I HATE the Beach!!!

So, as I'm sitting on the beach this morning, I asked the fam what it is about the beach that they love. I'll agree with beauty---you can't find a more beautiful spot---snowy white sand and turquoise waters. But as far as I'm concerned, that's about it. If I never bury my tootsies in the sand for the rest of my life, that would be okay with me. In fact, the gorgeous views below are from our porch---a nice, breezy, relaxing spot. 

 Back to what the family loves---the smell---are you kidding me---smells like dead fish with a little tanning oil thrown in. Not a great combination.

They like the  sounds--- to me, the ocean itself is so loud, that the kids can't hear you yelling at them---and with our family, there's a lot of that going on. Butch rented a kayak for the day today. Right away, I said this was going to be something that caused nothing but fighting ("I want to go first, I didn't get a turn, why do I have to wear a life jacket, etc."). I wasn't far off. Steph and Mindy went first as the teens were still sleeping. They were supposed to be trying it out to see if you could "fall in" and still be able to get back on the kayak. They paddled pretty far out---farther than Butch expected they would just to test the "rockability" of the craft. He started freaking a little about the fact that they did not have the life jackets with them. When we vacation these days, he still thinks of them as little girls. Actually, they're okay with that as he fills the cooler and hauls everything for them---anything for his girls. They love him for it and so do I. Anyway, they made it back okay. The teens arrived and immediately wanted to "go." From the adults: "put on sunscreen, you have to wear the life jackets, take off those expensive sunglasses, only two people can row, etc." I'm just sitting back laughing. Too darn much trouble if you ask me. Just let 'em go. They'll figure it out.

Another thing Mindy says she loves about the beach---playing games. She gets Butch to play this paddle ball thing they brought. I was laughing so hard---one hits it, maybe the other returns it and then it's chase after the ball and pick it up to start all over---truly, never more than two hits at a time. ridiculously NOT fun. Mindy was getting mad at me for laughing, but I couldn't help it. I was rolling in the sand, laughing hysterically. There is no way that was fun---just hot and sweaty. When they quit---it was less than 2 minutes---Mindy said it was because I was laughing.

Another fun thing per the family is hunting for stuff. Hunting for these tiny little sand dollars was fun for about 5 minutes. You had to watch for them as the waves roll in and try to grab them before the wave went back out. It's pretty hard, but they sure are cute---about a half inch wide. Other than that, there's not much I want to find on the beach. Butch brought a metal detector, but I've never known anyone to actually find anything worth finding with one.

They say they like to read on the beach. Not me. Ruins your book. I only bring magazines and consider them trashed after.

I do my obligatory hour and a half, then head for the pool. The beach is just plain too hot. Give me my float in the pool, now that's heaven! Today, I had it to myself for about an hour. Then Victoria and Elizabeth joined me. We still had it to ourselves until the teens decided to get in---with a bunch of other teens they met. It was about time for me to make lunch anyway.

After lunch, we were cleaning up. After 3 days, the recycling is piling up. I've about had it with that. There are no recycling bins here. I had the girls call the office to find out where to take it---3 miles down the road. Butch and I loaded it up and took it there. I really respect that he's so committed. There's one thing you can say for Butch, he definitely lives his principles! As a matter of fact, we hauled all our recycling home from our trip to Alaska since he found out the ship didn't recycle. I told him that I was drawing the line if our luggage was overweight. No way was I paying 50 bucks to haul trash home! I don't know anyone that has "flown" their recycling home. Kudos to Butch.