One week in June

Time flies!!

I know we all say that but the reality is that it truly does and we must grab hold and fly along. Last August my family and I decided to try a summer share house at the beach. I would love to tell you what beach but my poor aunt is not allowing us to share too much info since the place is getting too crowded. Let's just say it is in the Atlantic Ocean. Last August we found the house, signed the contract and started chipping in the money we would need. We had 10 months before the trip and it seemed like a long time to anticipate and plan. It wasn't a long time at all. Before we knew it we were there!!

Once there the real question was can a clan of people ranging in age from 8 to 84 co-exist, share mealtimes, cocktail hours, various bedtimes, being vegan or carnivorous, shopping and playing without totally annoying each other for 24 hours a day for 7 days? The answer is (besides for a few tiny bumps in the road) YES!

Personally, I was so comfortable and happy that it was Wednesday before I left the comfort of our home and beach. There was just no need to leave. The water, usually freezing at this time of year was delightfully warm. The sand was soft and groomed every morning. The sights were outstanding and included both dolphins and whales, glorious sunsets, a full "strawberry" moon and, on one momentous evening, a skinny-dipping neighbor who quite boldly pranced around in the waves to the amazement of all, and the absolute delight of my 13 year old cousin! I had many opportunities to take pictures while walking the beach and hopefully will have some really wonderful images to keep the days alive. We ate well, drank well, and slept pretty well. We learned who can stay up all night, who snores like a freight train, that sleeping in a tent on the deck is fun for some, that air mattresses are comfortable, and that the wonderful well decorated house usually resembled a frat house every morning! I saw a banner plane with a Glee! banner one day, sent just for me I think! We even shared the wonderment of watching the "I dont do women's work" guy empty and re-fill the dishwasher! Yes, Virginia, miracles do still happen.

It was so nice to see people become better friends and know that we are there to lean on each other. We as a group rejoiced in some surprising, and very welcome, good news one day and kidded about the cutest guy around another (that would be my 84 year old father who has that distinction as proclaimed by my young cousins). I was disappointed that the apron did not show up. No one seems to know it's whereabouts. I did hear that Lee's penguin is in the new Mr. Popper's Penguin movie, though, you have to look closely. Before the week was up we shared more stories of the old days, cooked gourmet meals together,talked of our dreams for the future (look for Max R. to take on the jazz world one day), helped each other experience small and big moments (tattoos hurt while you get them, but just for a little while) and teased each other just a little bit. It was a good time that flew by.

My biggest regret this year was that all of us could not be together. I missed so many people who would have made this trip even more wonderful and who would have loved being there. But, this was only the trial run. The plans are already in the works for next year and time does fly!! so start saving up.

We will need a much bigger house for sure!!