Update  November 17, 2009 Dear Honorary Cousins,   We arrived at Seven Cousins Cottage after a three day delay caused by a November 13th nor’easter that damaged Hwy 12 north of Rodanthe.  The Cottage had no damage, the sun is out, and the dunes, sea oats, and beach are as exquisite as ever. We always head straight for the guest book to read your remarks.  Just one of the notes from an Honorary Cousin this summer: "Once again, Seven Cousins Cottage worked its magic. Our family enjoyed a delightful time of refreshing our bodies and spirits, and spending precious time together." That note comes close to the all-time best compliment from several years ago: "Please don't tell our daughter we don't own Seven Cousins."   Thanks for being our guests during our 10th Anniversary Summer, our first as a truly private, invitation-only beach vacation cottage. This policy is working! Because you treat the Cottage as your own, we are finding no unhappy surprises. Please recommend Seven Cousins Cottage to friends who fit our family “profile.” In 2010 we are introducing a budget-friendly change in our booking schedule that may enable you to introduce more family and friends to the Cottage. Some of you already know that a two-week vacation at Seven Cousins is far better than one week, and not simply because of duration.  A two-week family vacation is an old-fashioned concept, and Hatteras Island is the perfect old-fashioned place in which to revive it. We have long wished that more of you could enjoy the longer time to bond with family and decompress – not to mention the simplified packing and unpacking that two weeks offers.  For Rates & Availability go to http://www.sevencousinscottage.com/rates.html The new schedule does not permit “subletting” the Cottage. Some of your family and guests may be unable to remain for the entire period, and others may replace them. However, all will be your own guests. If we find this schedule workable, we’ll keep it so that you can “claim” your week or weeks year after year.  Please email with Seven Cousins in the subject line and your desired reservation.  We’ll confirm your reservation by reply.  Don’t hesitate to call if you have questions about the schedule. Thank you taking such good care of the Cottage.  Russ, Russ Jr., Corinne, & Mike look forward to seeing you next summer. John & Karen Hartrampf Cell phone 770-490-0927 or 770-490-7477 November 10, 2008 On October 31, we sustained the loss of our precious second Cousin, Caroline Elizabeth Hartrampf, 19 years old. You will understand our confidence that this loss is only temporary, as you access the 2 links below, for her obituary and another article about Caroline:    * Caroline's Obituary    * Special Newspaper Article Thank you, special guests, who have now become our extended Seven Cousins family.  For the family, Karen and John Hartrampf October 10, 2008 Summer Season 2008 is history, and at Seven Cousins Cottage, our guests created some historic memories. 2009 will mark the 10th Anniversary of Seven Cousins, and we have made an important change – to discontinue rentals to the general public, and to rent only to select former guests, and those they refer. We took this decision as a matter of stewardship, to balance the use of the Cottage with its preservation. Seven Cousins Cottage’s reason for being is to provide a comfortable place for fun and restorative family vacations. In an oceanfront location on a remote island, normal wear and tear keeps owners and staff busy. We need guests who invest care, and not just rent, and enjoy our Cottage as their own. We have met some of these, perhaps not in person, but through their emails, calls, guestbook remarks, and the reports of our staff. They have become our Seven Cousins Family, and along with our actual kin, they will comprise our future guest list. If you are among that Seven Cousins Family, you know that membership has nothing to do with lineage, wealth, profession, social standing, or how long we have “known” you. It has everything to do with your having found a home away from home here. Some families like to count on their annual week (or 2) at Seven Cousins each year at the same time. Others work hard to coordinate busy schedules in order to gather less often. Some remember when Seven Cousins was Six Cousins; others are new this year. Together, we all share the goal of sustaining and enjoying a family beach home, not a vacation rental, in which to gather. John and Karen