Santa Rosa Beach Revisited

(I'm sitting at Bongo Java having a cup of coffee and listening to REM's "Don't Go Back to Rockville," remembering a bus trip back from the Kappa Sigma headquarters in Charlottesville in 1985 while a fraternity brother played that song on his jambox.  Great song.  Great trip.  A long time ago.)

Before the memories quietly slip away with the start of school and the end of summer, I wanted to recap the highlights of our week at Santa Rosa Beach.

• We had a 1-stop trip on the way down, marred slightly by J.P. throwing up as I pulled into the parking lot at the beach to drop Jude and kids off as become out custom.  I drove over to Cracker Jack to unload Jude's Honda Pilot, then went back to the beach to pick them up.
• I ran every day but one and particularly enjoyed a 5-miler on the Longleaf Pine trail that I've run on so many times before.  
• I retained my titled of "Admiral" by defeating Joe and J.P. in Battleship.  Nice.
• I finished a great book, "The Force" (Don Winslow) and started another great book, "Natchez Burning" (Greg Iles).
• By mid-week, our friend, Jed, had returned from Austin, TX, and we got to see him at the Blue Mountain Beach Ice Creamery.  Several times, actually.  It's so good to see him doing so well.
• I had a beer with Jed, at his suggestion, at McTigue's one afternoon.  That was kind of surreal, since I've known him since he was 17 years old.  I'm proud of him.
• We had pizza, as always, at the Pickle Factory in Grayton Beach.
• We spent a fantastic afternoon and evening with the Allens at the Watersound Beach Club.  The pool was like something in Vegas, but on the beach.  Amazing.  I drank Hemingway daiquiris in the pool while the boys played in the game room and Jude checked out the beach with Susannah and Ella.
• We played a baseball game with the boys that Jude invented, every day.  Other kids in the pool joined in, which was fun.  The boys loved the pool.
• The beach.  The boys loved the beach and the ocean.  On Wednesday, before rainy weather moved in on Thursday and Friday, J.P. and I invented a throwing game with the Wabobi ball and played to 50.  By the time we were doing, I was worn out and so was he.  He and I also revived a Wabobi ball throwing game on the beach we invented last year, where we step back form each other after every 2 tosses.  
• The boys, Jude and Cooper played "basketball" on the beach, again reviving a game from last year.  Jude's invention last year, still very popular this year.  She amazes me with her creativity when it comes to games that capture the boys' interest.  
• We had a nice dinner with the Allens at the Craft Bar in Grayton Beach, a new place with craft beers and good burgers.  

Now, for the photos.

JP and Cooper getting some beach time.

 JP and Joe at the pool in Old Florida Village, the community where we always stay in Santa Rosa Beach.

Jude, Joe and JP.

Joe, Joe and Cooper.

Beach basketball, a game invented by Jude last year on a day when the double red flags were flying and the ocean was closed.  Back for a return engagement this year.

Wrestling at the pool.  Boys will be boys.

JP.  He's growing up to quickly.

Joe playing miniature golf.

JP at the pool.

My boys.

They love the beach and the ocean.  So do I.