Day One At the Beach~~everyone arrives by early evening. The energy pulses. Hugs and greetings. Suitcases emptied, drawers filled. Swimsuits imagined for each day of the week. The first grocery shopping. Massive amounts of food for the family chefs and bakers. The fridge is well-stocked for the meals planned weeks ago. We watch the babies in their first encounter with waves.
Day Two At the Beach~~Grandpa is up early making pancakes. Plates and plates of pancakes, homemade syrup and blueberries. We anxiously wait for the sea, the waves, the sand. Children build sandcastles--waves tear them down; cousins chase each other through the waves. Wave jumping and good company under the beach canopy.
Day Three At The Beach~~ Grandpa is up almost as early as the day before making pancakes. Piles of whipping cream. Ping pong rallies in the garage. Boogie boarding. Sunset walks. Wave riding. Tired children at day's end.
Day Four At the Beach~~Grandpa takes a day off from making pancakes. Ping pong in the morning. Children have become masters of wave anticipation. Beach toys abandoned in favor of what is found-a stick, shells, a net in the patio bin. We start to notice the spider webs along the walkway to the sea. The little children frolic in the little waves. Crabs captured and released.
Day Five At the Beach~~Grandpa makes pancakes much later in the morning. The house is mostly quiet at 8:00 a.m. None of the children make eye contact with Grandma--they're afraid I will ask them to go to the beach. I go myself. Swim by myself. Life is good, even if the vacation peeps are worn out. By late afternoon, some of the children are back in the ocean.
Day Six At the Beach~~I can barely roll out of bed. Period. But it is the next to last full day at the beach. Clouds circle the sky. It's cooler than all the other days. I dress for a beach walk. Ahhhhh....I wish I could walk the beach every morning. Starting to glimpse the sadness of ending.
Day Seven At the Beach~~Last day. TBD.
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