This Reminds Me

Archive for July 14th, 2007

We just got back from our annual week at the beach, courtesy of my good friend Konen who is foolish/gracious/wonderful enough to loan us her famly’s three-bedroom abode on Bolivar Peninsula.  Our time there is the highlight of our year.  I cook and freeze food ahead so neither Keith nor I are unduly burdened by many mundane chores.

Our friends the Watsons came down Monday for grilled chicken (marianted in a cryoseal bag with Asian ginger dressing) sandwiches   My sister Judy, my niece Sarah and her kiddos Laura and (Sweet Baby) James came down Wednesday for hotdogs with homemade chili.  Judy brought two dozen cupcakes from Sam’s which meant lots of little faces sporting white lips and secreted stashes of the decorations.

(l-r) Lois, Hannah, friend Sarah and Julia built a fortress and moat for captured “little alligators,” a.k.a., hermit crabs…or, as younger Hannah used to call them, “herminy crabs…..”

….of which we caught an astounding number….here’s Rachel with #216 and #217 on Tuesday (names gave out around #20.)

Julia’s nickname is now “Sandy.”  Last year, Julia’s English was minimal.  This year, Keith and/or I frequently mumbled, “Now why did we want her to learn English?”  “Papa” has become “Daddy,” and she likes to go out deep with him.  ”Mama” has become “Mommy,” and she knows I am a sniveling coward who’s not going out past my waist, and I’m not letting her go deeper than her chest when she’s with me.  Sorry for the yellow stripe running down my back, it’s a side effect of securing four birth certificates.

Why do I always find younger women – like our great niece Laura – hitting on my husband?

Three things I have learned at the beach:

1.  Sunglasses lost to a wave will not wash to shore.

2.  Sand anywhere means sand everywhere.

3.  It is best to place your robe on the wall of the outdoor shower rather than on the picnic table 15′ away.

Quotes from the week:

Rachel – bored with Keith’s and Lois’ discussion of different dragons portrayed in Harry Potter – “So are dragons real?”

Lois – unhappy about Sleepover being selected for a car movie – “Ugggh.  I’ll have to wash out my eyes with hot bleach.”

Julia - irritated at the popcorn bowl being moved – “What the?”  That’s all.  Just “What the?” in a hugely indignant tone.  (Now where could she have learned that, hmmm, Rachel?)

Rachel – responding to my audibly debating the need to buy more bottled water – “Mom, water, my gosh – we’ve got a whole ocean.”

Julia – to Lois, as they shared the couch – “You have too much spot.  Give me some spot.”

And here’s a quote from both Keith and me – we each said it several times -  “Boy, it’s going to be hard to go back to work on Monday.”  (big sigh)