Warning: Lengthy Vacation Post Ahead

Dawn of our 44th anniversary.

It was a stellar vacation, filled with fun, sun and my Hon.  I want to get a few things down before they flee my mind.

Haven't ever flown into Myrtle Beach before.  Decided that I much prefer the closer airport to our beach (rental) home.  All Costco stores maybe equal, but they're not the same.  This particular one came equipped with an older gentleman whose self-imposed task was to tidy and straighten all the shopping carts in their corral.  He was cute.

Crab Cakes, Hush Puppies

Everything stops for the ducks

All traffic stops for ducks who strut their stuff when crossing the street.  Car horns and vocal urgings to hurry don't faze them.  They definitely have that slower southern pace down pat.

The church ward we attend in Shallotte doesn't seem to change much.  We so enjoy it.  Our vacation seems to be officially begun when we eat our first meal (usually the first-real-almost-to-the-beach meal) at Beck's.  I can almost taste their pan-seared crab cakes and hush puppies.  Yum...

A calm year for hurricanes means fewer shells.  Didn't find a single whole sand dollar (or is it keyhole urchin?) this year.

Passed these every day.

Speaking of food, the next night we headed out to my favorite BBQ place.  My mouth was happy in anticipation of their Brunswick stew and BBQ pork.  My delighted anticipation turned to dismay when we discovered the restaurant is no longer.  Empty.  Gone.  Sad.  (That was an interesting food quest - it took three tries to find a place open for dinner.  Apparently no one eats out on Monday night in the South.)  Sticky Fingers, Bone Fish Grill, Calabash Creamery for ice cream (three - or was it four? - nights in a row and best eaten in the rockers on the veranda all around the building) Carrabba's (they redeemed themselves for our last disappointing meal there) Sunrise Cafe (scrumptious pineapple upside down pancakes!): it is no wonder I am scared to get on the bathroom scales.  Hunger wasn't even a distant niggle of thought.

Sunset.

Replacement hat.

I learned:  to not wear my hat and glasses into the ocean.  The ocean ate my hat.  (Which provided a moment of comic relief when our conversation about that was overheard by a cute clerk in a store who thought I said the ocean ate my a** and "wanted in on that."  She could use some ocean eating of her behind, belly and thighs and even though she doesn't like the beach she'd be willing to go if it could eat those parts she'd like to get ride of.  All  said (and even more words I can't quite recall) inonelongsentencewithoutevenapauseforbreath.  The memory still makes me giggle.)  The ocean not only ate my hat, but also a pair of The Husband's readers.  Sadly my cute, almost custom hat is no longer available.

An ice cream tradition.

I also learned that when there are four adults that might be splitting up for awhile knowledge of who has the keys to the house can be critical.  Men together needing the fridge for the food leftovers (and the bathroom) definitely need a key more than the two women - left to themselves to shop for a while - need both of the keys.

Wanted to sit in those chairs.

I learned that it doesn't matter if I walk to the sunrise at home, in the mountains or at the seashore, it's still my favorite time of day.  Rain, wind, cloudy, whatever.  My soul rises with the light.

I learned (again) I'm mosquito treat.  If there is a crowd of a hundred or even more people, and only one mosquito, I will be the one bitten.  And bitten.  I am a walking itch factory.

I observed that you can pretty much always tell a woman's age by the sweater she invariably carries. It may be 85 degrees out but indoors we'll always be cold.

A couple of good friends.

Our 1st ocean (and it's double) rainbow

I learned friends can be great fun on a vacation.  Particularly when they aren't afraid to go play in the ocean.  It was delightful to show them around - they seemed appreciative of the alligators, the lighthouse, the leftover KrispyKreme eating seagulls, our favorite eateries and (my favorite) the beach!!

Handstitched birthday beauty

I doubt I could ever tire of the beach.

I estimate I've got about 75 loads of laundry to do (tomorrow), I've managed to sort through the mail and luxuriate in my very own shower.  I read 4 books on this trip (love my Nook), bought only a replacement hat and came home with a bit of cash leftover; found the house well taken care of, the plants happy and the humidity of 40% refreshing (after the 95% at Sunset Beach).

I consider it a successful trip when you could have stayed longer and aren't begging to be home.  I could have easily stayed another week at Sunset Beach.  Can't wait for our next time!

Never ending laundry pile.

And now I'm sure there's stuff I've already forgotten.  But the sweet memories I've retained bring with them gratitude.  For beaches.  For the ability on occasion to travel to them.  For friends that are patient and kind and a delight to be with.  For family that misses us while we're away.  For the beauty of this world.