Ticky's New Tee Shirt.

Back in May 2007, Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe burned down. Arson.

Sen. Marc Basnight said he intends to build it back as soon as possible.

"I'd like to start tomorrow,"

the Manteo Democrat and Senate leader said in a telephone interview.

Truer words were never spoken. I'll tell you something about the Outer Banks and the experience we had when building our own home 23 years ago. Construction workers would show up to work with surfboards and fishing rods in their trucks. If the waves were good or the blues running they were outta here. Some days, they didn't even bother to show up. It took six months before our home was finished. About 1800 square feet. Flash forward to the rebuilding of Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe. I've never seen building permits and whatever other permits gotten as fast as Basnight got his. I certainly wouldn't think his being a Senator from Manteo, NC, had anything at all to do with the lightening-swift processing. Flood lights were installed on the building site and workers were there 24/7. Construction costs were estimated at 1.2 million. And they went from one storey and 9000 square feet to two storeys and 15,000 square feet. In 90 days. Unbelievable. I had posted about our recent visit to Basnight's just after Christmas with Maxine and linked to Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe. And Ticky saw something on the Lone Cedar site she wanted.

What Ticky wants, Ticky gets. More Basnight info here.