long beach washington

The family vacation was wonderful; much more laid back than I anticipated. But maybe that's because my husband and sister are both extremely anti-stress people. They both have heels the size of Montana,which they will drag, drag, draaaaaaaaagggg if you suggest something that they expect may be stressful. With wounded, doe-like eyes of pain fixed on you, asking 'why, why, why are you doing this to me?!' (Yes, me.  I am usually the one asking them to step outside their comfort zone [read: house].  So sue me.)

But this time, it worked well to counter my mother's endless sense of adventure. Which I hold in awe. But against these two... she was outclassed. And vacation was very laid back and just enough fun. 

Judah and the momma deer

We had visitors in the mornings there at Long Beach; a doe and her two fawn.  I watched them eat out of this girls hand, but when Judah tried it, she was having none of it.  It wasn't that she wasn't interested, but he simply wouldn't open up his hand enough to convince her he was well-meaning. 
 

From mom and dad's apt

From our porch

I was reminded of a couple things I've lost over the last 8 years working in the corporate world:

1. How nice it is to sit and read through a good book (instead of trying to get through it on your commute to and from the office). 
2. I actually opened up my story that I started writing about a dozen years ago (I kid you not), and start working on it again. I haven't seriously opened the file since I began working 8 years ago. It feels good to read through, learn the characters again and laugh at my own silly angst. (8 years is a long time, and a huge perspective shift.) I found it incredibly amusing until I realize I need to re-write 20,000 of my 60,000+ words.

I'll leave you with a couple more pictures from beautiful Long Beach, WA. (I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with the camera in my new BB Storm from Verizon.) Click to embiggen.

The boardwalk

"Trooper" the kite

John's such a loner

John's buttprint looks like an alien smiley face

View of our accommodations from a distance

Beach access from the Boardwalk

I don't get the fascination of kite flying...

Mom and me (hi!)

Aha! Found dad in the distance, another loner...

Got his trail...

Getting real close here

Dad and I (hi!)