Beyond the Sea

Two weeks back from that big, blue ocean and already the week has melded itself into a collective memory of every summer trip taken there.  All of my stays seem to mingle together and one year becomes impossible to separate from another.  It's sweet, though, and comforting. 

This year was exactly as I pictured it would be, and I enjoyed it more than you'd think something so familiar could be enjoyed.  Some slight variations made the trip exciting, however, and perhaps some new traditions were established.  A few moments-

Saturday

Dad, being the avid walker that he is, inspired us all to walk several miles first thing in the morning. We were all happy for the company and cool morning air, and the coffee upon our return was all the more appreciated.    

Sunday

The first of many days spent entirely on the beach.  This year had to hold the record for the clearest water; seaweed was nowhere to be found.  Clear water has an absurd amount of influence on my happiness level on the gulf.

Wednesday

To celebrate the fourth, we made our way to the very base of the pier to watch the fireworks (rather than watching the show from two miles away on our stretch of beach, as per usual).  We sat in the sand right underneath the dazzling lights- the closest I've ever watched such a brilliant show.  The sounds of each burst echoed off of the highrises behind us, every firework appeared twice as lustrous reflected in the ocean below.  

Friday

Pool games this evening were energetic and fun - who knew how exciting it is to find a toothpick floating to the surface of the water?  New and old friends, late night camaraderie, staying quiet so we aren't told to leave the pool after hours.

I unfortunately took only one picture the entire week (very typical, actually), and it really had nothing to do with the beach.  It was of a couple of racoons hanging on a tree outside our door.

And it was a fuzzy one at that.

Just have to take my word on the endless blue skies, white hot sand, and rolling ocean waves.  It was beautiful.

Notable Moments

Filtered photos of happenings lately-

Mini muffins for breakfast (with piles of strawberries)

Dress-like-a-hippy day.  (No?  Oh well.)

Baby or bear?

The hazy sunlight

Sassy Sammie

Big Sister

Laundry Day

Crepe Myrtle is the perfect welcome home.

Mom loves my lipstick.

Happy (almost) Birthday, Little Sister!

And one unfiltered glimpse of complete radiance-

Sunday Morning

On the way home from church, a quick stop for a walk on the railroad tracks-

Beach Week: Prelim

The week that signals summer in my world is finally upon us- the annual Fourth of July Beach Week.
Hooray!

My family goes every year to the same complex at the same beach with the same people.  We eat the same food, spend the days the same way, and watch the same Fourth Fireworks show.  Every year.  And I love it.

So here's to spending this blasé Wednesday morning anticipating all of the things I love about beach week-

[Trail mix] Peanuts, raisins, m&ms.  Don't pick out all of the m&ms.  ...drives me crazy.

[Vegetable lunch at Ms Betty's] The best southern-cooked vegetables you've ever had.

[Rinsing off in the pool instead of the shower]  Quickest way to get rid of all that sand and sunscreen.  Whoops... I must have missed the sign that said to shower before entering the pool.

[The broken jacuzzi]  Seriously, it hasn't worked in six years.  Get on that.

[Barbeque on the Fourth]  Managing to shower and find a sundress, but not quite getting to the hair and makeup.  Also, so many side dishes. 

[After Sun Lotion]  We go through bottles of this stuff.  Bottles.  They should sponsor us.

[Pier Park]  Do a little shopping, eat dinner, see a movie, get ice cream.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Redneck Rivera]  The condo across the street from ours.  I have never seen so many confederate flag towels in my life.  Gracious - the war is over, people.

[Laying on the beach all. day. long.] Walking across the street after breakfast with an overstuffed beach bag and cooler in tow, setting up a fortress of canopies, tents, chairs, and blankets, eating lunch with sand in the sandwiches, waiting under the umbrellas for the afternoon thunderstorms to roll by, taking a few sun-soaked naps, floating for hours out past where the waves break so the raft doesn't tip, plodding back at the end of the day with salty hair, sandy skin, and pink on the bridges of our noses.

Three more days!

The Plan

Conversations of late have been revolving around the future. 

My little sister and I had a chat about where we'll be when we grow up.  We both agreed that we don't plan on living in our hometown after we graduate college.  There are so many places in the world - why would we want to experience only one of them? 

My boss shared insight with me the other day about her success in life- she is not afraid of change.  She said a lot of people her age stay in the same place for more than 30 years, but she has always been ready to take whatever path life opens up.  She embraces the opportunities she is presented with anticipation, not fear.

When spring semester was drawing to a close, I met a guy who was set to graduate that next week... who was only in his second year of school... and double-majoring in business and nuclear engineering.  Holy moly ambition.  He told me that his next step was to leave for New York City, where he would be working for a medical research team, but before he made it there, he was doing a month-long internship in Las Vegas. 

A few months ago, I had lunch with a friend, and for fun, we daydreamed out the next ten or so years of our lives.  I don't remember what his plan was (oops, bad friend), but mine has stuck with me.  Of course, I don't expect that my life will follow exactly this oddly specific design, but it captures the essence of what I'm aiming for.  Life has so much to offer.  If it takes a silly little agenda to remember that, then a silly little agenda I'll make.

The Plan

The next three years - I'll finish school, of course.  I love college with my whole heart, and my days there are filled to the brim.  I plan to study abroad for a semester, somewhere in Europe, perhaps.  And heeding some advice from my double major friend, I'll intern as much as possible. 

The one or two or three after that - New York City!  Or Chicago or DC or any big city with skyscrapers and museums and lots of take-out options (but I'm set on New York for right now).  I'll live in a big, airy studio apartment and find a job with my brand new marketing degree and community-and-civic-engagement minor.  I don't want to live there long term; I'd miss the stars, fields, and trees, and I don't really want to have kids there.  I think. 

And for about a year - a friend of a friend of a friend will have a cousin or something who lives in Italy or someplace and is a librarian.  Said cousin will become pregnant and her protective Italian husband will insist that she take a year off for her and the baby's health.  So I'll take over as the librarian at a sweet little village library, and teach English lessons in the afternoon.  I'll stay in the extra room at the home of a old couple who speak no English.  They'll make me coffee in the mornings and pasta at night.  I'll be absolutely broke from spending all of my money traveling around the continent.
     *Sidenote: I'm not sure where things will be relationship-wise by this point.  Maybe I'll have a husband... maybe I'll have nothing.  In that case, I'll have a romantic fling with a very tall and and very dark and very handsome Italian man.  Duh.

After that - maybe I'll settle down at this point.  With a husband and kids and such. I'd love a place full of history, and not too much snow.

Beyond that, it's all a little fuzzy.  But aren't dreams always so?