Back to the beach
We, the family, including all siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws (except for Kerry’s husband Steve’s mom and dad, who seem inaccessible in the hinterlands of North Carolina golf courses) made it from all corners of the country to celebrate Mom’s 70th birthday this past weekend.
We swam as a family in the ocean. I gave my nephew a boogie board and he immediately rode in his first wave like a champ. Clare, who was born when I was 31, is a beautiful, nationally recognized soccer star. Her sister, Tara, takes to the ocean like me—naturally. Ryan doesn’t like to get his nose filled with the Atlantic yet, and his younger brother, Jake, is still too little to wade in, but I have confidence for him.
Our family has waves in the DNA. We had special moments with Aunt Judy, 71, myself, 44, brothers-in-law Steve and Matt, and Tara, Conor, and Ryan, swimming as if we were gifted. Tara rode her fathers back as he took some waves in. We all took some bigger waves in from crest to sand. We all—despite the SPF we applied—ended up with tans.
There are few things more special than wading into the ocean with a nephew or niece holding your hand or on your shoulders, braving the next wave. Life is love again.
2 comments:
Just heading back from Stone Harbor. Three houses and 34 for dinner every night. Bet you were right up the road.
Mrs. L,
We were about an hour or so north on the Garden State Parkway. Friday and Saturday were beautiful. Sunday…not so much. I drove through the thoroughly flooded, usually lovely town of Lavallette so my niece could see the “Jersey Shore” spectacle of Seaside Heights and absorb its Snooki ambiance. Thank god the visit was brief.
My Amex card is worn down to a nub as a result of all the family dinners and breakfasts. Hope yours is doing better.
Next year, I’d like to make it down to Stone Harbor/Avalon. I have some great memories marinating in the surf there waiting for me to revisit. And I think I still have a tab at Fred’s to pay off.
PK
Post a Comment