We got up on Day 2 of our vacation and it was cloudy. And windy. And the sun wasn't out.
What-the-WHAAAAAT?
I think it should be a commandment that the sun must always shine at the beach.
Jim got up early like a maniac, and went for a run. When he got back, the two of us made a big breakfast for the kids. We had gone to the grocery store last night after dinner.
Which, do you know the only thing more fun than taking 5 toddlers to the grocery store? Taking 5 older teens/young 20's to the grocery store.
They.were.everywhere.
I told them to get whatever they wanted to eat for lunches and snacks, and they were all over the store. I was exhausted by the time we were done.
So Jim and I made breakfast and then we all decided to go on a long walk on the beach. We all wore shorts, but we also all wore hoodies...because BRRRRR. We started out walking together, all 7 of us. It quickly became obvious that 5 of the people in our group were neurotic over-achievers, because they took off toward the pier at a speed that made it difficult for Joshua to keep up. I mean, if there was a hope that he was going to enjoy this experience at all.
RELAX, people.
This was the first time we've been where the beach has been covered with tiny sea-shells. Covered. Like, right where we were walking. So, Joshua was keeping his head down, and he was kind of doing a walk like a voodoo man walking over shards of glass. Or fire.
So, I decided that we would just hang back and move slower and catch everyone on the way back. We took our time. I moved at his pace...and I encouraged him to pick up shells along the way. I had brought a baggie for the shells. He said he would bring back some shells for all the friends who attend Therapeutic Recreation.
It was hard to get him to look at anything but where he was going to take his next step. He was so afraid of stepping on the shells, so I kept moving to find the best place for him to walk. Sometimes we walked right beside the water...other times, we walked up where the sand was more groomed and "fluffy." I wanted him to look at the waves and the boats and the sky and the people.
We never did make it to the pier...and that's okay.
We met up with the rest of the family and headed back to the condo and everyone fixed their own lunches.
And then there was some serious "nappage" from everyone.
And I started my book.
Remember that I said I was going to bring, like, 7 books to read over Spring Break?. Yeah. What was I thinking? But I brought them...oh, yes ma'am, I did. I got out the book-bag with all the books, and tried to decide which one to start first. I knew which one I WANTED to start first...I knew the one I would probably love the most...the one I would read the fastest and be the saddest when I was done. So that's the one I chose: "The Antelope in the Living Room," by Melanie Shankle.
I could hardly put it down. I read it all that afternoon while everyone napped. I have never been more convinced that I had a twin...except for the HUGE VALLEY OF THE AGE DIFFERENCE. Also, my husband and hers? Brothers from another mother.
Best read and ONLY READ of the trip.
We ate dinner at the Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores and it was wonderful., as usual. It's one of our favorite places and it did not disappoint. The only negative was that the table behind us was a family with lil kids, parents and grandparents. The little girl was obviously exhausted and she was fussing and crying and finally hacked up ALL her dinner. I didn't SEE her throw up. Holly just said, "MOM...don't look over there," and told me what had happened. She knows I'm a sympathy barfer. If I see (or hear) you hurl..I'm right behind ya.
Side note: My Logan said that whenever this certain friend of his started a sentence with "well what had happened was..." what followed was sure to be a big, fat lie. Ha.
Any-who...I saw the grandmother down on the floor with the child, and when the grandma finally stood up, she was using napkins to wipe off her arms and her neck. What in the world? She looked like she'd been involved in a vomit tornado. Or an exorcism.
But I got out my Bath and Body hand-sanitizer and let the tropical smell take my mind away from the yak.
We had a great time at dinner! Afterwards, we went and shopped at the place where you walk into the big shark head.
It was a wonderful day.
OH! Remember our cat? How we shooed her out of the garage before we left, and then none of us remembered seeing her in the driveway as we left?
Well.
And how our son-in-law was going over to check on her while we were gone?
Well.
He went one night and didn't see her, but gave her more food and water. Went the next night...didn't see her and called Holly. Holly told him about us not seeing her when we left, and he walked over to the garage and SAID HE COULD HEAR HER IN THERE.
Oh. MYWORD.
A few weeks ago at our house, the garage door went up randomly. Once, I heard it and went out there...and no one was there. Eeek! I told Jim about it, and one day when he was home, it happened with him. So we started locking the garage doors at night or if we went out of town. Jim thought he had pressed the "lock" button on the garage, and told Holly that he didn't think Aaron would be able to get in...even using the code. But Aaron tried the code. The door went up, the cat went out...hickory, dickory doc.
And all was well.
"He alone stretches out the heavens sand treads on the waves of the sea." Job 9:8
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