Can't you see the sunshine"
Yes! Finally, vacation time is here. I nearly ran myself "ragged" trying to get all of our things together. Finally, we packed our stuff up in two vehicles (a van and a car), making sure that there was only one child per car. After yesterday's torture, there was absolutely no way that I would risk having them both together in one vehicle for a long road trip. And as any Dr. Seuss fan would tell you: The team of Thing One and Thing Two needed to be split up!
"Can't you just feel the moonshine"
My niece had left her cellphone at our house the previous night, and so asked me to not forget to bring it along with me. It is bright yellow and resembles a bloated bumblebee, so I don't know how in the world she managed to leave it. Divine intervention, perhaps? Anyway... I picked it up off of my kitchen counter and stuck it in my purse. When she saw me, the first thing she asked me was, if I remembered to bring it. I gave her an expressionless, "Yes" answer. She then asked if she could have it. I continued with whatever I was doing at the time...not looking at her, and said, "No", in the same monotoned voice...never missing a beat. There was no way that I was going to let her sit in the back seat of the car, text-messaging her friends back home on the West Coast,over 2000 miles away, when she is here to spend time with us and her grandparents. Surprisingly, she took the news well. Good thing.
"Ain't it just like a friend of mine
To hit me from behind"
So, off we went...Mom and Dad, sister, niece, husband, son and myself...(My brother will be joining us later) This is yet a whole 'nother story. Please don't inquire. Thank you very much.
"Yes I'm goin' to Carolina in my mind"
The trip down was nice. Traffic was bumper to bumper, but tolerable. It is, after all, August and still the tourist summer season, so what else could we expect?
"Dark and silent late last night
I think I might have heard the highway calling"
We arrived at the beach house before nightfall. The house has an elevator (the door pictured above with the red template) that runs between the three floors, so unloading was "a breeze". This also means that Mom and Dad do not have to navigate the steps unneccessarily. It was here and it was then, that I gave my niece back her cellphone.
"Signs that might be omens say I'm going, going
I'm goin' to Carolina in my mind"
The kids were excited as my sister whipped up a knockout dinner for us. Barbecued ribs, macaroni and cheese, salad, roast chicken, green beans and lemonade. She had the foresight to prepare all of this before we left town.
"You must forgive me
If I'm up and goin' to Carolina in my mind"
"Gone
I'm gone..."
We ate off of disposable plates and so cleanup was minimal. This vacation is one that we really need. The weather is beautiful and so are the people I am with. Hope I still feel this way by the end of the week. As I type this, I hear my sister playing our family's traditional "beach day arrival song" on her CD player in the background.
Happy Saturday everyone!
"Say nice things about me 'cause I'm goin' southbound
Carry on without me 'cause I'm gone..."
Ahhh...I am finally here.
