A Mini VayCay

What's a summer without a trip to the beach?

And so it was...

I don't know about you, but this summer has sped by so fast I could barely hold on!!

It's not over yet of course, but we are winding down.

I'm trying to mentally prepare for snow and ice and colder temperatures while savoring the here and now.

To be honest, I welcome cooler temps.  Our day on the beach was indeed cooler and pretty much perfect until the rain chased us away.

We had a lot of stuff to pack into a couple of days, but it was all good.

Except for the boat ride.  That was not good.  "Take me back," I said.  And so they did.
(Too Hot and too choppy.  Me no like).

But aside from the boat (which the others loved, by the way) our vacation was good.

Not long enough, but good.

But I was glad to get home to my dog.  Now that she's older, I miss her more than ever.

And I think she misses us more than ever.

MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

With so many great vacation moments it's hard to pinpoint the highlights...  but the live piano player in the lobby each night would most certainly be among the best.

Upon our arrival to the lobby the first night we were greeted with this song in honor of the shirt I was wearing that read "DOG MOM"

Requests were then taken and we were a part of a cool sing-a-long.  Love these old songs.  Music, Music, Music!!

The first night, this boy sat quietly beside me in a big overstuffed chair and he asked if he could play something.   Do you know how to play?  They asked.  He said he could play a little...  and he'd improvise.

All I can say is WOW!!!

And then the next night, a different piano player.  Mama Mia?  I requested.  And he got out his big thick book and played a mix of Abba songs that kept the girls (and the grammy) tapping their feet and dancing along.

Words Hurt

The one good thing about leaving the warm sand and fresh ocean breeze at the beach to return to the mountains and back to the daily grind is... 

Nothing.  I can think of no one good reason.  Vacations should last forever.

Why would one wish to leave fun and sun?

Every year though, I think...  am I getting too old for this?  Walking through the hot sand to the water is not my idea of fun. However - - -  once I hit the umbrella and feel the sea breeze sweep over me, it's like  ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Directly in front of our hotel sits an umbrella/beach chair/boogie board etc. rental business.  All you have to do is tell them what you want and pay them and they follow you to your desired location on the beach where they plant the umbrella for the day.  At the end of the day they go out and retrieve it.

We always get an umbrella...  and sometimes chairs.  Beside of us this year was another older couple who had enjoyed the luxury of a chaise lounge for each of them under their umbrella and they were kind enough to gift it to us when they had had enough and were ready to head back up to their room.

When we left, we found another couple to pay it forward to...  They appreciated it as much as we did!    If the Lord wills us another vacation at the beach next year, I will have a chaise lounge under my umbrella!!

Wait!  What?!?  You can't think of one single reason to come home?  Seriously?  Not even one??   Well then!  My new pack consists of just me, Squeaky Man and Wormy-Friend.  You need to make it up to me... somehow...  Words hurt, ya know?  Use your imagination if you will.  Toys.  Treats.  More Treats.  Playtime.  Walks.  More Treats.  More Treats.  More Treats.  A belly rub.  More Treats.  It will take a very long time for me to forgive you...  but I think it can be done.  We will take it one day at a time.    

Go...  

Wedding On The Beach

A wedding on the beach. 

Congratulations to Rob and Theresa!

BooHoo

I'm having some trouble uploading pictures from my iPhone.  I think I took too many.  Like, way too many.  Ha!

Back from the beach, but still getting my bearings...

 I will be able to visit everyone later in the week, after I get caught up with work and everything. And of course, I have collected enough material to talk about vacation for weeks.  **OH MY**  I will try to make my postings short.

There's nothing like a little time away to give you a second wind.   We had a gorgeous week at a beautiful hotel with a lot going on!

For the girls the fun's not over yet.  Tonight is an indoor sleep-over in tents at Summer's karate place - Kickmasters.  They have been looking forward to it!  As for me, it's back to work on Monday.  boohoo.

It's A Family Thing

Tomorrow will be the start of shimmering waters and sandcastles as we head to the beach for the week.

Gracie will have my sister to dote over her and house sit.

Party! Party! Party!  I will help Angie watch the house.

So I will be taking another blog break but I will be back next week.

Last year was fun, and this year we will be adding some new faces.  It's a family thing...

2017

VayCay 2016 Pt 3

The start of a beautiful day....

One last selfie before beach hair sets in....

And this.  Am I the only one that finds the following scene to be disturbing??

At first I thought they were dead lobsters waiting to be purchased.  But their little pinchers were moving!  They were very much alive!  Probably suffering!  Needing to be back in the sea!  I wanted to buy them all and throw them back into the ocean!  But I also wanted to stay married..  and so I walked away and tried to erase that scene from my mind after I took a quick shot of the poor things...

The scavenger hunt was well under way.   It was fun watching the videos and photos pour in....  and I couldn't help but wonder, who would be the lucky one?  The one to get their hands on that hard to find item?

Which team would find the winning item?  The Fruit stripe gum?

Laughter and excitement filled the air on our final night.  There was a surprise ending.  That I will share with you in my next blog post.  

The kids had all completed their scavenger hunt and got to spin the wheel for prizes!  

The next morning we would be leaving our peaceful and fun retreat to go back to routine.  Back to the place we call home.  Back to work.  

But first...  a night walk on the beach for Gary and me...  and then an early up the next morning to watch the sun rise.  

Sorting through the scavenger hunt finds left on the table from the night before, I smiled.  

Through seeing death and dying, loss and heartache from a years worth of life since our last beach trip, I had just experienced a week of peace.  I had laughed till I cried.  I'd had intimate moments talking with God and cherished memories with family.  Life would go on.  And one day...  I would say goodbye to this world just like my sister did about eight months ago.  (Gosh I miss her!)  But until my time here is through, I hope to find joy in in the simplest and silliest of things.... 

Goodbye Ocean City, Maryland...  until next year...  maybe...  who knows...  only God...  

Stay tuned for the surprise ending in Pt. 4 and Gracie will have a thing or two to say about her new toy....

the beach the beach the beach

Sorry I have been so blog-absent lately.  I have been busy in the office trying to wrap things up before BEACH TIME!!  We will be headed out on Saturday and I am so looking forward to this vacation!  I need time to relax, regroup, and have fun.  It has been a tough year.   Too many losses.  Too much heartbreak.

My focus now is in trying to get all of my hearing aid deliveries taken care of and working on the fun stuff for the beach..

It is going to be better than ever before, I hope,  with prizes being quadrupled and the game has morphed into something even bigger.

We will start off with a scavenger hunt like last year.  This year I am a lot more organized though, and I have Photos/Videos/ and Items  separated so as to make it easier on the teams.

Top prize is $500!  Holy cow that's a lot of loot!

I've been saving and working hard all year for this, so let the fun begin.

Second place will be $100 and Third place $50.

Only three teams will be competing this year...  But I look for a lot of energy and enthusiasm.  Especially when I tell them about the bonus Wheel of Fortune/Let's Make a Deal Finale!

Oh yes.  Lots of planning and saving has been put into this vacation....

So stay tuned.   And bear with me...  I will be back to blogging when things slow down a bit.

Gracie will be bonding with Aunt Angie who will be house sitting/dog sitting and I look for them to have fun together as well.

One year ago...

  I can almost hear the sound of those ocean waves beckoning me... come... come...

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh