Beach Trip

Vacation was good. Stayed out on the beach every day between 10:30 am and 6:45 pm. Some days I didn’t even go back up for lunch. In all we had about 49 people coming and going.

 

You’d think on vacation I’d be able to be able to spend lots of time on my pastimes, but the early walking, extended beach time, and eating out left little time. I even got less sleep than usual. After the walk I’d usually grab a quick nap. I was making a point to clean out my emails and unsubscribe from as many as possible, so hopefully going forward I’ll get less junk email. Kept up with my blog by posting pictures, as I didn’t have time to write or research. Some days I entered sweepstakes, but it took me until yesterday to really catch up with those, as well as the three customer survey panels. No time for eBay, which I really need to get back doing. Good thing I didn’t take my scrapbook calendar, cause I didn’t have time for that either. I did knock out a bunch of reading, and I always had time to eat.   

 

7th: C and M ate at Chickfila before leaving town. I had eaten at home. Stopped in Augusta at Starbucks.

 

8th: Ate lunch at peach orchard diner on the way to the beach. Papa John’s Pizza for dinner (long wait).

 

9th: Burger Fi, down on the corner of Main Street and Highway 17. W&MC left Augusta after the evening church service, and made it to NMB late.  

 

Sunday Ceil’s cousin Phil said he and big Larry had walked that morning, so for the next five days I walked with them: 2 miles, 2-1/2, three twice, and finally on Friday we walked all the way to the Cherry Grove Pier, a 4.6 mile round trip. The first leg was northeast into the sun, making the return trip into the breeze much cooler. Wednesday I wore my Peachtree Road Race out to the beach, and it seemed like Larry and Phil thought I’d been holding out on them. Over the past twenty years I have run or run/waked to the pier (it’s been awhile), but Phil and Larry didn’t know that.  

 

Larry didn’t go on Thursday morning so Phil and I left out earlier. The tide was still out so instead of walking on the sloping sand we were able to walk down nearer the water, where it was flatter. Occasionally we’d have to hop over a stream over water trickling back into the sea. On one hop I must’ve not picked up my leg quite high enough, and I stumbled when I landed. I knew I was going to fall, so instead of continuing to wobble and stumble I just went ahead and fell. I was laughing at myself even before I hit the sand. Phil was laughing at me as well, but never told on me until I told on myself.    

 

Since I was up earlier, after my walks I took to cooking a more elaborate breakfast than usual: frying eggs, cooking bacon, and assembling a bacon egg & cheese sandwich. Ceil was sleeping later, and when she came out she’d make a pot of grits. If I came in for lunch I’d assemble my turkey/bacon/cheese sandwich – on a hot frying pan, so it would toast like a grilled cheese sandwich.

 

10th: Low country boil. Being allergic, I passed on the shrimp but had the sausage, corn on the cob, and a few potatoes. Watched the Home Run Derby. Will had several of his cousins playing board games.

 

11th: After our walk I made a Kroger run. Will had cooked everyone breakfast Monday morning, so we were almost out of several items. But Tuesday was Chickfila’s Cow Appreciation Day, so W&MC went there for breakfast. Also C and our niece Katherine. W&MC were headed back to Augusta that day, and they vowed to stop at every Chickfila along the way - at least six or seven of them.

 

Dinner at Provisions in Holden Beach NC. Party of 13. Chicken sandwich with peppers, onions, and cheese. Ceil and her mom didn’t make the 68 mile round trip, eating instead at the cafeteria. Only saw the last two innings of the All-Star Game.

 

12th: Chinese take-out for supper. Matthew’s idea. I had sweet and sour chicken.

 

I hadn’t read out on the beach on Sunday, but on Monday I finally finished the last 50 pages of my John Feinstein book on Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina. Tuesday I read a short Steve Martin book – 130 pages. Wednesday I started John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker” and someone out on the beach noticed I was on my third book in as many days.

 

These guys from Greer SC were playing a new game on the beach. They lined off a large rectangle the three holes at the two corners nearest the water. Since the beach sloped that way, the balls you roll toward the holes would curve toward the holes. The trick was to roll the ball so it would curve into the hole. The wind made it harder. Fun to watch but hard to play. Some of our crowd took a turn, and suddenly everyone was an expert, calling out suggestions but not actually giving it a go.

 

13th: Bonefish, party of 16. I had the burger. Pretty good.

 

14th: Friday we packed up and left town around noon. I had eaten lots of leftovers. Stopped in Florence at Chickfila. I had a chocolate milkshake. Stopped in Augusta to visit W&MC. Made it home around 8 pm. M picked up Moes but I just had peanut butter crackers.

 

Before we left we had lined up one of Matthew’s friends to house-sit and take care of the pets. Then on Sunday she broke her ankle at the Roswell Mill. M enlisted his friend Noni to take over, and she did an admirable job. Late Friday when we were going to bed C was talking to M in his room when Barney got loose, and he saw M’s cat for the first time, and started barking. A close call.

 

15th: Housework and laundry. C went grocery shopping and cooked lasagna for supper. M worked.

 

16th: JFBC. Home Depot. Leftover lasagna. Braves. The movie “42.” Got caught up on some computer work. M worked. C messed with her artwork, and baked a cobbler filled with peaches and blueberries. Also watch the celebrity golf tourney at Lake Tahoe. Seth Curry had a charge and finished third. Smoltz and Romo struggled, as did Justin Timberlake. I heard Charles Barkley made one good shot.

 

17th: Tried to keep my exercise routine going before work. Leftover lasagna for lunch. Dance class tonight.