To continue my previous post about the beach trip, we did wind up taking pictures Thursday morning. A little before everyone was supposed to meet, I surveyed the heat and light and suggested we put it off until the evening. Well, that went over like a lead balloon! We pressed on anyway, however. Some of us (ok, just me) were in a cranky mood and it showed.
Everyone was ready for something different after that, so Jeff and Suzie took their kids on a trip to Seaside while Kelly and I put ours back in the pool. Then it was baths and naps for the kids, followed by free time for Kelly and I. Kelly usually took a walk down the beach during naps but I took one Thursday. I was feeling like a slug after hearing how Kelly and my mom were getting all this exercise. After an hour’s walk I returned to the condo.
We had our cookout that evening, with friends and relatives coming over. Jeff manned the grills and I kept him company while everyone else ran roughshod around the condo. It was a screaming, giggling fest for the kids and a memorable night for the adults. In spite of the noise, I thought it ended too soon. There’s never enough time to visit with good friends and relatives.
We crashed early again that night and woke up on Friday on the late-ish side for a change. Yet another morning spent at the pool, though by now the seaweed had been pushed sufficiently offshore to allow some beach time. We played at both before doing our now-familiar bath-and-nap routine.
We had all talked about taking another stab at some pictures that evening. As the day wore on, storm clouds began to gather on the horizon. My parents were out visiting relatives in the city while we were battening down the hatches at the condo. When it looked like we were going to get rained out, I called my mom and told them we were going out to dinner instead. She sounded so disappointed we weren’t taking pictures that I was bummed the rest of the night. The whole time we were at Pineapple Willie’s I was wishing my parents were with us. Kelly had to ask if I was feeling okay.
When we saw rain bands rolling up the beach towards us, we got out check and headed back to the condo. I broke out my guitar and played for the family while lightning flashed outside. I went to bed uneasily knowing our final day of vacation was approaching.
Our last day began once again at the pool. (Hmm. Perhaps our next vacation will be to the Cary Holiday Inn.) This pool morning was special though as our kids learned how to swim! Travis would go completely underwater and kick towards us, while Hallie would jump in and kick and paddle her way to us. It was amazing to watch both of them just take to it – all in the same day! This, along with many other reasons, had us wishing it wasn’t our last day at the beach.
Saturday evening we had another round of pictures. With the sun setting and temperatures cooling off, it was an ideal time to take pictures. The shots came out fantastic and eveyone enjoyed the experience. Several of the pictures already have homes in picture frames around the house.
Our photo session went straight through what would’ve been dinner time, so everyone scrambled to find dinner. Our family was the only one to venture out, while my parents and Jeff and Suzie’s family ate in their rooms due to the late hour. We drove over to a place my parents ate at for lunch earlier in the week; a place called J. Michael’s tucked in the back of a crusty marina. After a modest wait, we were seated inside.
It was a dive by most every standard, but like all good dives it had incredible charm. The wait staff was very friendly and the mood was light. The kids worked on coloring books while Kelly and I inhaled our dinner salads. I ordered the Grouper Creole and was mesmerized by its out-of-this-world taste. Kelly had the grouper sandwich and was equally impressed. When a dive restaurant sticks around for 20 plus years, it must be doing something right. I consider it the best meal I’ve ever had in Panama City, outside of Grandma’s house of course!
Our food was so good, in fact, that it knocked the lights out of the place. Halfway through our entrees the power went out. The owner’s daughter seemed to have dealt with this before. We watched her dial what we took to be a well-worn cellphone number as she loudly denounced the crusty marina they were in. Apparently a transformer serving the marina blew up, which left the restaurant with only half its usual power. Everyone was apologetic about having to close but I thought it made a memorable evening even more memorable. I made it a point to tell the frazzled owner’s daughter that we’d be back. Food like that is worth the trip.
We stayed up way too late packing our stuff for the trip home. Sunday morning came and we were on the road by 6:45 Central time. The kids were incredible in spite of Travis’s fever we detected early in the trip. In spite of that, we made it home that evening a little before 9 PM, incredible considering the distance and circumstances. It was wonderful to sleep in our own beds Sunday night!
Vacations always leave you different from when you left. I treasure the week spent with my family, watching my children grow up and spending more time with my parents than I do in three months. I know we can’t take big vacations every year, but the time spent together is the most important thing. That’s something I can’t ever get enough of.