbnb since opening as The Atlantic Inn in 2021
Here are just a few of our favorite guest reviews from 2024:
Tripadvisor
Airbnb
Life’s Bittersweet Moments
We also had some harder moments in 2024. Spending a good deal of time in Nebraska with John’s dad, who passed away in July at the incredible age of 94. Those days were filled with love, reflection, and, later, the bittersweet tasks that come with saying goodbye to a loved one. Despite the sadness, we’re incredibly grateful for the treasured memories we made with his dad during this time.
JB & his Dad in Nebraska
It's difficult to put into words the profound impact Delon "Buck" Buchholz had on our world and the immense loss it was to our family. I vividly remember my first meeting with John's dad. Looking at the face of this remarkable man, I saw exactly what John would look like in 30 years' time - the resemblance between father and son was uncanny. As I came to discover over the years, their likeness extended far beyond appearances. They shared the same high level of intelligence, strong work ethic, unwavering honesty, impeccable manners, solid moral values, and a wonderfully wicked sense of humor!
Buck's legacy lives on through the values he instilled in his family and the memories we cherish. We miss him dearly, but we're grateful for the time we had with him and the lasting influence he had on all our lives ❤️
It's all too easy to get caught up with work during our busy season, and to forget to take some time to enjoy the incredible place we live, our family, friends....and each other. This year again, we've been reminded how precious our time is on this little blue planet....so we intend to make the best of every day, and I hope you do too.
Christmas and New Year Holidays
The Atlantic Inn looked particularly magical for the holidays - An early Christmas was scheduled for mid-December so we could spend time with all of John’s close family at the inn. The Buchholz clan flew into Norfolk from California and Texas, as well as Nebraska, including John’s sister, brother, and their respective families. With John, Lloyd and me, that meant “Christmas dinner" for twelve. It was the first time in many years that we had all managed to get together at the same time and gave us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the lives of John’s Mom and Dad.
The family left just before Christmas and we were planning a quiet festive period for us, which ended up being a little too quiet (apart from the sound of constant coughing 🤒) as the nasty cold I had morphed into bronchitis (yuk!).
Our magical little inn
Bodie helping with the Christmas decorating
The pups got blue hoodies from Santa
Exhausted after a shopping trip to Kittyhawk
So, what have we got planned before we re-open on March 1st?
A few adventure trips, including one to Scotland to visit with my parents, hopefully with a stop-over in Iceland.
Visiting with close friends in other states
Maintenance/updating projects around the inn - as you know we love that the inn’s story evolves with every year we own it
Spending time on our beautiful Hatteras beaches, that during the winter are pretty spectacular (and deserted, which I absolutely love)
Working on my personal project –
“what started as one word on my whiteboard, rapidly became a myriad of thoughts and ideas that have morphed into one gigantic plan, of which my first book will be the keystone of the entire beautiful project…..a project that I’ve dreamed about in a hundred dreams, and now I’m going to make it happen, I'm so excited!!!!”
I wrote this back in August and I’m happy to report that I have now finished writing the book and am now working on edits. But the entire project, of which the book is just a part of, is rather substantial and still requires work…..which is what I’m multi-tasking on as I write this blog :o)
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, we’re excited to welcome back our returning guests/friends and meeting with new faces who will become part of The Atlantic Inn story. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful getaway, a beachside adventure, or just a friendly chat over coffee on the porch, our doors will be open starting March 1, 2025.....Best book soon, dates are filling up and we'd hate not having the opportunity to see you this year.
For availability, rates and reservations, just click on the link below:
So, here’s to a wonderful year filled with new horizons, cherished moments, and the beauty of Hatteras.
For now, it's time to fill my mug up with coffee - it's a chilly 30 degrees outside (yes occasionally it does get cold in Hatteras....but the sun's still shining!)
As always,
Love & Hugs,
Pam & JB, Bailey, Bodie, and Pumpkin
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