Myrtle Beach Moments

Finally a day of no rain at all. At least not yet, and it's 2:30. Thought I'd jot down some memories of our times together so far. My memory is about as long as my foot these days.

We brought Maggie and Jonathan Grant down with us in the van. Good thing they're skinny! That made seven of us in the van, so no one got to stretch out. But we had a good time, especially playing Psychiatrist and Two Truths and a Lie. I had a brain woopsie on one of my turns. I told three truths and no lies about myself,. It's hard to backpedal after that. And once during STephen's turn, he said,"I've traveled to Kansas, Texas, and California." I blurted out, "When have you been to California?" Duh. Thanks, Mom.

Ben, Allan, and Dan (heretofore known as the B.A.D. boys) drove down in Ben's car. Ben and Allan shared the driving. Poor Ben, he missed work Friday for intestinal problems, and had them all the way down. Poor us--he was still clearing a room in a single poof. "Augh! Ben! That is just WRONG!" Allan would say every time. We went into a shop last night where Joel took a picture of Ben holding up a pair of underwear that says, "World's Largest Source of Natural Gas."

Joel has been videotaping everyone and everything in sight. He takes some pretty decent video once in a while, including this "Mystery Movie" where he is taping his walking feet down the corridor until he spots Allan, who then shrieks and takes off like a redhanded criminal. Then there are other movies that-- how can a mother say this graciously?-- are just plain dumb.
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Renee, Maggie and I got massages yesterday at a place called Celestial. (Sarah didn't want one. She doesn't like to be touched.) It was the fastest hour of our vacation thus far. They used this method of relaxation with hot stones on your muscles, and then set the stones into your palms for a few minutes. I have never had that, but it was wonderful. I could've used two hours and loved every minutes of it, but the money only goes so far. The best part was that it unclogged my ear.
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I have larnygitis. The kids find it advantageous, as you can well imagine. And humorous. Last night at the putt putt golf place, there was a caged Macaw who wouldn't talk until I said bello to him. He answered right back, "Hello!"
Judging from my voice, he had met his next of kin.
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Sarah, Stephen, Maggie, and Jonathan stayed up till one a.m. playing a game called 'Don't Quote Me." I had never seen it, but they had so much fun, that when Renne invited us over to celebrate my birthday, all of us played it. The funniest one U remember was "Like a midget at a urinal, I have to stay on my toes." I forget who said it, but I won't soon forget the image.
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Allan brought delicious spaghetti sauce that he made himself from his own veal. He knows I'm a softie toward animals and loves to give me hard time. I didn't even think about it being anyything but being delicious ground beef. Paul asked, "So, are we eating Bessie?"

Allan nodded, "Actually it's veal."

"What!" I blurted out, pretending to hate the bite I just ate, "WE're eating a baby calf that's been cooped up for six month without the light of day?"

"No, two months, really," he said, "But it got to be outside with his mother for those two months." l

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Paul was nearly asleep in the sun today beside the pool. He looked so content, so relaxed, my chrome-haired cherub. I sneaked up on him, leaned close, and kissed his sun-ripened cheek. I didn't care that a whole bunch of total strangers observed my affection. He's my husband and sometimes I just can't resist.
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Friday :
Not exactly connecting with my adult children. That's disappointing.
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Jonathan and Stephen were annoyed with the overly energetic Joel in the van last night. JOn says, "Let's play the Quiet Game. ONe, two, three, go!" For the next four minutes, silence reigned supreme. Then Joel blurts out, "This is boring, boring, boring, boring, boring!" We laughed so hard.

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The B.A.D. boys want their photo shoot today. I promised I'd take their beloved mug shots on the beach around 5. They are so vain. Gotta have something new on their Facebooks.
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Sarah was a bit disappointed that Maggie didn't feel up to hanging out last night. She had a blister on her foot from five hours of shopping with her mom. But Sarah and I spent the day at the pool and got a fair amount of sun and fun.
This resort is more crowded that our last one and so not a lot of room in the pool to really race like we want to. There were two men from upstate New York talking and, as they discovered, live within three miles of each other and both are volunteer firemen.
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I've been trying to talk Paul into taking a walk on the beach every night this week. EVery night I've failed. He doesn't like to walk without a destination. I can't impart the value of romance to him. He's gonna have to get it from God, I guess.
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Dinner was a letdown last night. Allan hadn't taken time to eat lunch so was ready and pushing for dinner before the rest of us. He said the restaurant T-BonZ sounded good. We went. It wasn't. In fact (and this is another case of foot-in-mouth disease I have chronically) as the waiter leaned over me to refill my water--and honestly I DID NOT SEE HIM BEFORE I STARTED TALKING-- I said, "We should have gone to Texas Roadhouse" The kids groaned, mortified. "Mom! How rude!" I kept apologizing. "I didn't know he was there! But it's true. This food is nothing compare to Texas Roadhouse." Then I chided Allan, "Hey, Connell, I trusted you," I said, "When a Connell recommends a restaurant, I have high expectations.:" He smiled his typical Allan smile, "Sorry, Mrs. Z. I was just hungry."
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I'm hoping Sarah and I can exchange pedicures today. My friend Barb sent me a Mary Kay pedicure kit for my b'day and I can't wait to use it (er--have it used on me!)
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