What Else I Did on My Summer Vacation

Our house on the beach with first level and second level decks

Though my last post made it sound like all I did was read books while I was at the beach, that was a bit of hyperbole.  While it was a leisurely week, we had fun and various enjoyable activities were going on all the time.  Ricky and I were listing our favorite things about the week as we drove home, trying to stay awake. 

We agreed that the best part was ten of his family being together for the week.  Because of the number in our party, we ate many meals at the beach house, all seated at the table for ten in front of wall of glass overlooking the Gulf.  Ricky's brother-in-law made gumbo one night, while Ricky contributed his shrimp pasta one night and ham and spinach frittatas for a couple of brunches.  We had homemade zucchini bread  and chocolate chip cookies.  Patty, Ricky's sister, and Monica, the wife of Ricky's nephew, made sure we always had something good to munch on. 

Patty in kitchen at beach house

Patty was also in charge of games.  Four of us laughed and squabbled through a spirited game of Buzzword, while others enjoyed Dominoes and Bananagram.  The teenage girls rarely lifted their heads from their electronic devices when they weren't outside sunbathing, hanging out on the beach or in the hot tub.  I'm not sure we adults were much better as Iphones, lap top computers and DVD players were much in evidence.

Ricky and the girls enjoy the cool waters of the "hot tub"

There are various ways you can categorize those of us on this trip:
Family Units:
Ricky's nephew Neil, wife Monica and their two children plus a friend from Nicaragua.

Neil's family jumping for joy

Ricky's sister Patty, her husband Dave, and their son, Michael, all from Colorado where the most destructive fire in Colorado history rages in their absence, blanketing their town with smoke so bad that people and pets have to stay inside.

Michael, Patty, Dave & kite in background

Ricky and me during the mandatory photo op on boardwalk leading to the beach.

You could also classify us as those who tan and those who don't:

Ricky and Patty ended up with sun poisoning, I ended up as white as the day I was born except for a few more freckles or age spots!  The other guys--Dave, Michael and Neil--had various degrees of tan and pinkness as they exercised some restraint in their hours in the sun.  And then there was the Latino contingent, those with Nicaraguan blood...brown as nuts with tans worthy of old Coppertone ads.

Those with beautiful tans

As usual, Ricky is the photographer documenting another great trip.  More pics from our beach adventure will follow in subsequent posts if anyone is interested.