Trips to beach were pleasant

A little over a week ago we were at the beach in Galveston. Today, we went to visit some friends who have a small place at the lake in St. Marys, Ohio. Although both days were pleasant, they weren’t remotely the same.
Today, we sat on a porch and visited. We watched the hummingbirds flit around the feeders before settling down for a drink. We played cards and tried to cheat. Nobody kept score. We caught up on what was happening in our lives. After a great visit, we headed for home, first stopping at a small restaurant we like.
At the beach, there was little sitting and no hummingbirds. Instead, my grandchildren and their father covered my daughter’s legs with sand, then build her a comfy backrest out of sand. She sat there like the queen of the beach or perhaps a beautiful, modern-day sphinx.
The children made sandcastles and fussed when one or the other messed up a wall. They filled their buckets with water to add a moat that promptly drained away. The chihuahua didn’t like living in the sandcastle and retreated for a nap under a chair.
The big, black poodle ignored the sandcastle. He also wasn’t fond of the waves knocking him off balance. He spent hours running up and down the beach chasing birds. I have never seen him so happy.
The chihuahua was taken into the water several times but whenever he was given a choice, he escaped to sleep in the shade.
The children leapt and played in the waves. Their father and grandfather took them as far out into the bay as they could wade. They came back with their hands full of shells. They returned to the water again and again as the poodle continued to chase birds.
An abandoned shipwreck was pointed out. It is near their preferred fishing spot. We didn’t go fishing as they hadn’t brought the boat. It was a day for sun and play. The waves were surprisingly warm and almost soft as they endlessly advanced and retreated across the sand.
We had a good cookout and after a last dip into the water, we headed for home. It was almost our last day in Texas. The children were soon asleep as were the dogs. It was a peaceful drive home.
I woke up to a bad sunburn the next day. It seemed that I missed several spots when I applied the sunscreen. Five-year-old Jacob kept poking me and asking why I was purple. I was surprised that it didn’t hurt.
We have been home for a week now. We are slowly getting back to our normal routines. Waves rolling around my ankles are just memories. No children poke me and ask why I am purple. The peacefulness of the beach has been replaced by the endless pop of fireworks and the window-shaking radios of people who drive past my house. I wonder why there is no noise ordinance enforced in my town.
I miss the quiet of the beach. I miss the children playing in the waves. I miss everything about being with my daughter and her family. Still, I relish the simple pleasure of sleeping in my own bed with my cat curled up on top of me. I enjoy setting my own schedule. I like driving on familiar roads with familiar rules. I like being within driving distance of my aging mother.
Yes, I enjoyed our recent visit but it is good to be home.[[In-content Ad]]