Car is basically packed, just a few remaining items to go in tomorrow morning. Sitting out on the deck, enjoying the breeze, some tunes, and a nice evening.
Massive electrical storm came through last night - about 2 hours and 95% cloud to cloud lightning - an incredible show, I stayed up and watched most of it, just absolutely beautiful. Better than any of the other fireworks I’ve seen, bar none.
I have decided why I am such a magnet for the 6 and under crowd - I must remind them of their 17 year old babysitters back home… (That or they dig the hat. But I like option #1 better.) Had another one today - little guy just killed me with how cute he was. He had some sort of cool little flexible kickboard type thing, and he’d been watching the big kids skimboarding… So, he’d throw down his board in the sand, and then stand on it and wait for the surf to come in. OMG so adorable. It got away from him a couple times and I retrieved it for him, and I got the whole ear to ear grin & giggles. Too damn cute for words, and he’ll be skimboarding for real in a couple years, I have no doubt.
Next door to me is a couple with several kids, I have dubbed Dad SharkBait for his windsurfing skills. Today he was out with a kite, near me, and doing OK with it, though I still am always waiting for one of those suckers to come straight down on my head (I did visibly duck a couple times when I could hear it but couldn’t see it.) A little while later I was packing up my stuff to head in, and he stopped and asked, “I’m not chasing you off? Was it bothering you?!” I assured him it was not, (it really wasn’t) but I thought it was nice that he at least asked.
There is another couple on the street with a little girl, maybe first grade at the most. (Easily identified cause Dad just wears a white t-shirt in lieu of a regular hurt shirt.) Earlier this week, they’re all out on the beach, Dad has little one out in the waves, picks her up and manages to perfectly place her on top of a breaking wave - which she proceeds to bodysurf in like a total pro. Mom nearly has an aneurysm over this, with the little one at her feet, declaring quite loudly, “But Mom, I WANT to ride the waves!!”
Then there was the couple with their little one and Grandma. Grandma is in good health, but has a bum knee, so isn’t exactly quick like a bunny. How do I know this? Because I had to help her daughter(in-law?) fish her out of the water when a wave knocked her on her ass and she was having a devil of a time getting her feet back under her, and she’s apologizing to me for this! I pointed out that I had no bad knees and often got knocked on my butt and to not feel bad. Then a couple days later when she was going over the dune steps, I insisted she let me carry something - she had a beach bag and a chair, and bless her heart was near going backwards because she had to put the items on the next step, then step up holding the rail, then picking up the items and moving them to the next step, lather, rinse, repeat. I was declared an “absolute dear” for helping out.
Putting together the equipment list for next year, figure now is a good time to do it while I have it fresh in my mind all the things we forgot to bring along. (Minimum three rolls of paper towels.) Yup, doing it again next year for sure, even if it is just me. You see, I have to - have $6 off my next buy at the Weeping Radish if I bring the bottles back. Mmmm, WeisenBier…
Looking forward to some quality time with my critters this weekend. Bummed about having to go back to the office - civilized world my ass, who says a bikini isn’t a proper foundation garment?
It’s been a good trip. Conquered a few demons (some quite silly now in retrospect, but I’m taking the points in the win column anyway), got a bit of a tan, enjoyed not working, did some writing, and generally enjoyed not having to be me for a little while. All in all, two weeks of my life well spent.
