Sand and Wind and Saltwater Sanity

We make lunch. Sandwiches, leftovers, a Hot Pocket - whatever they want to make for themselves, for that's the order of the day. I toss the food in the lunch bag - careful, keep the peanut butter segregated from the soy butter. Grab some apples, bananas, maybe an orange. Water bottles for each. Diet Mt. Dew for me.

A bag of chips that, if left from the day before, may or may not be coated with sand. Toss it all into the lunch bag. Four or five wet washcloths tucked into a grocery store bag - maybe we'll need them, maybe we won't. Better safe than sorry.

Every kid lines up. I squirt cold sunblock into my hands, rub them together and coat squirmy, wiggly bodies. Paint lines on faces with ooey-gooey melty sticks. Pack up shovels, pails, bubble wands and of course, half a million important shell pieces from the day before. I toss my Kindle into a zip top bag, grab a bed sheet to sit on, and load the van.

It's beach time.

  I'm certain that I went to the beach as a child. After all, I live at the beach. Within an easy few minutes kind of ride. But my mom didn't like the public beach when I was young- too many tourists, too difficult to find expensive parking, lots of the wrong crowds - so, if we went, it was to the military beach. Much more family friendly. I didn't understand it then and I griped.

I'm sure that we went. I just don't remember many trips until I was a teen. I wish I did.

I rarely took my kids to the beach alone before this year. It was too many kids, I wasn't comfortable enough in my prowess at watching everyone, and after the last one came along - well, the beach was a rare and certain torture for her. Last year was the first year that she could handle it, but I was in no shape to attempt it. Too many bad things happened last spring that left me in a raw, raw place that was far more difficult to scale from than I let on here.

But now, we go to the beach.

But not just any beach. My mom is right - the public beach is too much right now. Too many people, too much noise, too chaotic, too much that I just don't want my kids to see. So, we drive. We drive miles further than we need to. We pass country stands, bulging with melons and berries, offering fresh caught crabs and local fish. We pass wildlife on a two lane road. We zoom through cornfields, lift our feet when we pass graveyards, and count horses. It's way out there country, through a wildlife preserve and past campgrounds that I didn't know existed until this year.

Kinda looks like this a lot of the time.

When we see a set of gaudy, circus colored buildings, we know we are almost there. Kind of. We get to the end, and then we turn and drive further. Past gargantuan rental properties and some much smaller than my house, many with For Sale by Owner signs and prices that make my head spin. We pass homes with widow's walks and ocean views, and we drive.We see signs that horses may cross the road - although I've never seen them. And we drive.

It's a long way.

My kids know the drill by now. They bring books, they sing songs, the little girls count to 100, 200, 500 by 2's. We chant multiplication tables and discuss who would win in a fight - Jabba the Hut or Bobba Fett. And, sometimes, blessed sometimes, they read and I listen to music.

Certainly I could use my time and gas money more frugally. Others don't understand - I have 2 pools that I could use and it would be much less work for me - no sand in the van, no load of towels when we get home, no daily showers and hair washings. The pool would be much easier. I agree. But it's almost peaceful out here - way removed from traffic, from airplanes and seagulls, believe it or not, to a place populated by pelicans and vast expanses of sand and seagrass.

For my life, for my sanity, for some odd reason that I have yet to lay a finger on - this is what I need - to see this. For right now, this is enough.

Like a bear stores food, I'm greedily sucking in all I can this summer, because I know that winter is coming.

 

(Man, my feet are ugly. Old looking, too.)

Comments

[kyooty]

AWesome!!! I love most the sound of the waves on the shore! without that? Summer isn't summer and yet I have to wait until I get to the island? or another city about 1 hour an 1/2 away to get that. I will though go to the River.

[Joanne]

Great Post...Great Photos...Great Mom!!
Brunch101

[Shannon]

What a great blog you had. Just found it from a very very old post and now I can't stop reading. What a blessing you are to read. We are going to the beach next month in Florida... 10 plus hours with the kids but can't wait!

[Jennifer]

I was trying to figure out which beach you went to. I was thinking Sandbridge but that is not a military beach.. Hmm.. Fort Story? But that is to close. I have a beach that we love to go to once in a while, its on the bay so no big waves.. small town life.. it's great.

[Headless Mom]

I wanna go with you. I'm a chicken shit when it comes to going to the beach alone. Maybe next week when I get home?

[MamaCas]

Your feet look okay to me....at least you appear to have a fresh pedicure! I'd post a pic of my own feet, but you're sure to have nightmares from the old, shabby pedicure alone.

Last year, I ventured to the beach 2 times with my 4 kids (ages 9, 7, 3 1/2, and 2 at that time). It wasn't as hard as I anticipated...but it sure it tough to relax. I'm hoping to do it more this summer, now that I'm confident that it CAN be done!

[Megan]

I know that beach. Croatan is a nice and more quiet one as well, especially on weekdays, and may not be as far for you. On the other hand, you have to be careful not to get run over by surfers, so maybe not.

[Brenda]

Do you go to Little Island Park? That's where we like to go!

[Wendy S]

I miss Virginia Beach we lived there for 2 years and are trying desperately to get back there. The wind, sound of the waves, the smell of the ocean....there is nothing like it. We lived on the Chesapeak and played there all day coming only for lunch and then when my husband got off work we packed up the kids and headed to Sandbrindge until dusk. LOVE Sandbridge! Ah I miss it.

[A Simple Twist of Faith]

I love, love the beach, and so do my kids.

[Katherine]

Yes, do tell. We go to Little Island - a long drive but surfing for some kids and swimming for others (and me!).... That picture doesn't really look like it unless you are there REALLY early. Is there a secret locals beach I don't know about other than Little Island? ;) Today we went to Croatan which was great for my surfer but trying to find a spot as a swimmer? EWWWW!

[UKCraftySal]

What a lovely post! Living in England as I do, (and blessedly very close to the coast)your description of the drive to the beach was so evocative of a foreign land. Beautiful photos too.

I really relate to your need to be by the sea. Not sure I could live in the middle of a continent, the coast pulls me somehow. And yes, store up those summer memories, because winter will come.

[Issa]

I get this soooo much. For me, the ocean is life. I need it. It's been way too long.

[Kikilia]

Why do you lift your feet when passing a graveyard?

And the beach looks wonderful!

[Cathey Weisbrod]

Just an FYI -- I noticed you mentioned soy nut butter . . . I"m allergic to peanuts and I HATE that stuff, but SUNBUTTER (made from sunflower seeds) is absolutely delicious! You can get it at Kroger (organic section), Meijer, and health food stores. Give it a try (they have creamy and crunchy) -- YUM!

[Paige]

Nice. We live nowhere near the beach, so if we go, it's only on vacation.

[Shellie]

Where are these private beaches? I didn't really like Sandbridge. The waves seemed harsher and the beach rougher, if that makes sense. We are military too, but forever stationed at Norfolk, so haven't checked out any of those beaches either. Recommendations?