Family Vacation 2013

These pictures were taken during previous summer camping trips to the Eastern Shore.  We haven't been camping in a long time, mostly because I am too afraid to tow a camper from Mathews through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and back by myself (never mind the setting up, although I can do it) in a vehicle that is seven years old.

One thing I'm not afraid to do by myself, though, is drive in a seven-year-old vehicle to Avon, North Carolina, with two teenagers.  No sirree, I am very much looking forward to it.

I put so much hope and expectation and anticipation into one week of the year, and it's finally here.

Click here for a 2011 post about one of the first times we all went to Avon, NC. We'd been before, but some years only one parent or one sister could come or some would only stay for part of the week, etc.

Click here for a 2008 post, where I tell of the very first time we ventured to the Outer Banks as a family.  It was in the off season, I recall, and CB Son was a toddler--not in 2008, but in the story.

Click here for a glance at Family Game Night on last year's vacation. My throat was raw from screaming.  And laughing.

Most of all, I hope your weekend and the days and nights that make up next week are fantastic.

I intend to make the most of every minute and second that I am away.

Three Things

Welcome to the Three Ring Circus of my life Three Thing Thursday, where I share three things and you do too, keeping in mind that three is just a suggestion, and deviations are expected welcomed.

I'll go first.

1.  In a few days, we go on vacation to Hatteras Island, which is far away from our daily madness
routines.

2. There will be fireworks.

3. I can't wait.

3b. This is the one week when The World  tries to leaves us alone.

3c.  I can't WAIT.

Now it's your turn to share three (or more) things. Whatever you want.

Anything at all.

Fiddler on the Road

Sunday's Diversion Excursion (where Daughter and I attempted to focus on anything other than the fact that Son had just returned home from being away all week and immediately trotted off up the road with friends) took us to Bethel Beach, which on this particular day was sunny, breezy and warm.

On the way there, I had to swerve several times to avoid a pesky road hazard.

This particular road hazard blends in quite well with its own habitat, 

otherwise known as swamp mud the marsh.

On the surface, all seems OK. There's nothing going on here.

But the predator is there.

And that predator is also all over the roads of Onemo.

It's important to note that the roads of Onemo are rarely barely above sea level, which may explain why these beasts are confused about where they belong.

Anyway, even though they're not my favorite creatures, I do try to avoid running over them, which makes for a very exciting Sunday drive, particularly if you're Chesapeake Bay Daughter, who hasn't been down this way and experienced Driving to Avoid Fiddler Crabs in some time.

Blue and Green

If I could choose only one word to describe this weekend's weather, it'd be spectacular.

If allowed to go on a bit more, I'd add that the days were sunny, crisp, clear,

and free from the debilitating heat and humidity usually settled in by now.

Nope.  These were step outside, look up at the sky, close your eyes, 

breathe, and simply bask in the beauty sort of days.

Son arrived home Saturday evening after being away all week.
The family convened to hear his stories and hung on his every word.

Daughter and I were so thrilled he was home, we were beside ourselves.

Then, Sunday he asked if he could go with some friends to the mall (an hour away).

Daughter and I painfully glanced at each other as I begrudgingly (after many questions about who was driving and where, exactly, they were going and whether they'd be home for supper) said OK.

Later in the day, he reminded us that he'd be gone another week in July 

for a NASA program he was selected to attend.

Daughter and I, resorting to last week's strategy of Life Without Son, decided to take a drive around the county to avoid focusing on the obvious, which is he's growing up and will soon lead a life that doesn't revolve around our home just to get out of the house and enjoy the day.

These pictures are from that little jaunt.

So, the good news is Son is back home safely from Boys State. The other good news is in less than a week the whole Chesapeake Bay Extended Family will be on vacation together.  The not-so-great news is Daughter and I really need to come up with a better coping strategy for Life After Son Goes to College.   

(We won't talk about what happens when Daughter goes to college. I might just have a legitimate reason to flee the country and take up residence in Bora Bora--after my mental breakdown from children leaving the nest.)

Anyway, in short, the weekend was spectacular, and vacation is closer and closer to being a reality.  

Life is grand, and I am grateful for every second.

Scenes from Queens Creek

June 2012

May 2011

May 2010

May 2009

Here we are welcoming yet another weekend.  Although I don't necessarily want these beautiful summer days to fly by, each day that does puts me closer and closer to my vacation, which begins next weekend.

It's the one week of the year I live for.

Son returns home from Boys State this weekend, and Daughter and I will be very glad to see him.  She's been a little bored, and I've been..I don't know what.  Melancholy is one word.  Pensive is another.

Daughter and I did take advantage of this disruption to our crazy life routine to spend some quality time together.  Wednesday night we had dinner at the local Mexican restaurant and watched her favorite movie, Silver Linings Playbook, which is fast becoming one of my favorites.  Last night we drove to Kilmarnock on a whim and had some Thai food.  Eating out twice in one week is unheard of for us.  But we needed something to distract us.

