After a year off last summer to go to Zion National Park - a once a lifetime trip - I'm happy to be back in Santa Rosa Beach for our last week of summer vacation. I'd forgotten how much I missed this place, our summer home away from home, where we've vacationed almost annually for a decade.
We don't own a home, obviously, in Old Florida Village, but it feels like we do since we stay there every year. Another Happy Day, A Slice of Paradise, Good to Go, Cracker Jack and this year, Beach Gnome. All houses in Old Florida Village where we've stayed over the years. I probably left one or two out, too.
We've graduated, so to speak, from the early years with J.P., when we searched out a playground behind an elementary school on 30A near Elmo's (an early favorite restaurant). Now, it's as much beach time with the boys as we can handle, with pool time mixed into the schedule in the mornings. JP is bicycling on his own through Old Florida Village, which is really just a couple of small loops since the housing development is on the small side.
The cool thing, for now, is that the boys still want to hang out with us. I realize as I write this that soon enough - too soon, really - JP will want to be on his own, exploring, when we vacation here, as opposed to wanting to spend time with us. And in some ways that will break my heart, although I know that's how it's supposed to go.
This morning, at the beach, the boys (J.P. and his friend, Cooper) couldn't wait for me to get in the ocean with them, so they could go out a little father in rough surf. Then, we threw the Waboba ball back and forth, skimming it off the waves and trying to catch it before it bounced past us. That involved into a made up game we called "Nutshot." Use your imagination and you can figure out the point of the game. Actually, the real point of the game was laughing at each other, as we dodged the incoming Waboba ball.
I got a 5 mile trail run in yesterday morning not the Longleaf Pine trail, whose trailhead is right around the corner from Old Florida Village. I've been running that trail, out and back, for so many years. It was nice to get back out there yesterday, although my aching right foot afterwards was discouraging. Stress fracture? I hope not.
Joe and I slipped down to Seaside (where I am right now) Sunday morning for a cup of coffee - hot chocolate for Joe - at Ama Vida while Jude and J.P. walked on the beach and looked for shells. It was "Joe Time," just like the old days when he was still at Children's House and we had a hour or so together almost every morning. We picked up some donuts at 5 Daughters before we headed back to Santa Rose Beach.
The boys love the beach and so do I. Maybe it's the California blood in me, since I spent my early years going to the Pacific Ocean with some regularity before we moved back to Tennessee after my father's death. Being her relaxes me and I'd kind of forgotten that feeling.
Dinner at Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar, one of the new developments along our part of 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.
Ice cream at Blue Mountain Beach Creamery on Sunday night. Our friend, Jed, and his family own the Creamery and it's always great to see him.
Boys being boys in the pool at Old Florida Village.
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