Day 4 and 5

Day four (for Mark and me) was Sunday and brought another spectacular sunrise!

Granddaughter #1 woke up and I was studying BIO 102 at the table. She wanted me to tell her about it . . .so I did . . .and at 7 1/2, she knew the meaning of symbiotic. She said, "It's like teamwork." Yes, girl, it is!

She then took the almost naked Barbie and Ken and hid them in plain sight for Pops to find when he came in from fishing. They have on bathing suits made of transparent tape. Just FYI.

The morning was very cool but we still hit the beach. In the sun, it felt great until the wind blew. By lunchtime, it was hot.

We watched this tug boat pulling something. I have blown this up but we still have no idea. It is either part of an oil rig or part of a bridge or a bed for a giant. There was also a tug boat behind but you can't see him in this picture. Does anyone know what it really is?

There was burying of little girls in the sand and mermaid tails were added.

They got wet and it was cold when they came out of the 80 degree water.

I told granddaughter #1 that she looked like a movie star from way back when. I remember seeing pictures of actresses with scarves tied around their heads and big sunglasses. She thought that was funny.

The girls are 7 1/2 and 4 1/4. The 7 1/2 year old was very sweet and very patient with the 4 year old.

Later in the day, there was swimming in the indoor pool with hunting of dive rings, etc.

On Sunday night, we all grabbed a shower and headed to The Gulf for dinner. It is a cool eatery made of those giant containers (similar to a box car on a train). The eating spaces are spread all over a sandy area. Part of the group got in line to order the food while I took the girls and found an empty picnic table big enough for all of us.

There was a yellow submarine which was a kid magnet. You can see behing the girls that there were spots/picnic tables with astroturf underneath.

Here is our big table right on the water. We were waiting on them to bring our food. I had shrimp tacos and guacamole and it was great!

I think these next two pictures might be out of order. Monday morning (which was day 5 for us) dawned early. I set my phone for 5:30 and got up and hopped into the shower and got ready for work. Wait . . .I was at the beach . . .yes, but I drove in for work. I surely win the longest commute today. I told Mark and Glenn goodbye (everyone else was still asleep) and they headed out to the pier to fish.

I went outside and watched the sun rise on the beach one more time.

We had loaded a lot of our stuff into my car last night. I drove back to Birmingham and listened to Demon Copperhead all the way home. It was 46 degrees at one point. 

I actually stopped at the Conecuh sausage store and all I bought was a diet drink. I used their bathrooms and they were so clean!! There were some cool Halloween and fall decorations but I resisted and didn't buy any.

You can't see it in this picture but the leaves were beginning to turn just a little. Mark told me on the way down to the beach that it was because they were dry and dying. I said, "don't take the joy out of it." Mark stayed and bummed a ride home with Glenn and his family. I imagine Mark was going to have about four hours of playing Barbie.

We used a new to us house sitter. It is a young adult that works at the church. When we were in the apartment we had trouble with Harvey (our rescue cat) pooping on the beds. I even took him to the vet to have him checked out and the vet said it was stress and should clear up when we moved home. It did. He hasn't done it since July 19 . . . until this weekend . . .and he pooped on our bed twice. Once side of me feels bad for him because he was evidently stressed. The other side of me is annoyed that he did it.

I made it to work by lunchtime and then we had a meeting that lasted until about 8:00. 

I didn't know I needed a vacation so much . . .

but I did.

Do you like going to the beach on vacation?

If you have kids, do you ever get to take a vacation with your kids (and grands)?