Back to Reality

Wow. 5:30 came awfully early this morning, and that big fat pile of work I left on my desk last week did not magically disappear while I was gone. I did not win the lottery either, so I was back at work today and trying my best to get back into the groove. I have to admit it was painful, especially when Hubby called to tell me the microwave that was delivered to the new house this morning had a big dent in the top. Sigh. Back to reality.

I have vacation pictures to share but first a few shout-outs:

-To the tile layers who did not finish their work by 3pm as promised forcing us to leave for vacation two and a half hours later than planned-you did not ruin my vacation.
-To the suitcase that lost a wheel as I dragged it to the bathroom scales to weigh it, forcing me to unload it and repack the 43 pounds of contents in ANOTHER suitcase when I was already two and a half hours late-you did not ruin my vacation.
-To Moo Moo Bossy the Cow who sat behind me on the airplane and kept tapping me on the shoulder before take-off, incessantly hounding me to make Teen Angel and BFF put their carry-ons in the overhead storage bin “right now you must do it right now even though the aisle is full they can’t leave them on the floor like that it’s against the rules stand up and take control of the situation RIGHT NOW”-you did not ruin my vacation. And I apologize for gritting my teeth, using my mean voice and telling you that, “I have the situation under control THANK YOU VERY MUCH and I WILL take care of it when everyone SITS DOWN.” Oh, and take a Xanex before you fly next time. I’m not one to recommend mood altering medication, but you really need it.
-To the lady who took my sandwich order this past Saturday and was obviously not happy with her position at the Fort Walton Beach Airport Quiznos-you did not ruin my vacation.
-To “Bitterman” aka “Gerald”, our prearranged shuttle driver who picked us up at the airport on day 1 with his jaunty hat and sign with our name on it-you made our vacation.
-To Amy, Bambi and all of the other “Bitterman’s” with the Emerald Cab Company who shuttled us all over Destin-you made our vacation.
-To the staff at The Lighthouse Restaurant who twice prepared for us fabulous seafood and prime rib and a delightful champagne cocktail-you made our vacation.
-To the server at Dewey Destin’s who recommended those yummy Red Rock shrimp-you made our vacation.
-To Jason at Extreme H2O Watersports who made our jet skiing outing a delight-you made our vacation.
-To the shuttle driver at the fancy schmancy gated community where we went shopping who did not kick us off the shuttle “for resort customers only” when he discovered that we had climbed aboard because we thought it was public transportation-you made our vacation. As did the other shuttle driver who never said a word when we called from the Hilton for the return ride, acting as if we were Hilton residents.
-And to my family for not whining when they had to pull me away from the beach at the end of each and every day for dinner-you made my vacation.

PS-Let me apologize for all of the sunset pictures. I just couldn’t help myself.

Going Home

I hear it's in the 40's and dreary at home. THAT'S gonna hurt after enjoying a week of temps in the upper 80's and plenty of sunshine. We board a plane tomorrow afternoon to head home. It's been a great week. Very relaxing. Due to a proxy issue with the computer I've had available, posting has been almost nonexistant. Well, there was also the issue of me doing a whole bunch of nothin'. I've also been unable to download and post pictures, so those will have to wait a few more days. Ah, the troubles of a life of leisure.

It turned cool here this evening. These Floridians are shivering in the 50-something nighttime temp. We said, "Ha! This is nothin'. Come with us to Kentucky where we have ice storms that knock out your electricity for three weeks." And then we bought Hubby a pair of jeans at Target because SOMEBODY said he wouldn't need any pants on this trip when I was packing.

We have shopped and sunbathed and ripped around on some jet skis. We had planned to parasail this morning, but our appointment was cancelled because of high winds. Mostly, we've just laid around on the beach, resting our minds. And our backsides. I did manage to run two days. My motivation for exercise on the other five days was nil. It's back to the grind next week, given the heavy meals we've eaten.

We will help to celebrate Special Delivery's first birthday Sunday, and then the fun is over. Workers finished our floors at the new house this week, and appliances are delivered Monday. We actually have to start moving. I'm trying really hard not to think about it until I have to. I'm anxious to get into the new house, but I'd rather take a beating than pack up all of our belongings for a move. The next two or three weeks are going to be full. I swear, we'll look up one day, and Christmas will be here and gone. Just like vacation. It's been a good week, and I hate to head home, but there's a Delta fight with our names on it. Let's just hope we get there without BFF's suitcase exploding. I just took a look at it to see how it was coming, took two steps backward and said a couple of Hail Mary's.

The Reason we can Never Dance on Tables

On the shuttle between our hotel and the Nashville airport Saturday morning, a man on board commented on Hubby's bakery t-shirt, and we soon discovered he was the brother of Teen Angel's boss at the bakery. Within hours of landing in Destin and settling into our condo, we found out via Facebook that one of Teen Angel's classmates is staying in a condo just down the beach from us. We chatted with his parents while walking on the beach yesterday. AND tonight we were shoveling ice cream into our faces at a local shopping center when we bumped into our niece and her family.

Mama was right when she said it was a small world.

PS-It's official. When I retire we're moving to the beach so we can sun ourselves and people watch all stinkin' day.

Destin-Day 2

Our first full day in Destin. The weather was great with bright sunshine and wispy clouds. I can't believe how beautiful the water is here. The waves roll into the shore in a pale green that resembles jade and appear to originate in a deep green that's the shade of emeralds. It reminds me of Caribbean water, certainly not the typical water you see in the Gulf of Mexico. It's so clear, you can see the bottom, even when you're shoulder deep in the ocean. It truly is the Emerald Coast.

Our condo is nice. Our research paid off, and we are on the second floor of our building, right on the corner with an unobstructed view of the eastern sky. We are steps away from the beach, which is very handy. A quick flight of steps and a boardwalk is all that stands between us and the sand. I could get used to living this close to the beach, but I'd rather live in a cottage instead of a condo. A cottage tucked away in the trees, where Hubby and I could relax after a day of running his beach umbrella service and my art shop. A cottage where Teen Angel could bring our grandchildren for visits and swims in the ocean. It's good to have dreams, isn't it?

Today was a day spent lounging on the beach and in the water. A blissfully lazy day followed by a great dinner of half price prime rib and seafood and a little shopping that yielded me a clearance rack sunhat that Teen Angel thought was hideous, BFF thought was cool and Hubby thought was cute. For $3.84 I don't have to fix my hair the rest of the week. Priceless.

Other highlights today?

-Breakfast on the balcony with the warm sun on my face and a breeze in my hair.
-The constant stream of butterflies fluttering past our beach umbrella.
-The fifty to sixty jellyfish that floated in a clump near the edge of the water.
-A sleepy toddler cradled protectively in her grandpa's arms.
-The hilarious man on the beach pretending to read but secretly stealing peeks at the well endowed woman nearby while his wife and mother-in-law sat beside him.
-The smooth charming southern accent of the young man who rented us our umbrella and chairs.
-A vintage military plane that swooped close to the water, right in front us, practicing loops.
-A circle rainbow that lingered for a good fifteen minutes overhead.
-Quiet, peaceful time with Hubby that wasn't interrupted by someone needing a hearing aid battery changed, a drive to the doctor's office or a meal fixed.
-Listening to Teen Angel and BFF giggle uncontrollably in the nearby room as the day winds to a close but their energy doesn't wane.
-A glass of iced tea to toast a good day.