A Trip to the Beach...

"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach."
~ Anne Spencer

"To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me." ~ Isaac Newton

"Words today are like the shells and rope of seaweed which a child brings home glistening from the beach and which in an hour have lost their luster."

~ Cyril Connolly

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Dave started it!!.. he asked me if I would like to sneak away with him... I wanted to know where before I decided.. I mean who would want to sneak away to work or to the pie factory.. you know what I mean.. Finally he decide that for this sneak he would choose the beach..

~ I was just about to say YES!.. when Cooper asked from behind the door.."where y'all sneaking off too?" as soon as he heard the word beach he put in that him and Mary and of course maybe his friend Erin.. would all join us in our sneak.. they were quick to add that they wouldn't be really hanging with us or nothing..

~ Emily opened the door about then with a... "when ain't you hanging with them and up the butt or whatever you said.." at which point Cooper informed Emily that we were all going to the beach.. needless to say we weren't going without her and Luke and Kirsten.. I think about then is when Dave decided to call David and Jennifer.. I was getting ready to say I didn't like the ocean...or had a previous appointment..

~ but Dave pulled no punches when he gave me that sad puppy dog... wet eyed look and said.. " Ahh come on Baby.. It will be like old times.. we use to have so much fun with all the kids at the beach!"..and I was suckered...

~ I don't know for sure how old I was when I first saw the ocean.. I remember being around four or five.. running and squealing from the waves to dry my eyes on Mama's long dark hair.. maybe we didn't go before then but I think we did..

~I have always loved the beach.. I love the hot sand and the salty air... I love the waves and the crabs and the tide pools.. but most of all I love the people watching... I love what they wear or in some cases what they don't wear.. I love the wild hair styles.. I even love the wild children that run and squeal.. back and forth between the ankle wetting waves and the parent in dark shades.. laying greasy in the sun.. my own children never did that.. they were too busy making us the biggest and best castle on the whole wide world of beaches.. and finding a perfect shell and of course we couldn't leave without drawing some pictures for the next people to enjoy.. But this trip all our kids were grown.. I was worried.. what if they didn't like sandwiches and chips and cheap drinks any more.. I hadn't planned a fancy picnic.. what if they really were bored with me and Dave?

~ I worried for nothing at all.. the people there were dressed just as wildly as ever before.. there were screaming kids in all shapes and sizes running back and forth waving plastic shovels and sucking on juice boxes.. the sand was hotter than I ever remember it being and there was no shortage of greasy bodies stretched out in the sun.. The children all piled their shoes in a pile and off they went to wet their feet and ride skim boards..

~ Dave and I set out to find this particular sand dune as part of my newest hobby.. and as soon as we returned everyone flopped down on the sand and and decided to eat.. I had my usual beach lunch menu of.. "make your own" sandwiches and soda or water with chips and pickles and cookies for desert..

After some more swimming.... skimming.... and walks along the beach we headed for the lighthouse.. Emily and I stayed on the ground today..( both of us having had recent asthma attacks).. Kirstin made her very first climb up the tower.. showing no fear at the top as she pranced out onto the balcony.. David says it was his first climb too though I thought he had been up there before.. he did go out onto the balcony but was not thrilled about it.. he told me when he came down that he had discovered that he is definitely afraid of heights.. Finally we finished the day by visiting the nature center where we were able to see this loggerhead up close as Cooper

held her..

As we strolled out onto the pier where we used to buy ice cream before the long trip home.. Jennifer reminded us of the past years and the pictures we would make there.. every trip the same set.. Dave and his Kids.. me and my kids.. and just the kids..So... On the pier.. way out over the water.. wind in our hair.. and so for old time sakes we made the same pictures that we always did.. and a few new ones too..

I have to say that the day was great! The sun was hot and the air was salty and as usual the people were worth watching.. My children were funny and Cooper even attracted his own audience as he fed a sea gull Cheetos's from his hand..

~ Hmmmm.. it has been a long time since I was in the mountains.. in fact I wonder if mine or Dave's children have ever been to the mountains??.. Maybe Dave would like for me and him to sneak off again soon?.. Thanks for stopping by My World!! Have a great Night!!

Patsy