Except for the rainbow pictures, I've not taken any new/recent shots, so I dove into the archives and found these.

I hope your weekend is as peaceful and relaxing as these views from my back doorstep.

Wordless Wednesday

Workboat

This boat lives over at Locklies Marina in Topping.  

This week is weirder than usual an unusual one here in the Chesapeake Bay household:  Son is at Radford University attending Boys State all week, leaving Daughter and I wondering what on Earth we are going to do when he leaves next year for college.  We both rely on him for so much, from companionship (for her) to everything! help! I miss him! serving as a sounding board and helping the technically challenged (that'd be me).

Usually in the evenings as I am loading photos and typing this silly blog, he's within earshot streaming reruns of Parks and Rec or some other comedy over Netflix, and my concentration (such as it is--wait, is that something sparkly? It is!) is always interrupted by his laughter, which I absolutely love.

Anyway, enough of my sentimental blathering. He's fine and is enjoying a great opportunity.  Daughter and I are also fine and will have some quality time together.

But we really can't wait until Saturday when he comes home.

Boat Parade

Towards the last part of a spectacularly sunny Saturday, I was fortunate enough to have dinner at Merroir over in Topping.  The weather was perfect for sitting outdoors--and also for boating.

Of all the boats that passed by, this was my favorite.

In addition to the boats, these out-of-control dock pilings fascinated me.
(It doesn't take much.)

See?  Although the incoming boat is beautiful, I was really focused on the dock gone wild.
There is beauty in imperfection. At least to me.

How was your weekend?

Smooth Sailing

These pictures of a distant sailboat (barely a speck on the horizon below) were taken from Gwynns Island back in 2009.

My weekend, once again, is overflowing with To Dos and obligations, 

most of which involve Son and Daughter.  But that's OK.

I hope your weekend is all calm waters and smooth sailing.

Three Things

Queens Creek

Once upon a time, many moons ago, this blog featured something called Three Thing Thursday (click here for proof), where the blogger spewed forth posted three random thoughts--whatever happened to be on her mind at the moment--and the reader was invited to do the same. The blogger, who was a bit more diligent at the time, viewed this as her "day off" from blogging, because she didn't have to focus on a particular topic or subject.

Then one day the blogger's life became so busy that all she could muster was tossing up a few photos and spewing forth random thoughts, routinely.  So, really, there was no need to designate a special day for random spewing thoughts.

In spite of all this, today we are declaring a Three Thing Thursday, where you are encouraged to share three random thoughts, whatever happens to pop into your mind at this moment.


I'll begin.

1. These pictures are from the one day recently when the National Weather Service at Wakefield didn't include warnings about floods, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, locusts water spouts, hail the size of softballs quarters, gale-force winds, blinding rain, and mosquitoes the size of flamingos. Despite these warnings, the worst we've received is mosquitoes the size of flamingos rain.  Rain.  More rain.  And then some more.  So when the sun and blue sky made themselves known, I was sure to snap a picture.

2.   It still amazes me how easily I lapse into the third person on this blog, almost always when referencing something I wish to avoid, such as the fact that I haven't really maintained or focused on this blog in four years a while.

3. Due to the forty days and forty nights of rain, Daughter has forty thousand softball games jam-packed into a two-week time frame.

4.  (Because three is only a suggestion.)  I simply cannot wait to go on vacation.


Now it's your turn to share three things.  Or four things. Two things or more things.  Whatever tickles your fancy fantasy, as a friend of mine from Finland used to say.

Anything at all.

Orange and Blue

Most of Saturday was spent a quarter-mile from my house at the Piankatank Ruritan Club helping my friend Lucy with her daughter's wedding reception. The Ruritan Club holds many memories that date  back to 1980s dances featuring the Beast from the East as DJ back to high school.


The wedding colors were orange and blue.

The bride and groom

Lucy

Orange and blue happen to be the colors of my alma mater, which Son, Daughter and I visited Sunday and Monday.

I told them the story of my very first night on grounds,
which was in 1492 1982.
(A fraternity party was involved.)

Son and Daughter in front of the Rotunda, which is currently under renovation.

I love Thomas Jefferson.

The Lawn
My friend Iris lived on the Lawn. So did Ricky Stokes.
And Edgar Allen Poe, however briefly.

From Sunday morning to Monday night, the Chesapeake Bay Family traveled over 360 miles. When you factor in my normal commute and an out-of-town trip for work, by the time Friday evening arrives this week, I will have driven an additional 500 miles.

860 miles in six days.

Although these past several days have been fun filled and action packed, I must reiterate for the record that I am living for my week of vacation in July.

These past few days have been enjoyable, in spite of all my complaining everything.